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

[WUVmyDISNEY]

Thanks for the input! I went ahead and took the plunge. I am booked for 12/13 - 12/19!!! I am so excited but of course it will be agony waiting almost 7 months now! I am still deciding on my first night or two either at CR or Poly! I will get that squared away today.

Does anyone know ....since I am beginning my stay at one of the official resorts, do I get the 180 + 10 for ADRs even though I am only going to be there 1 or two nights or can I only book for the nights I will be there and then have to do day by day while at the Dolphin?

I saw the slip for the pantry on the S/D site for having snacks/water/etc delivered to your room. The prices look great. Are there service and delivery fees on top of the prices?

The last thing I need to think about is our transportation back to the airport but I still have a load of time to do that!

 

[RachelTori]

Thanks for the input! I went ahead and took the plunge. I am booked for 12/13 - 12/19!!! I am so excited but of course it will be agony waiting almost 7 months now! I am still deciding on my first night or two either at CR or Poly! I will get that squared away today.

Does anyone know ....since I am beginning my stay at one of the official resorts, do I get the 180 + 10 for ADRs even though I am only going to be there 1 or two nights or can I only book for the nights I will be there and then have to do day by day while at the Dolphin?

I saw the slip for the pantry on the S/D site for having snacks/water/etc delivered to your room. The prices look great. Are there service and delivery fees on top of the prices?

The last thing I need to think about is our transportation back to the airport but I still have a load of time to do that!

Yes, I can tell you from my recent personal experience that once you enter your reservation number, the calendar magically opens for day 180 plus 10, no matter how many days your reservation is for!

 

[Dan Murphy]

I do not think there is a service or delivery charge on pantry items, just tax. The items are not brought immediately like room dining service, but by the housekeeping department I think.

http://www.swandolphin.com/pdf/pantrymenu.pdf

 

[WUVmyDISNEY]

Thanks for the great info! I am all set now. I have CR booked and then moving to the Dolphin for 6 nights! I am pretty excited! I remember about 19 yrs ago on my oldest's first trip, passing the S/D and thinking how gorgeous it looked and telling myself I was gonna stay there some day and now we are! I love the Epcot resort area and have stayed BC twice and BW CL last December. We did go over to the Dolphin for a late dinner one night and loved that huge Christmas tree. One thing I really do wish, is that Disney would let guests at S/D use DME, even for a cost, say $20 pp or something.

Now just waiting for June 15th for SW airfares to come out for December!

 

[Emm]

Can someone tell me what type of coffee maker the Dolphin is now using? Is it one of the regular glass-carafe "Mr. Coffee" types of coffee makers (which make around 4 cups) or is it one of those "personal cup of coffee" makers which make one cup at a time?

Also, I am very excited that the Dolphin now has fridges even if they don't have icemakers.

I finally wised up and tucked the plastic liner bag from the ice bucket into my park bag, so that we could fill it up with ice on our way back to the room at the end of the evening.

FWIW: I usually take along ziplock bags for that purpose. They are less flimsy than the hotel ice bucket liner and they seal. Also, ice kept in a zip-lock inside a fridge will almost never completely defrost by morning so that's extra ice in the morning also.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Single cup, large. Starbucks coffee.

 

[Poohlovr]

Counting down the nights until I get to snuggle into one of those heavenly beds - only 9 more sleeps, then
Does anyone know how many Executive Suites at the Swan have balconies? And should we request a balcony at check-in, or just take what they give us?
I am crazy excited to see the Swan again!!!!

I am not sure about the Swan, but I know that none of the exec suites at the Dolphin have a balcony. Give them a call and ask if any of the Swan exec suites have a balcony.

 

[SingingMom]

I do not think there is a service or delivery charge on pantry items, just tax. The items are not brought immediately like room dining service, but by the housekeeping department I think.

http://www.swandolphin.com/pdf/pantrymenu.pdf

Ok - how did I miss this after four straight years in a row?! Although, I do believe these things are available at Picabu's too... DD loves Starbucks Frapps...

Can someone tell me what type of coffee maker the Dolphin is now using? Is it one of the regular glass-carafe "Mr. Coffee" types of coffee makers (which make around 4 cups) or is it one of those "personal cup of coffee" makers which make one cup at a time?

Also, I am very excited that the Dolphin now has fridges even if they don't have icemakers.



FWIW: I usually take along ziplock bags for that purpose. They are less flimsy than the hotel ice bucket liner and they seal. Also, ice kept in a zip-lock inside a fridge will almost never completely defrost by morning so that's extra ice in the morning also.

I am the "QUEEN OF ZIPLOCKS". We use them to bring sunscreen back & forth to the park so it doesn't leak in our bags, I even use them as an "ice pack" when a migraine hits. (usually at LEAST once during a trip. ) Watershoes also go in there if they haven't dried from our Blizzard Beach outing before it's time to return home!

 

[Dan Murphy]

Ok - how did I miss this after four straight years in a row?......

I think this has only been available for about the past year.

 

[SingingMom]

I think this has only been available for about the past year.

Phew... I thought I was in the stages of early onset senility....

We leave a month from tomorrow...... doing the happy dance!

 

[airhead]

C'mon July!!!!!! We can hardly wait to get back to the Dolphin!!!!!!!!

 

[Zuzu03]

C'mon July!!!!!! We can hardly wait to get back to the Dolphin!!!!!!!!

HAHA! Agreed! C'mon July!

 

[SingingMom]

C'mon July!!!!!! We can hardly wait to get back to the Dolphin!!!!!!!!

HAHA! Agreed! C'mon July!

We'll try to leave the place in one piece after our trip in June.
(...can't say that I'll save any espresso martinis for ya, however.... )

 

[NancyIL]

I arrived at my beloved Swan 5 weeks ago today - sigh. Time sure flies when you get old! I would love to return to WDW for the Food & Wine Festival in October, but I'll have to skip it this year. I am booked at the Swan for 5 nights in mid-December, and that's just under 7 months from now!

For those of you who go to WDW June-August, I hope you can stay cool! I went to FL at the end of June several years in a row to celebrate my mom's birthday, and then went to WDW for a day or two. Now that my mom has passed, it's just too darn hot to go there in the summer. I had a plane ticket for last June, but the heat was so awful that I cancelled that trip and rebooked for December.

 

[SingingMom]

For those of you who go to WDW June-August, I hope you can stay cool! I went to FL at the end of June several years in a row to celebrate my mom's birthday, and then went to WDW for a day or two. Now that my mom has passed, it's just too darn hot to go there in the summer. I had a plane ticket for last June, but the heat was so awful that I cancelled that trip and rebooked for December.

This will be our fifth June trip in a row... the heat can be UNBEARABLE. But, with DD still in high school, we can't go any other time of the year.

We find the mister fans (or even just the little fans) are a big help. I can get VERY overheated very quickly, so I have to be careful. We went in August once years ago, and I remember RUNNING to Innoventions to get into the air conditioning. DH had no clue why I bolted so quickly, and there he is, jogging to keep up with me, pushing the stroller. lol He said, "What the heck happened?!" and I said, "If I hadn't gotten into A/C at THAT MOMENT, I would have been a goner."

This year we will "pick & choose" just our favorite rides and attractions. I almost suffered heat stroke waiting on line for Goofy's Barn Stormer last year. I have no clue what possessed me to stand in the direct sun for an hour to ride a 2 minute ride.

My plans for this year are to sit by the Grotto pool in that oppressive heat, with a Cabana Bar mai tai, or two... or....

 

[NancyIL]

This will be our fifth June trip in a row... the heat can be UNBEARABLE. But, with DD still in high school, we can't go any other time of the year.

What about spring break or Christmas? I don't like crowds and I don't like heat, but I'd rather brave the crowds when it's cooler than in the summer.

 

[SingingMom]

What about spring break or Christmas? I don't like crowds and I don't like heat, but I'd rather brave the crowds when it's cooler than in the summer.

DD is heavily involved in her high school's theatre department, and Spring Musical rehearsals are always in full swing during Spring Break.

As for Christmas... I'm not a fan of trying to fly out of the NY/NJ Tri State area during the winter holidays. Too iffy on weather, etc. And I always host Christmas dinner for my big Italian family. So, unfortunately, HEAT it is. lol

 

[NancyIL]

DD is heavily involved in her high school's theatre department, and Spring Musical rehearsals are always in full swing during Spring Break.

As for Christmas... I'm not a fan of trying to fly out of the NY/NJ Tri State area during the winter holidays. Too iffy on weather, etc. And I always host Christmas dinner for my big Italian family. So, unfortunately, HEAT it is. lol

Well...YOU could always go to WDW for a solo trip during a cooler time of year!

 

[SingingMom]

Well...YOU could always go to WDW for a solo trip during a cooler time of year!

This will be DD's last summer trip, as next year this time we will be looking at colleges. We might go to Paris next year as her graduation gift and our 25th wedding anniversary. After that, I guess DH and I can go away ANY time of the year we choose!

 

[Zuzu03]

This will be DD's last summer trip, as next year this time we will be looking at colleges. We might go to Paris next year as her graduation gift and our 25th wedding anniversary. After that, I guess DH and I can go away ANY time of the year we choose!

That's awesome, you sound just like us! DD would have graduated next year, but that darn so-and-so skipped a grade and is graduating THIS year (I am so NOT ready!!!). I offered to bring her to Europe (we had a quick trip to France and Spain last year) for her graduation but she insisted on going to Disney! What show did your daughter do this year? We just finished up Disney's Alice in Wonderland - DD was tall Alice!