2 adults, Cont. or Swan/Dolphin

[jacncaitsmom]

Ok, guys! I need your help for a friend of mine. They are going to DW for a long weekend. They have no children and are planning on going to DD and Epcot. The husband LOVES Disney and has gone since he was a child. He gets a military discount so can get a $129 rate at the Swan/Dolphin and a SOG upgrade $89 rate (WOW) at the Contemp. I know ya'll have plenty of opinions. What advice should I give him? I personally would stay at CR. But, since they are not going to MK.....I don't know. But, he used to stay there as a child. They want something "fun". HELP!

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

Swan or Dolphin, given the fact that he loves EPCOT. He'll be within walking distance of this park and MGM Studios. They will also be able to take a boat to those two parks should they so choose.

They will be in a great location and have many things to do in the evening, walking around the circle of resorts being just one.

The Contemporary rooms being offered to SOG patrons are getting some pretty bad reviews. Here, locally, the "talk" is that the Military is considering "discussions" with Disney regarding the number and nature of complaints they are receiveing from their personnel.

 

[Puffy2]

Contemporary.

Swan/Dolphin haven't updated their rooms and the reviews there have not been good either.

I've stayed at both and enjoyed the Contemporary much better even with the location issue.

 

[Tinkbell]

It's fun to take the monorail to Epcot.

 

[Rhonda]

I pick the Swan/Dolphin. The location is wonderful - walking distance to Epcot or MGM. And, they can walk over to the Boardwalk for some entertainment in the evenings!

 

[jgates]

I don't know - our room at Swan was in great shape. Carpet in hallway looked like it might be due for changing but room was fine. (12th floor).

Also, if you have a room problem (after reading the SoG posts) I would say you have a lot better chance of being switched to a new room at the Swan.

And yes, LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION!

I would be back to the Swan in a flash if I could.

 

[MatthewNY]

For childless couples the Epcot resort area is far and away the best place to stay. The monorail ride to Epcot from the Contemporary is cool but you have to switch at the TTC which can be a wait. Being able to walk in is excellent, plus walking past the Boardwalk on the way back to the Swan really kept the evening going after park closing. We had a great room at the Swan and I was surprised how much I liked it. Being that you didn't mention them wanting to visit the Magic Kingdom this is a no brainer, in my opinion. When my wife and I were childless we would have dinner in the countries of Epcot every night, it's so convenient to the Epcot resorts. I feel that for people without kids this is the BEST area in WDW, not the monorail.

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[las3888]

That's a toughie - I think the Swan is the best hotel for couples without kids - there are a lot more kid-less adults (conventioneers?) there, and it just seems a more adult atmosphere. I think the S/D are in great shape, and are top notch resorts, comparing to any Disney deluxe. The location just can't be beat.

On the other hand, the CR is a GREAT deal - I wish I could get it. I love the CR also. The monorail ride would be nice.

Tough call...I guess it's a win-win situation in my mind, because either choice is a winner. I might lean towards the Swan more because they want to spend time at EPCOT. This way they can enjoy the Boardwalk more also...

 

[d-r]

Don't get me wrong - I love CR, but I love staying in the tower. I would take a look at park hours - sometimes its nice to stay at an Epcot resort given it always stays open later. Its nice to be able to just walk thru Int'l gateway after the park closes than get back to the monorail. Odds are Epcot will be open the latest - depends on when you go.

Melissa

 

[DisneyVa.]

I just returned (last night at 10 p.m.) from a two week trip to DW. The first week we stayed at the Contemporary and then moved to The Dolphin for the second week. After staying at both I would strongly recommend the Dolphin or Swan and ask for a King room. The CR was very noisey. We loved the Dolphin and I understand the Swan was even quieter.

 

[Tiffany]

Originally posted by jacncaitsmom
Ok, guys! I need your help for a friend of mine. They are going to DW for a long weekend. They have no children and are planning on going to DD and Epcot. The husband LOVES Disney and has gone since he was a child. He gets a military discount so can get a $129 rate at the Swan/Dolphin and a SOG upgrade $89 rate (WOW) at the Contemp. I know ya'll have plenty of opinions. What advice should I give him? I personally would stay at CR. But, since they are not going to MK.....I don't know. But, he used to stay there as a child. They want something "fun". HELP!

If there main focus is going to be EPCOT then by all means go with the S/D.

My husband and I just came back from a 5 day stay at the Dolphin and enjoyed it very much. The walk to EC is great. You can also walk to MGM. We did find the MGM walk to be longer then the EC walk though.

The theme of the CR has never done much for us. We just do not find the CR to be that contempory.

 

[hmp2z]

Hi! I'm not a huge fan of the Contemporary, but the rooms are bright & cheerful. Andy (my husband) stayed there the night before our wedding, while I was at the GF, but I went with him to check-in, so got to check out his room there. He stayed in the South wing, and it was a bit of a walk from the main building, but not horrible at all.
I would never stay in the Swan or Dolphin. We went to check them out, and the lobby reeked of cigarette smoke. I have sinus problems, and this would kill me! We're used to the Disney, smoke-free atmosphere, so we could tell right away these weren't Disney owned hotels.
Good luck to your friends in deciding!
Cheers!
Heather W

 

[jwfla422]

The Dolphin is our favorite with the Swan coming in tie for second (WL is tied with that Of course I vote for S/D.

For 2 adults I think they'd enjoy the S/D more. I'm not big on the CR either. I think it is crazy and noisey. It is a nice hotel (as is the S/D). Their rooms are just as updated as most of the WDW resorts. I read time and time again how the S/D rooms need work, etc. But, after staying at the WL I really found no difference in the condition of the decor, the only thing the S/D rooms really are in need of is ceiling fans. Otherwise I didn't see any difference!

And, as many mentioned EPCOT & even the BW resort area would be more appealing to 2 adults than the MK area. It's nice to be able to just walk around the area there.

 

[jwfla422]

The Dolphin is our favorite with the Swan coming in tie for second (WL is tied with that Of course I vote for S/D.

For 2 adults I think they'd enjoy the S/D more. I'm not big on the CR either. I think it is crazy and noisey. It is a nice hotel (as is the S/D). Their rooms are just as updated as most of the WDW resorts. I read time and time again how the S/D rooms need work, etc. But, after staying at the WL I really found no difference in the condition of the decor, the only thing the S/D rooms really are in need of is ceiling fans. Otherwise I didn't see any difference!

I am really sensitive to cigarette smoke and never noticed S/D smelling of smoke except in the Kimino's lounge. Maybe there was a convention with a lot of smokers? Never had any problem with the smell in the halls or rooms either.

As many mentioned EPCOT & even the BW resort area would be more appealing to 2 adults than the MK area. It's nice to be able to just walk around the area there.

 

[dreamflight99]

Of course...my favorite for all the obvious reasons mentioned above. As for the "smoke" smell...hmmmm, that's a new one to me, and I second Jwfla422. I proudly reside in the SMOKE-FREE state of California, and am a life-long non-smoker. I have an extremely sensitive olefactory...and have never experienced the "odor of smoke" in the Dolphin/Swan. I am here now...and have enjoyed the smell of the wonderful dry-cleaning chems they use on the carpets in the halls nearly every eve! I also love the smell of the "lobby fountain" water which permeates the entire area with a cool-humidifier effect. But smoke? Nahhh...just don't smell it here. The ventilators are the BEST, and the resort is the COLDEST on Disney property (truly A/C when you enter!) Fla. still permits smoking in all the restaurants we visited "off-property", and even in "designated" areas of all the parks, even outdoor seating at the restaurants in the parks. In California...there are NO designated smoking areas in Disneyland~period! The entire State is Smoke-free...Resorts, bars and theme parks too!

 

[gschmerl]

I'm with you Dreamflight--
I am VERY sensitive to the smell of smoke. Even outdoors, I am bothered if someone is smoking. We stayed at the Dolphin in July and I never noticed the smell of smoke. There were BIG conventions while we were there and plenty of acitivity in the lobby, but no smokey odor!
This was my first stay at the Dolphin and I wouldn't hesitate to go again. As the others have said--the location can't be beat.

 

[freediverdude]

Maybe I'm biased here because I just stayed at Comtemporary, but I would vote for Contemporary. If you have ever seen the walk from the Swan or especially from the Dolphin, it's quite a hike from these resorts to the International gateway entrance- I would recommend the boat unless you enjoy walking, as far a walk as a lot of the moderate hotel rooms are from the food court, possibly longer. With Contemporary, you can take the two monorails and be right at the entrance to Epcot still fresh as a daisy LOL. And with either resort, you'll have to take a bus to downtown Disney, so it doesn't make any difference there. The rooms and hotels are probably similar in amenities, so it probably boils down to price and whether or not you want to walk. The Contemporary has the price, so do you want to walk? LOL

 

[B3LM]

Since it's just the two of them and they're not planning to go to MK, I'd recommend Swan/Dolphin because of the convenience of EPCOT and the Boardwalk nearby. They can always hop on the monorail from EPCOT if they just want to take a spin and check out the monorail resorts.

JMHO
Beth

 

[MatthewNY]

I would have thought the walk to the Swan was too much myself, but when we stayed my wife convinced me go for it after park closing. (I'm not much of a walker, especially after doing the parks.) It was really pleasant though, mostly because of the fact that you feel like you are still in the parks when you walk past the Boardwalk with all that activity.

That being said, it is a moderately long walk, but you dont have to walk it, the boats are excellent and carry a large amount of people, even at park closing you will usually get on the second boat without a bad wait. If you don't want to walk, take the boat.

Also, I have done Epcot coming from the Poly and will do it again when we stay at the Floridian in Oct. I dont really consider it that convenient. Switching monorails at the TTC is not exactly a piece of cake, they make you walk all the way down and back up the other platform to get to the Epcot monorail, which can somtimes be very crowded with day guests. Then while the ride in is ultra cool because it loops around Spaceship Earth and Future World, it drops you off all the way out front. Considering that Future World closes early and we will be going for the 7-9 window that the World Showcase is still open, you are talking about a major hike thru Future World, across the bridge to Mexico or Canada.

When you come in through the International Gateway (the Swan/Dolphin/Beach&Yacht/Boardwalk entrance) you enter right between the United Kingdom and France. We were there every night and as much as I am looking forward to the Floridian I will miss that kind of convenience.

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