SHould I give the Swan or Dolphin a shot?

[luke6417]

We are stopping by Disney world on our way back from Palm Beach the week of thanksgiving to see the Candlelight Processional. We have never stayed at the Swan or the dolphin and are now considering it because we are both teachers and they seem to offer a pretty good discount to teachers. We will have our four month old son with us. Do you think this hotel would be a good fit for us with an infant?

 

[grimley1968]

I'd go for it.

Don't let the fact you have an infant with you sway your decision too much. A) Any hotel on Disney property is probably going to be fairly easy to get around as long as you're using a stroller. B) It's not like a 4 MO is going to remember this vacation by the time the infant is 3 or more. Therefore there's really no benefit for the child to stay close to MK, like there can be when the child becomes 2-4 years old.

If you can score a great discount, it's tough to see how you could go wrong at S/D. You get easy access by boat or walking to both EPCOT and MGM.

If you end up disliking S/D, it won't hurt you that much, because you're getting a discount, and you will most certainly be coming back when your child is older and appreciates it more. You can spend bigger $$$ on an MK-area resort then if you wish.

But you may end up loving S/D. Anyway, I think it's worth a shot at a discount.

 

[cara loves the poly]

I would give it a try! I've been thinking of trying the swan sometime myself!

 

[DisneyJimbo]

I'd say try it, too. It's a beautiful hotel (in an 80's Miami Vice sort of way!), and the teacher's discount price you will pay makes it even more attractive!

 

[diskids2]

I would most definitely do it....I love the Dolphin!

 

[MickeyNicki]

Our last few stays have been at the Swanphin and we love it there, the price is great $125 per night for a Florida resident....and the location is our favorite. We prefer the Swan over the Dolphin because it is much quieter (big conventions at the Dolphin)...

If I get a great rate onsite I would stay there but the last few times the prices are insane or the resorts are sold out

 

[minnie61650]

I love the Swan/Dolphin resorts

The Swan/Dolphin offen has great rates that cost about as much as a Disney Moderate.

They are real 4 star hotels!

Deluxe but not as expensive as Disney's deluxe resorts.



The heavenly beds are ...well heavenly.

The Grotto pool and hot tubs are fun and relaxing.

Plus Epcot and MGM are just a short boat ride or walk away!

From Epcot hop on the monorail and head on over to the MK!

*note photos are from allearsnet

Have fun at Disney wherever you choose to stay!

 

[Jewel99]

We just helped friends of my sister book into the Swan for a last-minute trip next week. The hotel looks lovely, and the restaurants/amenities are great, but I just wanted to point out a few things re. budgets that my sister mentioned to me. I didn't look this info up first hand, so if I'm incorrect, please let me know.

When you look into the discounted rates, keep in mind the additional cost of parking and/or fridges. If you have your own car or a rental car, you can park free at Disney resorts if you're a guest, but I think that the Swan/Dolphin charge a per-day rate.

Also, if you're the type to need a fridge in your room (handy for quick breakfasts, snacks for kids, etc.) I think they charge per day for a fridge rental, or if you want to use their mini-bar to store your own stuff, they charge for that too, so if you're paying for parking and also a fridge, the discounted rate might be more pricey than you were expecting.

Other than that, the hotels do look lovely and seem to offer a lot for their guests.

 

[LadyTrampScamp&Angel]

I'm one of the few people who doesn't think the Swan and Dolphin are "Disney" enough for me but I think in your situation - definitely give it a try. You might like it, most people seem to, it's worth a shot and then you'll know.

 

[G8RFAN]

They are nice. Short of charging to your room key and maybe package delivery, you will have most of the Disney Resort benefits. I remember a daily parking fee and standard bed taxes. Not sure if they charged a resort fee. They have excellent restaurants options there also.

 

[MSC]

You can get package delivery at S/D.

No resort fee anymore, but they nickel and dime you for everything else now.

IMHO, there's no better setting in all of WDW. Go for it.

 

[FINFAN]

Absolutely! We love any resort at WDW, but the location and room size at the Dolphin is sweet...especially if you are getting a K room, plenty of space to set up a portacrib or whatever you will need. We stayed there a few Christmases ago for 3 nights as a stopover to Naples ( family) We knew we were not going into the parks, and we truly enjoyed all the S/D had to offer and enjoyed our stay so much we hated to leave for family visit! We have stayed there 3x's, and our kids are now 13 and 17, and it is one of their top resort choices...rivaled only by the Poly and CR to the kids...oh, and POP, that place is just fun. We can't say enough great things about the S/D...and remember, join SPG and start collecting points toward future stays and upgrades! The Grotto pool rocks, coffe is (was) Starbucks 24/7...at least the last time we were there. The restaurants are fairly pricey, no savings there, but location is the BEST!


Pam