Theme Park Foodie

Disney is well known for it’s exceptional customer service, but the staff at Mama Melrose’s went above and beyond to make a wonderful dining experience even better. I highly recommend it for anyone visitingHollywood Studios!

My boyfriend and I stopped in for a walk-in dinner during the off season, and reservations were not required. We were told that it would be a few hours before we could be seated, so we made a reservation for later in the day. My boyfriend and I were being silly throughout the whole process (we are a long distance couple, so we tend to be goofy when we have the opportunity to spend time together). The woman taking our reservation commented on how sweet we were together, and told us she loved seeing young people like us at the park together. We were a little embarrassed, but thanked her for her kind words.

When we returned for our reservation, we were told by the young lady at the front counter (a different employee) that there was a back up and we would have to wait an additional half-hour to eat. We decided to wait, and sat down in the lobby. It was a warm day, so I walked up to the counter, asking if I could order a drink (a soda or a water). The employee told me no, that wasn’t permitted. I was disappointed, but I said thank you anyway and sat back down.

The woman who had taken our reservation at an earlier time must have overheard the conversation, because a moment later she walked up to us. “Ashley,” she said, looking at the name on our reservation, “are you ready for that drink now?” We looked at her, very confused, and she informed us that she was ready to seat us. “You two remind me of my husband and me; you’re so happy together. I hope you hold on to that throughout your lives.” Pleasantly surprised, we followed her into the dining room. She seated us and said our waitress would be along shortly.

Our waitress came along within a MINUTE, and she mentioned that the other employee had told her to take special care of us. Throughout our dinner, she was especially attentive, refilling our drinks and checking on us  every few minutes. She made wonderful recommendations from the menu, and we absolutely loved the dishes she recommended. I had the Chicken Campanelle, and my boyfriend enjoyed the Oven-baked Chicken alla Parmigiana. The Chicken Campanelle, featuring wood grilled chicken and campanelle pasta tossed with broccoflower, sun dried tomatoes, fresh spinach and sweet onions with shrimp is the best Disney dish I’ve eaten.

After a delicious main course, the waitress asked us if we would like to try a dessert. My boyfriend and I debated back and forth about which one we should share, and the waitress told us she would help us pick if we decided on two to choose from. We decided that the chocolate truffle cake and the honey-hazelnut & ricotta cheesecake both sounded good, and she recommended the cheesecake. We went with her suggestion.

When she returned with our order, we received quite the shock. She brought us both desserts and informed us that they were on the house because she and the woman who had seated us wanted us to have a special dinner together. Their kindness certainly made that the best dinner we’ve had at Walt Disney World! And in case you’re wondering, the desserts were delicious too!

We made sure to leave a compliment with Guest Services on our way out of the park, including the names of the two employees. Remember, if you have a great Disney experience, be sure to leave a guest compliment so that they will be informed of how much you appreciated them!

Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano
Price: $10-$30/person
Category: Table Service
Location: Hollywood Studios, Walt Disney World
Recommended: Chicken Campanelle, Warm Chocolate Truffle Cake