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

[Grumpy92]

Just returned from a weekend at the Swan. It was definitely the right choice. Bonvoy member who found a good discount on the marriott site. At C/I received an upgrade and late check out. Love the location.

 

[JJ2017]

We received our "What can we do for you to make your stay more enjoyable?" email this morning. Bonvoy member with Platinum Elite status (not sure what level you need to be at to get this email). It's a generic email, but worth a shot.

we wrote:

room request/location
breakfast voucher choice
don't need a lay of the resort speech - want to check in and get to room

we don't land at MCO until 10:45, so hoping check in is smooth. last year it took about 30 minutes and kids were losing it at that late hour.

one week to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[SMRT-1]

For those that are Costco members, we got a good deal on the Swan through Costco for our upcoming trip in May. We got a balcony resort-view room for $250/night fully refundable rate including resort fee and taxes. It would have been $238/night if we chose the prepaid, non-refundable rate. At the time we booked, the Marriott site was quoting around $560/night after taxes and fees (and that was the Bonvoy member discount rate) for the same room.

Edited to add that the balcony room was a limited-time promotional upgrade, and that normally, Costco offers resort-view rooms with no balcony.

 

[chris benton]

Well played. It's worth checking frequently as they change promotions. Sometimes there will be Fireworks View rooms and/or the kids eat free promotion for Garden Grove and Fresh Med.
Costco FTW!

 

[Bmath]

edit: nevermind

 

[SteveH]

@SMRT-1 we had a great room when we stayed through Costco, a wonderful corner view. They do have some great deals, but also depends on the time of the year. Their package for our upcoming dates were not that great, thus we opted to book at POFQ.
@Bmath glad you got your ansnwer already, yeah us goldies don't get those benefits

 

[JJ2017]

So I'm trying not to feel worried but I woke up to an email stating my FPs might be cancelled if I don't take action. Gave me some items to do like - purchase another ticket, add a resort, etc..... When I signed into MDE, I noticed my Dolphin reservation was dropped. It's been booked for about 10 months. I very easily re-connected it. Do you think this was a weird glitch? Has this happened to anyone else? I have no time to be on the phone with Disney. Thanks!

 

[marsh0013]

So I'm trying not to feel worried but I woke up to an email stating my FPs might be cancelled if I don't take action. Gave me some items to do like - purchase another ticket, add a resort, etc..... When I signed into MDE, I noticed my Dolphin reservation was dropped. It's been booked for about 10 months. I very easily re-connected it. Do you think this was a weird glitch? Has this happened to anyone else? I have no time to be on the phone with Disney. Thanks!

I had that happen before. Not sure why, but after adding it back, no issues.

 

[MarBee]

So I'm trying not to feel worried but I woke up to an email stating my FPs might be cancelled if I don't take action. Gave me some items to do like - purchase another ticket, add a resort, etc..... When I signed into MDE, I noticed my Dolphin reservation was dropped. It's been booked for about 10 months. I very easily re-connected it. Do you think this was a weird glitch? Has this happened to anyone else? I have no time to be on the phone with Disney. Thanks!

I just had this happen a couple of weeks ago. We have annual passes and it said that if I didn’t add a ticket it would be cancelled but only for one day of my 5 day trip. I did call Disney and they said it was just a glitch. I wouldn’t worry.

 

[Selket]

We just returned from a week at the Dolphin - never stayed there but did stay at the Swan several years ago for a couple of nights. DH was at a conference so I went along to go to the parks. Overall great stay. We are platinum elite and DH arrived the day before me and checked us in and he said we got an upgraded room - maybe the view? We could see the DHS fireworks somewhat and the pools - no balcony. The room was good - very clean. If I could change things I'd make the bathrooms bigger - the toliet/tub area feels really small and the sink area is tiny - although it was in good shape. I wish there was a private area to change clothes (like at Pop where you can pull that door closed to the sink/bath area). I had a rental ECV and that fit fine in the room. I'd also like queen beds rather than full beds and the room could use some more outlets and places to charge devices. We really enjoyed our free (with plat elite) continental breakfast in the mornings at Fresh and the Pikabu place had a nice pizza we got a few times at night to take to the room. I love the location. Overall I thought the resort had a better selection of places to eat than the Disney resorts - Fuel was a really nice little spot as well - and I liked the shopping options in the hotel. Based on my preferences I'd probably like the Swan more for the Q beds and the double sinks/larger bath area. I'd highly recommend these hotels - much better price than the nearby Disney ones and I never felt like I was "outside the magic" - thanks so much for everyone's help on this board!

 

[Love_the_Mouse]

I read at the beginning of the thread that The Swan will transfer your luggage for you to a different Disney resort if doing a split-stay. Has anyone done this recently and can confirm this is still happening??

 

[Tess]

I read at the beginning of the thread that The Swan will transfer your luggage for you to a different Disney resort if doing a split-stay. Has anyone done this recently and can confirm this is still happening??

Consider it confirmed. Have done it many times. We actually send ours the day before our check in to a Disney resort and retain the bare necessities to get ready the next morning. Carry those items with us and check in at the next hotel first thing in the a.m. Luggage is then at the next hotel when we arrive.

 

[Love_the_Mouse]

Consider it confirmed. Have done it many times. We actually send ours the day before our check in to a Disney resort and retain the bare necessities to get ready the next morning. Carry those items with us and check in at the next hotel first thing in the a.m. Luggage is then at the next hotel when we arrive.

Great, thank you so much for confirmation! I've never done a split stay so I'm a little nervous about it. Thanks!

 

[Tess]

Great, thank you so much for confirmation! I've never done a split stay so I'm a little nervous about it. Thanks!

It is really easy--the hardest part is packing and unpacking! They will take good care of you.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

I’m going to be calling today to book our August 2020. First time staying at the Dolphin. We always stayed at a Disney deluxe, but unless we score free dining they are just getting over priced. Plus I’m hoping to get the teacher discount!

I would like to book the premium double/double room and here’s my question- are these rooms scattered throughout the resort or in one particular area? Also are any of these rooms located in the first floor with a patio?

Thanks for your help!

 

[MarBee]

Does anyone know if Santa's Favorite Resort activities are still happening?

It doesn't look like the website has been updated since last year, so I'm wondering if Marriott has done away with it. Hoping not!
http://www.santasfavoriteresort.com/index.html

I just received an email that stated decorations will start going up 11/14-15 and be ready to go by the 16th. Then the holiday activities will start after Thanksgiving. There wasn’t a specific date for after thanksgiving, but I still figure I’d share anyway.

 

[SnowChaser]

I just received an email that stated decorations will start going up 11/14-15 and be ready to go by the 16th. Then the holiday activities will start after Thanksgiving. There wasn’t a specific date for after thanksgiving, but I still figure I’d share anyway.

Thanks for sharing that info. Guess we’ll miss Santa, but still get to enjoy the decorations.

I see now that the activities started just after Thanksgiving last year too. I’m so thrown off by how late Thanksgiving is this year!

 

[shoreward]

The amazing award-winning artistry of Swan/Dolphin executive pastry chef Laurent Branlard:

It will be great to see what he creates for the Swan's Christmas display this year.

 

[thor369]

I think I had asked this question before, but not sure it got answered. I have learned that the hotel does not allow for amazon prime or any other delivery, but some have suggested that you can meet the driver in the parking lot etc, I don't know how much coordinating will be required and how I will time all this with the driver.

since we get the in the afternoon and wont get to check in till 4pm, we are thinking of stopping over at the outlet malls and wanted to also stop at a grocery store or convenience store.
We will require milk, bread, peanut butter, jelly, water, diaper and wipes etc. Which grocery/convenience store would you guys recommend that is close to the outlet malls or to the Disney swan/dolphin.

 

[SteveH]

@thor369 they do allow them to deliver, but you will be charged. However if you use something like Amazon PrimeNow you can set your delivery time, within a window. They will text you when they are out for your delivery, then you just meet them in the lobby parking area. I took an empty suitcase down and put the items in it and then back to our hotel room.

That said, if you have transportation and can stop by grocery store that would be my personal choice. I assume you're going to the outlet mall with the Disney outlet. There is a Publix just across the street. You can toss the address into google and use the "nearby" feature to see all your options.