Several questions re: Swan, Dolphin and SPG points

[Infamousmare]

Howdy! We are planning our annual WDW vacation; however, we're doing things a little differently this time. Here's some background info that may help as you're answering my plethora of questions. TIA for your help!

5 people in my family (me, hubby, 3 kids) plus grandparents (my mom & dad) are meeting for a week at Disney. We normally get a villa (partial to BLT, but have also had lovely stays at WL and SSR) because we like having the communal living room/kitchen, fireworks view (at BLT) and the washer/dryer (this is wonderful, as it keeps our luggage light!). However, this year we'll be driving, so I can pack a few more clothes and do away with the washer/dryer.

Dear husband has SPG platinum status, a ton of points and also has 19 suite upgrades. The suite upgrades need to be used by the end of this year and can be used at any time - the only catch is that the suite is only verified about a week before the stay. We are tentatively planning to go right after Thanksgiving and our dates are fairly flexible (homeschooling family!) Here are my questions:

1. I've seen the layouts of the rooms at the Dolphin and Swan. The Swan's rooms look larger - is there an appreciable difference?
--We'll have to book 2 rooms and wait for the suite upgrade, so if there's a real difference in size, I'd rather book the larger rooms in case the upgrade doesn't come through.
2. Has anyone tried to use free suite upgrades here? Did they come through? What type of suite did you get? Did you think it was worth using the upgrade?
3. We'll obviously be eating at the hotel a bit (breakfast & dinner), spending a good amount of time at Epcot, HS and MK and will want to have a view of the EC fireworks. Which hotel do you recommend based on this (regardless of points total)?
4. We have always gone on free dining with deluxe dining upgrade. We decided that it was just too stressful running to and fro to get to reservations on time and have decided to keep it to hotel dining and, perhaps, a few TS ressies thrown in for fun. Do you think the savings on hotel/airfare will make up for paying for food OOP?
5. I know we're not able to charge items/food at the parks on our room keys. Are we able to get delivery to the hotel if we purchase something at one of the parks?


Thanks again. I really value your input!

 

[jade1]

#3 threw me, do you mean Swan compared to Dolphin by "which hotel regardless of points"?

 

[Infamousmare]

I'm sorry. That was a confusing question. And yes - you summed it up nicely!

Sometimes people hesitate to answer, wondering if the amount of money or points charged makes a difference. I *wondered* if the Swan rooms might cost more points because they are larger....but even if they do cost more, we'd be willing to spend the points if people feel they're worth the extra.

Oh, dear. I haven't had my coffee. Has this helped you at all?

 

[jade1]

I'm sorry. That was a confusing question. And yes - you summed it up nicely!

Sometimes people hesitate to answer, wondering if the amount of money or points charged makes a difference. I *wondered* if the Swan rooms might cost more points because they are larger....but even if they do cost more, we'd be willing to spend the points if people feel they're worth the extra.

Oh, dear. I haven't had my coffee. Has this helped you at all?

Yes, I'm assuming your talking the SPG points (never heard of them) so I have no way to compare sorry, but I would not hesitate to stay at the S&D especially if you have points avail for it-and also can upgrade further.

S&D esp location is higher on our list than all Value/Mods and all Deluxe's that are buses only to parks.

There will be a parking charge and a small resort fee I think (depending on the SPG program) but would still be a great stay IMO.

They do have a food court so that can help fill in some gaps, and the dining there is very good and usually easier to get in than most Disney Dining.

Take a close look IMO-good luck.


Balcony:

Zoomed balcony view:

 

[Babsy]

Howdy! We are planning our annual WDW vacation; however, we're doing things a little differently this time. Here's some background info that may help as you're answering my plethora of questions. TIA for your help!

5 people in my family (me, hubby, 2 kids) plus grandparents (my mom & dad) are meeting for a week at Disney. We normally get a villa (partial to BLT, but have also had lovely stays at WL and SSR) because we like having the communal living room/kitchen, fireworks view (at BLT) and the washer/dryer (this is wonderful, as it keeps our luggage light!). However, this year we'll be driving, so I can pack a few more clothes and do away with the washer/dryer.

Dear husband has SPG platinum status, a ton of points and also has 19 suite upgrades. The suite upgrades need to be used by the end of this year and can be used at any time - the only catch is that the suite is only verified about a week before the stay. We are tentatively planning to go right after Thanksgiving and our dates are fairly flexible (homeschooling family!) Here are my questions:

1. I've seen the layouts of the rooms at the Dolphin and Swan. The Swan's rooms look larger - is there an appreciable difference?
--We'll have to book 2 rooms and wait for the suite upgrade, so if there's a real difference in size, I'd rather book the larger rooms in case the upgrade doesn't come through.

I don't remember any difference in room size in reg hotel rooms. I don't know about suites. Never stayed in one here.

2. Has anyone tried to use free suite upgrades here? Did they come through? What type of suite did you get? Did you think it was worth using the upgrade?

Don't know. Sorry.

3. We'll obviously be eating at the hotel a bit (breakfast & dinner), spending a good amount of time at Epcot, HS and MK and will want to have a view of the EC fireworks. Which hotel do you recommend based on this (regardless of points total)?

We liked the Dolphin better, but we were staying in regular hotel rooms. WE had Epcot fireworks view with balcony rooms booked. I would ask where the suites are located and if they have Epcot fireworks view and balconies (if that is important to you). Either hotel is fine if it has the room type that you are looking for.

4. We have always gone on free dining with deluxe dining upgrade. We decided that it was just too stressful running to and fro to get to reservations on time and have decided to keep it to hotel dining and, perhaps, a few TS ressies thrown in for fun. Do you think the savings on hotel/airfare will make up for paying for food OOP?

This depends upon what and where you eat. You can look up menus online and check prices to do the math for your family. It is always cheaper for me to do the hotel discounts than the Free Dining, but that is because I stay in Deluxe hotels with only one or two people in the room.

5. I know we're not able to charge items/food at the parks on our room keys. Are we able to get delivery to the hotel if we purchase something at one of the parks?

Yes, you can get package delivery to your hotel.


Thanks again. I really value your input!

Be sure to ask about connecting rooms, in case the suite doesn't happen for some reason.

 

[Infamousmare]

Whoa - those photos are BEAUTIFUL! I had braced myself for a good, but not breathtaking, view.

Thanks for the advice. We will request adjoining rooms - when staying at other Starwood locations where we use upgrades, we get adjoining rooms (when traveling with the parents - just us, we cram into one) and, when the upgrade comes through, just cancel the rooms.

I just wasn't sure if the suites would be the larger room suites or one of the suites with the separate bedroom (ideal). When we called Starwood, they said they wouldn't/couldn't guarantee anything, so we thought we'd ask about other people's experiences.

 

[Infamousmare]

Oh, and I might have called the points by the wrong name. I *thought* they were called SPG (Starwood Preferred Guest) points, but I could be totally wrong.

 

[amw]

I tried to look into the suite upgrade when we stayed at the Swan last year. I tried to do it online, and it indicated an "alcove" room for the suite upgrade. It indicated one bed and a sofabed. Because we had 4, we decided to stick with the 2-bed regular room. As a spg member, you should get upgraded to a better view with balcony anyways.

The swan has 2 queens and the dolphin has 2 doubles if that makes a difference. There is daily parking fees and a resort fee. The resort fee can be waived if you are platinum.

We really enjoyed our stay there -- better than the moderates and deluxes we have stayed at. ... But we prefer upgraded hotels to paying for theming. Location can't be beat.

Also there is AAA discounts at some of the restaurants too.

 

[Infamousmare]

I tried to look into the suite upgrade when we stayed at the Swan last year. I tried to do it online, and it indicated an "alcove" room for the suite upgrade. It indicated one bed and a sofabed. Because we had 4, we decided to stick with the 2-bed regular room. As a spg member, you should get upgraded to a better view with balcony anyways.

This is super helpful info. When I talked to the Starwood rep (calling the hotel doesn't work - have to call SPG main number), she couldn't say what sort of suite we'd get. I *wondered* about booking an alcove room and then seeing if the upgrade would get us something larger - mainly so that we can all be together in one large suite; however, she could give absolutely no information. She said that the more popular hotels (like these) vary widely in what will be available. It's not as easy as getting a clutch suite upgrade at the San Antonio Westin.

The swan has 2 queens and the dolphin has 2 doubles if that makes a difference. There is daily parking fees and a resort fee. The resort fee can be waived if you are platinum.

Super helpful! Much easier to share a queen bed than a double with various and sundry children.

We really enjoyed our stay there -- better than the moderates and deluxes we have stayed at. ... But we prefer upgraded hotels to paying for theming. Location can't be beat.

Also there is AAA discounts at some of the restaurants too.

This is very handy to know. We've thoroughly enjoyed the deluxe hotels/villas on Disney property and I was afraid we might be disappointed by "downgrading" to a non-Disney hotel. However, my kids are getting to the point where they like to spend lots of time in Epcot and given the prices at Y&BC, this sounds like a much better deal. We're still walking distance to EC, it sounds as though we can earn Starpoints (or SPG points - whatever we're calling them) at the S&W restaurants, and we can still take advantage of EMHs.

At this rate, I might be able to convince dear hubby to let us stay a few extra days!

 

[hsmamato2]

you won't be disappointed, we were THRILLED last trip to stay at Dolphin we ended up with a great view, but it was an ordinary room, I don't know about suites,etc.
I will stay at S/D anytime over disney hotels now,if I can
I don't like the dining plans too much, so I'm already biased in in favor of OOP.....how it compares to the "free" offer? hmmmm.... it all depends.
We used our AAA card quite a bit to save on meals at Picabu,etc. And of course the 20.00 resort fee is extra on to of your points stay-plus maybe 20 to park daily if you have a car.

 

[Infamousmare]

you won't be disappointed, we were THRILLED last trip to stay at Dolphin we ended up with a great view, but it was an ordinary room, I don't know about suites,etc.
I will stay at S/D anytime over disney hotels now,if I can
I don't like the dining plans too much, so I'm already biased in in favor of OOP.....how it compares to the "free" offer? hmmmm.... it all depends.
We used our AAA card quite a bit to save on meals at Picabu,etc. And of course the 20.00 resort fee is extra on to of your points stay-plus maybe 20 to park daily if you have a car.

This is all good to know. I *think* parking fees are waived on platinum status; however, that may not be true here. Also, my parents will have to pay to park their car (we'll get that for them just 'cause we're so nice) The resort fee is fine - most Starwoods have some sort of daily fee and to be able to stay at WDW for twenty-something bucks a night sounds great to me!

We're not AAA members, but my parents are AARP members. I'll find out if that might get a discount...?

As for the dining...you know, I was always one of those who loved the free dining. We have ALWAYS upgraded to deluxe dining because, well, because I love to eat. *LOL* It's nice to sit down in the A/C and enjoy a meal. However, my kids were in tears a few times last year because they felt like we spent our time crisscrossing the parks running like mad to get to our ADRs on time...and then sat waiting to be seated. And then sat inside for an hour and a half slogging through our appetizers, dinners and desserts. And then felt full and sluggish after all that food. You get the point. This chronic overplanner decided it *might* be more relaxing to just try winging meals (with the exception of a few special ADRs) and less expensive not spending tons of cash on tips. Even with free dining, tipping on overly expensive apps, meals, desserts and drinks works out to be a ton of money.

I'm glad to hear that others have had great experiences at the S&D. It makes my decision so much easier!

 

[amw]

This is all good to know. I *think* parking fees are waived on platinum status; however, that may not be true here. Also, my parents will have to pay to park their car (we'll get that for them just 'cause we're so nice)

I guess it might depend on who you get at the counter but the parking fee is not waived for platinum ... Just the resort fees. Of course those perks are always subject to change.

 

[jade1]

DD said Blue Zoo sushi was amaze.

Shula's has been a new fave for us, have always been able to get in pretty easily. TIW card knocks 20% off if interested (includes drinks).

24 hour Food court if interested

 

[Infamousmare]

I guess it might depend on who you get at the counter but the parking fee is not waived for platinum ... Just the resort fees. Of course those perks are always subject to change.

Good to know! Several Westins and Ws around the country will waive the fee (without me even asking); however, when traveling to more popular/crowded hotels (like the W Hoboken or the Westin Michigan Ave.), the parking fee stands. I'd be willing to bet that, based on what you've said, it's the same here. Disney = popular = no waived fees. We'll just be prepared to pay to park and, if the fee disappears, we'll think of it as an added bonus.

BTW, OMGosh jade1! I am slobbering on my keyboard over that steak photo! Have never eaten at Shula's - because we're usually on Bay Lake at BLT or WL, we never eat over by Y&BC. I'm actually so excited! However, I don't think we can do TIW - isn't that only for FL residents? (If not, you'd better believe I'm looking into it!)

 

[rpcvpanama]

We have stayed at the S&D many times and love it for its convenience to the 2 parks. That being said, the theming is definitely very subtle and doesn't appeal to some; we never minded. Our last stay we were Platinum and they waived the resort fee but not the parking fee. We usually end up staying at the Swan, it is a smaller hotel and we like the queen beds. We did stay in a suite at the Dolphin once. It had 2 double beds in one room and a murphy (double, I think) bed in the second room with 2 bathrooms. I think I would just go with the 2 connecting bedrooms. That will provide plenty of space.

S&D have many great restaurants but we find they tend to be a little dressier than your typical disney restaurant. The hotels are primarily convention hotels and those are the types that are dining in the restaurants. We usually make TS reservations in Epcot and enjoy our evenings there, you can't beat the walk back to the hotel when you are done.

 

[Infamousmare]

We have stayed at the S&D many times and love it for its convenience to the 2 parks. That being said, the theming is definitely very subtle and doesn't appeal to some; we never minded.

Fabulous. I love Disney when I'm in the parks. However, when I come back to the room at the end of the day, I don't need a Mickey-shaped toilet seat or Toy Story sheets to welcome me back. Subtle theme = good!

Our last stay we were Platinum and they waived the resort fee but not the parking fee. We usually end up staying at the Swan, it is a smaller hotel and we like the queen beds. We did stay in a suite at the Dolphin once. It had 2 double beds in one room and a murphy (double, I think) bed in the second room with 2 bathrooms. I think I would just go with the 2 connecting bedrooms. That will provide plenty of space.

Good to know. We stayed in connecting rooms at WL several years ago and it was...tight. However, now that we've been a few times, we've learned what works and what doesn't...like trying to eat meals while perched on hotel beds.

I read elsewhere that the Swan tends to host more of the conventions (like cheerleaders and little league). Is this true? I can handle crowds, but one thing I can't stand are large, loud groups roaming the hallways at all hours.

S&D have many great restaurants but we find they tend to be a little dressier than your typical disney restaurant. The hotels are primarily convention hotels and those are the types that are dining in the restaurants. We usually make TS reservations in Epcot and enjoy our evenings there, you can't beat the walk back to the hotel when you are done.

Done. We love eating at Epcot...and we usually dress a little nicer for dinner, anyway, as we often do 1900 PF, CRT or Akershus and want to look decent for the photo. Putting on a pair of khakis and a polo shirt won't kill us.

 

[SA mom]

Ask for connecting rooms if you want them to actually connect. Adjoining rooms are near each other and may not have a door between them.

When anyone asks me what the theming is at the Swan, I say the theme is luxury.

I think you'll be really happy without all the TS meals. Whenever you smell something good, just stop and eat. We've found that all the meals are really large and our family of 4 (13 year old twins that eat a ton) will usually share 2 or 3 entrees with some sides. Sometimes the kids would rather have the Mickey ice cream or the popcorn while waiting watching a parade than to sit down and eat a fancy dessert.

wdwinfo.com is a great resource for menus and current prices. You can estimate how much you will spend.


Have a great time!

By the way, those SPG points work great at the Sheraton Park in Anaheim for Disneyland. They have concierge level there. Great bar and food in the evenings before hitting the parks at night.

 

[ReganlovesWDW]

Hi...if you are eating at the hotel, sign up for the loyalty program. You earn credit with for eating at the restaurants and depending on how much you spend, you can earn a gift card. We spent $700 after eating at all of the high end restaurants for 10 days. Thus on our last night, we redeemed a $100 gift card.

 

[SA mom]

I know the OP mentioned having to go through SPG directly, but my husband has always had the best response to room requests calling the hotel directly

An example, we couldn't book an Alcove room for 4 people through SPG. We can only book it for 3. But the hotel can change the reservation to 4. It's just weird. So the hotel may be able to help you get the suite issue situated better than the SPG main line. Always ask if you are speaking to the hotel or the SPG call center because at certain hours, the hotel number diverts to the SPG call center.

 

[SCDisney]

Hi there....just got back from a 2 night stay at the Swan using SPG points....I have used points to stay at the Dolphin last year and the Swan just last week, and was upgraded both times to suites....last year it was Labor Day weekend at the Dolphin....this time at the Swan....loved both of them but prefer Swan because it is smaller, less walking to rooms....our room numbers at the Swan was 718 and 720, 718 had a dining room table for 8, sleeper sofa, large TV, 2 balconies, could see Mt. Everest from our balconies. 720 had 2 queen beds, wonderful....each room had a bath room, so we had 2 baths and 2 TVs. Picabu restaurant over at the Dolphin has a $25 family meal that is the best food deal on Disney property in my opinion, easily feeds4 people. Hope this helps some. We were treated wonderfully at the Swan!