Walt Disney World SWAN, DOLPHIN & SWAN RESERVE RESORTS Information & Questions

[MiamiMere]

Yes, complimentary.

http://www.swandolphin.com/activities/pools.html[URL='http://www.swandolphin.com/activities/pools.html[/QUOTE'][/QUOTE][/URL]

Thank you!!!

 

[Melany502]

4 days till we check in at the Dolphin! I am so excited. Does anyone know if you can bring your own drinks to the pool? Also, does Picabu have a toaster or microwave? Thanks!

 

[Melany502]

Oh and also wondering if the pools have life jackets for kids.

 

[Dan Murphy]

4 days till we check in at the Dolphin! I am so excited. Does anyone know if you can bring your own drinks to the pool? Also, does Picabu have a toaster or microwave? Thanks!

Enjoy!!!

You can bring your own drinks to the pool, not sure about a toaster or microwave at Picabu. I don't recall any.

Oh and also wondering if the pools have life jackets for kids.

http://www.disboards.com/threads/th...ase-read-post-1.3264274/page-60#post-53436099

 

[shoreward]

I think the main thing would be the ongoing (nearing completion I would think) of the renovation of all of the Swan rooms. The Dolphin is next in line.

The Swan is about 75% complete with room updates. The refurbished rooms are extremely nice, with everything from furniture to finishes to plumbing fixtures being new. In my mind, the Swan is now a very good alternative to the Disney Epcot resorts, when rates and availability may be issues.

The cons of the Swan/Dolphin are the resort fee (which includes two daily bottles of water and free local and domestic long distance calls from room, as well as the use of the health club and in-room Wi-Fi). There is also a daily parking fee, for those parking at the resort.

I found the accommodations and service to be greatly improved over a couple of years ago.

 

[ckelly14]

The Swan is about 75% complete with room updates. The refurbished rooms are extremely nice, with everything from furniture to finishes to plumbing fixtures being new. In my mind, the Swan is now a very good alternative to the Disney Epcot resorts, when rates and availability may be issues.

The cons of the Swan/Dolphin are the resort fee (which includes two daily bottles of water and free local and domestic long distance calls from room, as well as the use of the health club and in-room Wi-Fi). There is also a daily parking fee, for those parking at the resort.

I found the accommodations and service to be greatly improved over a couple of years ago.

Any idea about the Dolphin? My next trip is not until Dec 2016, so I hope they are there by then.

 

[shoreward]

Any idea about the Dolphin? My next trip is not until Dec 2016, so I hope they are there by then.

Since they are almost finished at Swan, I would think Dolphin should be starting soon. Though much larger than the Swan, I can't imagine the Dolphin not being finished, by then. You can always request a newly-remodeled room, when you get close in time.

 

[ImprovGal]

Just returned from a weekend -- 1 night Swan, 1 night Dolphin. During previous stays, I had a horrible time with the wifi. At both hotels, my connection would constantly reset itself, dumping me back to the welcome splash screen and making it virtually impossible to get anything done. I am pleased to report that for this go-around, my connection was vastly improved. At the Swan, initial sign-on redirected my browser to the guest login screen, and once connected, I stayed connected (from my guest room).

At the Dolphin, I was unable to get connected to the internet via SwanDolphin SSID on my initial signon in the evening, but it appeared to be a technical issue, as later that night I was able to connect. Oddly enough, the connection did not redirect me to the initial guest login screen at any point that day nor the next. I also noticed (perhaps it was just coincidental) that there was an additional SSID available with "Maintenance" in the name.

The Swan room remodeling is still going on. I don't know how close they are to completion, but the 12th floor hallway by the west elevator is part new scheme / part old scheme. And the Presidential suite I saw on that floor appeared to be not yet remodeled. My room on 5th floor West was remodeled, so they've at least done some of the floors on the West side of the property.

I truly hope this is a sign that the wifi issues have been resolved.

 

[tzolkin]

Just wanted to let people know the rates for our trip decreased a bit today, so you may want to check for your dates.

We are booked with the nurse discount mid June. Price just went down by $14 per night. Not a huge difference, but that will cover most of the parking charge for us. Less than two minutes on the phone and saved almost $87.

 

[RobJamesLloyd]

Quick question..... My wife and I are staying here for part of our Honeymoon (after a DCL Fantasy cruise). We booked through Virgin Holiday UK, is the resort fee payable locally of would that have been included in our package?

 

[Dan Murphy]

Thanks for everybody's heads up in the earlier posts. Helpful.

Quick question..... My wife and I are staying here for part of our Honeymoon (after a DCL Fantasy cruise). We booked through Virgin Holiday UK, is the resort fee payable locally of would that have been included in our package?

I can not say definitively, but I know in a regular reservation or package, the fee is always in addition to the given pricing.

 

[patty57]

Quick question..... My wife and I are staying here for part of our Honeymoon (after a DCL Fantasy cruise). We booked through Virgin Holiday UK, is the resort fee payable locally of would that have been included in our package?

Do you have a print out from your travel company with the resort stay details? That would probably be a good place to start. If not, you may need to call Virgin Holiday UK and ask them.

 

[RobJamesLloyd]

Thanks, I'll have a look at the small print in our Virgin paperwork and see what it says.

 

[kgkg]

Hi all, first time on disboards.com. I will bring my three-year old to WDW this October. She needs a nap everyday. We will also take a 7-month old with us, but she will just be sitting in the stroller with my mother-in-law watching her.

I guess that my 3-year-old will enjoy the Magic Kingdom the most and go there at least 2 days. Is the shuttle convenient to take us back and forth from Swan & Dolphin to the Magic Kingdom? How long is the transportation time including waiting?

We are weighing between staying at Swan & Dolphin or just stay off-site. Among the onsite hotels, Swan & Dolphin seems to be the most affordable since we can use Starwood points. I heard that going back and forth to a convenient off-site hotel from Magic Kingdom takes around 30 minutes. If the shuttle to Swam & Dolphin takes longer than that, we will opt for an off-site. Thank you!

 

[happymommy]

Hi, kgkg!
I like the Swan and Dolphin for the proximity to Epcot and DHS, plus you do have a bus to go to MK and DAK. The bus is convenient, but it does share with the Boardwalk (not a big deal really).
My first trip with both my kids along was when they were 2 and 4, and they loved Epcot! I loved that we could walk there with the double stroller (we were at the Boardwalk that trip).
You may find that the 3 year old will nap in a stroller; my kids would do that much better than trying to go back to the room and force a nap.
We always have park hopper tickets, but that's our preference. If we would go out early to the MK, sometimes we'd take a swim break then go to Epcot or somewhere in the evening.
Definitely the convenience of on site is nice, especially if you're unfamiliar with Orlando. Using Starpoints there rocks. You will still have the "resort fee" there. I'm guessing you'd have two rooms, though, if your mother-in-law is also coming. You may be interested in exploring suites as well on site. Less expensive would be the value suites, like Art of Animation (I've never stayed there but it provides more room, although to me that's still a bit too close for comfort).
Off-site hotels to Magic Kingdom does take a while. You have to park (and pay to park) at the TTC, then take transportation from there to the entrance. I've done it once. It was a pain.

 

[Dan Murphy]

......Is the shuttle convenient to take us back and forth from Swan & Dolphin to the Magic Kingdom? How long is the transportation time including waiting?

We are weighing between staying at Swan & Dolphin or just stay off-site. Among the onsite hotels, Swan & Dolphin seems to be the most affordable since we can use Starwood points. I heard that going back and forth to a convenient off-site hotel from Magic Kingdom takes around 30 minutes. If the shuttle to Swam & Dolphin takes longer than that, we will opt for an off-site. Thank you!

Welcome to the dis, kgkg.

Bus travel time to/from MK is about 15 minutes tops. If you get a bus as it pulls up, then about 15 minutes. If you just missed one, then add the wait time. That could be 3-5 minutes, or as long as maybe 15 minutes additional. In any case, it is quick.

As said above by happymommy, walk or boat to Epcot and the Studios. Bus to AK, same as MK.

 

[kgkg]

Thank you so much, Happymommy and Dan! I just booked Swam using Starwood points. Dolphin was already sold out for my dates in October. Since my mother-in-law will join us, I booked two rooms. Swam and Dolphin stopped charging double the regular starwood points for suites. I have to pay the regular starwood points (which is 10,000) plus one night cash (which is around $250) to book a suite. Since starwood gives 5th night free if I use all points, I opt for booking two rooms using all points instead of cash+point for a suite.

 

[ckelly14]

Thank you so much, Happymommy and Dan! I just booked Swam using Starwood points. Dolphin was already sold out for my dates in October. Since my mother-in-law will join us, I booked two rooms. Swam and Dolphin stopped charging double the regular starwood points for suites. I have to pay the regular starwood points (which is 10,000) plus one night cash (which is around $250) to book a suite. Since starwood gives 5th night free if I use all points, I opt for booking two rooms using all points instead of cash+point for a suite.

2 years ago they stopped the double points booking for a suite. Prior to that we used to book a suite every year for our vacation. I agree that connecting rooms or 2 rooms is the way to go at this point.

When I went in June 2014, the suite was an additional $200. Is it up to $250 now??

 

[kgkg]

2 years ago they stopped the double points booking for a suite. Prior to that we used to book a suite every year for our vacation. I agree that connecting rooms or 2 rooms is the way to go at this point.

When I went in June 2014, the suite was an additional $200. Is it up to $250 now??

Yes, it is 10,000 points plus $240-ish plus tax

 

[ckelly14]

Yes, it is 10,000 points plus $240-ish plus tax

Wow. Add the parking and resorts fees and your talking about $300/night.