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

[mikegood2]

Since it was just asked a few posts ago, for those that have stayed at the s/d how do you get to there from the airport? Mears Shuttle, Towncar or Van, Taxi or Rent a car.
Also, any tips, tricks or advice on why you prefer a certain way.

 

[Dan Murphy]

The dis ticker thing has been broken for a number of days.

PLEASE PARDON OUR PIXIE DUST WHILE WE WORK ON FIXING YOUR TICKERS!!

http://www.distickers.com/ticker/main.php

In past years things like that don't look good for repairs or return to use.

Try to site, seems to always work...

http://www.**************/

 

[MOM POPPINS]

For rope drop we take the boat to the international gateway. They let you go in from there to "The Land". You will get there at the sametime as if you came in at the front of the park... at least that was the case for us.

 

[RachelTori]

'4. How do you get to Epcot for Rope Drop? As I understand it, you end up in the World Showcase, which is nowhere near Soarin'.
Good Question, It's a 15 -20 minute walk from the s/d to the International Gateway entrance, but I'm not sure if you can continue walking to the main entrance

The "rope" is at the top of the bridge by UK. At rope drop, you can only head one direction, through UK & Canada. True, it takes a few extra minutes to get to Soarin' but you'll still be there with the early crowd!!

Mornings when I'm not staying at an Epcot resort, I will usually take the DHS bus and either walk or boat to Epcot -- I like the International Gateway entrance that much (and it helps that I'm at early bird)!!!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Hi everyone,

At dinner the other night, my husband asked if we were still planning Disney for summer 2012. Needless to say, I didn't need any further urging to hit the Disboards!!!

The past 2 trips, we've stayed at the Poly, and ADORE it. But the thoughts of those $400 a dollar night rooms are making me a little gun shy.

We're both teachers, and the Swan/Dolphin offer a great rate for teachers; even 2 connecting rooms would be a LOT cheaper than the Poly for a week.

Here are the things that have me thinking twice:
1. We're a family of 5. Can I assume that they have connecting rooms? My son is too big for a week on a rollaway.

2. No DME. How do you get to and from the airport?

3. No meal plan. Rats. I love the meal plan.

4. How do you get to Epcot for Rope Drop? As I understand it, you end up in the World Showcase, which is nowhere near Soarin'.

5. Which of the 2 resorts do you prefer, and why?

Anyone want to convince me one way or the other, or point me in a particular direction?

Hi Alice, aka Tag Buddy. Some thoughts for your questions.

1. Yes, they have connecting rooms. We've had them before with relatives. Also, I noticed a rollaway bed in the hallway and because I was surprised at how big it was, actually managed to grab a (blurry) pic of it with my iPhone knowing it might come in handy some day I have to get it off my phone at some point, but suffice it to say, it was more the size of a twin size bed than a cot. Pretty substantial, I thought.

2. We always rent a car, regardless of where we stay. DH hates busses, we always have to run to WalMart for something, it can be a time saver depending on where you're going, and it's a lot easier to visit other resorts that way, etc. It does cost $10/day to park.

3. Have done meal plan several times, but no real interest in it anymore. Love the AAA discount at most S/D restaurants. We do a grocery delivery for breakfast, quick sandwich, snack and drink options (with a fridge in the room and we buy a styrofoam cooler with groceries) and eat when and where we feel like it wherever we are (as opposed to sticking with a "schedule", eating when we're not actually hungry, gaining weight and/or leaving many credits unused with the dining plan). This works for us. S/D has a ton of food options, including 24hr room service, and Picabu's is open 24 hrs as well, with the hot foods area serving until 1am when we were there (not sure if this is seasonal) and many other (fresh and beautiful ) food options in the grab and go cases. They also have sundries available in Picabu's.

4. Others have addressed this and I agree. International Gateway to Future World. It's a nice boat ride/walk and somehow seems more serene than going in through the front.

5. For me, it's rate driven. But I guess I'm probably partial to the Dolphin since that's usually where we wind up. The queen size Heavenly Beds at the Swan would be nice, though, and it seems a little quieter over there, perhaps. In the past I've done well with the Nurse Discount, but this trip I did better with AAA. We think it's a tremendous value.

The past 2 trips, we've stayed at the Poly, and ADORE it. But the thoughts of those $400 a dollar night rooms are making me a little gun shy.

Not looking to incite an argument here or anything but we love the Poly, too, and visited for lunch recently. DH and I both commented it seemed a bit rundown to us around the resort (ie shrubbery overgrown, some paint fading, etc), and I've seen some reports around the boards that some of the insides seem that way as well. We also commented we didn't feel that way at all at S/D, which seemed as nice as ever. JMO.

I am in the midst of a trip report over on the photography board. I haven't posted a lot of resort pics yet as I'm still working on them, but I have a ton - if anyone wants to follow along. (Which reminds me - Hi Dan! )

 

[Aliceacc]

Hey Pea! I've been avoiding the Disboard for a while. It just kept reminding me that we WEREN'T going to WDW.

But once Peter said those magic words, you KNOW where I headed!! (In fact, I couldn't sleep at 3 am, thinking through the resort options.)

 

[disneyaway]

Hi everyone,

At dinner the other night, my husband asked if we were still planning Disney for summer 2012. Needless to say, I didn't need any further urging to hit the Disboards!!!

The past 2 trips, we've stayed at the Poly, and ADORE it. But the thoughts of those $400 a dollar night rooms are making me a little gun shy.

We're both teachers, and the Swan/Dolphin offer a great rate for teachers; even 2 connecting rooms would be a LOT cheaper than the Poly for a week.

Here are the things that have me thinking twice:
1. We're a family of 5. Can I assume that they have connecting rooms? My son is too big for a week on a rollaway.

2. No DME. How do you get to and from the airport?
We have used a town car service twice for when we have stayed at the Swan. Love it! It was $120 roundtrip and included a car seat and a 30 minute grocery stop which was nice.

3. No meal plan. Rats. I love the meal plan.
If you have a AAA card, you can get 20% off meals at the non-signature restaurants which is nice. And the food is really good, esp when compared to park food.

4. How do you get to Epcot for Rope Drop? As I understand it, you end up in the World Showcase, which is nowhere near Soarin'.
The CM at IG let people in about 15 minutes before RD. So you will have time to get to the center and everyone will walk over to Soarin' together. Both days we were at Epcot, DH was the first one at the Soarin' FP.

5. Which of the 2 resorts do you prefer, and why?
We have only ever stayed at the Swan because we like the queen beds you get over the doubles at the Dolphin. The Swan also seems a little smaller and quieter which I really like, esp after a day at the parks.

Anyone want to convince me one way or the other, or point me in a particular direction?

We just got back from the Swan-- I am sad to be back. We had an alcove room with a view of Spaceship Earth. So we saw Illuminations every night from our hotel; it was pretty cool. The extra space in an alcove room is really nice. I told DH we were going to have to get this room from now on

 

[cnorth]

Hi everyone!

We are about to book our first ever stay at the Dolphin. So excited!
We were booked at the cabins, but the nurse's discount is so nice, I just can't pass it up.

I have a couple of questions, and I am sorry if they have been asked before. I tried to read through the entire thread, but couldn't do any more than the first 40 pages

Okay, so first, we are a family of five. None of the kids like to sleep in the same bed , so we have in the past brought air mattresses for them. We stayed at the YC last year with one in a bed, one on the trundle bed, and one on the air mattress. Do you think we could put two air mattresses in a room at the Dolphin? I know it would be extremely tight, but do you think we could actually do it? Will they make us rent the roll away bed because we have five people?

My other thought was the room with the king bed. How big is the sleeper sofa? Would we be able to fit two air mattresses in there?

Also, I saw that if you eat at Shula's or Bluezoo, you get two hours of free CD for free. Is this per entrée? Meaning you get two entrées, and you get four hours? Is this for one child only, or for all of your children. We were already planning on eating at Shula's- this could just be an extra perk.

Ok. That's it. For those of you that made it all the way through, thank you so much!!!!

 

[Chrissyb8885]

ive been trying to figure out what sort of room requests i should make for our stay at the dolphin in may....ok so if your coming off the boat looking at the dolphin, does anybody know what room #'s are the ones with balconies to the left of the big triangle???? sorry i hope that makes sense :/ also has anyone had luck reserving a standard room but getting upgraded to a balcony?

thanks in advance,
Chrissy

 

[Music City Mama]

Also, I saw that if you eat at Shula's or Bluezoo, you get two hours of free CD for free. Is this per entrée? Meaning you get two entrées, and you get four hours? Is this for one child only, or for all of your children. We were already planning on eating at Shula's- this could just be an extra perk.

The way I understand it, 1 entree = 1 child free for 2 hours. So, if you and your DH each get an entree, 2 of your kids will be free for 2 hours, however, unless you order a 3rd entree, you will be paying for your 3rd child at CD (they charge $10/hour at CD -- so, it would probably still be cheaper doing that than ordering another entree). From the S/D website:

Reservations are required for Camp Dolphin's evening program. The cost is $10per hour, per child.

Special Offer:
Dine at Shula’s Steak House, Todd English’s bluezoo or Il Mulino New York Trattoria or treat yourself to a pampering service at Mandara Spa and receive up to two hours of complimentary time at Camp Dolphin. Simply present your receipt as proof of purchase at time of child pickup. (NOTE: One child admitted for each adult entrée purchased. One child admitted for each purchase of a spa treatment of 75 minutes or more.)

Hope that helps!

 

[SingingMom]

Since it was just asked a few posts ago, for those that have stayed at the s/d how do you get to there from the airport? Mears Shuttle, Towncar or Van, Taxi or Rent a car.
Also, any tips, tricks or advice on why you prefer a certain way.

We always take a town car. I'm a sucker for the man holding the card with our name on it. Makes me feel so special. The grocery stop can be handy if you need it. We have done it some years, other years we didn't even bother. Two years ago, we were met with a stretch limo - that certainly was special!

The "rope" is at the top of the bridge by UK. At rope drop, you can only head one direction, through UK & Canada. True, it takes a few extra minutes to get to Soarin' but you'll still be there with the early crowd!!

Mornings when I'm not staying at an Epcot resort, I will usually take the DHS bus and either walk or boat to Epcot -- I like the International Gateway entrance that much (and it helps that I'm at early bird)!!!

There is something about strolling on the Boardwalk in the morning and entering at the International Gateway that just puts me in a very happy mood!

For the previous questions about which resort do you prefer and do you miss the meal plan:
We ADORE the Dolphin. We love the hussle and bussle, and having drinks (espresso martini for me!!) at the comfy couches in the lobby. Fun to relax and people watch from that vantage point after a long day at the parks.

We always stay at the Dolphin, so we never used the meal plan. We live in an area with wonderful restaurants, so except for a few special spots, we really don't go to Disney for "the food". I like the signature restaurants at the Swan & Dolphin very much. And the Cabana Bar and Fresh are terrific.

 

[funforfive]

We just got back from the Swan-- I am sad to be back. We had an alcove room with a view of Spaceship Earth. So we saw Illuminations every night from our hotel; it was pretty cool. The extra space in an alcove room is really nice. I told DH we were going to have to get this room from now on

How did you book an alcove room? Do they have them at the Dolphin?

 

[disneyaway]

How did you book an alcove room? Do they have them at the Dolphin?

I booked online through their website with a AAA membership. I had to read through the room descriptions to find the one I wanted bc I don't think you can filter for just alcove rooms. I do believe they have alcove rooms at the Dolphin as well.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Since it was just asked a few posts ago, for those that have stayed at the s/d how do you get to there from the airport? Mears Shuttle, Towncar or Van, Taxi or Rent a car.
Also, any tips, tricks or advice on why you prefer a certain way.

I always rent a car, Alamo or National. For a stay of 7010 days, it usually is about $160. Gets me to and from the airport on my time, enables me to take a day to USF/IoA if I am doing that, do DtD easily, as well as the resorts if I have reason to visit those, meals, touring, etc.

....(Which reminds me - Hi Dan! )

Hey, Linda!!! Good to see you.

 

[cjsm&d]

We just got back from the Swan-- I am sad to be back. We had an alcove room with a view of Spaceship Earth. So we saw Illuminations every night from our hotel; it was pretty cool. The extra space in an alcove room is really nice. I told DH we were going to have to get this room from now on

We also just returned from the Swan. I came close, but I just couldn't pull the trigger on the $60 a night more for an alcove (or the $40 for a balcony). The extra money paid for dinner at Shula's! Maybe next time.

We had a west wing 2nd floor standard view room that faced Garden Grove, a small courtyard used for functions, and the beach area between Swan and Dolphin. While the room was very clean and large, it was also a bit worn and probably needing some TLC. Mostly the bathroom area with some cracked tiles and the trim around the mirror lifting and bowing. Nothing that affected our vacation!

DW and I have decided that Swan/Dolphin will be our WDW resort destination moving forward (barring a tremendous deal offer from WDW). The location was great for us. Shula's was great, but I think we like Il Mulino even better. The pool and play areas were excellent.

Alot of on-site folks like to mention the $10 resort charge, but you get two bottles of water a day and Wi-Fi (at a WDW resort you pay $11 just for the internet), which I think is a good deal.

We took the ME to start our vacation (2 nights at CSR), and we took a towncar back to the airport ($63 set price + tip). We liked that you could get the towncar at a moments notice right outside the hotel, so you can head to the airport when you are ready.

Next trip will be an alcove or balconey, and we'll probably try the Dolphin.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Alot of on-site folks like to mention the $10 resort charge, but you get two bottles of water a day and Wi-Fi (at a WDW resort you pay $11 just for the internet), which I think is a good deal.

As well as use of the health club and a USA today, and I agree!

 

[Megkel]

We have made reservations to stay at the Dolphin for the end of the month for one night. We have annual tickets and I was thrilled to be staying here at the Dolphin since we are going for the Garden Festival.

My question is for the military discount on food. According to MouseSavers.com:

"50% off food and beverage (non-alcoholic) in the Swan and Dolphin’s world-class restaurants and lounges or 10% off food and beverage (non-alcoholic) in Todd English’s bluezoo, Shula’s Steak House or Il Mulino New York Trattoria"

Has anyone had any experience with this? Is this their usual discount? We usually stay at CBR however between Starwood Preferred and 50% off food we might stay here more often

 

[becky11]

We have made reservations to stay at the Dolphin for the end of the month for one night. We have annual tickets and I was thrilled to be staying here at the Dolphin since we are going for the Garden Festival.

My question is for the military discount on food. According to MouseSavers.com:

"50% off food and beverage (non-alcoholic) in the Swan and Dolphin’s world-class restaurants and lounges or 10% off food and beverage (non-alcoholic) in Todd English’s bluezoo, Shula’s Steak House or Il Mulino New York Trattoria"

Has anyone had any experience with this? Is this their usual discount? We usually stay at CBR however between Starwood Preferred and 50% off food we might stay here more often

I've used this discount before but you have to book the "TROOPS" rate and you have to call. You can't book this online. I made the mistake of booking the "government" rate online - it's not the same. Also, the resort fee is waived, if I'm not mistaken. Don't quote me on that.

But by all means, call and book that rate. That's what I'll be doing for every WDW trip from now on.

 

[vicb]

We also just returned from the Swan. I came close, but I just couldn't pull the trigger on the $60 a night more for an alcove (or the $40 for a balcony). The extra money paid for dinner at Shula's! Maybe next time.

We had a west wing 2nd floor standard view room that faced Garden Grove, a small courtyard used for functions, and the beach area between Swan and Dolphin. While the room was very clean and large, it was also a bit worn and probably needing some TLC. Mostly the bathroom area with some cracked tiles and the trim around the mirror lifting and bowing. Nothing that affected our vacation!

DW and I have decided that Swan/Dolphin will be our WDW resort destination moving forward (barring a tremendous deal offer from WDW). The location was great for us. Shula's was great, but I think we like Il Mulino even better. The pool and play areas were excellent.

Alot of on-site folks like to mention the $10 resort charge, but you get two bottles of water a day and Wi-Fi (at a WDW resort you pay $11 just for the internet), which I think is a good deal.

We took the ME to start our vacation (2 nights at CSR), and we took a towncar back to the airport ($63 set price + tip). We liked that you could get the towncar at a moments notice right outside the hotel, so you can head to the airport when you are ready.

Next trip will be an alcove or balconey, and we'll probably try the Dolphin.

Thank you for this review, lots of helpful info.

Just wondering if the room view you called "standard" is the same as what they call "limited" on their website vs. "resort view" or balcony rooms?

 

[cjsm&d]

Thank you for this review, lots of helpful info.

Just wondering if the room view you called "standard" is the same as what they call "limited" on their website vs. "resort view" or balcony rooms?

It was the "limited" view Room 219. We paid $189 per night (Nurse's rate) Presidents week (I thought it was a really good price considering BC or BW were over $400 per night). The Dolphin would have been $169 per night for the "limited" view.

The location makes it for me! After dinner one night, DS and I walked through the Boardwalk area, watched a juggler and a magician, then walked into EPCOT, grabbed a Grey Goose and Grand Marnier Slushy and watched Illumination from the bridge between France and GB!

Oh yeah, just like many others on here have already posted, those beds were "heavenly"