Dolphin Rates - Super $$$

melbatoast

Dis Fan
Joined
Nov 2, 2000
Has anyone noticed the ridiculously high rates for the Dolphin this Spring? I checked several dates in May and June and got rates of $900 a night plus fees & taxes! And no view. I'm wondering if it's a glitch or something. Anyone have any info on this?
 
I just put in our dates of May 6th through the 12th and I am seeing rates around $300/night at the Dolphin or Swan.
 
They could have conventions or other group blocks at those dates. Graduations/weddings/you name it.
 
Yeah, I noticed that too for the first week of May. Ridiculous. I don't understand how they can justify those rates for standard rooms, even if they are almost booked. It would make sense if all they had left was suites, but that's not the case.
 


So I originally booked Swan for Princess Marathon weekend months and months ago. I think my rate was $275 a night. I wanted to add on an extra day, and the Swan and Dolphin were both $900+ a night. Absolutely ridiculous for that hotel! You could stay at Grand Floridian for way cheaper!
 
I would keep checking or play around with their flexible date booking option if your dates are flexible. I started looking at Swan/Dolphin rates a few weeks ago and also thought it was a glitch, however, it now appears they are raising prices as room availability diminishes - kind of like a "surge" pricing approach. When I first looked, the rates were about $900 a night (this is for this upcoming weekend). I kept checking and, eventually, I was able to get a Marriott member rate of about $250 per night at the Dolphin (with taxes and resort fees). But, like you, when I went back to check again, the prices surged back up into the $700-$800 range. Just keep checking and if you find a rate you like, lock it in immediately!
 


I would keep checking or play around with their flexible date booking option if your dates are flexible. I started looking at Swan/Dolphin rates a few weeks ago and also thought it was a glitch, however, it now appears they are raising prices as room availability diminishes - kind of like a "surge" pricing approach. When I first looked, the rates were about $900 a night (this is for this upcoming weekend). I kept checking and, eventually, I was able to get a Marriott member rate of about $250 per night at the Dolphin (with taxes and resort fees). But, like you, when I went back to check again, the prices surged back up into the $700-$800 range. Just keep checking and if you find a rate you like, lock it in immediately!
Yes, keep checking. The rates have been pretty crazy. I was looking to book on-site days for Food and Wine in October. The rates were high until one day a couple of weeks ago, up popped a great senior rate and I booked 5 days on the spot. We love being close to EPCOT! So easy to take the boat back for dinner or to enjoy more food huts during F & W.
 
That's a revenue management technique that some hotels employ. Instead of going to a "sold out" status, they increase the rates to astronomical ones. They honestly don't expect anyone to pay that much. It's just to stop people from booking rooms.

As to why they do that instead of "sold out", it could be due to how the chain penalizes hotels. In the chains in which I used to work, the hotel was penalized if we stopped accepting reservations but didn't actually reach 100% occupancy on that day. It was one of those policies that makes sense in theory but not in practice. From the chain's perspective, they don't want to lose money. But in practice, hotels where guests make speculative reservations get unjustly punished.

I worked primarily at business hotels. As such, we didn't have to deal with speculative reservations. But, whenever the local NFL team looked like they could make the playoffs, the fans would book stays in hopes of getting a playoff gam played at the home field. If the team didn't make it, all those reservations would cancel. We'd go from being overbooked to 40% occupancy within a day or two. That's the only time we'd use this technique.

Note: This is conjecture. I don't know if Marriott (the chain under which the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin operate) has these types of penalties.
 
I'm able to reserve using an employee rate and have noticed the prices are higher than normal. I love the Swan/Dolphin but for the rate they are asking I'll stick to a Disney deluxe.
 
@writerguyfl That makes sense, like when I worked at a movie theater in the days before assigned seating, we stopped selling tickets at 95% capacity (in the event there were broken cupholders, or some other issue that made seats non revenue generating). I stay at plenty of marriotts and have noted on the door where it lists the rack rate or legal maximum rate, it's usually obscenely high. I guess in a hotel you want some "empty" rooms in the event of an issue that would require a room transfer.
 
I'm able to reserve using an employee rate and have noticed the prices are higher than normal. I love the Swan/Dolphin but for the rate they are asking I'll stick to a Disney deluxe.

Yep. When I did manage to see rates for a couple of the days of our stay, it ended up being more than what we are paying at Contemporary, when you factor in taxes and fees and compare the two, not to mention we would have to pay for transportation from the airport. So, Disney Deluxe won out.
 
@writerguyfl thanks for the explanation. What was weird though was they had all the room categories available so I don't think it was close to selling out. And the rates were literally outrageous, like who who pay those rates for that hotel?? I can't imagine anyone. Very strange!
 
@writerguyfl thanks for the explanation. What was weird though was they had all the room categories available so I don't think it was close to selling out. And the rates were literally outrageous, like who who pay those rates for that hotel?? I can't imagine anyone. Very strange!

That's what I saw too. It doesn't appear they are close to being sold out. I had my choice of several room types, but I passed with those insane rates.
 
just posted this on a different thread


I just booked the Swan for the second weekend in May the 11-14. Got a room for 3 nights plus flights from BOS for two for $1173 through Jetblue vacations. I thought that was pretty good. I prefer to stay in a Disney hotel but if the price is right, I can be persuaded. ;);) We love the Epcot area too.
 
Just booked a last minute room at the Dolphin for $135 per night! I thought that was pretty good! Checked for next fall and they wanted over $600 (with tax and resort fee) for the same room before taxes and fees! No thanks!
 
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