Question about extra fee at Dolphin and Swan

[sheblen]

I have read that the Swan and Dolphin resorts charge an additional fee, here is the quote:
This resort charges a $10.00 per night service charge/resort fee. Please note that this fee is charged directly by the resort and will be added to your bill at check-in.

Please tell me what it is for and if there is any way around it.

Also any thoughts on staying at these resorts is appreciated. I am planning on being there in June with two 9 year olds and a 13 year old.

Thanks! Nancy

 

[ducklite]

There is no way around it. You used to be able to get all or part of it waived, they will no longer do this.

Anne

Anne

 

[Rhonda922]

I don't want to pay the resort fee because I feel like it's not something I'm going to take advantage of. On my confirmation letter from the Swan it says it is for unlimited health club usage, in-room coffee, telephone calls, toll free and credit card access calls.

 

[ducklite]

I don't want to pay the resort fee because I feel like it's not something I'm going to take advantage of. On my confirmation letter from the Swan it says it is for unlimited health club usage, in-room coffee, telephone calls, toll free and credit card access calls.

If you don't like the fee then you should book someplace else, as they will not waive it.

Anne

 

[Rhonda922]

I'm not thinking about booking somewhere else. I like the hotel and still plan on staying there.

 

[sheblen]

This will be a splurge for us as we usually stay at the All-Stars. What do you like best? I am looking forward to being able to walk over to the ESPN Club and Jelly Rolls in the evening and the convenience of riding the boats to EPCOT and MGM.

Any other highlights? any thing special that we should take advantage of while we are there?

 

[snels]

We will stay at the Swan/Dolphin again, and will pay the $10. per day.
I haven't used the health club, but I do use the coffee and try to read the papers.

 

[GoldenOldie]

Don't forget to add the extra $7 per day if you are driving a car there.

 

[browneyes]

From Deb's site:

What is the $10 resort fee I keep hearing about?


The $10 a night resort fee is charged in addition to your room rate. It includes: unlimited access to the health club, daily newspaper delivery, an in-room coffee maker and up to 60 minutes free local, toll free and credit card calls. It also includes free unlimited broadband internet access. The resort fee is not taxed.

The Swan and Dolphin seem to have changed their flexible resort fee policies and are no longer allowing you to opt out of the resort fee. You will now be charged the $10 per night. Even so, if you don't plan to use any of the amenities that come with the charge, it's worth asking for a waiver at check-in.

Don't forget to add the extra $7 per day if you are driving a car there.

I don't remember having to pay $7/day. Isn't that just if you park in the valet parking?

 

[Poohlovr]

I don't remember having to pay $7/day. Isn't that just if you park in the valet parking?

Nope--it's a new parking fee the S/D have tacked on.
valet is now $14.00/day

 

[MPLsDad]

The parking fee is relatively new. The resort fee isn't. I stay there if the rate they give me plus the resort fee is less than a deluxe Disney rate, if not then I stay at a Disney Deluxe resort. The location of the S & D usually means that we forego a car anyway, so the new parking fee isn't a dealbreaker for me. Remember that the S & D are considered Deluxe properties and if the price you're quoted is comparable to what you'd pay for a Disney moderate or lower, then take the S & D!

 

[OKW Lover]

I have read that the Swan and Dolphin resorts charge an additional fee, here is the quote:
This resort charges a $10.00 per night service charge/resort fee. Please note that this fee is charged directly by the resort and will be added to your bill at check-in.

Please tell me what it is for and if there is any way around it.

Also any thoughts on staying at these resorts is appreciated. I am planning on being there in June with two 9 year olds and a 13 year old.

Thanks! Nancy

The purpose of the fee is to improve their profit margin. It serves no other purpose. The best way around it is to stay somewhere else.

 

[MPLsDad]

If they were all about improving the profit margin then why do you think they sometimes offer generous discounts to nurses, government employees, and teachers? While I think the resort fee should be rolled into the rate of the room, I think part of reasoning behind the parking fee is to discourage all of the people that were using the S&D lot and visiting EP & DS instead of paying Disney - they should waive it for guests at the end of their stay IMHO!

 

[DianeV]

I agree that they should validate the parking for guests or something..have some kind of way to make sure guests staying at the hotel dont have to pay it. Heck those self park spaces arent even close!

 

[sheblen]

I had not thought about parking! The last thing that I read said that it was free self parking. I will not have a car for most of the trip, but we were hoping to rent one from the place at the Dolphin. Strange to consider paying a parking fee for a car that belongs there. I guess I better call down and find out more.

I know the $10 fee was stated up front and we just added it to our room rate for our thinking purposes. But if they claim it is for all of those amenities it would be nice if the still allowed us to decline it since I don't have a need for any of them. Oh well! I am looking forward to staying somewhere new (to me!). I have always wanted to stay in the Boardwalk area, so this should be a wonderful treat for us!

Is there an additional "bed tax"? A friend was telling me that there is a $10 bed tax at all Florida hotels. I had not heard of it before and wondered if she got confused with this amenties fee.


Thanks for all of your help! Nancy

 

[Mary Anne]

I think what your friend is referring to is a Room Tax, you pay that no matter where you stay in Florida. I want to say aobut 12 % but I could be wrong. Personally, and I've stayed at both the S&D their price is very misleading. A special of $129 somehow with all the little extra's comes out to close to $160 per night, still cheaper then the other Epcot area hotels, but more expensive then you are lead to believe.

 

[Docsknotinn]

We are going May 4-9 to the Dolphin. The rates were so much better than the Disney deluxe resorts that the parking and $10 daily fee is not a biggie. We saved a bundle by changing to the Dolphin. This is close to the parks we wanted to visit this time plus great restaurants so were going to give it a try. Don't get discouraged by the add ons until you compare the prices to a deluxe. The Dolphin looks pretty darn deluxe to me !

 

[opal]

If they are not going to waive the resort fee, they should at least give us SPG points on the resort fee.

 

[Blondie]

I don't mind paying the $10 resort fee, we read the newspaper, I drink the coffee and my DH and sons use the health club.

I'm not real happy about the $7 a day to park though. We were going to rent a car (as we usually do) to get to and from the airport and for a grocery run, but now that they've added the parking fee, we'll hire a towncar service.

If the problem was people driving in and parking there, then using the boats to get to Epcot and MGM, they could've very easily installed a security kiosk/parking gate where you have to swipe your key card to enter.

Oh well. I've read that the Universal Resorts also charge to park.

 

[Kaycee]

I don't mind paying the resort fee since I use most of the amenities it covers - I read the newspaper, drink the coffee, and work out in the health club. However, even if I didn't use these amenities I would just mentally add the $10 fee to the cost of the room and still feel that the S/D offer excellent value for what you pay. This is especially true if you qualify for some type of room discount, and there are so many S/D discounts available that most people do.

Now, the parking fee is another story. I won't be driving to WDW, so this isn't an issue for me. But I can see where people aren't pleased about it. Still, with all the things I love about these resorts, having to pay the parking fee would not keep me from wanting to stay there.