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

[PDXmouse]

Our upcoming trip is a 20th anniversary trip. Should I mention it to the Swan Reserve or will they even care?

We’ve always stayed on Disney property. This is my first time outside the official bubble.

 

[Gbdana4]

Any word on when Swan & Dolphin will release rooms for the remainder of 2024?

 

[SteveH]

Any word on when Swan & Dolphin will release rooms for the remainder of 2024?

It's a rolling window, you should be able to book 50-Weeks prior to arrival, so you should be able to book up to the week of May 13, 2024. If that is not working, you can call or use the S/D app and text them. It's possible they've changed the booking window, but Marriott states its 50-Weeks prior.

 

[mmm_texas]

Our upcoming trip is a 20th anniversary trip. Should I mention it to the Swan Reserve or will they even care?

We’ve always stayed on Disney property. This is my first time outside the official bubble.

Definitely mention it! (And something like that is worth mentioning at pretty much any resort, even outside of Disney.)

 

[PDXmouse]

Definitely mention it! (And something like that is worth mentioning at pretty much any resort, even outside of Disney.)

Do I mention it ahead of time or just at check in? If ahead of time… how? (Call, email…)

We always used to do room requests via touring plans when staying on property so I’m out of my element at a Marriott hotel.

 

[mmm_texas]

Do I mention it ahead of time or just at check in? If ahead of time… how? (Call, email…)

We always used to do room requests via touring plans when staying on property so I’m out of my element at a Marriott hotel.

Ahead of time. You can call, they'll add a note to your reservation. There's a good chance they will do something to help make the visit a little extra special.

 

[Disneydawg74]

Do I mention it ahead of time or just at check in? If ahead of time… how? (Call, email…)

We always used to do room requests via touring plans when staying on property so I’m out of my element at a Marriott hotel.

I’ve never done this before either, but one suggestion would be to use the SwanAndDolphin app to text them and ask them when would be the best time to do it. I would think now would be a little early for them to remember unless they can put a note in your reservation, hope you have a wonderful anniversary celebration

 

[Scalemaster34]

Ahead of time. You can call, they'll add a note to your reservation. There's a good chance they will do something to help make the visit a little extra special.

Have you had them do something?

I was chatting while checking in and mentioned we were celebrating our Anniversary, she asked if we had anything special planned, and I mentioned we with doing California Grill. She told me she loved it too, but they had changed menu to prefix which she didn't like as much. Went on to tell me about checking in and how to watch the fireworks out on the observation areas (I pretended I didn't know any of that). She was really friendly and even made some other suggestion about Genie+ and VQ. But she didn't manage to give me a room upgrade (not sure which comes first Celebrations or Gold Membership - neither worked), and there was nothing else done. Not that I've ever heard of them doing something.... maybe if we had not declined room service they would have left us a towel animal?

Will say it was very crowded at the resort and the parks that week in October... slower time I might have gotten an upgrade.

I agree, let them know.... but not sure there is a "good" chance they'll do anything.

 

[georgina]

Oof. Good luck!!

I saw points availability disappear on my Mar trip about a month out for SR and cash prices went up significantly and it never changed, a huge group was booking and I suspect they took more rooms instead of releasing rooms back to the hotel.

And just like that, today I got a king room for that date and the points had dropped from 43,000 to 42,000. So I got a credit back. It’s not a brilliant, the 35,000 free night very can to topped off with points up to 50,000.

My yearly free night... is actually limited to 35K points, which rarely would actually get me a free night at S/D/R. Certificates and points were much better before all the changes they made to the points system.

Are you sure? Both my Marriott Boundless and my Marriott Amex Biz card give 35,000 nights that can be topped off with points up to 50,000. When reserving, I just check ‘use points’ and when I choose a room it says ‘you have a free night certificate available’, click that and it uses the FN plus 7000 points

 

[mmm_texas]

Have you had them do something?

I was chatting while checking in and mentioned we were celebrating our Anniversary, she asked if we had anything special planned, and I mentioned we with doing California Grill. She told me she loved it too, but they had changed menu to prefix which she didn't like as much. Went on to tell me about checking in and how to watch the fireworks out on the observation areas (I pretended I didn't know any of that). She was really friendly and even made some other suggestion about Genie+ and VQ. But she didn't manage to give me a room upgrade (not sure which comes first Celebrations or Gold Membership - neither worked), and there was nothing else done. Not that I've ever heard of them doing something.... maybe if we had not declined room service they would have left us a towel animal?

Will say it was very crowded at the resort and the parks that week in October... slower time I might have gotten an upgrade.

I agree, let them know.... but not sure there is a "good" chance they'll do anything.

Yes, at the Swan we got a suite upgrade plus champagne, chocolate-covered strawberries, a nice card, and little badges we could wear around that resulted in miscellaneous little extras as well. (We're titanium members, so it's possible that played into the upgrade.)

I agree though, perhaps we were just lucky, I don't really know that there's a "good" chance. Let's just say it can't hurt to let them know, and you may get lucky as well!

 

[gottalovepluto]

And just like that, today I got a king room for that date and the points had dropped from 43,000 to 42,000. So I got a credit back. It’s not a brilliant, the 35,000 free night very can to topped off with points up to 50,000.

Are you sure? Both my Marriott Boundless and my Marriott Amex Biz card give 35,000 nights that can be topped off with points up to 50,000. When reserving, I just check ‘use points’ and when I choose a room it says ‘you have a free night certificate available’, click that and it uses the FN plus 7000 points

Oh wow! I didn't realize they got that cheap! I was 63k/nt in March and though I kept checking for a price drop had no luck.

 

[georgina]

Oh wow! I didn't realize they got that cheap! I was 63k/nt in March and though I kept checking for a price drop had no luck.

Sept 3 for my 42,000 points rate, Sept 4 is $182 (AAA rate) + fees =$250. Had 2 nights in early Dec 2022, again a Sunday & Monday for around 41,000 each.

 

[AussieFan8]

Our upcoming trip is a 20th anniversary trip. Should I mention it to the Swan Reserve or will they even care?

We’ve always stayed on Disney property. This is my first time outside the official bubble.

We stayed at the Dolphin on my daughter’s 21st birthday and I mentioned it ahead of time. I wasn’t sure they would do anything but hoped maybe they would at least give us the park view room we requested, but they didn’t. I don’t know if Swan Reserve might be different.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Sept 3 for my 42,000 points rate, Sept 4 is $182 (AAA rate) + fees =$250. Had 2 nights in early Dec 2022, again a Sunday & Monday for around 41,000 each.

Woah. Hard to pick between cash and points at that rate. There are definitely some deals to be had this Sept!

 

[PDXmouse]

Question about the Friendship boats (Staying at the Swan Reserve)...

Is walking generally the best bet to EPCOT and DHS in the morning?

I'm leaning towards walking to the parks in the morning and taking the boats home at night. Does this sound like a good plan?

What are the odds the boat will fill up and we will have to wait for another one? Should we just suck it up and walk even at night? Anything else I should know?

 

[gottalovepluto]

Question about the Friendship boats (Staying at the Swan Reserve)...

Is walking generally the best bet to EPCOT and DHS in the morning?

I'm leaning towards walking to the parks in the morning and taking the boats home at night. Does this sound like a good plan?

What are the odds the boat will fill up and we will have to wait for another one? Should we just suck it up and walk even at night? Anything else I should know?

Just wait for the boat at night, they fill up sometimes, but another boat comes along in about 15 mins. Exiting the first F! Is the only time I’ve see a line where it takes multiple boats, so that’s the only case I’d consider walking.

Your walk in the morning, boat back sounds wise. This way you won’t waste anytime in the morning waiting and at night you’ll conserve what little energy you have left to put towards the next day.

 

[SteveH]

@PDXmouse as we were not rope droppers we opted to save our steps and take the boat both ways, we enjoyed the ride. But as mentioned it wasn't really an issue not getting on a boat from DHS, we did have to wait once while at S/D but we could see the other boat coming so it was all good.

 

[TexanInTheMidwest]

Question about the Friendship boats (Staying at the Swan Reserve)...

Is walking generally the best bet to EPCOT and DHS in the morning?

I'm leaning towards walking to the parks in the morning and taking the boats home at night. Does this sound like a good plan?

What are the odds the boat will fill up and we will have to wait for another one? Should we just suck it up and walk even at night? Anything else I should know?

IF you are a morning person / rope dropper do walk! It's one of my favorite things to take a leisurely walk to HS (or Epcot) in the morning before it's hot or crowded. But YES to the boat back for sure!!

 

[flowergleam1211]

Question about the Friendship boats (Staying at the Swan Reserve)...

Is walking generally the best bet to EPCOT and DHS in the morning?

I'm leaning towards walking to the parks in the morning and taking the boats home at night. Does this sound like a good plan?

What are the odds the boat will fill up and we will have to wait for another one? Should we just suck it up and walk even at night? Anything else I should know?

While it depends on your preferred walking speed, walking to EPCOT in the morning is the best plan for our family.

Walking to DHS in the morning to save time is less certain. I would assess your desire to save your walking energy, get shade from the sun if you are going on a day with hot temperatures, etc..

 

[DisneyGamer11]

Speaking from a pure-room perspective (not factoring in amenities, park distance, dining, etc.) - if offered similar prices, would you advise going for the SR vs S/D? I'd imagine the new rooms would be the selling point but I've stayed at S/D for 20+ years so it's tough for that change. I've never stayed at SR.