Just booked Teacher rate for 6/09 at the Dolphin!

[zagafi]

Standard room was $189

 

[lovebug21]

Are there teacher discounts at any of the other Disney resorts?

 

[zagafi]

No, the Swan/Dolphin are owned by Starwood and they are the ones who offer these types of discounts.

 

[Bronte]

Wow ... that is great ...
I tried to book a room for June 6th on their site but it said that 2009 was not up yet ... did you call or use their site ???
$189 per night ... was that weekend rate or during the week ... did it include taxes and fees ???
Thanks for any info..

 

[elaine and the boys]

I called a couple weeks ago to make ressies with the teacher rate for Christmas week, Dec 2009. Teacher rates were available for those dates. I think you should call directly. But perhaps there aren't any teacher rates available at that time. I don't think teacher rates are offered all the time, but I'm not positive about this. Good luck!

 

[elaine and the boys]

The $189 price does NOT include taxes or $10/night resort fee. I think with the special teacher's rate, it's the same amount for weeknights and weekends.

 

[zagafi]

Yep, call. And the previous poster is correct--the rate is the same throughout our stay.

 

[karliebug]

This rate doesn't seem to be as good as in the past.

 

[elaine and the boys]

Not sure which rate on this thread you are referring to, but from the various posts I've read on these boards, it seems like the teacher/gov't rates are $209, $189, $169 (and I think even lower...maybe $149?) depending on the season. My $209 is definitely for Holiday week, while back in Feb. '07 my rate was $189 for Peak season (during winter vacation/presidents' week). Not certain if Swan/Dolphin has the exact season definitions as Disney resorts, but they seem pretty close.

 

[elaine and the boys]

Also, Swan/Dolphin did away with the $10/night resort fee for a while (we benefitted from that in Feb. '07)....but it's back now!! : (

 

[elaine and the boys]

And here's what you get for the $10/night resort fee:

Resort Service Package is $10 + tax per day and includes:

Up to 60 minutes free local telephone calls, toll free and credit card access calls
(.10 cents per minute after 60 minutes)
20 minutes of domestic long distance per day
Unlimited access to the resort’s health club facilities
In room high-speed Internet access
2 bottles of water daily

As I recall, I think the daily USA Today newspaper is delivered to your door daily as well. But who has time to read that when you're trying to make rope drop? And why would I want to call people on the phone....I'm too busy having fun in the parks! Health club?? I'm walking for miles everyday in the PARKS! Yes, I'll drink the water and I'll use the internet briefly to keep up with any last minute changes on my favorite Disney related websites, but I'm surely not using $10 worth of the resort fee. But, I won't complain anymore, because the location of this resort is the best!!
Of course, that doesn't include the parking fees! YIKES!

 

[Manda_Lizabeth]

I called a couple weeks ago to make ressies with the teacher rate for Christmas week, Dec 2009. Teacher rates were available for those dates. I think you should call directly. But perhaps there aren't any teacher rates available at that time. I don't think teacher rates are offered all the time, but I'm not positive about this. Good luck!

You already made reservations for dining? you can book that far out? Im going New Years 2009-2010 should I look into booking now? How good of a rate do you get for the teacher rate? I never knew there was a teacher reate/discount

Can you book dining reservations before room? I dont think I can book my room yet for 2009-2010 (im planning on staying at a value resort)

 

[zagafi]

No, she made reservations for her resort, not dining.

 

[elaine and the boys]

Sorry, didn't mean to confuse you. I made "hotel" ressies...not "dinner" ressies. You can't make dinner reservations until 180 days before your arrival date.

The teacher rate does not apply to the Disney owned resorts. The Dolphin is owned by Sheraton, the Swan by Marriot. They offer teacher and gov't employee rates. You won't get these rates at Disney's value resorts....but you will certainly pay less money per night for a standard room in a value resort than you will for a standard room at teacher's rate at the Dolphin....especially during the holiday season!

I would call Disney directly to try to make reservations for your value resort. You can always keep your eye out for a better rate while you wait...and wait...and wait for your long-time-far-away vacation. But at least you'll know you have a room set aside for you!

What day in Dec. 09 are you planning to arrive?

 

[Manda_Lizabeth]

planning to arrive Dec 29 or 30 and stay till January 3 (2009-2010).

I know, its SO far away. But its ok. It will give me enough time to save for the extras that I want to do.

I called the Swan/Dolphin last night and they are not offering a teacher discount during that time of stay. I think the quote was in the $300's. Yikes. Id rather go back to the Wilderness Lodge or that price and be closer to the MK.

I think I might just stick with Pop Century instead. Its not like im hanging out in the room.

 

[elaine and the boys]

Manda,
When I booked a couple weeks ago, the woman taking my reservation for the Dolphin also told me that my dates (Dec. 27 - Jan. 2) did not qualify for the teacher rates. But I was able to tell her that I had been on their website the night before, and that all but my last night qualified (the night of Jan. 1). She checked into it and said "Yes, you are right"! She then told me to hold for a minute so she could try to find me a decent rate for my last night. She came back with a better price than the usual rack rates, and said she wouldn't charge me the extra $25 for our adult son on that last night. Very nice!

My advice to you is that if you really would like to stay at the Swan or Dolphin, you should be able to get the teacher rate for all but your last two nights. I think the reason for no teacher rate for the end of our stays is because they are in 2010. They probably don't have teacher rates listed for 2010 yet.

The woman also said the rates would probably be changing anyway. Not sure what that meant, but I'm hoping she said that knowing that by this time next year, the teacher rates would be out for 2010!?! Wishful thinking maybe, but makes sense.

Hope this helps!