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

[jreeves628]

Totally depends on the time of year and how many conventions, if any, are going on.

I'm going the 2nd week of November. Is it usually busy then?

 

[Poohlovr]

Ummm...not usually busy as far as the parks go, so the hotel won't be packed with leisure travelers, but I have no way of knowing how many, if any, meetings or conventions might be going on.

I did a quick Google search and found 4 or 5 meetings/conventions, but some looked like they would be small--like transplant surgeons. lol

But, who knows how many rooms they will use?

My best advice is to book your room. If there's availability, you'll get your upgrade.

 

[SunBearLewis]

I think I know what the answer is going to be since I'm asking on the Swan and Dolphin thread, but I wanted a few opinions anyways.
Yesterday I got a pin from Disney for the 20/30/40% off for the rest of the year. We have the Dolphin booked for a week in Oct, and after taxes, resort fees, and parking fees, it would be the same price as a week at AKL or Wilderness Lodge with the discount. Both resorts look so neat. Has anyone stayed at either and is there even a comparison to the Dolphin?
I wish I could take the theming at Wilderness Lodge and put it at the Dolphin's location! But since I can't, there's a choice to make.

 

[SingingMom]

I think I know what the answer is going to be since I'm asking on the Swan and Dolphin thread, but I wanted a few opinions anyways.
Yesterday I got a pin from Disney for the 20/30/40% off for the rest of the year. We have the Dolphin booked for a week in Oct, and after taxes, resort fees, and parking fees, it would be the same price as a week at AKL or Wilderness Lodge with the discount. Both resorts look so neat. Has anyone stayed at either and is there even a comparison to the Dolphin?
I wish I could take the theming at Wilderness Lodge and put it at the Dolphin's location! But since I can't, there's a choice to make.

Only you can decide which is more important to you - theming or location.

For me and my family - deluxe with location is our choice. I adore the central location of the Dolphin. I don't like to have to take the bus everywhere - I love that we have the option of the Friendship boats or walking. We enjoy an evening stroll on the Boardwalk - and it is our tradition to have dinner our last night on the Boardwalk, leisurely walk around, and then go back to pack, so the last morning is spent on a calm breakfast before check out and town car pick up.

Either choice will be fine, if it's made with your family's preferences in mind! (but you won't be disappointed if you pick the Dolphin. )

 

[TaraPA]

Like Singing Mom said, it's up to you what will matter. I've stayed at AKL, and it was a beautiful resort, but I'd choose Dolphin over it, hands down, for the location. I like to end every night (or as many as possible) running over to Epcot to have a snack while watching Illuminations. So location matters most to me. However I've never stayed at WL and it also looks themed incredibly well, and someday if I have the chance I might stay there. There are a few Disney Resorts on my "wish list" even tho I'm a loyal Dolpin fan! Last year I had the chance to stay in a 2BR BLT Villa - and I longed for The Dolphin the entire time. That sealed the deal for me that even being in a brand new MK deluxe villa held nothing over my beloved Dolphin!

Good luck with your decision!

 

[Dan Murphy]

How about a split stay? I never have taken one, but now many here have and have enjoyed.

 

[Ramsfan28]

We are SPG platinum members. Are platinum upgrades normally available or are the hotels usually fully booked? Is there a better chance getting an upgrade at the Dolphin over the Swan?

My advice to Gold at Platinum SPG members is book your reservation well in advance and then contact the hotel directly. In some cases, they will upgrade you when you call. I realize the normal process is at check-in, but specifically for Platinum members you can usually get a suite upgrade if you call well in advance.

It is something that has always worked for me.

 

[FINFAN]

We did a split stay WL/Dolphin Christmas '05. We had our first 3 nights at WL then over to the Dolphin for 5. We had stayed at teh Dolphin before, but were surprising our DD with the WL as she is a nature nut, and given the Christmas holiday, how could we not love it? Worng. It was a mess from the moment we passed thru the gates. DS freaked , how come we are not at the Dolphin(he loves it there)check in took forever and the CM was far less than firendly, made me feel like we were putting him out just to check in then our room was less than "airy", not sure what the odor was but it was not pleasant ( it did air out after we left the balcony slider open most of the night) headed down to grab someting to eat, came back to find cleaning supplies left all over the bathroom! A Jug of blue liquid, rags, mop, spray bottle..so mousekeeping had come in AFTER we checked in, why it was just left there, I have no idea. Took someone almost an hour to come and get it. All I kept thinking was what if a fmaily with a real little one was there and the kid thought it was a jug of juice or Kool-aid? Anyway, food at Roaring Forks cafe was average but fairly greasy for most selections. The geyser was not operational,boats took a fairly long time to run but the busses were worse. We were ther 12/18, 19, 20 , so while crowds were coming in, not at peak yet. DH and DD swam in the pool one day and that was the highlight other than DD liking the nature setting. We were so happy to get to the Dolphin, busses were great, LOVE walking to 2 parks, beds were awesome as usual, the brightness in the room! Love the food at the fountain and pool-side, friendly personel, clean! I know we are the odd ones out on the WL...most will flame my review, but it was not our cup of tea, let alone the issues that were there. We discovered that while we arein Florida we like tropical theming or at least not dark/woodsy. The quality and creativity that went into the WL is amazing, I will say that, but our good impression was left at the lobby area. We will visit, but not stay there again.

 

[duffy]

I think I know what the answer is going to be since I'm asking on the Swan and Dolphin thread, but I wanted a few opinions anyways.
Yesterday I got a pin from Disney for the 20/30/40% off for the rest of the year. We have the Dolphin booked for a week in Oct, and after taxes, resort fees, and parking fees, it would be the same price as a week at AKL or Wilderness Lodge with the discount. Both resorts look so neat. Has anyone stayed at either and is there even a comparison to the Dolphin?
I wish I could take the theming at Wilderness Lodge and put it at the Dolphin's location! But since I can't, there's a choice to make.

I totally agree! Love the Wilderness Lodge's decor, the location is just okay. We like the Magic Kingdom, but we're die-hard Epcot fans! The location of the Dolphin is so great. Really a tough choice. I'd say, if you think you're going to spend more time at the MK, go to the Lodge. If you prefer Epcot, or the Studios, go with the Dolphin.

We don't care for Animal Kingdom so much, and have never stayed at the AK Lodge, so I have no opinion there.

We did a split stay WL/Dolphin Christmas '05. We had our first 3 nights at WL then over to the Dolphin for 5. We had stayed at teh Dolphin before, but were surprising our DD with the WL as she is a nature nut, and given the Christmas holiday, how could we not love it? Worng. It was a mess from the moment we passed thru the gates. DS freaked , how come we are not at the Dolphin(he loves it there)check in took forever and the CM was far less than firendly, made me feel like we were putting him out just to check in then our room was less than "airy", not sure what the odor was but it was not pleasant ( it did air out after we left the balcony slider open most of the night) headed down to grab someting to eat, came back to find cleaning supplies left all over the bathroom! A Jug of blue liquid, rags, mop, spray bottle..so mousekeeping had come in AFTER we checked in, why it was just left there, I have no idea. Took someone almost an hour to come and get it. All I kept thinking was what if a fmaily with a real little one was there and the kid thought it was a jug of juice or Kool-aid? Anyway, food at Roaring Forks cafe was average but fairly greasy for most selections. The geyser was not operational,boats took a fairly long time to run but the busses were worse. We were ther 12/18, 19, 20 , so while crowds were coming in, not at peak yet. DH and DD swam in the pool one day and that was the highlight other than DD liking the nature setting. We were so happy to get to the Dolphin, busses were great, LOVE walking to 2 parks, beds were awesome as usual, the brightness in the room! Love the food at the fountain and pool-side, friendly personel, clean! I know we are the odd ones out on the WL...most will flame my review, but it was not our cup of tea, let alone the issues that were there. We discovered that while we arein Florida we like tropical theming or at least not dark/woodsy. The quality and creativity that went into the WL is amazing, I will say that, but our good impression was left at the lobby area. We will visit, but not stay there again.

We did a similar split stay in Feb. 2008, only we spent 5 nights at the Lodge and 3 at the Dolphin. We got a beautiful view, and checking in and out was all very smooth.

If money wasn't the problem, I'd stay at the Wilderness Lodge again, in a heartbeat. The Dolphin, while a beautiful hotel, is huge, overwhelming, and the modern decor doesn't appeal to me as much.

The price is almost always better, so if I'm being practical, I'd pick the Dolphin.

 

[SunBearLewis]

Thanks everyone! All the input helps. For now I'm leaving my reservation alone. I think the location will win over theming, but we stayed at a disney resort last time and had such a good experience I almost have guilt over not bringing back our business!
I also think it bugs me that I got a pin and may not use it, like I'm wasting it or something.
Thanks for being friendly and giving your input!

 

[SingingMom]

How about a split stay? I never have taken one, but now many here have and have enjoyed.

We did a split stay WL/Dolphin Christmas '05. We had our first 3 nights at WL then over to the Dolphin for 5. We had stayed at teh Dolphin before, but were surprising our DD with the WL as she is a nature nut, and given the Christmas holiday, how could we not love it? Worng. It was a mess from the moment we passed thru the gates. DS freaked , how come we are not at the Dolphin(he loves it there)check in took forever and the CM was far less than firendly, made me feel like we were putting him out just to check in then our room was less than "airy", not sure what the odor was but it was not pleasant ( it did air out after we left the balcony slider open most of the night) headed down to grab someting to eat, came back to find cleaning supplies left all over the bathroom! A Jug of blue liquid, rags, mop, spray bottle..so mousekeeping had come in AFTER we checked in, why it was just left there, I have no idea. Took someone almost an hour to come and get it. All I kept thinking was what if a fmaily with a real little one was there and the kid thought it was a jug of juice or Kool-aid? Anyway, food at Roaring Forks cafe was average but fairly greasy for most selections. The geyser was not operational,boats took a fairly long time to run but the busses were worse. We were ther 12/18, 19, 20 , so while crowds were coming in, not at peak yet. DH and DD swam in the pool one day and that was the highlight other than DD liking the nature setting. We were so happy to get to the Dolphin, busses were great, LOVE walking to 2 parks, beds were awesome as usual, the brightness in the room! Love the food at the fountain and pool-side, friendly personel, clean! I know we are the odd ones out on the WL...most will flame my review, but it was not our cup of tea, let alone the issues that were there. We discovered that while we arein Florida we like tropical theming or at least not dark/woodsy. The quality and creativity that went into the WL is amazing, I will say that, but our good impression was left at the lobby area. We will visit, but not stay there again.

I know people rave over doing a split-stay, but I would never consider it, knowing the way I am. We stay for 9 days - and I LOVE the fact that once the hassle (and even if it isn't a "hassle", it sort of is a "hassle". did you follow that?! ) of checking in and unpacking is DONE, then it is DONE, until we have to go home!

FinFan - your experience would have put a damper on the beginning of vacation, for sure.

With delayed flights coming in and early check ins at the airport to return, I rarely count my first and last days as full days of vacation enjoyment. Add having to move to another hotel (even if someone else is carting the luggage) just doesn't appeal to me. I'd rather stay put.

 

[SunBearLewis]

I agree Singing Mom, we're not considering it. Although it was a good suggestion. It seems most people who do split stays are wishing they had either had all their time at the first resort, or wish they would have switched to the second sooner. Although there are those rare reports that everything worked out, we're just not interested in using part of our day to move around.

 

[NancyIL]

I stayed in 4 different places on my Dec. trip: Bonnet Creek 3 nights; DCL 4 nights; AKL 2 nights; and WL 3 nights. There was no way around the first two, but in hindsight I wish we had stayed all 5 nights at WL. I wanted to save money, and got a good AP rate at AKL. However, I really missed staying at the Swan and being able to walk back to the hotel after leaving Epcot - where I spent most evenings.

 

[SingingMom]

I stayed in 4 different places on my Dec. trip: Bonnet Creek 3 nights; DCL 4 nights; AKL 2 nights; and WL 3 nights. There was no way around the first two, but in hindsight I wish we had stayed all 5 nights at WL. I wanted to save money, and got a good AP rate at AKL. However, I really missed staying at the Swan and being able to walk back to the hotel after leaving Epcot - where I spent most evenings.

I got dizzy just READING that, Nancy! Forget LIVING it.

 

[jreeves628]

My advice to Gold at Platinum SPG members is book your reservation well in advance and then contact the hotel directly. In some cases, they will upgrade you when you call. I realize the normal process is at check-in, but specifically for Platinum members you can usually get a suite upgrade if you call well in advance.

It is something that has always worked for me.

Thank you so much for the tip!

 

[NancyIL]

I got dizzy just READING that, Nancy! Forget LIVING it.

I'll do it again next February: Bonnet Creek, Disney cruise, but SWAN for the rest of the WDW stay!

Oh - when I was in FL in January, I was going to stay at the Swan 5 nights, with my sister in Cocoa Beach 1 night, then at an airport hotel 1 night. THEN I remembered the Dec. trip in 4 places, and booked all 7 nights at the Swan!

 

[SingingMom]

I'll do it again next February: Bonnet Creek, Disney cruise, but SWAN for the rest of the WDW stay!

Oh - when I was in FL in January, I was going to stay at the Swan 5 nights, with my sister in Cocoa Beach 1 night, then at an airport hotel 1 night. THEN I remembered the Dec. trip in 4 places, and booked all 7 nights at the Swan!

Three years ago I was able to get a better flight price if we left in the evening - so I booked a night at the Orlando airport for the night before - then would get to the Dolphin first thing the next morning. Figured we'd have a leisurely late dinner and DD could take a swim and just relax.
Our 6:15 pm flight left Newark after MIDNIGHT. We didn't get into Orlando until around 3 am. Let me tell you - it's very quiet in the airport at 3 am.

We were in the hotel room for less than 6 hours. (and they charged us full rate. )

 

[NancyIL]

Three years ago I was able to get a better flight price if we left in the evening - so I booked a night at the Orlando airport for the night before - then would get to the Dolphin first thing the next morning. Figured we'd have a leisurely late dinner and DD could take a swim and just relax.
Our 6:15 pm flight left Newark after MIDNIGHT. We didn't get into Orlando until around 3 am. Let me tell you - it's very quiet in the airport at 3 am.

We were in the hotel room for less than 6 hours. (and they charged us full rate. )

Be glad you were paying the airport hotel's full rate and not the Dolphin's for that 3 a.m. arrival!

 

[jnfr2424]

How about a split stay? I never have taken one, but now many here have and have enjoyed.

We always do a split stay with the Dolphin included! It started as a birthday wish to resort hop we stayed 3 days at CR then hopped to Dolphin and then hopped again to AKL it just feels like a new vacation every time you check in. Also its only usually 2 of us so its not a hassel for us to hop from resort to resort. Can't wait to do it again in 9 days!

 

[SingingMom]

Be glad you were paying the airport hotel's full rate and not the Dolphin's for that 3 a.m. arrival!

Airport hotel's rate MUCH higher than what we pay at the Dolphin!