swan and dolphin and transportation

[janiemichigan]

I'm considering staying at the swan next month. How close is it really to the boardwalk and is the only transportation to epcot and hollywood studios by boat? Also, I know the Magical express is not available here but can you check your luggage in at the hotel?

 

[heaven2dc]

http://images.google.com/imgres?img...n+resort+map&ndsp=20&hl=en&sa=N&start=20&um=1

Here is a pic I found on Google showing how close the Swan/Dolphin is to the Boardwalk Hotel. The Boardwalk is the hotel pictured on the right. The walk from Swan/Dolphin to the Boardwalk takes probably less than 5 minutes. You can take a boat to Hollywood Studios and Epcot or you can walk to both parks. The walkway to HS is on the Boardwalk side. You can walk to Epcot by walking around the lake via the Beachclub/Yachtclub side or Boardwalk side.

This is listed on the Swan/Dolphin website:

"Guests of Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin enjoy complimentary transportation to the Walt Disney World® Theme Parks and attractions.
It's so convenient! A Friendship Launch offers access from the hotels' dock, running approximately every 15 minutes to and from Epcot® and Disney's Hollywood Studios™. A series of walkways will also lead you to the entrance of these Theme Parks. Walt Disney World shuttle buses arrive at the main entrance of the hotels approximately every 20 minutes to transport guests to Magic Kingdom® Park, Disney's Animal Kingdom® Theme Park, Downtown Disney® area, and to all other Walt Disney World® Resort hotels and attractions."


Hope this answers your questions! I'm sure there are many other more informed Diser's on here who can offer better advice!! I would love to stay there one day (the hotels are beautiful and the view is to die for!). Only reason my kids don't want to stay is because you can't take advantage of the early or late Magic hours (you have to stay at a Disney-owned resort.)

Enjoy your trip

 

[TaraPA]

http://images.google.com/imgres?img...n+resort+map&ndsp=20&hl=en&sa=N&start=20&um=1



Only reason my kids don't want to stay is because you can't take advantage of the early or late Magic hours (you have to stay at a Disney-owned resort.)

Absolutely untrue - you CAN attend morning or evening EMH in all 4 parks when staying at Swan/Dolphin. It's the Magical Express & Disney Dining Plan that is unavailable to guests of Swan/Dolphin.

The Boardwalk is literally a 2-minute walk from Swan or Dolphin. The only transportation to Epcot/DHS is by walking or the Friendship boats, there are no busses to either park from Swan/Dolphin. You can get a bus to MK, AK or DD. The boat launch is right outside the doors of both hotels, maybe 100 yards of walking.

 

[heaven2dc]

Absolutely untrue - you CAN attend morning or evening EMH in all 4 parks when staying at Swan/Dolphin. It's the Magical Express & Disney Dining Plan that is unavailable to guests of Swan/Dolphin.

The Boardwalk is literally a 2-minute walk from Swan or Dolphin. The only transportation to Epcot/DHS is by walking or the Friendship boats, there are no busses to either park from Swan/Dolphin. You can get a bus to MK, AK or DD. The boat launch is right outside the doors of both hotels, maybe 100 yards of walking.

Thank you SO much for correcting me!! Now there is no excuse for them Well except the ME and DDP but could always catch Mears transportation & pay-out-of-pocket (boy was I afraid to abbreviate that last one ). I have actually gotten off at Swan/Dolphin boat launch and walked back to the BWV since it was quicker than staying on the boat.

 

[llqool]

how long of a walk would you say that it is from the Dolphin to EPCOT? We have booked the Dolphin during one of the weekends of the F&W festival this fall, and we did it b/c we really really wanted to stay in walking distance of the festival (but couldn't afford BC or Boardwalk!). Is it feasible to think we can walk there rather than take the boat? My husband is very impatient when it comes to bus/boat transportation. For instance, we walked from SoG over to Poly to get the monorail instead of waiting for SoG's shuttle bus. Just wondering if it's a walk comparable to that....10-15 mins wouldn't bother me, but a half hour trek would!

 

[G's mommy]

how long of a walk would you say that it is from the Dolphin to EPCOT? We have booked the Dolphin during one of the weekends of the F&W festival this fall, and we did it b/c we really really wanted to stay in walking distance of the festival (but couldn't afford BC or Boardwalk!). Is it feasible to think we can walk there rather than take the boat? My husband is very impatient when it comes to bus/boat transportation. For instance, we walked from SoG over to Poly to get the monorail instead of waiting for SoG's shuttle bus. Just wondering if it's a walk comparable to that....10-15 mins wouldn't bother me, but a half hour trek would!

Not a bad walk at all to Epcot, 10-15 mins tops. We stayed at the Dolphin a few years back, great time there and very nice hotel. I had no complaints.

 

[llqool]

are the boats that run between the Dolphin/Swan and EPCOT/DHS the smaller type boats? will they let you take a stroller on them without folding it up? (this is one of the main reasons my husband doesn't like any kind of transportation other than the monorail!)

 

[TaraPA]

The boats are the smaller ones - but I never noticed if strollers were folded. I would assume yes if the boat is full - and they usually are because they stop at YC/BC, Boardwalk & Swan/Dolphin for passengers. We've already been in line for the boat at The Dolphin yet had to wait for another boat to come because it was full. Boat transportation in the Epcot resort area is SLOW. It's almost always faster to walk.

 

[goofy4tink]

It takes about 10 mins to walk to Epcot and about 20 mins to walk to DHS. The walkway to Epcot goes right by the YC/BC resorts, with the lake on your other side. The walk to DHS is along a nicely lit sidewalk that runs behind BW, with the canal on your other side.
I can't for the life of me remember if strollers had to be folded up on the boats. Must remember to be more observant in the future.

The walk to BW is very quick...up and over the canal and there you are, at the back door to BW. I'll be staying at the Dolphin in August, then moving over to the BW....I'll be taking my luggage with me, it's that close!!!

The S/D are entitled to just about all the WDW perks. You can use the EMHs, you can have your purchases delivered to the resort rather than lugging them around the parks. You can not use the DDP, you can not use DME and you can not charge park purchases to your S/D room account, but that's about it.

 

[llqool]

Glad to hear the walk to EPCOT is so short...w/the F&W there, my hubby will want to spend most of his time in that park anyway! We will probably need to burn off some of those food/alcohol calories anyway!

And if the boats are small, we will probably just walk and not bother with the boats. We experienced crowds and the whole stroller issue when we were staying at WL trying to take the boats, and there you can't just walk to the park instead!

 

[Goobergirl]

We stayed at BC last month and used the boat for DHS, granted it is a quieter time of year, but we nor anyone else were asked to close our strollers on the boat...even when quite full! Honestly the boat ride isn't bad, especially at night on the ride back to your resort...and the dolphin/swan are the first drop off.

 

[heaven2dc]

Video of boat docking at Swan/Dolphin hotel.

Here's a shot of the boat heading from HS to the Dolphin hotel:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwBbD4HTEYw&feature=related


I agree with everyone that it is quicker to walk to Epcot from Swan/Dolphin but I'm not sure I could make it in 10 min, more like 15-20 but I'm a slow walker You can definitely take the stroller on the Friendship boats that go from Dolpin to HS without having to fold them up, My DD took hers and loved that we didn't have to fold up the stroller each time we got on the boats (she hated getting on the busses with the stroller since you had to fold them up each time).

Since the Dolphin is the last stop before heading to HS, you may have to stand with the stroller since everyone will have boarded from the Yacht & Beach Clubs & Boardwalk as well as guests coming over from Epcot but we always got a seat when we boarded from BWV. One good thing is you will be the first stop coming back from HS!

Here is a picture of the back of the boat where I recommend you board with the stroller. You can sit outside or just inside the door is a large open space for strollers and wheelchairs. This picture is courtesy of Allearsnet.com:

Here is also a map of the walking paths from HS to Dolphin, and Dolphin to Epcot:

 

[madalex]

are the boats that run between the Dolphin/Swan and EPCOT/DHS the smaller type boats? will they let you take a stroller on them without folding it up? (this is one of the main reasons my husband doesn't like any kind of transportation other than the monorail!)

The boats in this area are larger than the boats that go to/from MK to some of the MK resorts, but smaller than the ferry boat that goes to/from the TTC to MK. The boats probably seat about 80 -100 people.

Strollers do not need to be folded up on the friendship boats.

I walk at a reasonable adult pace and can make is from Dolphin to Epcot in 10 minutes.

 

[madalex]

The front entry to the boat is similar to the back entry. They both have the same clearance. There is space both in front of and behind the rows of seats inside the boat to park strollers during the trip.

 

[celestebh]

My husband, daughter, and I stayed at the Dolphin about 3 years ago (in July) and really enjoyed it. The first night we were there we walked to the Boardwalk area to grab a bite to it. It was about a five-minute walk with a slow toddler. We ate outside at the Brewing Company restaurant and were surprised with a great view of the Epcot fireworks.

We did not go to Epcot that trip, so I can't comment on the walk there. We did take the boat to DHS, which was about 15 minutes.

We took the Disney bus to the Magic Kingdom, which was about 15-20 minutes. We also used the EMH for the Magic Kingdom, which was great!

 

[llqool]

Thanks so much for all the detailed responses!!! You guys are awesome!!!

One last question, and it may be silly, but...when you walk from the Dolphin to EPCOT's international gateway, does it open when EPCOT opens, or when the World Showcase opens? B/c it looks like it is in the UK.

 

[aarmando20]

Thanks so much for all the detailed responses!!! You guys are awesome!!!

One last question, and it may be silly, but...when you walk from the Dolphin to EPCOT's international gateway, does it open when EPCOT opens, or when the World Showcase opens? B/c it looks like it is in the UK.

It opend when EPCOT opens.

 

[runnergirl916]

Thanks so much for all the detailed responses!!! You guys are awesome!!!

One last question, and it may be silly, but...when you walk from the Dolphin to EPCOT's international gateway, does it open when EPCOT opens, or when the World Showcase opens? B/c it looks like it is in the UK.

Ok I have 2 questions...the first in response to the above comment...Does the World Showcase and Epcot have 2 different hours?

My second question is...Does anyone know what the bus service is like to the Magic Kingdom from the Swan/Dolphin? Do the buses stop at other hotels? Is the wait long? How long does it take to get there? Any advice would be appreciated. We will have our car with us and I was trying to figure which would be the quickest route (I have heard the parking and TTC can be a nightmare!)

Thank you!!! Oh, we are going the last week of April if that matters ;c)

 

[janiejake]

Ok I have 2 questions...the first in response to the above comment...Does the World Showcase and Epcot have 2 different hours?

My second question is...Does anyone know what the bus service is like to the Magic Kingdom from the Swan/Dolphin? Do the buses stop at other hotels? Is the wait long? How long does it take to get there? Any advice would be appreciated. We will have our car with us and I was trying to figure which would be the quickest route (I have heard the parking and TTC can be a nightmare!)

Thank you!!! Oh, we are going the last week of April if that matters ;c)

Yes, future world and world showcase do have different hours. World showcase usually opens at 11 am, and stays open later than future world. You can still get in via the International Gateway, and then stroll over to the parts of EPCOT that are open earlier in the morning. No problem. It's a nice peaceful walk, and you can stroll thru the rose pathway. You can take the bus to MK, or if you were already enjoying Epcot, just use the monorail to get to the MK.

 

[NancyIL]

My second question is...Does anyone know what the bus service is like to the Magic Kingdom from the Swan/Dolphin? Do the buses stop at other hotels? Is the wait long? How long does it take to get there? Any advice would be appreciated. We will have our car with us and I was trying to figure which would be the quickest route (I have heard the parking and TTC can be a nightmare!)

The buses to the Magic Kingdom run every 20 minutes or so - just like the buses at other resorts. The bus usually goes to the Boardwalk first, then the Swan and finally the Dolphin. After the final pick-up at the Dolphin, it takes 10-15 minutes for the bus to go to the Magic Kingdom. A car is fine for driving to the other parks, but I would take the bus to the Magic Kingdom.

I love staying at the Swan or Dolphin and being able to walk or take the boat to Epcot (where I spend most of my time) or Hollywood Studios. I sometimes walk between HS and Epcot when it's not too hot and I'm not too tired.