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

[sheilafri]

Disney IT sucks! Tried multiple times last night to add my Dolphin ressie to my MDE account. It wouldn’t confirm. I was on my iPad. Decided to try my iPhone this am and it went through immediately.

I love the Swan/Dolphin hotels, location, and the Friendship Boats to HS and EPCOT. Especially when I solo travel.

 

[SteveH]

@farfaraway yes they will move your luggage but as mentioned by Jillfo the walk is a breeze, same for the Swan Reserve so consider that option too.

We've stayed a the SpringHill & TownPlace at Flamingo Crossing for our 1st night, very close to AK so that's another option to consider.

@sheilafri no disagreement from me Disney IT is hands down the worst, but I fully blame Chapek and Iger before for not properly funding the IT department or hiring the right IT head. This has gone on way to long for any excuses.

 

[farfaraway]

@farfaraway yes they will move your luggage but as mentioned by Jillfo the walk is a breeze, same for the Swan Reserve so consider that option too.

We've stayed a the SpringHill & TownPlace at Flamingo Crossing for our 1st night, very close to AK so that's another option to consider.

@sheilafri no disagreement from me Disney IT is hands down the worst, but I fully blame Chapek and Iger before for not properly funding the IT department or hiring the right IT head. This has gone on way to long for any excuses.

Thanks so much!

 

[tinkert77]

We arrive on Saturday for our first stay ever at the Swan. I believe it’s a standard room, no view. Any recommendations for what I might request to make the best of it?

Ask if your room can be away from the deliveries dock. You will hear trucks in the early morning hours backing out. If not, the sound machine app on our phone helped with this.

 

[patty57]

Have one night stay at the Dolphin on May 9th. Pool time and dinner at Il Mulino. Hoping that the waterfall is back on at the Grotto Pool. Sitting behind the waterfall is my favorite place to hang out.

 

[Poohlovr]

I am sorry that you were in so much pain. Did you see a doctor as soon as you returned home and are you feeling any better?

I have an appt upcoming. Thank you

 

[Meglen]

Have one night stay at the Dolphin on May 9th. Pool time and dinner at Il Mulino. Hoping that the waterfall is back on at the Grotto Pool. Sitting behind the waterfall is my favorite place to hang out.

oh no is it not working right now? we go next month and its my favorite spot.

 

[patty57]

oh no is it not working right now? we go next month and its my favorite spot.

It wasn't working in early April. I don't know if that was a short-term thing, or if it is still not working.

 

[hawaiiangal]

It wasn't working in early April. I don't know if that was a short-term thing, or if it is still not working.

I am here now, with a perfect view of the pool from my room. The waterfall is not on, hasn't been all day. Here for 8 nights...if I see it back on again, I can report.

Also - earlier someone mentioned not being able to mobile order with a Samsung. I have the same issue with a Samsung S21. I actually looked right away after I saw the post - and I was getting the same 2 links that say "Do not sell my personal information" and "Tracking preferences". I emailed them to let them know about the issue a couple days ago before arriving last night. I got an email today from a Matthew Owens - IT Analyst for Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort - and he is basically telling me that they did tests and were able to connect to the site and submit an order, so it is just me doing something wrong....I haven't even responded yet.

I've stayed here many times, and this is the first time I've ever had this beautiful view - I can see all of the pool area, the Swan Reserve, Tower of Terror, Colorado Springs resort and even part of the Swan pool. It figures that the one time I am actually working every day for about 4 hours, 12:00pm-4:00pm - and I have the absolute loudest area I imagine possible. I had hoped to spend each day on my balcony working, but wow the music/microphone/noise from the pool is so loud. With my balcony door shut I can hear every word of every song and every word the DJ is saying. I'm not going to ask to change, I will make it work - but just a note to anyone booking Deluxe view balcony room - this is what you might get. Which is perfectly beautiful and fine for most people on vacation. Just my luck that the one time I actually have to include some work time in the vacation....and this is what I get, LOL.

I'll be here all week, so if there are any other questions let me know.

Oh, also - yes, there is a '14% Picabu Service Charge' on my receipts. I've used my AAA 20% discount, so that helps - but still seems excessive.

 

[Disney Ron]

Question about Swan. Are there non handicapped rooms with just showers and not the shower/tub combo? If so do I call the front desk to request one, knowing they are not guaranteed?

TIA!!!

 

[SteveH]

@hawaiiangal I wonder if the S21 issue is related to the tracking limitation that Apple started some time ago. If so check around in your privacy settings to see if there is a place to enable/disable it - I can’t help much as I do use an iPhone but hope that helps in some way.

Sorry about the wonderful view being spoiled by noise. For me a pool view is almost always a bad view just because of the noise

Thanks for the Picabu update, that sounds like how it was before. I wonder if there is a minimum service charges since somebody else mentioned $5

Hope you have a great trip!

--

@Disney Ron - if you’ve already booked I’d call either Bonvoy or direct to S/D. Sounds like you know how it works already, “Accessible rooms are guaranteed only if inventory is available at time of booking – otherwise it is upon request only” so I’d call today and see if there are any available. If you don’t get it, check to see if they have any upon check-in, another option would be to see if any at Dolphin or Reserve are available or if you’d even want that option.

 

[Disneyfan754321]

Question about Swan. Are there non handicapped rooms with just showers and not the shower/tub combo? If so do I call the front desk to request one, knowing they are not guaranteed?

TIA!!!

I was at the reserve and they did not have any ada rooms available facing epcot so we went with a "regular " room shower only with a small lip.

 

[Disney Ron]

@hawaiiangal I wonder if the S21 issue is related to the tracking limitation that Apple started some time ago. If so check around in your privacy settings to see if there is a place to enable/disable it - I can’t help much as I do use an iPhone but hope that helps in some way.

Sorry about the wonderful view being spoiled by noise. For me a pool view is almost always a bad view just because of the noise

Thanks for the Picabu update, that sounds like how it was before. I wonder if there is a minimum service charges since somebody else mentioned $5

Hope you have a great trip!

--

@Disney Ron - if you’ve already booked I’d call either Bonvoy or direct to S/D. Sounds like you know how it works already, “Accessible rooms are guaranteed only if inventory is available at time of booking – otherwise it is upon request only” so I’d call today and see if there are any available. If you don’t get it, check to see if they have any upon check-in, another option would be to see if any at Dolphin or Reserve are available or if you’d even want that option.

I'm sorry you misunderstood me we are not handicapped and want to request a full shower if they have those in rooms that are not handicapped.

 

[Threehearts]

I am here now, with a perfect view of the pool from my room. The waterfall is not on, hasn't been all day. Here for 8 nights...if I see it back on again, I can report.

Also - earlier someone mentioned not being able to mobile order with a Samsung. I have the same issue with a Samsung S21. I actually looked right away after I saw the post - and I was getting the same 2 links that say "Do not sell my personal information" and "Tracking preferences". I emailed them to let them know about the issue a couple days ago before arriving last night. I got an email today from a Matthew Owens - IT Analyst for Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort - and he is basically telling me that they did tests and were able to connect to the site and submit an order, so it is just me doing something wrong....I haven't even responded yet.

I've stayed here many times, and this is the first time I've ever had this beautiful view - I can see all of the pool area, the Swan Reserve, Tower of Terror, Colorado Springs resort and even part of the Swan pool. It figures that the one time I am actually working every day for about 4 hours, 12:00pm-4:00pm - and I have the absolute loudest area I imagine possible. I had hoped to spend each day on my balcony working, but wow the music/microphone/noise from the pool is so loud. With my balcony door shut I can hear every word of every song and every word the DJ is saying. I'm not going to ask to change, I will make it work - but just a note to anyone booking Deluxe view balcony room - this is what you might get. Which is perfectly beautiful and fine for most people on vacation. Just my luck that the one time I actually have to include some work time in the vacation....and this is what I get, LOL.

I'll be here all week, so if there are any other questions let me know.

Oh, also - yes, there is a '14% Picabu Service Charge' on my receipts. I've used my AAA 20% discount, so that helps - but still seems excessive.

Re: the Picabu service charge and AAA. I was staying at the Dolphin not all that long ago and I did see the service charge at Picabu. For breakfast, I got a coffee, a cold drink and a bagel and was refused the AAA discount. I was told several times that the discount can only be used on a full meal such as the breakfast platter.
Do you know if this is still the case?

Thanks, Threehearts

 

[Dan Murphy]

Re: the Picabu service charge and AAA. I was staying at the Dolphin not all that long ago and I did see the service charge at Picabu. For breakfast, I got a coffee, a cold drink and a bagel and was refused the AAA discount. I was told several times that the discount can only be used on a full meal such as the breakfast platter.
Do you know if this is still the case?

Thanks, Threehearts

Never heard of that.

 

[hawaiiangal]

Re: the Picabu service charge and AAA. I was staying at the Dolphin not all that long ago and I did see the service charge at Picabu. For breakfast, I got a coffee, a cold drink and a bagel and was refused the AAA discount. I was told several times that the discount can only be used on a full meal such as the breakfast platter.
Do you know if this is still the case?

Thanks, Threehearts

My first visit there, arrival night I only got a bag of Famous Amos cookies and a banana.
Receipt shows $2.50 Whole Fruit, $2.00 Famous Amos = $4.50 + 0.35c Picabu Service charge + 0.29c tax = $5.14 total - and now looking at my receipt - even though she took the time to very slowly enter my entire AAA card number - it does NOT in fact show the 20% discount.

However, yesterday I got a burrito and an orange juice and the 20% AAA discount is on that receipt. So I guess what you were told must be correct. Weird that she didn't even say anything to me about that, I'd think she would rather not waste the time entering in my AAA number either.

Today, I got just a burrito (okay, I really like their chicken burritos!) with no drink or anything else, and I did receive the 20% AAA again.

 

[Dan Murphy]

there is a '14% Picabu Service Charge' on my receipts.

Not that 1% makes a lot of difference in our pockets, but it used to be 13%. Did the Picabu service charge increase to 14% now?

 

[hawaiiangal]

@hawaiiangal I wonder if the S21 issue is related to the tracking limitation that Apple started some time ago. If so check around in your privacy settings to see if there is a place to enable/disable it - I can’t help much as I do use an iPhone but hope that helps in some way.

Sorry about the wonderful view being spoiled by noise. For me a pool view is almost always a bad view just because of the noise

Thanks for the Picabu update, that sounds like how it was before. I wonder if there is a minimum service charges since somebody else mentioned $5

Hope you have a great trip!

--

@Disney Ron - if you’ve already booked I’d call either Bonvoy or direct to S/D. Sounds like you know how it works already, “Accessible rooms are guaranteed only if inventory is available at time of booking – otherwise it is upon request only” so I’d call today and see if there are any available. If you don’t get it, check to see if they have any upon check-in, another option would be to see if any at Dolphin or Reserve are available or if you’d even want that option.

Okay - issue has been fixed. My phone is set to automatically use Microsoft edge as the browser. And even though I went to privacy settings and cleared everything it still wouldn't work. I switched to Samsung Internet and same thing - wouldn't work. The IT guy had just sent me a link by itself and said "use this in Chrome". Chrome works, so I will give him props for helping with that.

So for anyone else with a Samsung - use Chrome only if you want the mobile order to work.

Re: the $5.00 charge - I haven't eaten anywhere on property more than once a day yet...so I haven't reached that $5.00 mark to even know. Both yesterday and today the Picabu service charge was around $1.96.....

 

[ImprovGal]

My first visit there, arrival night I only got a bag of Famous Amos cookies and a banana.
Receipt shows $2.50 Whole Fruit, $2.00 Famous Amos = $4.50 + 0.35c Picabu Service charge + 0.29c tax = $5.14 total - and now looking at my receipt - even though she took the time to very slowly enter my entire AAA card number - it does NOT in fact show the 20% discount.

However, yesterday I got a burrito and an orange juice and the 20% AAA discount is on that receipt. So I guess what you were told must be correct. Weird that she didn't even say anything to me about that, I'd think she would rather not waste the time entering in my AAA number either.

Today, I got just a burrito (okay, I really like their chicken burritos!) with no drink or anything else, and I did receive the 20% AAA again.

Picabu is a sort of hybrid location operating as both a convenience store and a fast casual location.
My previous experience with the AAA discount at Picabu is that the discount only applied to the "food/beverage" items, and did not apply to the "convenience store" items. So items like packaged snacks and bottled beverages were not discounted, but "fresh prepared" food items (like the plastic clamshell salads or sandwiches) usually were. I haven't stayed since January 2020, though, and don't remember exactly what fell into which category.

 

[hawaiiangal]

Not that 1% makes a lot of difference in our pockets, but it used to be 13%. Did the Picabu service charge increase to 14% now?

Yes, definitely 14%