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

[DisneyaHolic23]

I sincerely apologize for repeating a question that I am sure has been asked before. However, after randomly reading several pages of the 60+ pages of this thread without finding my answer, I thought I would give posting the question a shot. I did read the main Swan/Dolphin page first.

Are the Club Level and Concierge Level the same thing? They sounded different on the main information page. If they are different, can someone highlight the differences & benefits of each?

Thanks ever so much!!

 

[Muffy]

I agree with marymgr and Mouseteacher! Delswife's trip reports are a must read! They will make you laugh and cry!

DisneyaHolic23, Club level and Concierge are the same at the S/D. S/D CL serves a very nice continental breakfeast and evening snacks. Hope this helps with your planning.

Muffy

 

[#1hockeymom]

My sides hurt I am laughing so much! *giggling about chuck and dave* If you don't know who chuck and dave are.. read those reports!

 

[zurgswife]

For those of you who haven't read Delswife's trip reports yet...Zurg has graciously indexed them....so they are in order and easy to locate.

They are truly a hoot....

 

[harleyquinn]

I don't know if you all remember me. I haven't been on the boards for a while.

I was planning my honeymoon for next year and debating about where to stay.

The long and the short is I couldn't pass up the the FTP so my fiance and I went in August.

Now I'm hooked and we just have to go back.

With the lack of other deals I think that the Swan/Dolphin might be my best choice as I am a librarian and my fiance is a teacher so we both qualify for discounts.

But I'm hesitant to book it right now. There's also the fact that I have to see how much I can save, b/c I don't know if I really can afford to go again. I mean I know I can come up with the money, but with the wedding and moving in together (we still both live with are parents), I don't know if I really should. But I kinda feel like I deserve it.

So my question is, do you all think that I would be able to book the honeymoon in Jan/Feb and still get my discount? How fast do they book up? We'd be going June 20th-27th.

Thanks so much for reading my ramble!

Sarah

 

[Mom2aPrincess]

I wanted to thank everyone for posting such great information on the hotels. We have enjoyed our first trip at The Swan. We stayed at the Dolphin in Oct. and I didn't know if we could love the Swan as much as we loved the Dolphin. We do love them both. We love the Heavenly Bed more than the beds we had at The Dolphin before renovation. The weather is beautiful, the only bad thing is the hotels are sold out for Sunday night. We had hoped to add an extra night to our stay and go to the MNSSHP but a huge convention has filled the hotel. We have called the front desk and checked each day(hoping there might be some cancellations) but no luck. I dread telling our daughters. On another note, I don't know if this is new to everyone, but the Swan/Dolphin have a separate bus stop at Magic Kingdom. I had previously seen all the Epcot Resorts together. Yesterday, a guest at the Boardwalk boarded a bus at the Swan headed to the Magic Kingdom.. The bus driver announced the next stop would be the Magic Kingdom and the guest thought he was kidding. The bus was nearly empty. The driver told him he was strictly a Swan/Dolphin bus but he kindly dropped the guest at the Boardwalk. They have even changed the sign at the bus stop at the Magic Kingdom.

 

[#1hockeymom]

Sarah,
First, Congrats! I hope you and your new husband have a long and lovely life together!

I think I can make it much easier for you to make a decision when I tell you that Unlike Disney travel, at the Swan/Dolphin you can just put down a one night deposit to save your room for your entire trip. You do need to cancel if you can't make it, but you have right up until five days before you leave to cancel!

Keep saving those pennies!
I hope this helps!
Debbie

 

[#1hockeymom]

Mom2aprincess>> Thank you for the information! You and I were posting at the same time so I didn't see this when I posted! Thank you!
Debbie

 

[harleyquinn]

I forgot about that!

I actually reserved it once like 3 months ago and then canceled when I booked my FTP!

Duh!

Okay I will step away from the computer and think about this...who am I kidding? I'm gonna go call ASAP.

Now do I want to spend the extra for those heavenly beds?

Sarah

 

[Mouseteacher]

Sarah, please do as Hockeymom suggested due to the liberal cancellation policy. Since, your honeymoon does not give you date flexibility - book now and cancel later if necessary. Did you join spg? If not, do so to up your chances for an upgrade. DH and I went to the Swan in July - booked on the teacher rate a standard King room - we were upgraded to a Jr. Suite with balcony. I would bet the S/D magic will come through especially since it's your honeymoon.

mom2aprincess~ Thanks for the live report! I, too, can't choose the Swan over the Dolphin or vice versa. I love them both!

Re; bus stop - when I was there in July, S/D had its own bus stop at MK and it was at the front of the stops. We never stopped at the YC/BC only at the BW.

 

[Mouseteacher]

A bump... Good morning, all.

 

[zurgswife]

GOOD MORNING ALL

 

[jmcross]

Good Morning to all of you!!!

Okay guys, I've stopped crying about the Red Sox and I'm moving along(actually back) to vacation planning.

I'm getting nervous about my choice of the Swan. I have 2 ds's, ages 6 & 10 and from everything I've read the Dolphin is more for families. I chose the Swan because it's fully renovated and because of the people who work at CL that all of you rave about. Should I try to switch to the Dolphin? HELP!

BTW........GO PATRIOTS!!
(moving along to football from baseball)

Joanne

 

[Mouseteacher]

Joanne, IMHO, your children will be fine at the Swan. When I was last there, there were many children in the lobby and at the restaurants in the Swan. They were just as comfortable at the Swan as to when I saw children at the Dolphin.

The Mouseteacher house, too, has moved on from baseball to the Pats! Perhaps we'll hear our respective houses cheering over the Southeast Expressway!

 

[CaliforniaDreaming]

Hey all..... would you be up for answering a S/D suite question for me?

During the summer, does anyone know what the cost (AP rate) of a Dolphin Junior Suite (what is the bedding in these?) or One Bedroom (2 Double) Executive Suite and Swan One Bedroom (2 Queen) Executive Suite is? We're staying at BWV for the second half of our trip, and would like to stay at the Epcot Resorts for our entire trip. Also, comparing the Dolphin & Swan Exec Suites, which is better? Any with balconies? And, how are their views?

Thank you!

 

[dreamflight99]

I believe the Jr. Suite @ AP rate is around $300 per eve ($292), and the Exec. 1BR is around $500 per eve (Using AP or Ent. Rate). I believe it is the same for the Swan. The bedding in these suites has all been renovated, and will be the HEAVENLY BEDS (feather comforter in lovely duvet!). There are no suites in the Dolphin with balconies, but the VIEWS are the BEST (IMO!). We have an astounding view of Epcot from our Suite. We can hardly wait to return!
*Hope this helps some. Others may be able to offer perspective on the Swan suites.

Mom2aPrincess~PLEASE...do not fret too much over this matter. My neighbors were SO worried this past summer, as the dates they needed were not available at the Dolphin (so they thought). They kept calling and calling, and stressing too. Finally, they made ressies at the AKL for two nights in the midst of their Dolphin Stay. I kept telling them, It is HIGHLY unlikely for ANY RESORT to make you leave once you have checked-in. There are ALWAYS...LAST MINUTE CANCELLATIONS, ETC!

And...guess what? They NEVER HAD to MOVE! The Dolphin associate at the Front desk took care of everything upon check-in. So, go ahead and make an alternative ressie with a liberal cancellation policy. Then, let the DOLPHIN associates assist you once you arrive. It is truly RARE, that ANY RESORT will make a guest LEAVE the PREMISES...once you have checked-in to the property/room. During all my years of travel...I can't tell you how many times this has happened to me. It has always worked out just as I WISHED. After all...MAGIC is ALIVE and WELL @ the WDW DOLPHIN/SWAN.

Also, thanks for the wonderful news of the Separate Bus for the SWAN/DOLPHIN @ Magic Kingdom! HOORAY!!! Now...if they could bypass the water park, and have a bus w/a direct route to the AK park~~I'd be in heaven!!

TTFN...enjoy your Sunday! Time to decorate for Halloween!

DF99

 

[ozziewags]

Hi Cali, DF, Mouseteacher, etc.,
Been busy with my certification stuff, but am taking some time today to go with dh for a drive and lunch out.
Cali, As for the Swan suites.....the jr. suites on the 'wings' are L shaped and have a King bed with fold out couch. There is a dining area too....and balconies....maybe mouseteacher can post a pic of hers. There is only one on the 12th floor, which is club level and it was one huge room, with one huge bathroom and closet. Haven't been there since it was renovated, but we enjoyed it immensely. Could see into Fantasmic. If you are interested in CL, it was a great room. I got it at teacher's rate back then($129), but before I had a plat. card I think it was about $289. I am sure it has gone up since then, but with an AP, ilt will be less. Be sure to call and ask about this room. I think it was 1289, but not sure. (just ask for the jr suite at the Swan on the 12th floor). (no balcony)

 

[Disbug]

Hello, everyone! So sorry to not have posted before now, but it's been a series of snafus in the computer dept! My laptop would NOT connect to the internet, so that was a wasted lugging of 10 lbs! I am now at the William Penn in Pittsburgh and they have let me use the computer in the Business Center!

Hooray for the Yankees! (I was in and out of consciousness from the 8th inning!) My husband is in Heaven... and playing a Florida team no less!

Corky What a beautiful city is Pittsburgh! Just loving it... already been to Primanti Bros for lunch! YUM!!

ON TOPIC (for robmax and others!): One of the new restaurants coming to the Dolphin is the BlueZoo! In fact, it will be open for our DisMeet in July 2004 (hint, hint!)

Deja vu about the delswife trip report.... I started reading that before I left, and was hysterical with laughter. That woman can write a funny story! I am going to continue reading on...

Happy Sunday, all! Good to check back in... Hopefully, if this computer remains unchallenged I can continue to post my trip report!

 

[zurgswife]

On topic question...

I'm wondering if rooms are blocked is there anyway to find out which rooms they actually are???....They say my Dolphin room is blocked for my Christmas trip but I can't get them to tell me where or what floor. I'm soo curious....but I guess to much build up will make me too disappointed...I'd better be careful.

 

[Disbug]

*NOTE: This is a continuation of my current trip report... but I am posting on this thread since it is directly related and of most interest to those of us who frequently post here!!

It is now about 3 PM and I have been waiting to go over to the Dolphin to speak with James who is a super Front Desk Manager and Customer Relations specialist! A devoted group of Swan and Dolphin fans from this thread have unofficially formed the Sigma Delta Sorority and I have come to bravely ask for information on having a DisMeet at the Swan-Dolphin Resorts! Now, you must imagine what kind of courage it takes to stand there in a lime green mickey mouse head ID which says "Disbug" wearing my pin lanyard and dressed in a Disney shirt which says, "Shopping is an art form!" LOL!

James and all of the CM's who were standing there as I introduced and explained myself (to their credit!) were ever so courteous and attentive as I explained who the Sigma Delt's are and why I was there that day! He immediately garnered me an appointment with one of their group sales CM's and she spent at least 30 minutes going over all the brochures etc... and things that are available.

Bottom line: The Swan-Dolphin needs a guarantee of at least 10 rental days to book a group rate. (*This could be 1 person renting 1 room for 10 days or 10 people renting for one day, etc...) I told him this would be no problem as I myself could rent one room for 10 days! LOL! The one thing I did ask for, was the possibility of us ALL having Club level access for the meet, so as to include Thabo and Mama T in our fun! (Not to mention, having a place to meet for breakfast, an afternoon glass of wine etc...)

James and the other CM's wrote down the disboards.com address and said they would be "checking us out"! They seemed genuinely pleased that we are spreading the word about this wonderful pair of resorts. So there you have it! When you see the next poll, it will be to narrow down which week in July we would like to "Dis-meet each other", so to speak!