PORTOFINO BAY HOTEL INFO...FAQ`s and more.......

[Todd H]

Comparing our trip this year to last summer, definitely more offerings. Last year they served you, now its completely self serve. Saw MULTIPLE grown adults using their hands to get food. Please use the tongs!

What were the breakfast offerings if you don't mind?

 

[NicoleLarson]

We just got here. I'll post those in the morning!

 

[djmeredith]

Thanks @NicoleLarson!

 

[SkyGuy]

Comparing our trip this year to last summer, definitely more offerings. Last year they served you, now its completely self serve. Saw MULTIPLE grown adults using their hands to get food. Please use the tongs!

We saw adults and kids using their hands and the tongs were right there! I even mentioned the tongs were there and was ignored. I also witnessed adults coming in to the dessert hour and taking entire trays of items, or kids grabbing (with their hands) six or seven cookies and then putting a few back. The dessert thing really surprised me. The attendants were constantly - and I mean constantly - walking back and forth to the kitchen to replenish dessert items because people were walking in and taking dozens of items, just piling their plates, and leaving the room. This wasn’t an issue any other time of day.

 

[NicoleLarson]

We saw adults and kids using their hands and the tongs were right there! I even mentioned the tongs were there and was ignored. I also witnessed adults coming in to the dessert hour and taking entire trays of items, or kids grabbing (with their hands) six or seven cookies and then putting a few back. The dessert thing really surprised me. The attendants were constantly - and I mean constantly - walking back and forth to the kitchen to replenish dessert items because people were walking in and taking dozens of items, just piling their plates, and leaving the room. This wasn’t an issue any other time of day.

Thats crazy! I'll report what I see at dessert time. We were going to go play putt putt but its raining....boo! So we are just hanging in the lounge.. Yes, its not like the tongs are hidden THEY'RE RIGHT THERE!

 

[SkyGuy]

Thats crazy! I'll report what I see at dessert time. We were going to go play putt putt but its raining....boo! So we are just hanging in the lounge.. Yes, its not like the tongs are hidden THEY'RE RIGHT THERE!

I’m not knocking the lounge, though. It’s great! We never had any problems finding a seat. The wine pours were VERY generous (I’m a lightweight, so I had to say when after I saw how generous they were!). The breakfast was very egg heavy, often with an egg-laden breakfast burrito as well as hard-boiled eggs and no meat option, but the daily doughnut selection was very fresh and tasty and always fresh fruit and yogurt. Midday was good, and dinner was way better than Disney CL (except BWI), imo. I did miss the espresso machines that Disney CL has, but overall I was very impressed and happy. Hope you have a great time!

 

[NicoleLarson]

Desserts were good last night. They had cookies, lemon tart and a chocolate coffee flour less cake, it was extremely dense, almost like fudge. At 8pm it was bedlam, as soon as they put anything out it was gone but by 830 or so it had slowed down significantly.

 

[NicoleLarson]

I’m not knocking the lounge, though. It’s great! We never had any problems finding a seat. The wine pours were VERY generous (I’m a lightweight, so I had to say when after I saw how generous they were!). The breakfast was very egg heavy, often with an egg-laden breakfast burrito as well as hard-boiled eggs and no meat option, but the daily doughnut selection was very fresh and tasty and always fresh fruit and yogurt. Midday was good, and dinner was way better than Disney CL (except BWI), imo. I did miss the espresso machines that Disney CL has, but overall I was very impressed and happy. Hope you have a great time!

Yes, I miss the espresso as well! I'm like its an Italian themed resort, how is there not espresso.

One thing that kind of irked me was that wine and beer was supposed to be from 5-8 but at 730 ish they stopped refilling anything so no beer or white wine left. My DH asked at 740 if he could a beer and they said we only have red wine left and by 745 the table was completely cleared. Taking the full bottles of red wine with them. I just found that odd and maybe if they had started serving a bit before 5 I could maybe understand but no, they did not start serving until 5pm on the dot. So moral of the story dont wait until the end to go get a drink.

 

[BLTtinkerbell]

Yes, I miss the espresso as well! I'm like its an Italian themed resort, how is there not espresso.

One thing that kind of irked me was that wine and beer was supposed to be from 5-8 but at 730 ish they stopped refilling anything so no beer or white wine left. My DH asked at 740 if he could a beer and they said we only have red wine left and by 745 the table was completely cleared. Taking the full bottles of red wine with them. I just found that odd and maybe if they had started serving a bit before 5 I could maybe understand but no, they did not start serving until 5pm on the dot. So moral of the story dont wait until the end to go get a drink.

Thank you for all the info and photos! This is very helpful!
What time does the lounge serve breakfast? Appetizers?
Anything else we should know about Club Lounge?
Thanks again!
Enjoy your vacation!

 

[NicoleLarson]

Thank you for all the info and photos! This is very helpful!
What time does the lounge serve breakfast? Appetizers?
Anything else we should know about Club Lounge?
Thanks again!
Enjoy your vacation!

I forgot to post this. I have breakfast pics but I'm trying to save my phone battery today. I'll post them later on!

 

[smile145]

Desserts were good last night. They had cookies, lemon tart and a chocolate coffee flour less cake, it was extremely dense, almost like fudge. At 8pm it was bedlam, as soon as they put anything out it was gone but by 830 or so it had slowed down significantly.

Do they have any cordials out with the desserts?

 

[Jujumama]

Food pics, drink cooler

Thanks so much for posting these!

 

[Todd H]

We're leaving tomorrow morning. This will be my first stay at Portofino Bay. We usually stay at Royal Pacific. Looking forward to getting away. We're also doing a few days in St. Augustine at the Embassy Suites by Hilton St. Augustine Beach Oceanfront Resort Suites afterwards.

 

[BLTtinkerbell]

We're leaving tomorrow morning. This will be my first stay at Portofino Bay. We usually stay at Royal Pacific. Looking forward to getting away. We're also doing a few days in St. Augustine at the Embassy Suites by Hilton St. Augustine Beach Oceanfront Resort Suites afterwards.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[NicoleLarson]

What were the breakfast offerings if you don't mind?

Almost forgot these.

 

[NicoleLarson]

More breakfast. Thats 1 lonely breakfast burrito.

 

[NicoleLarson]

Hashbrowns, hard boiled eggs, juices, coffee, tea and milk.

 

[NicoleLarson]

Do they have any cordials out with the desserts?

No, all alcohol is gone by 8pm but we noticed they start putting it away around 730 when we were there.

 

[ruthies12]

So excited, just booked a Minion suite for January 13th to 17th next year. Got a rate of 731 but will keep looking. I usually wait and book passholder rates but with that being MLK weekend I was afraid the suites would be gone and I'm okay with this rate if it doesn't go down. I've never stayed at Portofino before, it looks beautiful!

Though I may switch to the future rock star suite if those prices drop below what I got for minions, especially since I'm a little worried about my teen fitting in those bomb beds, she's 5'4" now and may grow a little before next Jan. I'm wondering if she doesn't fit on the bed if the hotel will give us a cot? My kids will love the minion theming way more than the rock star theme though so I may not switch. Although I am also worried about getting one of the bunk bed rooms, those look much smaller imo ........first world problems lol

 

[mistysue]

Does anyone have recent experience (or less recent if it would help) with club lounge and food allergies?
Do they generally have alternate items for you, or is it sort of "take what you can and then whatever" ?

We have until November, but travel with one with gluten/dairy and another with dairy/egg/peanut/shellfish/sunflower - so it's definitely going to come up. We're used to traveling with food to supplement ourselves.