Just back from first stay at Dolphin!

[sharonk]

We just returned from a last-minute 3-day stay at the Dolphin and it was awesome!

Previously, we have only stayed at MK resorts (WL, CR and GF) so I was anxious to try an Epcot-area resort. We loved the location! The boat service to MGM and Epcot was very nice. The trip to Epcot took about 20 minutes and the trip to MGM was about 10. We loved that you could also walk to these places. After Illuminations, instead of waiting in line for a crowded boat ride, we just took a leisurely 20 minute walk back to the Dolphin.

Our room was very clean and nice. The beds were very comfortable! We just had a basic room at a $147.50 AAA rate, so I wasn't expecting any type of view (and I was right....we overlooked a big roof!)

The service was excellent. Everyone, everywhere was very pleasant and helpful.

The grotto pool (and the entire pool area) was lovely. There were plenty of chairs available and it never seemed too crowded.

We ate at Tubbi's several times and it was fine. We also tried the Friday night character dinner at Gulliver's. We had the seafood buffet and it was fine too (not great, but OK.) Rafiki and Timon were supposed to be there, but we only saw Timon. We kept waiting for Rafiki, but he never came out.

Thanks to everyone here who recommended the Swan/Dolphin...we'll definitely go back again!

SharonK

 

[swilphil]

Originally posted by sharonk
After Illuminations, instead of waiting in line for a crowded boat ride, we just took a leisurely 20 minute walk back to the Dolphin.
Our room was very clean and nice. The beds were very comfortable! We just had a basic room at a $147.50 AAA rate, so I wasn't expecting any type of view (and I was right....we overlooked a big roof!)

Did you walk from Epcot to the Dolphin across the Boardwalk or around YC/BC? I found that the walk across the Boardwalk is much quicker--about 10 minutes though that isn't at a leisurely pace.

We always stay at S/D on the govt dist. ($129 at Dolphin in 2003 and $149 at Swan in 2004). We joined the Starwood Preferred Guest, and both times were upgraded from a limited view to a resort or water view. At the Dolphin we could see the Boardwalk and Tower of Terror and at the Swan we could see the Beach/Yacht Club.

 

[NMAmy]

So glad you enjoyed it, Sharon! We liked it so much in March that we're going back for Christmas.

 

[Bracho]

We stayed at the Dolphin in 2001 when we went with a bunch of friends (we got super big discounts because of a contract my company has with Sheraton and Westin).. had a room on the top floor and in the far corner.. what a great room... 2 balconies, floor to ceiling windows facing the Disney Studios where we had coffee and a lite breakfast in the morning, king bed, the room was huge compared to some of the others I have been in at WDW.

Over all the stay was GREAT!! and we too enjoyed the resort... the one and only complaint was the bus service.. I tried 3 times and it got to the point I didn't want to wait forever for the bus to arrive so I found different ways to get around and even that was very relaxing and fun...

Glad you had a good vacation, sounds like everything you made a great choice, we too would return....

 

[Carol]

Sharonk

Thank you for the great report. Our first visit to the Dolphin will be for Christmas. We also are getting the standard room, no view, and we are so thrilled to be staying there, we don't care. Can't wait.

You said you ate at Tubbi's several times. We'll probably have breakfast there, did you? What was it like?

 

[Patio]

I am so glad that you enjoyed the Dolphin. My family stayed there in June and we just loved it. I think it's one of the best locations, has a great pool, boat rides, nice rooms, etc... A true gem!!!

 

[sharonk]

When we walked back from Epcot various times, we tried both directions around the lake. I agree that it seemed a little quicker to go around the Boardwalk side instead of the Yacht/Beach Club side. We have 3 young kids (3, 6, 8) so we didn't walk very fast!

Tubbi's was like a snack bar. For breakfast, they had cereal, milk, juice, danishes, etc plus a few hot breakfast items. They had a very good, HUGE, breakast sandwich (ham, egg and cheese on an english muffin.) Each morning, I just went to Tubbi's and got breakfast to go and brought it up to the room to eat. (There are no table/chairs in the room, but my kids were happy to sit on the floor or at the "desk" to eat.)

My husband also went down late one night for a snack and brought back chicken fingers and a deli sandwich. They were both good.

We also had lunch one day at the outdoor bar/restaurant at the pool. It was very good and the kid's lunches were very reasonable by Disney standards. They had hot dogs, burgers, grilled cheese or chicken fingers, all with fries, for $5 - $6.

 

[i like stitch]

We stayed at the Dolphin last week and one of the best things about the S/D complex is the ease of the boat transportation! The view from the 12th level was nice also----epcot fireworks and MGM. I looked out on the other side of the same floor and I saw what looked like Cinderella's castle and the Contemporary in the far distance.

Glad that you enjoyed your stay!