Walt Disney World SWAN, DOLPHIN & SWAN RESERVE RESORTS Information & Questions

[chris benton]

Post withdrawn

 

[tinkandonaldfans]

Does anyone have pictures of what the dolphin looked like at Christmas, we went a few times before the renovation and want to go again this year! I loved the big tree in the reception but presume they couldn’t do that with all those dangly lights/decoration they put up?

 

[amalone1013]

I've got a couple of the lobby area. Not sure if this is the same tree since this was our first year there.

 

[PlutoTheDog89]

Was staring out the window at this blizzard in NY and was inspired. Just booked a short stay at Dolphin for Pro Bowl weekend.

What's the best way to get from airport to Dolphin? Anyone know how much Uber will cost?

 

[amalone1013]

Was staring out the window at this blizzard in NY and was inspired. Just booked a short stay at Dolphin for Pro Bowl weekend.

What's the best way to get from airport to Dolphin? Anyone know how much Uber will cost?

Our last trip was $35 with Uber X.

I think that's the weekend we're there too

 

[JJ2017]

Where do you put in your room requests? We will not be checking in until after midnight on a Friday night and I'd like to try to ensure the King room at Dolphin. Thanks!

 

[Dan Murphy]

Very nice, thanks for posting the pictures.

I've got a couple of the lobby area. Not sure if this is the same tree since this was our first year there.

View attachment 292204

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Where do you put in your room requests? We will not be checking in until after midnight on a Friday night and I'd like to try to ensure the King room at Dolphin. Thanks!

https://www.swandolphin.com/concierge/index.html

 

[BSOGfam]

Hello everyone! I am planning our very first WDW trip for July with DH, DS4 and DS8. Costco has a great Swan and Dolphin package, and the pools alone make this resort so appealing. Would you guys recommend the Swan for a first time trip? If we weren't doing this resort, I would look for a moderate hotel on-site. Disneyland is our home park, and getting to the parks is quick and easy there. How are transportation times to and from the parks at the Swan? Also, Is the Magical Express available? If not, what is the best way to get to and from the airport.

 

[pepperandchips]

Hello everyone! I am planning our very first WDW trip for July with DH, DS4 and DS8. Costco has a great Swan and Dolphin package, and the pools alone make this resort so appealing. Would you guys recommend the Swan for a first time trip? If we weren't doing this resort, I would look for a moderate hotel on-site. Disneyland is our home park, and getting to the parks is quick and easy there. How are transportation times to and from the parks at the Swan? Also, Is the Magical Express available? If not, what is the best way to get to and from the airport.

Do you stay offsite (or at Paradise Pier) at DL? If so, the Swan will feel great. If you are Disneyland Hotel or Grand Californian devotees then I would not stay at the Swan. The Swan/Dolphin are among my favorite resorts for convenience - you can walk or boat to two parks and are centrally located between MK, AK, and Disney Springs for the other options so the bus rides aren't bad to me. Plus if you like the feel of exiting the esplanade onto Downtown Disney for shopping and dining, you have that available nearby at the Boardwalk. I think you won't regret the choice unless you really need a lot of Disney touches in the room. If you're a HoJo person you might like the moderates, if you're more of a Park Vue Inn or convention area hotel person I think you'll like the Swan/Dolphin. And yes, the pools are great!!!

Magical express is not available - I don't need car seats so I personally would use Uber for airport transfers for around $30 each way in an UberX. You can also schedule from other transport companies - do a quick search of this thread for airport and you should get a number of recommendations.

 

[chris benton]

So BSOGfam -
I did the Costco pkg with Swan. I believe I chose wisely. I will probably do it again, happily. The only reason I would not do it again as a first choice would be if I could rent DVC points, and stay at Beach/Yacht Club or Boardwalk for about the same price as the Costco package give or take. The only reason I hesitate is that the kids school calendar will play a part on when we can go, and renting points has a certain cutoff date for a price break. Long story short, if the school doesn't release the calendar enough time before the cutoff date for us to select the dates we want to go, we can't get the better dvc price. No big deal, Swan is awesome, imo.

Yes, the pools are fantastic. FANTASTIC!

I would easily recommend it for a first time trip.

A moderate on site will not be within walking distance of any of the parks. Swan/Dolphin is walking distance to TWO parks, PLUS the Boardwalk, and all of the other Epcot area hotels for dining, AND Epcot's World Showcase restaurants / street shows / pavillions.

Transportation times to MK and AK are the same as any other resort via Disney Bus.

NO MAGICAL EXPRESS - uber will be your friend. (my reasoning for not caring about the Magical Express is that I didn't want to wait at the airport, OR have to go back to the airport 3-4 hours before my flight home.)

NO MAGIC BANDS will be included (you can buy them if you'd like, but you don't NEED them. We bought them to make life easier for park tickets, fastpasses, and adr's, and I believe we made the right choice in buying them.)

==
Random Opinions on stuff you might not be thinking about:
The restaurants at Swan / Dolphin are pretty decently priced compared to Disney owned, and a decent amt of ppl will say Swolphin's restaurants are better than most Disney restaurants.

The beds at Swolphin - many frequent travelers are very fond of these "Heavenly Beds." do your own research. If you travel a lot, beds can become a distinguishing factor in hotel choice. Walking around chasing kids at DW, I want a decent bed to fall into and recharge. The beds at Swolphin get high marks.

The proximity to Epcot and DHS are a major selling point that should be high on the list to bring it into most conversations of best places to stay, but with all of the other amenities, I'd say it's a no brainer for my family. With hoppers, it makes planning your activities/park touring a BREEZE. You do not have to wait for a bus to go to or from DHS or EPcot. You'll be in your room before most ppl can get on a bus. You'll be at either park before most ppl can get on a bus to go to that park. You'll be in your room after Illuminations before most ppl will get to their car in the parking lot, and wait in line to drive out. EMH at Epcot at 8am? Leave your room at 7:40, and be there before the gates open at the easier entrance! Most ppl have to leave their room at like 6:30 and then get herded in at the main entrance.

There are plenty of kids activities set on a schedule every day, kids have free meals at a few places (with paying adult)

There are a decent number of ppl that say, "It's not Disney enough," or that the Disney theming is very minimal. I saw plenty of Mickey mouse stuff, a Disney shop in the lobby, a Disney concierge desk in the lobby, and a bunch of ppl wearing Disney lookin clothes and going to parks. That was easily enuff for me.

 

[shoreward]

Hello everyone! I am planning our very first WDW trip for July with DH, DS4 and DS8. Costco has a great Swan and Dolphin package, and the pools alone make this resort so appealing. Would you guys recommend the Swan for a first time trip?

In addition to the excellent advice offered by the previous posters, here are a few other points:

• If you will all be staying in one room, I recommend the Swan, as its two-bedded rooms have two queen beds, while the Dolphin rooms have two double beds.
• All of the guest rooms at both resorts recently completed refurbishment and are extremely nice. Most of the Swan's rooms have two sinks/vanity areas - one inside the bathroom, and one outside, meaning that several people can get ready in the morning, at the same time. The queen/queen rooms have a tub with rainfall showerhead and handheld spray, while the king rooms (single king bed+sofa bed) have a walk-in shower, only.
• The buses to the AK and MK first stop at the Swan, and then at the Dolphin. Morning buses can be fairly packed and can fill up at the Swan, meaning that many waiting to board at the Dolphin will have to stand on the bus.
• The Swan is about half the size of the Dolphin, so it's much more manageable.
• The Costco package includes a room upgrade, so, before arrival, you can request a room with a view, if you like. Some views would face Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and the Boardwalk.
• Most family-oriented restaurants are at the Dolphin, though there is a table-service, character restaurant at the Swan. The walk to the Dolphin takes no more than five minutes from the Swan.
• If you do not want to walk to Epcot or Hollywood Studios (about a 12-15 minute walk with kids), there is a very nice boat that you can ride, with the dock centered between the Dolphin and Swan. It also stops at the Yacht Club/Beach Club and the Boardwalk, on the way to/from Epcot. The Friendship boats, just like the buses, are part of Disney's complimentary transportation system.

In case you have not seen it, the Swan/Dolphin has a very good website, which will give you lots of info.

https://www.swandolphin.com/aboutus/index.html

I don't believe you can go wrong, choosing either the Swan or the Dolphin.

 

[ckelly14]

Very nice, thanks for posting the pictures.


https://www.swandolphin.com/concierge/index.html

Heading to the Dolphin next month, and for all the years I have been there, I have never put in a room request. I booked a 2 bedroom executive suite. Any thoughts on what to request. I was thinking central wing, as I like the direct access to Picabu for my morning coffee, and had a pretty good view there last year, but haven't had a balcony for years. I don't think the central wing has balconies but could be wrong. Any thoughts?

 

[JulieODC]

Any recent visitors know what types of canned or bottled beer there is for sale at S/D - like a 6 pack or individuals that could be brought back to the room? If any?

 

[pepperandchips]

Any recent visitors know what types of canned or bottled beer there is for sale at S/D - like a 6 pack or individuals that could be brought back to the room? If any?

There are singles at the entrance to the food line... here's a pic from all ears and close to what I remember:
Edit: I am talking about picabu and forgot to mention it... ha.


The only thing I remember six packs of was the Phins and Feathers beer brewed specially for Swan/Dolphin. It's an APA. That doesn't mean there weren't others, I just remember looking at the Phins and Feathers six packs. We did not try it.

 

[pepperandchips]

Also @JulieODC here is a link with some photos of Fuel (quick service in Dolphin main lobby) http://allears.net/dining/photos/fuel/interior

I see Cigar City Jai Alai in the green and orange cans in addition to the Phins and Feathers mentioned above (in one of the first photos) and there are some beers in the case also.

 

[JulieODC]

@pepperandchips - super helpful, exactly what I was looking for. Thanks!

 

[Dan Murphy]

Heading to the Dolphin next month, and for all the years I have been there, I have never put in a room request. I booked a 2 bedroom executive suite. Any thoughts on what to request. I was thinking central wing, as I like the direct access to Picabu for my morning coffee, and had a pretty good view there last year, but haven't had a balcony for years. I don't think the central wing has balconies but could be wrong. Any thoughts?

WIth that type of a room setup, there are fewer choices for sure than just regular rooms or smaller alcove suites. But if you have been in a room setup in the past that you liked, for sure ask for it.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Hello everyone! I am planning our very first WDW trip for July with DH, DS4 and DS8. Costco has a great Swan and Dolphin package, and the pools alone make this resort so appealing. Would you guys recommend the Swan for a first time trip? If we weren't doing this resort, I would look for a moderate hotel on-site. Disneyland is our home park, and getting to the parks is quick and easy there. How are transportation times to and from the parks at the Swan? Also, Is the Magical Express available? If not, what is the best way to get to and from the airport.

The three replies given here are excellent, very informative. As a choice between the two resorts, I personally like the Swan.

Do you stay offsite (or at Paradise Pier) at DL? If so, the Swan will feel great. If you are Disneyland Hotel or Grand Californian devotees then I would not stay at the Swan. The Swan/Dolphin are among my favorite resorts for convenience - you can walk or boat to two parks and are centrally located between MK, AK, and Disney Springs for the other options so the bus rides aren't bad to me. Plus if you like the feel of exiting the esplanade onto Downtown Disney for shopping and dining, you have that available nearby at the Boardwalk. I think you won't regret the choice unless you really need a lot of Disney touches in the room. If you're a HoJo person you might like the moderates, if you're more of a Park Vue Inn or convention area hotel person I think you'll like the Swan/Dolphin. And yes, the pools are great!!!

Magical express is not available - I don't need car seats so I personally would use Uber for airport transfers for around $30 each way in an UberX. You can also schedule from other transport companies - do a quick search of this thread for airport and you should get a number of recommendations.

So BSOGfam -
I did the Costco pkg with Swan. I believe I chose wisely. I will probably do it again, happily. The only reason I would not do it again as a first choice would be if I could rent DVC points, and stay at Beach/Yacht Club or Boardwalk for about the same price as the Costco package give or take. The only reason I hesitate is that the kids school calendar will play a part on when we can go, and renting points has a certain cutoff date for a price break. Long story short, if the school doesn't release the calendar enough time before the cutoff date for us to select the dates we want to go, we can't get the better dvc price. No big deal, Swan is awesome, imo.

Yes, the pools are fantastic. FANTASTIC!

I would easily recommend it for a first time trip.

A moderate on site will not be within walking distance of any of the parks. Swan/Dolphin is walking distance to TWO parks, PLUS the Boardwalk, and all of the other Epcot area hotels for dining, AND Epcot's World Showcase restaurants / street shows / pavillions.

Transportation times to MK and AK are the same as any other resort via Disney Bus.

NO MAGICAL EXPRESS - uber will be your friend. (my reasoning for not caring about the Magical Express is that I didn't want to wait at the airport, OR have to go back to the airport 3-4 hours before my flight home.)

NO MAGIC BANDS will be included (you can buy them if you'd like, but you don't NEED them. We bought them to make life easier for park tickets, fastpasses, and adr's, and I believe we made the right choice in buying them.)

==
Random Opinions on stuff you might not be thinking about:
The restaurants at Swan / Dolphin are pretty decently priced compared to Disney owned, and a decent amt of ppl will say Swolphin's restaurants are better than most Disney restaurants.

The beds at Swolphin - many frequent travelers are very fond of these "Heavenly Beds." do your own research. If you travel a lot, beds can become a distinguishing factor in hotel choice. Walking around chasing kids at DW, I want a decent bed to fall into and recharge. The beds at Swolphin get high marks.

The proximity to Epcot and DHS are a major selling point that should be high on the list to bring it into most conversations of best places to stay, but with all of the other amenities, I'd say it's a no brainer for my family. With hoppers, it makes planning your activities/park touring a BREEZE. You do not have to wait for a bus to go to or from DHS or EPcot. You'll be in your room before most ppl can get on a bus. You'll be at either park before most ppl can get on a bus to go to that park. You'll be in your room after Illuminations before most ppl will get to their car in the parking lot, and wait in line to drive out. EMH at Epcot at 8am? Leave your room at 7:40, and be there before the gates open at the easier entrance! Most ppl have to leave their room at like 6:30 and then get herded in at the main entrance.

There are plenty of kids activities set on a schedule every day, kids have free meals at a few places (with paying adult)

There are a decent number of ppl that say, "It's not Disney enough," or that the Disney theming is very minimal. I saw plenty of Mickey mouse stuff, a Disney shop in the lobby, a Disney concierge desk in the lobby, and a bunch of ppl wearing Disney lookin clothes and going to parks. That was easily enuff for me.

In addition to the excellent advice offered by the previous posters, here are a few other points:

• If you will all be staying in one room, I recommend the Swan, as its two-bedded rooms have two queen beds, while the Dolphin rooms have two double beds.
• All of the guest rooms at both resorts recently completed refurbishment and are extremely nice. Most of the Swan's rooms have two sinks/vanity areas - both inside the bathroom, as well as outside, meaning that several people can get ready in the morning, at the same time. The queen/queen rooms have a tub with rainfall showerhead and handheld spray, while the king rooms (single king bed+sofa bed) have a walk-in shower, only.
• The buses to the AK and MK first stop at the Swan, and then at the Dolphin. Morning buses can be fairly packed and can fill up at the Swan, meaning that many waiting to board at the Dolphin will have to stand on the bus.
• The Swan is about half the size of the Dolphin, so it's much more manageable.
• The Costco package includes a room upgrade, so, before arrival, you can request a room with a view, if you like. Some views would face Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and the Boardwalk.
• Most family-oriented restaurants are at the Dolphin, though there is a table-service, character restaurant at the Swan. The walk to the Dolphin takes no more than five minutes from the Swan.
• If you do not want to walk to Epcot or Hollywood Studios (about a 12-15 minute walk with kids), there is a very nice boat that you can ride, with the dock centered between the Dolphin and Swan. It also stops at the Yacht Club/Beach Club and the Boardwalk, on the way to/from Epcot. The Friendship boats, just like the buses, are part of Disney's complimentary transportation system.

In case you have not seen it, the Swan/Dolphin has a very good website, which will give you lots of info.

https://www.swandolphin.com/aboutus/index.html

I don't believe you can go wrong, choosing either the Swan or the Dolphin.

 

[SteveH]

Hello everyone! I am planning our very first WDW trip for July with DH, DS4 and DS8. Costco has a great Swan and Dolphin package...

You've gotten some great advice already. We're using Costco for our trip coming up in about 3 weeks, I've been happy with the process so far and hoping that I will be as we check in as well. Price beat most hte other offers we found and communication has been good. I've called in a couple times and quickly got accurate answers. As already said you get most the perks but a few are not included. For us those were not big deals. As we arrive late we're opting to take Lyft or Uber instead. With your 4yo you will need to address the car seat, but both Lyfe/Uber have options. Or if you want to spend a bit more you can take one of the town car services. The plus to them is stopping off at a grocery store is usually included.

We've stayed at Coronado Springs and S/D about the same. While the theming isn't as in your face we like S/D and find the decor to be very uplifting and fun. The proximity to both Epcot & Hollywood Studios is a major plus IMHO, none of the moderates have the ability to walk to the parks. When our boys were younger we never had issue with the bus service to MK or AK from S/D though we usually enjoyed walking through Epcot to the monorail to MK when we could. Plus with the restaurants at S/D and the boardwalk we had plenty to choose from. There is Character dining at the S/D but you can also eat at the nearby resorts too, we tried to go to some of the other resorts as well - Wilderness Lodge is always a favorite.

The dual queen beds at the Swan was a big deal too, the double beds is just a bit tight, plus the Heavenly beds really are just that.

 

[chris benton]

Hey SteveH -
I hope your experience is the same as mine. I got a few emails from the Costco Travel program, and essentially, all of the codes and instructions were there, and easy as pie. Everything was smooth as silk. I totally expected a cluster $%^^ since that's just my luck with everything, but the whole thing was smooth as silk.