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

[suzimar57]

earlier today booked 9 nights at swan (october 2013)

it's finally official - we're going back to disney!!

 

[pooh2001]

earlier today booked 9 nights at swan (october 2013)

it's finally official - we're going back to disney!!

Congratulations - you will love it !

 

[pgianna]

That room pic I posted was from 5 weeks ago. Nancy was just there - did you have this same furniture & decor?

In the picture I posted that bedding, drapery, carpet, wall paint color & headboard art are definitely "updated" since the early 2000's when it was the old teal & peach beach theme, but maybe I've just been missing rooms with something even newer.

I was just at the swan two weeks ago. The room we had was identical to the picture. I think there was another rehab in the early 2000's so you may have gone right before that rehab. I guess th question now is, what was included in the 2011 rehab, drapes, carpeting, furniture, wallpaper and when will the swan room be redone?

 

[NancyIL]

That room pic I posted was from 5 weeks ago. Nancy was just there - did you have this same furniture & decor?

In the picture I posted that bedding, drapery, carpet, wall paint color & headboard art are definitely "updated" since the early 2000's when it was the old teal & peach beach theme, but maybe I've just been missing rooms with something even newer.

Yes - I had the same furniture and decor. When I first stayed at the Dolphin in 2000, the rooms had either blue and green or peach and blue striped bedspreads, pineapple or bird lamps, and different furniture. When I stayed at the Swan in 2002, I had a newly renovated room with blue carpet with leaf designs in it (also tan with leaf designs), solid blue drapes, white duvets on the beds, and the current furniture. The 2008 renovation was as pictured in the photo above. The furniture was the same, with new drapes and carpeting The hall carpeting in the Swan could use some updating.

 

[EPCOT is a verb]

I just read this entire thread, and now I am REALLY excited!

We booked a Dolphin stay for October, going for Epcot's F&W. I'll be following this thread for more helpful tips and info. Thanks!

 

[TaraPA]

I was just at the swan two weeks ago. The room we had was identical to the picture. I think there was another rehab in the early 2000's so you may have gone right before that rehab. I guess th question now is, what was included in the 2011 rehab, drapes, carpeting, furniture, wallpaper and when will the swan room be redone?

I'm confused - what 2011 rehab? The Dolphin room I posted from 5 weeks ago is identical to all the rooms (except one) that I've had at both Swan & Dolphin for at least the last 4 years - I didn't notice any difference in any rooms in 2011 vs. 2012. Last year I stayed at both Swan & Dolphin, those rooms were identical to the one from Dolphin 2012. So I must have missed something!

 

[RachelTori]

Regarding these room refurbishments....... I just looked back through my records (yes I keep detailed records of dates/resort/room numbers ) and in October 2010 I got a newly refurbished room.

OK, here's the story: I was given a key to room 7219 (this was early in the morning, around 8am). The CM told me I would be the first guest to stay in that room!

I went to the elevator, got on, pressed 7 and it wouldn't light up. None of the elevators went to floor 7. So I went up to 8 and walked down the stairs to 7!

It was eerily quiet. The hall carpet was brand-spankin' new! Walking down the hall, there wasn't a mark anywhere.

The room itself was immaculate. When I called Guest Services to let them know the elevators weren't stopping on Floor 7, there was an audible gasp! That entire floor had just been rehabbed and wasn't officially reopening until later in the day! So this would be about 18 months ago that the 7th floor was rehabbed. I'd be surprised if they're re-doing it again already. But I will be there Friday, so I will attempt to find out.

Here are some pictures of the room (and the view!):

 

[MBELSANTI]

Regarding these room refurbishments....... I just looked back through my records (yes I keep detailed records of dates/resort/room numbers ) and in October 2010 I got a newly refurbished room.

OK, here's the story: I was given a key to room 7219 (this was early in the morning, around 8am). The CM told me I would be the first guest to stay in that room!

I went to the elevator, got on, pressed 7 and it wouldn't light up. None of the elevators went to floor 7. So I went up to 8 and walked down the stairs to 7!

It was eerily quiet. The hall carpet was brand-spankin' new! Walking down the hall, there wasn't a mark anywhere.

The room itself was immaculate. When I called Guest Services to let them know the elevators weren't stopping on Floor 7, there was an audible gasp! That entire floor had just been rehabbed and wasn't officially reopening until later in the day! So this would be about 18 months ago that the 7th floor was rehabbed. I'd be surprised if they're re-doing it again already. But I will be there Friday, so I will attempt to find out.

Here are some pictures of the room (and the view!):

I love the room! Is that a standard room?

 

[TaraPA]

It's a standard room (meaning no a suite, deluxe alcove, etc.) but looks like an Epcot Fireworks View category, so one of the highest ones $$ wise. I think we had that exact same room in 2011!

 

[MBELSANTI]

IAs for views - Standard view can be anything. So I would request a nice standard view on your reservation. You may be pleasantly surprised

Lots of snacks in Picabu - milk, soda, chips, cookies, baked goods , almost anything you want to snack on. You can get a 20% off items in Picabu with an AAA card.
Also next door at the Marketplace in the BC - there are lots of 'grocery' items you can buy, including fruit.

I would send an item like peanut butter in a box to the Dolphin - or in you checked luggage - not a carry on item. On the box - addressed to the Dolphin - add on all sides of the box:
Hold for: NAME OF PERSON ON THE RESERVATION
Arrival date: MM-DD-YYYYY

Thank you I didn't know about the AAA discount either! If I send a box to Swan is there a fee? I read on their website on my reservation about a "package fee".

 

[NancyIL]

Thank you I didn't know about the AAA discount either! If I send a box to Swan is there a fee? I read on their website on my reservation about a "package fee".

I stayed at the Swan over my birthday week, and my husband mailed a birthday card to me c/o the Swan. The business office charged me $3 to receive it, and a package would cost more.

 

[MBELSANTI]

I stayed at the Swan over my birthday week, and my husband mailed a birthday card to me c/o the Swan. The business office charged me $3 to receive it, and a package would cost more.

Thanks Nancy. Wow $3 to receive a card??? Seriously??? That is crazy! Yea on the reservation it said call for prices of the package fees. It wouldn't be worth it to send a jar of peanut butter and pay $10 or more to pick it up. Is it just me or does Swan like to charge fees for everything?

Nancy, by the way how was your trip? Did you have a wonderful time??

 

[MBELSANTI]

La Nouba is every bit as good and enjoyable as the Cirque shows in Vegas.

I agree. I have seen O in Vegas and the one that's in Treasure Island and I was pleased at how we enjoyed La Nouba.

 

[RachelTori]

It's a standard room (meaning no a suite, deluxe alcove, etc.) but looks like an Epcot Fireworks View category, so one of the highest ones $$ wise. I think we had that exact same room in 2011!

Yep, it was an Epcot Fireworks View room!

Here are some pictures from August 2011, another Epcot Fireworks View room - 9031 (not sure when a rehab had been done on this room, but it also was in great shape ):

 

[bear_mom]

Just back from an 8 night stay, our first at the Dolphin. Had a wonderful trip.

I had added a celebration (graduating with my Master's degree) to our reservation and our room was upgraded to a resort/fireworks view and we got six HUGE chocolate covered strawberries. We could see both Epcot and Hollywood studios from our room - 16095.

The room had plenty of storage space which was nice as dh likes to fully unpack and 4 people with 9 days worth of stuff can be quite a bit.

My only warning to others who need coffee in the morning: There are 3 packs of coffee that they can leave in the room, 2 are decaf and 1 is regular. One of the decaf is obvious, it has blue writing on it. But the regular coffee and the other decaf look very similiar and the decaf is in smaller writing. Both of these packages have orange writing. Dh and I didn't realize it at first and both of us were surprised when dh was looking as said both of our coffees are decaf. After that there several days that all of our coffee packs were decaf and we would have to find the maid in the hallway to get regular coffee.

I will post a picture later when I get them downloaded.

 

[Gipperland]

We just stayed at the Swan for 3 nights the end of April and loved it. We did turn down service which was turning down the bed and closing the curtains. There was no chocolates. Is that normal? We were celebrating our 28th Anniversary and had a lovely stay, but no strawberries or anything special for us from the Swan

 

[NancyIL]

Thanks Nancy. Wow $3 to receive a card??? Seriously??? That is crazy! Yea on the reservation it said call for prices of the package fees. It wouldn't be worth it to send a jar of peanut butter and pay $10 or more to pick it up. Is it just me or does Swan like to charge fees for everything?

Nancy, by the way how was your trip? Did you have a wonderful time??

Yes, $3 was the minimum fee to receive a letter at the Swan or Dolphin. I didn't have the heart to tell my husband that I had to pay to receive .his birthday card! It definitely isn't worth mailing inexpensive food items to the hotel before you arrive.

I had a great trip, as always! The weather forecast was for rain for 4 of the days. It did rain a little bit each of those days, but then it was pretty much over. Only 1 set of Off Kilter was cancelled on 2 days, and both were at 3:30! It cooled down a lot my last 2 days (high of 75/low of 50), and it was a pleasure to wear jeans in the parks.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I was surprised at the package fee also last Dec. I had two small packages (really, quite small) delivered to the Swan. Charge, if I recall, was either 6 or 8 dollars. I have had small packages delivered on previous trips, no fee. So it is a relatively new fee, sometime last year.

 

[pooh2001]

We plan on shipping down in a once-price box from USPS some items for our stay....AAA batteries in their original package, disinfectant wipes, hand sanitizes, dyer sheets, detergent, duct tape (never know when you may need it), The items in our box would total about $30. USPS cost = $15 to ship (anything less than 20 pounds) and if the Dolphin charges us $10 for our box - we save money and will maybe saved our luggage from being opened by the TSA. I am sure dryer sheets, disinfectant wipes, hand sanitizes and batteries with light up an x-ray machine and have our luggage opened.

 

[bear_mom]

Here is a picture of the coffee packets. It is hard to see in this picture, but the left hand picture is decaf (it is written in blue), the middle packet is regular coffee (all the writing in orange and black), and the right packet is the obvious decaf.

Just something to be aware of......

Emily