Dilema with the AP Rates being out...Please Help!

[EnviroChick]

Okay:

I tentatively booked 2 rooms at Swan for 5 days in May. The price with an SPG discount is 232.00 per night for Resort balcony rooms. We've never stayed here before. Now I can get either Yacht, Beach or Boardwalk for slightly more at 259.00 night for a standard no-view room. I've stayed at Beach Club Villas before and we love the Epcot location. So, do you think there's that much difference between Swan and any of the Disney Epcot resorts listed above? We're talking a $200.00 difference per room for the entire stay. What would you do, change to the Disney owned resort, or go for the better view at the Swan and take the same transportation as the Disney resorts? I had looked into Poly, thinking a monorail resort might be fun this time, but while I vascilated, the garden view rooms with the AP rates sold out for my dates.

 

[InstImpres]

Personally I like the Disney resorts. Also, if you do the AP rate and take advantage of Magical Express, Airline checkin and EMH, you may get more bang for your buck.

Good luck with your decision
Sandy

 

[EnviroChick]

Thanks. Good point..ME is a true perk as well as hotel air-line check-in. Adding in the trasport cost to Swan makes us even on cost pretty much. I'm giving up my Illuminations balcony view at night, though, for probably a view of a parking lot. Unless I get an upgrade to a water view at YC?BC or BW.

Anyone elsehave thoughts on this?

 

[Tinkaroo]

If the pools weigh into your families' decision-making at all, Stormalong Bay (SAB) at the BC/YC is the best of the bunch!

The Swan/Dolphin's pool is nice, too, but nothing can touch SAB!

 

[rcraw45425]

IF you choose YC/BC, ask nicely at check in about the "Great room that you've been given". Lots of times you can get an upgrade to water view. Both times we have stayed at YC, both in Feb. one year and last year during Spring Break we have been upgraded to Water/Boardwalk view. We saw the fireworks from Illuminations from our balcony.

 

[EnviroChick]

Oh Yeah, SAB is a great pool, but this is an all adult trip. My mom is ill and will be in a wheelchair while at the parks. That's really the reason I have such a dilema. I want to make it easy to get to her favorite resort, Epcot, and provide her with a very special time, at a special resort with a lovely view.

 

[rcraw45425]

Be sure to ask for an accessable room for her. Also, lots of YC rooms have patios or balconies, more than the BC. I'm not sure about the Swan, I remember our room there had a vie but no access at all.

 

[zumbergc]

Hey don't forget to add in the parking fees for staying at the swan and dolphin. If you have a rental car, and park the car at the hotel (they have a per night fee $9 per day,). Its not a valet fee but a flat rate for parking.

In addition you also have to pay per use to use fitness facilities at the swan, or get the week rate for use there. Its free at the disney resorts now.

Swan and dolphin use to have a flat fee which allowed use of those mentioned things, but they got rid of the flat fee, and everything is ala cart for extras at the resort.


Something to keep in mind when comparing costs.

 

[bevgray]

Also, since you are trying to get close to EPCOT for your mother, Beach Club is the closest resort to the Gateway Entrance. Swan and Dolphin are further away so it is a bit of hike (although you can use the boat so that may not be as big a concern for you). Frankly, I think the Beach Club and Yacht Club are much nicer for just "sitting around" with the sandy beach area and all the benches in the gardens so it might be more restful for your mother.

 

[minijeanie]

are you considering the DP.. if so you can only get it at a disney owned restaurant.

for me personally, I am not fond of Y&B club. To pay over $250 a nite I should not have to move the table and chairs to get to the balcony.

just my opinion though

Seems like a fire hazard to me

 

[EnviroChick]

are you considering the DP.. if so you can only get it at a disney owned restaurant.

for me personally, I am not fond of Y&B club. To pay over $250 a nite I should not have to move the table and chairs to get to the balcony.

just my opinion though

Seems like a fire hazard to me

LOL minijeanie! The balconies are small. The AP rate for Contemporary is even less than YC/BC. Just not sure about good access for Mom there. I've never stayed at a monrail resort before and am not sure how easy it is to get to Epcot.

I must say, most of you are talking me out of D/S. You don't seem to think the Balcony w/Resort View is worth it over a standard Disney owned hotel. Your input, as always, is really wonderful!

 

[rcraw45425]

maybe we were special but our balcony at YC had a table and chairs and still left plent of room to stand. Some of the BC balconies are simply a sliding door with a little step out similar to the upper floor wing rooms at the CR, but we had plenty of room for a family of 4. Same sized balcony as what we had at the GF.

 

[hobbes4444]

I've stayed in the Dolphin (corner balcony, resort view) and both Yacht and Beach Club resorts. Hands down, the Yacht and Beach club is a more satisfying experience. The Dolphin felt like any other business hotel (but with outstanding restaurants) and felt a bit dark and cramped. The hallways seem to go on forever. And the service at the S/D is no better on a good day than the YC/BC on a bad day. I'd also wonder if the WC accessible rooms are limited to the first floor. If that is the case, don't count on much of a view at the S/D. The view from our 3rd floor corner room was mostly blocked by trees, and frankly the balcony felt a little claustrophibic as IIRC, it was fully enclosed on the sides.

Although we enjoyed our stay at the Dolphin, and it has quite a few good things to offer - excellent food, proximity to MGM, Epcot, Boardwalk and mini-golf, and very comfy beds), we would probably only stay there again if we could get a significantly discounted rate - like the $129 we paid a few years back - and we could not get into a Disney property.

On the other hand the BC feels much more vibrant and exciting. True the balconies are really lame at the BC - we had a King Seco room with a mini balcony. But even when we've had full balconies at the YC, we really only enjoyed them for morning breakfasts. And only 1-2 times in more than 20 nights total did we watch Illuminations from the balcony; admittedly sharing a No Way Jose from B&C on the balcony while watching Illuminations was nice. Ultimately though, since you are so close to the actual show, you might as well be there (even moreso since you have an AP). Some rooms seem very remote at the BC, but there are lots of little shortcuts to get to where you need to go. And finally, the YC/BC is distinctly flatter than the S/D, so you'll probably have fewer elevator trips with your mom. Upgrades are possible, but unlikely, and out of the question if it is a busy time.

I'm not sure you'll have a parking lot view at the BC. But even if that is the case, the overall feel of the BC is much more inviting than the S/D and will give you more of a Disney experience if that is what you want.

 

[AlexWyattMommy]

Nice review Hobbs. Do have any trip reports up that we can view?

 

[hobbes4444]

Nice review Hobbs. Do have any trip reports up that we can view?

Sorry, I do not have trip reports posted. However, I'm happy to answer any specific q's . . .

 

[AlexWyattMommy]

Nope, no questions. Just addicted to reading, about Disney.