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

[magicmouse2]

I couldnt afford a suite so I changed our ressie to the Dolphin.

 

[QueenOfCelts]

Anyone know if the Jr. Suites at the Dolphin have balconies?

 

[DisneyFans4]

I would think all suites have balconies but I'm not sure.

 

[Lives4Disney]

regarding 5 people in a Swan room -

We stayed for the first time in the Swan last August with our family of 5. I booked it that way and requested a rollaway. My youngest was 4 at that time. I don't know if this has changed since, but we were allowed 5 in a room at the Swan on the club floor.

It was tight, but I would do it again. I am trying the Dolphin for the first time in about 1 1/2 weeks just with my kids so only 4 There was nothing open at the Swan, but I know I would prefer a queen bed to a double, so if we go again I would choose the Swan over the Dolphin, even with the 5 of us.

Lives4Disney

 

[DisneyFans4]

That's right! I had forgotten about the rollaways. I knew the suites would sleep 5 since we were in the suite last year and the parlor area has the pullout sofa bed.

 

[QueenOfCelts]

Anyone know if the Jr. Suites at the Dolphin have balconies?

Ok, I just called the Dolphin and spoke with Brett in reservations. He told me that the Jr. Suites and the Executive Suites DO NOT have balconies. Only the "Presidential" ones do.

DisneyFans4 - you definitely got a sweet deal being comp'd!

 

[DisneyFans4]

As I said in an earlier post, our stay last year was in a Grand Suite at the Swan and I had 3 balconies!!
Yes, it was so nice of them to upgrade our room, it was definitely a very special anniversary gift.

 

[QueenOfCelts]

As I said in an earlier post, our stay last year was in a Grand Suite at the Swan and I had 3 balconies!!
Yes, it was so nice of them to upgrade our room, it was definitely a very special anniversary gift.

Yes, I realize your presidential suite had three balconies. The point of my post was to point out that ONLY the larger ones have balconies. The others do not.

Since I was wondering, I thought maybe someone else might be wondering too.

We are Platinum at Starwood so I know we will be CL plus we already have a resort view with balcony room booked. My concern was if they offered me a Jr. Suite for an upgrade at check-in, I wouldn't want to take the upgrade if it didn't have a balcony, cos DS (6) loves balconies, LOL.

 

[DisneyFans4]

The Presidential Suite and the Grand Suite are not the same thing at all. The Presidential is very large and has alot of rooms. I was just pointing out that I think all the suites, no matter what size, have balconies.

 

[QueenOfCelts]

The Presidential Suite and the Grand Suite are not the same thing at all. The Presidential is very large and has alot of rooms. I was just pointing out that I think all the suites, no matter what size, have balconies.

OK, now I have spoken with Thomas at the Swan. Completely different answer with regard to the Swan. According to Thomas, all of the different suite types have balconies. Not all suites have balconies. Does that make sense? Some Jr. Suites have baclonies, some do not at the Swan. There are Jr. Suites, Executive Suites, Grand Suites (13), Governors Suites (2) and Presidential Suites (2) at the Swan.

Just to clarify: all suite types have some available balconies, but not every single suite has a balcony.

My original question was if the Jr. Suites at the Dolphin have suites. According to Brett at the Dolphin, Jr. Suites and Executive Suites DO NOT have balconies at the Dolphin.

Why do they have to make this so confusing for us DisneyFans4?

 

[DisneyFans4]

QueenofCelts--
Yes, they do make this confusing and I had a feeling that all suites, no matter what type, had balconies because of the price you paid to stay in one but to find out that not all suites have balconies? I think they all should.
I also don't understand why the suites at the Dolphin don't have balconies because they should...again...because of the price you pay to stay in them.
I'M glad you made the phone call though because now we know. If you book at suite, which is something I would never do because of the price, request that the suite you have has a balcony.....
Now didn't you change your ressie from the Swan to the Dolphin? Now what are you going to do?????

 

[QueenOfCelts]

I am gonna stick with what I have!

If the offer me an upgrade at check-in to a Jr. Suite, I will say no thank you, LOL!

I already have a Resort View with Balcony booked. Now if I can just get a nice Epcot view..........

I was originally worried that if they offered me a Jr Suite, I would take it, wander upstairs and find out that it had no balcony. Then I would have to head back on down to the front desk and appear very ungrateful. Better if I just say no from the get go. Of course I will explain why, just in case they want to hook me up too.

 

[DisneyFans4]

At least for now you have the resort view. At check in you can always ask for an Epcot view. This is what I would do and this is only my opinion...wait until checkin and ask about the suite and first find out if there is one available. If there is, ask if it has a balcony and then go from there. This way you can say yes or no at that time and your not committed to anything.

 

[QueenOfCelts]

Okie Dokie Artichokie! That is the plan!

 

[DisneyFans4]

Have a great trip and let me know how you made out in the end.
I can't wait to see my surprise. When I booked this trip management told me they would have a surprise for me when I arrived next week and they won't tell me what it is. Imagine how I must be dying over here!!!!!!

 

[QueenOfCelts]

You simply must tell us when you get back!

I love surprises....especially ones that come from people who have keys to suites, ROFL!

Oh yeah and just so this post is useful to others.....the Dolphin/Swan have stopped charging that $10 resort fee but started charging $7 for self-parking, correct?

 

[DisneyFans4]

Yes, I did hear that the resort fee was dropped, however, whatever you use is ala carte now so I was told if I use the internet, which I do while I'm there, I'M going to pay a fee but I don't know what it is. I was also told that the health club was always free but if you want to use that there will be a charge. I don't use the health club though but the fee for the internet service I would like to know.

 

[QueenOfCelts]

Here's what I found on another website:

Extra add ons include: Use of the Health Club - $8.00 per person per day; High Speed Internet Access(HSIA) - $10.95 for a 24 hour period ( tax is included in price); Telephone - $1.00 for local, toll free & operator assisted calls. $.10 a minute for local calls over 60 minutes.

Once again they have made it difficult. I am Platinum, so I believe Platinum members get free access to the healthclub......

Bad news on the HSIA..........

 

[michelle1]

going in late aug and just switched from POR to Dolphin which will be our first time there...any tips on where to request a room? (or is requesting not permitted there or not necessary?!) We will be in a standard room and our kids are 8 and 9.

 

[Disbug]

Hi I read this on another thread and wanted to post it here..

Just returned from a weeks stay at SWAN!They have Dive in Movies there!!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi,

"We just returned from our 2 week vacation and spend a week at Swan and a Week at Saratoga Springs.

They offer lots of fun poolside games at the grotto pool in the afternoon but something new we enjoyed was the Dive-In movie Saturday night "Finding Nemo". They set it up really nicely in the cave area where the waterfall is and looked so neat with the big screen under it. They gave everyone Tubes to sit on in the water while watching the movie and sold Popcorn and drinks. The movie started at 8:45 pm.

Looks like Swan/Dolphin is really getting more into offering more fun things for their guests including the Dive in Movie. While there in the afternoon they had dance music playing, hula contests, basketball competitions all this for the kids. "


I hope they are still doing the movie when we check in September 3rd. My kids we love all the extra activities going on during our afternoon breaks! DreamFlight can you confirm if these activities are still going on and the "dive" in movie!! Hope you are having a wonderful vacation!

Hi! MOMPOPPINS! We are back from the Lounge Lizard Meet (Armed with Mugs and Dangerous!) at the Dolphin! While we were there, I ran into part of our group coming back from the Grotto pool (I was doing Laundry! LOL!) I asked them if they were coming back from the Dive-In Movie and they said no... because it was $15 per person to view! Keep in mind, I didn't walk over to verify but that is the reason they gave for not watching. Can anyone else second this? (I'm thinking there might have been a $15 sign, but it could have applied to something else... like a drink special!)

We had a fabulous stay in a 2 Bedroom Exec Suite; shared with BT and her mom and another Diser/Echoear by the name of mmausse. I am uploading my pictures now and will link to them when ready!

BTW, the self-parking garage now has a card key access which you have activated upon check-in. This is actually your room key. We had all kinds of problems with our room keys not working. Mine wouldn't work with the parking or our room. In all I probably had 6 room key changes during our stay. I don't know if this was a computer glitch or what, but it added an extra element of fun to our group as we would all take bets on whose key would not work and whose would! LOL! Luckily we could just cut through each others rooms to get inside...

Checked on the Sorority Journal and box and guess what? It is still there, so be sure to ask for it when you check-in, Robin! Waving hello to everyone and getting ready to get back to work!