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

[disneyred]

i love their rates .. but with the resort fees added on top... i always have to remember to factor that into the calculation.

 

[drgnfly30]

i love their rates .. but with the resort fees added on top... i always have to remember to factor that into the calculation.

Valid point, but no matter how I did the math, Swan/Dolphin always comes in cheaper than the other resorts in that location (YC/BC/BW)!

 

[msquire80]

I have been pricing a stay and it keeps coming out between $259-$289 per night. Confused as to how so many people are getting rates under $200, am I doing something wrong. I am going in February if that helps.

 

[Phlip]

I have been pricing a stay and it keeps coming out between $259-$289 per night. Confused as to how so many people are getting rates under $200, am I doing something wrong. I am going in February if that helps.

Probably because you are looking at February. I checked with AAA, it was more expensive. My rate is $169, but that's for August.

 

[Shula]

I guarantee you'll get it for less than that by the time it's all said and done. This past trip (June), it took until January for the rates to drop, but they finally did. You will definitely get those standard rooms for under $200 by the time next June rolls around. I'll be in the World for your exact dates next June (well, 6/5 - 6/15), but I'm hoping to rent a 1 BR villa instead at BW. Gotta love the Epcots resorts area!

Thanks, we are crossing our fingers! Every little bit helps!!!

Was that $215 including tax or resort fee? I need to call because the website has it at like $320 with tax and resort fee for our march trip. This is at the Swan

No, $215 is room rate only, with taxes $241 and does not include resort fee. They said that will be paid at check out. Still hoping to get the room and taxes to about $200.

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

We are doing a split stay in August, checking out of BC and in to Swan on 8/28. Anyon know the easiest way to do this? Do we walk over first thing in the morning and check in? Or do we pack everything up and have BC move our bags to Swan?

Anyone who has been through this please let me know! I am worried about electronics and things we don't take into the parks but that are too expensive/fragile to leave with Bell Services. I am worried it is such a headache that I should just do all 7 nights at the Swan-we don't want to miss any park time for the move. Any advice?

Thanks!

 

[WanderLuster]

Not sure if this is the right place or if someone knows the answer to this...

Looking at staying at Swan since 2014 rates at BC/YC are WAY higher than I expected.

Can I sign up for a Starwood card under my name and then get a card under my business name (I have an LLC with a valid EIN) to take advantage of the 10K points on each card and then use both of them for the same stay? I'll happily call to get my reservations linked so we don't have to move rooms.

You can have both a personal and a business (I do!). If you have more than one business, I think you might be able to get multiple business cards, but I don't have any personal experience with that.

Also, I thought the standard offer was 25,000 points for each card? I'd look into it and make sure you are getting the best offer available for each card.

 

[WanderLuster]

We are doing a split stay in August, checking out of BC and in to Swan on 8/28. Anyon know the easiest way to do this? Do we walk over first thing in the morning and check in? Or do we pack everything up and have BC move our bags to Swan?

Anyone who has been through this please let me know! I am worried about electronics and things we don't take into the parks but that are too expensive/fragile to leave with Bell Services. I am worried it is such a headache that I should just do all 7 nights at the Swan-we don't want to miss any park time for the move. Any advice?

Thanks!

What's check out time at BC? Wondering if you could get late check out? I'd be tempted to leave my things at BC until the last minute. Go to a park for the morning. Come back to the room right before check out, grab bags, walk over to Swan, and hopefully by that time the Swan will be able to get you into a room even though it isn't technically check in yet.

Are you a Starwood elite member by any chance?

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

I am SPG member but not elite I don't think

 

[bakerworld]

We are doing a split stay in August, checking out of BC and in to Swan on 8/28. Anyon know the easiest way to do this? Do we walk over first thing in the morning and check in? Or do we pack everything up and have BC move our bags to Swan?

Anyone who has been through this please let me know! I am worried about electronics and things we don't take into the parks but that are too expensive/fragile to leave with Bell Services. I am worried it is such a headache that I should just do all 7 nights at the Swan-we don't want to miss any park time for the move. Any advice?

Thanks!

I'd just switch my entire stay to the Swan unless your company is paying for the BC or it's 'free' for some reason because the proximity is so close.

Check out for the BC is 11A - not sure their BS will Xfer to Swan. Why don't you call and ask??

IMO, Best scenario: relax in the AM at BC, packing up at 11A and moving to Swan to store stuff with their BS until room is ready and then go to the parks.

 

[jba2]

We are doing a split stay in August, checking out of BC and in to Swan on 8/28. Anyon know the easiest way to do this? Do we walk over first thing in the morning and check in? Or do we pack everything up and have BC move our bags to Swan?

Anyone who has been through this please let me know! I am worried about electronics and things we don't take into the parks but that are too expensive/fragile to leave with Bell Services. I am worried it is such a headache that I should just do all 7 nights at the Swan-we don't want to miss any park time for the move. Any advice?

Thanks!

When I do split stays, I wake up super early while everyone is still sleeping. I drive or walk over to the new resort and check in. Note that you likely won't get into your room then though. I bring all electronics/valuables with me and I get a safety deposit box at the new hotel.

Back at original hotel, we pack everything up and let the front desk know so that bell services can get your bags and store them. I don't think BC will move your bags to the Swan. Later in the day you can go back to BC and cab or walk over to the Swan with your luggage.

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

Thanks for the advice. Our 4 nights at Beach Club are at an awesome discount ($175 a night), and we are getting convention tickets at an awesome discount with the BC room. That said, switching to Swan for all of the nights using cash + points would come out to be the same cost-we would just need to add transportation. The difference is less than $100.


BC Pros:

#1 we have 4 in our party and the Swan rooms are a bit smaller.

#2 no Stormalong Bay

#3 we have a child in our party that has never stayed on-site and I thought she'd enjoy ME and BC

#4 our convention tickets had WP&M feature and we were going to go to Disney Quest

Swan Pros:

#1 avoid all this FP+ Magic Band testing

#2 insure we have a refrigerator (BC rooms are undergoing massive replacement)

#3 no moving

Anything I am forgetting????

 

[lmminghe]

We are doing a split stay in August, checking out of BC and in to Swan on 8/28. Anyon know the easiest way to do this? Do we walk over first thing in the morning and check in? Or do we pack everything up and have BC move our bags to Swan?

Anyone who has been through this please let me know! I am worried about electronics and things we don't take into the parks but that are too expensive/fragile to leave with Bell Services. I am worried it is such a headache that I should just do all 7 nights at the Swan-we don't want to miss any park time for the move. Any advice?

Thanks!

We just stayed at the Swan for 7 nights and had to move to the Dolphin for our 8th night. I had the same concerns about the electronics, ipads, etc. so I didn't feel comfortable leaving those bags with bell services to transfer. Because my kids are older and could handle rolling their suitcases between the Swan and Dolphin, I went over first thing in the morning and lucklily our room was ready and we could secure all of our valuables in the room prior to leaving for the parks. If the room was not ready, I felt more comfortable giving my bags with the valuables directly to the bell stand rather than leave them to be transfered. I would also advise purchasing some locks and locking the suitcases that will have the electonics in them. It really went pretty seamlessly and was not nearly the hassle I thought it would be!

In fact, we did it the next morning again when we left the Dolphin for a 2 night stay at AKL!! We took a cab with all of our bags and luck was with us again as our room was ready at AKL when we got there! We were just doing a resort stay at AKL so I wasn't concerned about losing time in the parks. Hope this helps

 

[RachelTori]

I usually do split stays and I always transfer my bags myself. Within the Epcot resorts, I walk - otherwise, I grab a taxi.

I feel all the Bell Services onsite are trustworthy, but I have had the best service consistently from Swan & Dolphin Bell Services.

I did try resort transfer several years back. (AKL to Poly) Our luggage was supposed to be at Polynesian between 1 and 2pm. By 5:30, our luggage was still in transit!

Luggage finally showed up at 6:30; too late to make our dinner. I have not done resort-to-resort transfer since!

 

[bakerworld]

Thanks for the advice. Our 4 nights at Beach Club are at an awesome discount ($175 a night), and we are getting convention tickets at an awesome discount with the BC room. That said, switching to Swan for all of the nights using cash + points would come out to be the same cost-we would just need to add transportation. The difference is less than $100.


BC Pros:

#1 we have 4 in our party and the Swan rooms are a bit smaller.

#2 no Stormalong Bay

#3 we have a child in our party that has never stayed on-site and I thought she'd enjoy ME and BC

#4 our convention tickets had WP&M feature and we were going to go to Disney Quest

Swan Pros:

#1 avoid all this FP+ Magic Band testing

#2 insure we have a refrigerator (BC rooms are undergoing massive replacement)

#3 no moving

Anything I am forgetting????

I think you have good solid reasons to do a split stay. If you request early check in at Dolphin you might even find your room is ready - ours was and we didn't even request. Go for it. Still plan transfer day as a pool day - make it your last day at Storm along bay.

 

[LovintheLodge]

I agree GraceLuvsWDW - you can't pass up that BC rate...it's just too good! I love the Y&BC resorts.

I am booked at the Swan in October but can't get our first night there (may open up but it's that last night of a big convention), so I am going to book one night at POR. In our case I think we will grab a taxi over to the Swan and just leave the luggage with Bell services if our room isn't ready. I have heard that POR would possibly transfer the luggage, but I don't think we will go that route.

Kerry

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[luvallprincesses]

How does everyone think the new MagicBands / My Disney Experience is going to affect reservations at Swan/Dolphin? From my understanding, it will be linked to the tickets you have, but for now it is resort guests only having test runs and access to Fastpass+. Will there be a time period that Swolphin guests will be at a disadvantage to full resort guests for the new system? I am afraid this is all going to be active by our stay in January.

 

[LovintheLodge]

How does everyone think the new MagicBands / My Disney Experience is going to affect reservations at Swan/Dolphin? From my understanding, it will be linked to the tickets you have, but for now it is resort guests only having test runs and access to Fastpass+. Will there be a time period that Swolphin guests will be at a disadvantage to full resort guests for the new system? I am afraid this is all going to be active by our stay in January.

I haven't read much about it, but feel I better start. There are several folks on the Y& BC thread who are part of the testing group in August. I'm just hoping this doesn't affect us in October. What little I know I do not care for the whole FP+ thing. Too much scheduling.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[My2CrazyGirls]

Has anyone ever stayed at Swan or Dolphin over Thanksgiving week? Do they have anything special going on or does it all start AFTER Thanksgiving? Thanks!

 

[My2CrazyGirls]

How much is the service charge at Picabu? I have read both 13% and 20%....which is it?
Thanks!