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

[denvergirl]

That's great! You're going to love the S/D. Be sure to note that it's a milestone birthday on your reservation...they're really good about leaving little surprises in the room.

Thanks for the heads up. . .I love little surprises!!!

 

[guarn3md]

The Super Bowl promotion is a little confusing to me. I have two rooms booked at the Swan in April. How can the deal for the Giants just be for New York residents...the Giants actually play in New Jersey and some of us from NJ are Giants fans!! Anyone from NJ try to get the discount? I may call and see what I can do!

 

[LexiC123]

The Super Bowl promotion is a little confusing to me. I have two rooms booked at the Swan in April. How can the deal for the Giants just be for New York residents...the Giants actually play in New Jersey and some of us from NJ are Giants fans!! Anyone from NJ try to get the discount? I may call and see what I can do!

I would definitely call about that NJ discount. I read on another thread that someone else from NJ asked for the discount and a manager approved it. Go for it!

 

[SRUAlmn]

My mom found this online:

Disney guests who book a Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel package of seven or more nights receive 200 Disney Dollars, after showing the AAA voucher at check-in. This offer may be combined with Magic Moment Savings.

Does anyone know what it's all about? Does it mean you have to book through AAA or do you just go to AAA (if you're a member) and get a voucher? What is a Swan and Dolphin "package?" Are you able to book a room & ticket package at the S&D like you are with the other Disney resorts? Thanks!


ETA:
She also found this:

The AAA Disney Magic Moments Saving plan offers guests savings of between 10 – 35% on the non-discounted room rate portion for the following:

Disney’s Magic Your Way package
Downtown Disney Resort Area Hotel package
Walt Disney World Good Neighbor Hotel package
Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel package.

So would this need to be booked through AAA? Could we modify our existing reservation? I had no idea you could book a room/ticket package at the S&D.

 

[lizabu]

It sounds like you have to buy the package from AAA. They can book stays at S&D and they sell tickets. I would assume they could combine the 2 things and create a package.

 

[kandb]

We are staying at the dolphin for the first time in Sept. We usually stay onsite at moderate resorts but have stayed at GF and AKL and loved them but refuse to pay Over $300/night for a hotel room. We got the government rate of $139/night and a second room (for my mom) for $119/night. We are looking forward to staying at the dolphin.

 

[TaraPA]

We are staying at the dolphin for the first time in Sept. We usually stay onsite at moderate resorts but have stayed at GF and AKL and loved them but refuse to pay Over $300/night for a hotel room. We got the government rate of $139/night and a second room (for my mom) for $119/night. We are looking forward to staying at the dolphin.

Those are really great rates you got! I think you will fall in love with being in the Epcot Resort Area. Enjoy your trip!

 

[teacher31]

My mom found this online:

Disney guests who book a Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel package of seven or more nights receive 200 Disney Dollars, after showing the AAA voucher at check-in. This offer may be combined with Magic Moment Savings.

Does anyone know what it's all about? Does it mean you have to book through AAA or do you just go to AAA (if you're a member) and get a voucher? What is a Swan and Dolphin "package?" Are you able to book a room & ticket package at the S&D like you are with the other Disney resorts? Thanks!


ETA:
She also found this:

The AAA Disney Magic Moments Saving plan offers guests savings of between 10 – 35% on the non-discounted room rate portion for the following:

Disney’s Magic Your Way package
Downtown Disney Resort Area Hotel package
Walt Disney World Good Neighbor Hotel package
Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel package.

So would this need to be booked through AAA? Could we modify our existing reservation? I had no idea you could book a room/ticket package at the S&D.

Did you find out anything else about this? Sounds great to me so I'd love the details if you don't mind.

 

[PolyAddict]

Not the original poster but i emailed my AAA contact today and was quoted $3304 for may 26-june 2 with 7 day park hoppers for 2 adults and kids 17 and 11. I would get the $200 DD. when i subract out the cost of the tickets the room is like $1900 bucks even with the $200 DD its approx $200 plus over what i can book for room only through the Swan.

 

[Annie78]

What kind of grab-and-go options does Picabu have? I'm especially interested in things that aren't too messy and could be taken to a park, and also vegetarian options.
Thanks!

 

[Dan Murphy]

Welcome to the dis, Annie.

This might help.......

http://allears.net/menu/menu_tub.htm

 

[lovingmy2boys]

Can anyone tell me what the average pricing is for the D/S beginning of November? We are thinking 11/1-11/6. When we were there this past September we were lucky enough to get $129 at the swan!

 

[patty57]

Dan, Thanks for the menu link for Picabu. We're staying at the Swan for the first time this June, and even though we always stay at the Epcot resorts...we've never eaten at the Swan or Dolphin. How is the food at Picabu? We're looking forward to an ADR at bluezoo.

 

[lizabu]

We ate at Picabu a lot because it was so easy and much less expensive than other options. I ate kids meals a lot because they were a lot of food for around $5. Adult meals are huge. I would split. I had a burger and fries and it was way to big. I only ate half. Pizza and a salad is easy and affordable for dinner. We did the chicken market meal and it was good and around $25 to feed a whole family. 2 orders of nachos will stuff a family of 4. The staff is great and will let you substitute things and gave us gravy for free whenever we ordered it.

The one thing you should know is how much funds they hold on your credit card depends on the cost of the food you charge back to your room on the first day of your stay. I saw someone on the boards complain that they held $300 on their credit card when they stayed at the Swan so I was curious about it. They told me they take the amount you charge to your room on the 1st day and times it by the number of nights you are staying. This was true. Our 1st night we charged $16 to our room and we were staying 7 nights. They held $112. At the end of our stay we had spent more than that so we paid the difference. If it goes the other way and you spend less they return the extra funds they're holding to your credit card.

 

[SRUAlmn]

Did you find out anything else about this? Sounds great to me so I'd love the details if you don't mind.

Not the original poster but i emailed my AAA contact today and was quoted $3304 for may 26-june 2 with 7 day park hoppers for 2 adults and kids 17 and 11. I would get the $200 DD. when i subract out the cost of the tickets the room is like $1900 bucks even with the $200 DD its approx $200 plus over what i can book for room only through the Swan.

Teacher 31: We hadn't checked into it yet, but my mom was going to call AAA this week. The S&D keep telling us that we have the best rate we'll see, but we can't help but keep making sure of that

PolyAddict: Thanks for the info!!

 

[TaraPA]

Don't forget that if you are a AAA member, you get 20% off at Picabu, be sure to take your AAA card with you!

We love Picabu. Their prices seem to be equal to or a tad higher than Disney Resort CS, but we think the food portions, quality & variety are much better than most Disney CS. Everything is very fresh, the staff is friendly, and the portions, like someone else stated, are HUGE. I usually get the kids breakfast & it's enough to fill me until lunch. An adult breakfast plus a pastry was enough to fill 2 of us.

 

[SRUAlmn]

The one thing you should know is how much funds they hold on your credit card depends on the cost of the food you charge back to your room on the first day of your stay. I saw someone on the boards complain that they held $300 on their credit card when they stayed at the Swan so I was curious about it. They told me they take the amount you charge to your room on the 1st day and times it by the number of nights you are staying. This was true. Our 1st night we charged $16 to our room and we were staying 7 nights. They held $112. At the end of our stay we had spent more than that so we paid the difference. If it goes the other way and you spend less they return the extra funds they're holding to your credit card.

Don't forget that if you are a AAA member, you get 20% off at Picabu, be sure to take your AAA card with you!

Thank you so much for these two pieces of information! I feel like I know so much about vacationing in WDW, and my family relies on me to be the expert, but when it comes to the S&D I don't know that much. I need to study up and soak in all I can before we go

 

[Dan Murphy]

Also remember that Picabu started adding a 13% service charge on meals.

 

[denvergirl]

Also remember that Picabu started adding a 13% service charge on meals.

Do all restaurants (D/S and Disney) charge a 13% service charge? I asked a question on the budgeting board about tax on food and was told it was 6.5% or 7%. . .no one mentioned a service charge!!!! Any additional info would be very helpful. . .

 

[Dan Murphy]

Just Picabu. It is to cover the wait staff, who will bring your tray out to your table, bring you things you might need during your meal (though not like a regular restaurant) and they clean up after you leave. Even though mostly self serve, there are no trash receptacles for after meal trash and the wait staff takes care of that. Many guests typically stiffed the wait staff with no tips, though some is needed to compensate them.