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

[Dobie]

Also, do I understand that SPG members are eligible for room upgrades without points (if available, of course)? Or, would we need the 1000 points per night in order to upgrade?

Thanks!

They will generally put you into the best available room at check in.

 

[Crazy Kanga]

Is Picabu the only place to refill mugs or are there other options?

 

[Roo2]

Hi- long time lurker here, with a question about room numbers. Thanks to the amazing summer special, I just booked the Swan for a girls trip with my eleven year old dd (she actually prefers it over Disney resorts). I'm sooooo excited!!! We LOVE the Swan and Dolphin resorts, and we have been lucky enough to stay several times. On our last stay at the Swan, we had a fabulous room in the east wing, with a balcony and an amazing view of Spaceship Earth (we are preferred SPG members). I could see a little further down that there were CORNER rooms with this same view- has anyone stayed in or know the room number of one of these rooms, with a balcony? I didn't think to look at the time- but would love to at least TRY for this amazing upgrade! Thanks so much for any help-
Roo

 

[Roo2]

bump

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

I am returning to the Swan this August with this great new rate. So excited!

 

[Crazy Kanga]

Is the east wing the only place to get an Epcot view?

 

[Blondie]

Hi- long time lurker here, with a question about room numbers. Thanks to the amazing summer special, I just booked the Swan for a girls trip with my eleven year old dd (she actually prefers it over Disney resorts). I'm sooooo excited!!! We LOVE the Swan and Dolphin resorts, and we have been lucky enough to stay several times. On our last stay at the Swan, we had a fabulous room in the east wing, with a balcony and an amazing view of Spaceship Earth (we are preferred SPG members). I could see a little further down that there were CORNER rooms with this same view- has anyone stayed in or know the room number of one of these rooms, with a balcony? I didn't think to look at the time- but would love to at least TRY for this amazing upgrade! Thanks so much for any help-
Roo

I've never stayed in one of those corner "turrett" rooms. I'm sure there's someone out there who can help though!

Is the east wing the only place to get an Epcot view?

East wing OR a higher up floor facing the Swan (from the Dolphin ofcourse) should still give you a fairly decent view towards Epcot.

 

[Crazy Kanga]

I've never stayed in one of those corner "turrett" rooms. I'm sure there's someone out there who can help though!



East wing OR a higher up floor facing the Swan (from the Dolphin ofcourse) should still give you a fairly decent view towards Epcot.

I am staying at the Swan so anything but the east wing rooms that will give an Epcot view?

 

[Blondie]

At the Swan, a west view will be towards the grotto pool, MGM, etc.

An east wing will have you facing Boardwalk, Epcot, etc.

Beware, since there are several wings, facing east could also have you facing the wing across from yours instead of the Boardwalk, and vice versa with a west wing view.

 

[Crazy Kanga]

OK, thanks. A few more questions: What size are the coffee makers? Also where are the laundry rooms located. Is there one by the pool? I like to throw a load in while we take our afternoon swim break.

 

[RachelTori]

At the Swan, a west view will be towards the grotto pool, MGM, etc.

An east wing will have you facing Boardwalk, Epcot, etc.

Beware, since there are several wings, facing east could also have you facing the wing across from yours instead of the Boardwalk, and vice versa with a west wing view.

I always ask for the specific view I want, rather than a location ("Epcot view" rather than a 'wing') I haven't been disappointed yet!

OK, thanks. A few more questions: What size are the coffee makers? Also where are the laundry rooms located. Is there one by the pool? I like to throw a load in while we take our afternoon swim break.

The coffee makers are the little 4 cup ones (the hotel standard!). There is a laundry room on the 1st floor of the Dolphin - down the hall from Picabu - yes, close to the pool.

 

[turning40withMickey]

WE are flying into Sanford, so may need to rent a car to get to the Dolphin (in August). I dont' really want a big expense, the cheap airfare will offset a day or two rental, not a whole week. What rental company is in the Dolphin? Anyone used it to get from the airport (and back)? We are a family of five, so the cheapest cars usually don't "fit" our needs.

 

[T-i-double-g-err]

Hi- long time lurker here, with a question about room numbers. Thanks to the amazing summer special, I just booked the Swan for a girls trip with my eleven year old dd (she actually prefers it over Disney resorts). I'm sooooo excited!!! We LOVE the Swan and Dolphin resorts, and we have been lucky enough to stay several times. On our last stay at the Swan, we had a fabulous room in the east wing, with a balcony and an amazing view of Spaceship Earth (we are preferred SPG members). I could see a little further down that there were CORNER rooms with this same view- has anyone stayed in or know the room number of one of these rooms, with a balcony? I didn't think to look at the time- but would love to at least TRY for this amazing upgrade! Thanks so much for any help-
Roo

We were in a corner room at the Swan with a balcony but not with an Epcot facing view. My guess, however, is that the room layout may be the same. You can check the TR in my signature for some pictures of the room and the layout.

 

[jeankeri]

WE are flying into Sanford, so may need to rent a car to get to the Dolphin (in August). I dont' really want a big expense, the cheap airfare will offset a day or two rental, not a whole week. What rental company is in the Dolphin? Anyone used it to get from the airport (and back)? We are a family of five, so the cheapest cars usually don't "fit" our needs.

Alamo is at the Dolphin desk. I have rented for my entire stay at the Dolphin (on a 3 day weekend) and returned a rental to the Dolphin halfway through a trip that we ended ot the BW, and took ME home. I would spend some time online looking at codes (Mousesaver is a good place to start) and comparing one-way rentals (MCO-Dolphin and back) vs. whole trip rentals. Also check out the transportation board- people post specific deals they have gotten. HTH

 

[MSC]

What rental company is in the Dolphin? Anyone used it to get from the airport (and back)?

National/Alamo has a desk at the Dolphin (check both separately, because they sometimes show different rates).

The last time we stayed there, I rented a car at the airport, and turned it in an hour later at the Dolphin. It's as easy as giving your key to the valet and telling him its a rental return and you are done. For the return, I had booked a car at the Dolphin and returned it at the airport later that afternoon.

The nice thing about doing the two one-way rentals is that if you want to stop somewhere before the airport, you can do that. For instance, we saved all of our souvenier shopping for the World of Disney @ DD on the morning that we left. We loaded our car at the hotel, drove over to DD, and then to the airport.

That, in my mind, is what makes renting a car more convenient (and cheaper) than a car service.

 

[LSUmom4kids]

Have any spg members who reserved a standard room ever been upgraded for free to a Suite room? How about AAA spg preferred plus members? We don't have nearly enough points to get something upgraded for 7 nights. If so, please give specifics... like, would it be more likely to happen if we had reserved resort view with balcony room versus a standard room?

What's the likelihood of suites selling out versus other rooms selling out? I know there are 20+ swan (low end) suites and 40+ dolphin jr. suites.

We are debating two standard rooms versus a swan low end suite room. Or am I just dreaming of a free upgrade? With the Year of a Million dreams promotion, I'm wishing it might happen.....

 

[turning40withMickey]

Thanks for all the tips! I am new here (though I have been reading insatiably for days now!) and didn't even realize there was a transportation thread. My husband is not Disney-fixated, so these boards are delightful to me!

 

[paras4ri]

Thanks for all the tips! I am new here (though I have been reading insatiably for days now!) and didn't even realize there was a transportation thread. My husband is not Disney-fixated, so these boards are delightful to me!

You're with friends here!!!!

 

[turning40withMickey]

The 2007 edition of Birnbaum's says the Swan and Dolphin charge an automatic daily fee which covers such things as newspaper delivery, local phone calls... I haven't heard any of you DIS'ers mention this! I know the resort fee was dropped, is Birnbaum uninformed or is this a different fee? Say it isn't so!

 

[RachelTori]

The 2007 edition of Birnbaum's says the Swan and Dolphin charge an automatic daily fee which covers such things as newspaper delivery, local phone calls... I haven't heard any of you DIS'ers mention this! I know the resort fee was dropped, is Birnbaum uninformed or is this a different fee? Say it isn't so!

There was nothing like that in December. It's possible they have added something new for 2007. However, since those travel books are usually published months ahead of time, I doubt it!