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

[vicb]

Hi. Just checked the Dolphin reservation site again today and noticed the AAA rates are now posted for my trip in early May 2014. Have never been to WDW in May and wondering if this will be the best rate and I should book or is it likely the rates will drop anymore?

$242 base rate for a resort view room with 2 beds, that's $289 with tax and i think the resort fee added to that so still apx. $300 per night.

That seems a bit high considering I paid less than that when I stayed at the Dolphin Easter week in 2012.

Should I just keep my eye on the rates? I don't qualify for teacher, nurse or govt. And I need two rooms so have got to be cost conscious.

Thanks for any thoughts.

 

[SingingMom]

That sounds great, SM, have a great trip!!!

Sent from my desktop

Thanks Dan! You know how excited I am, on all accounts!! ;-)

"SingingMom" ....Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[luvallprincesses]

I have to share my excitement! Just booked the Dolphin for spring break this year! We stayed at the Swan last spring break for the first time, and we loved it! It was one of our best Disney trips ever! It will be me, dh and our two boys, ages 15 and 12. We loved walking to Epcot and lounging by the amazing pool.

Anyone else going end of March? We got a pretty good deal on the room, plus free breakfasts as SPG members.

Could you please expand on the "free breakfasts as SPG members"? What level are you at to receive that perk?

 

[Dan Murphy]

Could you please expand on the "free breakfasts as SPG members"? What level are you at to receive that perk?

Possibly the platinum breakfast perk?

https://www.starwoodhotels.com/preferredguest/account/member_benefits/platinum_preferred.html

 

[Shula]

Hi. Just checked the Dolphin reservation site again today and noticed the AAA rates are now posted for my trip in early May 2014. Have never been to WDW in May and wondering if this will be the best rate and I should book or is it likely the rates will drop anymore?

$242 base rate for a resort view room with 2 beds, that's $289 with tax and i think the resort fee added to that so still apx. $300 per night.

That seems a bit high considering I paid less than that when I stayed at the Dolphin Easter week in 2012.

Should I just keep my eye on the rates? I don't qualify for teacher, nurse or govt. And I need two rooms so have got to be cost conscious.

Thanks for any thoughts.

We got a AAA rate for a standard room at $215, $242 with taxes for June 2014. I'm still hoping we can get it lower than that. Somebody said on here they should drop again in January.

 

[BCVNovember]

Since I've been checking rates on the swandolphin.com website for my vacation in February the rates for Automobile Association (which I assumed meant AAA) reservations have been at least $50 MORE a night than the regular rates, so I made a reservation last month with the regular rate. Today I saw that people were getting AAA rates for next summer so I checked on the website and saw that there are now lower rates for "Automobile Association." So I saw the lower rate and went to my reservation on the Starwood website to change to the lower rate, and there is a lower rate available but it is not as low as on swandolphin.com (about $125 higher). Before I change my reservation I just want to confirm that Automobile Association is indeed the same thing as AAA?

UPDATE: I called Starwood and got the rate changed to the lower rate I had seen on the swandolphin website and was told that the higher rate on Starwood was because I had asked for a rollaway bed. I don't recall ever asking for a rollaway. The reservation was for myself and 3 kids in an alcove room. I had the reservation changed to 1 adult and 2 kids because I'm not sure that the 3rd kid is coming. I had added a request for a 2 bed room, which I know is only a request, but I had also planned to bring an airbed if the 3rd child does come and we end up with a king room. Is there some reason that they would require me to have a rollaway bed?

 

[afcgirl]

Could you please expand on the "free breakfasts as SPG members"? What level are you at to receive that perk?

Hi, we are just regular SPG members. The rate is called SPG breakfast plus, and you have to specifically click on it as an option when you are on the spg website looking for rates. For no additional charge we get two adult continental breakfasts at the Swan Java bar or Dolphin lounge. Nothing too exciting but it should save us some money. We still have to pay for our kids meals though.

We are preferred members, not gold or platinum members.

 

[luvallprincesses]

Hi, we are just regular SPG members. The rate is called SPG breakfast plus, and you have to specifically click on it as an option when you are on the spg website looking for rates. For no additional charge we get two adult continental breakfasts at the Swan Java bar or Dolphin lounge. Nothing too exciting but it should save us some money. We still have to pay for our kids meals though.

We are preferred members, not gold or platinum members.

Thanks for getting back. Is this only if you are using points to book or also if paying cash? I assume its a separate rate, so using a teacher discount and the breakfast rate wouldn't be compatible? Free adult breakfasts sounds great!

 

[Dan Murphy]

http://www.starwoodpromos.com/spgbreakfastplus/

 

[timestwo]

Possibly the platinum breakfast perk?

I'm SPG Platinum and I'm taking my family in a few weeks. I did a little research and it looks like Swolphin has opted out of the free breakfast perk for Platinums. Bummer, b/c I've saved a boatload by taking my family into the lounges or taking advantage of free breakfast certs at other SPG properties. Not sure about all the details but it was a letdown to learn that for sure!

 

[collette0725]

I have to share my excitement! Just booked the Dolphin for spring break this year! We stayed at the Swan last spring break for the first time, and we loved it! It was one of our best Disney trips ever! It will be me, dh and our two boys, ages 15 and 12. We loved walking to Epcot and lounging by the amazing pool.

Anyone else going end of March? We got a pretty good deal on the room, plus free breakfasts as SPG members.

What level SPG member are you? Is it only for Platinum? Thanks!

 

[afcgirl]

Thanks for getting back. Is this only if you are using points to book or also if paying cash? I assume its a separate rate, so using a teacher discount and the breakfast rate wouldn't be compatible? Free adult breakfasts sounds great!

We are not using points, we are paying cash. I don't know about combining it with a teacher discount though.

 

[afcgirl]

What level SPG member are you? Is it only for Platinum? Thanks!

It is for all SPG members, not just platinum. We are just regular preferred members.

 

[afcgirl]

http://www.starwoodpromos.com/spgbreakfastplus/

Yep, that's it!

Edited to add: I just clicked on the link above and the Dolphin/Swan is not showing up for some reason. However, if you go to SPG.com to get rates for the Dolphin and click on the SPG breakfast plus link under Rate Preferences, it DOES show up for spring break (March 22-29, 2014). Not sure why there is a discrepancy.

 

[LovintheLodge]

Hi. Just checked the Dolphin reservation site again today and noticed the AAA rates are now posted for my trip in early May 2014. Have never been to WDW in May and wondering if this will be the best rate and I should book or is it likely the rates will drop anymore?

$242 base rate for a resort view room with 2 beds, that's $289 with tax and i think the resort fee added to that so still apx. $300 per night.

That seems a bit high considering I paid less than that when I stayed at the Dolphin Easter week in 2012.

Should I just keep my eye on the rates? I don't qualify for teacher, nurse or govt. And I need two rooms so have got to be cost conscious.

Thanks for any thoughts.

That sounds like the resort fee is already in there. That's the same rate I am paying ($242.10 - resort view with balcony) for my October stay. Based on my total cost (with fees and taxes), it is $289/night for me.

Kerry

 

[My2CrazyGirls]

You you all think the Swan will get the Magic Bands? We have a stay in November.

 

[NancyIL]

That sounds like the resort fee is already in there. That's the same rate I am paying ($242.10 - resort view with balcony) for my October stay. Based on my total cost (with fees and taxes), it is $289/night for me.

Kerry

The resort fee is in addition to the room rate, and not included in it. However, $289 probably does include the resort fee, because the taxes are 12.5%.

If Gold or Platinum Starwood members choose free Internet as their amenity - they wont be charged the resort fee.

 

[OKW Lover]

The resort fee is in addition to the room rate, and not included in it. However, $289 probably does include the resort fee, because the taxes are 12.5%.

If Gold or Platinum Starwood members choose free Internet as their amenity - they wont be charged the resort fee.

Found that the Dolphin will waive the resort fee for SPG gold/platinum members but the Swan does not - at least for gold.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Found that the Dolphin will waive the resort fee for SPG gold/platinum members but the Swan does not - at least for gold.

Swan waives it as one of your three choices of amenities. I have had it waived the last two trips since SPG made changes to gold/platinum last year.

 

[OKW Lover]

Swan waives it as one of your three choices of amenities. I have had it waived the last two trips since SPG made changes to gold/platinum last year.

Not to argue, but my experience was different. Stayed at the Swan twice in the past month (Aug 21-24 and again Aug 31 - Sep 4) and was not granted this waiver. I'm Gold and did ask about it at checkin. Was told both times that Westin does not waive the fee. I even mentioned to them at check in that I knew the Dolphin (Sheraton) did waive the fee because I have also stayed there recently, but they were adamant that they didn't do that at the Swan.