Swan or Dolphin?

[StrwLady]

Ok insanity has taken hold of me. We just got back from Disney 2 weeks ago and im considering taking my son in December!

I was looking at possibly staying at the Swan or Dolphin to save a few $$. Is there much difference between the 2. Is one better for a child. My son will be 8.

I'm also considering concierge. I saw pictures of the breakfast offering but what types of foods do they have for lunch and dinner? And do Swan and Dolphin guest have access to Extra Magic hours?

Thanks for any information that might help me make a decision!

Take Care

 

[Trekker]

I can tell you a few things that might help!

The Dolphin is much larger than the Swan - you will walk a lot further to get to and from your room.

The Swan has queen beds and the Dolphin has double beds. Both of which are awesome - some of the best beds I've ever slept in. In fact we bought a new bed after one of our stays there!

Both share the same amenities, pools, restaurants, etc.

Tubbie's is a Buffeteria that is located in the Dolphin and is a cool place to get meals and snacks.

The Swan is further from the main pool.

The Swan and Dolphin enjoy all the same benfits as a Disney resort with the exception of being able to charge to your room at the parks.

Good luck with your choice!

 

[PCFriar80]

Trekker nailed it! Just one other thing you may want to know about S/D, they do not participate in Magical Express. Just in case you were considering that for your transfers.

 

[Lives4Disney]

Hi, we have stayed at the Swan, club level and Dolphin club level.

With my kids, I prefer the Dolphin as it has more casual food choices than the Swan, and my 15 yr old likes the arcade (none at Swan), and it is closer to the pool.

As far as concierge goes, it is different from the WDW resorts. The lounge closes after bfast and does not open until 5 pm for appetizers. I believe it closes again at 8 pm for the night. You do not have access to snacks & drinks throughout the day as you do in a WDW resort concierge floor.

The bfast is good enough for us (yogurt, danish, fruit, cereal). The appetizers have been really yummy. They have veggie & cheese trays, dips, breads & crackers, and one or two hot appetizers. They also have delicious cookies and chips out. They do serve alcohol, but it is not free. You can have soda & bottled water, tea, coffee and hot cocoa (I think).

The lounge staff is friendly and helpful.

I enjoy concierge at the WDW resorts, but the next time we do S/D, I don't think we will stay on the club floor. It is OK, but nothing fabulous. We usually do not even make it back for any appetizers - we like table service restaurants for dinner anyway. We just use it for a quick bfast.

You will have access to the extra magic hours & you can take advantage of the package delivery service from the park shops to the gift shop at the S/D.

Happy planning!

Lives4Disney

 

[lorik]

Everything I read about the Swan says there is no arcade. There actually is one, though not as good as the one at the Dolphin. It is located by the lap pool, near Splash Grill.

 

[Lives4Disney]

Everything I read about the Swan says there is no arcade. There actually is one, though not as good as the one at the Dolphin. It is located by the lap pool, near Splash Grill.

Oh Yeah! I totally forgot about that. My son did walk down there on our first Swan stay, but he wasn't impressed with it at all. He is an arcade critic.

Thanks for the info -

Lives4Disney

 

[2disneycruzrs]

Hi

With my kids, I prefer the Dolphin as it has more casual food choices than the Swan, and my 15 yr old likes the arcade (none at Swan), and it is closer to the pool.
Lives4Disney

We prefer the Dolphin because of the 50's style fountain shop for a quick snack or ice cream cone, and they also have a small pantry at the Dolphin. You can't go wrong with either hotel...Heavenly Beds!

 

[lyncruiser]

We stayed at the Dolphin and enjoyed it. But, I'd probably choose the Swan next time for the queen size beds and the fact that the MK bus stops at Swan first, then the Dolphin.

 

[Muffy]

It is so hard to pick one of these resorts over the other. They're both great! Having said that, we are planning to return to the Swan in Feb. for our second visit. We just like the intimate feel of the Swan. We love the Dolphin too for many reasons. The beautiful lobby, the views, BLUE ZOO and much more. The Swan has incredible views too. I really don't think you can go wrong with either one. Happy planning!

 

[DisneyFans4]

We always stay at the Swan because it is much quieter and I have two teenage boys and prefer the double queen beds for their rooms. The Swan does have an arcade by their quiet pool but it is smaller. If I want to use the amenities of the Dolphin it is really a quick walk from the Swan. The only thing I would wish is that the Swan would get their own laundry room. Everytime I'm there I keep making the recommendation so I'm hoping somewhere down the road they will get one.
The S/D share the Disney transportation and the extra magic hours. The only thing they don't share is the magical express.
Either way, whatever hotel you choose they are both great!!