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

[buzz1fan]

Question- if I book at trip on WDW.com with tickets- is everything still refundable same as a Disney resort? I think it said final payment was due 30 days before same as Disney- is there anything different ?

 

[iujen94]

Question- if I book at trip on WDW.com with tickets- is everything still refundable same as a Disney resort? I think it said final payment was due 30 days before same as Disney- is there anything different ?

Double check the price versus booking on the Marriott website and buying tickets separately. I *think* booking through Disney is more expensive, sometimes significantly, especially when you consider AAA or Marriott member discounts through Marriott.

 

[disneyworldsk]

I just returned from a week long stay at The Dolphin and it was incredible! We had a King bed resort view room overlooking Hollywood Studios. Tower of Terror looked amazing from our deluxe-sized balcony. As far as transportation, I found the buses to Disney Springs, Magic Kingdom, and Animal Kingdom to be great---the buses, which are basically akin to motorcoaches--similar to Disney Magical Express buses are more comfortable than the Disney buses and they actually stay on schedule. It didn't matter to me that the bus dropped us off at TTC for Magic Kingdom...we simply walked over to the ferry boat with no issues whatsoever.

Loved staying at The Dolphin...the location is ideal. The hotel looks gorgeous, especially at night. Such an easy walk to Epcot and the walk to Hollywood Studios is pleasant. Loved being close to the Boardwalk.

I have found my new favorite "home" and cannot wait to return to The Dolphin later this year. Feel free to ask any questions!

new to this board: so besides ttc/mk , what are the other perks that you don't get when compared to staying at other wdw resorts? i assume no magical express bus? is there anything else? Thank you.

 

[SMRT-1]

Question- if I book at trip on WDW.com with tickets- is everything still refundable same as a Disney resort? I think it said final payment was due 30 days before same as Disney- is there anything different ?

Yes. For one of our many re-bookings during 2020, we booked a Swan package through Disney, and only had to pay the same refundable $200 deposit, and had no problems getting refunded when we decided to cancel.

 

[lauritagoddess]

I just changed our Pop reservation to the Dolphin for our upcoming trip. I was getting a little nervous about the timing with the Skyliner at Pop, and with a discount I had, the Dolphin room costs almost the same as the room at Pop. Am I going to love Dolphin now in COVID times? How is the quick service/grab and go food situation? Is there a long wait at the friendship boat DHS? How is Housekeeping? I've seen negative reviews on TripAdvisor, but I try to take those with a grain of salt since I've always heard good things otherwise about the Dolphin. I just want us to have a nice trip.

 

[SMRT-1]

Double check the price versus booking on the Marriott website and buying tickets separately. I *think* booking through Disney is more expensive, sometimes significantly, especially when you consider AAA or Marriott member discounts through Marriott.

I suppose it depends on what kind of deal you can get booking with Marriott. We never seem to be eligible for any significant discounts, so when we've priced trips over the past year, Marriott was always the most expensive, with Disney being slightly cheaper, and Costco being significantly cheaper than both of them. As you said though, if you can get a good deal through Marriott, it might be cheaper than Disney.

The benefit of booking through Disney, though is flexibility. When booking through Marriott w/ separate tickets, or through Costco with a package, you have to pay for your tickets in full, and they aren't refundable (COVID exceptions notwithstanding), where booking through Disney only requires a $200 refundable (until 30-days before arrival) deposit.

 

[SMRT-1]

new to this board: so besides ttc/mk , what are the other perks that you don't get when compared to staying at other wdw resorts? i assume no magical express bus? is there anything else? Thank you.

Pre-COVID, Swan/Dolphin got most of the benefits of an "on property" hotel (including Disney buses). The only notable exceptions being no Magical Express, no free Magic Bands, and no using your Magic Band to charge to your room.

After the re-opening, things have changed a bit. Currently, Swan/Dolphin have been using Mears buses instead of Disney buses (hence the TTC drop off at MK). No one knows if this is temporary until Disney can return to normal bus capacity, or a permanent change. Hopefully it's the former. Disney Friendship boat service to/from Epcot & HS is still available to Swan/Dolphin, though. Disney-owned resorts have discontinued free Magic Bands, so that's no longer an advantage over Swan/Dolphin, and Disney is discontinuing Magical Express at the end of the year, so that won't be an advantage for Disney-owned resorts either.

So to answer your question, the advantages of Disney-owned resorts over Swan/Dolphin...

Right now:
Magical Express (without luggage delivery)
Disney buses to MK & AK
Charge to room w/ MB


1/1/2022:
Disney buses to MK & AK (might possibly change)
Charge to room w/ MB

 

[buzz1fan]

I’m thinking I’m better booking with Disney so my tickets could be refunded if needed. I’m debating on this and CBR

 

[supamaki]

I’m thinking I’m better booking with Disney so my tickets could be refunded if needed. I’m debating on this and CBR

If inalienability is important to you then most definitely.

 

[loves to dive]

I just changed our Pop reservation to the Dolphin for our upcoming trip. I was getting a little nervous about the timing with the Skyliner at Pop, and with a discount I had, the Dolphin room costs almost the same as the room at Pop. Am I going to love Dolphin now in COVID times? How is the quick service/grab and go food situation? Is there a long wait at the friendship boat DHS? How is Housekeeping? I've seen negative reviews on TripAdvisor, but I try to take those with a grain of salt since I've always heard good things otherwise about the Dolphin. I just want us to have a nice trip.

I am at Dolphin right now. Are you going to love Dolphin in Covid times, only you can answer that. I will say not all the restaurants are open (boy did I want an ice cream tonight but alas The Fountain not open) and some of the ones that are are on modified times. I haven't gone into Fuel (grab and go) yet this trip so can't speak to that. The wait for boats is no different than any other time, it's all about timing. I happened to walk up this afternoon right when one was arriving for HS so there was no wait. They do not provide hosekeeping unless you are here for a certain amount of time, I think 6 nights. They will replenish towels, coffee, water, whatever else you need, you just call them. I have no complaints.

 

[loves to dive]

Update on Dolphin:
Ate at Fresh Med. Market this morning. No buffet, all the hot buffet type food is being served up at the station where they used to make the omelets. If you want an omelet now, you order it from your server and it is $3 extra. No more juice bar, which is sad.

I went to the pool around 2 ish this afternoon. Construction still going on but I did not hear any noise, could be because of the 50 million kids running around screaming. It was crowded but chairs were available, especially if you didn't mind being in the sun. If you wanted in the shade, picking were a little slim. While I was there, there were 6 kids all under 6 in the hot tub while I was in it, jumping in and no adult supervision to be seen. Just why?

View from room 8042, not very good pictures but here they are:
To the Left

sort of in the middle:


To the right - hey that's a view of something, maybe Boardwalk?

The coffee pods I brought because I don't like Starbucks, bought them on Amazon


As you can see, they aren't as big as the ones provided but taste better to me

 

[Dan Murphy]

Update on Dolphin:
Ate at Fresh Med. Market this morning. No buffet, all the hot buffet type food is being served up at the station where they used to make the omelets. If you want an omelet now, you order it from your server and it is $3 extra. No more juice bar, which is sad.

I went to the pool around 2 ish this afternoon. Construction still going on but I did not hear any noise, could be because of the 50 million kids running around screaming. It was crowded but chairs were available, especially if you didn't mind being in the sun. If you wanted in the shade, picking were a little slim. While I was there, there were 6 kids all under 6 in the hot tub while I was in it, jumping in and no adult supervision to be seen. Just why?

View from room 8042, not very good pictures but here they are:
To the Left
View attachment 568356
sort of in the middle:
View attachment 568357

To the right - hey that's a view of something, maybe Boardwalk?
View attachment 568358
The coffee pods I brought because I don't like Starbucks, bought them on Amazon
View attachment 568359

As you can see, they aren't as big as the ones provided but taste better to me
View attachment 568360

I think you got Tara's 'dumpster view', ltd.

www.disboards.com/threads/the-new-s...2009-please-read-post-1.2137287/post-35823306
Thanks for the report and pictures.

 

[loves to dive]

I think you got Tara's 'dumpster view', ltd.

www.disboards.com/threads/the-new-s...2009-please-read-post-1.2137287/post-35823306
Thanks for the report and pictures.

Yep, that would be it. I've stayed here at least 6 or 7 times and always book a standard room. This is the first time I've had a bad view, oh well, odds were it had to happen.

 

[KMarston]

At the Dolphin now, arrived Sunday around 1 after driving through one of the worst thunder storms I've ever experienced. My room was ready which was good news. It is room 8042, which is the bad news. My "view" is of the tops of buildings, I'll try to post some pictures tonight. I always just book standard and this is the first time I've lost the lottery on that but since it was ready at 1 and I had been on the road since 5 white knuckling it through that storm, I was o.k. with it. I brought my own coffee pods since I don't like Starbucks, again I'll try to get some picture of those up tonight.

Rode the bus to AK yesterday morning. It got there right when I did (around 8:05 am) so we had to wait a few minutes to see if anyone else was coming, they weren't. Went over to Swan and no one there. I ended up being the only one on the bus. They do have to go through the same line car drivers do instead the bus lines WDW buses take so we had to wait in line to get through the toll booths but the walk from where they drop you off into the parks isn't bad. I'm guessing it was around 35 to 40 min. from the time I got to the bus stop until I was walking into AK temp check. Took the Disney bus to MK when I left there so can't say how the return bus was.

Can you tell me if the Dolphin buses accommodate scooters? I’m interested to know how bussing to MK goes especially for ropedrop.

 

[mousegear]

love to dive, I had one of the rooms overlooking the back of the convention center roofs. It was also very loud on some mornings with the trash collecting dump trucks 'beeping.' In fact, that was our very first room at Dolphin. Besides the room view, hopefully, the trip is good! We will be there in a month!

 

[Threehearts]

A couple of other tips-

You no longer get bottled water automatically delivered to your room daily. Perhaps only Bonvoy members did. I'm not sure. You have to request that. I am here for 5 nights and was told by the front desk as well as the housekeeper on my floor that there will be no housekeeping to my room unless asked via telephone. There used to be 2 small barrels in the room. They have taken one away which makes things a bit challenging.

The bus situation to MK and IMHO, Disney Springs is not ideal. I did not care to go to TTC to get to MK instead of going to the parks directly from the S/D. Leaving Disney Springs the other night, it was dark and the sign with all the bus bay numbers no longer includes the Swan/Dolphin. You must walk past all the Disney buses to the S/D bus which is at the farthest end of the walkway behind a partition. The Disney driver said when asked where the S/D bus was located- "This is what happens when the S/D people fire the Disney bus service." Strange.

There are no longer theme park and DS maps at the Dolphin. Those were always one of the first things I picked up upon arrival at the concierge desk. A manager told me that the S/D doesn't carry them anymore because "they are obsolete and not up to date." Uh- no. They are indeed up to date and available at Disney guest services, park entrances and Disney owned hotels.

The Disney service desk that used to be off the lobby at the Dolphin has closed down but there is one at the Swan.

There are ample well-spaced chairs at the 4 pools so no worries about lines or waiting for a time slot. Cabanas should be reserved ASAP if you want one. They have been very popular and the pool attendant told me that they are fully rented. Pool food and beverage service is now done exclusively by ordering via hang tags which are on each pool chair. Each chair has a unique number. You will need your phone to scan the QR code.

Lest you thing I am not fond of the S/D, you'd be wrong. It is still my hands-down favorite hotel group. The pools are fantastic, the rooms are quite nice and when more of the food outlets open up, the S/D will be even better. By the way, the health club which is included in the resort fee is open 24/7 and in full swing. I'm having a great time here. I wouldn't stay anywhere else.

 

[lauritagoddess]

The bus situation to MK and IMHO, Disney Springs is not ideal. I did not care to go to TTC to get to MK instead of going to the parks directly from the S/D. Leaving Disney Springs the other night, it was dark and the sign with all the bus bay numbers no longer includes the Swan/Dolphin. You must walk past all the Disney buses to the S/D bus which is at the farthest end of the walkway behind a partition. The Disney driver said when asked where the S/D bus was located- "This is what happens when the S/D people fire the Disney bus service." Strange.

Can you walk over to Boardwalk or Yacht Club and use their buses for MK or Disney Springs?

 

[disneyworldsk]

I am at Dolphin right now. Are you going to love Dolphin in Covid times, only you can answer that. I will say not all the restaurants are open (boy did I want an ice cream tonight but alas The Fountain not open) and some of the ones that are are on modified times. I haven't gone into Fuel (grab and go) yet this trip so can't speak to that. The wait for boats is no different than any other time, it's all about timing. I happened to walk up this afternoon right when one was arriving for HS so there was no wait. They do not provide hosekeeping unless you are here for a certain amount of time, I think 6 nights. They will replenish towels, coffee, water, whatever else you need, you just call them. I have no complaints.

I thought the Fountain was open...?

 

[iujen94]

A couple of other tips-

You no longer get bottled water automatically delivered to your room daily. Perhaps only Bonvoy members did. I'm not sure. You have to request that. I am here for 5 nights and was told by the front desk as well as the housekeeper on my floor that there will be no housekeeping to my room unless asked via telephone. There used to be 2 small barrels in the room. They have taken one away which makes things a bit challenging.

The bus situation to MK and IMHO, Disney Springs is not ideal. I did not care to go to TTC to get to MK instead of going to the parks directly from the S/D. Leaving Disney Springs the other night, it was dark and the sign with all the bus bay numbers no longer includes the Swan/Dolphin. You must walk past all the Disney buses to the S/D bus which is at the farthest end of the walkway behind a partition. The Disney driver said when asked where the S/D bus was located- "This is what happens when the S/D people fire the Disney bus service." Strange.

There are no longer theme park and DS maps at the Dolphin. Those were always one of the first things I picked up upon arrival at the concierge desk. A manager told me that the S/D doesn't carry them anymore because "they are obsolete and not up to date." Uh- no. They are indeed up to date and available at Disney guest services, park entrances and Disney owned hotels.

The Disney service desk that used to be off the lobby at the Dolphin has closed down but there is one at the Swan.

There are ample well-spaced chairs at the 4 pools so no worries about lines or waiting for a time slot. Cabanas should be reserved ASAP if you want one. They have been very popular and the pool attendant told me that they are fully rented. Pool food and beverage service is now done exclusively by ordering via hang tags which are on each pool chair. Each chair has a unique number. You will need your phone to scan the QR code.

Lest you thing I am not fond of the S/D, you'd be wrong. It is still my hands-down favorite hotel group. The pools are fantastic, the rooms are quite nice and when more of the food outlets open up, the S/D will be even better. By the way, the health club which is included in the resort fee is open 24/7 and in full swing. I'm having a great time here. I wouldn't stay anywhere else.

Two questions - I think I read somewhere that you can get the free bottled water by asking (at the front desk, maybe?), and that they were quite generous with it. Is that (still) accurate? Second, is the Dolphin lobby bar currently open? Thanks!

 

[Dan Murphy]

A couple of other tips-

You no longer get bottled water automatically delivered to your room daily. Perhaps only Bonvoy members did. I'm not sure. You have to request that. I am here for 5 nights and was told by the front desk as well as the housekeeper on my floor that there will be no housekeeping to my room unless asked via telephone. There used to be 2 small barrels in the room. They have taken one away which makes things a bit challenging.

The bus situation to MK and IMHO, Disney Springs is not ideal. I did not care to go to TTC to get to MK instead of going to the parks directly from the S/D. Leaving Disney Springs the other night, it was dark and the sign with all the bus bay numbers no longer includes the Swan/Dolphin. You must walk past all the Disney buses to the S/D bus which is at the farthest end of the walkway behind a partition. The Disney driver said when asked where the S/D bus was located- "This is what happens when the S/D people fire the Disney bus service." Strange.

There are no longer theme park and DS maps at the Dolphin. Those were always one of the first things I picked up upon arrival at the concierge desk. A manager told me that the S/D doesn't carry them anymore because "they are obsolete and not up to date." Uh- no. They are indeed up to date and available at Disney guest services, park entrances and Disney owned hotels.

The Disney service desk that used to be off the lobby at the Dolphin has closed down but there is one at the Swan.

There are ample well-spaced chairs at the 4 pools so no worries about lines or waiting for a time slot. Cabanas should be reserved ASAP if you want one. They have been very popular and the pool attendant told me that they are fully rented. Pool food and beverage service is now done exclusively by ordering via hang tags which are on each pool chair. Each chair has a unique number. You will need your phone to scan the QR code.

Lest you thing I am not fond of the S/D, you'd be wrong. It is still my hands-down favorite hotel group. The pools are fantastic, the rooms are quite nice and when more of the food outlets open up, the S/D will be even better. By the way, the health club which is included in the resort fee is open 24/7 and in full swing. I'm having a great time here. I wouldn't stay anywhere else.

Thanks for the report and updates, Threehearts. Some good things, some not so good. Hopefully those not so goods will get better as time goes on and we keep crawling out of the pandemic.