Swan or Dolphin for Marathon Weekend

[dragitoff]

Has anyone stayed at the Dolphin or Swan for Marathon weekend and if so, how was the transportation to the starting line? Last year, we stayed at the Contemporary and the monorail to the starting line was so nice. There's a couple running with us this year that may not be able to swing the upcharge for the CR or any other monorail resort, so I'm trying to look into a nice alternative resort for them.

Thanks for the feedback in advance!

 

[rpcvpanama]

Transportation is via buses. You can't walk through Epcot to gt to the start. After the race, if you have a ticket, you could walk back thru Epcot to get back to the Swan/Dolphin, but it would be a relatively long walk after a long race. We stayed at the Swan or the 2011 marathon and had no issues with the buses. We love the Swan and often stay there for our Disney vacations.

 

[goofeygirl]

I always stay at the Dolphin. I find no issues with the bus schedule. They run frequently for the expo and the races themselves.

Whats nice about the Dolphin is that they have that 24 hour buff-eteria...so when you are up that early you can go get yourself a bananna and yogurt or even oatmeal if you want...or coffee.

I think between the two hotels they are good value. Plus you are in the Epcot resorts area. You can walk around Boardwalk at night. Plenty of resturants to chose from. You can walk to Epcot as the op just mentioned and you can also walk or boat ride to Hollywood studios.

I say go for it...oh and the pools are nice too because you use the pools of either hotel.

The nay to it is that you cannot use your room card to charge to any other resort but the Swan Dolphin. Becaues they are run by an outside company.

 

[Bookwood]

I've stayed at the Dolphin for several races and always liked staying there. The Boardwalk has several great places to eat not too far away if you are sore after also.

 

[FireDancer]

I stayed at the Swan for marathon weekend in 2011 and it was great. There is really no difference so I'd go with whichever one you can get a better rate at.

 

[dragitoff]

I stayed at the Swan for marathon weekend in 2011 and it was great. There is really no difference so I'd go with whichever one you can get a better rate at.

I've stayed there before but never for marathon weekend. The transportation was my concern but if the busses are as good there as the "Disney Resorts" then I think that's where we will stay.

 

[Ariel484]

Only thing to keep in mind is that S&D share buses with the other Epcot-area resorts...Boardwalk, Yacht and Beach. I forget what the exact order is. It's not a big deal, but it's something to keep in mind (especially when going to the start...don't want to get on a bus too late and then have to wait to make the extra stops). But I stayed at BCV for the marathon in 2012 and the bus sharing was fine.

 

[FireDancer]

Only thing to keep in mind is that S&D share buses with the other Epcot-area resorts...Boardwalk, Yacht and Beach. I forget what the exact order is. It's not a big deal, but it's something to keep in mind (especially when going to the start...don't want to get on a bus too late and then have to wait to make the extra stops). But I stayed at BCV for the marathon in 2012 and the bus sharing was fine.

This is true of the normal buses for the parks but I seem to remember the Swan & Dolphin having their own for marathon weekend events. Someone else will have to confirm that but I don't remember the marathon or expo buses going to all the Epcot loop resorts in addition to the S&D.

 

[goofeygirl]

For the expo and marathon Swan/Dolphin share a bus with each other but no other hotels.
In fact, I had heard through the grapevine that the bus service between these two hotels was actually better than the other resorts because apparently more marathoners are staying there.

My brother has stayed in several different resorts in Disney during marathon weekend and I aways hear a sorted tale of late buses, over crowded buses and waiting and waiting...I have always stayed at the Dolphin and never experienced that at all. I don't wait for the last bus either.

 

[bumbershoot]

Ooh, neat idea. And to have those beds to sleep on before and after the races? Heavenly and Dream-like. (Sheraton has Dream beds, right?)

 

[cewait]

This is true of the normal buses for the parks but I seem to remember the Swan & Dolphin having their own for marathon weekend events. Someone else will have to confirm that but I don't remember the marathon or expo buses going to all the Epcot loop resorts in addition to the S&D.

It's been both ways. the S&D sharing their own marathon bus and sharing with the Boardwalk.

Frankly, there is little sharing between resorts on the way to the race as the bus generally fills at the first stop in the peak period.

Note that if not mentioned above, walking back to the S&D is a great cool down if you are willing to burn a pass.

 

[goofeygirl]

I think I would be willing to burn a pass...to walk back after the full. The lines for any bus back to the hotel (unless you are a fast finisher) is long. In fact, the lines were so long to get on a return bus back to any hotel, they almost merged into each other.

Later that night after the races I went to MK...So if I walked thru Epcot I would have to spend another 30 dollars to be able to use that same pass in MK if I were to do that next year.


I guess that will all depend on that moment!

Altough standing in line wasn't that horrednous, it is tough after you just did 26.2 miles.

 

[Bephus]

I stayed at the Swan for W&D last year and it was great even thought they were not a "host" resort. For the full this year we stayed at Beach and each resort gets their own buses for the start and then the Epcot resorts share for the return. I walked onto a waiting bus when I finished (around 5 hours) and the bus was neither crowded nor was there a line. The Swolphin are the first stops for the buses.