swan or dolphin

[melsmom303]

please help me decide we are coming with teenagers what one is better for a family with teens ty ill be booking in the next few days but cant decide ty . if anyone has stayed at both let me know

 

[flynnmnstr]

We have been guests at both hotels both pre and post renovations. I love both but definitely prefer the Dolphin. More quick dining option- Tubbies and Dolphin Soda fountain; On Site Laundry and good game room. We just feel that everythings a little more convienient at the Dolphin. That being said the Swan is good too because the beds are a little bigger (queen vs doubles) and we've always noticed that less families with little kids so its a little quieter. The Swan is more compact so it isn't a far walk from any room to the bus stop or to the Dolphin. We had a room at the Dolphin once that took about 5 minutes just to get to the elevator- Great view though! Hope this helps!!

 

[melsmom303]

so far i think im leaning a little more twords the dolphin . is starbucks in the dolphin????

 

[pooh2001]

Dolphin - closer to the large pool, has the game room and laundry. dolphin fountain for ice cream and sandwhiches, tubbies for the refillable mugs, room feels bigger b/c of the double beds vs queen of the Swan. The double beds are a bit larger than normal.

The lap pool is also closer to the Dolphin.

The bus does pick up at the Swan first - you can walk there in 5 mins to get the bus on the 1st pickup. The walk to the boat dock for EPCOT and Studio's is the same.

Great views from the Dolphin of EPCOT &/or Studio's fireworks. Ask for an end wing with a view of a Park.

 

[NHAnn]

We stayed at the Swan last month, our first time after several stays at the Dolphin. I love them both...
but DD 18 prefers the Dolphin.......for the atmosphere and larger "wow" lobby, and the location of Tubbi's and the Soda Fountain right there.

 

[Laura]

This is an interesting thread... I'm trying to decide which one of the two to choose. It's hard to decide!

 

[swilphil]

so far i think im leaning a little more twords the dolphin . is starbucks in the dolphin????

Tubbi's in the Dolphin serves Starbucks. Definitely get a refillable mug! There is a little coffee counter/bar area in the lobby of the Swan. It think it serves Starbucks, but I'm not sure if you can refill your mug there.

You really can't go wrong with either hotel. Oddly enough, our room at the Swan was a shorter walk to Tubbi's and the Grotto pool than our room on the East Wing of the Dolphin. I do like the lobby much better at the Dolphin (and the occassional cheaper room rate). The Swan has queen beds, a bigger bathroom, and a room layout that I liked better.

 

[vcunning]

I'm not sure . . . . but I thought the all of the Swan rooms had the Starwood Heavenly Beds and only some of the Dolphin rooms did.

Those beds are fantastic!

 

[Leota]

I think all the rooms at the Dolphin have been renovated by now - so they should all have the HB.

I love them both, but chose the Dolphin with the 2 teens. If it were just you & your spouse, I might have chosen the Swan. They are both fantastic & you can't go wrong either way.

 

[sherry8253]

We stayed at the Swan several times and last month we could only get a discount at the Dolphin so we stayed there for the first time. I was prepared to like the Swan better than the Dolphin but I became a Dolphin fan. We were on the 18th floor and it was a short walk to restaurants, boat, gift shop, lobby, etc. I would now chose the Dolphin over the Swan because Tubbi's & Fresh are so close and I loved the atmosphere at the Dolphin. We didn't bother with a re-fillable mug at the Swan because we had to walk through the Swan then go outside and through the Dolphin then back outside and back through the Swan to get a drink. If I could get a discount at both places, I would now chose the Dolphin.

 

[CRSNDSNY]

We've stayed at both Swan and Dolphin.

Personally, we like the Swan better because it is a bit smaller than the Dolphin, BUT, if we were going with teenagers, we would probably be more likely to want to eat at Tubbi's or the Fountain at the Dolphin. So it may be more convenient to be at the Dolphin.