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

[RunWI1265]

Hey all - Currently staying at Dolphin. First time here. Love the location and we have a great King suite connecting to a standard double. Hoping to write up a longer summary when we return home. Can anyone advise the best approach to getting to animal kingdom earliest in the morning? The S&D app says first buses run 45 mins prior to park open. Anyone have recent experience with this, as in is that accurate or should we expect an earlier bus? Should we walk over to Boardwalk and grab a bus there? Thanks in advance!

 

[Dan Murphy]

Should we walk over to Boardwalk and grab a bus there?

This is what I would do. Buses should start running about 6:30

 

[moesy4]

Wanted to bump this up for any help...would you do HS again, MK, or AK?

Question...we are doing 3 days at the Dolphin and then switching to a condo for the rest of the week. We arrive early on a Thursday and was planning on that just being a resort/water park day, with a long split day at HS that Friday, split day at Epcot on Saturday, and then I am struggling for Sunday (our checkout day). Should we take advantage of busses from Boardwalk to MK before we move off site? Go ahead and do our second Boardwalk day (we are doing 2 days at each park except only 1 at Epcot)? Or something else entirely? We aren't allowed into our condo until 4 pm, so I was thinking of a leisurely start and then doing just the day that day, but I know that also means longer ways. We could possibly do a split day with a walk back over to HS and then come back later that night, but then we end up with a chunk of time in the middle of the day with nowhere to go.
Another question...how does the free parking at the resorts work for the hotel stay? If we were to do a split day on the day of checkout, would the free parking still work after we checkout?

 

[Gitelfor]

The Costco package which includes a double room upgrade, free food for kids, resort fee, and park tickets will be available for booking for a very limited time, 05/08/2021-05/16/2021.

This offer is valid for stays 05/10/2021-11/30/2021, with a minimum three night stay.

Costco package for Swan & Dolphin

 

[moesy4]

The Costco package which includes a double room upgrade, free food for kids, resort fee, and park tickets will be available for booking for a very limited time, 05/08/2021-05/16/2021.

This offer is valid for stays 05/10/2021-11/30/2021, with a minimum three night stay.

Costco package for Swan & Dolphin

Well shoot, we just booked through Costco last week! I booked the non refundable rate bc I didn't see there was a refundable rate available. Serves me right I guess

 

[Gitelfor]

Well shoot, we just booked through Costco last week! I booked the non refundable rate bc I didn't see there was a refundable rate available. Serves me right I guess

It could be worth a call to see if you can switch packages.

T&C for the alternate package, which allows cancellation:

A one-night cancellation fee will apply for no-shows, cancellations or date changes made within five days prior to arrival for travel Feb. 1 - Dec. 24, 2020 and Jan. 1 - Dec. 24, 2021. A one-night cancellation fee will apply for no-shows, cancellations or date changes made within 14 days prior to arrival for travel Dec. 25 - Dec. 31, 2020 and Dec. 25 - Dec. 31, 2021. Reservations that include any portion of a higher penalty travel period will incur the higher penalties and restrictions.

 

[RunWI1265]

This is what I would do. Buses should start running about 6:30

Thank you! We will see if I can wrangle up my family that early in the morning.

 

[HolRae]

Do the restaurants at Swan and Dolphin accept Disney gift cards for payment?

 

[mickey916]

Do the restaurants at Swan and Dolphin accept Disney gift cards for payment?

I just saw on Il Mulino that they do not.

 

[SteveH]

@supamaki Have a great trip!

@moesy4 - Do have park reservations booked already? It really depends on what park reservations days you have booked and if you could even change them. Sadly with that system its hard to be spontaneous and change things... unless there are openings. In the past Sunday/Monday were not the best MK days, since new arrivals usually went there first - I’d assume that behavior continues. I think your plan works not sure I'd mess around with it, we're more the type that wants to get out and hit the parks vs stay at the hotel. You’re parking should be just fine for your last day, but you can always ask at S/D when you check in too.

@HolRae None of the restaurants at S/D accept Disney cards. The only spot that does is the Disney Gift Shops on property.

 

[Scalemaster34]

If you have a smartphone you can also use it to generate a Disney MagicMoble Pass to store in your smartphone wallet. You can also generate and manage multiple MagicMobile for other members of your group.

Isn't it just Apple devices right now?

Worked great for us last week, but only Apple devices at that point. Did have to enable Express Mode in the MagicMobile Pass setting in the Wallet.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Isn't it just Apple devices right now?

Worked great for us last week, but only Apple devices at that point. Did have to enable Express Mode in the MagicMobile Pass setting in the Wallet.

Yes, but Android will be soon.

 

[RunWI1265]

Have a little bit of time today so I thought I’d write a little bit of what I’ve seen on our trip so far. We got in at about 9pm Tuesday evening to Dolphin. Room is great. King suite + standard double. The king room is incredibly spacious. Size feels just right for us. 2 adults, 2.5yo, and 4.5 year old. We are on the 5th floor and our view is of a roof. Probably the worst view you can get.

We’ve been walking/boating to HS and Epcot. Took the s&d bus this morning to AK. It arrived just after 715 for an 8am open. Cheer groups are here. They appear to be of varying ages + lots of parents. I will say if being around unmasked people, indoor AND outdoor, swan and dolphin is not the place to be. Most people are walking around outside maskless, hanging in the lobby maskless. Not all, but most. It doesn’t bother me to where I am afraid. I am fully vaccinated but I am a rule follower and have been masking 100% since last year. So it bothers me in the sense that the rules are *mask at all times*. And I will be honest, it feels a little weird to see/be in the presence of so many unmasked people because it’s been so long.

anyway, I know the cheer groups get a bad rep. We’ve had a couple of undesirable encounters with some kids and their parents (playground and bus etiquette, walking 3-4 across on a sidewalk and not sliding over for others), but those are behaviors you get from non-cheer people, too. Went to the pools midday yesterday and couldn’t find a chair so we put our bag by some rocks. Went back later in the evening and it had cleared out a bit. Any questions feel free to ask. I’ll write up a park related summary in the here and now thread.

 

[SMRT-1]

Isn't it just Apple devices right now?

Worked great for us last week, but only Apple devices at that point. Did have to enable Express Mode in the MagicMobile Pass setting in the Wallet.

Yes, but Android will be soon.

It's already working on Android. I set up my MagicMobile pass and linked it to GPay on my Android phone last week.

 

[Araminta18]

The Costco package which includes a double room upgrade, free food for kids, resort fee, and park tickets will be available for booking for a very limited time, 05/08/2021-05/16/2021.

This offer is valid for stays 05/10/2021-11/30/2021, with a minimum three night stay.

Costco package for Swan & Dolphin

Aw dang, i booked non-refundable through costco! I'm gonna try and call to see about possibly switching but its HARD to get through to a person at Costco Travel right now. Dang. Has anyone ever done this package and then tried to upgrade the room at the front desk when they arrive?

 

[moesy4]

@supamaki Have a great trip!

@moesy4 - Do have park reservations booked already? It really depends on what park reservations days you have booked and if you could even change them. Sadly with that system its hard to be spontaneous and change things... unless there are openings. In the past Sunday/Monday were not the best MK days, since new arrivals usually went there first - I’d assume that behavior continues. I think your plan works not sure I'd mess around with it, we're more the type that wants to get out and hit the parks vs stay at the hotel. You’re parking should be just fine for your last day, but you can always ask at S/D when you check in too.

@HolRae None of the restaurants at S/D accept Disney cards. The only spot that does is the Disney Gift Shops on property.

We are not until November thank goodness, but I would imagine our flexibility won't last long, at least until capacity changes. Thanks for the feedback!

 

[moesy4]

Aw dang, i booked non-refundable through costco! I'm gonna try and call to see about possibly switching but its HARD to get through to a person at Costco Travel right now. Dang. Has anyone ever done this package and then tried to upgrade the room at the front desk when they arrive?

I just waited an hour just to be told no luck...I was the same! I didn't even see the refundable rate or I would've booked that. Oh well, trying not to be too disappointed!

 

[moesy4]

It could be worth a call to see if you can switch packages.

T&C for the alternate package, which allows cancellation:

I tried, no luck! Oh well!

 

[Gitelfor]

I tried, no luck! Oh well!

It was worth a try. But, if you were satisfied when you bought the package, you should still be satisfied. You are still getting a room upgrade to a resort view.

The Costco travel packages are always good.

 

[patty57]

Checking in at the Swan on May 11. I will post about pool construction, but I have no idea how to post photos, so no pictures. I'm not thrilled about the cheerleaders at the Swan, and haven't come across them at either the Swan or Dolphin before. I have been on flights to Orlando with them though. They were a pretty raucous bunch on the plane. I'm hoping that they are better behaved at the hotel.