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

[RSoxFan]

Thanks for the information! To get the teacher discount, would I just need to bring a copy of my certificate to check in then? If we booked now at the teacher discount and later found out that the convention rate we were offered was less, could we get the difference in rates back? Thanks again!

When I check in in December with my government, I'm bringing a pay stub, my security pass and my work ID. (They both have my pic on it)

I'm not taking any chances. The woman at the Dolphin told me a pay stub was enough, but I figure better safe than sorry.

 

[Dan Murphy]

...Could anyone tell me if I could use the Dining plan if I stay at the Dolphin?...

The Disney dining plan is not available with S/D stays. Remember though, that there is a 20% AAA discount at most of the S/D eating locations (not Shula's nor Blue Zoo).

 

[mtblujeans]

I just got an email from Continental Airlines Vacations that you can get 21% to 30% discount on a Dolphin stay when booking a vacation package thru Continental until the end of 2006. I think that you would have to check out the site and put in your travel dates to see if it really is a good deal for your vacation.

With the provided information about Teacher Discounts, I am now wondering if my DH would qualify for a Government Discount as he does subcontracted work for the Social Security Admin. Who would I call to ask about that? TIA

EDITED TO ADD: DH doesn't think he qualifies....he doesn't get a government ID card do work with them.

 

[dwheatl]

Hey all, there was a press release in the travel section of our paper last Sunday, saying that students who get straight A's on their report cards get a discount (same as the teacher rate). There's a good incentive for your kids to do well in school : a trip to WDW!

 

[mtblujeans]

Hey all, there was a press release in the travel section of our paper last Sunday, saying that students who get straight A's on their report cards get a discount (same as the teacher rate). There's a good incentive for your kids to do well in school : a trip to WDW!

How would that work? Did they say? You bring their report card with you to verify qualification for the rate?

 

[luvdmouse]

By the way, S/D also has a straight A club. Last March we arrived at the Dolphin and with a current report card they received a S/D hat and a free ice cream coupon for getting a good report card. My kids thought it was really neat. Also, my district doesn't give A, B, C, D or F they give M=meets, E=exceeds or I=inconsistent. The nice lady at the front desk said I'm sure you all work hard at school and deserve the hat and ice cream.

Also, does anyone know what the lakeview rooms at the Dolphin face. Can you see any fireworks ever, is a Boardwalk view? We booked a standard view room and were upgraded to Lakeview due to our repeat business.

 

[Finsleft]

Does anyone have detailed information on a Junior Suite at the Dolphin?
Interested in set up - I saw the room diagram on their website.
What is coffeepot situation? refrig situation?
Views available, etc.
thanks
Never stayed at either S/D - always at a "Disney" hotel so this is a new experience for us.

 

[Blondie]

I'm not sure about the studio/junior suites at the Dolphin, but the one we had in May at the Swan was absolutely wonderful! I would assume they are similar in configuration.

All the rooms have a 2-4 cup coffee maker in them. They also supply coffee (regular and decaf), sugar, creamer, tea bags, and coffee cups with tops so you can bring it with you to the parks if so desired. Your housekeeper will restock you're supply every morning.

The locked fridges are the small dorm size and come loaded with things they want you to buy out of the fridge. When you check in they'll ask you if you want a key or not. Inside are small bottles of liquor (the kind you see on an airplane) canned and bottled beer, drink boxes, cans of soda, etc. I've always found that the fridges are not very cold but it will chill whatever you put in there. There's no freezer section that I could see. Here's a photo of the fridge, as you can see there's a price list on the front. The items you see on the left are for sale as well.

I've read that for a one time fee of approx. $25 that someone will come up and empty it out for you so that you have the entire fridge for your things. I've never arranged for it, I simply take some of the items out and sit it on top where the re-stocker can see them and note that we haven't consumed any of it. It's never been a problem for us.

I've also read that you can rent/request a fridge as well but I'm not sure of the cost.

 

[jultomzach]

Will the Dolphin have dive-in movies on the last Sat. in Sept (or is this a summer thing?) Also I need a frid for meds and was told (By Dolphin reservation agent today) it would be $12 a day. Is there anyway to avoid the cost? I could bring a doctor's note stating the need for the fridg if necessary.

 

[LSUmom4kids]

When I check in in December with my government, I'm bringing a pay stub, my security pass and my work ID. (They both have my pic on it)

I'm not taking any chances. The woman at the Dolphin told me a pay stub was enough, but I figure better safe than sorry.

We just returned from the Swan and all my husband had to show was his state government id (with his picture). No problems with the front desk getting the govt. discount!

It did "suck" a little that we arrived on our first night Thurs. at 4 a.m. (the only night we couldn't get the govt. rate discount) and had to pay $189 for 6 hours of room use! But I guess that was our fault for leaving so late from home - we drove!

One surprise about our trip: we valet parked the first night (we were exhausted!) and self-parked the remaining 8 nights. Much to our surprise, there were NO PARKING CHARGES on our bill!! What a great surprise - especially since I "forgot" to tell my husband about this additional expense prior to our trip!

I had "won" 4 of the Starwood certificates on ebay (from the class action lawsuit about charging guests for "resort" fees) for $14 off per night, but I couldn't find them when we checked in! When we checked out I inquired about who I should write at the hotel when I got home and found the certificates. I wanted to mail them to the proper person after getting home to get my $56 credit. No problem. The front desk guy who checked us out gave me the phone number to the accounting dept. (Jackie - thanks!!). I called Jackie on Monday morning and she told me she would check on it and call me back. She called me back promptly and told me if I got the original signed certificates to her within a few days, she could process them and issue the credit to us! I mailed them 2-day Fed Ex (I know... an $8 charge!) and she called me when she received them and told me that she had already issued the $56 credit to our credit card!! I LOVE THIS HOTEL!!

We thought about renting the frig., but were told the cost was $12/day. We decided just to use our ice chest on wheels and to keep refilling the ice each morning - we were 5 rooms down from the elevator and ice machine. We never touched the room frig. and threatened the kids NOT to touch all the goodies hiding behind the cabinet doors - they were NOT FREE and I would hold their disney gift cards hostage if they ate anything! The plan worked - by the time we got to the room each day, it was bedtime and no one even thought about raiding the costly goodies behind the cabinet! (They loved their Disney Gift Cards and did not want anyone taking any money from them!)

As for the coffee situation in the room, we brought our own coffee, filter and splenda from home. We just can't drink "foreign" coffee on vacation! Our only complaint is that if the housekeeper didn't see the room coffee packet used, she didn't replace the creamer/coffee stirer packets that we DID use! If we saw the housekeeper in the hall later, we would ask for more. (We ran out of our liquid half & half in the ice chest and didn't have time to grocery shop!)

We had a fabulous vacation!!!

 

[annegal]

Hey LSUMom. , (My good friend's DD starts Grad school this month at LSU!!), what exactly is the daily parking fee? I didn't realize this.

 

[LSUmom4kids]

Hey LSUMom. , (My good friend's DD starts Grad school this month at LSU!!), what exactly is the daily parking fee? I didn't realize this.

Daily self-parking is $8 day and daily valet parking is $14 day.

Even if they did charge us for parking, I would still stay there! There are so many pluses to staying at the Swan, they far outweigh any negatives!!!

 

[dwheatl]

Will the Dolphin have dive-in movies on the last Sat. in Sept (or is this a summer thing?) Also I need a frid for meds and was told (By Dolphin reservation agent today) it would be $12 a day. Is there anyway to avoid the cost? I could bring a doctor's note stating the need for the fridg if necessary.

I would call or email the hotel about the dive-in movie. It is so much fun!
As for the medicine, unless it's huge, you should be able to fit it in the mini bar. We shuffled the mini bar items and fit in a half pint of milk, a bag with leftover fried cheese and a box with half a grilled cheese sandwich (although DD ended up not eating these leftovers because there was no way to heat them).

I have a trip report on the TR boards that includes info about our stay at the Dolphin in late July/early August if you want to know more about this.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1188018

 

[mtblujeans]

Hey all, there was a press release in the travel section of our paper last Sunday, saying that students who get straight A's on their report cards get a discount (same as the teacher rate). There's a good incentive for your kids to do well in school : a trip to WDW!

I called and asked about this rate and I was quoted $155.00 per night and the children have to show their good report card after check in.

 

[FeeFeeWhite]

What are your dates?

 

[nibby]

We spent a week at the Dolphin first week in August. We'd read that you could pay a one-off fee to have the fridge emptied and requested this on check-in, without any question the girl on the desk comped us a fridge which we used for beer, soda and milk.

Coffee is complementary in the room but our best buy was to purchase a couple of refillable mugs from Picabu which the kids filled with soda for the whole week and we used to get coffee every morning.

As for parking, we were travelling from the UK with Virgin so parking was free but if you do have to pay then you don't have to pay to park in any of the Disney parks.

 

[luvdmouse]

I called and asked about this rate and I was quoted $155.00 per night and the children have to show their good report card after check in.

That's a great rate. What time of year are you going?

 

[mtblujeans]

What are your dates?

That's a great rate. What time of year are you going?

We want to spend one night, Oct. 20, before moving on to US. For us, one of the kids is 18 so that would add another $25 to the rate but I would still find that to be acceptable as we want to be close to Epcot that one night.

 

[FeeFeeWhite]

Do the suites/parlors actually have an extra heavenly queen or just a pull out? Thanks for any info?

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

Just back from 2 weeks at the Swan. I have to say, I am a complete convert. We absolutely loved staying there and if I can get a good rate again, we will be there again next summer. The service was fabulous, the rooms spectacular, the beds were pretty darn heavenly! I had a great view of Tower of Terror, some of the Studios, the Boardwalk and even a glimpse of both Fantasmic and Epcot fireworks! (far left or far right, but still cool) We were on the 11th floor at the Swan, which I believe used to be concierge, because there were a few signs that said "Royal Beach Club, Preferred Guest floor". Anyway, I loved the Swan! It felt totally Deluxe, and totally Disney to me. I felt a little removed from the hustle and bustle and loved not having to fight or be jostled at all. (I found some rudeness in WDW this trip, particularly in lines for buses, or on buses where people that sat would occasionally push past the standers to get off first) I felt so peaceful and calm there! Waiting for the boats, people held the gates, started small talk, etc. Even the people seemed nicer there - I guess they were happy, lol. I saw beautiful birds, turtles, lizards, snails, bunnies outside and not one little bug inside. It was amazing!

The Mandara spa was the most gorgeous spa! I loved the theme and decor and the staff, again, was so nice and helpful! I wish I had money to go there for a treatment every day!

Picabu's was nice. Bluezoo was completely amazing!

They also rehabbed the Swan fountain when I was there, adding new tiles - replaced the bluish ones with pretty seashell like striated coppery colored ones - more "upscale". I'll post pics later.

And I *did* love the oatmeal bath bars!

But if anyone has any questions (that I can answer, I'm still far from being an expert, lol) I'd love to help!