Portofino Bay Current Construction

[MamaKate]

We are staying the end of May. I keep reading there is a detour of the walking path. Does anyone know how it is detoured? What is the new route during construction?

 

[Minnie1222]

I just modified our Memorial Day trip from 6 nights at WDW to 3 nights Portofino and 3 nights WDW. Hopefully, the boat will run smoothly. Otherwise it would be a pain to navigate around the construction.

 

[unfreshdiva1]

Checking in this Sunday. This is our favorite resort and pet friendly (we bring our dogs that stay on the pet floor). We were there in December and pet floor had moved from the one side we are typically on to the other (closer to the water taxi). We typically take the walk to the parks so a bit concerned on what i'm hearing about the walking path being closed.

 

[wdwrule]

We are staying the end of May. I keep reading there is a detour of the walking path. Does anyone know how it is detoured? What is the new route during construction?

Here’s a pic of the part that’s closed off… I marked that spot in red. You basically now need to walk to and from the park using the East end of the resort. Totally still doable though… just takes longer.

 

[macraven]

Thanks for showing that picture to us!
It’s helpful to know that.

 

[MamaKate]

Here’s a pic of the part that’s closed off… I marked that spot in red. You basically now need to walk to and from the park using the East end of the resort. Totally still doable though… just takes longer.
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Thank you! This is very helpful.

 

[Leigh123]

We just got back last night. It was a nightmare. I can’t even begin to explain the physical appearance, mess and noise disturbance. I have a video that I am trying to attach with the jackhammer noise in our room but it won’t let me post. I’m not typing this to knock the hotel or discourage anyone from staying there , it is just so you can be aware. We knew there was construction, but never anticipated it to be on this level. I can’t believe with the amount of renovations going on simultaneously that they are even open.

 

[emmabelle]

Stayed here last night. Our view from our window. We were lucky because there was a hole in our plastic. Lol

 

[emmabelle]

I’ll add that it wasn’t awful but I’d be so mad if I had a multi night stay. On to Beach Club today!

 

[msmayor]

We arrive in about six weeks, going with an open mind. It's not going to look like the resort I booked a year ago, but we went into this knowing the construction was going to happen. It will be an adventure.

 

[Minnie1222]

Thank you Leigh and Emmabelle for the candid reviews. It looks like we're going to move to another hotel since we're staying 3 nights with a possibility of adding a 4th.

 

[Dakota731]

Did they at least give you a discount?

 

[Minnie1222]

Stayed here last night. Our view from our window. We were lucky because there was a hole in our plastic. Lol

Did you end up keeping the Club room? Were the windows in the lounge covered as well? We also have Club rooms and I hate to give them up, especially with the nice AP discount.

 

[schumigirl]

We just got back last night. It was a nightmare. I can’t even begin to explain the physical appearance, mess and noise disturbance. I have a video that I am trying to attach with the jackhammer noise in our room but it won’t let me post. I’m not typing this to knock the hotel or discourage anyone from staying there , it is just so you can be aware. We knew there was construction, but never anticipated it to be on this level. I can’t believe with the amount of renovations going on simultaneously that they are even open.

I`m so sorry you had such a bad experience there, I think the level of disturbance has been underestimated overall. Not the relaxing place it should be.

Stayed here last night. Our view from our window. We were lucky because there was a hole in our plastic. Lol



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Thank you for the pictures, that`s not good is it!!

Hope you had a lovely time at the Beach Club.

 

[emmabelle]

Did they at least give you a discount?

They didn’t but the room was a bigger king room. Lol

They were nice though and gave us toothbrushes, toothpaste and deodorant when our flight down was canceled. Our luggage didn’t make our new flight so we didn’t have toiletries.

Did you end up keeping the Club room? Were the windows in the lounge covered as well? We also have Club rooms and I hate to give them up, especially with the nice AP discount.

I just ended up getting a regular room since we wouldn’t be able to get a lot out of it on a one night stay. I looked into the lounge when walking by and it was super quiet but not sure about the plastic windows there? I did notice a lot of noise outside when walking by the left side of the resort. It would be hard to nap in those rooms.

 

[MaxDrake79]

At this point you have reassured me. My choice to book at the Hard Rock Hotel for the 3 nights at the end of July was spot on. Too bad for the Portofino but unthinkable to stay there with the works in progress. I was right to choose hard rock from the beginning.

 

[Jen81NYC]

I just returned from a 5 night stay at Portofino and the construction was a shock to us. I booked back in June and all I heard then was about some section by section facade work and that construction “may” be seen. When we first arrived, my heart sank. This is not section by section work, unless they mean that only one section at a time isn’t worked on, lol. The entire place looks and feels like a construction site, which sucked given the length of our stay and the fact that I live in NYC, so i deal with construction vibes every day and wanted more of a reprieve of it on vacation!

That said, we ended up having a good vacation. I booked the minions suite, which my kids *loved* so that was truly the saving grace. And when you’re at the beach pool, the construction noise or look isn’t noticeable at all. We also got the Amex FHR benefits, so that helped. But it’s not a hotel I’d book again until construction is done, i don’t think. Farthest from the parks of the premier hotels and they have far too few boat captains right now so boats take a while. And I hated having to maneuver the construction tunnels—not a relaxing vibe at all!

 

[MamaKate]

I just returned from a 5 night stay at Portofino and the construction was a shock to us. I booked back in June and all I heard then was about some section by section facade work and that construction “may” be seen. When we first arrived, my heart sank. This is not section by section work, unless they mean that only one section at a time isn’t worked on, lol. The entire place looks and feels like a construction site, which sucked given the length of our stay and the fact that I live in NYC, so i deal with construction vibes every day and wanted more of a reprieve of it on vacation!

That said, we ended up having a good vacation. I booked the minions suite, which my kids *loved* so that was truly the saving grace. And when you’re at the beach pool, the construction noise or look isn’t noticeable at all. We also got the Amex FHR benefits, so that helped. But it’s not a hotel I’d book again until construction is done, i don’t think. Farthest from the parks of the premier hotels and they have far too few boat captains right now so boats take a while. And I hated having to maneuver the construction tunnels—not a relaxing vibe at all!

We are there for 5-nights around Memorial weekend and I want to switch hotels, but all the APH & SMSM rates are now gone and I don't want to pay rack rate.

I too saw some earlier pictures and though they would continue to do section by section. The covered facades aren't what's bothering me. It's the detours to all the facilities and it looks like a maze just to get anywhere...

I watched a walkthrough video, and it looks like the stairs to the Beach pool are blocked off. How do you get to the pools if you are staying in the East Wing? Do you have to walk through the lobby and out the back?

 

[Jen81NYC]

We are there for 5-nights around Memorial weekend and I want to switch hotels, but all the APH & SMSM rates are now gone and I don't want to pay rack rate.

I too saw some earlier pictures and though they would continue to do section by section. The covered facades aren't what's bothering me. It's the detours to all the facilities and it looks like a maze just to get anywhere...

I watched a walkthrough video, and it looks like the stairs to the Beach pool are blocked off. How do you get to the pools if you are staying in the East Wing? Do you have to walk through the lobby and out the back?

To get to the beach pool, you follow the closed off walkway all the way to it. Don’t have to go through the lobby, at least at this time. It’s claustrophobic but okay.

 

[emmabelle]

The boats are pretty bad for park opening. We walked to get to IOA so we wouldn’t miss getting ahead of the crowds. At around 7:10am we would’ve had to wait for a second boat to come if we got in line at that point.