The **New** Swan and Dolphin Resort thread ~ April 2012 ~ Please read post #1

[bear_mom]

Oh no. I was reading this thread and read that the reservations have to be made in the name of the person using the discount - duh. I am the nurse and without thinking I made our reservations in dh's name (I typically do when we are travelling together).

I e-mail management and hopefully will hear back from them this morning.

One more thing to work out/do this week and dh thinks we can wait and pack for our 9 day trip the night before we leave while still doing our crazy Thursday night activities.

Emily

 

[robinbutterfly]

Looking forward to our first Swan stay in October!!!! I haven't read through all this thread, but I am looking forward to reading it all!

 

[robinbutterfly]

Can I put my theme park tickets and room key together... like when I stay at a Disney resort?

 

[diskids2]

Hi All!
I have a $25 Restaurant.com certificate for the Garden Grove. Although we are going this summer to WDW, we won't be using it. If anyone would like it just PM me with an address to send it to. I'm not looking for anything for it. Just being nice!

 

[Dan Murphy]

Can I put my theme park tickets and room key together... like when I stay at a Disney resort?

No, can not combine them.

 

[SleepingBeauty69]

Looking to try out the S/D in August 2013, so I'm researching my info. HOW do you choose between the two hotels? It will be myself, DH and DD who will be 10 at the time.

Honestly for us it was the Queen Beds and TWO sinks that swayed us to book [with points] at the Swan. It's myself, my husband and our two boys [9 and 6] - I kind of need my own "space" getting ready, not that I'm spending a lot of time doing it - because of course getting to the parks is my [our] #1 priority

 

[diskids2]

Hi All!
I have a $25 Restaurant.com certificate for the Garden Grove. Although we are going this summer to WDW, we won't be using it. If anyone would like it just PM me with an address to send it to. I'm not looking for anything for it. Just being nice!

The certificate has been claimed. Everyone have a good trip!

Linda

 

[Kidgoingon40]

Dh and I are staying at wdw for a couple of nights at the beginning of oct for our 10th anniversary. We were planning on staying at the bwi, but now I am reconsidering. While still having a really nice trip, we are trying to save more money on this trip than we normally do at wdw. I am really thinking about the swan (I like that it is smaller than the dolphin). We would be saving a good amount with the aaa rate. I am a bit apprehensive just because we have always stayed at the Disneyfied Disney hotels. I love that the swan is a short walk from Epcot and is close to the boardwalk - I am really looking forward to checking this area out.

I have some basic questions -

So, if staying at the swan do you just purchase your tickets separately and you still get pretty much all of the Disney property benefits except no charging from the parks to your room key?

What does resort view mean?

About how long would you say the walk from the swan to the picabu quick service? Is it pretty good?

Thanks for your help

 

[TaraPA]

Dh and I are staying at wdw for a couple of nights at the beginning of oct for our 10th anniversary. We were planning on staying at the bwi, but now I am reconsidering. While still having a really nice trip, we are trying to save more money on this trip than we normally do at wdw. I am really thinking about the swan (I like that it is smaller than the dolphin). We would be saving a good amount with the aaa rate. I am a bit apprehensive just because we have always stayed at the Disneyfied Disney hotels. I love that the swan is a short walk from Epcot and is close to the boardwalk - I am really looking forward to checking this area out.

I have some basic questions -

So, if staying at the swan do you just purchase your tickets separately and you still get pretty much all of the Disney property benefits except no charging from the parks to your room key? Correct. You can use Disney Transportation to parks & participate in EMH. But no DDP or ME.

What does resort view mean? We've had a few Resort Views - they are of the pool area, the grounds, some overlook the boat dock area, some are facing The Dolphin.

About how long would you say the walk from the swan to the picabu quick service? Is it pretty good? The walk would be about 10 minutes. We love Picabu, they have a large variety of foods & we've never had anything we didn't like. They give 20% off for AAA members which is a plus.

Thanks for your help

Enjoy your stay!

 

[robinbutterfly]

Do all the restaurants in the resort give 20 percent off to AAA members?

 

[Kidgoingon40]

TaraPA, thank you I was looking at an older menu for picabu on allears, and it sounds great - I was surprised about the selection. I love that about the discount


I actually thought of a few more things that would help

About how long is the walk from the swan to Epcot?

About how long is the walk from the swan to the self parking?

We often like to bring our quick service food at the hotel to our room to eat. I read that picabu is cafeteria style - would we able to get our food in to go packaging so we could eat in our room?

Thanks again

 

[Dan Murphy]

Do all the restaurants in the resort give 20 percent off to AAA members?

The non-signature restaurants do.

Picabu, Fresh, Garden Grove, Fountain, Cabana Bar, Splash Grill.

 

[Dan Murphy]

TaraPA, thank you I was looking at an older menu for picabu on allears, and it sounds great - I was surprised about the selection. I love that about the discount


I actually thought of a few more things that would help

About how long is the walk from the swan to Epcot?

About how long is the walk from the swan to the self parking?

We often like to bring our quick service food at the hotel to our room to eat. I read that picabu is cafeteria style - would we able to get our food in to go packaging so we could eat in our room?

Thanks again

http://www.wdwmagic.com/Walking-Distances.htm

Self parking walk is about 2 minutes (3 for me )

Yes, you can get food to go. And know that there is a 13% service charge at Picabu. I am okay with it, but just so you know ahead of time.

 

[Kidgoingon40]

Dan Murphy, thank you for the info and that link is great

 

[TaraPA]

TaraPA, thank you I was looking at an older menu for picabu on allears, and it sounds great - I was surprised about the selection. I love that about the discount


I actually thought of a few more things that would help

About how long is the walk from the swan to Epcot? For us, 10 min. at a brisk pace, 15-20 if we meander or stop along the way to see something.

About how long is the walk from the swan to the self parking? What Dan said! The Swan parking lot is right across from the main entrance.

We often like to bring our quick service food at the hotel to our room to eat. I read that picabu is cafeteria style - would we able to get our food in to go packaging so we could eat in our room? Absolutely. We've even had them pack it up to take out to the pool chairs.

Thanks again

 

[Kidgoingon40]

Thanks again, TaraPA I am glad to hear the parking is so close - definite plus

I am going to have to discuss all of this with dh tonight - when I talked to him about it last week he thought the rooms looked too plain lol

 

[dancindeb1]

We have reservations for a 2 and a half bay hospitality suite at the dolphin with a connecting room. Has anyone stayed in one of these? I'm just wondering how they compare to a regular suite. I haven't been able to find any pictures of one online. I'm also wondering about the comfort of the murphy bed. It was a good price for a lot of space, but I'm a little nervous about it.

 

[el_tigre]

About how long would you say the walk from the swan to the picabu quick service? Is it pretty good? The walk would be about 10 minutes.

Not to be too nit picky, but there's no way that walk would be 10 minutes. The exit from the Swan to the entrance to Picabu can't be any more than the distance of a football field. Even walking at a fairly slow pace, it won't be more than five minutes. The two resorts are very close to each other.

 

[MomtoGKC]

Heading to the Dolphin for a quick one night visit tomorrow. It is kind of silly, but we are driving up form south Florida to go to Legoland for the day. We'll be leaving early, like 6:30ish, to get to Legoland when it opens. I don't really feel like making the 3 hour drive twice in a day with the kids (just me, DS, friend & her DS) so I convinced my friend to go to the Dolphin after Legoland!

We're going to hopefully get there just before dinner, we have ADRs at Il Mulino and then are going to enjoy a little Disney fun by walking around the boardwalk. In the morning we'll have breakfast and let the boys play for an hour or two at the resort before we head back home.

I was hoping to go into Epcot to see the fireworks because I have an AP, but my friend is form out of state and I couldn't ask her to pay over $150 for a 2 hour visit to Epcot. Although I am considering having her wait by the bridge while I run in and grab us some Grey Goose Slushies!!

 

[Poohbug]

Just booked out first stay at the Dolphin for June. We just needed two nights before we move to our condo and had to decide between the Dolphin or POR. I choose the Dolphin.

So excited but I know absolutely nothing about the Dolphin. I will have a car. Is valet parking worth the extra money? I'm worried that self parking will be far, far away and it will just be me and three kids checking in. Also, I am planning on getting to the hotel early and just hanging around the resort until check in on our arrival and leaving the car in the lot until 6 or 7 pm on our check out date. Is this going to be a problem?

Any great drinks to be had at the resort? I will be driving 24 hours to get there and when I do, I would love a nice drink by the beach while the kids play.