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

[Poohlovr]

LOL! Yes, Dan-we are converging once again. It's been 9 yrs since we had our first meet.

I think Mr SwanDolphin has planned his vacation for the days we're there. He won't confirm that he hasn't, so.....

 

[Needafix]

But, the all important question.... did you have my all time favorite espresso martini at the Lobby Bar?!?!

Just back from Disney and BC and I'm really hitting the Disney blues hard.

SingingMom - we tried twice to get the espresso martini. First time the bar was closed, the second time the espresso machine was broken. I did really enjoy their other drinks though.

I was really looking forward to being blown away by BC and SAB and although it was nice and I don't have any major complaints, I really missed the Dolphin and won't be going back to BC. In the 4 days we went to Dolphin at least 6 times - Picabu's 4 times, bar twice and Kimono's - all fantastic (really disappointed in selection/quality/service at BC)

I can't wait to get back to the Dolphin in July. I"m just bummed my family won't be with me on that trip to really enjoy the Dolphin. Every one of them said they would have rather stayed at the Dolphin over BC and I swear I wasn't putting that thought in their head because I really wanted them to enjoy BC.

The countdown to Dolphin begins!!!

 

[Poohlovr]

You know, I went through that right after AKL opened. I had promised my grandkids we would stay there when they opened. So, a couple of months after opening, we stayed at AKL (cause I'm a good grandma and wanted to keep my word).

Every time we went past the S/D, those kids would point and say "I wish we were staying there again". Wait-you have giraffes right off of your balcony--and you wish we were staying at the cheaper hotel?

Learned my lesson.

Anyway, I'm sorry that BC didn't live up to your expectations. And I think the grotto pool is much nicer than SAB.

 

[Dan Murphy]

LOL! Yes, Dan-we are converging once again. It's been 9 yrs since we had our first meet.

I think Mr SwanDolphin has planned his vacation for the days we're there. He won't confirm that he hasn't, so.....

Sounds great, Sue. Can't believe it's been 9 years, but hard to believe it will be 11 years for me here soon. And looks like the same for you. Rememner when CC moved the cheerleaders over to the CB? Good move, in retrospect.

I agree, SSB needs to be absent at that time, LOL.

 

[Poohlovr]

Yes, I remember the move and how unhappy we were. I'm still not sure it was the best move for the integrity of the thread, but,you know...

I started on the DIS in Oct,1998. We had a board move where everyone's start date got reset to 1999.

SSB is absent a lot of the times when I show up. I'm starting to get a complex.

 

[haleofafamily]

Can you use the online check-in at the S/D like other Disney resorts?

 

[pooh2001]

This thread is the best to keep us up-to-date on the Dolphin info.
It will be 4 years between trips for us.

I am so glad the Dolphin keeps the room up-to-date.

My kids always wanted to try the YC and the SAB - but it is our of our budget, unless we win the lottery
I am glad this thread voted the Grotto Pool #1 and SAB #2.

thank you to all - keep this thread going and I love to hear about eveyones trip back

 

[Needafix]

This thread is the best to keep us up-to-date on the Dolphin info.
It will be 4 years between trips for us.

I am so glad the Dolphin keeps the room up-to-date.

My kids always wanted to try the YC and the SAB - but it is our of our budget, unless we win the lottery
I am glad this thread voted the Grotto Pool #1 and SAB #2.

thank you to all - keep this thread going and I love to hear about eveyones trip back

Yeah, I have to say I really expected to vote SAB #1, but not even close. Luckily, the cost of the BC was basically the same price as Dolphin on this trip since I couldn't get a standard room at Dolphin. It really would have killed me to pay so much more and still wish I was at Dolphin.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Yes, I remember the move and how unhappy we were. I'm still not sure it was the best move for the integrity of the thread, but,you know...

I started on the DIS in Oct,1998. We had a board move where everyone's start date got reset to 1999.

SSB is absent a lot of the times when I show up. I'm starting to get a complex.

Yes, I know. But, I do think it worked out okay. Could not really have chit chat thread here on this forum, they don't like that. Hey, we better be careful talking to each other here, or maybe get moved again, LOL. But, with you guys getting moved there, I learned about the very nice S/D resort and all it had to offer. Before that I was a Disney resort person too.

I came here in April of '99, had to reregister in August or September of '99, and then had to again in April of 2000. Pete was switching software and as a moderator type person back then scared1: ) I had to reregister again to be able to do something he wanted, can't quite recall.

SSB is too funny, and a good guy.

 

[jnfr2424]

Can you use the online check-in at the S/D like other Disney resorts?

No you cannot
S/D are not Disney Resorts they are Sheraton/Westin Resorts on Disney Property

 

[pooh2001]

bump for anyone who wants to read this thread

 

[NancyIL]

You know, I went through that right after AKL opened. I had promised my grandkids we would stay there when they opened. So, a couple of months after opening, we stayed at AKL (cause I'm a good grandma and wanted to keep my word).

Every time we went past the S/D, those kids would point and say "I wish we were staying there again". Wait-you have giraffes right off of your balcony--and you wish we were staying at the cheaper hotel?

Learned my lesson.

I was at WDW in December with a group, and my roommate wanted to stay at a WDW resort. We did a split stay between AKL and WL - with my favorite being the WL. Nice resorts, but I spent most of my park time at Epcot, and it about killed me to leave Epcot at night through the front entrance to catch a bus to my hotel! I was SO happy to be back at the Swan in January, and I'll be there again next month.

 

[jakeybake]

We absolutely love the Epcot resort area. Our last 3 trips have been at the BC and YC (last 2). It is by far our favorite area of all of WDW.

Our dilemma is this. We are planning a trip to WDW in June of 2011 for our 20 year wedding anniversary. After going over prices we realize that we just can't swing the YC/BC again, which stinks but it is what it is.

We have never considered the Swan or Dolphin in the past because it wasn't an official WDW resort. We love to charge back to the room while there just for the convenience of it all.

Now I know that the S/D do have some of the benefits of the WDW resorts like that transportation and obviously the location.

I guess my question is whether folks think it's best to stay at the S/D and not have all of the WDW benefits available to us, or should we stay at a moderate instead? We would give up our favorite location for really just the opportunity to charge back to the room from what I can tell.

I am also curious as to what other WDW benefits we would not be privy to if we stay at the S/D? Not clear on if we can add the dining plan or how the park tickets would work.

Guess I just need a lot of help in the benefits of staying at the S/D vs. what we would lose out on.

Any and all help is greatly apprciated!!

Jay

 

[NancyIL]

We absolutely love the Epcot resort area. Our last 3 trips have been at the BC and YC (last 2). It is by far our favorite area of all of WDW.

Our dilemma is this. We are planning a trip to WDW in June of 2011 for our 20 year wedding anniversary. After going over prices we realize that we just can't swing the YC/BC again, which stinks but it is what it is.

We have never considered the Swan or Dolphin in the past because it wasn't an official WDW resort. We love to charge back to the room while there just for the convenience of it all.

Now I know that the S/D do have some of the benefits of the WDW resorts like that transportation and obviously the location.

I guess my question is whether folks think it's best to stay at the S/D and not have all of the WDW benefits available to us, or should we stay at a moderate instead? We would give up our favorite location for really just the opportunity to charge back to the room from what I can tell.

I am also curious as to what other WDW benefits we would not be privy to if we stay at the S/D? Not clear on if we can add the dining plan or how the park tickets would work.

Guess I just need a lot of help in the benefits of staying at the S/D vs. what we would lose out on.

Any and all help is greatly apprciated!!

Jay

I can see why some people decide against the Swan/Dolphin because they want the dining plan or want to take Magical Express. But the ability to charge to the room at WDW resorts is unimportant to me. I had a KTTW card for my WDW resort stay in December, but chose not to have it enabled to charge to the room. It isn't an inconvenience for me to charge WDW food and merchandise directly to my credit card, or in some case to my Disney Visa Rewards card. However, I DO charge Swan/Dolphin restaurants to my room key because I earn Starwood points for those charges. You earn ZIP for charging to your KTTW card.

In my opinion, booking a WDW moderate resort just to charge back to the room is not a good enough reason to not consider the Swan/Dolphin.

 

[Needafix]

I just got back Wed from my first stay at BC. The resort was beautiful, great location and pool and everyone was very helpful and friendly, but it still didn't do it for me. We missed S/D so much we went to the Dolphin 6 or 7 times for drinks at their bar, to eat at Picabu's and sushi at Kimono's. Even though SAB is a beautiful pool, I still like Grotto better. I hadn't said anything to my kids, but even they kept saying they would have preferred the Dolphin.

Jay, I know you how feel. For years I swore I would never stay at S/D because it wasn't Disney and I wasn't staying any place that wasn't Disney. Then I needed one night and all of Disney was totally booked. I very reluctantly took a night at Dolphin and fell in love with it.

I don't miss any themeing at S/D because I think they have as much theming as any of the deluxes, just different. Granted there is more theming at the values, but that is not what I like.

At S/D you won't be able to do the dining plan (which we never do anyway) or get ME (which I would rather have gotten my own shuttle for now that I finally tried it). You also can't charge to the room, which would have been the only slight issue for us, but not that much b/c this is the first trip I've ever charged a room. That concept scares me. I believe, other than that, everything else is pretty much the same.

You do get the same park-to-park transportation and EMH's which are the two biggies for me.

I've stayed at POR, WL, GF, CR, Poly, Carribean, S/D, BW and BC. If money was no object I would rank them in this order:
Poly
Dolphin
Swan
WL
BW
BC

I really didn't have any negative issues with BC at all, it just wasn't the Dolphin and since I can normally get such amazing rates at Dolphin (even after adding in the daily charge and transportation) it's a no brainer for me.

 

[disney4us2002]

This time tomorrow I will be checking in to the Dolphin! Wow, the time just flew by. Keeping my fingers crossed for a balcony. View isn't as important to me but dh realllllly loves to sit out on the balcony early am and after returning from the parks.

 

[Needafix]

This time tomorrow I will be checking in to the Dolphin! Wow, the time just flew by. Keeping my fingers crossed for a balcony. View isn't as important to me but dh realllllly loves to sit out on the balcony early am and after returning from the parks.

WooHoo.....I'm so excited for you. I'm still in my post-Disney blues phase only because it was truly the best trip the boys and I ever had to Disney. Have a blast.

 

[jakeybake]

Thanks for the quick feedback. I really appreciate it.

I didn't realize that we couldn't use ME either. That kind of stinks. We used to be rental car people but we enjoyed the convenience of ME when we stayed at the Epcot resorts. We never needed a car while there because of the close proximity to Epcot and DHS.

Can anyone give me their preference, either the Swan or Dolphin? I have visited but haven't paid much attention to detail when just walking through.

Thanks,
Jay

 

[Needafix]

Thanks for the quick feedback. I really appreciate it.

I didn't realize that we couldn't use ME either. That kind of stinks. We used to be rental car people but we enjoyed the convenience of ME when we stayed at the Epcot resorts. We never needed a car while there because of the close proximity to Epcot and DHS.

Can anyone give me their preference, either the Swan or Dolphin? I have visited but haven't paid much attention to detail when just walking through.

Thanks,
Jay

This was my first ME experience and I would have preferred taking the private shuttle I originally had booked for $124 round trip. By the time we got there late Friday night, I was totally exhausted and would have preferred not waiting for the bus to fill and making all those stops b/4 getting to BC. On the way back we waited over an hour at one of the resorts b/c there was a team that couldn't fit on the bus and didn't want to split up.

I have to say, I really missed my car rental on this trip. I like to resort hop and it was a hassle getting from resort to resort, which is why I missed out on my Tonga Toast. Not sure what I'm going to do for July yet.

As far as preference over S/D we are probably evenly split on this thread. I prefer the atmosphere of the Dolphin - it's a bit livelier, nicer views (IMO) I love the lobby with the shooting stars and easy access to Picabu's and Dolphin is usually slightly less expensive. Other's prefer the Swan for the quieter atmosphere and slightly larger beds. I don't think the difference is so large that any of us wouldn't take the other if their prefered resort wasn't available.

 

[sarahsmom73]

We are headed to the swan on Sunday for a week! Can't wait!