You need to be a Loews First member (free at
www.loewshotels.com) for the suite upgrade. I filled out the form online, but didn't have enough time before my trip to wait for the card, so I called Loews and applied over the phone. They gave me a member # on the spot. I happened to get my Loews first card in about a week, so I had it in time for my trip - but all you'll need is your number.
I asked for the $35 suite upgrade for our whole stay (at check-in)but there were no suites available for the first two nights. The last three nights we had a choice of the Kid's Suite or the Portofino suite - so we took the Portofino Suite.
You can upgrade from any type of room. I had reservations for Deluxe Pool View for $180 Ent. Rate. In hindsight, I could have booked a standard room for $150 and the suite would have cost $185 instead of $215. With 5 people, I didn't want to take a chance on having a standard room the whole time.
The Portofino Suite was actually 2 Standard rooms with adjoining doors. In one of the rooms, they remove the beds and put in a sofa bed. They also upgrade the TV to a 35". The room with 2 Queen Beds (I think a King is also an option) had a standard tub/shower and the other room had an oversized shower only - NICE.
We valet parked for $12 a day added to room charge. Self-park was $6 a day. We will probably self park next time considering we never accessed our car while we were there. Prepare to tip the guy who helps you out of your car , unloads your bags onto cart and takes it to the bellhop station just inside the door. Then you'll tip the bellhop that brings the cart to your room and unloads the bags. That wasn't so bad, but on the way out it seemed a little too segmented. We tipped the bellhop who loaded our bags in the room and transferred them to the lobby. (This was by far the biggest job - pushing the cart all the way from the West Wing to the lobby). The valet then brought up the car and I told him that "This cart was ours". Instead of loading our bags, he got another guy who then loaded the bags into the car while the valet stood there. When he was done I tipped him, then the valet that brought up the car "walked" me to my driver door, so I tipped him too. Oh well, I was under budget and had a great time - so what the hey.
FYI- I tipped $10 when we unloaded, $10 to the bellhop. $15 to the bellhop when we left, $10 to the guy who loaded the bags into the car, and $5 to the valet. (I had 2 fives in my hand when they brought up my car and when he was done loading and I tipped him, it then dawned on me the valet would expect a tip as well. In my wallet I had my last five and some fifties and hundreds - not that hard a decision)
We haven't stayed onsite at WDW in about 5 years since we had an unremarkable visit to the Grand Floridian. Don't get me wrong, it was nice, but the $300+ we spent per night didn't seem worth it. We preferred the PBH by far. The staff was excellent, and every employee actually acted like they enjoyed working there. (There is a tall blond guy from Jacksonville going to school at UCF working at the Gelateria with a great attitude and deserves any extra tips he can get ) We loved the atmosphere and the Italian music piped into the bathrooms that I thought I'd be sick of by the end of our stay kinda grew on me.
"When the moon hits the sky like a big pizza pie...That's Amore !"
For the same money, I would stay at the PBH over any WDW Resort Hotel. For the rates you can get at the PBH, it's a no brainer. I can't imagine going to a park without FOTL - it really spoils you. But if our next vacation includes a Disney park, we'll stay at the PBH and commute.
