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

[DVC California]

Dreamflight99 -

All great pictures! You have a very lovely home!

But from a No. Cal to a So. Cal - Aren't you afraid that one of the next tremblors might knock down some of your plants or artworks? You might not be near a faultline but you never know. I've had a 32" color tv kicked out of a secured entertainment center.

Thanks for sharing those pictures of PBH. We've stayed at HRH and are thinking of trying Portofino on a future trip.

Steve

 

[pbhunt]

DF , great photos and we all enjoy them! You are really getting into this photo thing! After you have downloaded them you can re-name though, you know. Things like Spiral Staircase1, Fireworks, etc.... Saves having to put a list at the bottom. Well Steve, I guess they made it through the Northridge quake. we had damage here after Loma Prieta

 

[dreamflight99]

Everything you see is "secured" (either to the wall...or with QUAKE WAX). We have had our share of tremblers...and sit on/near a fault line epicenter. We have to laugh every time we ride eathquake at USO. We live in this stuff! The most scary times were when I was in the Northridge area just three weeks after the quake, and a major aftershock hit the mall I stopped in for a few things. Everyone screamed and ran...I stood there looking for the most secure place to get under. I'm not one to panic and dash senselessly around. The place these folks ran is covered by a full canopy of GLASS. I am not into getting severed in half by a large shard. Another great shake occurred in SF, as we were asleep in the Palace hotel. I awoke to the faint slapping of the breakfast/DND card tapping the door (everything else was EERILY quiet) and the chandelier swingling. It was a 5.9 and lasted 56 seconds! Ugh...we were on the top floor.
Thanks for the tips with the pictures...I'm trying to get this stuff down!

 

[dreamflight99]

Originally posted by DVC California
Dreamflight99 -
hanks for sharing those pictures of PBH. We've stayed at HRH and are thinking of trying Portofino on a future trip.
Steve

Steve, we are staying in this same suite for our trip this summer. It's fabulous, and so serene. We had three balconies with this villa, including one covered in the bedroom)

 

[dreamflight99]

Hello~JOC, Ozzie is correct...and the prevailing "Lake View" would most likely include the entire water-front area. This would include the rooms facing the Swan, MGM & Epcot. I have some great room #'s available, but would need to know if you would prefer MGM or EPCOT for your view, and which floor you desire.

Here's another BEACH picture...

 

[ozziewags]

DF....your home is lovely. Now I know why you could have such a huge Christmas tree. Let's see pics of that!!!
Love the beach; where is it? Your last jaunt?
FYI...here is a picture of Ozzie....

My Yorkie...he will be 15 in March! (no ducks)lol

 

[dreamflight99]

That is the Shell Beach vista (Pismo Pier in the distance) from our recent jaunt (1/17-19) up there! Isn't it beautiful? Can you smell/taste the salt in the air? LOL. I'm still looking for the pics of my Christmas tree...I hope they are not only on my 35mm (and not my digi). I know I snapped some with the Cybershot/mav. I'll post them as soon as I find them (just installed this new DELL, trying to get into the groove!). I have Two trees down stairs...and two up. The two down are the MAIN trees. My house is about 4200 SF (not including the soon to be constructed pool house, or the 3+car garage). It's roomy...but requires the cleaning skills of 4-5 persons each week!! LOL.

Where is the pic of Ozzie? I love Yorkies...and was at the SPCA today (I volunteer/exercise the dogs..etc.), and played with a 2 YO Yorkie paired with a silkie! Quite a team!

I called BOB from Vistana Tours (SPG). He is SOooo nice, and made a ressie for me to tour the place in August. Wow, for 10,000 Starpoints, BF, and a ride to/from the place in a TC....not too shabby! I'm very pleased...and looking forward to the presentation.

We chatted about the DOLPHIN/SWAN...you would NOT want to know the RENT they pay Disney on a monthly basis!! LOL...could run a city in most states!

 

[JOC]

Dreamflight,
Which view would you recommend, MGM or Epcot? Also, we'll be staying at the Swan, not Dolphin (you mentioned that lake view "has views of Swan, MGM & Epcot"). I'm Starwood Gold, so I'll be trying for CL with points (unless I can get a comp like Mouseteacher did last year!). Can we see any fireworks (Illuminations or Fantasmic) from the Swan? We've never stayed there, so not sure of where the buildings face. Thank you for your help.

 

[luckytso]

I currently have a reservation for 12/25/03 for 3 nights for 3 rooms because we have a big family reunion at the Swan, before we move over to Boardwalk Villa. I think the room I have is a "lake view room" I am a SPG Gold member with Amex Plat. card.

What is the best strategy to get club level given the time and the number of rooms I booked?

If I want certainty to be at the Club Level, how early can I call in to turn in my Starwood points for the upgrade? Is it still 750 pts or 1,000 pts per night?

Also, will Swan tranfer our luggage?

Thanks very very much.

 

[ozziewags]

DF...can you not see the pic of Ozzie? Do you have a red X? His pic is on my reply....hmmm. I will try again.
Does anyone else see a pic of a dog on my last post?

 

[kathmzh]

Ozziewags, can't see him! Try again!

 

[Shelly]

Looks like starwood is doing okay:}WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (Reuters) - Sheraton hotels owner Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. (HOT) said on Wednesday it swung to a quarterly profit as operations bounced back from the travel slump after Sept. 11, but warned that first-quarter profit would be lower than the year-ago period.

The White Plains, New York-based company, which also owns the Westin and W hotel brands, reported a fourth-quarter net profit of $91 million, or 45 cents per share, compared with a net loss of $54 million or 28 cents, a year earlier. Starwood earned $86 million, or 45 cents per share, from continuing operations.

Excluding one-time items, Starwood reported a profit of 22 cents a share, up from a loss of 1 cent a year last year. Analysts polled by Thomson First Call had an average estimate of 21 cents per share on Starwood's earnings, with a range of 19 cents to 24 cents.



But looking ahead to the first quarter, Starwood said earnings per share would be about 4 cents, versus 8 cents per share last year, as the threat of war has already begun to depress meeting and business travel bookings.

For the fourth quarter of 2002, revenues from Starwood's own hotels and properties rose 12 percent to $983 million. Including reimbursements from payroll costs at managed and franchised properties, revenue rose to $1.17 billion from $1.04 billion in the year-ago period.

The company said revenue per available room, or RevPAR, at hotels open at least one year will likely be about flat with the comparable period last year, though that forecast does not anticipate an extended conflict in the Middle East.

RevPAR, a key measure of performance in the lodging industry, actually rose 9.4 percent for the quarter at hotels open at least a year, the company said on Wednesday.

Starwood in October cut its fourth-quarter earnings forecast in half to between 20 cents and 25 cents per share, saying revenue per available room, or RevPAR, would rise 7 percent to 9 percent in the quarter.

The company reported full-year earnings per share of $1.73 including discontinued operations, and 98 cents per share excluding one-time items. Starwood said it expects 2003 profits to be approximately flat to up 10 percent as its depreciation expenses drop. Analysts are expecting $1.05 per share for 2003.

The hotel operator also said it plans to invest about $400 million to $500 million in the current year.

 

[Mouseteacher]

Nope can't see tha Yorkie! But I would really like to. I love dogs - I have a very spoiled Airedale Terrier.

 

[EpcotKilterFan]

I see him Ozziewags! What a cutie

Debbie

 

[Muffy]

I would LOVE to see your Yorkie! I LOVE dogs of every size and discription! I have a very spoiled Chinese Shar Pei named Jake! Lovey dogs!

 

[dreamflight99]

No...I see a box with "sorry...you are trying to access an image outside of imagestation.com" written inside. I'd LOVE to see him...please, use the "old formula" (The one you taught me). I'm still experiencing problems with my new Photo thingie too. I have to get this down before Vacation time! LOL.

JOC...I would suggest the Epcot View, as the fireworks over Illuminations are more easily visible (so close), and quite lengthy & Grand! You may ask for this at the desk (facing Epcot), also...request a top floor for the best visibility of the entire area.

luckytso...the best strategy for CL is to REQUEST this prior to check-in. Either Fax/email the form into the Swan with your request. If CL is a must/priority...then you would be better off reserving these in advance & using points. CL is 750 Pts. per eve.

I requested CL at the Peabody this summer, as last summer I PAID for CL and the persons in the room next to us did not! So...I made the ressie recently, and requested Club Level. If you do this early enough, and make specific requests, I have found the chances for success to be much greater than last minute pleading at the front desk. If CL is not available...I'll simply "pay" at the time of check-in...but--it NEVER HURTS TO ASK! The most they can say is "no", and you'll be back at square one. So, ASK~ASK~ASK!!!

Thanks, Shelly...for the GREAT report on the company profile and projections. I have faith in the continued success of Starwood.

 

[WDW2000]

Just finished reading all 59 pages of this thread!!! Wow, there is a lot of great info here!!

I have a few questions, though that I couldn't find the answers for so if anyone out there could help???!!!!

FIRST - The heavenly beds sounds awesome. Does Club Level guanrantee that you will get a heavenly bed?

SECOND - Will be staying at the Dolphin in April (CL) If I already have CL, and no CL rooms have balconies, what kind of upgrade could I ask for?

THIRD - Does anyone know if the CL rooms at the Dolphin will be rennovated by April 2003? Also, I read conflicting reports on size of CL rooms. One thread said they are larger than standard rooms, and one thread said they are no different in size. Which is it?

THanks guys.... I'm hooked on this thread!

James

 

[Muffy]

Here is a picture of my dog!

 

[Bimmy56]

I stayed in a club room at the Dolphin last summer, and it was the exact same size as a standard room.

 

[Mouseteacher]

cute, Muffy.