Resort Thread Walt Disney World SWAN, DOLPHIN & SWAN RESERVE Resorts

[mmm_texas]

How far is it to walk to BWI for the MK bus? Also, where is the best place to book to get the lowest prices on a room?

Google Maps says it's about an 8 minute walk from the Swan, which seems maybe a little slow to me but pretty close. It says 12 minutes from the Swan Reserve.

 

[Cfabar1]

The walk to BW is really not too bad, especially if you are someone who doesn't mind walking from the Dolphin to MGM Studios.

 

[Disneyhanna]

The walk from Swan to Boardwalk Inn is very quick, since the Swan is at the base of the bridge. I didn't mind walking to their bus at all. Basically the same as walking back to your room at a value or moderate

The walk feels a lot longer at the Dolphin, especially if your room is far from the lobby. I never noticed how much shorter the walk is when staying at the Swan until I actually stayed there. I will be honest, I utilize Uber/Lyft a lot when staying at the S/D. So much quicker for them to pick up and drop off with no guard checking IDs. Could get pretty much anywhere on property for $10 other than MK obviously. I always enjoy the walk along the Boardwalk in the mornings and evenings anyways. Often grab something to go from the BW Deli as well!

I love the AK bus at the S/D though, such a close drop off and love the seating when waiting for pick up. I've stayed at the S/D maybe 5 times in the past few years...never waited more than 10 minutes for an AK bus in either direction.

 

[Dave006]

The walk feels a lot longer at the Dolphin, especially if your room is far from the lobby.

Well the Dolphin is has twice the number of guest rooms as the Swan, and I agree it may take twice as long do the way the wings are arranged at the Dolphin.

Dave

 

[SteveH]

@Dan Murphy I just noticed we got downgraded I see our name went from "Walt Disney World SWAN, DOLPHIN & SWAN RESERVE RESORTS Information & Questions" down to "Walt Disney World SWAN, DOLPHIN & SWAN RESERVE Resorts" we lost 2 words and 27 characters! I'm not sure I can support the loss of our big long name that has been around since the dawn of time! (or since Swan Reserve opened)

 

[Michelle Perno]

Well after many years of staying at the Swan I finally got a chance to stay at the Dolphin. All I can say is that the Dolphin really is a superior resort in so many ways and is very impressive inside and out...but I did not like it compared to the Swan. Something just didn't feel as "right" as my Swan stays, can't put my finger on it but I guess I can officially say I'm team Swan lol.

I've stayed at the Dolphin a few times, but not Swan or Swan Reserve. I really don't think there's anything spectacular about the Dolphin, but it is a fantastic value for the location and deluxe resort park hours. The lobby is really pretty but I wouldn't say that's a top 10 reason for me to stay in a resort!

 

[Dan Murphy]

@Dan Murphy I just noticed we got downgraded I see our name went from "Walt Disney World SWAN, DOLPHIN & SWAN RESERVE RESORTS Information & Questions" down to "Walt Disney World SWAN, DOLPHIN & SWAN RESERVE Resorts" we lost 2 words and 27 characters! I'm not sure I can support the loss of our big long name that has been around since the dawn of time! (or since Swan Reserve opened)

Good catch, Steve. Looks like all the resort threads got dinged. If it was only us, I'd try and put it back. But I think I'll let dead dogs lie. .

 

[Dave006]

Good catch, Steve. Looks like all the resort threads got dinged. If it was only us, I'd try and put it back. But I think I'll let dead dogs lie. .

It was caused by or a side effect of the new Thread Prefix testing... please review the thread about the "Thread Prefix" Testing and share your comments with our Resorts Moderator @GADisneyDad14.

I did not want to seem like I was oversharing with my dislike of the change but since @SteveH mentioned it here in the thread and you replied @Dan Murphy.

link: https://www.disboards.com/threads/%E2%80%9Cthread-prefix%E2%80%9D-testing.3964807/#post-66063671

Dave

 

[Dan Murphy]

It was caused by or a side effect of the new Thread Prefix testing... please review the thread about the "Thread Prefix" Testing and share your comments with our Resorts Moderator @GADisneyDad14.

I did not want to seem like I was oversharing with my dislike of the change but since @SteveH mentioned it here in the thread and you replied @Dan Murphy.

link: https://www.disboards.com/threads/%E2%80%9Cthread-prefix%E2%80%9D-testing.3964807/#post-66063671

Dave

Thanks for that heads up Dave.

 

[summerlvr]

And essentially unlimited coffee in the rooms, just ask housekeeping, regular and decaf Starbucks.

When I was at the Dolphin in November, the coffee wasn't Starbucks (don't remember what it was though). Have they gone back to Starbucks now?

 

[loves to dive]

The walk feels a lot longer at the Dolphin, especially if your room is far from the lobby. I never noticed how much shorter the walk is when staying at the Swan until I actually stayed there.

The walk to the YC bus stop is shorter from Dolphin than the BWI one is. I'm told (haven't tried it) that the little access road to the left before you get to the BW portion of YC actually goes straight to the bus stop so you don't have to go through the lobby of the YC. Frankly, I usually just take the bus to the TTC and go from there but I'm never in a hurry and rarely do the rope drop thing.

 

[loves to dive]

When I was at the Dolphin in November, the coffee wasn't Starbucks (don't remember what it was though). Have they gone back to Starbucks now?

Oh, if that were true. I'm one of the few people who really dislike Starbucks, it tastes burnt to me. I'm so against them I won't even go into the ones at MK or AK to get something to eat, I'll find something somewhere else. (and don't even get me started about converting the Main St. Bakery and the Trolly Car at HS to a Starbucks)

 

[kylenne]

The walk to BW is really not too bad, especially if you are someone who doesn't mind walking from the Dolphin to MGM Studios.

It’s not bad, but it still irritates me. Especially when we didn’t used to have to do this. It also means getting up earlier than I would if I was actually staying at BWI, because the walk is longer from the Dolphin than from a BWI room. Even on West fairly close to the lobby it annoyed me and coming back from MK at night frankly would have sucked after a long, late night at the party. I just walked to CR and got a Lyft home.

Re: AK the drop off is closer than the Disney buses but it’s literally the exact same drop off location as Uber/Lyft and I can book it when I want. On those super early rope drop mornings I don’t want to be faffing around with an unpredictably timed shuttle when I’m trying to be front of pack for Pandora. I ended up just getting a Lyft.

I’m not fond of the Crescent Lake bus situation to begin with though, which is why I always do split stays on anything longer than a weekend trip. But the shuttles are a massive downgrade to me and I just bake the cost of rideshares into my Swolphin stays now.

 

[Jillfo]

Oh, if that were true. I'm one of the few people who really dislike Starbucks, it tastes burnt to me. I'm so against them I won't even go into the ones at MK or AK to get something to eat, I'll find something somewhere else. (and don't even get me started about converting the Main St. Bakery and the Trolly Car at HS to a Starbucks)

Agreed on the taste Starbucks. I will drink it if there is nothing else and plenty of cream, but I don't get the hype.

I rarely make coffee in my room so I don't recall what's there but I don't remember Java and Fuel serving Starbucks. I believe it used to be Illy and then switched to Lavazza. I haven't stayed at either of them for a couple of years so maybe they have changed again.

 

[Dave006]

It’s not bad, but it still irritates me. Especially when we didn’t used to have to do this.

I still blame Disney for stopping the Disney bus service during the COVID 19 Era even though we don't have a definitive answer if it was Disney or Marriott trying to save a few bucks by switching to Mears Coaches. The Mears Coaches are the reason that the S & D buses have to use the Bus lot at the TTC.

The most common answer I got from very informed sources was that Disney would not allocate Disney Buses & Drivers to the Swan & Dolphin since they had trouble getting drivers to return or hire new drivers to drive small groups of less than what seemed like 8 guests per bus due that darn Social Distancing.

The most frequent example quoted as to why it was not Marriott's fault is that when the Friendship boat service returned after following COVID even with the boat captain shortage, boats still serviced the S & D.

Dave

 

[Nimbus]

At the Dolphin they are all still the Mr Coffee1 cup with a basket and Starbucks coffee in packets of al-in-one filters. One per sealed package. They have Regular and Decaff filter packets.

ETA: add the Mr Coffee name...

Dave

Do you know, can these machines do just hot water? I'm going to bring some Cometeer pods, but not sure about the hot water situation.

 

[Dan Murphy]

When I was at the Dolphin in November, the coffee wasn't Starbucks (don't remember what it was though). Have they gone back to Starbucks now?

I haven't been at the resort for some time now but was going on recent and continued reports here about Starbucks.

 

[Dave006]

Do you know, can these machines do just hot water? I'm going to bring some Cometeer pods, but not sure about the hot water situation.

Yes they just heat water and it drips through a coffee packet (filter) into an individual cup, They don't accept K-Cup type pods. I see that the Cometeer pods are pre-brewed flash frozen coffee pods that you add to hot water.

When we heat water we just run a cycle of water or wash out the filer basket in the sink. It works fine and you also get the To-Go Coffee cups with lids in your room. And you are able to use the handy Text feature in the SwanandDolphin (app name) smartphone app to request additional supplies, and water.

Dave

 

[Nimbus]

<snip>

The walk feels a lot longer at the Dolphin, especially if your room is far from the lobby. I never noticed how much shorter the walk is when staying at the Swan until I actually stayed there...

<snip>

If you exit through the door at the end of the NW wing and follow the sidewalk to the access road, the distance to the Yacht Club bus stop is very short. It's honest probably just as close if not closer than some of the rooms in YC and definitely closer than the rooms at some Disney resorts are to their bus stops.

 

[TheDailyMoo]

I've stayed at the Dolphin a few times, but not Swan or Swan Reserve. I really don't think there's anything spectacular about the Dolphin, but it is a fantastic value for the location and deluxe resort park hours. The lobby is really pretty but I wouldn't say that's a top 10 reason for me to stay in a resort!

Oh I just meant superior in the sense of comparing it to Swan. It's a more impressive building. Definitely not comparing it to the likes of the Poly or GF! For the comparison I was making it was simply between the two. I had stayed at Swan many times now over the years and the first time I stayed at the Dolphin I just didn't "feel" as good as I did at Swan. The S&D swerve it's purpose especially for someone like me who owns DVC but sometimes not enough points to make a trip as long as we'd like. Swolphin is a great gap filler or book end. Can't beat the value especially if you have status or an AMEX Plat.