Advice Needed: Staying at Dolphin over New Years

[kootuck]

We are going to Disney over New Years and are staying at the Dolphin since I had a bunch of Starwood points I could use. We currently have an EPCOT fireworks view room reserved, but I was told that those rooms are not renovated, so if we want a renovated room I need to change the reservation. Should I stick with the fireworks view? My daughter is young and I am not sure she will make it until midnight to see the fireworks in the park. I was hoping that with this view at least my husband and I could enjoy them from a distance while our daughter sleeps. I stayed at the Dolphin about 4 years ago and it was getting a bit run down, so I'm nervous. Though, we likely won't spend much time in the room at all.

Also, anyone have experience with the Club Level there? I'm considering upgrading so we can have "free" breakfast and splurge more on character lunches and dinners instead.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

We stayed at the Dolphin in December 2013 and the room was definitely showing its age, but the room was incredibly comfortable and we really enjoyed our stay. We just stayed at the Swan in May, in a renovated room and, yes, they did a great job. That being said, on NYE, I would stick with the EP room. Even as an adult, I would much, much rather see those midnight fireworks from the comfort of my own hotel room than inside a massively, crowded park! IMHO, you totally scored with a Starwood points fireworks view room on NYE! Get a bottle of champagne, tuck your little one into bed and enjoy your view!!

 

[KonaKaiTom]

I second the thought of staying with the fireworks view and cracking open some bubbly!

Tom

 

[mikeamizzle]

I personally would absolutely change the reservation to a renovated room. We stayed at the dolphin last NYE (December 29th 2015-Jan 1st 2016) and were initially placed in a non-refurbished room. The smell of mold and completely dated and worn furniture and bathroom fixtures were in terrible condition at that time and I spent about an hour at the guest services desk pleading to be moved to a renovated room that very same day (29th).They were finally able to accommodate a room change that first evening around 1030pm as the hotel was almost completely booked with the holiday crowds. Needless to say this was 100% worth it, the newly refurbished rooms are night and day more comfortable and certainly cleaner/fresher than the previous dated rooms.

The updated rooms are actually 100% deluxe resort caliber rooms and we enjoyed it so much that we have booked another stay at the Swan (since 100% of these rooms have completed renovation/refurbishment) for next week (Nov 7th-9th) and are very excited about it. If we had decided to tough it out in the non-renovated room I can safely say that we would likely never book another stay at the Swan and Dolphin again even though we love the location and additional amenities (restaurants/pools/gym) at this price point, but we were absolutely thrilled with the modernization that has come to the bedrooms and even more importantly the bathrooms with the updates that have occurred.

 

[Tess]

We are going to Disney over New Years and are staying at the Dolphin since I had a bunch of Starwood points I could use. We currently have an EPCOT fireworks view room reserved, but I was told that those rooms are not renovated, so if we want a renovated room I need to change the reservation. Should I stick with the fireworks view? My daughter is young and I am not sure she will make it until midnight to see the fireworks in the park. I was hoping that with this view at least my husband and I could enjoy them from a distance while our daughter sleeps. I stayed at the Dolphin about 4 years ago and it was getting a bit run down, so I'm nervous. Though, we likely won't spend much time in the room at all.

Also, anyone have experience with the Club Level there? I'm considering upgrading so we can have "free" breakfast and splurge more on character lunches and dinners instead.

Neither Swan nor Dolphin have a CL any longer.

 

[kootuck]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm really torn. I stayed at the Dolphin in 2012 and felt the room was showing its age at that time, but the fireworks view for NYE is so very tempting (especially since I likely won't be able to see them any other way with a toddler). Why have they not renovated the rooms with a view yet? So frustrating!

 

[writerguyfl]

In case you're unfamiliar, Illuminations is presented twice on New Year's Eve. The first showing is on the schedule for 6pm. I am uncertain if the special NYE "tag" is included in that early showing.

 

[cutigerlady]

I would think about requesting a different room. We stayed here about a year ago and I had to call maintenance at 10 pm because the knob fell off the shower and would not work. It was a huge pain to have to deal with that late at night. I complained because I don't know how they could have cleaned the room and not noticed that the knob was broken. I barely touched it and it came flying off. I have been able to watch the fireworks from some of the standard rooms before, so you don't necessarily need the fireworks view.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Frankly, I'd tolerate the "not renovated" for "fireworks view" on that night of the year.

 

[Babsy]

I would keep the fireworks view for NYE. I have stayed in the old and the renovated rooms and, although the renovated rooms are nicer, the older rooms are still comfortable, IMO, and we enjoyed them just fine on our recent visit. In fact, this Nov we booked the Dolphin non renovated rooms again.

No worries for us at least.

 

[ReganlovesWDW]

If you are able to get a renovated room, do it. It is like night and day.

We stayed last year and happened to go outside just at midnight and literally just kept watching fireworks all over the place. EPCOT had fireworks as did Studios and when they were done, Swan and Dolphin set off fireworks. it was my best NYE in ages.