Portofino Bay Questions

[MomtoGKC]

Hi, I posted this on the PBH thread a few days ago but nobody has been on there since.

We're going on our first trip to US and just booked our room at PBH. I have a few questions (well, probably more than a few..)

How long does it take to get from the hotel to IOA for the early opening for HP? Which is the best way to go - boat, walk?

How are the restaurants? I think I've been to Bice in Palm Beach, if it is the same one, so I know that is great. What about the others? How does character dining work? Which characters are there? Trying to decide if that is worth it or we should just go to a regular restaurant.

I booked a garden view room, is there a special area I should request? Am I allowed to request an area?

Thank you!!

 

[macraven]

i can only comment on a few of your questions.

taking the boat will be faster to the park.

if you miss it, the walk could be 15 minutes to walk.
we all walk at a different pace so my time above may be different from others.



the characters at dining.
the characters rotate between the hotels during the week.

the listing is on the UO website under the hotels.
do call the hotel to ask once you are there as character dates can change from the regular scheduling.

you order off the menu and the characters are present.
this is only during the dinner hours.

i have seen scooby and crew and the simpsons.

Bice will not have the characters.

 

[patster734]

I've stayed at the PBH a couple of times and enjoyed both stays.

I haven't dined at Bice, but I have dined at other three main PBH restaurants. My favorite PBH restaurant is Sal's, which has really good pizza. My least favorite was Momma Della's, over-priced and didn't live up to the hype. The other restaurant, Trattoria, we did the breakfast buffet only, which was adequate. My advice is to take the boat to Citywalk and eat at the good restaurants there for dinner.

As for the boat between the PBH and Citywalk, it was our preferred way to travel between the hotel and Citywalk (and the parks), as the walkway is long and winding.

 

[MomtoGKC]

Thanks! We love pizza so I'm sure we'll check out Sal's. And looks like we'll be taking the boat - I don't want our legs to get tired before we even get to the park.

 

[damo]

There is also a bus.

 

[nytimez]

Definitely agree on Sal's. In fact, it's pretty much the only place I eat at PBH these days (not because the other places are bad so much as I tend to eat more either in the parks or on Citywalk). Also, Sal's has one of the rare good pizzas in Florida. The other food there is pretty good too.

Also agree w/above on Mama Della's. It was OK. Not bad. But not even close to worth the prices they charge (although my mother loved her seafood something-or-other).

 

[RMulieri]

I just literally got back..Walking the path is about 15mins.The boats run continuously.But literally we beat the boat on foot multiple times.It takes time to load/unload and it waits for people.There is a shortcut thru the Hard Rock parking area and that shaved several minutes off our walking trips.AS for the dining we ate at Sals and Momma Dellas and LOVED both.Can't answer about the view .We were in the villas section room 2567( club room) and had a view of the Beach Pool and the themeparks in the distance..LOVED PBH and can not wait to go back

 

[macraven]

i'm so happy you had fun!
what a great trip you had.



now you are an expert and can share your experiences with the newbies.

 

[natebenma]

Here is a link to pictures of the menu boards and some of the food offered at Sal's and at the Gelataria.

Sal's Deli and Marketplace

These are from July 2011.

 

[macraven]

damo, do you have nate's pics on your menu thread?

 

[damo]

damo, do you have nate's pics on your menu thread?

I've got my own and they are the same of the menus but I'll add the link for the food porn.

 

[natebenma]

damo, do you have nate's pics on your menu thread?

I've got my own and they are the same of the menus but I'll add the link for the food porn.

Thanks!

 

[MomtoGKC]

We LOVED PBH! The resort was beautiful, the rooms were huge compared to Disney, the service was excellent and the food was good. We took the boat most of the time (kids wouldn't walk with me) and took the rickshaws once when DH didn't want to wait for the boat.

We booked the cheapest room we could get - a regular garden view queen room. When I checked in she said, "Oh, you have so many people in that room (5), let me upgrade you to a bigger spot." We had brought an air mattress so I wasn't too concerned, but that was so nice of her. She said they bumped us up 3 levels - we ended up with a deluxe queen (had a pull out couch for kid #3) and it looked over the quiet pool. Room 2374.


We ate at Sal's for dinner twice and DH and kids had the brunch I guess at Trattoria while I packed on Sunday morning. We tried to eat by the beach pool Saturday night while we watched the movie, that was our only problem. The sign said food served until 7, I checked with the bartender (because the night before they closed the kitchen early) and he said they would serve until 7. I was waiting for DH to get there and went up to get a menu at 6:20 - the kitchen had just closed early! So, not a huge deal, they had Sal's deliver to the pool for us while we watched the movie.

The only problem we could find was the place was so big - it took us the whole time we were there to find our way back to our room without getting lost and having to go all the way back to the lobby.