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

[LovesDisney55]

We did Boardwalk - seemed to be less crowded.

You don't need to enter the building, there is a open staircase near the lobby to take you from the "boardwalk" to the front of the building where the buses are.

Will say we had great experiences with Disney busses this trip... no long waits, no crowds and no standing.

This is very helpful! Thank you so much!

 

[Tigerlulu]

Hi! I have a reservation for the last week of June at Dolphin. I don't know what BetaClub is. What does this convention implies?

National Beta Club is the largest independent, non-profit, educational youth organization in America. And for more than 80 years, it has prepared today's students to be tomorrow's leaders.

Schedule:
6/25/21 - 6/28/21 (Senior)
6/28/21 - 6/29/21 (Elementary)
6/29/21 - 7/2/21 (Junior)

Lots of school age children at the Swan & Dolphin with Parents and other sponsors the last week of June. Many will add time for the parks a couple days before or after to enjoy WDW.

Dave

Normally the convention takes up
Most of our time when we go. However this year they are allowing minimal in person viewing and most sessions will be live streamed so I expect most groups will be in parks and out and about except when they have a direct performance or competition to be in. This is how it will be for us. Disney did make it hard for us to get tickets in a timely manner through the convention and still be able to make park reservations so I imagine many will be doing universal unless they had club sponsors WAY on the ball or bought direct from Disney (what we did).

 

[SteveH]

Hey @Tigerlulu I'm curious how long this has been in planning? By your comment about Disney it made me wonder if it was just in the past few months. I did see there is a dedicated night at Universal for the group, but nothing for Disney.

 

[Tigerlulu]

Hey @Tigerlulu I'm curious how long this has been in planning? By your comment about Disney it made me wonder if it was just in the past few months. I did see there is a dedicated night at Universal for the group, but nothing for Disney.

Officially it’s been in the works for over a year. But last years nationals in Ft Worth had to go completely virtual. Then all our district and state conventions this year all went virtual too. So nationals was still being planned in person but there was a chance it would go virtual as well. We had to wait for that decision which did not happen until like early April. Disney would not sell us tickets until that was decided and at that point June was already starting to yellow out on the reservation calendar and they were not holding reservations for us. And the process to buy them was going to take several weeks, and we still had to get our trip approved by the school board. If our club were buying the Disney discount tickets, we would still not yet have them in hand and we would literally have tickets we could not use by the time we got them.

Universal on the other hand has been awesome.
We personally are doing two Disney days, 3 universal days, skipping the beta night at universal and will be in the convention a total of about an hour and a half, unless they make top 5, then they have to perform in finals and add another hour or so to that. That’s for 2 events, and my daughters 3rd event is competing virtually still. So a lot of clubs still opted not to even go.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

I think the Resort View upgrade is the standard Costco perk, but from time to time they do have special offers. We booked our trip that was supposed to happen May 2020 through Costco and they had a special offer at the time that included a free balcony upgrade.

Is there a way to book thru Costco w/o buying tix? We have APs and every time I try to price Costco it wants met to add tickets.

 

[SMRT-1]

Is there a way to book thru Costco w/o buying tix? We have APs and every time I try to price Costco it wants met to add tickets.

Unfortunately not. AFAIK, Costco only offers packages, so you have to buy tickets.

 

[KMarston]

I would say that is was not the same. However, park transportation would accommodate a scooter.

I thought you were asking about airport to S/D.

Thank you!

 

[SteveH]

Thanks @Tigerlulu I appreciate hearing your insights. I was a bit suprised there is a national conference right now, but also can understand the frustrating of how Disney is dealing with things for all of you. Hope you have a great trip and a wonderful time. I've been at two conference at Disney and really enjoyed both a lot.

 

[Tigerlulu]

Thanks @Tigerlulu I appreciate hearing your insights. I was a bit suprised there is a national conference right now, but also can understand the frustrating of how Disney is dealing with things for all of you. Hope you have a great trip and a wonderful time. I've been at two conference at Disney and really enjoyed both a lot.

Thanks! These kids have worked so hard for this, so I’m glad they get to go in person. It’s been a hard year for everyone but we’ve had two devastating hurricanes on top of covid and these kids have had extra challenges heaped on them. It will be so awesome to see them get to have some fun!

 

[Threehearts]

It is my understanding that this is not currently available due to Covid-19 safety and health guidelines. They also have suspended for now the ability for day guests to rent a Cabana.

It will ultimately come down to when are you visiting as the Guidelines for Orange County just changed today to reduce social distancing down to 3ft from 6ft. Here is the article from Jackie Gailey here at the DIS's web site.

https://www.wdwinfo.com/news-storie...or-announces-changes-for-distancing-mandates/
Dave

When I was staying at the Dolphin during the week of April 12, on 2 days out of 5 there were groups of chairs with the sought after umbrellas that had reserved signs on them These chairs were in prime pool locations and twice I saw the families who secured them. They tipped the pool attendants and requested towels which the attendants brought. I don't know how these people were able to make the reservation- day pass or on-site guest? Perhaps there is a way to reserve chairs with umbrellas. Also, the cabanas were being used when I was there but it could be that they were not reserved.

 

[Gitelfor]

When I was staying at the Dolphin during the week of April 12, on 2 days out of 5 there were groups of chairs with the sought after umbrellas that had reserved signs on them These chairs were in prime pool locations and twice I saw the families who secured them. They tipped the pool attendants and requested towels which the attendants brought. I don't know how these people were able to make the reservation- day pass or on-site guest? Perhaps there is a way to reserve chairs with umbrellas. Also, the cabanas were being used when I was there but it could be that they were not reserved.

This may have been what was going on.

 

[lampshadehead]

Does anyone know the price range for a cabana? I am hoping to grab one on a Thursday/Friday but haven’t booked yet so I can’t check the price/availability

When I called, it was $150 for half a day (8am to 1pm I believe), and $200 for the full day.

 

[patty57]

I should know this, but...
Can someone please post the email for the Swan concierge? I have this eye condition, where I have to microwave an eye pack and use it every day. In the past, I've used the microwave at Picabu for this, but would love to find out ahead of time what my options would be.

 

[Scalemaster34]

This may have been what was going on.

Wonder how many locals would use this Resort Pass as a means to park and visit the Theme Parks rather than the S&D Pool?

Before COVID, I didn't get the feeling that S&D had a lot of extra parking spaces. And doesn't look like the Reserve is adding many more, unless the design includes a parking garage.

 

[SteveH]

@patty57 IMHO you are better off to call these days, many of the previous pages and emails seem to have changed and may no longer work. You can also try the Contact Page. With COVID I'm wondering if they even have them, the old page with info is now gone but this is what it used to state, "Available for your ease of use are complimentary microwaves on select guest room floors of the resort as well as in Picabu and Fuel, both located at the Dolphin. Microwaves are located at the Swan on the 3rd and 6th floors next to the East Wing ice machines, as well as at the Dolphin hotel on the 6th and 9th floors next to both the East and West Wing ice machines."

 

[Dave006]

I should know this, but...
Can someone please post the email for the Swan concierge.

That options has not been available since the Swan & Dolphin reopened but you can always call 407-934-4000 and they can direct your inquiry to the correct person / department.

Dave

 

[patty57]

Thanks Dave and Steve. I wonder if it's worthwhile to look into having Amazon ship one to the Swan? I hate spending the money, but my eyes will make me miserable if I don't use the heating pad. Have to think about it.

 

[patty57]

FYI for anyone who needs to know about microwaves. I just called. They are available in Fuel at the Dolphin, or Java at the Swan.

 

[SteveH]

@patty57 thanks for that info, good to know. Have you looked at any of the plug in eye heating pads?

 

[patty57]

@patty57 thanks for that info, good to know. Have you looked at any of the plug in eye heating pads?

I didn't know they existed!! Time to do an online search.