Some ?s about Swan/Dolphin......

[MickeyPower]

I've never researched S/D before so I don't know to much about S/D.
We are really thinking about staying there this summmer.

1.Can you still book through WDW?
2. 180 Day to make AR for Resturants?
3. Charge things to your room?
4. Will you get a card that is your room key and your park pass like other disney hotels?
5. Can you get Magic your way packet?
6. Do you have to pay to vallet park your car with a handicap sticker?
7. Are there or can you get a frig. in your room?

Sorry for so many question just want to know!!!!
Patty

 

[Bob P]

Hi,

I'll answer two questions:

2. ANYONE can make ADRs at 180 days...on site or off site, or even if you don't have a room booked.

3. You can not charge park purchases to your room at the Swan or Dolphin, only purchases made inside the hotel.

 

[MickeyPower]

Thanks,
Anyone else with the other questions
Patty

 

[lsutigerita]

You will get a card that is your hotel key only. I think your park passes will be on a ticket. We are AP holder's so that was not an issue for us. Check with the hotel concierge. You can purchase your park pass any way you want according to your stay.

Since Swan and Dolphin are not owned and operated by Disney, you cannot make any charges OUTSIDE your hotel.

You can get a mini fridge in your room. Just request it. I think it is $10 per day. I am not quite sure.

My DH and I stayed there last October so I don't really recall to much.

Hope this helps.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

1.Can you still book through WDW?

Yes, but you won't get any discounts. The discounts are a better deal.

2. 180 Day to make AR for Resturants?

yes, but not the 190 days.
3. Charge things to your room?
Yes, but only at the Swan and Dolphin resorts (food, drinks, gift shop, etc.). Otherwise we used our regular credit card - it all goes to the same place anyhow.
4. Will you get a card that is your room key and your park pass like other disney hotels?
We did not the last time we stayed there. Maybe they have this now. I actually prefer two cards. At the parks, we like to put our park passes together for expidite fastpass getting. On our recent trip - room key, meal ticket and park ticket were one. If DH had the passes and we split up, I couldn't get a snack. It was one or the other. I also didn't liek giving up my room key. Just 'cause we might split up and forget to give them back. They will however give you ca rdboard sleeve which is great for holding all the cards together, if you prefer.

5. Can you get Magic your way packet?
Yes. If I understand your question. There is a great concierge desk which never has a line and will answer any questions and has all the brochures and park times. I liked their services.

6. Do you have to pay to vallet park your car with a handicap sticker?

Don't know.
7. Are there or can you get a frig. in your room?

There is a mini-bar in the room. You aren't really allowed to take stuff out, but you can maybe fit one tiny thing in with the stuff that's there. I THINK maybe youc an get one for $10 a day, but I'm not sure about that.

Sorry for so many question just want to know!!!!

I really like the Swan. I prefer the Swan. Better room views and the buses stop there first (by the time it gets to the Dolphin there is only standing room at busy times). At very peak times thouh each resort has it's own bus. It depends upon the season when you go and how full they are. I think both resort rooms have two sinks, but the one at the Swan is better because one sinkj is in the bathroom and one is in an area that is outside the bathroom. Makes getting ready easier.

If you want a refillable mug, the mug station is in the Dolphin. The refillable mug kind of wasn't worth it to us. WE just went someplace else for quick breakfast (BBakery, Starring Rolls, The Land, TS breakfast on MK day, I can't recall what we did on AK days...)

 

[Mickiethepooh]

Since most of your other questions have been answered I can tell you that you pay the normal parking rate which is currently $9 per day for Vallet with HC sticker, normal Vallet rate is $17.
I called them two days ago to ask this very question.

 

[tjmw2727]

We love the Dolphin and its our first choice of WDW resorts so let me try and help.
1. yes, but you are better off joining the Starwood Preferred Guest program (SPG) for free and booking through the website. Most times you can find a discount esp for AAA, teachers, nurses and gvt employees also qualify for discounts as to AP holders.

2.yes, you can make ADR's 180 days in advance but not the 180+10 like at WDW resorts. This was a bit of a pain for our March vacation but I just used the 800 number and still got all the ADR's I wanted.

3.no, the only wdw resort "perks" S/D don't offer are room charging and ME. You can still participate in EMH, have purchases shipped back to your room and use the WDW transportation.

4.no, you will have one card that is your resort room key and has charging privledges within the S/D resorts and separate park tickets. We have AP so this is how it would be for us at a WDW resort anyway.

5.yes, there is a WDW guest services inside both resorts for park tickets and all things WDW.

6.mabye, there is a self parking fee and a valet parking fee but I don't know if its waived for HC.

7.yes, there are mini bars in the room that can be emptied of the "goodies" for $20.00 for the length of your stay or you can rent one daily for @10.00 per night.

We love the Dolphin and the few "perks" that the disney resorts offer aren't really missed by us. I love the bath & bodyworks toiletries so much I don't miss Mickey soaps. IMHO the pool is tied for 2nd with any WDW resort and they offer water boat and swan boat rentals, have a basketball court, vollyball court and even ping pong for the kids to play by the pool. We love being able to walk or boat to Epcot and MGM and walk to mini golf. Having dozens of restaurants in walking distance is another perk. For casual we love PicaBu which is a combination cafeteria/food court/quick grab place. My dd's love the pizza and homeade soups. They also have a soda shop that serves burgers and sandwiches as well as ice cream and milk shakes.

I have always found the staff friendly and courtous and as helpful as any WDW resort even though they are not "CM's.

Sorry so long and to give perspective we have stayed at almost all the WDW resorts, all the moderates and every deluxe except the Grand and WL and still choose the Dolphin if its available. Not to mention we can usually get a room for 1/2 the price of a WDW deluxe

If you have any more quesitons feel free to ask!

TJ

 

[DisneyFans4]

I'm a big Swan fan and I have to say that the special rates and discounts you can get as well as the points for being a Starwood member are well worth it for a deluxe resort

The beds are fantastic and I love being able to just walk to Epcot and MGM. There is just so much enjoy being at an Epcot resort with BW, YC and BC all being in walking distance.

We're AP holders as well so our park ticket is always separate.

One thing I want to point out which is important is that you can make purchases in the parks or at DTD and they will be delivered to the gift shop of the hotel which is great!

They do participate in EMH and use Disney transportation.

They do not participate in the DDP or ME which to me is no big deal because we have the DDE card which we just love and it saves us alot of $$$.

If you have any other questions which still has not been covered just ask

 

[KimDis]

I've never researched S/D before so I don't know to much about S/D.
We are really thinking about staying there this summmer.

6. Do you have to pay to vallet park your car with a handicap sticker?
7. Are there or can you get a frig. in your room?

Sorry for so many question just want to know!!!!
Patty

Hi Patty,
I've stayed at both and while I like the rooms at the Dolphin a bit better (hey - a girl needs every inch of counter space she can get) the Swan felt a bit cozier (i.e. more intimate and less convention hotel) to me and is one of my absolute favorite places to stay in the World. The Dolphin always feels really busy to me and that's not my preference for a resort hotel.

Both are close to a lot of shops, restaurants, attractions and parks and are more affordable then the other Boardwalk area resorts.

6) Just heard that parking is now a part of the "resort fee" at the swan so you may have to pay either way. (Self-park was free last year). I would just call them directly to find out.
7) You can squeeze a few things into the fridge but FEW is the right word to use. We stuck juice box sized milk (gotta love shelf stable milk) and capri-sun type drinks in there though.

Also, if you don't need a big breakfast every day, there's a little coffee bar in the lobby of the Swan that you can stop by on your way out and to the parks.

Hope you enjoy your stay wherever you end up resting your head!

 

[tjmw2727]

Hi Patty,
6) Just heard that parking is now a part of the "resort fee" at the swan so you may have to pay either way. (Self-park was free last year). I would just call them directly to find out.
!

Just to clarify they did away with what they called the resort fee at the S/D. There is now a parking fee for self-park and valet - it was $10 to self park April 07.

TJ

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Another thing I realy love about these two resorts is the morning/evening commute, if you will - at least for going to Epcot. From the Swan, you walk around via the Boardwalk. Form the Dolphin you could do either side, but BC/YC woul dbe closer (though I prefer going by the BWK.) Either way, the walk is very cheery and enjoyable. I can't explain, but when I think of a trip to WDW, and I think of the excitement of my first full day at WDW, that walk is the image that comes to mind. In the evening, the return walk to the S/D around sunset is equally spectacular. The sky is often a beautiful shade of pink/purple contrasted against the pink/pruple-blue glass silouette of the S/D. The BWK is also very colorful and pretty at night, and it's always a happening place at night. When we stay over that way, we tend to go to dinner at Epcot a lot. Which is easy to plan for. We go to MK a full day or two, we go to Epcot a full day, then we do split days with AK/Epcot and MGM/Epcot. Too bad we've seen Illuminations so many times!

Also, that whole area is popular for weddings, so it's not uncommon to see a wedding in progress or a rehearsal dinner. There are several pavillions in that area, as well as the BC beach area.

 

[tjmw2727]

ITA the location can't be beat. One of my fondest memories is swimming in the spring pool one evening after the kids had enough of Epcot. My sil and I were a bit sad about missing Illuminations but it just wasn't happening. Well we were the only ones in the pool on a beautiful night and low and behold we could see some of the Illuminations fireworks and hear the music right from the pool. It was a great ending to a great day and IMHO it dosen't get much better than that.

Just to clarify - don't expect to "see" Illuminations from the pool area, just that the ones we could see were enough for us. Although some of the Dolphin rooms do have great views of Illuminations.

TJ

 

[DisneyFans4]

During our stay in August I had an Epcot view and boy was it fantastic!! We could see Illuminations from our balcony and since we were in the east wing we could even see Wishes!!! How Disney is that


One night DH and I decided to take a walk over to Epcot after dinner and the boys went their own way and there was a wedding going on in the gazebo and it was so nice!

There is just so much to enjoy staying at an Epcot resort, not to mention all the shops and great restaurants!