Swan/Dolphin Balcony & Concierge

[shesleuth]

Am confused about balcony rooms in Swan and Dolphin .

Are there rooms that have balconies in both the Swan and the Dolphin or only in one or the other?

Also, are the rooms on the concierge/club level that have a balcony??

We really would like a room with a balcony but love the idea of concierge ... is going to be a tough one to pick if we can't have both.

 

[BambiTamby]

Concierge at the Dolphin level is on the 12th floor and those rooms do not have balconies, but....

you can get a room with balcony on a lower level and have club level privileges.
We did that earlier this month with our executive suite on the 9th floor.

Hope this helps! I'll be posting my concierge pics of the Dolphin this weekend.

 

[Hieatt]

First, I have heard that due to the Club Lounge being overwhelmed with guests, that they no longer grant access to the Lounge unless you actually are on floors 12 and 14, or if you are SPG Platinium... true or not true?

Second, I have heard that no Executive Suite at the Dolphin has a balcony, but I have also heard that some exist at ground level that have a patio walk-out... true or not true?

Advice for shesleuth: I have stayed on Club Level and in balcony rooms at the Dolphin. If you have to pick between Club Level and a balcony room, go with a balcony room. I found Club Level to be a bit disappointing. The hours of the Lounge are pretty limited and the rooms are identical to any other rooms, save for a bath scale and robe. And half of the Club Level rooms face the parking lot - which happened to us. Plus, balcony rooms are cheaper.

Go with a balcony and ask to face Epcot in the far East wing or the Grotto pool in the far West wing. The other thing I think would be cool (and thus my question above) is to get a ground floor room facing the pool, so you could just walk straight out to swim! You would lose a good view, but I think the convenience of direct outside access would make up for it.

 

[BambiTamby]

Like I said on my other post, we HAD an executive suite on the 9th and had club level privileges.
(Your resort ID will have "CL" after your name on the card).

ALL but two of the executive suites I've stayed in had a balcony.

So...the answers to the poster's above questions are
"NOT TRUE"!



Oh, BTW....I AM Starwood Platinum.

 

[Hieatt]

Thanks for the reply Bambi...

Actually, you may have confirmed my initial question - the only way to get Club Level access without being on Club Level is to be SPG Platinum... and I am a modest Gold....

But, you have perked my interest with your reply to the balcony question... I had always heard that no suites at the Dolphin have balconies (although some at the Swan do), but maybe I was getting confused between suites and Club Level.

It sounds like you have stayed in Executive Suites a few times - we have a 2BR Exec Suite at the Dolphin reserved for NYE - any tips on specific rooms or areas to request?? We have stayed at the Dolphin numerous times before, but never in a Suite - we are very excited! Please do tell more!

 

[madge]

Originally posted by Hieatt
Thanks for the reply Bambi...

Actually, you may have confirmed my initial question - the only way to get Club Level access without being on Club Level is to be SPG Platinum... and I am a modest Gold....

But, you have perked my interest with your reply to the balcony question... I had always heard that no suites at the Dolphin have balconies (although some at the Swan do), but maybe I was getting confused between suites and Club Level.

It sounds like you have stayed in Executive Suites a few times - we have a 2BR Exec Suite at the Dolphin reserved for NYE - any tips on specific rooms or areas to request?? We have stayed at the Dolphin numerous times before, but never in a Suite - we are very excited! Please do tell more!

I am SPG Gold. I always have a balcony room and CL access. I use points for the CL access, and am charged 1000 points per night.

This is at the Dolphin and the Swan.

I have done it 3 times this year.

 

[Hieatt]

Thanks for the info Madge! I will have to try this - it would be worth 1000 points/night I think.

Glad to see that someone from my part of the country goes to Disney World 3-4 times/year... I would go that much if it wasn't for my spouse telling me that 1-2 times/year is already too much!

 

[madge]

Originally posted by Hieatt
Thanks for the info Madge! I will have to try this - it would be worth 1000 points/night I think.

Glad to see that someone from my part of the country goes to Disney World 3-4 times/year... I would go that much if it wasn't for my spouse telling me that 1-2 times/year is already too much!

this is an unusual year, LOL....normally we are good for one trip DH had to be in Orlando this summer, so last fall we bought Annual Passes, with the intent of getting 2 fall breaks and the summer trip out of them. the schools adjusted the calendar just enough so that our passes expire the day before Fall Break so we moved our Fall Break trip back 6 months, LOL. because of a SPG promo, we earned a free weekend night...we had some flight credit to use..so DH and I went by ourselves to the Flower & Garden Festival in May

we got home from WDW on August 1...and look at my countdown, LOL! we don't mind the drive at all....I've got enough SPG points for 2 free nights at the S/D and the other part of the trip we are staying at an offsite condo.

what part of Cincinnati are you from? DH and I lived across the river, in KY for years

 

[BambiTamby]

Finally!

Downloaded pictures for the Dolphin Club Level and executive suite with a balcony.

I know I have some Swan pics somewhere, still looking for those!

Enjoy!

 

[SandiH]

"I am SPG Gold. I always have a balcony room and CL access. I use points for the CL access, and am charged 1000 points per night."

Madge -

What level (view) room did you start out with before you upgraded to CL. Did you have a balcony room or did you get that with a free upgrade due to your gold status?

We are going in December - week before and including Christmas - just curious to what you started with on your reservation.

 

[madge]

Originally posted by SandiH
"I am SPG Gold. I always have a balcony room and CL access. I use points for the CL access, and am charged 1000 points per night."

Madge -

What level (view) room did you start out with before you upgraded to CL. Did you have a balcony room or did you get that with a free upgrade due to your gold status?

We are going in December - week before and including Christmas - just curious to what you started with on your reservation.

usually resort view with balcony...I like my balcony and would rather have it and access to the CL than actually be on the CL floor. In May, we stayed at the Swan on a promo and had a resort view with no balcony, I believe....it was a nice view of the Boardwalk and the lake towards MGM. We just didn't have a balcony.

 

[Hieatt]

BambiTamby... Great pictures! And it looks like yet another myth has been disproved - that suites don't have balconies!

I am curious - did you have a 1 BR or a 2 BR suite? We have a 2 BR reserved and I really want a balcony - and I want to know what to ask for! Thanks!

 

[Kapp]

last December and had a balcony room and CL privs. We asked for this prior to check-in and again at check-in and there was not problem at all. We are a SPG member and used points for the CL privs.

A perfect world would have CL rooms with balaconys but having to travel to the CL from a room with a balacony is not that bad at all. We love the view from a balcony and love the extra space too!

 

[#1hockeymom]

Hello, my name is Debbie and I am normal every day nothing fancy SPG card. At the Swan I paid for the club level room *with a wonderful discount through DU!) and requested on my reservation to have a balcony facing Epcot. They gave us a fabulous room with balcony, and it shows up in most pictures that people take of the Swan! Top corner room, towards the Boardwalk bridge. We loved it! At the Dolphin I also paid for Club level *teacher discount!* and was upgraded to a hospitality suite which we loved for the space. Being that I had three kids with me and one wasn't mine nor was he going to be sleeping with the oldest, space meant more to me than a balcony! I have never actually been on a club level floor when booking club level at either resort. Come to think of it, I have never been in the concierge area at AKL when booking it, except in the case of our suite upgrade last July (and that was from a regular savannah view concierge room). LOL I guess I have a thing for views unless I am offered more space, then I just say thank you and try to stop smiling!

The moral of the story? Smile sweetly and ask. The Swan and Dolphin staff love to please!

 

[SandiH]

Thanks for all the info in this thread. It has encouraged me to upgrade my reservation to resort view/balcony so that I can upgrade with points to CL priveledges. It's only costing me $30 a night more from a standard view!