Moderate choice for 2 adults in late January 2019

[TammyC]

As I was reading through this thread I was also thinking about the Swan and Dolphin - so glad someone mentioned it for you. We have stayed at both and prefer the Swan. The hotel is smaller and bathrooms are bigger. Swan gets bus pickup before Dolphin. Seems to be a bit more quiet than the Dolphin. I would stay at either one again though if the price were right. The location cannot be beat. Keep in mind that there is a resort fee and parking fees.

T

 

[Rich M]

As I was reading through this thread I was also thinking about the Swan and Dolphin - so glad someone mentioned it for you. We have stayed at both and prefer the Swan. The hotel is smaller and bathrooms are bigger. Swan gets bus pickup before Dolphin. Seems to be a bit more quiet than the Dolphin. I would stay at either one again though if the price were right. The location cannot be beat. Keep in mind that there is a resort fee and parking fees.

T

Not sure if its still available but Costco had some really good deals that waived the resort fees. I would have booked if the dates I wanted weren't sold out so we went with DVC Rental instead.

 

[Peculiar Penguin]

So we went to check out the Swan and Dolphin and one date in the middle of our stay (Jan 29) both are totally full up (not a room to be had at either for points or money). We can have a couple days before and a couple days after, but can't do the 5 in a row where you only have to pay points for 4 nights. We had chosen the Swan and right now have it booked for stays before and after the 29th but now need something for that one night. Have tentatively booked one of the Sheraton Vistana properties (cheap and we were already on the SPG site) but are now thinking maybe we'll grab a Value resort just for that one night.

Thoughts? Any guesses why S&D are totally full that night?

 

[Bostonbeans99]

They have the Wind conference and it is Jan 29th 2019. It seems like a pain to only book a room in the middle......I would stay first 2 days there and then go 3 somewhere else!!!!!!

Btw It's 1-29 to 2-2...

 

[Peculiar Penguin]

Thanks for the info. We searched and couldn't find it. Odd only the one night is totally blocked

We ended up booking the Pop Century for the middle night -- figure we can leave our bags at the Swan for the one day we're gone. We'll keep checking to see if this night becomes available so we don't have to move on. Heck, we might end up On Property for all 6 nights.

To Be Determined.

All the help here is greatly appreciated.

 

[raddisneyfan]

I've traveled many times with only adults and even solo and have never had noise issues. I always request a quiet room and they always seem to deliver or by luck, I haven't had any problems. As other posters may have mentioned and it is the way I operate, go with the best deal at the moderates--I like them all and constantly change reservations to get the best deal amongst them. Have a great time enjoying all of the many changes that have happened over the past 10 years!

 

[Bostonbeans99]

Thanks for the info. We searched and couldn't find it. Odd only the one night is totally blocked

Put this in Google and you will see....20th Annual Windstorm Insurance Conference scheduled for January 29 – February 2, 2019, at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort.

Sometimes hotels put in a block of rooms on hold for a specific date and if the travel party or group doesn't snatch them up by a specific date they release them. You could always book the 29th at another hotel to be safe (which you already did) & then just call Swan/Dolphin in advance of that date to see if a room is available.
Good Luck!

I am thinking they put a maximum hold of rooms on the 29th because that is the first day of the conference.
(and if they don't do holds...then the majority of people booked the first day of conference)

 

[Peculiar Penguin]

Oh yeah, I see it. I meant that my search prior to posting here came up blank. Your Google Fu is better than my Google Fu.

 

[tinkerdorabelle]

Interesting. We have SPG points and they are about to get devalued.

Any thoughts on if Swan or Dolphin is nicer?

We stayed there before on Starwood points, the Swan is slightly smaller but we really liked it there. We love all the moderates also, all 3 equally, honestly if you asked me which I liked better it would hard to choose, lol, I guess theming might help some but we found them all beautiful. But if I had a lot of points I would definitely pick the Swan or Dolphin.

Off topic but are the Starwood points becoming devalued? Last couple yrs have been going into the Fort Wilderness so we could bring our dog and now have an RV, so we haven't been using that much. We got something in the mail but read it quickly and threw away. I hope I don't lose a lot of my points oh no. Wish the Swan/Dolphin had a pet friendly rooms like a lot of the Starwoods.

 

[Peculiar Penguin]

With the Marriott merger it seems the value in general of Starpoints is going down a bit.