Dolphin Resort = $30 fee - What does it include ?

[pooh2001]

The Swan & Dolphin are now Marriott and not Starwood
We can get the over 62 years of age rate - still a good rate - equivalent to a moderate resort, and the Dolphin has a better rate - maybe....
Resort fee per night at the Dolphin is $30
What do you get for your $30 resort fee?

Do you get 2 bottle of water per nights stay ?
Free towels at the pool to use ?
What else ?

Thank you

 

[maxiesmom]

In addition to the water it includes unlimited use of the fitness club. Plus unlimited local and domestic phone calls.

 

[pooh2001]

We have cell phones - no need for the phone
Now to crunch numbers
Moderate or the Dolphin with two $15 water bottles per day plus location
Time will tell where we will stay

 

[Brett Wyman]

Resort fees are the worst.

 

[maxiesmom]

We have cell phones - no need for the phone
Now to crunch numbers
Moderate or the Dolphin with two $15 water bottles per day plus location
Time will tell where we will stay

I love the Disney moderates, but I really love the location of the Swan and Dolphin. It is so nice to be able to boat to both Epcot and the Disney Studios. My first stay at the Swan was a little over a year ago when I had my 79 year old dad with me. The location was wonderful for him.

But don't forget that the Swan and Dolphin do not offer Magical Express. Or the ability to charge to your magic bands. Not sure if either of those things are important to you.

 

[Deb & Bill]

If you have a car, you'll pay to park it at the Swan and Dolphin. Might be about the same price as the Moderate resorts. The rooms at S&D are really very nice. The Swan has Heavenly beds, too,

 

[kaytieeldr]

https://swandolphin.com/welcome/checkin/resortpackage.html

 

[Toolulu22]

Resort fees are the worst.

Wonder if and when Disney will charge them, because hey- other places do and they want to keep up with the Joneses.

 

[DLgal]

When we stayed at the Dolphin last, we got like 6 bottles of water per day. There were just 2 of us in the room, but our housekeeper always left 4 bottles on the desk and 2 more in the fridge for us.

 

[snappy]

When we stayed at the Dolphin last, we got like 6 bottles of water per day. There were just 2 of us in the room, but our housekeeper always left 4 bottles on the desk and 2 more in the fridge for us.

Had the same experience. Also much better sleep due to premium mattress and linens. Also quieter.

Also like the AAA discount on restaurants. And picking up a car at the Dolphin was the easiest car rental experience of my entire life.

 

[snappy]

Wonder if and when Disney will charge them, because hey- other places do and they want to keep up with the Joneses.

I tend to agree, first the parking fees, then resort fees next. Per Disney, industry standard.

 

[SteveH]

I love the SwanDolphin but the resort fee is just a profit center, same as parking. Any hotel with a Resort Fee is just banking on people not noticing it until you arrive. Personally I'd rather just raise the rate and leave the Resort Fee out of the equation. Just make sure you are comparing the room rate + parking + resort fee to get your final cost.

One thing to know about any convention center hotel is that they base their rates around that group. For most convention people going to the S/D their expense accounts pay the convention center room rate and resort fee, the guest doesn't really care. Same reason they tack on the automatic gratuity at Picabu (and I think Coronado does the same thing) as Convention people are not the best tippers. Pete on the podcast made a point about the high end restaurants at S/D and noted again that it had to do with the Convention attendees and their expense accounts.

 

[Micharlotte]

Add all the fees together and get your nightly room rate. If you don’t need magical express or charging privileges the ability to walk to Epcot and DHS for a moderate price is pretty amazing. The hotels themselves look amazing as well! I’m excited for my first stay in September!

 

[_19disnA]

I honestly think these 'fees' are just way to increase the room price but not include it in the base price. For hotels & airlines, there are now so many websites where you can compare prices, they realize they can make their hotel/airfare LOOK cheaper by moving 'fees' to a separate category. In Vegas, for example, MGM & Caesar's hotels now have a $40/day room 'fee' and frankly the last time we were there we didn't notice any extra service provided, just a price increase. Especially with airline tickets, you have to make sure to add up all the added 'fees' for checked luggage/seat selection/boarding priority, etc. to make sure your price comparisons are valid.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I honestly think these 'fees' are just way to increase the room price but not include it in the base price.

Yes, exactly. Commission is based on room rates, fees are a separate line item. Not commissionable.

 

[chris benton]

Add all the fees together and get your nightly room rate. If you don’t need magical express or charging privileges the ability to walk to Epcot and DHS for a moderate price is pretty amazing. The hotels themselves look amazing as well! I’m excited for my first stay in September!

Quick addition to those thoughts:

If you don't care about a dining plan.

EMH included

60 day FP included

We like Ep and DHS, and generally always wind up going to AM Emh at both, and usually hopping to one of them at night after a break. Ep EMH at 8am? Leave the room about 7:40, and get through the tapstyles by 8am with virtually no stress. DHS EMH? Leave the room at about 7:30am.

Same for leaving the park. Back in your room before most people are on a bus, or possibly even at their car.

THE FOOD!!!!!!
THE POOLS!!!!

For the prices we've gotten, Swan/Dolphin are complete no brainers for our choice, compared to the other EP area resorts.

 

[Anchored]

I LOVE the Swan and Dolphin. The beds are sooo comfortable. You can't beat the location if you love Epcot and HS like us. My sister works for Marriott so we can stay there for like $89/night plus fees. Can use my boyfriend's CM discount on Value resorts for the same price, but always pick the S/D or Embassy Suites off site (Free happy hour, hello!)

 

[snappy]

I love the SwanDolphin but the resort fee is just a profit center, same as parking. Any hotel with a Resort Fee is just banking on people not noticing it until you arrive. Personally I'd rather just raise the rate and leave the Resort Fee out of the equation. Just make sure you are comparing the room rate + parking + resort fee to get your final cost.

I agree about making sure you know about all the extra fees. As a sideline, knowing what the resort fees are can help you figure out what a Priceline Express hotel is.

Also, when planning a couple of my trips the last 2 years, 1 to Manhattan, 1 last minute to Orlando, I started my research using Kayak and sorting by price. Both times I was able to get great deals that I would not ordinarily have known about. One was a Priceline deal listed in Kayak and the other was Manhattan hotel reflecting special summer rates. In both cases the listing on Kayak showed up as the cheapest or close to the cheapest option. I agree that leaving fees out misrepresents the standing price wise. I find it interesting that few of the Manhattan options have fees but that is a question for another day.

 

[Toolulu22]

I love the SwanDolphin but the resort fee is just a profit center, same as parking. Any hotel with a Resort Fee is just banking on people not noticing it until you arrive. Personally I'd rather just raise the rate and leave the Resort Fee out of the equation. Just make sure you are comparing the room rate + parking + resort fee to get your final cost.

I agree. When shopping around and comparing hotels, it is misleading and annoying to have to go back and add the extra fees (which include significant taxes). It's a joke when you see Sale XXX per night, when you know the true cost is no where near the advertised rate once you add on all the extra charges. I wish you had the true cost, or an easy way of computing it quickly, as you are comparing hotels.

I agree about resort fees being a way to gauge people in the first place. If you're at a conference, I can see you wanting to workout, use the business center, maybe make local calls (??), but when I'm on vacation I usually don't need those things. Adding some bottled water is a joke. I mean come on now. We all know where to get cases of water for what they charge for two bottles, AND how to have it delivered to our room within shortly after our arrival. My my company is paying for a couple of days, I might not mind as much. When I have to pay for a week long vacation, I mind. I haven't stayed at S & D since we did once and found out about the resort and parking fees.

 

[pooh2001]

Yes we love the Dolphin beds - as long as the Marriott does not remove the Heavenly mattresses
We know about the AAA 10% or is it 20% discount at S/D eateries?
We will not have a car and do not mind the car service with the food store stop to get some goodies for the week.
Maybe with a senior discount (DH last b-day = 62) we will get a great rate
We can go the first week of November $258/night or the first week of May$457/night - which may have less guests at WDW
November may be our time to go to WDW