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

[xceebeex]

Dolphin is also location location location, while I like POR and have stayed there twice. The Dolphin is hands down the better option. I am sure others will share on transportation. I know going bac to airport there are always an abundance of town cars waiting outside to take you where you need to go. You could also book a town car service ahead of time which will take you and pick you up. Since it's been so long since we have done this. i will let others chime in and give you a name of a company.

I agree that the Dolphin is a MUCH better location and is the nicer hotel overall, but my main concern is transportation to/from the airport. My two kids are 3 and 1 and we won't be bringing car seats most likely so we can't really do a town car so it would have to be a shuttle of some sort where seat belts aren't required and we can hold our kids.

With my wife being a teacher, we get the discounted rates at the Dolphin/Swan and with that discounted rate the Dolphin would cost about $300 extra for the week after taxes and fees but that does not include the transportation to and from the hotel which could end up being a couple hundred. We might also decide to rent one small car in case we want to run out and get some snacks or whatnot at a grocery store, so that is another $15 per day (although I am not sure if the other resorts charge for parking too so this one may be a wash).

If there was complimentary shuttles to/from the airport, this would be a no brainer.

 

[MOM POPPINS]

I have heard of others renting a car one way and turning it into the Dolphin they have a rental car desk inside the resort.

 

[MOM POPPINS]

One more thing... when we used a van service before from the airport they had car seats. The other public option is Mears shuttle, but I think you would come out better cost wise using a van service. http://www.mearstransportation.com/

 

[MOM POPPINS]

http://www.orlandoairports.net/transport/local_transport.htm

 

[xceebeex]

One more thing... when we used a van service before from the airport they had car seats. The other public option is Mears shuttle, but I think you would come out better cost wise using a van service. http://www.mearstransportation.com/

Thanks for the suggestions. I can try and take a look in to a van service or something.

Thanks!

EDIT: I just called one place called Happy Limousine and for a 10 passenger van they want $162 round trip and then a recommended gratuity would be on top of that. They have car seats available for $5 per seat each way. So I guess that is not terrible considering we would split it between the 3 families going. Hmmmm............

 

[MOM POPPINS]

http://www.mousesavers.com/limo.html This link has a lot of information as well as codes to use for discounts!

Just trying to help. Good luck! I hope you find something!

 

[vicb]

We have used Tiffany Towncar and Florida Limo but not for a group your size. Still you could look at those two as well.

 

[TaraPA]

You're going to need a van with that many people, and that will have to be reserved in advance. You can get a price quote from Mears - www.mearstransportation.com.

 

[haleofafamily]

We have used happy limo and Murray Hill Transportation (transportation2disney.com) for large groups and have been pleased with both.

 

[SRUAlmn]

Does anyone know what the percentage is for the teacher discount? We are currently booked in a Dolphin grand suite + a stay connected room added on to it, all with the teacher rate. We just saw the advertisement on the Starwood site for "stay one night at full price, get 40% off the next night." I'm trying to figure out if that would end up being a larger discount than getting the teacher rate for all 7 nights (well, if we did the Starwood deal we'd probably change that to an even number )

 

[RachelTori]

Does anyone know what the percentage is for the teacher discount? We are currently booked in a Dolphin grand suite + a stay connected room added on to it, all with the teacher rate. We just saw the advertisement on the Starwood site for "stay one night at full price, get 40% off the next night." I'm trying to figure out if that would end up being a larger discount than getting the teacher rate for all 7 nights (well, if we did the Starwood deal we'd probably change that to an even number )

Not sure what the percentage is, but from all the dates I've been playing with it's been $20 less per night. If the "best available rate" is $179; the rate is $159 with the Teacher discount. Doesn't seem as big a discount as it used to be.

HTHs!

 

[SRUAlmn]

Not sure what the percentage is, but from all the dates I've been playing with it's been $20 less per night. If the "best available rate" is $179; the rate is $159 with the Teacher discount. Doesn't seem as big a discount as it used to be.

HTHs!

That's similar to what I was figuring which means it's only about 11% ? I wasn't sure if our discount was greater because we are in a grand suite. I tried to "book" through the Starwood discount link to see what the total would come out as, but it says the promo code is invalid as soon as the link connects

 

[xceebeex]

I actually just searched through hotels.com to see what rate they came up with and they actually come up cheaper than the teacher rate. They have that promotion where the 6th night is free so the total for 7 nights was around $1233. I don't think that includes the $14 fee, but it does include the taxes. So the total would be about $1331. So if I were to add the transportation to and from the hotel (split 3 ways) that brings it to about $1395 so basically the same price as POR and POFQ.

Now the one other thing I am looking at is a Villa, because if we split a two bedroom 3 ways we end up at about the same price (SS or OKW). Then if I look at renting points from a DVC Member, I could actually get the cost down to about $1000 per family, I am just not sure exactly how renting points works yet.

Thanks for the help so far.

 

[TaraPA]

xceebeex - I'm a huge fan of DVC villas - love the space, the full kitchen and washer/dryer. I just wanted to throw it out there, have you priced out any suites at Swan/Dolphin? They are HUGE - more space than most DVC villas, but no full kitchen or washer/dryer. You can often get a good AAA rate on the suites, they will come out much less than a 2BR DVC villa if the timing is right. So if having the kitchen, washer & dryer aren't very important to you, see what price you can get.

You can see the suite layouts on www.swandolphin.com. You have to call for price & availability, they cannot be booked online.

 

[xceebeex]

xceebeex - I'm a huge fan of DVC villas - love the space, the full kitchen and washer/dryer. I just wanted to throw it out there, have you priced out any suites at Swan/Dolphin? They are HUGE - more space than most DVC villas, but no full kitchen or washer/dryer. You can often get a good AAA rate on the suites, they will come out much less than a 2BR DVC villa if the timing is right. So if having the kitchen, washer & dryer aren't very important to you, see what price you can get.

You can see the suite layouts on www.swandolphin.com. You have to call for price & availability, they cannot be booked online.

Do you have any idea of what the prices would be? For OKW, renting the points at $11 a point gets me to a little less than $3000 for 7 nights. Do you think the Dolphin would be close?

 

[TaraPA]

I doubt you can do better at S/D- renting points for SSR or OKW is such a bargain! We paid $485/nt for a 2BR Executive Suite (sleeps 12), so that's $3400 plus transportation costs.

 

[SRUAlmn]

I doubt you can do better at S/D- renting points for SSR or OKW is such a bargain! We paid $485/nt for a 2BR Executive Suite (sleeps 12), so that's $3400 plus transportation costs.

What? We have a grand suite with added stay connected room (so basically a 2 bedroom, but cheaper) at the Dolphin for 7 nights WITH a teacher rate, and we're paying $4300! I wonder why it's so much more?

 

[TaraPA]

What? We have a grand suite with added stay connected room (so basically a 2 bedroom, but cheaper) at the Dolphin for 7 nights WITH a teacher rate, and we're paying $4300! I wonder why it's so much more?

Hmmmm...no idea? Isn't the Grand Suite a category above the Executive Suite? Maybe that's why. Did you price it out as a 2BR Executive Suite? I'm pretty sure I had the AAA discount for our stay. I don't have the website in front of me to see the difference in layout/bedding options, but the 2BR Executive Suite was much larger than any 2BR DVC villa we've stayed in. But no kitchen or washer/dryer, which is fine for a girls trip, but with the family & kids, I'd want those ammenities.

 

[SRUAlmn]

Hmmmm...no idea? Isn't the Grand Suite a category above the Executive Suite? Maybe that's why. Did you price it out as a 2BR Executive Suite? I'm pretty sure I had the AAA discount for our stay. I don't have the website in front of me to see the difference in layout/bedding options, but the 2BR Executive Suite was much larger than any 2BR DVC villa we've stayed in. But no kitchen or washer/dryer, which is fine for a girls trip, but with the family & kids, I'd want those ammenities.

From what they told us when we booked, and what I can tell from the floorplans on the website, the only differences are slightly more square footage, and a larger dining table. It is a step up from an executive suite, but when we booked I know it wasn't $1000 different, or we wouldn't have gone with the Grand. I know the AAA discount is normally pretty comparable to the Teacher rate, so it seems like our rates should be much closer together. Maybe I need to call tomorrow!

 

[sewer]

Just booked 4 nights at the Dolphin! I've also booked a dinner at Flying Fish for our first night & breakfast at Kouzzina for our last morning! So excited!!!

Two very good choices!!