NEW...DOLPHIN/SWAN..."questions and answers"...tips and hints!

[disneywith6kids]

DF you mentioned that I should ask for an upgrade to a Junior Suite. I was wondering which you would choose if you had a choice. 1 king corner room and sofa bed with epcot view and 1 double bed room with balcony or a junior suite? We have 6 kids 1 still in the pack n play.Thanks for the help I'm so excited -actually I'm getting nervous because I'm second guessing all my decisions.l

 

[dreamflight99]

Originally posted by RobMax


Which of these would you eat at for sure - which would you skip

You must visit the GARDEN GRILL in the LAND! The entire Dining room rotates (insist upon a booth located on the lower level). Great family style all you can eat fare served here. The characters come around to EVERY TABLE and linger, sitting down, tossing your salad...signing books or taking pictures. It's a wondrous place, one of our favs! ENJOY...and bring back some MAGIC to SHARE!

 

[dreamflight99]

Originally posted by Troyfus
Platinum level!
DF, any specific perks I should look forward to at the Dolphin? Some things must be asked for and some are just automatic, right?
Also, can you get Delta miles credit and Starwood points for your stay, or do you have to choose one over the other?

Thanks to Ozziewags and jgates...you just about have it covered! Congratulations on your NEW STATUS. Also, please remember to ask for a "Robe" (or robes) to be sent to the room while there. These are very nice, and comfy for lounging after a shower or in the morning. The resort will launder these at no charge, and return them soft and fresh to your room upon request! Platinum offers you a few more PTS. than gold, and also a late check-out (4pm guaranteed). The perks offered were all nice, but I opted for the 500 bonus SPG points! They also gave me some fresh fruit dipped in chocolates, champagne and some chocolate champagne glasses, made me feel very special.

As for the Starwood or Delta. You may be able to obtain BOTH. I use the DELTA SKYMILES PLAT. AMEX to pay for the room...and obtain the SPG points for the stay. You can either opt for miles or points (depending upon which program you designate at check-in), and then may use any CC to pay for the stay. So...you may use the SPG AMEX, or the DELTA AMEX. You may "double" the points in either catagory by using a CC with the same bonus program! What a GREAT way to travel, eh? Hilton honors is the only program which permits the "double dip" (and does not make patrons choose between points or miles), offering BOTH points and miles to patrons. (Can you read this STARWOOD?)

Disneywith6kids...This is a toughie! It all depends on whether you prefer a BALCONY (or with a corner king, Balconies), or a bit more room. The Jr. Suite seems to offer a bit more roomy accomodations. Although none offer Balconies. The layout is nice, offering the same # of bathrooms, etc. as the two-room scenario you have reserved. The Jr. Suite has a King Bed (Murphy), and a sleeper too. So the accomodations are comparable. The real difference is the space, and balcony. Myself, I prefer the Corner King. You would be able to use the private turret balcony to "escape" for some quiet/alone time with your DH. Just to gaze at the WORLD and the STARS after the kids are asleep, and count your blessings together. It's nice to step away from the interior...without going too far. Of course, you do not have to wait until they are asleep. "Mommy and daddy are going to be on the balcony for a few moments", is a wonderfully common WDW phrase! LOL. ENJOY...and do not stress/second guess! The pieces will all fall into place, and you will have a lovely time. Keep smiling, and gathering the bits of star & pixie dust for your journey!

*was away yesterday chaperoning for DD's French class. Drove two hours to see "La Petit Prince" stage production. Then to a French cafe, (French onion soup, parisianne baguets and croissants..mmmmm), shopping & home! I missed all of you! Df99

 

[ozziewags]

DF....
Just to get this right, when I check in to the Swan they will ask points or miles, right? I have American ff miles. Spg points can be switched to miles. If I choose points, can I still accumulate points for my stay? Is that doubling? Will they allow me to do that? I want both!!!! I also have spg cc, and plan on using that while I am there and paying for room with it. More points! Please let me know if I have this right! Thanks!

 

[Bobump]

Just had a family affair in Baltimore and thanks to the people on this board who have made me POINT CRAZY we were able to stay at the Baltimore Harbor Sheraton for free. Yes free!!! WE have accumulated points and applied them to the rooms we needed. Everyone was impressed with the hotel. Also, I have to say they treated us as if we were paying TOP Dollar. It was a very Neat situation which made a great trip even better!!

By the way if you go to Baltimore's Inner Harbor I would reccommend this hotel for convenience and also ambience.

 

[dreamflight99]

And to think it all started with a MOUSE! LOL. Yes...ozziewags...you may request "POINTS" at check-in, and still use your SPG card for more "POINTS"! But, you do have to choose between the miles and points for the resort. They have NO CONTROL/CONCERN over the method of payment you use...(frosting on the cake!).

WAY TO GO, Bobump! Wow...FREE?! Sounds awesome. Especially since you enjoyed the property and amenities. We are ALWAYS treated like royalty as well, when we use the FREE WEEKENDS promo. AND, they still upgrade me with all the perks associated with PLAT. SPG status. It's wonderful being a member of this family (starwood). We're blessed to have them associated with the WDW DOLPHIN/SWAN!

Just to stop and think...we benefit while staying in a FABULOUS resort...in the happiest place on earth! LIFE IS GOOD.

 

[dreamflight99]

"HAVE A GREAT TIME IN THE MAGIC, ROBMAX!" Enjoy the WDW Dolphin and all the amenities which await you. I hope you receive all you have wished for, and dreamed about...for months, here on these humble pages....with all of us...on the DIS!

 

[jgates]

Have a FANTASTIC vacation RobMax!!!!!!!!!!!!1

 

[disneywith6kids]

just two more questions-I think

We just found out that DD has to be on long term antibiotics for a severe sinus infection. However because of her age they are giving her the liquid that needs to be refrigerated. So that means we will need a fridge and a pharmacy for the refills. How do you go about emptying the fridge for this ?Do you know of any local pharmacies? Thanks


Are we there yet?????

 

[TedO]

We have a standard room reserved at the Dolphin over the New Years holiday and thanks to the advice on this board I recently applied for and received a Starwood Platinum AMEX card and was upgraded to SPG "Gold" status when I informed SPG that I now had a Platinum AMEX card (I did not mention that it was a Starwood AMEX card). Just wondering what kind of upgrade "Gold" Status might entitle you to and whether I could request an upgrade to one of the "Corner King" rooms I have been reading about (can I do this via email on the Swan/Dolphin website?) The two balconies sound great, but is there more room inside one of these units than a standard room? There will be 4 of us (2 adults, 2 teens) so in addition to the King bed, am I correct in assuming there will be a pull-out sofa of some kind to accomodate my kids?
Thank you for any info anyone might have on the Starwood
"Gold" upgrade process and the "Corner King" rooms.
Ted

 

[jgates]

6kids-

The mini-bar can be emptied for a flat $25 fee. You could ask if they would waive this for the medical reason - don't know if they would or not.

Otherwise, you can empty yourself and put all the items in a box and restock the fridge later on (or just empty out a couple of cans of soda). They told me if I took anything out to make room for something else (in my case insulin - which I didn't end up putting in there anyway), put a note on the front of the fridge that the items are .....(wherever).... and not to replace or add to your bill. Otherwise, if they see 2 cans of coke are missing, they will squeeze 2 more in there and maybe remove your stuff.

There is a Walgreens pharmacy (if I remember correctly - you may want to check their website for a real address) when you turn right from end of Hotel Plaza Blvd, go under I-4 and it should be 1/2 mile ahead on your right (??535 or 536??). ??Someone correct me if I'm wrong??. If you have a Walgreens in your area, you could have the prescription filled at home and then refilled anywhere in the US I believe. WalMarts can only transfer the prescription and then you can't get it transferred back.

There are Walgreens in the area also - I believe one is down closer to WM on 535? where it comes up off 192 also.

Does it HAVE to be refrigerated or is that just suggested? DD has been on a daily dose of the pink sulfa type antibiotic for about 6 years (prevent recurring UTI's). They refrigerate it at our pharmacy but doc said we could leave it out.

 

[dreamflight99]

Disneywith6kids...the fridge is usually "no charge" for things such as "meds for kids", especially when requested in advance. They will bring a separate fridge to the room for this purpose. Please call the resort directly and speak with a manager. I know this has ALWAYS been the case in the past. The resort is very good about accomodating any "special needs", and this certainly falls into that catagory.

Ted...I do not believe the corner king has a "pull-out" sofa bed, as this room was initially intended for execs. It has a little sofa, but you would need two beds for the teens. Please call the resort directly and inquire about this, as with all the renovations, etc.~ there just may be "pull-outs" in this room! It is available as a Gold upgrade, as many have received it. Call/fax the resort for more details.

 

[dreamflight99]

Hope you are enjoying your stay at the Dolphin RobMax!

I just returned from a wonderful weekend at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. I stayed in a Penthouse Suite on the Concierge level, and enjoyed all of the services immensely. It is comparable to the WDW Dolphin/Swan, and offers full concierge service and club level amenities. They differ in the hours of the Club level access, and the elaborate accomodations.

The MGM offers 24-hour club level access, with fresh food, beverages and a full bar/wine available around the clock. The offerings did not include a hot-app as the Dolphin/Swan does, but did offer delicious sandwiches (egg salad, tuna, ham & cheese). The suite is 3,200 square feet, 2-stories, with an elevator inside the foyer to the second story (if we were too fatigued to climb the spiral stairs!). It offered full butler service & access to our private pantry/kitchen (like we enjoy at the Portofino in Orlando too!). It was a wonderful indulgence! ...NO...I did not win a million, but I certainly FELT like it! LOL. I just wished they offered a frequent travel program comparable to the Swan/Dolphin's SPG...I'd be returning here more often!

 

[Mouseteacher]

WOW, DF99! What a wonderful weekend you had! The suite sounded like a wonderful place to retreat to!

 

[adisneyfan2]

We travel with children who need refrigerated meds all the time. Every time we have stayed on-site @ WDW (in Disney-owned hotels so far -- first Starwood stay is in a month!) Each time, we have had a request on our ressie for a frig for medication, and each time we have gotten one at no charge. A couple times, we have stayed in Concierge rooms with loaded frig's in them already. We took everything out & stacked it in a cabinet next to or near the frig, & replaced it when we left. (We did this on the Cruise Line as well.) We've never been charged or had a problem but again, our first Starwood stay is coming up next month. I assume they will be as accomodating as the Disney-owned hotels, but I also think it helps to let them know about your needs ahead of time. Good luck!

 

[EpcotKilterFan]

I just have to post here while I count down my last 7 days till the Swan!!

My trip begins next Tuesday, December 3 until December 14. I have stayed at the Swolphin a few times and reading everyone's posts helps me through the Disney Blues.

Not holding out much hope for an upgrade... all I want is a nice view of Epcot. I may be one of the few folks that really don't need Club Level LOL... sticking to a Low Carb diet (yeah right..I am at WDW for heavens sake)

Thanks for the posts!

Debbie

 

[dreamflight99]

Mouseteacher..."IT WAS, INDEED!" I kept thinking that very thing after I lost some "change" on the first eve! LOL...and I certainly felt better swiping the room key in the elevator for the ride to the 29th floor! It's difficult to describe the suite, other than...it's the nicest accomodations we are blessed to enjoy. I feel like a queen while there, and take all of it in (food for the soul). Wish I could have you all with me, and we could gab about the Dolphin/Swan...WDW...etc.! (and maybe drop a dime or two in the bandits!)

adisneyfan2..."Ditto" (Thanks for reiterating). I believe all the resorts will supply a fridge free of charge for medical necessity. Starwood is as accomodating as the Disney-owned hotels/resorts. It definitely helps to give them advance notice. You should not incur any trouble with this request.

EpcotKilterFan..."Let the countdown begin!" Don't count yourself out of the "CL" room, Debbie! You can always eat cheese and some healthy fruit...plus Diet soda and bottled water...etc. The Club level is always worth asking for...carbs/no carbs! LOL.
Are you packing...or all packed?

 

[lovingthemouse]

Ok Debbie - Epcotkilterfan - i caught you posting over on this board. I just know your vacation will be the best ever. Hope you both have the most magical time. Caroline

Hi DF- only 80 more days to our stay - Dolphin here we come!!!

 

[dreamflight99]

BEFORE I'M IN THE MAGIC OF WDW & THE DOLPHIN! So good to hear from you Caroline (lovingthemouse)! I've missed you! It's truly nice having the countdowns on the pages, as we can all watch the days peel-away until it's OUR TURN! LOL!

Has everyone read the post by Demosthenes? It's the "few (ahem) words about the Dolphin" and it's brilliant! It's worth the time, and contains the sum of all my Dolphin Sentiments as well!

Is everyone ready for Turkey Day?

 

[Shercara]

Hi folks - just wanted to drop a note to tell you all we had an AWESOME time at the DOLPHIN 11/3 to 11/9, before our DCL cruise.

We had the lucky $99/nite rate (pre-or-post cruise /offered in Jan'02)and - I joined SPG, got the SPG Amex, and become SPG Gold. (Thanks to all of the tips from you wonderful folks!)

I asked for and we got an up grade. We had room 4025 - with a balcony, and a view of the boardwalk, and we were able to see the fireworks from Illuminations. A room on a higher floor probably would have been better - but we were happy with our room.

We had a roll a way bed for our DS 8, and were not charged.
We only used the minibar for our cans of soda that we brought, milk and oj - and did not have to empty it.

I am a Disney club member, and got 20% off meals at the Swan and Dolphin.

The BEST meal we had was at KIMONO's in the Swan. (Sushi and Tempura -- you must try the seabass - and the eggplant appitizer- !!)Our server Meghan was GREAT. We wish we could have eaten there twice.

The POOL was fantastic - but we only got a chance to use it once.

The Oatmeal soap is heavenly! (Can I buy it somewhere... I'm going to go through withdrawl soon when I run out!)

Can't rave enough about this GREAT resort - yes the beds need to be replaced - but they did put a board under ours that helped - and even though the hallway carpets seem a little worn - they were clean, and I LOVED the hallway wallpaper and beach carpet theme!

If you have any questions I'll try to answer them - Thanks again to everyone for helping to make our stay magical!

Sher