Do you really like the Swan and Dolphin?

[septbride2002]

We won't get to go back to WDW for awhile but I'm thinking we want to stay in the Epcot are on our next trip. YC, BC, and BW are just to expensive in my opinion so I was thinking about trying out the Swan or Dolphin. Are they really the same as a Disney resort?

~Amanda

 

[bucky1023]

I've stayed at both and enjoyed each one. The pool was great (my niece and nephews really liked it) and both hotels are nice and clean.

It's wonderful to stay so close to Epcot and we even walked to MGM one time.

 

[Leota]

IMHO, they are better than Disney resorts (ducking the flames) The level of service tops any I've had at Disney resorts (esp. lately)

You have the all the benefits of location, service, amenities, transportation privileges, resort pick-up of packages, with the plusses of better service, Heavenly Beds, In-Room movies/games.... The only downside is the inability to charge back to your room in the Parks. But that is a very minor thing to us.

 

[tn_disney_addict]

Can you stay there and get the fall dining package deal?

 

[septbride2002]

Can you stay there for around $150 per night?

 

[BostonRob]

Can you stay there for around $150 per night?

Not quite that low, but you can still frequently get discounts there that are significantly lower than Dinsney's Deluxe resort rack rate. Right now they're offering rooms at $179 per night, during July and August.

 

[Lives4Disney]

HI! If you join SPG and book on their website or phone, you will see they have several lengths of stays that give you free added nights.

Right now they have stay 2 nights, get one free.....even stay 4 nights get 2 free. These are GREAT deals. I am doing this for the first part of our August trip, staying club level for 3 nights for about $530 (plus tax/resort fee).

I enjoyed the Swan a couple of times and we will be trying the Dolphin this time around. They are beautiful deluxe hotels and the location is great.

If you join SPG (free) you also earn points toward upgrades or free nights. It doesn't take a whole lot of stays to earn the points needed for upgrades.

Good luck & happy planning!

Lives4Disney

 

[pooh2001]

Swan - more adult like - less kids stay there (reasons below).
From your picture - you look like a young couple with no kids.

Dolphin - has the game room for kids and laundry room for mom, Also has a 24 hour snack bar for the refillable mugs

The Grotto pool is wonderful - 3 parts, one side for little kids and familes, middle for bigger kids and families - has the water slide (adults go down too) and a water fall (romantic to sit behind it), other side has a volley ball net great for teens, young adults.

There is also a quiet pool near the Swan, a lap pool (adults only) near the Dolphin, a hot tub and a kiddie pool.

The rooms have all been recently renovated with calm colors and heavenly beds. Swan has 2 queen beds, Dolphin 2 double beds 9about 1" less wide than the queen beds). My guess king beds are also available.

The Dolphin has more rooms than the Swan.
Both can have great views of fireworks - ask for a balcony and lake/resort view.

Rates - great if you are a teacher, nurse and I think miltary. They also may offer AAA or AP rates.

The Swan and Dolphin are owned by Starwood. not Disney.
They have some Disney items in the gift shop. No Disney wake-up calls or Disney soaps. No sending packages back to your resort or charging meals to your room key. No meal deals with Disney. No ME transporation from the airport.

Yes - early and late Park admissions, yes transporations - like Disney to all the Parks. Yes - walk to EPCOT, boat to EPCOT or STUDIOS.
Yes - you can have a great rate at a Deluxe Starwood resort.


We like the Dolhin - but have also stayed at the Contemporary.
We have a reservation for next year at the YC & Dolphin.
Then best rate will win where we stay.

 

[Lives4Disney]

Hi, I just read the previous post and wanted to let you know that you CAN have purchases made in the parks sent back to the S/D. They will be sent to the gift shop and you pick them up there.


I just got back from a May trip at the Swan and this was the case.

Lives4Disney

 

[pooh2001]

forgot....

WWW.SWANDOLPHIN.COM

check it out !

 

[webray]

The same as a Disney resort..NO...The Dolphin (never stayed at swan) is SO MUCH BETTER than a disney resort.

The soaps/shampoos are all excellent. The rooms are large, the comfy beds, the wonderful bed linens. Everything is first class. Not like at the disney resorts where nothing matches, and the ammenty contracts were given to whoever could do it cheapest.

The convenience is all there, the wonderful restaurant options between the two resorts and also at all the other resorts. We stay at the Dolphin often because they treat you like a real guest, not like you should be thanking them for staying there because they are disney.

Oh, and the housekeepers are so much better, the rooms are actually clean.

 

[aengus]

We have stayed at the Swan and did enjoy it. The only thing I didn't like as opposed to the actual Disney resorts was it did not have that disney feel to it. Service was good, location is great, and the same perks as the other resorts. Just not quite so 'magical' in my opinion.

 

[travlnman1]

We just returned last night from the Swan. We have always stayed at deluxe Disney properties in the past.
I totally agree with aengus. It just doesn't have the Disney feel. The rooms are nice. The beds were nice. I would have liked them better if they made the beds with a contour sheet. I found myself wrestling with the sheets every night because they became untucked. The staff was fine. Certainly no better than Disney. I really didn't like not having charging priviledges. They add $10.00 per night mandatory fee and $7.00 per day if you park a car.
And yes, they have nice soap. (??? I really don't select my hotel on the basis of soap)
If they gave me a rate of $150.00 or less, I'd go back to S/D, otherwise I'm sticking with B/Y.
The kids (18,17,13) said they don't want to go back there, but they're not the ones paying the bill either, but I understood what they wanted and missed by not staying at a Disney hotel.

 

[bunny213]

I'm sorry, but what is SPG??? thanks, Barb

 

[Lives4Disney]

I'm sorry, but what is SPG??? thanks, Barb

SPG is the Starwood Preferred Guest program. You can sign up free online and earn points.

There are great Starwood properties all over the world so go for it!!

We always stay at Disney Deluxes, too, but I have found that the S/D are very nice. I really don't care too much for the YC/BC - just not my favorite deluxe resort, so if I want to stay in the Epcot area, I will save a few bucks and do the S/D instead. I think they are gorgeous resorts, Disney or not, and I don't miss my Mickey soaps/shampoos at all. If I did, I would bring extra from home I usually split my trips, anyway between the S/D and a MK resort. Get the best of both worlds that way.

Lives4Disney

 

[LadyTrampScamp&Angel]

ok, I know I'm usually in the minority on these threads but I agree with aengus and travlnman1, they are nice hotels but I also missed the Disney "magic" - I personally didn't feel it there.

Not saying I'd never stay at the Swan or Dolphin again but I would much prefer a Disney resort. I had more issues at the Swan in one trip than all my combined Disney resort trips. Our valuables were locked in the room safe and we couldn't get them out due to a battery issue, had to call security to fix it so that delayed us leaving for the parks one morning, got a charge strangely in the amount of our room number (?) on our bill from the gift shop that we didn't make, got charged for valet parking for our entire stay when we only valet parked the first night - had to go through getting all that taken care of and it took some effort on our part, they took it off but it wasn't like we didn't have to convince them. Still I don't really hold that against the hotel, stuff happens everywhere, just saying my personal experience with the service there was that it was NOT better than a Disney resort.

The big thing these two hotels have going for them is LOCATION, given that they are less expensive than the BWI, BC and YC. So for people who value the location above all and do not want to spend the $$$ for the Disney EPCOT resorts - that would be a good fit. That's just not me.

 

[aring75]

DH and I are staying at the Swan for $149/night in July and since we booked thorugh DU using the AP rate we got a free upgraded room and 2 pm late checkout. This will be our first stay here, so I'll have to come back and let you know how it goes!

 

[travlnman1]

So, if you have a car, your nightly rate is actually $166.00 per night.
Don't let that $149.00 come-on rate fool you.
The 2:00pm late check out is standard for everyone if requested.

 

[PamNC]

We loved the Swan - tried it for the first time last November. I didn't feel like I was missing any of the magic and the location is just as good as YC/BC and the BW.

PamNC

 

[oogieboogie]

I've been hesitant for the longest time to try the S/D, but DH wanted to try it so I agreed this June trip.

We stayed at the Dolphin and I like the resort as a resort. Not too wild about the color scheme and the fact that the Dolphin looks more like a catfish. I like the size of the rooms and the beds (yes, they're called heavenly for a reason).

The pools were nice, the sandy beach was great for the kids, transportation to Epcot/MGM was great, the laundry room was fine, kids loved the arcade, the restaurants are good.

So, like I said... the resort was great as a resort. But I missed the Disney touches, and I'm not even talking about the Mickey wake-up calls. Just the entire feel of the resort wasn't Disney-ish enough for me and I missed that. I didn't like seeing a lot of conventioneers and there was a convention going on the entire time we were there and that kinda took away some of the magic. I didn't like the $10 resort fee and I didn't like the $7 parking per day on top of the rate.