Dolphin/Swan questions

[DizneyDoug]

I am considering going to the Dolphin/Swan for our next trip, but I have a few questions/concerns about staying here:
1. Do you get a free parking pass to take your car to the parks like true Disney resorts?
2. Does not having "Disney feel" to hotel make it less enjoyable?
3. How are the pools and other amenities there?

I appreciate any help on those that have stayed there and a Disney on-site hotel.
Thanks to all!

[GrumpyFan]

DW and I stayed here last year, and really enjoyed it. The close proximity to Epcot and DHS makes it extra nice!

1. We didn't have a car, so I can't say for sure on this, but I think so. Maybe somebody else can confirm. I can say that busses and boats run to/from here.
2. While it doesn't necessarily have that "Disney feel", it's still a very nice hotel that's worth the price, if for nothing else being on property and having access to many other Disney amenities.
3. The pools are quite nice, and large. The dining choices at the hotel are also nice and range from low walk counter service to fine and expensive table service.

They also have a spa and gift shop which my wife spoke highly of. All in all, we would stay here again if the opportunity arose.

[Fangorn]

1) No, you do not get a parking pass good for the parks (unless they've changed it recently). On top of that, you have to pay a daily charge to park you car at the Swan or Dolphin. It was $10/day the last time I was there.

2) This is somewhat subjective. The hotels are certainly not themed like the POP for instance, but they aren't your run of the mill hotel decor either. I find that they give me some Disney feel without being "over-the-top". For this 'lack' of Disney feel, you get a bigger room. I didn't have an issue at all. DW, on the other hand, loved the room but felt she was missing something (but couldn't define what exactly).

3) the two hotels share the pool area and it is top notch. There are a number of excellent restaurants at the hotels, a great 24hr snack bar, and high-end business services. The latter makes sense since the hotels have the largest convention spaces on property, and host some of the premiere conventions in the country. Being close to both Epcot and DHS is a plus as is the proximity to Fantasia Gardens miniature golf course.

Hope this helps.

Steve
:mickey:

[Jeff]

We stay at the Swan a lot.
You do have to pay to park at the Swan lot on a daily basis (last Christmas it was $10 a day). Your room key does get you into all WDW parking lots for "free". It has been this way for years and was still that way 10 months ago.

Grotto pool is fun for kids and nicely themed. Two other pools are large "lap" like pools.

Bring your own Mickey coasters and soap and you've got as much Disney theming in the rooms as other deluxe resorts.

[jnfr2424]

I am considering going to the Dolphin/Swan for our next trip, but I have a few questions/concerns about staying here:
1. Do you get a free parking pass to take your car to the parks like true Disney resorts?
2. Does not having "Disney feel" to hotel make it less enjoyable?
3. How are the pools and other amenities there?

I appreciate any help on those that have stayed there and a Disney on-site hotel.
Thanks to all!

Even though I had issues during my stay last year(they cancelled my reservation and when I got there they tried to tell me they had nothing available), its still a nice hotel in a great location the boats to DHS and the walk to EC is wonderful - your pictures will look like postcards. If you are looking for CM's that will try to do anything to make your stay comfortable - this is not the place. IMO, The staff is beyond rude from the Hotel Manager right down to housekeeping

[MidnTPK]

1) No, you do not get a parking pass good for the parks (unless they've changed it recently). On top of that, you have to pay a daily charge to park you car at the Swan or Dolphin. It was $10/day the last time I was there.


This is not quite accurate. As the poster below confirms, there is a fee to park at the resort, but your room key gets you free parking at the theme parks.


We stay at the Swan a lot.
You do have to pay to park at the Swan lot on a daily basis (last Christmas it was $10 a day). Your room key does get you into all WDW parking lots for "free". It has been this way for years and was still that way 10 months ago.

[MidnTPK]

If you are looking for CM's that will try to do anything to make your stay comfortable - this is not the place. IMO, The staff is beyond rude from the Hotel Manager right down to housekeeping
I have not found this to be the case at all. In fact I've found the staff to be just as helpful and pleasant, if not more, than similar staff in Disney resorts. Sounds like the previous poster started his/her stay out on the wrong note. We'd love specific examples of how they were rude and unhelpful.

In my case, our room did not have enough plugs for all of the baby equipment I had. I went to the concierge desk, and he gave me the power strip the desk was using because housekeeping said it would be an hour or two before the could get one to us.

Also, we asked for our room to be cleaned before noon every day, and they did so every day.

[GrumpyFan]

I have not found this to be the case at all. In fact I've found the staff to be just as helpful and pleasant, if not more, than similar staff in Disney resorts.

Indeed. We didn't have any issues with their staff. In fact, when we were checking out, they went out of their way and gave us a free Limo pass to help us transfer to Pop.

[jnfr2424]

Indeed. We didn't have any issues with their staff. In fact, when we were checking out, they went out of their way and gave us a free Limo pass to help us transfer to Pop.


I have not found this to be the case at all. In fact I've found the staff to be just as helpful and pleasant, if not more, than similar staff in Disney resorts. Sounds like the previous poster started his/her stay out on the wrong note. We'd love specific examples of how they were rude and unhelpful.

In my case, our room did not have enough plugs for all of the baby equipment I had. I went to the concierge desk, and he gave me the power strip the desk was using because housekeeping said it would be an hour or two before the could get one to us.

Also, we asked for our room to be cleaned before noon every day, and they did so every day.


Then I must have had Murphy's Law going on last Thanksgiving at the Dolphin. They charged my credit card for nights that I wasn't even there and cancelled the reservations I had for Thanksgiving. To compensate for the error, I was promised an upgraded room which I was supposed to get anyway by being a platinum SPG (Sheraton) member that never happend either. The front desk even though I showed them proof of everything that had happend called me a liar and the Hotel Manager told me that the person I spoke to did not exist and there was nothing that could be done and they might be able to find a room for my family. All of this was happening on Thanksgiving day to the point that we were running late for our dinner reservation. I told the manager even if I have to stay at the Swan for a couple of nights to please do what he could. I got a call during La Nouba that said we have a temporary room ready. It was supposed to be for one night and then the drama continued the next day when I asked if I was going to be moved to the promised room, I was told that a water pipe suddenly burst in the middle of the night and of course there were no other rooms available. Boardwalk Inn had rooms and me and my family went packing. This was not my first trip to the Dolphin, I have stayed there previously with no kind of drama whatsoever but last year... maybe I will try again when the wound heals.

[Fangorn]

Thanks for the correction on parking at the parks. We have APs, and so I never really think about parking at the parks. I don't remember getting a parking pass like the ones at the Disney resorts (maybe I did, but it didn't register).

Anyway, thanks for setting me straight.

Steve
:mickey:

[Jeff]

Thanks for the correction on parking at the parks. We have APs, and so I never really think about parking at the parks. I don't remember getting a parking pass like the ones at the Disney resorts (maybe I did, but it didn't register).

Anyway, thanks for setting me straight.

Steve
:mickey:

You are right, you don't get a paper pass to lay on your dashboard. You just show your room key at the booth.

[PAYROLL PRINCESS]

I've stayed at these hotels many times and love them! I don't like that you have to pay to park at the hotel, after all it's not like you are in Boston or NYC!
You can show your room key and parking is free at any of the parks.
They have 3 pools which you can use as you can any of the facilities between the 2 hotels. They have a 24 hour snack bar/restaurant-Picabu.
And their beds are the MOST comfortable on the face of the earth!!
You can't beat the location either. You can see some of the fireworks from Epcot & the Studios.
They also have their own refillable mugs. You can use all Disney transportation and you can ship stuff from the parks back to the hotel and pick it up at the gift shop.

The rooms are also bigger. You'll love it there!

[apequet]

I've been considering staying here also (b/c of the Heavenly beds- my husband has a bad back) but does this hotel participate in the magical express to and from the airport?:mickey:

[PAYROLL PRINCESS]

I've been considering staying here also (b/c of the Heavenly beds- my husband has a bad back) but does this hotel participate in the magical express to and from the airport?:mickey:

Nope, unfortunately they don't. You can make arrangements with Mears. I'm not sure what the cost is.

[jnfr2424]

Nope, unfortunately they don't. You can make arrangements with Mears. I'm not sure what the cost is.

Roundtrip for Adults is $33 and for Kids 4-11 is $26

[Wadeace]

we have stayed there a couple of times, and the stay was always great. the rooms were great, the staff was great and i never felt like i wasnt on disney property.

some of the privileges you have access to through the walt disney compony

guests have complimentary transportation to all Walt Disney World theme parks and attractions. Length-of-stay passes are available, as is package delivery from shops across the resort. Swan guests can also use Extra Magic Hours at certain theme parks on certain days. However, room charging (using hotel key as a credit card at Walt Disney World) is not available and hotel restaurants do not participate in any Disney dining plans or discounts. Also, guests staying at the Swan & Dolphin have parking, boat, and Walt Disney World Bus privileges.


i had a friend who used to work for the swan and dolphin and there management always strive for the best. that being said, coming from someone who has word in the service industry and has plenty friends who do, people have bad days, and hotels become hectic places during holidays and people become more and more demanding of staff members who desperately want to be home and celebrate with there families, as such people expect every thing to be perfect and when one little thing goes wrong they explode on the closest person and than both parties get angry and defensive. while im sure you weren't the one who did this, you probably the 100 person who had a problem and the 99 previous got in his face about it. it also sounded as though the hotel had a lot more than the holiday guest count to deal with if pips were bursting.

the resort is a four star diamond hotel which is something that is reviewed regularly, the rating not only counts the accommodations, but also the staffs customer service.

[bucky at disney]

Do the rooms at Swan & Dolphin have refrigerators or microwaves?

[MidnTPK]

No microwaves in the rooms at either resort.

Last I heard, rooms at the Swan have an empty refrigerator (this was the case when I stayed there last year). Rooms at the Dolphin have a mini-bar fridge that can be emptied (for a fee, I believe).

[bucky at disney]

Does the Swan and Dolphin have a refrigerator and microwave in all of their rooms?

Also - can someone tell me what their refreshment center is? It was listed in the description...

Anything else that makes Swan and Dolphin stand out to you?

[jnfr2424]

i had a friend who used to work for the swan and dolphin and there management always strive for the best. that being said, coming from someone who has word in the service industry and has plenty friends who do, people have bad days, and hotels become hectic places during holidays and people become more and more demanding of staff members who desperately want to be home and celebrate with there families, as such people expect every thing to be perfect and when one little thing goes wrong they explode on the closest person and than both parties get angry and defensive. while im sure you weren't the one who did this, you probably the 100 person who had a problem and the 99 previous got in his face about it. it also sounded as though the hotel had a lot more than the holiday guest count to deal with if pips were bursting.

the resort is a four star diamond hotel which is something that is reviewed regularly, the rating not only counts the accommodations, but also the staffs customer service.

If this is directed toward me because of my "one little thing goes wrong " situation, having my reservations cancelled back in July and receiving a statement from my credit card for a stay that I did not purchase, trying to fix the issue before the trip and then getting to the location to be told there is no room for you is nothing "small". I am also sure if the shoe were on the other foot, you would have been just as disgrunted as I were. Bottom line is this, here I am, vacationing with my family during a major holiday. I am about to spend almost $2k at this location, it is a 4 diamond star rated hotel, I am a shareholder and a member of its exclusive club and the only thing you can tell me is that you "maybe" can find me a room? Not saying that everyone is not entitled to bad days, but you have to come better than that, there is just no excuse. If I have 4 different people telling me a different story each time then to me, customer service needs to get their act together and get on one accord. It's a basic conflict/resolution example, does not need a rocket scientist to figure out how to resolve the issue. After all of this was said and done I did get an apology along with a weekend complimentary stay. For me it was just a day late and a dollar short. Again, this what I experienced personally last November when I stayed at the Dolphin. I would still recommend the hotel to others as it is a gorgeous place and in a great location and I did state that I would give them another shot in the future.

[Wadeace]

The other day I was able to talk to my friend who was a front desk manager there several years ago, and he reminded me of some things.

First the swan and dolphin I not a Disney resort. It is on Disney property, however Disney does not manage it. This creates several situations. The Disney computer systems are not compatible with the swan and dolphins computer systems. The Disney system exports the data regularly, but not all the info is transferred. Info like special requests wont make it over. Because there systems are not compatible they cannot check on availability in any other onsite hotel.

Also a little tip he told me was the pipes’ bursting was code for they over booked, it happens, I guess because upper management wants the hotel to stay at capacity.

So I would suggest that if you want to stay at the swan and dolphin you should book it through the swan and dolphin it self and not Disney reservations.

[GrumpyFan]

So I would suggest that if you want to stay at the swan and dolphin you should book it through the swan and dolphin it self and not Disney reservations.

Or, use Intercot's travel agent, Magical Journeys (http://www.yourmagicaljourneys.com/) and let them handle all the details for you.

[PAYROLL PRINCESS]

Does the Swan and Dolphin have a refrigerator and microwave in all of their rooms?

Also - can someone tell me what their refreshment center is? It was listed in the description...

Anything else that makes Swan and Dolphin stand out to you?

No microwaves in the rooms but I believe there is one at Picabu that you can use. I think this is the refreshment center you are asking about. The location is probably one of the best things about these hotels. The beds can't be beat either!

[WVParkfan]

We've made our reservations for next August at the Swan, and I couldn't be happier.

We've been to WDW many times, but only once as our "big" summer vacation. Thus, we've only stayed in values and moderates. I've always wanted to stay at the Beach Club or Boardwalk, but frankly can't afford it.

Well, I'm totally amazed that I was able to book the Swan for LESS than the price of a moderate (I also looked into POR for our stay)!
- Bigger room
- Great location, next to our favorite park (Epcot)
- Cheaper price

I hope that it is everything that I'm dreaming of. If so , then the Swan may become our permanent vacation home!

[Disney_Barbie]

I guess so much is based on opinions and stuff. But as far as we're concerned, we think that the Swan/Dolphin rank in as a medium/low deluxe resort.
What we mean by that is : If you're used to staying the GF, Polly, CR, YC, BC, BW, WL, Or AKL in our opinion you might be disapointed with your Swan/Dolphin stay.
If you're used to OKW or SSR, we feel that they are about equal w/ the Swan/Dolphin.
But if you're used to staying in ANY of the Mods or Values, you're going to think you died and went to heaven! (again, just our opinion)

[Disney_Barbie]

I believe there is one at Picabu that you can use.

I might be remembering incorrectly, but we've stayed there 3 times (most recently was this past summer) and from what I recall there is no microwave in Picabu

[Disney_Barbie]

Or, use Intercot's travel agent, Magical Journeys (http://www.yourmagicaljourneys.com/) and let them handle all the details for you.

You can double check, but I'm pretty sure Magical Journey's does not book Swan/Dolphin only disney owned & opporated hotels

[Disney_Barbie]

If you are looking for CM's that will try to do anything to make your stay comfortable - this is not the place. IMO, The staff is beyond rude from the Hotel Manager right down to housekeeping

Wow, it's funny how extreme experiences can differ from one guest to another. I'm not disagreeing with this poster and your poor experience (I'm sorry that you had a bad experience) But I feel that 99% of the swan/dolphin staff bend over backwards to help you, since they have to "compete" with Disney service. The only so/so experiences I've had, has been with concierge and with the phone operators at the time of booking (once again not bad service, just not amazingly good). But, as far as the managers, Bell service, food service, housekeeping and front desk staff, we've always found them WAY better than the CM's at Disney Value or Mod Resorts.

[jnfr2424]

Wow, it's funny how extreme experiences can differ from one guest to another. I'm not disagreeing with this poster and your poor experience (I'm sorry that you had a bad experience) But I feel that 99% of the swan/dolphin staff bend over backwards to help you, since they have to "compete" with Disney service. The only so/so experiences I've had, has been with concierge and with the phone operators at the time of booking (once again not bad service, just not amazingly good). But, as far as the managers, Bell service, food service, housekeeping and front desk staff, we've always found them WAY better than the CM's at Disney Value or Mod Resorts.

I will even give you an update. My misfortune happend Thankgiving 2008. I returned to the Dolphin this Thanksgiving 2009 and as luck would have it, I had the same front desk agent that gave me such a hard time last year check me in this year. I have a lot of points due to being a Diamond SPG member and a Starwood American Express holder. Due to flight schedules it was easier to just stay here for a night. Not only did the Front Desk agent immediately remember me, I had upgraded rooms that happen to be ready when I checked in at 11am in the morning. I also had a visit from the manager on duty to make sure we were having a pleasant stay.
I had no complaints, it was a very nice stay to end our 2 week vacation. Again, as I stated before I would recommend anyone to stay at the Swan/Dolphin. I also agree with you Disney Barbie when you stated, "if you're used to staying in ANY of the Mods or Values, you're going to think you died and went to heaven." This was the exact case with some of family members who had just checked out of All Star Movies. While my DH and I had just checked out of BLT!

[big blue and hairy]

DW and I enjoy the Swalphin. We usually stay in the Dolphin, because the restaurants are there, and the rooms are a little less expensive. They are also a little smaller, but with a King room, it doesn't really matter.

Excecpt for ME and room key charging at the parks, you get all the same perks as a WDW guest.

Keep in mind though, that you need to add $20 per day to your room if you drive and $10 per day if you don't. The Swalphin charges you to park a looooong way from the building, and they have a resort fee.

:sulley: