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

[twinboysmom]

Just made our reservation for August at the dolphin with an awesome nurses discount. Staying for a little less than a Disney moderate. It will be our first time here. Super excited!

 

[Dan Murphy]

Just made our reservation for August at the dolphin with an awesome nurses discount. Staying for a little less than a Disney moderate. It will be our first time here. Super excited!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Happy to have come across this! Thanks, Dan, and thanks, Robin!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I have a question about the Spas at the Swan and Dolphin. My daughter (10 years old) has been growing her hair to donate it to Locks of Love. Her favorite aunt had breast cancer and she has been growing it out since her diagnoses. She is not cancer free and so A is ready to cut it off. She really wants to have it cut and mailed from the Magic Kingdom. However, I'm afraid that since she has never cut more than a half an inch off her hair, so will be upset if she does not get a stylish cut. Plus, I want to make this special. I looked into places and I thought the Mandara Spa might be a good place to go. Any one have experience getting a hair cut here? Will they make it special?
Any suggestions are welcome!
S

My daughter got one of the nicest haircuts she's ever gotten - there. She had a stylist named Carmen. I would highly recommend her if she's still there. I thought it was reasonably priced, also. Kudos to your DD.

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Thanks so much, everyone, for all the great advice and feedback. Super excited to visit and will be happy to pay it forward and answer questions/post pictures upon my return. If there is anything I can investigate while I'm there, let me know!

I have a question about the Spas at the Swan and Dolphin. My daughter (10 years old) has been growing her hair to donate it to Locks of Love. Her favorite aunt had breast cancer and she has been growing it out since her diagnoses. She is not cancer free and so A is ready to cut it off. She really wants to have it cut and mailed from the Magic Kingdom. However, I'm afraid that since she has never cut more than a half an inch off her hair, so will be upset if she does not get a stylish cut. Plus, I want to make this special. I looked into places and I thought the Mandara Spa might be a good place to go. Any one have experience getting a hair cut here? Will they make it special?
Any suggestions are welcome!
S

I don't know anything about the salon attached to the spa but just want to say kudos to your daughter! What a generous gift. I am guessing/hoping that the "not" above is a typo (autocorrect ) and that her aunt is NOW cancer-free. I SO hope that is the case!!!!!

 

[vicb]

Just a heads up for anyone staying S/D in May.... rates dropped again for some dates!

I have changed my ressie several times over the past 7 months as the prices have dropped, just off the phone to apply the new low rate to my May 5-10 ressie.

Started in Nov. with 2 standard view rooms at base rate $235
In Jan changed to 2 resort view rooms at $233 base rate
In early March rate for 2 resort rooms dropped to $207 base rate
Today has dropped to base rate of $167 for the same 2 resort view rooms!

I am a pretty happy camper as I just saved an additional $400 over our 5 might stay for 2 rooms. My rate is the AAA resort credit rate so I still get my 2 $50 resort credits to use as well. Not feeling so bad now about splurging on that Cali Grill ADR

Hope others have similar luck!

 

[LexiC123]

Just a heads up for anyone staying S/D in May.... rates dropped again for some dates!

I have changed my ressie several times over the past 7 months as the prices have dropped, just off the phone to apply the new low rate to my May 5-10 ressie.

Started in Nov. with 2 standard view rooms at base rate $235
In Jan changed to 2 resort view rooms at $233 base rate
In early March rate for 2 resort rooms dropped to $207 base rate
Today has dropped to base rate of $167 for the same 2 resort view rooms!

I am a pretty happy camper as I just saved an additional $400 over our 5 might stay for 2 rooms. My rate is the AAA resort credit rate so I still get my 2 $50 resort credits to use as well. Not feeling so bad now about splurging on that Cali Grill ADR

Hope others have similar luck!

That's a pretty nice savings, there. That's one of the many things I love about the S/D. Nothing like getting a deal to make your vacation that much better!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Just a heads up for anyone staying S/D in May.... rates dropped again for some dates!

I have changed my ressie several times over the past 7 months as the prices have dropped, just off the phone to apply the new low rate to my May 5-10 ressie.

Started in Nov. with 2 standard view rooms at base rate $235
In Jan changed to 2 resort view rooms at $233 base rate
In early March rate for 2 resort rooms dropped to $207 base rate
Today has dropped to base rate of $167 for the same 2 resort view rooms!

I am a pretty happy camper as I just saved an additional $400 over our 5 might stay for 2 rooms. My rate is the AAA resort credit rate so I still get my 2 $50 resort credits to use as well. Not feeling so bad now about splurging on that Cali Grill ADR

Hope others have similar luck!

Nice job!! (DD added the banana!) Are you also a SPG member?

 

[vicb]

Nice job!! (DD added the banana!) Are you also a SPG member?

Yes SPG members but we just joined in 2012 for the sole purpose of staying at S/D. We are pretty committed to our Hilton Honors program and have used that extensively.

FWIW the AAA price for my same dates in May for a standard view room is base price $143!

We are going on a Mon-Sat and that Sat is the first Star Wars weekend and Mother's Day. So I think the week days are probably pretty quiet thus the great deals. When I tried to change the dates to May 10-15 just out of curiosity it shows the Dolphin unavailable! So I guess we just got lucky with our dates. Squeezing this trip in the day after DD graduates from college and before needing to be home to celebrate Mother's Day with my 83 year old Mom

 

[Dan Murphy]

Just a heads up for anyone staying S/D in May.... rates dropped again for some dates!

I have changed my ressie several times over the past 7 months as the prices have dropped, just off the phone to apply the new low rate to my May 5-10 ressie.

Started in Nov. with 2 standard view rooms at base rate $235
In Jan changed to 2 resort view rooms at $233 base rate
In early March rate for 2 resort rooms dropped to $207 base rate
Today has dropped to base rate of $167 for the same 2 resort view rooms!

I am a pretty happy camper as I just saved an additional $400 over our 5 might stay for 2 rooms. My rate is the AAA resort credit rate so I still get my 2 $50 resort credits to use as well. Not feeling so bad now about splurging on that Cali Grill ADR

Hope others have similar luck!

Nice numbers!!

 

[dukenilnil]

Is the Swan or Dolphin better for families with young kids (4 and under)?
We will be staying there during high convention time so not sure if that makes a difference. Would like to avoid the convention crowds as best as possible.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Welcome to the dis and the S/D thread, duke.

I really prefer the Swan myself, but, with little ones, the Dolphin 'might' be better. CLoser to laundry and Picabu. Though both are only a quick minute or so walk from the Swan. Other than that, both resorts are pretty equal. Pools are the same, transportation is the same (except Dolphin is picked up after the Swan for the buses. Dolphin is much larger, busier, Swan is smaller, quieter, less hustle bustle.

I will be there this Saturday for a week with my daughter and two grandsons, they are 7 and 4, staying at the Swan. We were there last year, ages 6 and 3, Swan also. Everything was fine.

 

[mariamouse]

Thank you for taking this over, Dan!

Can someone please confirm for me that S/D guests CANNOT currently reserve FP+ in advance? Is this policy expected to change or is this for the indefinite future? I assume that S/D guests also do not receive magicbands, but someone please correct me if I am mistaken..

Thanks!

 

[patty57]

Thank you for taking this over, Dan!

Can someone please confirm for me that S/D guests CANNOT currently reserve FP+ in advance? Is this policy expected to change or is this for the indefinite future? I assume that S/D guests also do not receive magicbands, but someone please correct me if I am mistaken..

Thanks!

Swan & Dolphin guests CAN reserve FP+ 60 days in advance now. No MBs though.

 

[PAL_1]

Swan and Dolphin reservations do indeed come with 60 day Fastpass+ access. If you book with a third party (as I did) you may have some difficulty linking the reservation to your My Disney Experience profile if the confirmation number is incompatible with Disney's. Travel reservations cast members can fix it, but it may take persistence.

In my case, the first two cast members weren't aware S&D now have access. They could not access my Dolphin reservation. Both suggested canceling and rebooking with them (nope, $ penalty). Both then advised me to wait until check in at the resort to resolve the problem, or to link my tickets. One even swore connecting the tickets would allow me to make FP+ reservations 60 days out. They did not want to help.

The 3rd cast member I reached was much better informed on FP+, knew about the extension of the 60-day window to S&D, and also was aware that Disney can provide a compatible confirmation number. He had to call a technical support department to accomplish it. That department accessed my reservation, generated a new confirmation number, and linked the reservation in My Disney Experience. Now that was superior guest service.

 

[klepton]

Is the Swan or Dolphin better for families with young kids (4 and under)?
We will be staying there during high convention time so not sure if that makes a difference. Would like to avoid the convention crowds as best as possible.

Only things I'll add are that in rooms with two beds the Dolphin has double beds, the Swan has queens. For this reason alone I book the Swan for my family of 4. Also, the Swan is a Westin property and the Dolphin is a Sheraton. To some people that can make a difference one way or the other with the mattresses, bath products, etc.

 

[SingingMom]

Only things I'll add are that in rooms with two beds the Dolphin has double beds, the Swan has queens. For this reason alone I book the Swan for my family of 4. Also, the Swan is a Westin property and the Dolphin is a Sheraton. To some people that can make a difference one way or the other with the mattresses, bath products, etc.

It really is a personal choice. I would always stay at the Dolphin if I had younger children. The atmosphere is much more busy and bustling. Picabu is open 24 hours. I just see it as more family, even in the pool area. The Swan seems so serene and couple oriented. But, either choice is a winner!

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

 

[mariamouse]

Swan & Dolphin guests CAN reserve FP+ 60 days in advance now. No MBs though.

Swan and Dolphin reservations do indeed come with 60 day Fastpass+ access. If you book with a third party (as I did) you may have some difficulty linking the reservation to your My Disney Experience profile if the confirmation number is incompatible with Disney's. Travel reservations cast members can fix it, but it may take persistence. In my case, the first two cast members weren't aware S&D now have access. They could not access my Dolphin reservation. Both suggested canceling and rebooking with them (nope, $ penalty). Both then advised me to wait until check in at the resort to resolve the problem, or to link my tickets. One even swore connecting the tickets would allow me to make FP+ reservations 60 days out. They did not want to help. The 3rd cast member I reached was much better informed on FP+, knew about the extension of the 60-day window to S&D, and also was aware that Disney can provide a compatible confirmation number. He had to call a technical support department to accomplish it. That department accessed my reservation, generated a new confirmation number, and linked the reservation in My Disney Experience. Now that was superior guest service.

Thank you both so much for the helpful information! I'm glad I asked, although the reservation linking does sound like it could be a bit of an ordeal. Good to be aware of in advance, though. Thanks again!

Only things I'll add are that in rooms with two beds the Dolphin has double beds, the Swan has queens. For this reason alone I book the Swan for my family of 4. Also, the Swan is a Westin property and the Dolphin is a Sheraton. To some people that can make a difference one way or the other with the mattresses, bath products, etc.

I never knew about this double vs. queen beds comparison. Thank you for sharing!

 

[Dan Murphy]

I originally had a 6 digit confirmation number. MDE needs nine. I called reservations at the Swan, they gave me the nine. Took a couple minutes.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Thank you both so much for the helpful information! I'm glad I asked, although the reservation linking does sound like it could be a bit of an ordeal. Good to be aware of in advance, though. Thanks again!

It can be that way with the Disney resorts, too, though, if you book through a third party. I must have spent 8 hours on the phone with technical support last fall for our stay at the Grand Floridian, having booked through Travelocity. It was a royal pain, but it all worked out in the end. There are growing pains with this system, and as a pp mentioned, some CMs are better informed than others. Hopefully things are getting better.