PORTOFINO?

[SandyinMonterey]

I've never been to Universal (my daughter either), husband has once. Starting to look into it, research, where to stay, etc. Portofino appeals to me because of the Italy theme. May be the closest I get to it. Of course it seems the most expensive. My husband said that Universal comes out with a lot of packages and "deals" but when I can't find anything that includes Portofino. So, is Portofino the one hotel where you probably can't get a "deal" or vacation package?

 

[gotomu212]

I've never been to Universal (my daughter either), husband has once. Starting to look into it, research, where to stay, etc. Portofino appeals to me because of the Italy theme. May be the closest I get to it. Of course it seems the most expensive. My husband said that Universal comes out with a lot of packages and "deals" but when I can't find anything that includes Portofino. So, is Portofino the one hotel where you probably can't get a "deal" or vacation package?

We get annual pass holder rates there a lot (APH as the rate code). The small increase in AP rate over the 3 day ticket was more than offset with our room savings under the rate. That might be a good option for you depending on when you are going and for how long. You do not need to have the AP in hand to book the rate. You can book it and then get the AP when you arrive at the parks.

They also have stay more, save more savings that come out there if you are staying a little longer.

 

[schumigirl]

Packages are never usually a great deal......you will still get them for Portofino, but booking things separately is usually the best way to go.

If you book now, keep checking the price, if it goes down call and have your reservation amended to the cheaper price. No problems doing that.

It’s not always the most expensive either.......but, keep checking and find a cost you’re happy with.

Stay More Save More is a good rate for longer stays. You don’t need your AP when you book if you plan to get one, but you just need to show it during your stay.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

We get annual pass holder rates there a lot (APH as the rate code). The small increase in AP rate over the 3 day ticket was more than offset with our room savings under the rate. That might be a good option for you depending on when you are going and for how long. You do not need to have the AP in hand to book the rate. You can book it and then get the AP when you arrive at the parks.

They also have stay more, save more savings that come out there if you are staying a little longer.

Thank you. I don't think we're ready to get an annual pass. Mostly because I haven't been there before. We can only go when school is out and thought a long weekend would be a good place to start. Not ready for an entire week there. I was looking at first weekend of October and rates were $426 and then checked months after that and before and found rates as high as $600 plus! On website, it said rates started at $260 or so but I can't seem to find it that low.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

Packages are never usually a great deal......you will still get them for Portofino, but booking things separately is usually the best way to go.

If you book now, keep checking the price, if it goes down call and have your reservation amended to the cheaper price. No problems doing that.

It’s not always the most expensive either.......but, keep checking and find a cost you’re happy with.

Stay More Save More is a good rate for longer stays. You don’t need your AP when you book if you plan to get one, but you just need to show it during your stay.

Thanks for the tip. I would of never thought a package wasn't the way to go. The Portofino website said its rate started at $260 or so but the lowest I can find putting in multiple different dates is in the $400's!

 

[MDH]

how many days do you plan on spending at the park? Because we went for 3 days from Canada. I purchased an Annual pass because only 100 dollars more. Sure I'll never use it, but it knocked off 150 a night off the hotel rooms at portofino for our dates. So a 3 night stay even after the increased cost of the single annual pass for myself (not all guests need) saved us 350 dollars.

 

[nkereina]

Another vote for an annual pass. If you're planning 3+ park days, the annual pass is not much more money and the difference may be made up with your hotel savings and other discounts. If it were me, I'd book something now and keep checking rates for the Stay More Save More rates and the Annual Passholder rates. The APH rates usually come out much closer to your travel dates.

Unless your mind is made up with Portofino Bay, Royal Pacific is another resort on the same level with the same perks but you may find it more affordable. Our personal favorite is Hard Rock Hotel which is adjacent to Portofino and a closer walk to City Walk and the parks, but not necessarily the most affordable option.

 

[nedac]

I saved about $800 booking through Costco

 

[cadawson]

Another vote for looking at the package on Costco. It actually does save some money at times. We booked Costco for our Disney Swan Hotel stay. Costco is good if you need tickets and room - if it shows you a cost with car and you don't need it, it can be removed during trip configuration. But, agreed that the packages offered by Universal online do not really include a discount that can't be booked as room only.
For Universal portion of our trip, we got the seasonal pass, which is the lowest level Annual Pass. It wasn't any more than a 3 day park-to-park ticket. Might be worthwhile just to buy one AP for the hotel discount. Watch out for blackout dates on the seasonal.We booked $359 AP for the Club Level Deluxe 2 queen room for our stay in May. Standard price was $494 and $395 for the Stay More Save More rate. (Oh, we did get a discount on our AP by buying with a AAA South discount,so that might be why it was comparable to 3 day park to park tix.)

 

[Jen1995]

Just switched RPR to Portofino when I saw how cheap the passholder rates are. For the extra cost of - maybe 30 bucks? for one ticket we are saving 100 a night.

 

[damo]

Thank you. I don't think we're ready to get an annual pass. Mostly because I haven't been there before. We can only go when school is out and thought a long weekend would be a good place to start. Not ready for an entire week there. I was looking at first weekend of October and rates were $426 and then checked months after that and before and found rates as high as $600 plus! On website, it said rates started at $260 or so but I can't seem to find it that low.

It really has nothing to do with being ready for one. If the annual pass nightly rate ends up being low enough to more than cover the extra cost of getting an annual pass, then it is a no brainer.

 

[gotomu212]

Thank you. I don't think we're ready to get an annual pass. Mostly because I haven't been there before. We can only go when school is out and thought a long weekend would be a good place to start. Not ready for an entire week there. I was looking at first weekend of October and rates were $426 and then checked months after that and before and found rates as high as $600 plus! On website, it said rates started at $260 or so but I can't seem to find it that low.

Just as an example I checked rates over the first weekend in June Fri-Mon. The best available rate was $444/night, but with APH promo was $315...that’s a savings of $129 a night or $387 TOTAL savings.
At the same time the 3 day tickets are $285 and the power annual pass is $344 (weirdly the season pass is $285 so in that case it’s the same price as a three day. It you have to watch blockout dates closely). So for a $59 annual pass increase I’d save $387 on the hotel (and with a season pass the cost would be $0 for the APH upgrade).

Even if you only use the AP for that one trip it’s cheaper to go that way. You only need the AP for one member of your party too.

 

[wookiebeck]

OP, you mentioned that PBR seemed the most expensive to you. It is generally true because the rooms are the largest square footage of the three deluxes (comparing same category). I essence, you get what you pay for (unless you can get PBR cheaper, then you win!!)

 

[macraven]

We can only go when school is out and thought a long weekend would be a good place to start. Not ready for an entire week there. I was looking at first weekend of October and rates were $426 and then checked months after that and before and found rates as high as $600 plus! On website, it said rates started at $260 or so but I can't seem to find it that low.

October rates tend to run higher as hhn event fills up the hotels

 

[PatMcDuck]

Just stayed at Portofino for my first time. I have stayed at HRP and HRH 4X each, more or less, on previous trips. My favorite is Royal Pacific, but like Hard Rock especially because it is so close to the parks. I like walking more than the boats.

Portofino is very beautiful, if a bit of a maze. We had Club Level, which was REALLY great. My son uses a wheelchair, and Portofino is a collection of stairs all over the place. Yes there are elevators, but they are sometimes out of the way. (PS our room was REALLY far away from the Club itself, which was annoying.) Personally I was not a fabn of the bathroom layout, very small shower in a large bathroom.

Odd to me that the most expensive resort hotel is the furthest from the parks. I understand why, they needed lots of space to create the beautiful layout.....

 

[rayruiz9191]

Just stayed at Portofino for my first time. I have stayed at HRP and HRH 4X each, more or less, on previous trips. My favorite is Royal Pacific, but like Hard Rock especially because it is so close to the parks. I like walking more than the boats.

Portofino is very beautiful, if a bit of a maze. We had Club Level, which was REALLY great. My son uses a wheelchair, and Portofino is a collection of stairs all over the place. Yes there are elevators, but they are sometimes out of the way. (PS our room was REALLY far away from the Club itself, which was annoying.) Personally I was not a fabn of the bathroom layout, very small shower in a large bathroom.

Odd to me that the most expensive resort hotel is the furthest from the parks. I understand why, they needed lots of space to create the beautiful layout.....

I’m surprised you were disappointed by the portofinos bathroom, I much rather it compared to the bathrooms in RPR. The bathroom in RPR is super small and the shower opens inwards which is odd and I can’t stand the sliding door, totally takes away any privacy from the sink area.

 

[schumigirl]

Just stayed at Portofino for my first time. I have stayed at HRP and HRH 4X each, more or less, on previous trips. My favorite is Royal Pacific, but like Hard Rock especially because it is so close to the parks. I like walking more than the boats.

Portofino is very beautiful, if a bit of a maze. We had Club Level, which was REALLY great. My son uses a wheelchair, and Portofino is a collection of stairs all over the place. Yes there are elevators, but they are sometimes out of the way. (PS our room was REALLY far away from the Club itself, which was annoying.) Personally I was not a fabn of the bathroom layout, very small shower in a large bathroom.

Odd to me that the most expensive resort hotel is the furthest from the parks. I understand why, they needed lots of space to create the beautiful layout.....

Thanks for your review......always nice to hear folks impressions.

That seems to be a common theme about PB, when you are placed far away from the Club Lounge. And I can imagine the issues with elevators with your son having a wheelchair.

I like the RPR bathroom layout, so I know what you mean about the PB bathrooms.........it seems a lot of wasted space........I quite like the small and bijou layouts so RP bathroom layout works for us.....being a couple there are no privacy issues.........ain’t nothing private anymore after almost 30 years together.........

Glad you had a nice time overall and thanks for coming back to tell us your experience.........

 

[Disney Ron]

Just stayed at Portofino for my first time. I have stayed at HRP and HRH 4X each, more or less, on previous trips. My favorite is Royal Pacific, but like Hard Rock especially because it is so close to the parks. I like walking more than the boats.

Portofino is very beautiful, if a bit of a maze. We had Club Level, which was REALLY great. My son uses a wheelchair, and Portofino is a collection of stairs all over the place. Yes there are elevators, but they are sometimes out of the way. (PS our room was REALLY far away from the Club itself, which was annoying.) Personally I was not a fabn of the bathroom layout, very small shower in a large bathroom.

Odd to me that the most expensive resort hotel is the furthest from the parks. I understand why, they needed lots of space to create the beautiful layout.....

Portofino is NOT the most expensive resort at UO.

 

[Linkura]

Portofino is NOT the most expensive resort at UO.

At rack rates, it isn't? You sure?

 

[macraven]

I have seen hrh or rpr with higher rates depending on specific dates

Last October my rpr had higher rates than PBH

It all depends on the dates