Walt Disney World SWAN, DOLPHIN & SWAN RESERVE RESORTS Information & Questions

[Dan Murphy]

Yes, very bad if that is the way it works now.

If they are doing this for point users it's just not right, and further degrades the value of points at the S/D.

Not cool Marriott, if you're not charging me when I pay cash don't charge me when I use points either.

if that's correct that is unbelievably awful!

 

[robinb]

I thought that the Swolphin had an extra charge for more than 2 adults but kids were free up to the room occupancy limit.

 

[GoofyDad_4427]

To add further mystery to this, the same charge does not exist at the Dolphin.

We were hoping to do the Swan the next trip because we have outgrown the double beds at the Dolphin. But I don't think the extra bed size is worth $50 per day.

 

[shoreward]

I know there have been issues adding Swan/Dolphin reservations to MDE. Has anyone been able to have your reservation recognized by the system, but MDE wants you to add another name from your drop-down list, when there should not be any others? The number in the party is correct.

 

[hedberg1661]

I know there have been issues adding Swan/Dolphin reservations to MDE. Has anyone been able to have your reservation recognized by the system, but MDE wants you to add another name from your drop-down list, when there should not be any others? The number in the party is correct.

I still cannot get my reservation added. Called Dolphin 2x and they resent it through. Nothing. Called Disney IT and they said they would work on it and email me. That was over 2 weeks ago so now I have to call them again. Very frustrating.

 

[shoreward]

I still cannot get my reservation added. Called Dolphin 2x and they resent it through. Nothing. Called Disney IT and they said they would work on it and email me. That was over 2 weeks ago so now I have to call them again. Very frustrating.

Was your reservation made before or after the switch over to Marriott? Mine was made before, and I tried both the original confirmation number (which MDE recognizes, but won't add), as well as the Marriott number.

 

[soccermom54]

Was your reservation made before or after the switch over to Marriott? Mine was made before, and I tried both the original confirmation number (which MDE recognizes, but won't add), as well as the Marriott number.

Our December trip to the Dolphin was booked before the Marriott switch over. I kept trying to add the reservation to my account. It would recognize it but not save it. I went into my Starwood account to check the reservation and the reservation number had been changed. I tried the new number and like magic, my Disney account liked it. You might check your account just to confirm the number is the same.

 

[aj24]

So if true, points stays are basically 50k +$100 in fees and taxes per day for a family of 4. Hoping this is a glitch in the booking engine.

Also hoping Chase/Disney get their acts together in 2019 so Ultimate Rewards points can be used at Disney resorts again. At 1.5 cents with the Sapphire Reserve, rooms at deluxe resorts with all fees could be had for 20-40k points per night...

Prior to Marriott that proposition never looked attractive. Different story now.

 

[aj24]

Delete

 

[shoreward]

Our December trip to the Dolphin was booked before the Marriott switch over. I kept trying to add the reservation to my account. It would recognize it but not save it. I went into my Starwood account to check the reservation and the reservation number had been changed. I tried the new number and like magic, my Disney account liked it. You might check your account just to confirm the number is the same.

I've tried the new Marriott confirmation number, as well, but that did not work at all. At least with the SPG confirmation number, the system recognized the reservation. But, it wanted me to add another name from my friends and family, which did not work, either.

Trying to reach in-house reservations to ask them to resend the info to Disney has been frustrating, as well. It seems like the holds are unending, every time I call.

Things were never this difficult with Starwood!

 

[hedberg1661]

Was your reservation made before or after the switch over to Marriott? Mine was made before, and I tried both the original confirmation number (which MDE recognizes, but won't add), as well as the Marriott number.

My reservation was made after the Marriott merger. I called Disney IT again to see the status of my ticket. The cast member was able to find it and she put me on hold while she talked to the team working it. They basically said to keep trying to link it with that number. If by the time I get to 60 days and it still isn't linked I am to call and they will do FP+ for me. I find this response highly suspect IMO. I will keep trying to link my reservation but I think there needs to be a solution for these issues. Clearly this is not an isolated case.

 

[hedberg1661]

My reservation was made after the Marriott merger. I called Disney IT again to see the status of my ticket. The cast member was able to find it and she put me on hold while she talked to the team working it. They basically said to keep trying to link it with that number. If by the time I get to 60 days and it still isn't linked I am to call and they will do FP+ for me. I find this response highly suspect IMO. I will keep trying to link my reservation but I think there needs to be a solution for these issues. Clearly this is not an isolated case.

UPDATE!.... I was "MAGICALLY" able to link this reservation today. After weeks of trying it just happened to work the day after I called again. Long story short...if you are having issues with linking call call call and keep trying to link!

 

[happ]

I thought that the Swolphin had an extra charge for more than 2 adults but kids were free up to the room occupancy limit.

That was my understanding, too.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I thought that the Swolphin had an extra charge for more than 2 adults but kids were free up to the room occupancy limit.

That was my understanding, too.

That's how I have always understood it to be.

 

[Auntof2]

Hard to know if this can be correct. It didn't used to be the way things worked, but since the Marriott takeover...who knows?

Just returned from a trip and there are definitely changes since Marriott took over. Staying on points, they used to waive the resort fee but this time made a big deal about it being discounted (so $23 instead of I think $28). We also used to have parking waived but were charged $23 for that as well. Taxes on both of these charges. In addition, breakfast used to be free for everyone in each of our rooms (ie - when we took my husbands family and had 8 people and 3 rooms, we received free continental breakfast for all - with the option to pay $6 more for the full buffet). It turns out that if you have multiple rooms (we had two), only one room gets breakfast vouchers, and only two people can use them. Had a very annoying situation where our waitress told us the voucher covered "our entire table" and then brought us a bill for two continental breakfasts at close to $50. She then swore she told us it only covered two people and a manager ended up giving us a very small discount, very frustrating. Two of us weren't that hungry and would have done a la cart sides if we'd know we'd be paying $21 each for a croissant. Telling the staff that didn't matter of course. Finally, we requested the $5 voucher for the "make a green choice" for one of our rooms - it wasn't notated so our room was cleaned, and we couldn't get the credit after the fact even though we actually hadn't wanted the room cleaned and some of our things were trashed that we wanted to keep. Overall not impressed with the hotel on this trip and not sure if it is worth the increased points to be within walking distance to Epcot.

Edit regarding the breakfast vouchers - we received them due to having the platinum premier status with Marriott/SPG (both directly for this year and lifetime).

 

[soccermom54]

One more change since the Marriott takeover. We have stayed at the Swan or Dolphin for years and we have always asked for a couple free drink vouchers when we check in. In the past, the person checking us in has always been happy to give them to us. Earlier this month when we checked in the Dolphin I asked as usual for a couple drink coupons. The desk person told us that since Marriott took over, free drink coupons were no longer available. Not a big deal I guess but it was a nice customer appreciation touch.

 

[snappy]

One more change since the Marriott takeover. We have stayed at the Swan or Dolphin for years and we have always asked for a couple free drink vouchers when we check in. In the past, the person checking us in has always been happy to give them to us. Earlier this month when we checked in the Dolphin I asked as usual for a couple drink coupons. The desk person told us that since Marriott took over, free drink coupons were no longer available. Not a big deal I guess but it was a nice customer appreciation touch.

Sorry to hear this. We have a Dolphin stay soon and have received many drink coupons previously. We will miss them.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Just returned from a trip and there are definitely changes since Marriott took over. Staying on points, they used to waive the resort fee but this time made a big deal about it being discounted

Stayed on points the last 3 years before Marriott and always charged a resort fee.

 

[Auntof2]

Stayed on points the last 3 years before Marriott and always charged a resort fee.

We were always told it was waived due to our status - we essentially lived in SPG and Marriott hotels maxing out status at both year after year.

 

[robinb]

We were always told it was waived due to our status - we essentially lived in SPG and Marriott hotels maxing out status at both year after year.

I believe it was waived for Plats until last year and then it was only reduced. My DH is Platinum for Life and we paid last NYE but at a reduced rate.