The **New** Swan and Dolphin Resort thread ~ September 2010 ~ Please read post #1

[lovingthemouse]

Hey Mouseteacher - only 2 more days until you arrive at the Swan - have a magical stay Karen!!!!

 

[Mouseteacher]

Hey Mouseteacher - only 2 more days until you arrive at the Swan - have a magical stay Karen!!!!

Thanks, Caroline!

We are excited...however, I always hate leaving my dog. Strider has just settled in nicely with us (we got him in February). He is so attached to me. DH and DS say he is obsessed with me. LOL We have always had a pet sitter for our previous Airedale but she is no longer doing it so we are boarding him. I am so nervous about this. The positive is that oldest DS is coming home from CA for a bachelor party so we can spring Strider from boarding earlier than anticipated. DS will go get him.

The boarding place does have a webcam and they encourage that we check in daily if we wish and they will, also, email me photos.

I guess we (Strider and me) will survive this.

 

[Dominus]

Quick question. If you're staying at the Dolphin, and you are at MK. Is it faster to take the bus from MK back to the Dolphin, or ride the monorail to Epcot and then walk back to the dolphin?

 

[Mouseteacher]

The bus is faster. The walk from the front of of Epcot through FW to WS to the International Gateway and then from IG to the Dolphin is a long one especially if it is hot weather.

 

[msvlg]

Hi msvlg!

In our 2BR Exec Suite at The Swan I think only 1 of the rooms had a balcony - the king bedroom. We were on the east side, facing The Boardwalk. We were very close to the exit that went right out to the Friendship boats and The Dolphin. It only took a minute to get over to D.

BUT - I see you switched to The Dolphin. You will love the space in a suite over 2 rooms. I know square footage-wise, the Exec Suites at D are smaller than the ones at S (480 sq feet vs. 600 sq feet) - honestly the parlor room of ours at S was HUGE. We were 5 adults & never once felt like we were in each other's space.

I've stopped trying to figure out the configuration of any suite at S/D - what they show on their website as far as floorplans has been different from what they tell me when I call, and even different from people's postings & pictures on here! I also gave up trying to figure out where in the buildings they are. I do believe the 2BR Exec Suites are in the corners - but not sure how many they have, and if they are on east & west sides.

Hi TaraPA,
Thanks for your input. Do you prefer the Swan over the Dolphin? I usually stay at the "other" disney resorts and I am having second thoughts. I hope we will like the Dolphin.

 

[mikegood2]

Hi TaraPA,
Thanks for your input. Do you prefer the Swan over the Dolphin? I usually stay at the "other" disney resorts and I am having second thoughts. I hope we will like the Dolphin.

Can't answer if TaraPa prefers the Swan over the Dolphin, but I can tell you that we loved our Executive suite at the Dolphin. I also agree with Tara about the configurations, it appears that they have a variety of configurations.

We only had a one bedroom suite with the double beds, but the room was not a typical standard room because it had a walk in closet, very nice kitchen area with 2 counters (nicer and bigger than the one in the parlor room) and 2 fridges, but who knows there could have been a third one hidden in that room . The other King size room (we did not have that room, but someone else was staying in there) did have a balcony, or in our case a patio because the room was on the first floor. If you used the exit by the elevators that takes you by the Friendship boats and walked strait instead of turning right, you would walk right into that room.

It does seem that the 2 bedroom executive suites are in the corner and that balconies tend to be located in the King room. Tara, if you were looking our of the suite in the parlor room was the King room to the right or left? In our case it was to the left.

 

[msvlg]

Can't answer if TaraPa prefers the Swan over the Dolphin, but I can tell you that we loved our Executive suite at the Dolphin. I also agree with Tara about the configurations, it appears that they have a variety of configurations.

We only had a one bedroom suite with the double beds, but the room was not a typical standard room because it had a walk in closet, very nice kitchen area with 2 counters (nicer and bigger than the one in the parlor room) and 2 fridges, but who knows there could have been a third one hidden in that room . The other King size room (we did not have that room, but someone else was staying in there) did have a balcony, or in our case a patio because the room was on the first floor. If you used the exit by the elevators that takes you by the Friendship boats and walked strait instead of turning right, you would walk right into that room.

It does seem that the 2 bedroom executive suites are in the corner and that balconies tend to be located in the King room. Tara, if you were looking our of the suite in the parlor room was the King room to the right or left? In our case it was to the left.

Thanks for the feedback. I ended up paying 549. a night for the Dolphin, the Swan would have been 609. this includes all taxes and fees. Does this seem like a fair price? Do you think prices will go down? How often should I check?

 

[Minnie]

Quick question. If you're staying at the Dolphin, and you are at MK. Is it faster to take the bus from MK back to the Dolphin, or ride the monorail to Epcot and then walk back to the dolphin?

We tried this once staying at the BC and the bus is definitely faster. To do the walking route you have to get on the resort monorail, transfer to the Epcot monorail, walk all the way through Epcot, and then all the way to the Dolphin which is past the BC. If you've got tons of times, a nice evening, and just want to see the sites this is okay - but it's wayyy longer than the bus

 

[Scott MC]

Another transportation question for y'all...

How about getting from the Swan to the Wilderness Lodge for dinner?

I figure our options are....

1.Take a bus to DTD...then bus it to WL
2. Take a bus to MK...monorail it to CR...then boat it to WL
3. Take a bus to MK...then bus it to WL (do buses even run from MK to WL?)

Which option do you think is fastest/least hassle?

Thanks!

 

[Mouseteacher]

Another transportation question for y'all...

How about getting from the Swan to the Wilderness Lodge for dinner?

I figure our options are....

1.Take a bus to DTD...then bus it to WL
2. Take a bus to MK...monorail it to CR...then boat it to WL
3. Take a bus to MK...then bus it to WL (do buses even run from MK to WL?)

Which option do you think is fastest/least hassle?

Thanks!

Just a thought for you:
On our 2008 stay at the Swan, we had dinner at WL. We chose to take a cab (there were only 3 of us) from the front of the Swan to the WL. The cost was about $16. We made this choice because the Disney transportation options to get to the WL were cumbersome. Plus, it was July and so hot that we didn't want to arrive wilted with all the changes to get there.

I did take the bus to DTD to do some shopping, it took quite a while to get there and I waited quite some time for a DTD bus. Even coming back from DTD to the S/D was a wait and a long ride. And if my memory serves me correct, there was a stop at one of the water parks on the way. Just my experience and my 2 cents...

 

[P13]

Sooo excited vacation starts today, leaving for Pittsburgh in a bit, then flying out to Disney tomorrow early am!!!

Can anyone tell me if there is a 'clothesline' in the bathroom to hang up our bathing suits. I just can't remember!! TIA

 

[NancyC1000]

Another transportation question for y'all...

How about getting from the Swan to the Wilderness Lodge for dinner?

I figure our options are....

1.Take a bus to DTD...then bus it to WL
2. Take a bus to MK...monorail it to CR...then boat it to WL
3. Take a bus to MK...then bus it to WL (do buses even run from MK to WL?)

Which option do you think is fastest/least hassle?

Thanks!

You could take the boat from the Swan to DHS then take a bus to the WL or you could walk to Epcot and take the bus to WL. Not sure which way is the fastest.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Sooo excited vacation starts today, leaving for Pittsburgh in a bit, then flying out to Disney tomorrow early am!!!

Can anyone tell me if there is a 'clothesline' in the bathroom to hang up our bathing suits. I just can't remember!! TIA

Have a great trip. And yes, there is a pullout line above the tub.

You could take the boat from the Swan to DHS then take a bus to the WL or you could walk to Epcot and take the bus to WL. Not sure which way is the fastest.

I would do the first. Very short walk from boat dock to bus area. The second would require walking entire Epcot from IG to the front entrance.

 

[LexiC123]

Sooo excited vacation starts today, leaving for Pittsburgh in a bit, then flying out to Disney tomorrow early am!!!

Can anyone tell me if there is a 'clothesline' in the bathroom to hang up our bathing suits. I just can't remember!! TIA

That's terrific...hope you have an amazing time!

And yep, there's a pull-out clothesline in the bathroom.

 

[P13]

Thanks Dan & Lexi, appreciate it!! I have clothes pins in my bag, so we will be good!

 

[GreenB]

Good Day Everybody.

My wife and I just made up our mind and we are going to WDW four our daughter's birthday.

I have a reservation for the Dolphin starting on December 02, 2011 for 9 nights. The rate is $152 + tax + resort fee. About $183 total.
I am starting to think it is a reasonable rate.
What do you think?
Can I expect to get a lower rate in the upcoming months?

Best Regards.

 

[LexiC123]

Good Day Everybody.

My wife and I just made up our mind and we are going to WDW four our daughter's birthday.

I have a reservation for the Dolphin starting on December 02, 2011 for 9 nights. The rate is $152 + tax + resort fee. About $183 total.
I am starting to think it is a reasonable rate.
What do you think?
Can I expect to get a lower rate in the upcoming months?

Best Regards.

That sounds like a very good rate. Is it the AAA rate, because on any given day that's usually the best rate.

There could be other promotions upcoming...you should keep checking the Swan/Dolphin website, just in case. If something better does come along, you can always cancel this reservation - without penalty - up to 5 days in advance of your arrival.

 

[jmkst58]

does anyone know what is going on at the S/D around 8/8/11? the swan and dolphin are both booked solid. not a room to be had! i think the dolphin is completely unavail for a day or 2 after that too. YIKES!!!!!!!!! there's no way that I want to be at a completely full S/D and S/D pool!

 

[Mouseteacher]

Doing the happy dance!

We leave from Boston to Orlando tomorrow at 6:30 am. Should be arriving at the Swan by 11:30am.

 

[figmentswife]

We are coming down October for my daughter's birthday. My parent's stayed there about 6 years ago and LOVED it. I have been checking the employee site for 2 months waiting for rates...then about 2 weeks ago the rate
jumped up on both, and now the dolphin has nothing open for 2 of our nights....I am hoping they open up the employee rates at the 30 day mark before we leave b\c I REALLY want to stay at the Dolphin, not just for the employee benefits, but b\c the resorts are wonderful.

I have booked another off site (non starwood property) b\c the rate was SO good, but I am holding my breath for employee rates in October.