Restaurateur and longtime Patina Restaurant Group CEO Nick Valenti created the Via Napoli concept, based upon his travels in Southern Italy and his time developing and overseeing the successful Naples 45 Ristorante e Pizzeria in New York which was awarded the coveted certification of “La Vera Pizza Napoletana.” While in Naples, Valenti spent time studying the art of dough, crust, sauce and oven temperatures at the famous pizzerias Da Michele and Trianon.  At Da Ettore, he discovered the art of pagnotiello, a folded round of pizza dough filled with mozzarella, ham and mushrooms.

“I have always loved the beauty of a simple Neapolitan pizza,” Valenti says.  “It’s a perfect food, something beloved by both Italians and Americans. At Via Napoli we will make pizza the traditional Neapolitan way: with a textured, soft and charred crust. I look forward to bringing it to Walt Disney World, where it should be a welcome addition to guests visiting Epcot.”

Via Napoli features a selection of classical Neapolitan pizzas, ranging from pizza bianca, quattro stagioni, piccante, ortolano and a traditional margherita. Famed Pizzaiolo Charlie Restivo serves as executive chef at Via Napoli, where he crafts the pies using simple and delicious Italian ingredients such as San Marzano tomatoes, Caputo flour, handmade fresh mozzarella, Parma Cotto, crumbled sausage and water calibrated specifically to the pH found in Naples.

“We’re excited to be working with the Patina Restaurant Group once again on this significant expansion project,” said Dan Cockerell, vice president of Epcot. “Via Napoli will certainly enhance the guest experience and the architectural landscape of World Showcase just in time for our 15th annual Epcot Food & Wine Festival.”

A unique feature at Via Napoli is the wood-burning ovens, which are named after the three active volcanoes in Italy – Mount Etna, Mount Vesuvius and Stromboli.  Each oven is sculpted with the “face of the volcano” — reflecting the gods whose mythology surrounds each volcano’s history.

The architecture and design of the new pizzeria is based on a mix of traditional Italian styles, with the Florentine architect Stefano Nardini (of Magris & Partners) working in conjunction with Rick Swisher Architect to build it.

Guests also can board pets by day and take advantage of services like the resort’s doggy day camp and grooming services.

• 17,000 square feet of air-conditioned indoor space
• 10,000 square feet of covered outdoor runs and play areas
• A full-service grooming salon with lobby view
• Two 1,100-square-foot doggy-day-camp rooms opening onto a play-yard
• Nearly a quarter-acre private, nature-scaped play park with water-play area and protected trail
• Accommodations for 270 dogs in standard and luxury indoor-outdoor suites. Oversized luxury suites include raised bedding (hop up Fido!) and TVs
• A separate “Kitty City” pavilion accommodating up to 30 cats in “purr-fect” two- and four-story cat condos
• A special room for boarding of pocket pets that include birds and hamsters

As guests and their pets approach the resort, located at 2510 Bonnet Creek Parkway, Lake Buena Vista, Fla., 32830, across from Disney’s Port Orleans Resort, they’ll drive beneath a stylized porte cochere canopy. From the airy lobby, they can watch grooming experts at work on pets of all shapes and sizes.

The resort’s exclusive dog park features a fenced walking trail that borders the natural wetlands around the park. Inside the trail, a 3,300-square-foot play area is covered in artificial turf, and another 4,500-square-foot area is dotted with shade trees for owners who want to sit and watch their pets play. Dogs even can enjoy a 1,300-square-foot water park in their own splash-and-shake zone. Several park spaces are equipped with benches where guests can sit and watch their pets play. The park is secured for guests and their pets only and is illuminated for use after dark.

Directly off the resort’s lobby, a grooming salon offers “go-home-fresh” baths and haircuts for pets. A la carte activities for dogs range from one-on-one playtimes and social playgroups to “cuddle time” and bedtime stories with resort staff. Dog owners also can choose from pet amenities that include ice cream treats, bottled water and premium orthopedic bedding. Cat owners can treat their feline favorites to private playtimes or gourmet snacks like “Tuna on a Ritz” or Cookies and Milk.”

Guests who wish to book accommodations for their pets can visit www.wdw.bestfriendspetcare.com or call 877/4-WDW-PETS.