Why Do Some People Dislike the Swan & Dolphin?

[DHS_Flo]

Hey Howdy Hey,

I'm a fan and frequent guest of the Swan and Dolphin Resort, but it seems like many WDW fans look down upon resorts when planning their trips. I just finished listening to a podcast (a podcast not hosted by our beloved crew) in which the S&D are regarded as second rate properties or are only considered as a "last resort". I know that many people on the boards enjoy the S&D and I can appreciate the common criticisms about the resort (decor, color, inability to use the dining plan, age of children traveling...), but I'm curious about your opinions.

Fire away! :)

[WebmasterKathy]

Just gotta say that I love the heavenly beds and the great location of the S&D!

Every resort at WDW has its own personality, so it really comes down to personal taste.

[IWISHFORDISNEY]

I stayed over at the Dolphin once and while it was nice the price was high and I like other resorts better. The main putoff for me was all the conventioners at the resort. They were having a huge pharmaceutical convention and they were mobbed with drunken conventineers. Not fun on my vacation is all; but I also ran into this at CSR and wont likely stay there either due to this.

[oc_tony]

We love the Dolphin! Great location and we were able to take advantage of the government employee discount (my wife and I are both teachers). There were two medical conventions going on during our 10-day stay last summer, but it did not impact us at all. I would definitely do the Dolphin again and recommend it to others.:goodvibes

[dpic]

Stick around here long enough, and you'll hear some people complain about Santa Claus, a warm summer day, and a fresh spring rain.

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

In all honesty, they get a bum rap because they aren't actually owned by Disney. Therefore, you don't have access to some of the perks that Disney hotel guests get. You can't send packages back to your room/hotel, the transportation isn't as good, maybe?

Then, if you want a "rational" argument - there's the grudge/argument about that whole legal battle against Disney that allowed the other company to take the properties (due to Eisner's idiocy -which effectively means they can never be Disney owned and therefore are intruders on Disney property and how dare they...) Note - this is not my opinion, but I have heard this stated by some hard core Disney lovers...

I like the Dolphin. I think it's playful and comfy. I'm not a big fan of the Swan due to the fact that whenever I walk in there, I feel it's got that overtly snooty Westin thing going on - kind of like the Princeville Resort on Kauai - also a Westin. I like my high-end hotels a bit warmer styled or more sophisticated. The Swan can't decide which way it wants to go...

[msteddom]

I'll be staying at the Dolphin next month. I just couldn't pass up the teacher discount for a resort in the Epcot area. I hope I like it!

Melissa

[P.I. Squirrel]

Real simple, four words:

Cause it ain't Disney.

There, I said it. Right or wrong, rational or not, that's it in a nutshell.

To me, it would be like going to Panama City Beach, but staying 10 miles away on the mainland. You miss the whole experience and immersion.





And Dan, I hate warm summer days. :goodvibes Not Santa though.

[luke]

Real simple, four words:

Cause it ain't Disney.

There, I said it. Right or wrong, rational or not, that's it in a nutshell.

To me, it would be like going to Panama City Beach, but staying 10 miles away on the mainland. You miss the whole experience and immersion.


You know what, this is the complete opposite for me!
I've not stayed 'onsite' at WDW, but if I did the Swan/Dolphin would be the first place I looked, due to it's relative value. For me, Disney resorts just ain't worth the extra. Last year we stayed at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress for just a little more than we could have paid for Pop Century, and there's no question of where i'd rather have stayed - offsite!

Everyone is different tho, which is lucky otherwise noone would be able to get the room they wanted if everyone was staying onsite :)

:goodvibes

[Becx N Gav]

The only problem I had staying there was getting lost LOL - and that is down to my poor sense of direction :rotfl:
Oh and they forgot to clean our room one day - but that saved us a tip anyway :rotfl: and when we asked about it they sent 4 people up (seperately) so we got coffee from all of them :lmao:

Of the 2 rooms we stayed in both were clean and comfortable (esp. for the price) however I did hear of others who were less satisfied (but then again when we stayed at BWI we were very unimpressed by the whole experience!) and the location is great.

I wouldn't say the transport wasn't any better/worse than other Disney resorts (S & D share with, Beach / Yacht Club and BWI which does annoy me).

[Mr. Plutes]

I stayed at the Swan in June. I liked it alot, as soon as I walked in. It was a change from staying at a Disney resort. The staff there were total pros.:cloud9:

[jeanigor]

Stick around here long enough, and you'll hear some people complain about Santa Claus, a warm summer day, and a fresh spring rain.

Men with beards frighten me.
I don't like to sweat.
Rain is depressing.

:goodvibes:lmao::rotfl:
That being said, I think some people that have extremely harsh words about the S/D, have weak supporting arguments to prove their point.

It was fine by me for pre and post PCC 1.0.

[hapandpam]

Real simple, four words:

Cause it ain't Disney.

There, I said it. Right or wrong, rational or not, that's it in a nutshell.

I hate to admit it, but that is the way I feel too. I have stayed at the Swan once, and SOG twice. Both are beautiful hotels, excellent service, great locations, but they just aren't Disney. I really don't know any other way to explain it. It isn't rational; it is simply the way I feel. :confused3

[LMO429]

I think it's just a matter of opinion and your experience there. I was looking forward to staying at the dolphin on our past trip because we always stay at either the Boardwalk or Beach Club. We love the EPCOT area and I have been wanting to stay at the Dolphin because it would be awesome to stay at a resort close to EPCOT but save a little $$$ on the room.. In the past I was hesitate to stay there because the reviews I had read were very mixed but after hearing the podcast crew pleasant experiences there I was looking forward to it. We stayed there for one night in May before the podcast cruise. our check in experience was pleasant our room was not ready so we headed to the parks, buses going to the Magic Kingdom and then on the way back were over or about an hour each way. We finally were able to get back to the room around 10pm it was FILTHY and just runned down. carpet had rips, stains and holes bathroom tub was brown and the whole room had a motel feel to it, the hallways had a dirty dingy feeling to them as well. I called the front desk and they were nice enough to switch our room it was cleaner than the first one but just an overall dingy feeling to the room. I actually wouldnt even sleep under the covers I was so grossed out. I know our first room was 3049 EAST. I dont recall the second I know I was not the only one with a poor experience at the dolphin before the podcast cruise because I received 3 to 4 private messages from other disers having similiar experiences after I had posted something about the dolphin on another thread.

From what I have read on the boards the resort is undergoing room renovations but the two rooms we were placed in that night were not. Everyone is going to have a different experiences at a resort, the above was mine at the Dolphin. It's a shame because the grounds were beautiful and the cast members were extremely pleasant but I know we would never stay there again. I think at the end of the day when deciding on a resort you have to read different people's experiences, make a decision and then the only way to ever truly decide if a hotel is for you or not is to stay there. So unfortuantely I disliked the dolphin, which is a shame because I really wanted to like it but someone else might have loved it.

[DHS_Flo]

I stayed at the Swan in June. I liked it alot, as soon as I walked in. It was a change from staying at a Disney resort. The staff there were total pros.:cloud9:

I think this is why I've grown to like it so much. It's like hybrid resort that's on property. It has great customer service, still has a Disney experience (for me it does), it's a little more adult, has nice rooms, and I get the Starwood reward program. I will admit that I prefer the Swan more than the Dolphin. Based on my stays, I've found the rooms to be larger, cleaner, and more comfortable. While they aren't Disney resorts per se, I still find them to be part of the "family" :)

[Ginamarie]

For me, the S&D would be more expensive than a a lot of the WDW resorts, since DH gets a CM discount on Disney properties. However, even if he didn't get the discount, I don't find either of the hotels particularly appealing. Part of what I love about Disney resorts is the theming, and it seems lacking at the S&D. They look nice inside, but there's no theme. If I'm going to stay offsite and rent a car, I'd rather stay at one of the other offsite hotels (Gaylord Palms comes to mind).

[Princess Figment]

We stayed at The Swan in May with Starwood Points. It is definitely missing "the magic". For free, I would stay there, otherwise, I would take my business elsewhere.

The rooms, and particularly the balconies, were dingy and in need of a re-do. The staff was clearly not Disney trained and it was apparent upon entering the hotel that you were no longer in Mickey-land. The service reflected that.

Paying for parking is frustrating. Even more so is the fact that The Swan could never quite get our room key to work in the parking lot- so we kept having to see an attendant and then the front desk of the hotel.

The location is great. Very close to the Boardwalk, Epcot, and MGM and boats are fantastic. Otherwise, meh.

[exwdwcm]

I stayed over at the Dolphin once and while it was nice the price was high and I like other resorts better. The main putoff for me was all the conventioners at the resort. They were having a huge pharmaceutical convention and they were mobbed with drunken conventineers. Not fun on my vacation is all; but I also ran into this at CSR and wont likely stay there either due to this.
Great point- i travel for business (most often for Tradeshows/Events)- so the last thing I want to see while on vacation is other business people...... so i might avoid it (and CSR) for those reasons.

I did stay at the Dolphin prior to the podcast cruise for 2 nights and we enjoyed it. It was very nice and beds comfy (if only my roommate didn't snore! lol). The grounds were beautiful, pool was amazing and location can't be beat. HOwever, i just prefer the little 'Disney' touches that the WDW resorts offer. While they did have a disney merchandise shop- you didn't notice hidden mickey's like you do in the WDW resorts all about. Plus i didn't feel like there was a good fast food/budget friendly eating location like we've experienced at POR for example.

We really enjoy the theming of disney resorts and while the Swan/Dolphin are beautiful, I stay in hotels like that often for business travel- when i vacation at Disney, i want more of a themed experience- as hokey as it might be, even if it is POR etc. I wouldn't ever count the S/D out, as our rate before the cruise was fantastic, but they aren't really first or even second on our list when we are choosing hotels. Just personal taste for us. I am glad I was able to experience it though.

[WaltD4Me]

I stayed at The Dolphin in May. I didn't dislike it, but there were some things that would make me think before staying there again. The rooms didn't have refrigerators. I'm just used to a fridge in the room now and was surprised theirs didn't have them. I know you can request one, but it was a hassle and for the price, I think they should be standard in the rooms. One cup coffee maker. A minor thing, but I hate them, I'm a coffee nut and I want to make a whole pot at once. VERY small bathroom. Smallest bathroom I think I've ever seen. The room doors are heavy and loud. The people in the room across the hall from me didn't close their door, they just let it slam shut and it woke me up at 7am. BIG, it took me forever to get from my room to the lobby.

On the upside, beautiful lobby, the room was very nice, super comfortable bed, A/C worked GREAT and the customer service was fantastic. Loved sitting on my balcony with my view of the Boardwalk and Spaceship Earth. I would only stay in a balcony room at this hotel.

All in all with a good discount rate I would stay at the Dolphin again, but would never pay their regular rate.

[OKW Lover]

I'm one of the folks that does not like the Swolphin. Why? Because I don't care for their architecture and they way they visually intrude when inside Epcot. IMHO, the first of Michael Eisner's blunders. :sad2:

Now, lets talk about the BAH.

[LMO429]

i'm one of the folks that does not like the swolphin. Why? Because i don't care for their architecture and they way they visually intrude when inside epcot. Imho, the first of michael eisner's blunders. :sad2:

Now, lets talk about the bah.

bah?

[Decorated_Dust]

Personally, I think the Swan/Dolphin is the most un-Disney resort on property. Does that make it a bad resort? Of course not. It is a great resort and I had a good time when I stayed there. However, they do not have as much immersion as the other resorts do, which can make it less appealing to some people. One example is the height of the hotel. You can see off property of you are on the sixth floor or above, which can take away from the experience. You can also see the top of the building from the road and from EPCOT, which takes away a little bit. Also, the resort does not give me the same vibe I get when I go to a Disney property. If it were not for the location, I would think I was staying off property.

This is taking away nothing from the resort, I can just see why people, including myself, do not like it as much.

[GraceLuvsWDW]

I stayed at the Swan on pts last year. I agree that while it had it's good points: Clean (that was my experience), convenient to EP area, and free :goodvibes, the negatives would probably keep me from staying there unless it was a very good deal. These prices of $149-199 per night are pretty good for what you get there. But then you add on the parking, the req daily internet/water/whatever it is fee and it adds up pretty fast. The negatives are definite lack of Disney charm & magic, more of a corporate feel. Some people actually LIKE the non Disney, corporate aspect but I think those of us on these boards are a bit different.
But the location is great, the rooms are pretty good although a bit on the small side and the beds are top notch!!!

To each his own.

[aspen37]

I stayed at the Dolphin pre podcast cruise 1.0. I don't have anything bad to say. I used the bar fridge for my drinks. They gave me the key at the front desk. The bed was very comfortable. If I was staying more than a couple of days it would not be my first choice. But for a couple of days it was great.
I was hardly in my room.
If you're not driving in then you can't use Magical Express so you would have to pay for a cab or a town car.
I do like sending my packages to my resort so having to lug them around with me is inconvenient. If your at Epcot or DHS you could just walk over or take the boat and drop the packages off, but you can't if your at the MK or AK.

[Joshua_me]

Personally, I think it's a mistake to always lump the Swan and Dolphin together. They are two separate resorts owned by two different companies and each of them have their own very different vibe.

The Swan seems rather cold to me. From the very no nonsense lobby to the boring pool area, you could really be staying in any number of hotels across the country. There's nothing wrong with that, but it's awfully yawn-inducing for us.

The Dolphin, by contrast, is an entirely different experience. The 'magic' starts as soon as you enter the building. The whimsical, towering lobby defies description. The pool and 'beach' areas are fantastic and scream 'you're on vacation !' to us. The staff are top-notch and our rooms (they DO have a fridge, it's just a little hard to find) are always clean and well stocked with goodies.

And frankly, it's been our experience that mousekeeping at both The Swan and Dolphin excedes the quality of what's going on in the Disney-owned resorts these days.

With many rooms having views of Epcot and fireworks and The Boardwalk and 'friendships' that pull up right to your backdoor, the 'not Disney enough' comments have always escaped us.

We can't wait to go back

[noladave]

I've never even considered staying there becuase of 2 main reasons - paper tickets and can't charge on the room card.

I love staying on property because I have one ticket, and 1 driver's license, and a couple of bucks in my pocket - nothing else! I either put it on my room card, or pay cash - that's what makes staying on property so nice. You can't do that if you stay at either of these properties.

[robind]

I also stayed at the Dolphin pre and post cruise in May. The first room, the A/C was leaking and the carpet was wet and musty, the second room did not have that problem.

I don't see anything heavenly about the beds.

I was also turned off by the daily internet/water fee - I guess if I had known about it before I checked in - it wouldn't have been so bad.

But the biggest thing I don't care for is not being able to charge to my room or have packages delivered to the resort.

I do however, love the location.

[NancyIL]

I almost always stay at the Swan (first choice) or the Dolphin when visiting WDW. My feelings about staying at the Swan/Dolphin vs. a Disney-owned resort are similar to my feelings about cruising without the MOUSE: fewer kids and better prices! :teeth:

1. You certainly can get packages delivered to the Swan/Dolphin, and their guests can take advantage of Extra Magic Hour at the theme parks. It's true that you can't take Magical Express to and from the airport, and Swan/Dolphin guests can't purchase the Disney Dining Plan. However, the Swan/Dolphin recently started their own dining plan.

2. The Swan has refrigerators, and the mini-bars at the Dolphin are in the process of being replaced by refrigerators.

3. If you can swipe your KTTW card in the parks to pay for purchases, you can swipe your credit card, too!

4. The Swan/Dolphin use the same boat and bus transportation as the other Epcot resorts. They share a bus to the MK and AK with the Boardwalk, whereas the Yacht and Beach Club have their own bus to the MK/AK. If you don't like the Swan/Dolphin's transportation options, then you won't like them at the 3 Disney-owned Epcot resorts, either.

5. Beds - Heavenly! :cloud9:

6. I get plenty of Disney-ness in the parks, and I don't need Mickey wallpaper border or wake-up calls to remind me where I am.

7. I think the Swan and Dolphin are cool looking. I've heard people say the Swan/Dolphin don't "fit in" with the look of the other Epcot resorts, but the Swan and Dolphin were there first!

8. I prefer the more adult atmosphere of the Swan/Dolphin.

9. While I'd prefer not to pay a resort fee at the Swan/Dophin, you'll pay for internet access, telephone calls, and bottles of water if you use them at a WDW resort.

I'll stay at the Wilderness Lodge for the first time when I'm at WDW in December - due to a great rate and a roommate to split the room cost. :) I'm really looking forward to being there at holiday time, but I know I'll miss my beloved Swan and the convenience of walking to Epcot - where I spend the majority of my time.

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

Personally, I think it's a mistake to always lump the Swan and Dolphin together. They are two separate resorts owned by two different companies and each of them have their own very different vibe.



Josh - Just a minor correction - they are actually both Starwood properties. Westin is the high end product line and Sheraton is a lesser price point brand.

They were both awarded to the parent cocmpany of Starwood in the same court case....

[thatslygirl]

Love love love the Dolphin. Comfortable, convenient, and (when we went) relatively cheap compared to the surrounding resorts.