Trip Report Beginning 6/18 at PB

[Antonia]

We arrived at the Portofino Bay around 2:15 p.m. I had reserved a garden view with the APH rate. Our room was not ready. We had lunch at Sal's Deli - the brick oven pizza was very good as was the dessert. Our meal was good and really not all that expensive. We then waited around in the lobby a little while, but then decided to go to a park. We took the boat over to Universal Studios and rode the Mummy a couple of times. We received a message on our cell phone about 5:00 p.m. that said we would need to bring our key cards back to the front desk as they had found us a room with a step out balcony!! I was very excited about that. We returned to the hotel and went to check out our room. It was a room in the West wing with a double step out balcony facing the harbor! The balcony adjoined the room next door, but we never saw any activity from that room. I think it was empty. Our balcony was large enough for putting out chairs to sit on - we found the chairs in our closet. I sat out each morning and evening and it was heavenly. Our beds were very comfortable as were the pillows. I have stayed at RPR twice and even though I loved RPR each trip, the room just does not compare. The bathroom was huge. We loved the speaker in the bathroom. You could listen to the t.v. while in the bathroom. We made coffee one evening and loved having it off to itself on the table by the door. It was convenient, but out of the way. I believe our safe was larger than those we have had before - I know it was larger than the ones we have had at WDW. We recieved turndown service each night without even asking. We did not eat at any of the restaurants at the hotel other than Sal's. We did partake of the coffee service provided free in the hotel lobby in the mornings. We have used the pools at PB before and once again enjoyed both the beach pool and the villa pool. We did have tuna salad by the villa pool one afternoon. It was from Sal's and it was delicious. The hot tub by the villa pool was roped off and the water was dirty. It was out of service. We tried to use the hot tub by the beach pool. One was nice and hot, but would not bubble. The other would bubble, but was not hot. That was my only disappointment with the hotel. The boats came every seven minutes while we were there. Once a long line built up at CityWalk to catch a boat back to PB, so they radioed for another boat to back up the first one. It came right away. We did eat at Jimmy Buffets and it was very good. We also ate at The Oak Tavern. The food there is always delicious and very plentiful and the price is good. We had breakfast at The Croissant Moon Bakery. Always good with a good price. One afternoon I stopped back by the bakery on my way back to the hotel and ordered a slice of strawberry cheesecake. The employee said "Weren't you here earlier today?" I said, "yes i had breakfast here" and she said "I'm going to give you two pieces and only charge you for one." How often does that happen? We were there two nights and three days. On our second night we were trying to ride Jaws and Back to the Future before the park closed. We knew we weren't going to make it. The guy at the front of Back to the Future radioed another guy and they took us in a secret door and right onto the Delorean. Thanks to him we made it to Jaws after that and still had time to catch the final ride of the night on E.T.!!!! All three rides in under 30 minutes! Once we left Universal, we went to Naples, FL and then the Everglades and came back up through St. Augustine. It was a very fun trip!!!

 

[No11's Mom]

Great trip report. Sounds like you had a lot of fun.

Can I ask what you thought of the Everglades? How much time did you spend there and what did you do? Next year we are planning on flying into south FL and driving down through the Keys and back up through the Everglades before winding up in Orlando.

 

[Antonia]

The Everglades were beautiful. The water was very clear and was like a mirror. When riding in the airboat, it was like looking at a mirror. I could see the clouds reflected over the surface. It was very beautiful and very flat and a wide expanse. You could see for miles. It would not be for anyone who does not like the wilderness, but we loved it. We saw alligators and birds that we had never seen before. And big grasshoppers. There were dragonflies flying in flocks. Interestingly, we were not bothered by insects such as mosquitoes, etc. Gas stations were few and far between, but there was an occasional restaurant. We did see the smallest post office in the US and went in and met the postmaster. It was so small only one customer at a time could enter. My son who is 20 loved it!

 

[Antonia]

If you drive from the Everglades to Orlando, you will probably go through Naples. Try to be at the pier at sunset. Even if you're not there at sunset, it is worth seeing the pier. Also, nice to stop at Siesta Key and on up the coast go over the Sunshine Skyway bridge before going through Tampa and on to Orlando. These are just a few of the things we've done on the Gulf Coast while visiting Orlando.

 

[No11's Mom]

All of that definitely sounds like something we would like to do. We have ridden airboats before in Kississemee (sp?) and also outside of New Orleans and we enjoyed it both times, so I'm sure we would enjoy the Everglades too.

Thanks for those tips. I'm going to file them away for next year's trip.

 

[Motherfletcher]

Glad you had a good trip. Congrats on the bay view room with a balcony!
Sorry about all the rain here in Naples. The Ochopee Post Office looks like an outhouse. They are quick to say that its not the smallest in the World. I guess there is one in Africa that is a box nailed to a tree. Ochopee is also the home of the Bigfoot-like Skunk Ape. Did you venture down to Everglades City or Chokoloskee Island?

 

[Antonia]

Motherfletcher - we did not go to Everglades City - although I would have liked to. The little post office was a hoot. I can't wait to get our pictures back. Our son is 6'4" and 260#. He made it look really small. He couldn't even fit under the little awning on the front. It did rain in Naples, but we still had fun. We stayed at the Bellasera resort so when we were inside we still had a lot of room and it was luxurious. The housekeeper even loaded our dishwasher! No towel animals - LOL - but I'll take a loaded dishwasher anytime. Despite all the rain, we did get to see two sunsets from the pier and the beach near the pier. Both were beautiful. I am still moving to Naples as soon as I win the Powerball.

 

[Motherfletcher]

I hope Damo reads this since she is considering the Bellasera for a group thing the end of July. She might have some questions.
Funny, when I win the Lotto I was planning on leaving Naples!

 

[texasgander]

How far is Naples from Orlando? We will be in Orlando the 9th - 16th. We are doing Universal/IOA 2 days, and a dolphin cruise one day......looking for something not too expensive to do that is close....will have 2 kids, boy 12, girl 13, with us.

 

[Motherfletcher]

Naples is 4 hours away. I would suggest Tampa (1 1/2 hr.) for Busch Gardens, Florida Aquarium, Ybor City or the beach.

 

[texasgander]

Thanks! What's Ybor City?

 

[Motherfletcher]

Ybor City is Tampa's National Historic Landmark District. Florida's Latin Quarter takes you back to another era with wrought iron balconies, globe streetlights, brickpaver walkways and the cigar factories, and social clubs, provide a glimpse into an era rich with culture and history. As a kid I remember watching them roll cigars and going down to see the banana boats come in. Today, Ybor City is a shopping, dining and entertainment district where the art of premium hand-rolled cigar making still lives on. And they also boast a nightlife as colorful as their Spanish Flamenco dancers.

 

[Motherfletcher]

Thanks! What's Ybor City?

Reminds me of when as a kid we were standing at the counter in the Post Office in San Antonio. My Mom asked the clerk, "What's that dilapitated building across the street?" The guy behind the counter was visibily upset when he answered, "That's the Alamo, Lady, the Alamo!"

 

[texasgander]

LOL! Thanks!

 

[Snoopymom]

Thanks for the report on Portofino Bay. We haven't stayed on site yet, but that's the resort I'm excited to try first.

We were in St Augustine on the 22nd and 23rd. We have relatives there so we've pretty much seen it/done it all, so the only thing we did vacation like this time was have some shrimp and wine at a shack on the beach called the Beach Comer. Hope you had fun there.