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

[Marknem]

Magical Express is not available for Swan/Dolphin guests. They must arrange transportation themselves (car rental, cab, town car, shuttle, etc.)

 

[Poohlovr]

Is there an extra charge for Magical Express if I'm staying at Swan or Dolphin?

Looking forward to the report back on the mini-fridges!

You can use Mears and may or may not be put on a Magical Express bus. I think the cost is about $18.00 each way (per person). It might be cheaper to use a town car service, depending on the number of people in your party.

 

[lovingthemouse]

Just 17 more days!!! Look forward to the Grotto pool and just having a wonderful time!

 

[chum]

Most if not all Swan/Dolphin rooms should now have flat panel TV's and mini-fridges.

 

[jnfr2424]

I read the Swan is getting mini-refrigerators in the rooms which guests can use for free.
Not the snack cooler, but real mini refrigerators.

Is the Dolphin also getting the real mini refrigerators ?

Thanks !

All of the mini refrigerators are in the Dolphin

Most if not all Swan/Dolphin rooms should now have flat panel TV's and mini-fridges.

Not all the rooms have flat panel TV's yet - Our orignal room was in the East Wing on the 2nd floor and that had a flat panel TV - we moved our room to the 9th floor West Wing and the TV was not upgraded

 

[SondraC]

We have decided to go down to Disney next month! We are such planners that this last minute trip (to us) is having me scramble a bit.
We wanted to try Swan or Dolphin for the first time June 18 - 25, but we can't get the last night. Both are sold out. Do they ever come open in anyone's experience?

 

[SingingMom]

We have decided to go down to Disney next month! We are such planners that this last minute trip (to us) is having me scramble a bit.
We wanted to try Swan or Dolphin for the first time June 18 - 25, but we can't get the last night. Both are sold out. Do they ever come open in anyone's experience?

Yes - they DO open up. We had such an experience to add a day to our trip two years ago. You just have to be diligent and call often.
Good Luck!

 

[SondraC]

Thanks!

 

[Needafix]

We have decided to go down to Disney next month! We are such planners that this last minute trip (to us) is having me scramble a bit.
We wanted to try Swan or Dolphin for the first time June 18 - 25, but we can't get the last night. Both are sold out. Do they ever come open in anyone's experience?

Yes, they often open things up. With that many rooms between S/D, there has to be changes/cancellations all the time. Keep at it. I'd be shocked if something didn't open up.

 

[smithmac]

We have stayed at the Beach Club twice, but are considering staying at the Dolphin to save money. Has anyone stayed at the Dolphin after staying at the Beach Club and been happy? How does the Grotto Pool compare to SAB? Would you go back to the Dolphin?

 

[Needafix]

We have stayed at the Beach Club twice, but are considering staying at the Dolphin to save money. Has anyone stayed at the Dolphin after staying at the Beach Club and been happy? How does the Grotto Pool compare to SAB? Would you go back to the Dolphin?

In March I had rooms at Dolphin and BC at comparable prices. I decided to go with BC to try it out since we'd never stayed there and so we can see what all the fuss is about SAB. The BC was very nice, the castmembers couldn't have been better, SAB is very cool, but even so, we wished we were at Dolphin and can't wait to get back there in July.

I don't think you can really compare the two pools - to me, they are both wonderful, but I prefer the layout of the Grotto pool better, but I have older kids. I could see liking the sandy, windy pool if my kids were small. I like to lounge by the pool and we had trouble getting seats, where I haven't yet had that problem at Grotto. I also didn't like the pool being right out on the sidewalk. We also did not like the food options at BC and found ourselves walking to Picabu's for at least 1/2 our meals.

I'm glad we tried the BC and it was really nice being SO close to Epcot and I have nothing against the BC, I just prefer Dolphin hands down and that's with similar prices. Since I usually get amazing deals at Dolphin, it's a no brainer for me.

 

[smithmac]

Needafix, thanks so much for your reply. I'm thinking that we should just try the Dolphin for this one trip. Is the Grotto pool big? Did you walk from the Dolphin to Epcot? Do you usually book a standard room? I was looking at one of the pictures of a standard view room that someone got at the Dolphin is it was awful. How are the dining prices at the Dolphin?

 

[haleofafamily]

We have stayed at the Beach Club twice, but are considering staying at the Dolphin to save money. Has anyone stayed at the Dolphin after staying at the Beach Club and been happy? How does the Grotto Pool compare to SAB? Would you go back to the Dolphin?

I would pick the BC hands down. While I thought the pool at the Dolphin was pretty - I didn't think it was very little kid friendly. There weren't any areas shallower than 3ft so I had to hold my little ones the whole time (if there were more shallow parts I couldn't find them). Also there were a lot of adult couples that were all over each other in the pool and it made me very uncomfortable - didn't think it was much of a family atmosphere.

To me - there is no comparison between the pools themselves. The Grotto is a pretty pool with a decent slide but SAB is a mini waterpark. Great slide, sand bottom, lazy river, several kids areas...I just asked my kids and they also chose SAB - very enthusiastically.

The Dolphin was beautiful and we really liked it, but if the prices were the same I would pick BC. I would only go back to Dolphin if it was A LOT cheaper or if I was alone with my DH.

 

[NancyIL]

Needafix, thanks so much for your reply. I'm thinking that we should just try the Dolphin for this one trip. Is the Grotto pool big? Did you walk from the Dolphin to Epcot? Do you usually book a standard room? I was looking at one of the pictures of a standard view room that someone got at the Dolphin is it was awful. How are the dining prices at the Dolphin?

What was awful - the view or the room? The rooms look just like their photos on the web site: http://www.swandolphin.com/accommodations/standard.html

 

[Needafix]

Needafix, thanks so much for your reply. I'm thinking that we should just try the Dolphin for this one trip. Is the Grotto pool big? Did you walk from the Dolphin to Epcot? Do you usually book a standard room? I was looking at one of the pictures of a standard view room that someone got at the Dolphin is it was awful. How are the dining prices at the Dolphin?

The Grotto pool is HUGE! Actually, there are several pools. The main one with a slide and huge waterfall, I believe two "quiet" pools just off to the side, a lap pool and a kiddie pool.

Yes, we almost always walk to Epcot from Dolphin. It's a beautiful walk and not that far. If we don't feel like walking, we jump on the boat for a bit of a break. I've always booked a standard and have never had a bad view. I know the view you're talking about and it is horrible, but I'm certain you can get a lousy view like that at any resort at one time or another. I've always had amazing views and I have also often been upgraded for free.

I thought the dining prices at S/D are similar to rest of Disney. I actually thought Picabu's was very reasonable for the amount of food you got. Many S/D restaurants accept AAA if you have it and I also have TIW so we got 20% off Kimono's sushi and the bar in the lobby of the Dolphin.

I think you'll really like Dolphin, especially if you're getting one of their fabulous rates. You just can't beat the location.

 

[haleofafamily]

Needafix, thanks so much for your reply. I'm thinking that we should just try the Dolphin for this one trip. Is the Grotto pool big? Did you walk from the Dolphin to Epcot? Do you usually book a standard room? I was looking at one of the pictures of a standard view room that someone got at the Dolphin is it was awful. How are the dining prices at the Dolphin?

The distance from Epcot was quite a hike compared to BC or BW. The path goes out the Dolphin towards the Swan then thru the BW and across to Epcot. I would take the boat if I did it again.

We had an executive suite and the king room and living area were very roomy. It connected to a standard room and I thought it was very small. One side of the room was a long desk and there wasn't much room between the end of the beds and the desk.

We are Starwood members and I was disappointed in our view. Actually the view was fine, but we had those metal cross bars over our windows - blocking the view.

 

[Needafix]

What was awful - the view or the room? The rooms look just like their photos on the web site: http://www.swandolphin.com/accommodations/standard.html

I assumed she was talking about the view. There was that one picture going around with a horrible view of construction and service entrance.

 

[NancyIL]

The distance from Epcot was quite a hike compared to BC or BW. The path goes out the Dolphin towards the Swan then thru the BW and across to Epcot. I would take the boat if I did it again.

Yes, the Beach Club and Boardwalk are closer to Epcot than the Swan/Dolphin. I usually stay at the Swan, and it takes me about 10 minutes tops to walk from there to the International Gateway entrance to Epcot.

 

[smithmac]

Thanks for all of your responses. If we book the Dolphin it will save us about $1000.00 for a 4 night stay. Disney isn't offering free dining during the time that we would be going. Our kids are 12, 10 and 7. Sounds like the Dolphin would be worth checking out. The awful room picture that I saw was of the view. The were looking at a construction zone, dumpster. Not very magical at all. I do have AAA do you know how much of a discount you get at the restaurants?

 

[Needafix]

I do have AAA do you know how much of a discount you get at the restaurants?

I've only used TIW, we'll be using AAA in July, but I believe people have been saying there's a 20% discount with AAA. That's what the TIW discount was.

Editing b/c I just realized you said you'd save $1000 over 4 days!!!! There isn't a pool in the world I'd pay an extra $250/day for and honestly, the difference in the walk really isn't a big deal especially with your kids ages.