DVC “Confessions”

[Maistre Gracey]

I have stayed at the Dolphin many times on Marriott points. Somehow I still had a bill for $100+ per night with all ancillary charges.

I could run a hotel for $0 a night and make money.
All I’d need to do is charge $10 key fee every time someone unlocked the door. $15 fee every time someone turned on a light. Sit on the sofa… that will be $2. And my favorite, $20 every time someone flushed.

 

[Judique]

I have stayed at the Dolphin many times on Marriott points. Somehow I still had a bill for $100+ per night with all ancillary charges.

I could run a hotel for $0 a night and make money.
All I’d need to do is charge $10 key fee every time someone unlocked the door. $15 fee every time someone turned on a light. Sit on the sofa… that will be $2. And my favorite, $20 every time someone flushed.

I've been staying occasionally at the Swan many times, going back to the 90ties. Early days there was no resort fee. Then on one visit while it was still Starwood, well before Marriott took over, a resort fee was charged with no prior notification or disclosure. Class action suit was initiated (not by me) and we received some sort of paltry concession. No money returned that I remember.

The flip side of that were the rates I could access. Starwood had a promo for quite some time that if you stayed 5 nights you got two weekend nights free. I remember gathering up those free nights and using them at Swan, especially when DVC was charging a hefty amount of points for weekends. I stayed at Westins all along the Northeast from Boston to Providence to NYC and also Washington quite often in those days. And, if I was short a night or two to get my 'free' weekend, I was known to do a mattress run at a cheap local Starwood. You could get one for $50 back then. Go and check in and go back home.

Also, Swan used to have club level. For an extra 1000 Starwood points I could upgrade the room to club. That also became more expensive in later years, then no more club.

In addition to that I was eligible for the government rate which was $129 for ages. With taxes $141.and change. These were the good old days.

I'm also lifetime platinum which almost always gets me an upgrade. I prefer to get a balcony. Oh yeah and usually $30 worth of food which helps to offset the fee.

 

[Cfabar1]

Really disappointing they got rid of Club Level at the Swan... but I suspect, like most hotels, they realized there was no point to incentivize their most loyal customers with freebies...

 

[Judique]

Really disappointing they got rid of Club Level at the Swan... but I suspect, like most hotels, they realized there was no point to incentivize their most loyal customers with freebies...

Since I bought DVC in 2000, it gradually became a non-issue with the nickel and diming. Important to note: they see very little cash from me as I maximize points for all stays. But rarely does a year go by that I don't do at least 1 or 2 nights there. Mostly that's because I have family that I often meet up with there who earn a load of points from cash stays/work stays all over the world.

 

[Cfabar1]

Since I bought DVC in 2000, it gradually became a non-issue with the nickel and diming. Important to note: they see very little cash from me as I maximize points for all stays. But rarely does a year go by that I don't do at least 1 or 2 nights there. Mostly that's because I have family that I often meet up with there who earn a load of points from cash stays/work stays all over the world.

That's us... When you're sitting on 800k+ MR points and have no plans to use them in the immediate future... and you know they're constantly devaluing them... suddenly the Swan becomes an attractive offer...

 

[kboo]

What is the going rate for Swan at a "good price " recently, sorry for all the questions, im really interested and it seems like a lot of people have stayed there!

Thank you! All these separate fees do matter to us and id be happy to pay the August rate, but wouldn't look to go peak season based on your replies!

Before we bought DVC (2017), we could find rates around $200 and sometimes just under. Even now, their cash rates are still just under Disney deluxe hotels, it seems, and you get a 90% Disney deluxe experience. The most annoying are the buses to MK. The bus to AK drops off near the ride share area which is not much different from the walk to the other buses. For MK we'd either split stay with a DVC in the MK area, or walk to Boardwalk and get a bus from there.

I probably delayed buying DVC for a year or two because of Starwood and then Marriott points. Now I appreciate the extra space in a 1br or larger, but I have very fond memories with my family at the Swolphin.

That's us... When you're sitting on 800k+ MR points and have no plans to use them in the immediate future... and you know they're constantly devaluing them... suddenly the Swan becomes an attractive offer...

We have been using our Marriott points for Hawaii and Europe and short stays here and there (went to a wedding in NJ in July, and the points cost was very good compared to the cash cost). In Europe especially we have gotten some amazing upgrades.

Another Disney reason -- you can book at the Swolphin 12 months in advance. Which can be helpful when you're trying to book Christmas/New Year's, or trying to get rooms for family. There is always a backup that way.

 

[Judique]

We have been using our Marriott points for Hawaii and Europe and short stays here and there (went to a wedding in NJ in July, and the points cost was very good compared to the cash cost). In Europe especially we have gotten some amazing upgrades.

Son and DiL got married in 2021. Sent them to the Westin on Maui for their honeymoon on my Marriott points. They were already planning on Hawaii and were looking at Costco packages for that hotel. With their permission (and gratitude) I booked it for them, then later called the hotel to have some charges applied to my Marriott card to put some of the card credits on their account, had their honeymoon listed, and asked if any upgrades were possible. On arrival they were upgraded to the newer rooms (Hopa' something) and were quite surprised to get put into a room with a great ocean view.