Has anyone been to the Trattorio Del Porta Buffett character meal.

[jjjbennett]

I was told on the Universal dining line that this is available on Friday evenings at the Portafina. Scooby and Woody are supposed to be there. Is it worth $19.95 per adult and $9.95 per child. Is this the restuarant that has the lounge area with a big couch for kids or am I thinking another restuarant? I would love to do a character meal at Universal but they don't seem to compare well to Disney.

 

[Tigger Woods]

We did that character meal in December and loved it. The buffet was outstanding. Custom prepared pasta dishes, prime rib, lots of side dishes, all kinds of desserts. It was the best meal we had the whole trip. There is a great area for kids with little tables, a big screen TV showing Nick JR. cartoons, etc. You can sit at a regular table right next to the kid's area to keep an eye on the little ones. Scooby Doo and Woody Woodpecker spent a lot of time with the kids. Even though these are not Disney characters, my kids still enjoyed them very much. I've done most of the character dinners at WDW, and this was by far the most relaxing. Can you tell I really liked it?

 

[CPM]

What part doesn't compare to Disney? The food or characters. as far as the characters, you get what you get. I think you may get a bit more attention at Universal since most kids don't go as crazy over Scoobie then Mickey.
The food is very good. You can design your own pasta meals, and there are plenty of salads.
I ask for a table near the kids area so I can watch Kevin. I have even had the server offer to bring him his food to that area! It's great!!!
I think if I remember correctly that $19.95 is a bit cheaper then most Disney Character Dinners.

 

[JessicaR]

We did the character meal at Trattoria del Porto twice. The buffet is great and so is the menu offerings. Try a marshmallow shake.The characters really take their time at each table and it was a highlight for us all. Enjoy!

 

[jjjbennett]

Thanks for the help. I've been trying to reserve this today but the dining line says that since I have a party of 8 I need to call the restaurant directly and I can't get anyone to return or take my call. I'm thinking I should just book 2 tables of 4 and ask them to put us together when we arrive.

 

[SpideyHulk24]

And who are all the characters there?

 

[jjjbennett]

The restuarant manager returned my call and made my reservation for me. The characters are suppossed to be Scooby and Woody Woodpecker. This is on Fridays evenings

 

[osugrad148]

We were at the character buffet Aug. 1. It was wonderful and ended up being one of the best "bargains" of the trip. the food was great. They had beef tenderloin at our buffet, plus the create your own pasta bar. You pick your pasta, sauce (marinara, bolognese or alfredo), and then lots of add ins like spinach, shrimp, cheeses and plenty more. There was also a station with salmon. Lots of great side dishes too. They also had a delicious portobello mushroom cold salad, and great desserts. The drinks were included with the meal and our bill for the 5 of us was about $63 plus tip. We opted for the kids meals instead of a buffet for the kids. I think they were around $5 each for chicken fingers, grilled cheese and hot dog. They did have a lot on the buffet for kids also, but mine tend to have small appetites.

Scooby Doo and Woody Woodpecker were there and each came around twice. We walked in and were seated immediately around 7:30 pm. It was busy, but it is a large restaurant and tables turned over frequently. There was also a large group there of at least 75, so it may not usually be so crowded.