Agonizing - Grands 1st trip to Disney - Pop or Swan?

[J'aime Paris]

I'd pick the Swan.
Swan/Dolphin share a very nice main pool with a slide (Pop has no slide), and offer quiet pools too.
You can arrange for private transport for your group, and make a complimentary grocery stop on your way to the resort. We do this even when staying at a WDW resort.
It's been a while for us, so it may have changed?....but the quick service at Swolphin offered a AAA discount on food.
There is Fantasia Gardens mini golf just a minutes walk away!
You can easily walk to 2 parks.
The Boardwalk area has live performers in the evening that are free to watch. Surrey bikes to rent. Swan boats to rent. Decent dining choices. Etc, etc.

In general, the whole resort area of the Swan has more to offer.

 

[maxiesmom]

Keep in mind, Swan is geared toward adults and the resort reflects that. Pop is mainly geared towards children/families and reflects it. Look at the difference in room décor and you can see it. Compared to Pop rooms, Swan rooms are boring and bland. Pop rooms are much more fun and appealing to kids.

I couldn't agree less. I would pick the Swan over the Pop all day every day. The Swan is truly a resort, while the Pop is a nice hotel. Pop cannot compete on ease of getting to 2 of the 4 parks, size of rooms, amenities offered, and having a quick service food area open 24/7 across the walkway at Picabu.

Rent a swan boat and I'm sure the kids will have no problem with realizing they are at WDW. If money was super tight I would have no problem staying at Pop, but any time I can afford it the Swan would be my choice.

 

[maxiesmom]

They won't guarantee connecting rooms upfront but they will work to accommodate your request, including switching your assigned rooms to ones that have connecting doors after your arrival if this has not happened. Go to the front desk and ask to speak with a manager if connecting rooms have not been assigned once you get your room assignment.

This request isn't difficult to obtain, especially if you let them know in advance. Call Disney Reservations at 1-407-934-7639 with your reservation(s) numbers and have the agent note on your reservation that you have children and that you need a connecting room.

PRO TIP: Call again after a few days and ask to check your reservation to make sure this request has been noted on your reservation.

Unfortunately the quality and knowledge of the phone reps these days is hit or miss, so now you need to check to make sure that Disney has gotten it correct. Welcome to the new Disney, where guests are expected to compensate for a poorer level of customer service.

~NM

Yeah, well I have been unfortunate enough to not get requested connecting rooms multiple times. Once at check in I was told the room would connect, but then they didn't. I think the person in the connecting room was ill or something, as their privacy tag was on their handle the whole time.

They will work to fill the request for connecting rooms, but it all depends on if there are any available when you check in. Disney does not block out rooms far in advance, and has no way of knowing if connecting rooms will be available when you go to check in. Speaking to a manager only does any good if they have connecting rooms to give you.

 

[Wood Nymph]

Disney will allow you to book two rooms under one reservation number and that would increase your chances of having connecting rooms. When you book a multiple room reservation then the Magic Bands will work to open both rooms. This can be especially handy when you have kids. We did this for our family trip last June and it was great. You have to call central reservations to book a multiple room reservation but it is worth the extra step

 

[maxiesmom]

Disney will allow you to book two rooms under one reservation number and that would increase your chances of having connecting rooms. When you book a multiple room reservation then the Magic Bands will work to open both rooms. This can be especially handy when you have kids. We did this for our family trip last June and it was great. You have to call central reservations to book a multiple room reservation but it is worth the extra step

But please not that doing this step still does not guarantee you will get connecting rooms. Increasing your odds is always a good thing, but there is no way to 100% guarantee connecting rooms ahead of check in.

 

[LovesTimone]

If it's a 1,200 dollar difference...

have you thought about a moderate resort... I would look at all of them to see which one offers the best deal....

or a

Family Suite at AOA.... I would check out the family suite - 3 adults and 2 kids... you still get 2 bathrooms, and 2 TV, and there is a door to shut off the bed room, as well as a good amount of space/ We have stayed in the lion king family suite... really cute... and the pull down bed was quite comfortable, my DD who was 24 at the time slept on it very comfortably and she is 5' 9" and had plenty of room, my mom slept on the pull out couch and it was very comfortable as well.... We like the "kitchen" area which is nice to have a micro-wave, coffee pot, and fridge in the room and it gave us a place to put all the snacks, and drinks away.. having 2 bathroom was really nice with 3 women... I think that the food court there is very good, and offer's enough regular, and a few specialty items... to make it interesting... the pools are nice and there are 3 of them... so the kids should not get bored....

DME, room charging, magic bands, and photo-pass would all play into my decision...

 

[cutigerlady]

I would pick Pop because sometimes boys needs space to be outside and be boys. I have stayed at the Swan many times with my two boys and we had nice trips. But they were short weekends.

My 8 yr old has stayed at most of the resorts and he still begs to go back to Pop/Art of Animation. He loved just being right outside our room in the grass throwing a football with his brother, exploring the buildings or hanging out in the pool (he never missed the fancy slide ). He also loved taking the bus everywhere. Don’t forget the Skyliner will be a new transportation option which I’m sure the kids will love. They will also love the food court!

We once splurged and stayed at the Poly during the busy Christmas season. We didn’t like it at all. We had built up the idea of staying there so much that nothing could fulfill our expectations. In this case, I would save some $ and go with Pop. (Once you find out how nice it is to have a ride straight to your resort, you will never want to go back to DME either!)

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I couldn't agree less. I would pick the Swan over the Pop all day every day. The Swan is truly a resort, while the Pop is a nice hotel. Pop cannot compete on ease of getting to 2 of the 4 parks, size of rooms, amenities offered, and having a quick service food area open 24/7 across the walkway at Picabu.

Rent a swan boat and I'm sure the kids will have no problem with realizing they are at WDW. If money was super tight I would have no problem staying at Pop, but any time I can afford it the Swan would be my choice.

I've never stayed value and always recommend staying at a deluxe or moderate over a value if you can afford it. The reason I chose Pop was because the alternative is the Swan which isn't a true Disney deluxe. Had the other choice been BC or BWI I would have recommended staying at one of those over Pop.

 

[patty57]

I've never stayed value and always recommend staying at a deluxe or moderate over a value if you can afford it. The reason I chose Pop was because the alternative is the Swan which isn't a true Disney deluxe. Had the other choice been BC or BWI I would have recommended staying at one of those over Pop.

I have come to enjoy the Swan more than BC and BW. Why do you feel it isn't a true Disney deluxe? DME? Charging to MBs? I like the Grotto Pool more than any on property, and think the food options may be the best onsite as well.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I have come to enjoy the Swan more than BC and BW. Why do you feel it isn't a true Disney deluxe? DME? Charging to MBs? I like the Grotto Pool more than any on property, and think the food options may be the best onsite as well.

Yes to DME and charging to MB's. Charging to MB's makes life so much easier for us. Especially since my kids are teenagers and go off on their own. I don't want to carry lots of cash or give them my credit card to use when they are out and about without us.

I've stayed at BC and BW and have come to love the Epcot area resorts. It's my favorite resort area and I would stay there every trip if it were up to me. I am not against staying at the Swan and it definitely is in the running if we ever do an adults only trip. But for the OP's trip, and the ages of her grandson's, I would go with Pop. Especially since it seems grandma is footing the bill for a family trip so $1200 could go a long way with splurging on the kids.

 

[scionchigirl]

If you're taking your Grandkids to WDW, its about them. If you were a kid, would YOU want to stay at Swan? Save the $1200, do POP. The kids will have fun. You can Lyft/Uber if the busses get annoying...the older I get (almost 50),the less I can tolerate the busses. We will bus TO the parks and Lyft back in November. Kids could care less about sit-down restaurant options, but they WILL dig that Skyliner!!! When my kids were little, they looked at the Swan/Dolphin and said "eww! How did those get here?" meaning they werent very Disneyesque...save the $1200, you WILL NOT get $1200 more enjoyment at Swan, and this is from someone who stayed at GF and WL and is willingly going to asmo for the 4th time!

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I would pick Pop because sometimes boys needs space to be outside and be boys. I have stayed at the Swan many times with my two boys and we had nice trips. But they were short weekends.

My 8 yr old has stayed at most of the resorts and he still begs to go back to Pop/Art of Animation. He loved just being right outside our room in the grass throwing a football with his brother, exploring the buildings or hanging out in the pool (he never missed the fancy slide ). He also loved taking the bus everywhere. Don’t forget the Skyliner will be a new transportation option which I’m sure the kids will love. They will also love the food court!

We once splurged and stayed at the Poly during the busy Christmas season. We didn’t like it at all. We had built up the idea of staying there so much that nothing could fulfill our expectations. In this case, I would save some $ and go with Pop. (Once you find out how nice it is to have a ride straight to your resort, you will never want to go back to DME either!)

Perhaps you are forgetting that the Swan has a beach and a huge playground for children? My DS11 begs to stay at Swan/Dolphin because there are SO many kids at the pool and playing pick-up games at the basketball court.

If you're taking your Grandkids to WDW, its about them. If you were a kid, would YOU want to stay at Swan? Save the $1200, do POP. The kids will have fun. You can Lyft/Uber if the busses get annoying...the older I get (almost 50),the less I can tolerate the busses. We will bus TO the parks and Lyft back in November. Kids could care less about sit-down restaurant options, but they WILL dig that Skyliner!!! When my kids were little, they looked at the Swan/Dolphin and said "eww! How did those get here?" meaning they werent very Disneyesque...save the $1200, you WILL NOT get $1200 more enjoyment at Swan, and this is from someone who stayed at GF and WL and is willingly going to asmo for the 4th time!

My DS11 couldn't disagree more with you. He loves the Swan/Dolphin and sit-down meals. Plus, he loves all of the amenities the area has to offer - playground, pool slide, Boardwalk entertainment and carnival games in the evening, not to mention the much more comfortable rooms and close proximity to the parks. Anyone can ride the Skyliner. You don't have to be staying at a Skyliner resort to do so.

 

[copper rules]

Pop save 1200 buy kids 600 each of Disney stock best souvenir ever.

 

[Bjkandma]

I would pick POP for this vacation! Take the extra $1,200 and at the conclusion of your vacation, while still on site look for a "bounce back offer". If your pleased with it, book it and let the grand's know they get to come back!!!

I'm bringing my granddaughter again on a bounce back offer and she can't wait, to do Disney again. just my opinion, but Disney is about making lifetime family memories!!!

 

[Shellyred8]

Have you looked into pricing at any of the Disney boardwalk area resorts? Once you factor in the resort fee and other transportation costs, you might be fairly close in price to a Disney resort.

I would recommend the Swan (or any other Disney boardwalk area resort). Being within walking distance to HS and EP is a priceless time-saver to me on my vacations. You are also within walking distance to the Fantasia mini-golf course, which would be great for the grands!

Have a great trip!!! It sounds like a blast!

 

[Disney Ron]

I just booked a 10 day stay at the Swan in August for $156.75 including taxes and resort fee per night. For comparison our same dates at ASSp's in a standard room is $169.12 taxes included per night. So we are paying $12.37 less per night than a Disney value resort that is newly refurbed with the most comfortable beds we've ever slept in, with a much better pool area including a great pool bar, in boat and walking distance of EPCOT and DHS, with all the restaurants of the boardwalk, Yacht & Beach Club, Dolphin and EPCOT in walking distance away.

Plus my 2 kids would much rather stay at Swan than any Disney value resort.

 

[Scubadaddy32]

I know someone did mention the Skyliner above, but don't forget the Skyliner opens on Sept 29 so, being able to walk to EPCOT falls a bit short of riding the Skyliner to EPCOT IMO. I believe the entire trip from POP to EPCOT is 11 minute in the Skyliner which will be an attraction in itself. From the Swan with kids, you are not saving yourself any time by walking as opposed to riding the Skyliner as it's about a 15 minute walk to Epcot. The Skyliner is even faster to HS and it's a further walk from the Swan than Epcot. The entire point is not that anyone can ride the Skyliner, but that it's a mode of transportation to and from the parks that is also an attraction to boot.
I find it funny that people get so worked up over the buses. Good grief they act like the parks are not open for 10-12 hours per day. Ha A 15 minute ride to the park isn't going to ruin the vacation . Plus, you don't have the hassle of finding parking, paying for parking on and on...
I only use Lyft or Uber if we are running late to a FP and need to get to the park quickly. However, I don't recommend taking Uber or Lyft to MK as they have to drop you off at the Transportation Center and you still have to wait on the monorail or a boat to take you to MK. Which may actually take longer.

 

[LeeLee'sMom]

I would 100% save the money and stay at POP, especially the ages of your grandchildren. My daughter is 13 and still loves Pop. The refurbished rooms were done nicely. Grant you Pop doesn't have fine dining but we usually only have one meal at the resort a day whether it's breakfast or late lunch. They have plenty of decent options to eat at Pop, we never went hungry. The buses are always a hit or miss at each resort. When we stay at Pop we see constant Port Orleans, AoA, CBR , etc buses and Pop takes forever. When we stay at Port Orleans we will see a ton of POP buses...lol. Luck of the draw. Plus with the money you save, more shopping for the kids and you could take Uber or Minnie Vans if you don't want to wait for buses. I know being at Disney we are immersed in Disney throughout all of the parks but we also like being immersed at the hotel also.

 

[TravelandLeisure]

I would definitely go with Pop. It’s newly renovated, with queen beds and I’m sure the kids will love all the larger-than-life theming. We’ve stayed there before, and I thought the bus service was great. There’s only one bus stop so it feels quicker. And $1200 savings is huge!

The SWan/Dolphin doesn’t seem very kid-friendly to me, but I’ll admit I’ve never actually stayed there before.

 

[SwanVT2]

Something I have read is that POP doesn't have any shade at the pool. It will still be very hot in September. The Swan and Dolphin have shady areas to sit at the pool and lush foliage near the pool, plus such comfortable beds. After a long day of walking, it is nice to be away from all the stimulus. Your grandkids will still have a lot of fun. My daughter, who was age 5 when we stayed at the Swan, loved the pool, big playground (a lot more to do on this playground than the smaller ones at Disney resorts), and there are multiple basketball courts. Picabu cafeteria has a wide selection of food and you can use AAA discount. The Cabana bar at the pool is soooo good. Their drinks are top notch. Take care of yourselves, too! I know this is a trip for the kids, but after a long day at the parks, the Swan will be a nice reprieve. The walk to both parks and multiple dining options on the Boardwalk is super fun. 1200.00 is a lot, but it is all relative. I just think of Pop as being lots of stimulus at the bus stop, at the pool, except maybe in the room, but at the Swan with bigger rooms and comfortable beds and peace..I think everyone would benefit from that after a day at the parks!