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

[twirly123]

I truly can't imagine awful reviews of the Dolphin! We have been staying there nine years now. Love it!!!! Location is spectacular, amenities are wonderful, pool area is terrific! I would NEVER choose CB over the Swan or Dolphin! NO comparison!!

"SingingMom" ....Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

Thanks SingingMom - we have made a Dolphin booking for 15 nights next year and i read those Yelp reviews after booking and was a bit worried too.

I read a recent Trip Advisor post that stated that there are newly renovated rooms in the Dolphin facing Epcot - does anyone know if there are newly renovated rooms at the Dolphin facing Epcot?

And if not, are the Dolphin rooms really that bad?

Thanks

 

[patty57]

I truly can't imagine awful reviews of the Dolphin! We have been staying there nine years now. Love it!!!! Location is spectacular, amenities are wonderful, pool area is terrific! I would NEVER choose CB over the Swan or Dolphin! NO comparison!!

"SingingMom" ....Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

Totally agree with Singing Mom (except I've only been staying there since 2012).

 

[hsmamato2]

I stayed at CBR Many years ago,loved it, thought it was beautiful, lots of gorgeous landscaping,etc. However, once we decided to try the Dolphin last year,there is only 1 favorite place for me Let me count what I love about Dolphin....just about everything! For the price of a Disney mod you get to stay in the middle of Disney, walk to 2 major parks, walk the boardwalk, have lots of different restaurant options,great pool area, easy bus system,nice clean rooms, mini fridge and coffeemaker, and you're RIGHT in the middle of it all! The hotels are well kept, the staff is exactly the same(friendly and helpful) I don't see much difference....and I have stayed almost every disney property available over the years...I still love the properties, but for the cost ratio, there's no contest.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I have been staying at the S/D (mostly the Swan) since 2001, generally twice a year, probably around 30 trips. I have never found it even close to bad or concerning.

As to renovated rooms in the Dolphin, if you read back a page or two from here, there is some discussion on renovations. There would not be any newly renovated rooms right now at the Dolphin, they are still working on the Swan side.

 

[RachelTori]

I'll be at the Dolphin later this month so I'll report on the shape of the room I get!

I last stayed there this past April and my room was fine!

I started keeping a "list" in 2004 (dates, resorts, room #s) and this will be my 20th stay at Dolphin!!

That surprises even me!!!


(We'll be back at Swan this December -- my 7th Swan stay! )

 

[SingingMom]

Thanks SingingMom - we have made a Dolphin booking for 15 nights next year and i read those Yelp reviews after booking and was a bit worried too. I read a recent Trip Advisor post that stated that there are newly renovated rooms in the Dolphin facing Epcot - does anyone know if there are newly renovated rooms at the Dolphin facing Epcot? And if not, are the Dolphin rooms really that bad? Thanks

The rooms are great. The Dolphin is large. Every hotel that size is always renovating. By the time they finish, they have to start all over again.. That being said, they are more up to date than many hotels we've stayed in. We have started to travel more often in the past few years... The Dolphin remains one of my FAVORITES !!

"SingingMom" ....Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[Joe in VA]

Anyone know if any of the Swan renovated rooms have opened up? Staying there the 27th and would love to get one.

May call today if I find the time.

 

[dmaz]

Yes the rooms could use updating but they are definitely clean and feels like a deluxe at a moderate price. We stayed at CBR years ago and did not care for it. This will be our 3rd stay at the Dolphin...we love it!

 

[gobln]

Thank you all for letting me know your thoughts on D/S.
After I read all those truly TERRIBLE reviews, it really spooked me on that resort. It just didn't make sense to me. Especially after seeing some recent resort walk through's on YouTube. It looks gorgeous!
My wife is a teacher so we get even more off on the price due to her teachers discount.

That said...after discussing it with my family...I think we're gonna go with CBR this next time around. The tropical setting and romantic feel seems just what we're needing.

Also...I don't think that the D/S has magical express to and from the airport...and I just don't wanna deal with renting a car OR or the resort fee that comes with staying at the S/D this time around.

But thanks for making me feel better about it for a future stay!

 

[dukenilnil]

Wondering if anyone has seen or has photos of Swan renovations yet. Not affecting my stay (staying there anyway) but curious to see the updates.
Interestingly, SPG did not know about the renovations (at least the rep I spoke with) or that they had shut off various wings as they are working through it.

 

[NancyIL]

Thank you all for letting me know your thoughts on D/S.
After I read all those truly TERRIBLE reviews, it really spooked me on that resort. It just didn't make sense to me. Especially after seeing some recent resort walk through's on YouTube. It looks gorgeous!
My wife is a teacher so we get even more off on the price due to her teachers discount.

That said...after discussing it with my family...I think we're gonna go with CBR this next time around. The tropical setting and romantic feel seems just what we're needing.

Also...I don't think that the D/S has magical express to and from the airport...and I just don't wanna deal with renting a car OR or the resort fee that comes with staying at the S/D this time around.

But thanks for making me feel better about it for a future stay!

When I want to check hotel reviews, I go to Trip Advisor: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Re...y_World_Swan_and_Dolphin-Orlando_Florida.html

I have been staying at the Swan (mostly) or Dolphin since Nov. 2000, and I love it there. I'll be at the Swan for a week in December, and I booked a last-minute stay for a quickie trip later this month to see Off Kilter and the 3 other Epcot groups that Disney is "retiring" on Sept. 25 and 27. I don't know if or when I'll return to WDW after my December trip, as I'm in a give no money to the MOUSE mood right nowl I DO know that if the Swan or Dolphin are unavailable when I visit, I'll stay offsite before I'll stay at a Disney-owned hotel again!

 

[lovingmy2boys]

Does anyone know what the average rates are for May? I know it is early and while I can book them now I want to wait. AAA is showing $205 a night. We have never gone in May before usually in Feb and have gotten rates as low as $149!

TIA!

 

[Tess]

Does anyone know what the average rates are for May? I know it is early and while I can book them now I want to wait. AAA is showing $205 a night. We have never gone in May before usually in Feb and have gotten rates as low as $149!

TIA!

We have not had much luck getting really great rates, i.e., $149 p/n, in May. That is the rate we have for late September/early October. We actually switched from Dolphin last May to BC because the price difference was only $30 p/n more than the Dolphin (AP rate at BC). The $205 rate you are seeing was as good as we could get (+ the resort fee, etc.) last May (week before Memorial Weekend). Probably depends on the convention market and room availability. Good Luck!

 

[patty57]

Does anyone know what the average rates are for May? I know it is early and while I can book them now I want to wait. AAA is showing $205 a night. We have never gone in May before usually in Feb and have gotten rates as low as $149!

TIA!

I stayed at the Dolphin in May 2013 and paid in the $200 range, don't actually remember, but it wasn't $149. I also priced out a trip for last May, and it was also more than $149, although it may have been less than $200. My memory was never great, and it sure isn't getting better.

 

[ownedby3]

Does anyone know if you get those pin codes for additional discounts if you stay at the Dolphin or is it only the "other" resorts?

 

[NancyIL]

Does anyone know if you get those pin codes for additional discounts if you stay at the Dolphin or is it only the "other" resorts?

I'm not aware of pin codes for the Swan and Dolphin.

 

[lovingmy2boys]

Thank you! I will say that if the pricing end ups only being a $30 per night difference form the YC/BC then I will be staying there as much as I LOVE the Swan/Dolphine I would def stay at the YC.

 

[MOM POPPINS]

We are thinking about staying at the Dolphin before checking into Bay Lake Towers in December. If so how do I connect our Dolphin reservation with our MDE account ?

 

[dmaz]

You just need to go into your MDE account and go to link my reservation and enter your confirmation number. Just make sure you have the correct number of people in your room. You will only be able to get the FP+ for people who are listed in the room. I only realized the wrong number of people were listed after I linked my account. All fixed now though.
It show up just like the onsite ones...we have a split stay.

 

[MOM POPPINS]

In the past the Dolphin would transfer luggage to a Disney hotel.. Do they still do this ? We would need our luggage transferred to Bay Lake Tower. Thanks again!