Just back from Swan

jlieblaw

Mouseketeer
Joined
Jan 26, 2003
Messages
266
We're just back from a stay at the Swan for 3 nights. There were 10 of us and we had 3 rooms. We normally stay at a disney-owned resort but opted for the lower rate since we couldn't find availability on our DVC points. I booked with my SPG number and hoped for the update. I called the day we headed down and had the other 2 rooms added to my reservation so we could all have rooms near each other. We checked in around 11pm that night and we had 2 connecting rooms and my room was across the hall down a few doors. We were on the 11th floor, east side. I was disappointed with my room. The beds were great, but the furniture was worn and the curtains and carpet had holes in them. Then I went to my sister's room and hers looked completely different. She had a lower dresser that the tv sat on top of and her room had brighter colors to the decor. Our tv armoire, the doors didn't even push all the way back so part of the tv was blocked. The double shower head was very nice but I was very surprised there was no curved shower rod and that the shower curtains were the flimsy kind that flew into the shower on you.

My dad treated us to this trip and he said he wouldn't stay there again. He missed the disney theme found at SSR, WL or BC. We walked over to BC for breakfast and all of us commented on how much more family friendly it seemed. Also, he didn't like having to pay for things normally included with disney, such as parking, fitness center, or room refridgerators.

The location was great for walking to Epcot and the boardwalk. The bus stop is crazy. Most of the time we were left off at the end of the sidewalk by the entrance and could just walk in a door right by the stop. Once we were left at the start of the sidewalk and then had to walk through where the cars and busses drove through while making sure none of the kids got in the way of the vehicles.

We were next door to a suite and yesterday afternoon, just after putting the kids down for a nap, a family checked in to the suite. I could hear everything they said. They were amazed by the full kitchen and the piano, which the son immediately started pounding on and then the father would yell at him to stop. I heard all about their plans to go downstairs to eat. I was amazed at how thin the walls were. What was funny, although completely unplanned, is that they probably had to hear us this morning when my newborn niece was crying in my room or the kids were fussing about checking out. I walked out in the hall and noticed they had their privacy sign hanging out and were probably hating us for waking them up.

When I asked at check out about the room differences my family had, I almost laughed when I was told my room was probably much nicer and bigger since it was part of the presidential suite. Everyone in my family agreed my room was the worst.

It was a nice enough hotel, but it just wasn't disney and I won't stay there again if I can find something else on property.

Sorry this got so long. Didn't realize I was typing so much until my dh commented on how long I'd been typing.
 
Thank you for posting all of that. I haven't stayed at either the Swan or Dolphin, but am thinking about it. :) Aside from your troubles with the room, did you like the decor in general? How about the lobby? I've been in the Dolphin's lobby and it just seemed a little busy.

I alwasy appreciate hearing the good and the bad.

I hope your time in the parks was better than your room!
 
I've stayed at the Dolphin, and like you found the rooms a little dated. (Although I did enjoy the heavenly bed!)

There were also some service issues, and to the hotel's credit they did acknowledge and follow up in an excellent manner.

Sorry that you did not have a more enjoyable stay.
 
Sorry to hear you didn't enjoy your stay. We just got back 2 weeks ago after a 2 week stay in the grand suite and it was perfect!! We were on the seventh floor and could never hear anyone from the adjoining rooms. It was very quiet. We had an Epcot view and it was beautiful. If we weren't in Epcot we watched Illuminations every night from our balcony. We could even see Wishes at the MK. :wizard:

Service and housekeeping were impeccable and I didn't have any complaints. We have stayed there many times as you can see from my signature. Not once after leaving our room did I come back and it wasn't cleaned yet. :woohoo:

Transportation was always excellent and we never waited more than 15 minutes for a bus. I don't know why they dropped you off where they did. Were they working in the area of the bus stop? I know when we were there they were doing some repainting.
 

I'm not sure how the lobby normally is, since it's being renovated. Right now there is a smaller check in area being used right by the entrance. The main entrance is also being renovated, as, I assume, are a lot of the rooms. The decor is what you would find in an upscale hotel in any city. The room was clean. It definitely lacked the disney feel. My family prefers WL. I am looking forward to my stay at BCV in Dec. after the time I spent there this past weekend. It just seems so much more relaxed than the Swan.

I'm not sure if the bus stop is the normal one or not, due to renovations. The reason we had to walk in the driveway was because the main entrance is being renovated, but I still wasn't sure where the actual bus stop for the Swan was.

From our room, we could see the Cont. Resort, but I'm not sure about fireworks as we looked too late. We faced the Dolphin, pretty much right in the middle with no balcony. The other 2 rooms had a view of tower of terror (and MGM fireworks) and Epcot fireworks if you looked at an angle. If there had been a balcony, they would have had perfect views.

By the way, I needed to put air in the stroller tires and the Swan didn't have anything to use. While at BC for breakfast, the front desk had me leave the stroller with them and they called maintenance. By the time we were finished, the stroller was ready and the tires were perfect. I thought that was pretty great of them.
 


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