Just back from Dolphin 12/26-12/31 AWESOME any ?'s

[tjmw2727]

We loved our 7th or maybe 8th stay here with one at the Swan. Wonderful new room with the heavenly beds and shower, balcony and veiw of Epcot Illuminations. This was great the two nights my girls just crashed so DH and I watched from the balcony.

Crowded but fun and we really did get to do everything we wanted to do.

DH and DD ate at the soda fountain one night and tubbies was as always great! When my dd's want "real food" they go for the soup at tubbies and it did not dissapoint this trip. Great houskeeping and wonderful service, the tree was unbeleivable and the twilight happenings were lots of fun.

ask away........

TJ

 

[princess pooh]

Those Illumination view rooms are amazing! I'm glad you had a great time

 

[Kenswing]

We're planning on Staying there 12/5 - 12/15. I've started calling to try to get a Nurse discount....None available . The discounts are so good for nurses that we want to get a resort room with balcony. It sounds like this is the kind of room you had. Can you give me tips how to get a discount, and what rooms or locations are the best?
Happy New Year!!
Ken

 

[tjmw2727]

We're planning on Staying there 12/5 - 12/15. I've started calling to try to get a Nurse discount....None available . The discounts are so good for nurses that we want to get a resort room with balcony. It sounds like this is the kind of room you had. Can you give me tips how to get a discount, and what rooms or locations are the best?
Happy New Year!!
Ken

Sorry no info on a nurse discount as we have an AP and used that for a discount. Typically speaking we book 2-4mos ahead of time an if they are booked they don't offer the teacher, nurse or AP discount. I had an AP discount and upgraded from a lakeview to a balcony room with my SPG card and just got lucky with the Epcot view. They will guarantee you a lakeveiw and or balcony but the view is dependant on what is available for your stay. Good luck.

My sil is a teacher and got an Epcot view but not a balcony with her discount - same dates and about $30.00 cheaper than the AP discount.

TJ

 

[kendall]

I just checked yesterday on the educator discount for Dec 05 - the Swan/Dolphin reservation agent told me the educator discount dates in Dec 05 were Dec 14-26, so perhaps the nurse discount will be the same time frame. Perhaps those dates will work in your schedule!

 

[SandiH]

We're planning on Staying there 12/5 - 12/15. I've started calling to try to get a Nurse discount....None available . The discounts are so good for nurses that we want to get a resort room with balcony. It sounds like this is the kind of room you had. Can you give me tips how to get a discount, and what rooms or locations are the best?
Happy New Year!!
Ken

We used Dreams. They were able to get me the teacher discount for that time frame this year but we ended up with their (Dreams) discount in the end because it was cheaper than the Teacher's discount. They (Bob) worked really hard and found us additional discounts twice before our trip.

I wouldn't hesitate to use them again.


Our room number was 9-079 and it had an AWESOME view of EPCOT fireworks .

 

[SuzanneMcC]

So glad you had a nice time. I am so excited to go with my son I can't stand it!! I am new to this board, and don't know anything about Codes or packages or anything. I booked at the swan and got their AAA rate which seems fine. Better than Expedia came up with. I've heard discussions of upgrading your room at these hotels. What do I look for, and what should I try to get? A balcony, or is that something most of them have? Any secrets on a better room/ view would be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks

 

[Lorix2]

So glad to hear you had a wonderful time.

We will be checking in April 20th for 3 nights and my kids are extremely excited about the grotto pool and the beach area.

Did you go to these areas of the resort? What did you're kids like the best while staying there?

Thanks

 

[SuzanneMcC]

Is it better to check in and be nice as can be and hope for the best, or is it better to request beforehand?

 

[Bojo]

We were able to stay @ the Dolphin for a night and really enjoyed room 7-066. It was a king room and appeared to connect to two others to make a huge 3 room suite; now, that must be something! It was definately a bargian at the Dreams Unlimited special rate - thanks DU!

 

[tjmw2727]

So glad you had a nice time. I am so excited to go with my son I can't stand it!! I am new to this board, and don't know anything about Codes or packages or anything. I booked at the swan and got their AAA rate which seems fine. Better than Expedia came up with. I've heard discussions of upgrading your room at these hotels. What do I look for, and what should I try to get? A balcony, or is that something most of them have? Any secrets on a better room/ view would be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks

I would suggest joining the starwood preferred guest program, it is free and you earn points for your stay. I think the website is www.spg.com. You can upgrade once you have earned points but often they will upgrade you if they have a room available just for having the card. They have a section for your preferences and usually try and meet them if they can. Then I just ask at checkin for what I would like for example on this trip - is an Epcot view available or perhaps you could ask for an upgrade to a balcony room.

Personally I try and book a room that I am happy with and then if an upgrade or special view is available then its a pleasant surprise. If the resort is full then you likely will not get an upgrade but why not increase your chances just in case.

TJ
fwiw - I think there is a nice faq stuck on the top of this page that has more details and information - esp on upgrades and views.

 

[tjmw2727]

So glad to hear you had a wonderful time.

We will be checking in April 20th for 3 nights and my kids are extremely excited about the grotto pool and the beach area.

Did you go to these areas of the resort? What did you're kids like the best while staying there?

Thanks

My girls do love the grotto pool, unfortunately it wasn't warm enough most of this past trip to swim. They especially like the smaller pool next to the grotto pool I think it is called the spring pool as it is very warm, smaller and a bit more shallow. They like the playground and the fact that we can walk to fantasia to play mini golf. They both like to get ice cream from the fountain shop and we all like Tubbies. My girls get tired of the kids fare and love the soup at tubbies. They like the playground and the fountain and the "dive in movie" availabe on friday nights - double feature at the pool area with free beverages and popcorn.

We all like to walk to the boardwalk for the street performers, surry bikes and great food on a non-park night. This trip they won at the carnival games and got a hair braid!

TJ

 

[mariethecat]

We were also at the Dolphin from Dec 26-Jan 2nd and loved it. The location is great -we walked to Epcot in about 10 minutes and the boat ride to MGM was 7 to 8 minutes. We never waited more than 10 minutes for any of the buses to AK or MK. We got upgraded to a hospitality room which was an unexpected surprise. The room was about 3 times the size of a normal room. We ate at the Dolphin Fountain a lot as we love ice cream and we also enjoyed Tubbys. The pool area is very nice but it was too cool for swimming even for us hardy Canadians. My DD went in the pool once only. I would highly recommend the Dolphin as the location is so good. We did more than I thought we would be able to during a busy week. We took advantage of the extra hour in the morning,came back to the hotel for the afternoon and then went back to a park in the evening.

 

[dreamflight99]

Thanks for the wonderful post about the WDW DOLPHIN, and your magical stay! We are headed there this summer, and look forward to the time we will share, and the memories we will be making. It's a fabulous place, and we too enjoy the "illuminations" view from the far east wing. Thanks again, for sharing. Your post brings back many good memories of our numerous adventures at this incredible resort. BTW...the "homemade" chicken noodle soup at Tubbi's is one of my FAVORITE foods to savor while visiting!

TTFN...DF99

 

[Hieatt]

We were there from 12/27-1/2 - our 4th trip to the Dolphin and 3rd during the week between Christmas and New Years, but our first in a 2 BR suite (which we shared with friends). As I mentioned in another post, this hotel seems to get better and better in every way. We loved the renovated hallways and rooms, the beds are the most comfortable I've ever slept in, the staff were eager to help, and I finally had the chicken noodle soup at Tubbi's - it is excellent!

I'm already ready to start planning our Fourth Annual After Christmas trip for next year!! I just need to get a good rate on a 2 BR suite again - with 4 kids, it was a luxury that we feel we can't live without ever again!

In the words of Crush, this hotel "so totally rocks, dude!"

 

[Hieatt]

My only dilemma for next year is whether to ask again for the East Epcot view, or to ask for a room on the West elevator line to get me to the pool and to Tubbi's for my morning Starbucks free refill quicker! I hope that this remains my most difficult problem for 2005.

 

[dreamflight99]

Hieatt~I'm THRILLED to read you loved the 2BR suite!! Isn't that PARLOR the nicest, roomiest and most comfy place to "hang" together?! I always consider our arrival at the Dolphin each summer, the TRUE beginning to our summer vacation. Sure, we love all the other places we visit...but there's something about the VIBE at the Dolphin...which makes it so MAGICAL. Not to mention that Chicken noodle soup in Tubbi's, and the fastest elevators in the world, and the nicest pool of any resort, and the greatest staff, and those heavenly beds, and the starbuck's coffee...and on...and on...and on!!!

Truly...it's the BEST KEPT SECRET on property. Let's hope it always stays this way!! LOL...

TTFN...DF99