The *NEW* SWAN & DOLPHIN RESORT Thread ~ April 2009 ~ Please read Post #1!

[diskids2]

Well guys, I made the plunge. After searching my options for Easter Week, I decided on the Dolphin! The prices are jacked up so high at the other resorts, and I will save almost $2000 staying at the Dolphin over the other resorts of which I was thinking. I decided to try something new, and I am really excited about the Dolphin after reading all of your experiences and seeing all the fabulous photos. Now I just have to be on the lookout for 2011 teacher discounts...if any of you are privvy to the info and see when they come out before me, please post here for me I will be a permanent fixture on this thread until my trip! Thanks to everyone who helped me make a good decision...I"m so excited about being a skip away from Epcot, the Boardwalk, DHS, and the white sand beaches surrounding our beautiful resort...If only my stay wasn't over a year away! Well, lots of time to plan and learn from the experts. I look forward to seeing more pics and reading your posts. Thanks again!

You are going to LOVE it! Enjoy your planning!

 

[diskids2]

I have never seen the Garden Grove crowded for breakfast.

Here is room service breakfast from Deb's site........

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

Thanks for posting the menu.....looks fairly reasonable for a splurge! Just one more reason to look forward to my July vacation at the Dolphin!

 

[Dan Murphy]

I have a question on room service, be it at S/D, or any other hotel/resort for that matter, WDW, or elsewhere.

Does a service charge, in the S/D case here, 22%, and/or the delivery charge, in this case, $3, go to the hotel, all or in part, or does it go to the delivery person, in all or in part? The answer to which would impact the amount of a reasonable tip to the delivery person.

 

[Zuzu03]

Well guys, I made the plunge. After searching my options for Easter Week, I decided on the Dolphin! The prices are jacked up so high at the other resorts, and I will save almost $2000 staying at the Dolphin over the other resorts of which I was thinking. I decided to try something new, and I am really excited about the Dolphin after reading all of your experiences and seeing all the fabulous photos. Now I just have to be on the lookout for 2011 teacher discounts...if any of you are privvy to the info and see when they come out before me, please post here for me I will be a permanent fixture on this thread until my trip! Thanks to everyone who helped me make a good decision...I"m so excited about being a skip away from Epcot, the Boardwalk, DHS, and the white sand beaches surrounding our beautiful resort...If only my stay wasn't over a year away! Well, lots of time to plan and learn from the experts. I look forward to seeing more pics and reading your posts. Thanks again!

Hi Lissiesmum! Welcome! I recognize you from the Poly thread! I bounce back and forth between the 2 as well! Love both the Poly and Dolphin and that teacher discount sure makes the Dolphin even sweeter.

 

[lissiesmum]

Hi Lissiesmum! Welcome! I recognize you from the Poly thread! I bounce back and forth between the 2 as well! Love both the Poly and Dolphin and that teacher discount sure makes the Dolphin even sweeter.

Hi Zuzu! Thanks for the nice welcome! I am really excited about the Dolphin, and seeing what it's like at an Epcot resort...but we're going to miss watching Wishes every night, that's for sure. We may have to spend a few nights at the CR, just so we can get our MK/monorail/WIshes fix! I love planning our vacations, to me, it's half the fun!
(and I notice from your signature that you're also doing a split stay!)

 

[Zuzu03]

Hi Zuzu! Thanks for the nice welcome! I am really excited about the Dolphin, and seeing what it's like at an Epcot resort...but we're going to miss watching Wishes every night, that's for sure. We may have to spend a few nights at the CR, just so we can get our MK/monorail/WIshes fix! I love planning our vacations, to me, it's half the fun!
(and I notice from your signature that you're also doing a split stay!)

Everyone is so nice on both of these threads and yes, we just can't decide between the Dolphin and the Poly for our July trip. It just works so well with the location of each - I'm an Epcot fan and DD is a MK fan - so we get the best of both worlds! DH doesn't care either way (clever man) so he lets us do all the planning! Enjoy your planning!!

 

[jjsdad]

We are going to the swan during the last week of june into july and I was wondering if anyone can fill me in on the character breakfast over there. It will be our departure day and I wouldn't mind checking it out. Is it on par with the one at cape may? How is the food? take long to get a seat?

 

[IDoBelieveinFairies!]

Hi Zuzu! Thanks for the nice welcome! I am really excited about the Dolphin, and seeing what it's like at an Epcot resort...but we're going to miss watching Wishes every night, that's for sure. We may have to spend a few nights at the CR, just so we can get our MK/monorail/WIshes fix! I love planning our vacations, to me, it's half the fun!
(and I notice from your signature that you're also doing a split stay!)

I think it is a good choice, and I do believe we are leaning this way too, not sure if it is going to be August or Christmas, but one of the two.

I looked at the Discounts and came across one, that says you can pay 50% percent off, every other night. When I used that discount it was better than the military or FLorida . Now I need to call about the military, but generally are the teachers discount that deep? It would really translate in 25% off each night.

Excited for you and FOR US!!

 

[IDoBelieveinFairies!]

When you stay at S/D do you also get free transportation back and forth to airport? I thought I remembered this happening last time we stayed at YC that we dropped off people at the S/D first, or did I imagine that?

 

[malcontent]

Well, not that large, but ideally we would like to have the two kids in an adjoining room. When I called to make reservations, I was told they could make a request to have two rooms next to each other, but there would be no guaranties. It also did not appear that any of the suites would have two separate sleeping areas.

Anybody have any ideas?

 

[Poohlovr]

Go to this link and look at the Executive Suite.

http://swandolphin.com/accommodations/images/D_Executive.gif

The floorplan shown is a 2 bedroom suite, but, you can reserve it as a 1 bedroom suite. With the 1 bedroom, you have 2 separate, connecting rooms. The larger room has a king Sico bed, which stays down and made and a sleeper sofa. The connecting room can be reserved as either the double/double or the king.

We've stayed in this type room on multiple occasions and it's great for when the kiddos go to bed earlier, or in our case, the grandparents (us) go to bed earlier (our grands are teens

This particular floor plan is in the Dolphin. I honestly don't know if there's anything similar at the Swan.

 

[Needafix]

I think it is a good choice, and I do believe we are leaning this way too, not sure if it is going to be August or Christmas, but one of the two.

I looked at the Discounts and came across one, that says you can pay 50% percent off, every other night. When I used that discount it was better than the military or FLorida . Now I need to call about the military, but generally are the teachers discount that deep? It would really translate in 25% off each night.

Excited for you and FOR US!!

Yes, the teacher/nurse/military discount can be that deep if the rooms are available. I can't imagine getting a better rate than the teacher rate. I'm paying $129/night in July.

When you stay at S/D do you also get free transportation back and forth to airport? I thought I remembered this happening last time we stayed at YC that we dropped off people at the S/D first, or did I imagine that?

You do not get free transportation if you stay a S/D. What you're probably remembering is booking a shuttle service like Mears. They often pick up several groups at the airport and dropping them at the different resorts. Unfortunately, this is one of the few Disney perks S/D doesn't offer, but there are some great rates out there, so if you get a good discount, it's more than worth it.

 

[jjsdad]

My wife is a teacher and we used this rate 4 years ago for I think 139 a night. Rates seem to have gone up since they are a little higher this year during the same exact dates. When I called up to book we actually got a better rate with AAA which was 143 before tax. Regardless, this hotel with it's location (we seem to spend most evenings at epcot outside of the one MK EMH evening we do) at this rate is a no brainer.

 

[Needafix]

My wife is a teacher and we used this rate 4 years ago for I think 139 a night. Rates seem to have gone up since they are a little higher this year during the same exact dates. When I called up to book we actually got a better rate with AAA which was 143 before tax. Regardless, this hotel with it's location (we seem to spend most evenings at epcot outside of the one MK EMH evening we do) at this rate is a no brainer.

Are you including the $10 mandatory resort fee when you say $139? I'm only asking because I have $129 for July and someone else got the $129 teacher rate for next Christmas break, so I'm wondering how they get to $139. The next level (balcony or view) is even higher. I couldn't agree with you more that it's still more than worth it.

 

[jjsdad]

http://www.swandolphin.com/promos/teachers/

these are the rates I was offered over the phone. I guess it was actually $149 and the dolphin was actually booked on the friday night(our last night) so we had to go for the swan which was even more.

 

[jjsdad]

I see some of you have tried this and some like it some don't. My question is can you order items off of the menu? I want some of that french toast and or waffle! I don't see my DS10 wanting eggs and yogurt either. If this is not an option I probably would rather just walk over to cape may. This will be the last thing we do before we depart WDW.

 

[Needafix]

http://www.swandolphin.com/promos/teachers/

these are the rates I was offered over the phone. I guess it was actually $149 and the dolphin was actually booked on the friday night(our last night) so we had to go for the swan which was even more.

Thanks for the info. It looks like I got in under the wire before they raised the rates.

 

[maroo]

I see some of you have tried this and some like it some don't. My question is can you order items off of the menu? I want some of that french toast and or waffle! I don't see my DS10 wanting eggs and yogurt either. If this is not an option I probably would rather just walk over to cape may. This will be the last thing we do before we depart WDW.

Not sure...but are you talking about Garden GROVE or Garden Grill?

Garden Grill is in Epcot and has the character breakfast.

Garden GROVE is in the Swan and doesn't have characters.

Just wanted to make sure that was clear...because it is confusing.

 

[jjsdad]

Not sure...but are you talking about Garden GROVE or Garden Grill?

Garden Grill is in Epcot and has the character breakfast.

Garden GROVE is in the Swan and doesn't have characters.

Just wanted to make sure that was clear...because it is confusing.

I"m talking about the garden grove in the swan, and they do have a character buffet on saturday and sunday. I'm just curious if you can still eat in there and order off the menu instead of being restricted to their buffet choices.

 

[Poohlovr]

Actually, the Garden Grove does have character dining.

"The young at heart will also enjoy Disney character dining at dinner nightly and for breakfast on Saturdays and Sundays."

http://www.swandolphinrestaurants.com/gardengrove/index.html