• Home
  • About Us
  • Work With Us
  • Social Media News
  • Privacy & Terms
  • Thunderbolt Social Media
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Dangerous Cupcake Lifestyle

  • Entertainment
  • Travel
  • Food & Wine
    • Wine
    • Cupcakes
  • Disney & Marvel
    • Disney
    • Marvel
  • Crafts, Cars & Cool Things
    • Crafts
    • Cars
    • Dogs
    • Cool Things
    • Technology
  • Home & Life
You are here: Home / Wine / Wine Tasting and Happy Hour at Naples Ristorante in Downtown Disney

Wine Tasting and Happy Hour at Naples Ristorante in Downtown Disney

March 21, 2017 By Donna Biroczky Leave a Comment

Tweet
Share25
Pin
25 Shares

Growing up in Anaheim meant Disneyland was a big part of my childhood. Even when my friends and I weren’t inside the park, we were exploring the surrounding areas. Downtown Disney, a long strip of shops and restaurants leading to the entrance of Disneyland and California Adventure is just an expansion of the magic that is Disney. Last Saturday, we spent the afternoon at a media tasting in honor of Happy Hour at Naples Ristorante, another Downtown Disney restaurant that lends a taste of Italy to the popular promenade.

We’ve walked past Naples frequently, always smelling the fresh garlic and tantalizing scents of pizza but usually dragged by a kid counting steps until we get to the rides. This time, we were excited to sit down and enjoy the happy hour festivities set up for the attendees at the media event. Surrounded by blogger friends, we knew we were in for a fun afternoon.

happy hour at naples ristorante

Happy Hour at Naples Ristorante keeps it simple. Available from 3pm – 5pm Monday through Friday, the menu consists of Bruschetta, Calamari and Panzerotti along with the draft beer, house wine and sangria. Each authentically Italian appetizer is delectable, fresh and filling. Keep reading for a discount code on an appetizer and for a chance to win your own $50 gift card for Naples Ristorante.

happy hour at naples ristorante

The Bruschetta’s cheese was perfectly melted and held the tomatoes onto the grilled bread. The smokey taste and seasoning on the ciabatta bread, as well as the crisp, resulted in us having two of these dishes. Shhhhh….

happy hour at naples ristorante

Calamari is always one of my favorites, but this approach was above and beyond. The coating on the squid is light, seasoned well and the arugula itself was something to eat, not just serving as a bed for the calamari. Don’t forget to squeeze the lemon onto the whole dish and enjoy, and it’s served with spicy garlic aioli.

happy hour at naples ristorante

I don’t know if I’ve had a Panzerotti before, but this won’t be the last time. Fried pizza dough filled with mozzarella, ricotta and parmesan, it comes with a marinara sauce for dipping — you just may not need it as the dough tastes so good on its own, then when you bite into the cheesy center, you won’t remember there even was sauce.

Served by fantastic wait staff, the food arrived quickly. No time is wasted, so you’re not kept away from Mickey and friends any longer than you want to be. Should you choose though to make your visit to Happy Hour at Naples Ristorante be a break, then you’ve chosen the right place. Languish under the umbrellas outside, people watching while you sip your beverages, or head indoors to watch the chefs prepare the pizzas and other dishes. Whatever you choose, your visit will be another fun memory of your visit to Downtown Disney. (Read more about it at their website.)

happy hour at naples ristorante

Whatever you choose to eat, be sure to try the blind wine tasting challenge. For $13, you are served a flight of three wines — white or red — and given the task of guessing the type of wines you are served. For white, the choices are Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Moscato and Pinot Grigio.

happy hour at naples ristorante

For reds, the options are Merlot, Pinot Noir, Chianti, Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon. While you may be pretty confident of your palate, as I was with the whites, it’s not as easy as it sounds! If you do get all three correct, your wine tasting is free!

happy hour at naples ristorante

I did not get mine free. As much as I thought I knew my whites, I only got 2 out of 3 correct. Same with reds, only 2 out of 3. The thing is though, you don’t even care because even if you have to spend the $13, the wines are delicious, the atmosphere is energetic and the General Manager, Gabriel, is a good conversationalist! We learned a lot about wine tasting and international wines in our short time at Naples Ristorante. We’ve been planning a European vacation for a few years now, and we’re finally making it happen in 2019. Gabriel gave us wonderful suggestions of places to visit and things to try in regards to wine and safe travel overall.

happy hour at naples ristorante

And this sangria! You can order by the pitcher or the glass, and whichever you do, the glasses are adorned with fruit. Aren’t they pretty? We may or may not have shared a pitcher.  Gabriel explained the sangria has a little kick, and then he demonstrated a little kick for us. I wish I’d gotten it on video, it completely sold us on trying the sangria. If you get a chance to speak with him, take it!

happy hour at naples ristorante

Michael, our server, was wonderful. He brought this beautiful tray with a smile on his face…right before he was mobbed by bloggers with cameras. Kudos to Michael for not backing away from the sangria-thirsty crowd.

happy hour at naples ristorante

Located near the far end of the promenade, Naples Ristorante is just a short walk from the trams and the gates of both parks, making it convenient for park visitors and Downtown Disney shoppers alike. Easily accessible from all the parking areas, the restaurant is located near all your favorite Disney stores, but don’t blame me if the sangria makes you head to Vault 28 and buy up all the Marvel gear you don’t have. (Or maybe that was just me?)

happy hour at naples ristorante

So many good wines! I’m glad we did the blind wine tasting challenge…twice each. I think our favorite red was the pinot noir. I considered taking the husband’s and telling him that the table got cleaned, but I couldn’t quite pull it off.

happy hour at naples ristorante

Do you have an upcoming visit planned to Downtown Disney, or maybe you just need a nice afternoon away from the job and under an umbrella? Enter my giveaway below for a chance to win a $50 gift card for Naples Ristorante! You can try Happy Hour on your own, or enjoy one of the many authentic Italian dishes served daily. (Giveaway rules: must be 18 to enter, live in the United States and winner must provide physical address for me to email the gift card provided by Naples Ristorante.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Whether you win or not, use my discount code to save 50% on one appetizer (per table) during your next Happy Hour visit. Use promo code WINENOT and enjoy one appetizer half-off. (Valid through April 30, 2017.)

For more information before your visit, follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can also read the full menu here. Enter my giveaway daily and stop by Naples Ristorante on your next visit to Downtown Disney!

Tweet
Share25
Pin
25 Shares

Filed Under: Wine Tagged With: california lifestyle, disney, orange county, restaurant

Previous Post: « Disney’s Live Action Remake of Beauty and the Beast is Amazing!
Next Post: Kidney Stone Pain: How a Little Stone Ruined My Week »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Follow Us

dangerous cupcake lifestyle club 33 profile
I’m Donna, and I’m not a mommy blogger.
I’m a Marvel geek and creator of Dangerous Cupcake, a Southern California lifestyle blog dedicated to life after the kids grow up. As my four kids enter different stages of their lives, I get to do the same, having fun, loving Disney, watching Marvel, and not letting my age define anything. Phase 2 of life is pretty amazing, and midlife isn’t a bad word. Join me in changing focus and enjoying life during our next adventure, without totally starting over. However you do it, life is short, live a little dangerously.
Donna@DangerousCupcakeLifestyle.com

We are an Amazon affiliate, which means some Amazon links you click may be our affiliate links. In that case, we may make some money IF you purchase using those links or other affiliate links.
We appreciate you!

STUFF WE WRITE ABOUT

Footer

dangerouscupcakelifestyle

Gen X mom breaking the mold of midlife.
Travel. Entertainment. Food. Fun things. NASCAR.
Rancho Cucamonga | DM for collab

Donna | Southern California Lifestyle Blogger
Moet-Chandon champagne at the top of the Eiffel To Moet-Chandon champagne at the top of the Eiffel Tower? Sign me up. Our anniversary trip to Paris, France, was at the top of my bucket list and it was everything I hoped for. We did so many things, but our visit to the top of the Eiffel Tower was a highlight. 

A few things to know before you go:

There are three “stories” to the tower. All are accessible via stairs/elevator, but you have to purchase a ticket to see any. Your ticket is specific to which floors you plan to visit, so purchase carefully. Your ticket is required at each level to ascend higher.

Buy your ticket in advance. They do sell out, and lines can be long for standby. When we went, the standby line was around 70 minutes. 

It gets cold. The summit, which is the ‘top,’ is very windy. Secure your hat. In March, I wore a puffy coat and a scarf. I was still cold and wished I’d had gloves. 

At the summit, there is a champagne booth. You can purchase Moet-Chandon (in plastic flutes you can keep) to cheers the city. Also available are macarons and caviar. If they are out of macarons, you can also get them on the second story. They are good!

Unless you are in tip-top shape and/or you really feel brave, take the elevator up. Save your energy for the view or for taking the stairs down, which is what we did. The elevators coming down can be delayed, so if you’re in a rush, descending via the stairs may just be faster or at least break even.

There are two restaurants and a bar. Both restaurants require reservations. The Jules Verne is very high-end and books up months in advance. (We were not able to get a reservation despite trying quite a while ago.) 

Security is very, well, secure. You and your items will go through searches similar to the airport. They have a bin next to the entry full of things they took — SO many butter knives, and I still have no idea why someone would have one on their person?

It’s beautiful, so take your time. It’s incredible. Do it.

#paris #france @toureiffelofficielle #eiffeltower #eiffeltowerparis #travelblogger #travel #parisfrance #parislove @moetchandon #champagne #frenchchampagne #parisview #paristour
Disneyland Paris is celebrating its 30th anniversa Disneyland Paris is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, and walking through the gates for our first visit was amazing. Also amazing: the Phantom Mansion. It has a lot of similarities to our Haunted Mansion here in California, but with a scarier spin. And for those who frequent the HM here in Anaheim, you know how often it stops mid-ride. This one didn’t stop once! It also creeped me out, and I LOVED it. The outside has shades of the Bates Motel and doesn’t have the cute factor of Disneyland California. Newer and more cleanly laid out, this whole park is pretty amazing. More info coming here and on the blog soon. Still gathering photos and putting away/distributing souvenirs. 

@disneylandparis #disneylandparis #disneyparis #disneylandparis30 #paris #parisfrance #paristravel #disneyfrance #phantommansion #hauntedmansion #disneylandparisresort #disneylandrides #genxblogger #genx #paristravel #paristrip #disneymoms #disneymom #disneylandparis2023 #france #francetravel #francedisneyland #disneytravel #travelblogger #travelblog #disneyblog #disneylandparis30thanniversary
A day in the French countryside is the stuff dream A day in the French countryside is the stuff dream vacations are made of. We drove two hours to Chablis, with new friends from Austin (private tour groups are the best!) and visited several wineries. Full confession: we tapped out early. ALL of us. So much wine. I should be embarrassed by that…maybe…but I’m not. We had an amazing French cuisine me lunch mid-day, where we enjoyed more wine. I’ll share lunch photos later. 

You save and plan so much for international travel, you need to try and relax and enjoy it. Not always easy, especially if your tour guide is sleepy or there are protests blocking the airport entry the day before you leave, but this pic kind of exemplifies our adventure. Go as far as you can. Do things you love. Be silly. And appreciate your partner’s goofy photo poses. 😆 Most of all, have fun. And drink wine. 

@jeanmarcbrocard #chablis #france #paris #parisvacation #paristrip #paristravel #midlife #midlifeblogger #winetasting #winelover #winetravel #chabliswine #chablisfrance #francetravel #francetravels #winetrip #frenchwine #frenchwineries #frenchwinery #chabliswinetour #winetourism #winetours #winetouring #francewine #jeanmarcbrocard #vineyard #frenchvineyard #vineyardviews #frenchchablis #blogger
That time, not long ago, that I spent my birthday That time, not long ago, that I spent my birthday feeding the giraffes. Bucket list ✅

Do the things you dream of. Wear the silly ears. Giggle like a kid. 

Life is way too short. There are only so many days to do all those things you’ve wanted to do. Make those memories. 

And feed the giraffes. This event is a private add-on when you visit the park. Reservations are required in advance. Worth every single penny….and I can’t wait to do it again.

#giraffes #feedthegiraffes #sandiegowildanimalpark #wildanimal #wildanimalpark #sandiego #visitsandiego #sandiegotravel #travelblogger #travelblog #midlifeblogger #midlifebloggers #midlife #californiatravel #sandiegotravel #giraffelover #giraffeears @sdzsafaripark #sandiegozoosafaripark #zoosafari #zoosafaripark #sandiegosafaripark
Shuri was out on a walk with Dad, but for Lady Sif Shuri was out on a walk with Dad, but for Lady Sif, patience is a work in progress. This is how our goofy but lovable big girl waited for her turn.

And yes, kids grow up so we dote on the pups now. Why not? Lots of rescues available out there waiting for forever homes! 

#labrador #labradorretriever #labradorpuppy #labradorretrieverpuppy #labpuppy #ladysif #twomarvelousdogs #shuri #marvel #dogtraining #sillydog #dogvideo #dogsofinsta #dogsofinstagram #blep #derpy #dogtongue #puppytongue #midlife #midlifewomen #midlifeblogger #dog #dogvideo #dogreel #instadog
The recipe for that deliciousness is below! After The recipe for that deliciousness is below! After an overindulgent holiday season…and a whole lot of excuses…I’ve finally been working on adding more protein into my diet to drop a few pounds before we head to Paris next week. One of my favorite meals — or meal replacement, call it what you will — is a protein shake. They can be made in so many ways, all depending on what basics you have on hand. I try to keep mine simple, using whatever fruit I have in the drawer. Right now, thanks to Melissa’s Produce, I have Ojai Pixie tangerines to enjoy, so I decided to craft a super easy protein smoothie. I feel full, it gives me a protein boost and I only have to clean out the blender. Easy peasy.

Ojai Pixie Protein Smoothie

1 frozen banana
1/2 cup ice
1 scoop of protein powder
1/3 cup Greek yogurt
1 cup almond milk 
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 Ojai Pixies tangerines, peeled and sectioned

Blend in a powerful blender and serve with a fatty straw. If you don’t puree it, you’ll have some little chunks of citrus that will clog a regular straw, but for me, that makes it even better. 

Thick, cold, chunky, tangy citrus perfection. Grab some Ojai Pixie Tangerines soon! They’re only available through early June! 

@melissasproduce #melissasproduce #ojaipixietangerines #ojaipixies #tangerine #tangerines #tangerinerecipe #proteinshake #proteinsmoothie #proteinrecipes #proteinfood #proteinrecipe #mealreplacement #mealreplacementshake #breakfastrecipe @ninjakitchen #ninjablender #blender #blendershake #proteinpowder #citrus #citrusrecipes
Load More... Follow on Instagram
Life is short, so it should never be boring. Dangerous Cupcake Lifestyle is all about enjoying life, specifically midlife, finding yourself after your kids grow up and above all, keeping it real. Live dangerously. We'd love to hear from you -- let's work together!

Copyright © 2023 Dangerous Cupcake and Thunderbolt Social Media

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT