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

[kimmar067]

...I gotta couple loads of laundry that needs cleaning - interested???

In case I don't get a chance:

Happy New Year!

 

[Mouseteacher]

Happy New Year
right back at you, kimmar, and all the WL Vets!

 

[kimmar067]

....Happy New Year to all the "tee-cherrs" of America!

 

[#1hockeymom]

shhhh we're hoping no one makes us go back to work on Monday! LOL Happy New Year back at ya, Kimmar!

 

[Mouseteacher]

trying to pretend that Monday isn't coming!!!

 

[HughJackman'n'me]

Too late!

Deb ~
Wow, I just noticed you are doin' the "Single-Digit" Dance!!

 

[#1hockeymom]

Yes I am! Good timing too, as I can't get the Wishes soundtrack out of my head! You'll be there soon!

 

[TLinden16]

Please remember to keep this thread on topic so folks looking for answers about the Swan and Dolphin can find them easily. A Swan Dolphin chit chat thread has been started for all of you on the Community Board.

Thanks.

Karen

 

[Hieatt]

We arrived back yesterday from our fourth stay at the Dolphin, and the place just keeps getting better and more magical! It is sealed as my absolute favorite Disney resort.

We were lucky enough to get a great 2 BR suite on the 9th floor, with one of the bedrooms facing Epcot. We shared it with some friends and it was awesome! The room and hallway renovations look absolutely terrific, and our friends were taking the bed apart to figure out who made it so they could buy one!

The hotel was sold out, and everything was packed, but service remained excellent. Tubbi's is one of the best places to get great moderately priced food. I highly recommend getting the pizzas, which taste excellent, are cheap and are available boxed up to go!

I am ready to book my trip for next year - just hope I can get another decent rate on a suite again! We had 9 people and the kids (age ranges 1 - 6) just loved having the extra space to play and run around. And it was nice knowing the bedrooms on either side of the parlor were ours, so that the noise wasn't bothering anyone!

The view was amazing, but I think next time I will ask for a room on the West elevator line, as I think the convenience to Tubbis and the pool area outweighs the Epcot view for our family.

Something new this year also was they had complimentary bottled water, coffee and hot chocolate set up at the boat launch area for early risers on their way to Epcot and MGM!!! I assume this was a special holiday thing - but definitely new - we were there the same week the last 2 years and never saw that. It was a great touch!

Our friends got room service once and thought the quality was excellent and portions were large enough to justify the prices.

We also had a wonderful NYE dinner with the kids at Gullivers Grill. The food and service was outstanding.

I know everyone complains about the $10 resort charge, but I felt we got our full value out of it. With unlimited high speed internet, health club access, morning paper and in-room coffee, each of which we used daily, I found the $10 charge to be a bargain.

My wife also took full advantage of park package delivery to Daisy's garden, which worked very efficiently

Overall, I have to say the Dolphin keeps getting better and better. The quality of everything is excellent. Best value on property.

 

[kellyann]

Hello

We are staying at the Dolphin in April - our 1st time staying there. We have booked a jr. suite (2 adults, 3 children) and was wondering if anyone can share their experience of staying in a jr. suite. Are they located on any particular floor, or are they scattered throughout the hotel? Any info. would be appreciated.

TIA,

Kellyann

 

[Rhonda922]

Has anyone who recently stayed at the Swan or Dolphin notice that the carpet was really dirty, that the wallpaper was peeling, or that there was a mold smell inside the hotel? These are a couple things that I've read about in reviews on another website.

 

[Hieatt]

Has anyone who recently stayed at the Swan or Dolphin notice that the carpet was really dirty, that the wallpaper was peeling, or that there was a mold smell inside the hotel? These are a couple things that I've read about in reviews on another website.

No.. none of the above. I believe all of these issues were addressed by the recently completed renovation. I did notice the wear last year when we stayed in rooms that had not been renovated.

 

[MOM POPPINS]

Kellyann ~ We have stayed in the Jr. Suites at the Dolphin. It is my understanding the suites are scattered throughout the hotel . Both times we were in a Jr. Suite we were on the 14th. club floor with a pretty good view of the fireworks at Epcot. We have 5 kiddos as you can see below and we enjoy having the extra space. Please let me know if you have any more specific questions.

 

[paras4ri]

We were in a suite opposite the west elevators on the 8th floor. The location was wonderful....just a quick ride down to Tubbi's and to the pool!

 

[Boardwalk Tigger]

We just came back from the Dolphin and stayed on the 6th floor . The carpet and wallpaper in the halls was new. I did notice when the elevator stopped on the fifth floor that the carpeting was old ,faded and really bad shape and the wallpaper had not been done. They must still be working on different floors.

 

[kellyann]

Mom Poppin, thanks for the info. I can imagine needing the extra space with 5 kids!! My husband refuses to go on vacation if he has to sleep in the same room with our three kids, he likes to stay up late and read and watch tv, so we figured the jr. suite would be perfect for us.

One more question: how did the murphy bed work out for you? Was it closed up during the day? I can only imagine the fun the kids would have playing with that!

Thanks again!

 

[paras4ri]

I can help with the Murphy bed question. We left that down for the entire time we were at the Dolphin. The sleep sofa was in the room with the Murphy bed (and the adjoining room had 2 double beds) and we had the sofa folded up each day. Even with both open there was lots of room to move around.

 

[#1hockeymom]

We had a "hospitality suite" upgrade during the sorority meet. It was basically 2-3 room size, but all together in one room. We had the small kitchen area, also. The murphy bed stayed down the entire time, and was made up every day. This is where I slept. WAY over on the other side of the room where my son and DD's boyfriend slept was the sofa sleeper, which was closed up every morning by housekeeping and turned down every night by them. My DD slept on the rollaway they brought in and they made that up every day as a bed, and also turned it down along with everything else at night. We were all in the same room, but the space was fabulous! We also had two-three chairs?, two sofa tables, a few end tables and a coffee table, and two phones with this configuration.

 

[dreamflight99]

HAPPY NEW YEAR & a big HELLO to everyone NEW here, posting for information on the WDW Dolphin/Swan resorts! ~Seeing this age~old thread always brings a smile to my face, as we all LOVE the Dolphin...and have exchanged an incredible (phenomenal) amount of information on this forum over the years.

I see most of the questions have been promptly & correctly answered by the S/D veterans, per usual!

Hieatt~Thank you, again, for such an eloquent and well~written post! The details of your visit, have me LONGING to return to the Dolphin ASAP.
WOW...the bottled water, coffee and cocoa @ the boat launch for the early risers/park visitors is GREAT NEWS! Hopefully, they will provide this year-round. I too...believe the resort fee is a veritable BARGAIN for what you receive! ^_^ Glad you had such a magical time, you are planning your return.

*Murphy beds are wonderful, easy to use...and fitted with a smooth hydraulic system to facilitate the "lift" maneuver!

*Views and amenities on CLUB LEVEL are AMAZING!

*The renovation is nearly complete, which includes all the halls and wallpaper.

*Jr. Suites are situated throughout the resort, and offer various configurations.

The WDW Dolphin and Swan are undoubtedly the two BEST KEPT SECRETS on Disney property. HAPPY TRAILS to all dancing the single digit dance, and others in the planning mode! ENJOY all the MAGIC associated with these FANTASTIC resorts!

TTFN... DF99

*Great BIG to all the old~timers! Miss and you all....XO. {{HUGS}}

 

[sherry8253]

We booked the Dolphin with the government rate and have been told that we cannot use points to upgrade to club level even though club level rooms are available. Has this happened to anyone else????