Swan or POFQ?

[DLgal]

For the exact same price (including the fees at the Swan), which would you choose? Trip will be solo, 5 nights. Meeting up with friends while there but rooming alone. Will be visiting all 4 parks and Disney Springs. Going in October.

POFQ: DME, Magic Band

vs.

Swan: Location, interior resort/hallways, nicer room/better bed

I can't decide!

 

[VAfamily1998]

I have not stayed at Swan, but have stayed at others in the area (BWI and Yacht Club.)
I have stayed at POFQ and I didn't really care for it; the pool is heavily targeted towards young kids, though you can walk over to POR for a better pool/hot tub.
I love the Swans location, especially because Food and Wine festival at Epcot will be during your stay.

 

[DLgal]

I have not stayed at Swan, but have stayed at others in the area (BWI and Yacht Club.)
I have stayed at POFQ and I didn't really care for it; the pool is heavily targeted towards young kids, though you can walk over to POR for a better pool/hot tub.
I love the Swans location, especially because Food and Wine festival at Epcot will be during your stay.

I probably won't use the pool.

But, yeah, Food & Wine. I keep forgetting about that.

I can also get the YC for only a bit more...hmm...

 

[ChasingLeslie]

Swan's location is better, but DME, MBs, and room charging are a big convenience...plus you'd have the DSp boat at FQ.

 

[CarrieR]

POFQ... I stayed last week for a night (solo) and fell absolutely in love. But, I prefer the quaint theming over the "chic" modern at S&D. Food court was great (plenty of options and so much quieter than I'm used to as a Pop-goer) and staff all seemed to take a lot of pride in their resort.

 

[rosiebean]

If you have park hoppers for going over for F&W a lot (and it doesn't sound like that's your plan currently), I'd choose Swan if other WDW resorts around the boardwalk were out.

Otherwise, I'd chose POFQ. I find the amenities (especially MDE) to be worth it. Plus, when you add in the cost get to Swan and back to the airport, plus their 'resort' fee, Swan tends not to be so much of a bargain, IMO. I also like WDW themed hotels, and find Swan to be generic. When I'm at Disney, I like to feel like I'm at Disney, even in my room, and Swan's don't do that for me. It's just a personal quirk. I'd be a little depressed during the trip waking up every day in a hotel room that looks like any hotel room in any city anywhere in the U.S.

Outside of my personal quirks, you might not care about what the room looks like or you might love how they look...and Swan gives you easy access to Epcot and HS.

 

[happymommy]

Swan! I have stayed there and loved it. Much better than Disney deluxe. Much, much better than moderate. No comparison.

 

[DLgal]

I did a similar trip last year and stayed at the Dolphin. I got a renovated room and it was gorgeous! I actually really liked it.

I have stayed at the Swan before and did NOT love it. Our room was old and musty and kinda gross. But that was back in 2012.

I have never stayed at POFQ, but I've done Riverside and also Coronado. I am always disappointed in my experiences at moderates but everyone keeps saying how great POFQ is...

I've also done F&W three times now plus just (over) did F&W at Disneyland. I can take it or leave it, to be honest. Not enough changes year to year.

 

[Babsy]

The Swan is completely renovated and gorgeous!! For the same price, no comparison, I would definitely go with the Swan! Better beds, great location, interior hallways, easy access to Epcot and DHS, so much a better deal for the money than POFQ. Just use Uber from MCO and pay the $12-$15 for a MK if you want one. The Swan is so much worth more than those two small expenses.

 

[LaBelleVie]

We haven't stayed at the Swan, but we LOVED POFQ. To me, the perks of a Disney-owned resort are totally worth it, but the Swan does have an excellent location.

 

[helenm29]

Well, I've never stayed at the Swan either but I have stayed at POFQ a few times and loved it! we stayed once while I kids were small and there was plenty for them to do. My husband and I have stayed twice without kids and we love it because its a quiet resort...not a lot of young children running around but full access to everything by boat or by bus. Whatever you chose, I'm sure it will be great! have a good time!

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Definitey Swan! Location, location, location! Plus they have newly renovated rooms and super comfy beds. We stayed there last Memorial Day and had a great time.

 

[patty57]

Swan.

 

[wdwthanksgiving]

Yacht If you add in the parking fees and daily resort fee at the Swan - does that then get the price closer to staying at the YC? If so, go with Yacht, if not, then Swan over POFQ because of the interior rooms and proximity to parks and restaurants.

 

[karly05]

No DME is a deal breaker for me at Swan/Dolphin (and I love POFQ), but Epcot resorts area is awesome, and if you can swing YC, I would definitely go for it!

 

[Leelo]

I stayed at the Poly for 6 nights last week and it was awesome! Then we switched resorts and stayed one night at POFQ for this past Saturday to give the Moderates a try. The grounds at POFQ were really pretty but we thought the room was not that great. Felt a little old/outdated except for the bedding (which was very fresh looking and appeared to be the same as the Poly, minus the decorative pillows). We decided we will not stay there again. I think I have a high standard though so it may depend on what you expect out of hotel/motel for the money. POFQ is motel style with exterior doors and no interior hallway. We usually prefer hotels over motels. (As a reference, we think the Comfort Inn line of hotels has way nicer rooms and we would consider it a "moderate" grade of hotel chain).

We also waited at POFQ for 40 minutes for a bus to MK and watched 4 buses to Epcot go by while we waited. I am thinking this is not normal by listening to complaints of others around us who were waiting but it gave me a bad impression of the transportation there. I am hoping this is not the norm. I did ride the boat from Epcot to Hollywood Studios and the boat stopped at Swan and Dolphin on the way. I know you can't get all the same perks staying there but the boat transportation seems really convenient for those 2 parks and it was a very relaxing boat ride.

In our situation, we are close enough to drive and not fly which can make a huge difference for some people but for the money, we decided we would rather stay at a nicer hotel close by with less Disney perks.

 

[WDWOswald]

Seriously? The Swan is better in every single way.

 

[WDWOswald]

I stayed at the Poly for 6 nights last week and it was awesome! Then we switched resorts and stayed one night at POFQ for this past Saturday to give the Moderates a try. The grounds at POFQ were really pretty but we thought the room was not that great. Felt a little old/outdated except for the bedding (which was very fresh looking and appeared to be the same as the Poly, minus the decorative pillows). We decided we will not stay there again. I think I have a high standard though so it may depend on what you expect out of hotel/motel for the money. POFQ is motel style with exterior doors and no interior hallway. We usually prefer hotels over motels. (As a reference, we think the Comfort Inn line of hotels has way nicer rooms and we would consider it a "moderate" grade of hotel chain).

We also waited at POFQ for 40 minutes for a bus to MK and watched 4 buses to Epcot go by while we waited. I am thinking this is not normal by listening to complaints of others around us who were waiting but it gave me a bad impression of the transportation there. I am hoping this is not the norm. I did ride the boat from Epcot to Hollywood Studios and the boat stopped at Swan and Dolphin on the way. I know you can't get all the same perks staying there but the boat transportation seems really convenient for those 2 parks and it was a very relaxing boat ride.

In our situation, we are close enough to drive and not fly which can make a huge difference for some people but for the money, we decided we would rather stay at a nicer hotel close by with less Disney perks.

I'm getting really sick of Disney taking customers for granted. There is zero reason a freaking days inn room should be nicer than a Disney moderate resort room. This is why I only stay deluxe, and even then, our room at the beach club this week was quite underwhelming.

 

[WDWOswald]

No DME is a deal breaker for me at Swan/Dolphin (and I love POFQ), but Epcot resorts area is awesome, and if you can swing YC, I would definitely go for it!

Is DME *that* important? Wow.

 

[cluvsdisney]

This would be a no brainer for me. We would stay at the Swan...it's a much nicer resort in a great location.