Things to Do in Orlando
Disney World Florida is perhaps the most famous tourist attraction on the planet. Ask most kids (and adults too) what their dream holiday destination would be and Disney World will be amongst their top two choices. This has been the case since the theme park opened its doors back in 1955 and will likely continue for many years into the future and it’s largely because it’s based on almost a century of creating magical animated characters. There are very few people on the planet who won’t have an idea who Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck or Pluto is!
At Christini’s Ristorante Italiano, we are the premier destination for fine dining in the Orlando area and what’s great is that we’re located on the famous Restaurant Row, just 15 minutes away from both Disney Springs at Walt Disney Resort and Universal Studios. This means that after you’ve finished being wowed by all of your favourite animated and movie favourites, you are just a stone’s throw away from the best authentic fine dining Orlando has to offer – the perfect way to end a magical day.
What Makes Christini’s Special?
Well, we’ll go into more detail about what makes the Christini’s dining experience the best there is later, but essentially, our restaurant is viewed by locals, holiday-goers and food critics alike as being the only place to go to enjoy five-star dining, ambience and service. Our owner and boss, Chris Christini is quite the taskmaster with his team, but that’s only because excellence is the minimum he expects. Only by constantly striving to be better can any business achieve their full potential and it’s something that we live by every single day.
Fine Dining in Orlando
One of the primary reasons it’s possible to maintain our consistently high levels is because we operate at just one location – not as part of a bigger chain. Not being associated with any other restaurant in the United States means that we get to focus on the finer details, rather than worrying about trying to spread our enthusiasm and expertise over multiple restaurants. Whilst dining in a chain restaurant may very well be a pleasant experience, it just doesn’t compare to the one you get at Christini’s.
So now, for those of you reading that have never been to Florida or indeed DisneyWorld, let us take you on a journey to give you an idea of what you can expect after driving under the famous Disney World archway.
Disney World – A Land of Endless Enchantment
There is a child inside all of us and it’s perhaps this fact that explains why what Disney World offers is something that resonates with both youngsters and adults alike. Billed by Disney themselves as a “Land of Endless Enchantment” and ”Where Fantasy Becomes Reality”, this amazing theme park offers stunning attractions with little to no need for spending hours in slow-moving queues.
There’s more going on in Disney World than there has ever been, meaning that whatever the time of day or length of your holiday, you’re not going to run out of fun things to do.
White Knuckle Rides
Thrill seekers and roller coaster fanatics visiting Disney World will not be disappointed, as there is an array of exciting rides on offer to get the pulse racing and turn your knuckles white. You’ve got the Tower of Terror, Splash Mountain, Expedition Everest and Space Mountain, all within easy reach. Then you have the Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster, Dinosaur and Test Track to choose from and the lack of queueing usually means that you can get numerous rides in during a single day.
Whilst Disney World may not be specifically aimed at fans of thrilling rides, there is more than enough on offer to satisfy even the most ardent of roller coaster fanatics.
Events and Tours
If you’re someone who prefers things a little more sedate, then there are many regular tours, offering an insight into what goes on behind the scenes. Backstage Magic, for example is an incredible 7 hour tour that shows the work that goes into creating the magic that so many enjoy at the theme park. By the end of this tour, you’ll know all there is to know about what makes the magic happen at Disney World.
“Disney Springs also offers a lot to visitors to the area and it is just 15 minutes from Christini’s fine dining restaurant”
Or if you’re an animal lover, you should try the Caring for Giants tour that’s suitable for everyone from preschool to adulthood. Those taking this tour are given a VIP look around Animal Kingdom with a particular focus on the wonderful elephants that call the place home and the work that goes on behind the scenes to keep them happy and healthy.
Meet Your Favourite Characters
Of course, no visit to Disney World is complete without some photo opportunities to take some snaps with your favourite magical Disney characters. Whether it’s Cinderella, Gaston, Daisy or Pluto you want to meet, you’ll get the chance at some point. You can even go and meet Ariel from The Little Mermaid in her Grotto. Suffice to say that there is absolutely no reason why should leave at the end of your Disney World stay without having met all of the characters you know and love.
Stunning Live Shows
Live entertainment is available on a regular basis when visiting this amazing theme park in Orlando, Florida with Finding Nemo – The Musical just one of those currently running. Then there’s Festival of the Lion King, Beauty and the Beast and even La Nouba by the simply fabulous Cirque du Soleil.
“Universal Studios Orlando is consistently rated by visitors as one of the best theme parks the world has to offer”
Throw in animated parades and fantastic evening fireworks extravaganzas and it’s not hard to see why so many adults leave the park feeling like they’ve rediscovered their inner-child and children leave with memories that will last a lifetime.
Disney Springs
If you thought that Disney was pretty much covered by what we’ve already spoke about so far, you couldn’t be further from the truth as, Disney Springs also offers a lot to visitors to the area and it too is just 15 minutes from Christini’s fine dining restaurant. Visitors to Disney Springs get to enjoy a range of top retail outlets, bars and entertainment activities, which include:
- The NBA Experience – where NBA comes to life and makes you the star!
- Shop Disney Parks – For all of your merchandise keepsakes
- The Dockside Bar – For spectacular evening entertainment
- The Art Corner – A pop up shop for personalised digital or watercolour caricatures
Disney Springs is easy to get into as well, as there’s ample parking (including valet parking) and bus and water transportation laid on to get you into the center of the marketplace. In fact, there’s even a pedestrian bridge for those who want to go on foot.
We’ve only touched upon a tiny amount of what Disney offers in Florida, but it’s already clear why it causes so many people to flock to our wonderful, sun-drenched part of the world each and every year.
Universal Studios Orlando
Another world-class tourist attraction almost on the doorstep of Christini’s Ristorante Italiano is Universal Studios Orlando, which is consistently rated by visitors as one of the best theme parks the world has to offer. The massive complex with the iconic Universal globe sign at its entrance is made up of two fun-packed park areas.
“Christini’s Ristorante Italiano is the preferred destination for those looking for unsurpassed levels of cuisine and ambience”
There’s a water park named Volcano Bay, a dedicated Harry Potter area, as well as a fabulous ‘Experience the Movies’ attraction, which was actually officially opened by Steven Spielberg himself. Far from being a poor relation to what Disney World offers, Universal Studios Orlando stands up in its own right as one of the premier tourist destinations for people visiting Florida.
A Huge Range of Attractions
If you’re visiting Universal Studios Orlando, you’ll need to set aside several days if you want to see everything during your stay, such is the volume of fun on offer.
For example, you could while away an entire day at ‘The Wizarding World of Harry Potter’ with attractions like Diagon Alley at Universal, the Hogwarts Express and Hogsmeade at Islands to enjoy. All of this is to be experienced even before you get to take a look at Escape from Gringotts.
If you’re a fan of thrill rides, then the Ride the Hulk roller coaster should definitely be on your list of things to do. Flipping its riders upside down on several occasions and reaching speeds of almost 70 mph, your heart will certainly get a good workout! If that’s not enough, you could move onto the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit for an extra dose of adrenaline!
For visitors with a serious sweet tooth, Universal Studios Orlando offers a Willy Wonka-esque experience in the form of Honeydukes Candy Shop. As soon as you walk through the door, you see all types of candy lining the walls from the floor, right up to the ceiling. Whether you’re a fan of chocolate drops, acid pops or jelly beans, you’ll be impressed the moment you step inside.
As before, this is only the tip of the iceberg of what Universal Studios Orlando offers and another illustration of what makes this area of the world such a popular holiday destination.
World Class Attractions to World Class Fine Dining
When you’ve had your fill of thrills, spills and world-class tourist attractions, you want the same world-class standards when you dine. It’s for this reason that Christini’s Ristorante Italiano is the preferred destination for those looking for unsurpassed levels of cuisine and ambience, as it’s something that our wonderful restaurant offers in spades.
Patrons who visit Christini’s get to enjoy the result of almost 5 decades in the restaurant business and the passion for excellence of our owner Chris Christini. We have a motto that reads “To enter Christini’s is to enter Italy” which in itself tells you much about the influence that authentic recipes from old Italy have had on our menu.
“The classic and contemporary dishes created by our amazing chefs have led to our establishment to become quite prolific when it comes to official recognition”
Our one-restaurant, one-location approach is one that allows us to serve up the highest quality fine dining in Orlando, which is also backed by an unforgettable, friendly atmosphere and the best service around. We’re famous in the area as being a ‘must-visit’ for anyone coming to Florida and it’s a reputation that has only come from years of dedication and hard work.
Award-Winning
A major indication of our standing in the restaurant industry can be seen in the awards Christini’s Ristorante Italiano has received over the years. In fact, we’re one of the most decorated restaurants in the United States when it comes to industry and customer awards. Since opening back in 1984, we have consistently set the bar when it comes fine dining, service and professionalism.
Even our owner has been the recipient of a significant accolade, being named by the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association as Restaurateur of the Year back in 2015. The classic and contemporary dishes created by our amazing chefs have led to our establishment to become quite prolific when it comes to official recognition.
For example, we have to date, been given:
The Restaurants & Institutions Magazine Ivy Award for exhibiting a standard of excellence in food and service and an innovative spirit that has won the recognition of our peers.
Nation’s Restaurant News Fine Dining hall of Fame Award for consistently high achievement in the restaurant business.
The Di Rona Distinguished Restaurant of North America Award for having provided more than 25 years of dedicated service and by contributing significantly to the distinguished dining industry.
The Best of the Best Five Star Diamond Award American Academy of Hospitality Sciences.
The Best Award of Excellence by Wine Spectator magazine, for having one of the best wine lists in the world
The International Award of Excellence for being one of the top 100 restaurants of the 20th century
The Epicurean Award for Outstanding Cuisine and Service – for offering a superlative fine dining experience
The “treasure among restaurants” award from Zagat – an independent customer survey body
The Golden Spoon Award for outstanding achievement
AAA Four Diamond Award for offering distinctive fine-dining, creatively and skillfully served, with a fantastic ambience.
It’s important to say that these awards are not given out arbitrarily, far from it. They are awarded only when deserved and it is typically up against some pretty stiff competition. We don’t do what we do for awards and recognition, but it’s nice to know that we’re operating in a way that our customers, peers and food critics simply can’t get enough of.
Our Menu
We’ve spoken so far about our many qualities as a famed fine dining restaurant on Restaurant Row Orlando, but we’ve yet to tell you about our amazing menu. Let us rectify that now by telling you all about the attention to detail that goes into each and every one of the dishes that comes out of the kitchen at Christini’s Ristorante Italiano.
“Even in large groups, every diner can choose either from our a la carte menu or from our set group menus, which are equally sublime”
As well as creating fresh pasta in-house each day, we source all of the ingredients that go into our award-winning food from only the freshest and highest quality sources. Any menu is only as good as the food that’s actually served, which is why it’s so important to ensure that our food is made with only the finest meats, seafood, olive oils and vegetables.
Expertly Created Dishes
Chris Christini started in the kitchen, which is what gives him the expert eye to guide his team of chefs to create the most delicious food in the Florida area. Whether you’re an Italian fine dining fan or not, you can’t help but be mesmerised by the colours, textures and aromas that accompany all of our a la carte dishes.
The standards are always high at Christini’s, even when large groups join us. We don’t see why having more people in your party should have an effect on the experience you have with us, even if you’re talking about 50 or more people. Even in groups this large, every diner can choose either from our a la carte menu or from our set group menus, which are equally sublime.
If you want to see what we mean in vivid colour, then head over to the menu page on our website http://bit.ly/2TuM3tQ, where you’ll find our entire menu selection. From Gamberoni alla Veneziana to Spigola Alla Christini, we have a world-class dish to suit every taste.
Our Service & Ambience
To turn a good fine dining experience into a great one, fantastic food needs to be accompanied by fantastic service and a wonderful atmosphere. Christini’s has both, as anyone who has visited us before will know. Every single member of our team has the same goal – to make your stay with us as enjoyable and memorable as it can possibly be. VIP treatment comes as standard to our diners and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
“We strongly encourage you to reserve your place to ensure that you don’t miss out on our fine dining experience”
Whilst we have had many celebrity visitors to our restaurant over the years, you don’t have to be a film or sports star to be made to feel like a VIP when you come to us for your fine dining experience. Sure, if Mick Jagger, Diego Maradona or Cuba Gooding Junior turn up for dinner (which they have by the way – take a look at our celebrity guest album here http://bit.ly/2Ty67eK), we’re going to make a fuss of them, but that’s only because that’s what we do with everyone who comes through our doors.
If after you’ve finished sampling our fine dining, you don’t feel like a VIP, then we haven’t being doing our job properly and that just won’t do! Rest assured that we’re constantly working hard to make sure that this doesn’t happen, so that you leave with nothing but amazing memories of the time you’ve spent with us.
Make Your Reservation Today
Whether you’re intending to visit us as part of your holiday, a business conference or as a someone local to the area, we strongly encourage you to reserve your place to ensure that you don’t miss out. We would hate for you to come to us to enjoy our famed fine dining experience, only to be told that we’re fully booked.
Ours is an extremely popular restaurant and so most of the time, our tables are booked solid, so to be sure that your visit to Orlando includes a never-to-be-forgotten fine dining experience at Christini’s Ristorante Italiano, you need to book ahead of time.
You can make your reservation either online using our simple booking system http://bit.ly/2Ty67eK or you can call us directly on (407) 545-6867 and one of our friendly staff can take your booking. For lots more information on our fine dining restaurant, take a look around our website www.christinis.com.
So, if you’re one of the many people who are coming to the Sunshine State to visit Disney World or Universal Studios Orlando in 2019, don’t forget to come and pay us a visit, as we’d love to see you. We’ll do everything we can to make sure that you’re overjoyed that you took the time to do so.
Thanks for reading our blog. We’ll be back soon with more from the world of fine Italian dining.
