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

[zurgswife]

Just booked 2 nights for our Dec 2004 Invasion....DH liked the 2bdrm suite sooo much that we are switching again at the end of our BWV trip to 2 nights at the Dolphin....

OOOOO!!!! I'm soo excited....

Except I can't wait until discounts come at ...right now I reserved it at Rack Rate....can you say OUCH!!!!$1155.00 per night plus taxes.....

OK!! current Dog is in the Dog House.....The parents of the girl that we took to WDW during our Christmas trip left a large gift basket on our door step...I brought it in but thought we would open it at dinner....left it on the table....ran up to the school to talk to the after school coach (about Connor..making sure he was aware of the diabeties) was gone 15 mins....Smore must have pulled the entire basket off the table....There was a huge jar of Canadian beer, plus candies, and Champagne...well when the huge jug of beer hit the ground it exploded...lucky the celophane held most of it in.....I'm so mad at her..

how is your DD feeling Disbug????

 

[*Belle*]

Popping in to share my Happy Face with all of you . I have airline tickets for May and Nov. Just reserved the Dolphin, and I'm just busting at the seems. I do however have 2 questions about the refillable mugs. 1)Are they only refillable at Tubbies and 2)can I use them for both trips? I was not sure whether the mugs were dated for your stay. As you can see the planning has begun.

 

[dreamflight99]

WOW...talk about time FLYING...where did the weekend GO? *mouseteacher...nice to read I was not the only one whom seemed to MISS the weekend (& all the BUZZ on this thread)! Sorry to hear about the "eyesight" trouble. Let me know how the Appt. goes, etc. Here's our weekend update....(for anyone interested)...^_^

We attended a Hockey game on Friday eve, then came home with Chinese take-out. We hit the hay a bit late, and had to drive to Santa Monica (two streets from Bundy & Gretna Green...these names ring a bell for anyone?), early Sat. to the home of the Alum hosting the WELLESLEY informational tea. She backs up to the Brentwood Country Club, and had a spectacular Mansion. We were all impressed with the presentation and chat, (and tasty offerings). We were equally informed by the current students (winter session break), as well as the Alumnae. It was FAB, and DD enjoyed the time expended. We perused all the info, etc., grabbed our packets and headed home.

Once home, we went to the movies to see (WHAT ELSE?) MONA LISA SMILE! We loved it, especially regarding the connection to Wellesley College. It was a wholesome and entertaining film. Home again, with take-out from the "Prime Cut" (BBQ Baby Back Ribs & fixings...as DD is near phobic about the Mad-cow scare). Again, the eve passed too quickly.

Yesterday, we dismantled the tree (LIVE), and packed some decorations in boxes for storage in the attic. This was a "daunting" task, so I left the formal tree untouched. I'll tackle it in the beginning of Feb~! I called a mexican restaurant, and placed an order for a variety platter (tacos, burritos, chicken taquitos, cheese quesadillas, etc.) for our dinner. We all went for a long walk later, and retired early. Again...the day seemed to FLY!

Whew...I checked this thread, and I'm already three pages behind.

Zwife~I hear you...thank goodness we only have to pay one eves deposit!! I leave the full amount on my ressie once the discount is applied, as it pays for 2 days!

Lauren~So glad to see everyone has stepped in to assist you in the CAMERA queries department. My DD has a Sony Cybershot 5 Megapixel (Great for Enlargements!), and uses the mem cards obtained through Costco or Sony. You can check both the sites online. Also, go to Target, as they frequently have the memory cards on sale. She only uses the largest type available (currently). I use the Sony Mavica, and use a combo of discs, (CD), mem sticks or 3.5 floppy. The advice everyone offered is fabulous. Please, post any other questions you may have regarding this subject. It's one which is beneficial to all of us, and we always learn something from this topic!

Muffy~Cute pictures! You look VERY relaxed in your suite. So glad you are enjoying your time there. Thanks for sharing and posting some pics.

*Anyone receive the 250 Starpoint survey in their mailbox? I just finished completing mine, and it was sent early December (I missed it somehow). Easy points...always a GREAT thing!

*Finally have the MESS with AT&T wireless all worked out (Please....Don't ask). I wanted to switch and upgrade service, etc. Easier SAID than DONE. (LOL). I have the Sony Ericsson CAM phone, and DD has the Nokia 3660 Camera phone. Both are very nice, and take GREAT pics. Both offer Mmode, email, text messaging, etc. DH also has a CAM phone, but I can not recall which one!
We are all set with this new service, and enjoy the flexibility of ATT wireless service, and long distance. 1200 mobile-to-mobile minutes too. We are sharing, but have over 1500 minutes per month, including free eves and weekends. Should be sufficient.

maggiew~as DISBUG replied....UH,UH. I do not believe this is do-able. I know you can BUY SPG POINTS on the SPG site, to deposit into your SPG account, or as gifts. BUT...I do not believe you are able to buy the points for use with a hotwire ressie, (especially in light of all the changes specific to these types of discounted reservations). Please, let us know if you find anything different. Thanks.

jmcross~HOORAY, INDEED!!!

*LESS THAN 6 MOS on my COUNTER~!!!

...to all my sisters!

TTFN...DF99 XOXO to all still under the weather. Take care of yourselves and your family members.

 

[jmcross]

Thanks everyone!!!

I can't wait for the arrival of my new S/D mug to take with me on my upcoming trip!

Mouseteacher~ I went to the eye doctor and got exactly the same news. I have been very nearsighted my whole life and now it appears I am becoming farsighted as well. Oh, the joys of aging gracefully!!!

Joanne

 

[disneymom57]

Joann,
If you have stayed at the Swan before, and not the AKL, you will be a little disappointed in AKL. I did the same thing, in reverse, (AKL first) and couldn't wait to get back to the Swan. It was so much more lively and colorful, not to mention the accessibility to theme parks and boarkwalk. The AKL was very dimly lit, and the service did not compare to the Swan, especially if you have CL.
Enjoy!

 

[jgates]

Originally posted by zurgswife


Except I can't wait until discounts come at ...right now I reserved it at Rack Rate....can you say OUCH!!!!$1155.00 per night plus taxes.....

JUMPIN JUPITER, BATMAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I feel sooo silly after reading this cost about my concerns for getting a better rate at the Royal Pacific! (I'll never complain about my Swan rate - it's too good). If I even put a room on hold for that amount or even the discounted amount, I would be living in my mini-van!

Belle mentioned date on S/D refillables - no date on mine but it was from 7/02. May have changed.

Ta,ta for a couple of days - DH is off to Oshkosh tomorrow for his physical and stress tests for the prison job - hopefully he will pass with flying colors. We're going with and staying at the Fairfield Inn - not quite as up there as the SpringHill Suites by Marriott - but at least I know what I am getting - no unpleasant surprises. I'm hauling the laptop so I'll chat if my ISP has a local dial-up number - otherwise - talk to you all Friday.

 

[jmcross]

disneymom57-

Thanks for your input but I'm not worried as I'm spending the bulk of our vacation at the Swan and only the last two nights at AKL. I've never stayed at either one before.

Our only experience with staying on property was CBR. I liked it but my DH didn't.

I really want the chance to be able to compare the two resorts as I've read so much about the both of them. I'll let you know my impressions when I come back!

Joanne

 

[crz4mm2]

Joanne & Mouseteacher, I have the same eye trouble

Disbug: HOpe the DD is up and running and gaining weight soon.
(still awaiting the mug delivery )

So excited to be down to less than 90 days... Have PS at ROse and Crown on Easter evening (thanks to DU!! )
Can't wait.

 

[allicat1214]

Hello you Swan/Dolphin experts, I have so many questions and I can't find the answers to them. Please bear with me!!

We (DH, DS-12 and DD-8) are headed to the Dolphin Feb. 22-27. I made ressie through Starwood and it says:

2 Double Beds
Deluxe Non-Smoking Room, Resort View with Balcony, View of the Resort Area and Crescent Lake

Special Requests:
Gst Requests Rm 8029 not conf'd

I made the ressie way back in July and now can't remember the specifics. Does this mean I'll have a shot at seeing Epcot and Illuminations from the room?

Also, I read somewhere that Swan/Dolphin were undergoing renovations. I believe that Swan is already completed and that Dolphin is scheduled to be completed in early '04. Does that mean Dolphin is getting the Queen heavenly beds, too? Even if I already reserved 2 double beds as above? Also, does anyone know status of renovation? My DH and DD have terrible respiratory allergies and we could not handle a lot of renovation dust.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Allison

 

[Disbug]

I believe room 8029 is an EpCot view. (I'm trying to remember if that was where we stayed back in October...)

There is NO renovation dust! The eighth floor was finished with the rooms when we were there. The carpeting and halls were not done, though.

The "double" beds are a large double and not much difference than the queen beds... don't know if you'll be able to tell a difference, honestly.

Have a wonderful stay. It is a Beautiful resort! One of our favorites! (Right, sorority?)

 

[Mouseteacher]

allicat1214~ Welcome and we will certainly answer all that we can. The Swan is completely renovated and the Dolphin must be pretty close to finished. The Dolphin has slightly 'smaller than queen' double beds. Your ressie looks terrific - I'm sure that the Dolphin will do their best to grant your room # request. DH and I had a balcony during our Swan stay and truly loved it. I liked sitting out early mornings with my coffee and in the evenings when we returned for the night. The S/D are truly awesome resorts with lovely views.

DF and jmcross~ thanks for the company in "the aging eyesight category". I will now be wearing progressive lenses to assist in seeing close-up. I'm a little worried about getting used to them as everyone tells me it does take some getting used to wearing them. DH has them and he says it takes some time in adjusting. I left the optician's office $500 poorer after ordering my glasses! I got all the bells and whistles - I always ask for them to make my lenses as thin as possible otherwise they are awfully thick -- also got anti-glare (whatever that is- I was a sucker for the sales pitch ) and the magnetic clip on sunglasses. I guess glasses are a permanent fixture on my face so I deserve the best!

I had a busy day today, too! The new archbishop of Boston met with all the elementary and secondary principals. It was his first meeting with us since he was appointed 5 months ago after Cardinal Law's resignation because of the church scandal. It was a wonderful afternoon and he did give us a lot of hope for the future. Things have been tough here in Boston the last few years.

We are gearing up here for the AFC championship football game Sunday - the Pats v the Colts. All of NE is very excited!

Bitter cold temps are headed here for the next 3 days!
...longing for the warmth of WDW,
Mouseteacher

 

[dreamflight99]

Mouseteacher~~Teachers and glasses have always gone together!~Just look at these examples. Glasses on the desk....(A little thick), glasses on the cartoon teachers desk, and glasses on faces of many teachers in this faculty 1928 circa photo! You are in wonderful company. And, for $500~~you better have all the bells & whistles, and then some~!!!

TTFN....DF99

 

[crz4mm2]

I Got My MUG!!!!!!!!!
It is gorgeous! Thanks soooo much. Have never been in a sorority before
Can't wait to leave cold Illinois for Sunny Dolphin.
Cathy

 

[Mouseteacher]

, DF! I do look a tad better than those ladies from the 20s. Although..... those thick glasses could have passed for mine -- !

Cathy~ Welcome again to our sorority --- now that you have your mug, you are truly official. I agree - the mugs are awesome! Disbug for Prez!

 

[crz4mm2]

I agree! Disbug for president!!!
And thanks for the welcome.
Cathy

 

[jmcross]

Darn it!!!

Still no mug here! Does Massachusetts have the SLOWEST mail system in the country or what!! We don't even have the holidays anymore to blame, now do we???

I'm sure it will be here soon!!

Joanne

 

[crz4mm2]

Joanne,
THe mug is well worth the wait!!! I am thrilled with mine! Can't wait to use it at the real Dolphin
Only 87 days to go
Cathy

 

[#1hockeymom]

Glad to know I am not alone with being near-sighted yet not being able to read the small print anymore! I am still in contacts, but eventually I will need to make some decisions concerning glasses/bifocals.

Welcome to the sorority, Cathy!

Well everyone..... its down to hours! ok, days, but less than two! Tomorrow is a half day for my class and I will finish up my report cards in the afternoon. I have hockey kid on fast pack instructions for when I return home in the early evening. Why is it these trips still make us so excited? I'd start packing now, but I needed to catch up on email before I head off to bed. Just got back from, guess what, a hockey game. LOL I will say hello to the Swan and Dolphin from everyone here when we go visit!

DS really wants to say hello to Thabo so I am debating a quick stop over in that direction to check out the new restaurants, inquire about our reservations in April (don't need to, but I could!), and maybe.... just maybe we might go say hello. What does everyone here think about that? Would it be ok to stop in and say hello even if we aren't staying there?

sorority wave to all!
Love ya, mean it!
Debbie

PS naw... I am not excited!

 

[jgates]

Have fun Hockeymom! Saying hello from the motel again! We made it all the way over here and the car died in the hotel parking lot. So in the a.m. I have to call a taxi to get us to DH's medical testing, then taxi back, call AAA to have van hauled to the Ford dealership and hope they have a car available for a loaner. If not, I have enterprises's number as this town only has 2 rental choices and they are the cheaper one. Its the Idler pulley - kind of just melted and looks like it damaged the belt when it croaked. Dog-gone-it.

BUT IT IS NOT COMING OUT OF MY DISNEY $$$!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Disbug]

DISBUG for PREZ?? Ahhh... gee, sorority what an honor! Thanks for the nomination!

That can only mean... we need
LOU for Class HISTORIAN... and sorority yearbook editor.

MOUSETEACHER for Class SECRETARY because she is SOOO organized and has a certain WAY WITH WORDS! (And she has NEW GLASSES!)

DREAMFLIGHT99 for Class TREASURER becauseshehasthesecretbankaccountnumbersinswitzerlandandknowshowtousethem!

#1HOCKEYMOM for Class SGT AT ARMS because she is never without a Hockey Stick (in case we become too ROWDY)!

Joshua4 and Potatoehead for Class Social Directors' cause they know how to party like it's 1999! (Someday we'll let them know it's now the new millenium, but ssssh for now!)

ozziewags taught me all I know about posting pictures and digital photography so I nominate her for Class Photographer!

[color=orange-red]MOMPOPPINS has a certain gentle way about her, probably from raising those great kids of hers so I nominate her for CLASS Hospitality Director![/COLOR]

As for Vice PREZ? Any Volunteers??

***Thanks for making my day everyone... and glad you like your mug, crz4mm2! Hang in there Joanne, it'll be there soon!