The **New** Swan and Dolphin Resort thread ~ April 2012 ~ Please read post #1

[Flews]

Wow! I must have the odds in my favor, then, because we've only walked it about 6-8 times and we've seen them twice. Once it was stretched along the sidewalk where we were walking, and once it was off to the side out of our path.

One of the reasons I've never returned to the CBR was the giant black snake I almost stepped on walking out the door of my room 25 years ago...

(Yes, yes, I know it's Florida... but still, )

Oh well, we're back to the Swan Saturday.

Cheers,

 

[PNO4TE]

Have a great trip, Elin.

And hello to you, Nancy, Ray and SSB. Hope to see you all in a few months.

I hope you have a wonderful experience at the S/D resort. Please post some details on your stay.

Thank you both, and no worries... I will. Pictures and more info when we get home.

 

[cathyge]

Thanks to all of you for the great information on this thread. It took me about a week to read through all of the posts.

DH and I going to the World at the end of this month for a few days - to celebrate our 13th wedding anniversary. We'll be staying at the Dolphin, and this will be our first time there.

We'll be going to MNNSHP - also for the first time. We went to Disney for our honeymoon but didn't know anything about the party so missed it. I remember, as we were leaving the park, seeing a mom and little boy walking in and he was in costume. I told my husband - oh they must be doing something special tonight. Yes that's right, I didn't even realize that MK was closing early that day. 13 years later I know much more!

I am really looking forward to my trip. Reading through the thread has made me so much more excited about the trip. (Right now my only negative is that I'm booked on American Airlines - but that has nothing to do with the hotel.)

Thanks again for all of the information.

 

[NancyIL]

Thanks to all of you for the great information on this thread. It took me about a week to read through all of the posts.

DH and I going to the World at the end of this month for a few days - to celebrate our 13th wedding anniversary. We'll be staying at the Dolphin, and this will be our first time there.

We'll be going to MNNSHP - also for the first time. We went to Disney for our honeymoon but didn't know anything about the party so missed it. I remember, as we were leaving the park, seeing a mom and little boy walking in and he was in costume. I told my husband - oh they must be doing something special tonight. Yes that's right, I didn't even realize that MK was closing early that day. 13 years later I know much more!

I am really looking forward to my trip. Reading through the thread has made me so much more excited about the trip. (Right now my only negative is that I'm booked on American Airlines - but that has nothing to do with the hotel.)

Thanks again for all of the information.

I hope you'll have a great anniversary trip! I flew to Orlando on American Sept. 25- Oct.3 and had no problems. Hopefully you'll have smooth flights as well.

I was at WDW for Epcot's 30th Anniversary and the Food & Wine Festival. My DH and I were at Epcot in Oct. 1982 on our honeymoon - although my DH wasn't interested in returning there for Epcot's 30th!

 

[NeilD]

Not that you asked this specifically, but just want to add...if you go over to HS for the Osborne Lights, the line for the boat back can be crazy! The night we were there, Fantasmic was still running, park was still open, but the line for the boat was almost to the Christmas tree!! There is a very nice walking path along the water (opposite bank from the boat dock), and you will very likely beat the boat back. You'll be thrilled with being able to walk to two parks at value-to-moderate rates

Do the Osborne Lights run from dark to closing? Seems like you may have hit it at a very busy time. We hope to go around 7:00 and then back to Epcot. Hope they run all night....Thanks.

 

[Dan Murphy]

The lights are accessible usually for about an hour or hour and a half or so after the official closing time.

 

[cgattis]

We didn't leave at closing or at the end of Fantasmic, which is why I was so surprised at the line. I think it was a little after 8 when we left--right after the last Jedi training. Just note you can always walk back to Epcot if the line is nuts--probably only 15 minutes or so.

 

[NancyIL]

We didn't leave at closing or at the end of Fantasmic, which is why I was so surprised at the line. I think it was a little after 8 when we left--right after the last Jedi training. Just note you can always walk back to Epcot if the line is nuts--probably only 15 minutes or so.

I can walk from the Studios to the Swan in ~15 minutes, but it takes me about 25 minutes to walk all the way to Epcot.

 

[RaySharpton]

The lights are accessible usually for about an hour or hour and a half or so after the official closing time.

I can walk from the Studios to the Swan in ~15 minutes, but it takes me about 25 minutes to walk all the way to Epcot.

I agree with both Dan and Nancy. I love doing both these things every December.

Usually when I go in the first two weeks, only one night in December, DHS may have have a special private event that the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights may not be open after official closing. It usually is the Youth Football/Cheerleader convention.

Other than that, I like to slowly, leave after a Fantasmic night show and people watch to let the crowd go by. Then I stay at the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights go out about an hour after DHS official closing.

By the way, the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights usually starts at sunset.

I love it all.

And at closing the boat launch can be very busy. I also like taking the beautiful, lighted, wide sidewalk back to the Boardwalk area.

I usually don't time my leaving to see the 930pm Epcot Illuminations and closing unless it is Friday night when Epcot is open three hours later.

What ever you decide, you will love the walk and boat ride if not crowded before DHS closing or before Fantasmic empties out for the night.

 

[disneyaway]

With all of the room discounts being offered for Disney resorts, do the Swan and/or Dolphin ever offer extra discounts? We are headed to Disney in Feb for the princess half marathon weekend. The way it's pricing out, the Poly is about 300 more for the entire trip compared to the Swan. I love the Swan and would love to stay there, but DH is pushing for the Poly esp if the price difference isn't as huge as it was pre-discount.

 

[LexiC123]

With all of the room discounts being offered for Disney resorts, do the Swan and/or Dolphin ever offer extra discounts? We are headed to Disney in Feb for the princess half marathon weekend. The way it's pricing out, the Poly is about 300 more for the entire trip compared to the Swan. I love the Swan and would love to stay there, but DH is pushing for the Poly esp if the price difference isn't as huge as it was pre-discount.

Have you seen the Swan/Dolphin offers page? The S/D offer tons of promotional rates and discounts.

Along with various seasonal (Christmas, Easter, Summer, Food & Wine Festival) promotions, there are discounted rates for Teachers, Nurses, Government Employees, Military, Florida residents, AAA/CAA members, AARP members and SPG (Starwood Preferred Guest) members. The majority of the rates are fully refundable (with the standard 5-day cancellation policy), so you can always re-book a room if a lower rate comes out.

Good luck with your planning!

 

[Dan Murphy]

Have you seen the Swan/Dolphin offers page? The S/D offer tons of promotional rates and discounts.

Along with various seasonal (Christmas, Easter, Summer, Food & Wine Festival) promotions, there are discounted rates for Teachers, Nurses, Government Employees, Military, Florida residents, AAA/CAA members, AARP members and SPG (Starwood Preferred Guest) members. The majority of the rates are fully refundable (with the standard 5-day cancellation policy), so you can always re-book a room if a lower rate comes out.

Good luck with your planning!

AP rates also.

 

[magsmum]

With all of the room discounts being offered for Disney resorts, do the Swan and/or Dolphin ever offer extra discounts? We are headed to Disney in Feb for the princess half marathon weekend. The way it's pricing out, the Poly is about 300 more for the entire trip compared to the Swan. I love the Swan and would love to stay there, but DH is pushing for the Poly esp if the price difference isn't as huge as it was pre-discount.

I have had multiple conversations with spg folks about rates that week. We have stayed at the Dolphin several times during the same time frame and the rates are so much higher this year. I made my reservation last spring with a AAA rate before they came out with teacher rates. When teacher rates came out they were painfully high. I have been able to rebook once with a slightly lower AAA rate, but nothing great. $30-$50 more per night than what I have booked at in the past. I have been told that the hotel has been really booked for a long time so they don't need to offer discounted rates. I think there are no rooms available midweek at this point. I still check the rates periodically to see if anything lower has opened up but no luck so far. I'm spending more energy stalking lower airline fares at this point.

 

[disneyaway]

I have had multiple conversations with spg folks about rates that week. We have stayed at the Dolphin several times during the same time frame and the rates are so much higher this year. I made my reservation last spring with a AAA rate before they came out with teacher rates. When teacher rates came out they were painfully high. I have been able to rebook once with a slightly lower AAA rate, but nothing great. $30-$50 more per night than what I have booked at in the past. I have been told that the hotel has been really booked for a long time so they don't need to offer discounted rates. I think there are no rooms available midweek at this point. I still check the rates periodically to see if anything lower has opened up but no luck so far. I'm spending more energy stalking lower airline fares at this point.

That must be it. We stayed at the swan in 2010 during the same weekend and the rates were so much lower. The only rate I qualify for is the AAA, and I still have to renew my membership to even get that rate. So throwing that it, the poly would only be about 250 more for the entire trip. I was hoping that the swan would come out with further discounts. And if it's already booked, I can't imagine there is a high likelihood of getting an upgrade (we are gold status). Thanks for the input. Will now have to decide on location vs those awesome beds at the Swan

 

[magsmum]

That must be it. We stayed at the swan in 2010 during the same weekend and the rates were so much lower. The only rate I qualify for is the AAA, and I still have to renew my membership to even get that rate. So throwing that it, the poly would only be about 250 more for the entire trip. I was hoping that the swan would come out with further discounts. And if it's already booked, I can't imagine there is a high likelihood of getting an upgrade (we are gold status). Thanks for the input. Will now have to decide on location vs those awesome beds at the Swan

We are gold status too and I am really hoping for that upgrade. I booked standard and we have managed to be upgraded to a better view each time. Last year we arrived early in the day and our options were to wait for an upgraded room or the dumpster view available immediately. We went swimming and waited for the upgraded view...

 

[cheryterese]

Can a family of 5 stay in a Dolphin Standard room?

Does Magical Express go to Dolphin?

Thanks!

 

[Mouseteacher]

Can a family of 5 stay in a Dolphin Standard room?

Does Magical Express go to Dolphin?

Thanks!

Yes - 5 in the Dolphin and no to ME.

 

[cheryterese]

Yes - 5 in the Dolphin and no to ME.

Do they bring in a rollaway? From what see the standard room has 2 doubles.

 

[Mouseteacher]

Do they bring in a rollaway? From what see the standard room has 2 doubles.

Yes. However I believe there is a charge for the rollaway.

Swan only allows 4.

 

[PNO4TE]

The Food & Wine Classic here last night was fabulous. The S/D staff did themselves proud!