Swan and Dolphin resort Fastpass+/MagicBands

[mikeishere]

Thinking of the swan and dolphin resort but I see they don’t do magic bands? I’m confused as I haven’t been to Disney since Fastpass+ and Magic Bands where introduced so can someone explain how it all works staying at the Swan and Dolphin, can I still make fastpass+ reservations and can I buy a magic band from the UK ?

Thanks

 

[Best Aunt]

You do not need a magic band. You make fastpasses on the mde app. No magic band required.

If you do not have a magic band, your park ticket will be an rfid card. You use the card to enter the parks and to enter the fastpass lines. For ride photos and photopass photos, I think you get a free card from a photopass photographer.

You can buy a magic band if you want. You can wait until you get to disney if you don’t want to pay shipping. After you buy it you enter its info into your mde account and then you can use it to enter the park and to enter the fastpass lines and for ride photos and photopass photos.

You will not be able to use a magic band to charge purchases or unlock the door to your room if you are staying at Swan or Dolphin.

 

[mikeishere]

You do not need a magic band. You make fastpasses on the mde app. No magic band required.

If you do not have a magic band, your park ticket will be an rfid card. You use the card to enter the parks and to enter the fastpass lines. For ride photos and photopass photos, I think you get a free card from a photopass photographer.

You can buy a magic band if you want. You can wait until you get to disney if you don’t want to pay shipping. After you buy it you enter its info into your mde account and then you can use it to enter the park and to enter the fastpass lines and for ride photos and photopass photos.

You will not be able to use a magic band to charge purchases or unlock the door to your room if you are staying at Swan or Dolphin.

oh that’s great thanks, so you don’t need a magic band at all really if you don’t want one? Had the impression a magic band worked everything in Disney world these days and I needed one, I guess not then which is good

 

[soccerdad72]

We just booked at the Swan and I entered the reservation number into MDE and a notification popped up that said our MagicBand package would be waiting for us at our resort. Does this mean we're getting MagicBands or does that just mean we can buy them when we go to check in?

 

[Best Aunt]

oh that’s great thanks, so you don’t need a magic band at all really if you don’t want one? Had the impression a magic band worked everything in Disney world these days and I needed one, I guess not then which is good

You do not need a magic band if you do not want one.

 

[shanes17]

We just booked at the Swan and I entered the reservation number into MDE and a notification popped up that said our MagicBand package would be waiting for us at our resort. Does this mean we're getting MagicBands or does that just mean we can buy them when we go to check in?

Hello, did you ever receive an answer to this question?

We are thinking of trying the Swan this time and wondering the same about the bands.

Thx

 

[soccerdad72]

Hello, did you ever receive an answer to this question?

We are thinking of trying the Swan this time and wondering the same about the bands.

Thx

No, I didn't get an answer until we checked in to the Swan. They told us at the front desk that we would need to purchase bands at the gift shop in the lobby. We decided to buy them - they really only worked as our WDW passes (and Fast Passes), but we figured we'd use them for future trips as well.

 

[shanes17]

No, I didn't get an answer until we checked in to the Swan. They told us at the front desk that we would need to purchase bands at the gift shop in the lobby. We decided to buy them - they really only worked as our WDW passes (and Fast Passes), but we figured we'd use them for future trips as well.

Thanks, yeah so we have some magic bands from prior trips I am sure could work out but good to know.

So what did you think of the Swan? Any drawbacks or things you found out after staying that you wouldve liked to have known about in advance? We are debating on Swan or Port Orleans Riverside. We like the idea of being within a short boat ride or 10 minute walk away from Hollywood Studios or Epcot, both parks we planned to attend.

 

[soccerdad72]

It worked well for my wife and I, minus our kids, because we spent most of our time at Epcot. It's a nice central location for all parks (except AK, obviously) and was nice to be able to walk to two parks, plus catch the monorail to MK. We only took a bus once in three days - to AK the one morning. I know many say you don't get that 'Disney Feel', but I liked the hotel overall.

 

[shanes17]

It worked well for my wife and I, minus our kids, because we spent most of our time at Epcot. It's a nice central location for all parks (except AK, obviously) and was nice to be able to walk to two parks, plus catch the monorail to MK. We only took a bus once in three days - to AK the one morning. I know many say you don't get that 'Disney Feel', but I liked the hotel overall.

Thanks for the reply, yeah my wife made the same comment about the 'Disney feel' and is a bit reluctant to stay there because of that. I am trying to work on her a bit, pointing out the fact we can walk to two parks and then also having that access to the Boardwalk which i think is cool. Plenty of restaurant options and a central location.

We also stayed at Baylake Towers once (Contemporary) and to me the theming of the room looks comparable. Bay Lake Tower didnt have a lot of the Disney 'flare' either, but we enjoyed it a lot due to the location and at that time our kids were younger so we walked to MK multiple days.

 

[Markal]

We are staying at Swan for the first time the end of March thru first part of April. I’ve had the same concerns about the Disney feel, but my husband has a meeting there With a pretty good rate. So we are trying it out. There are some perks we will def miss, but it’s a new adventure.