Transportation between Resorts and Swan & Dolphin

[happy2go2wdwmom]

We are planning to stay at a moderate for a few days and then want to check into the Swan & Dolphin over night, and then plan to check back into the same WDW resort.

1. What are the chances that we could have our major luggage held upon discharge at the WDW resort overnight? If we can do this, we would only have to take a small overnight bag to the S&D. The CM's told me that the front desk will hold our luggage as long as we need the day of discharge so that we could enjoy our base ticket that day. Couldn't they hold it until the next day for when we check back in? What happens to the lugage if we do not claim it right away?

2. If this is not possile, how much is a taxi for 2 adutls 1 child to moce from CBR to S7D and then back again? Recommendations?

TIA!

 

[goofy4tink]

A cab would run you about $10...it was that from the YC to POP for us.
You could ask the luggage folks at the resort if they can hold your bags until you return the next day. It most likely wouldn't be an issue.
If you don't mind my being nosey...why are you leaving the resort and spending just the one night at the S/D, then returning to the original resort?

 

[happy2go2wdwmom]

Thank you for your reply. $10 is nuttin' honey!

We are going in the middle of our trip so that we can get the Magical Express free airport service at the start and end of our vacation.

We ended up walking though S&D one day during our last trip and we fell in love with it---it's so grande and I've heard such great things about it from the podcast crew---I ended up signing up at the S&D website and they have a nice deal right now for $119 a night (don't have to be a govt' employee...to get this rate). Since the CBR room goes up on Fi. and Sat. nights during our stay, we thought we'd try S&D out at this LOW price. Plus, we have a one day left over no expration hopper ticket from a few years ago that we plan to use while staying at the SWAN.

 

[CarolA]

Personally I would not leave my luggage. I tend to figure that gives it time to "disappear"

 

[seashoreCM]

Check to see if the same rate (rate for first night) can apply for all nights of a continuous stay you are booking. In the past, all bookings were this way.

It is a bad idea to use the one leftover day even if you are staying at a non-Disney's resort unless:

1. Your total stay involves 3 or fewer days in the Disney theme parks, or,
2. The one leftover ticket day is used for a day that you park hop and your other ticket will never have the hopping feature, or,
3. The leftover day is the eleventh day (days used in any order) and you fully consume a 10 day expiring ticket, or,
4. You need another park day beyond the 14 day life span of your other ticket.

Disney hints: http://www.cockam.com/disney.htm

 

[Lewisc]

I wouldn't change resorts for only one night, in the middle of my vacation. You may not get a room until after 3p and you may have to check out by 11a. You'll be "homeless" for a good part of two days. The grotto pool at the S/D is one of the best pools on property and is one of the reasons to stay there. Imagine leaving the pool during an early afternoon storm but not have a room to go to. Coming back from a theme park in the early afternoon during a thunderstorm and not having a room to go to to change.

 

[CarolA]

Check to see if the same rate (rate for first night) can apply for all nights of a continuous stay you are booking. In the past, all bookings were this way.

It is a bad idea to use the one leftover day even if you are staying at a non-Disney's resort unless:

1. Your total stay involves 3 or fewer days in the Disney theme parks, or,
2. The one leftover ticket day is used for a day that you park hop and your other ticket will never have the hopping feature, or,
3. The leftover day is the eleventh day (days used in any order) and you fully consume a 10 day expiring ticket, or,
4. You need another park day beyond the 14 day life span of your other ticket.

Disney hints: http://www.cockam.com/disney.htm

The past is not the present and the rules have changed. Your check in rate will no longer carry on dates when it's not available.


As for the rest of this WHAT???? I guess the OP should hold that ticket forever as an investment?

 

[goofy4tink]

Aw heck...I think it's a fun thing to do. Why not check out another resort for a few days. You will most likely be able to get into a room at the S/D in the morning. IF not, just leave the bags with Bell Services. Return later to get into a room. They seem to be much better about getting you into a room than the Disney resorts. Probably have more availability I suppose.
I would do that in a heartbeat. Heck, I've spend two nights at the Dolphin, then two nights at BCVs...I spent about an hour extra dealing with rooms, rather than staying put.
Go for it, have a ball.

 

[CarolA]

Aw heck...I think it's a fun thing to do. Why not check out another resort for a few days. You will most likely be able to get into a room at the S/D in the morning. IF not, just leave the bags with Bell Services. Return later to get into a room. They seem to be much better about getting you into a room than the Disney resorts. Probably have more availability I suppose.
I would do that in a heartbeat. Heck, I've spend two nights at the Dolphin, then two nights at BCVs...I spent about an hour extra dealing with rooms, rather than staying put.
Go for it, have a ball.

I would also do it..... And I agree the S/D are much better about room turnover. (Maybe because they are run by a "real" hotel company?)

Plus the rooms are just nice!

 

[happy2go2wdwmom]

As for the rest of this WHAT???? I guess the OP should hold that ticket forever as an investment?[/quote] Ha---I already feel like I have had the no expiration hopper tickets for eons and I thought this would be a good way to use it. We are only getting base passes for the rest of our stay. I thought this would eb a good way to "spend it"---especially since we'll be very close to DHS AND Epcott.

RE: other posts--I'm not worried about stuff being taken from our suitcases---it will just be our park garb and much of it will be unwashed---so if someone needs that badly, eww, they are welcome to it . I am going to try to leave the luggage overnight if they will allow but if not, $10 for a taxi to take us to the Swan is so little to pay considering that the pay off will be our having more than one resort experience during our trip.

 

[happy2go2wdwmom]

Aw heck...I think it's a fun thing to do. Why not check out another resort for a few days. You will most likely be able to get into a room at the S/D in the morning. IF not, just leave the bags with Bell Services. Return later to get into a room. They seem to be much better about getting you into a room than the Disney resorts. Probably have more availability I suppose.
I would do that in a heartbeat. Heck, I've spend two nights at the Dolphin, then two nights at BCVs...I spent about an hour extra dealing with rooms, rather than staying put.
Go for it, have a ball.

Thanks---I'm also thinking that upon d/c of the 1st leg of our trip (CBR), we could actually use the mini golf coupon if we can use the one w/n walking distance to S/D.

I asked the WDW live chat people and they nixed the luggage holding, BUT they also ahd said that the resort will hold our luggage for as long as we need after being discharged to go to the parks....so I am just wondering, say someone's flight didn't leave until 3:00am or so, for example if they could hold it that long, could they hold it a few hours longer?

Just sayin'---seems like they could do this since we're coming right back the day to check in. -So, I wonder what happens if no one picks up their luggage from the front desk---I wonder how logn they hold it unti it is sent to a lost and found place or some luggage claim area?

 

[Lewisc]

Swappers are leaving fridges and stroller in storage for a lot more then an extra day. I'd be surprised if you have a problem.

Normally I'd stay at least 2 nights in a hotel. Gives me at least one full day in the resort.

 

[tjmw2727]

We love the Dolphin! Just fyi as I haven't seen it mentioned, the WDW resorts will deliver your bags to the Swan or Dolphin and vise versa. So you could leave your bags with bell services to be transfered to the s/d and then head to a park. Check in at the dolphin in the afternoon and your bags should arrive late afternoon. Same thing in reverse the next day. I imagine the WDW resort would hold the bags as well but I like to "have my stuff". Otherwise the fare from CRB to the S/D is pretty inexpensive as mentioned prior.

TJ

 

[happy2go2wdwmom]

We love the Dolphin! Just fyi as I haven't seen it mentioned, the WDW resorts will deliver your bags to the Swan or Dolphin and vise versa. So you could leave your bags with bell services to be transfered to the s/d and then head to a park. Check in at the dolphin in the afternoon and your bags should arrive late afternoon. Same thing in reverse the next day. I imagine the WDW resort would hold the bags as well but I like to "have my stuff". Otherwise the fare from CRB to the S/D is pretty inexpensive as mentioned prior.

TJ

TKS TJ--I am so stoked to read this post---the Live Chat CM's at the WDW website said this would be a NO GO since S/D is not WDW owned, but there MUST be a way and it sounds like you know this to be a fact, so yippy! Although, hmmm, a $10 cab ride may be cheaper than a bellhop tip----oooh that's another topic. =)

 

[happy2go2wdwmom]

Swappers are leaving fridges and stroller in storage for a lot more then an extra day. I'd be surprised if you have a problem.

Normally I'd stay at least 2 nights in a hotel. Gives me at least one full day in the resort.

Have been trying to do my best Mickey Math to work out a two day stay---perhaps if theer are chocolates left on the pillows as a turn down swervice we could call this our dessert for the day...

 

[tjmw2727]

TKS TJ--I am so stoked to read this post---the Live Chat CM's at the WDW website said this would be a NO GO since S/D is not WDW owned, but there MUST be a way and it sounds like you know this to be a fact, so yippy! Although, hmmm, a $10 cab ride may be cheaper than a bellhop tip----oooh that's another topic. =)

I have done this numerous times so I know it can be done. Most recently from the AKL to the Dolphin on 4/23, prior to that we did it from SSR to the Dolphin in February. From the Dolphin to BWI in December ....

The only issue for some is that it can take all day - don't expect your bags at the S/D until at least 4pm.

As far as the tip- maybe not because a bellman will meet your cab at the S/D and grab your bags at check in. Then another will retreive your bags and escort you with them to your room so that would be two tips at check in - plus the cab fare and cab divers tip. Not to mention the time out of your day when you could just be touring the parks!!

Although unlike DME your bags will not be waiting for you in the room at the S/D you will have to call for them to be brought up to your room.

TJ

 

[goofy4tink]

I'm starting my stay in August at the Dolphin...we'll be there for two nights, then moving to the BWV for the last 5 nights. While I 'could' drag my own bags over to BW, I'm not going to!! I'll make a grocery stop on the way to the Dolphin, put the groceries in my 'green' Mickey bags, and have the Dolphin move the whole shebang over to BW for us.
Many of done it with no problems.

OH, and you should be able to use your mini-golf voucher at Fantasia Gardens...it's a terrific mini-golf course. We've played it in the past, and my two dd's will do it again in August while dh and I enjoy Narcoosee!!