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

[Tess]

I've stayed at Dolphin multiple times, only once at Swan.... Do all the roms at Swan have that little balcony? I'm trying to recall if we got upgraded beyond just the basic room ...it had the cutest little spot to sit outside....

No, not all rooms have a balcony at Swan.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I've stayed at Dolphin multiple times, only once at Swan.... Do all the roms at Swan have that little balcony? I'm trying to recall if we got upgraded beyond just the basic room ...it had the cutest little spot to sit outside....

A lot do, but not all.

 

[ww52]

I love coming on this board pre-trip; I also had no idea there was a Swan/Dolphin app. Appreciate the info!

 

[igloo155]

I'd like to bring some extra coffee packets with me. Can someone send me a link to the coffee packets that the coffee makers use?

 

[Dan Murphy]

I'd like to bring some extra coffee packets with me. Can someone send me a link to the coffee packets that the coffee makers use?

They look sort of like this, except Starbucks.

 

[SteveH]

I'd like to bring some extra coffee packets with me. Can someone send me a link to the coffee packets that the coffee makers use?

Dan's got the pic, I think you want to search for "Coffee Pods" - I came across one site that says Starbucks had discontinued theirs.

 

[dznylvr68]

I'd like to bring some extra coffee packets with me. Can someone send me a link to the coffee packets that the coffee makers use?

Coffee pods are Starbucks and an unopened packet is about as long a a dollar and the packet is about 2 1/2” in diameter.

Also, someone asked about S/D bus schedule, I was told that currently they are running busses about every 15 minutes until 11:00a then they run every half hour until 4:00p at which time they go back to every 15 minutes. That may change in the future.

 

[dledger]

Very new to this board, but not Disney. curious if there is a way to price out a trip for next year beyond April 1 as that’s all I’m able to see in the bonvoy app? I’m trying to figure out the best way to go for next May (flexible dates) for my family of 3 between renting DVC, regular Disney on property or swan/dolphin. Any tips?

 

[patty57]

They look sort of like this, except Starbucks.

View attachment 568656

I just bought a box of 15 these for my trip next month. I don't want to go looking for housekeeping every day for more coffee.

 

[Gitelfor]

Very new to this board, but not Disney. curious if there is a way to price out a trip for next year beyond April 1 as that’s all I’m able to see in the bonvoy app? I’m trying to figure out the best way to go for next May (flexible dates) for my family of 3 between renting DVC, regular Disney on property or swan/dolphin. Any tips?

You can price out or book a room no more than 50 weeks before check-in date.

 

[dledger]

You can price out or book a room no more than 50 weeks before check-in date.

Thank you! Exactly what I needed to know

 

[ww52]

curious if there is a way to price out a trip for next year beyond April

We booked our room for our July 2021 at the 50 week mark last year and was given a rate MUCH higher than we paid in 2018; I was told to call back around Feb or March because the 2021 rates weren't set until then.

Everyone in our party (4 families total) said "yeah, right - as if they will reduce the rate!"

But the did! Now our configuration was a bit complex (alcove suite with an adjoining room - so in effect two rooms - and we have two sets of those; round figures - the rate we were quoted was about $600 for each set (with all taxes etc) and it went down over $100

So if you DO book that far in advance, don't be dismayed if you are quoted a rate higher than you expected or hear on the board here. Ask if that is the expected rate or in effect just a placeholder - and if it's subject to change. Then be sure to call back a few months before the trip and see if the rate changes

 

[iujen94]

We booked our room for our July 2021 at the 50 week mark last year and was given a rate MUCH higher than we paid in 2018; I was told to call back around Feb or March because the 2021 rates weren't set until then.

Everyone in our party (4 families total) said "yeah, right - as if they will reduce the rate!"

But the did! Now our configuration was a bit complex (alcove suite with an adjoining room - so in effect two rooms - and we have two sets of those; round figures - the rate we were quoted was about $600 for each set (with all taxes etc) and it went down over $100

So if you DO book that far in advance, don't be dismayed if you are quoted a rate higher than you expected or hear on the board here. Ask if that is the expected rate or in effect just a placeholder - and if it's subject to change. Then be sure to call back a few months before the trip and see if the rate changes

Even when I don’t book my room way far in advance, I regularly check in on room rates every week or so. It’s much more common that my rate ends up dropping than not. And it’s super easy to modify your reservation to the new price using the Marriott app.

 

[empedocles]

We booked our room for our July 2021 at the 50 week mark last year and was given a rate MUCH higher than we paid in 2018; I was told to call back around Feb or March because the 2021 rates weren't set until then.

Everyone in our party (4 families total) said "yeah, right - as if they will reduce the rate!"

But the did! Now our configuration was a bit complex (alcove suite with an adjoining room - so in effect two rooms - and we have two sets of those; round figures - the rate we were quoted was about $600 for each set (with all taxes etc) and it went down over $100

So if you DO book that far in advance, don't be dismayed if you are quoted a rate higher than you expected or hear on the board here. Ask if that is the expected rate or in effect just a placeholder - and if it's subject to change. Then be sure to call back a few months before the trip and see if the rate changes

Even when I don’t book my room way far in advance, I regularly check in on room rates every week or so. It’s much more common that my rate ends up dropping than not. And it’s super easy to modify your reservation to the new price using the Marriott app.

Most hotel chains dynamically adjust room rates as their projected-vs-actual occupancy changes over time. Demand is down for a given date, rate goes down. Demand is higher, rate goes up. I just booked the Dolphin for December after a rate dip last week. I'll still be checking every week or two to see if it goes lower.
(Disney-operated hotels obviously don't play by these rules...)

Rental cars do the same thing, so it is a good idea to periodically check for lower rates there, too.

 

[LexiC123]

Even when I don’t book my room way far in advance, I regularly check in on room rates every week or so. It’s much more common that my rate ends up dropping than not. And it’s super easy to modify your reservation to the new price using the Marriott app.

Yep. A couple of times a week, I check to see if the rate has changed. The alcove room I book for our May trip has dropped 3x since I booked it in early March, saving us almost $70 a night, and all modifications were done on the Marriott site or app. Definitely worth the few minutes it takes to save that kind of $$.

 

[Nabas]

I agree with everyone. The Swan and Dolphin use dynamic pricing based on demand. If demand is low, the price drops. When bookings reach acceptable levels, the price goes up.

In May, the Annual Passholder rate is as low at $112/night at the Dolphin for a Wednesday night:




The AAA rate is as low as $119/night:

 

[Scalemaster34]

Thank you! Exactly what I needed to know

And can't look at rates this year at S&D to gage next year.... I got Swan for $149 for end of April, that's well below what I've paid in the past at this time frame.

I agree with everyone. The Swan and Dolphin use dynamic pricing based on demand. If demand is low, the price drops. When bookings reach acceptable levels, the price goes up.

The Annual Passholder rate as low at $112/night at the Dolphin for a Wednesday night:

View attachment 568737


The AAA rate is as low as $119/night:

View attachment 568740

 

[ww52]

Yep. A couple of times a week, I check to see if the rate has changed. The alcove room I book for our May trip has dropped 3x since I booked it in early March

Our configuration is a bit different in that we have two rooms on one end of the floor and then another 2 at the other end. There are limited numbers of floors that have that (I think mostly if not all in the "triangle". But we essentially need that to keep everyone on the same floor; in 2018 it was wonderful - we hope it's the very same as then.

They price each two room set as one - and in effect that price is also arbitrary. We didn't even know it existed - for our 2018 trip I asked for 4 rooms on the same floor at the Swan (we had never stayed at the Dolphin; about 3 or 4 times at the Swan) and the reservationist said this alcove setup would not only be more room but cheaper.

As everyone says, rates are arbitrary based on supply / demand. My point is our configuration isn't even listed on the Swan/Dolphin site nor the Marriott site.

 

[Scalemaster34]

I agree with everyone. The Swan and Dolphin use dynamic pricing based on demand. If demand is low, the price drops. When bookings reach acceptable levels, the price goes up.

The Annual Passholder rate as low at $112/night at the Dolphin for a Wednesday night:

View attachment 568737


The AAA rate is as low as $119/night:

View attachment 568740

But if you don't have a Park Reservation... what good is it? So little wonder last minute is discounted greatly with the way things are right now. And I think Disney's going to stick with Park Reservations. But if I were somewhat "local".... $112 a night and walking around the Boardwalk would still be a "get-a-way".

I was kind of hoping to see pricing drop for my visit at end of April through first of May.... but they stopped showing availability at Swan with Passholder Rates a week ago, and now the Dolphin isn't showing up either. And the standard FLEX rate is up to over $600.... (3 adults, 1 child)




Bottom line... don't look at today's prices to use as a guide for next year. Book early and hope and shop for a discount later on.

 

[CJN]

Even when I don’t book my room way far in advance, I regularly check in on room rates every week or so. It’s much more common that my rate ends up dropping than not. And it’s super easy to modify your reservation to the new price using the Marriott app.

uh oh. Now I feel really obsessive. I enjoy doing a daily price check