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New Dolphin Grotto Pool Chair Upcharge

K

Kkar

Member
Original Poster
Here at the Dolphin now, and were surprised (not in a good way) about a new upcharge that has been put in place. They have designated 3 umbrellas facing the Grotto pool and two lounge chairs under each as "reservation only". These are not the chairs/umbrellas tied to the Cabanas, but rather the 3 umbrellas in the front row by the pools edge, looking directly across to the waterfall. The daily charge? $85! We're a group of 7 and have always arrived in the morning to get 7 chairs by the pool including two under an umbrella as one in our party went through skin cancer treatment so it's imperative that we have at least one chair with shade. So now, we have 7 chairs, but we're broken up by the two "reserved only" chairs. We've been here two days, and both days those two have remained unused. On day one, we tried to use them as I saw on the app that they hadn't been reserved, but were promptly told we'd need to reserve/pay by one of the managers. We discussed this new policy with him (he was actually very nice, as were we, and he did seem genuinely interested in our feedback), but bottom line was we couldn't use them.
So, a few thoughts on this:
  • On the first day, there was a larger party that apparently did book all 3 of them, but when they arrived they appeared to be disappointed that they weren't clustered together. They cancelled their reservation for the one next to us, thus why those chairs remained empty for the day. So, we were a party that didn't want to pay and were disappointed that we couldn't use them. The other party was a group that were willing to pay, but ended up not being happy that they weren't all together. So, neither party ended up happy with this new arrangement.
  • What we find most bothersome is that we're forced to pay a $50/day resort fee which is ostensibly to provide access to all pool amenities, including chairs and umbrellas. Now they want guests to pay an upcharge for certain chairs? We find that to be a blatant money grab. I shared our concern with the manager we spoke to, who again was very receptive to hearing out our concerns, and he indicated that they just rolled this concept out and it may not be permanent. He also stated, correctly, that this upcharge is, for now, only for those 3 umbrellas and chairs. To that, our opinion is that it really doesn't matter if it's just one umbrella, 10 umbrellas or all the umbrellas, it's just wrong and is a really bad look for the resort. Our other concern is where will it end? They're basically now charging extra for shade; if some other guests really want full sunshine, will they start charging $85 for a pair of chairs that guarantee no shade? Charge extra for the beach area, the shaded kiddie pool area, etc. when we're already paying the resort fee?
Curious what other's think about this new policy. Hopefully, it's just a temporary thing they're just testing out, but we just think it's a bad idea on many levels.

Your thoughts?
 
Last edited:
J

JMcMahonEsq

Well-Known Member
John park hopper said:
Next Disney will be charging for the use of toilets in the park, charge you for the air you breathe, and a trash surcharge for any trash you generate. My thoughts Disney will go to any length to make a buck --SAD
Click to expand...
This is at the swan… a property not owned or operated by Disney. Honestly just please go away if you aren’t going to even bother to read posts before replying to them
 
Last edited by a moderator:
J

JMcMahonEsq

Well-Known Member
Kkar said:
Here at the Dolphin now, and were surprised (not in a good way) about a new upcharge that has been put in place. They have designated 3 umbrellas facing the Grotto pool and two lounge chairs under each as "reservation only". These are not the chairs/umbrellas tied to the Cabanas, but rather the 3 umbrellas in the front row by the pools edge, looking directly across to the waterfall. The daily charge? $85! We're a group of 7 and have always arrived in the morning to get 7 chairs by the pool including two under an umbrella as one in our party went through skin cancer treatment so it's imperative that we have at least one chair with shade. So now, we have 7 chairs, but we're broken up by the two "reserved only" chairs. We've been here two days, and both days those two have remained unused. On day one, we tried to use them as I saw on the app that they hadn't been reserved, but were promptly told we'd need to reserve/pay by one of the managers. We discussed this new policy with him (he was actually very nice, as were we, and he did seem genuinely interested in our feedback), but bottom line was we couldn't use them.
So, a few thoughts on this:
  • On the first day, there was a larger party that apparently did book all 3 of them, but when they arrived they appeared to be disappointed that they weren't clustered together. They cancelled their reservation for the one next to us, thus why those chairs remained empty for the day. So, we were a party that didn't want to pay and were disappointed that we couldn't use them. The other party was a group that were willing to pay, but ended up not being happy that they weren't all together. So, neither party ended up happy with this new arrangement.
  • What we find most bothersome is that we're forced to pay a $50/day resort fee which is ostensibly to provide access to all pool amenities, including chairs and umbrellas. Now they want guests to pay an upcharge for certain chairs? We find that to be a blatant money grab. I shared our concern with the manager we spoke to, who again was very receptive to hearing out our concerns, and he indicated that they just rolled this concept out and it may not be permanent. He also stated, correctly, that this upcharge is, for now, only for those 3 umbrellas and chairs. To that, our opinion is that it really doesn't matter if it's just one umbrella, 10 umbrellas or all the umbrellas, it's just wrong and is a really bad look for the resort. Our other concern is where will it end? They're basically now charging extra for shade; if some other guests really want full sunshine, will they start charging $85 for a pair of chairs that guarantee no shade? Charge extra for the beach area, the shaded kiddie pool area, etc. when we're already paying the resort fee?
Curious what other's think about this new policy. Hopefully, it's just a temporary thing they're just testing out, but we just think it's a bad idea on many levels.

Your thoughts?
Click to expand...
The resort has for years had cabanna seating areas that are only available by reservation and added fee. They are special, usually good location areas with good seating, enclosed areas, and shade. If one isn’t rented in a given day, no one would think it would alright to just go in and use them, just because no one else was using them at the time. How is this any different? It certainly sounds cheaper than when we have rented cabana’s there, but the concept is the same. And while opinions may vary I think I actually prefer the ability to reserve certain seats, than the mad morning dash of people that run down to pools and throw down towels or shoes on bunches of chairs to hold them for people to show up hours later
 
K

Kkar

Member
Original Poster
JMcMahonEsq said:
The resort has for years had cabanna seating areas that are only available by reservation and added fee. They are special, usually good location areas with good seating, enclosed areas, and shade. If one isn’t rented in a given day, no one would think it would alright to just go in and use them, just because no one else was using them at the time. How is this any different? It certainly sounds cheaper than when we have rented cabana’s there, but the concept is the same. And while opinions may vary I think I actually prefer the ability to reserve certain seats, than the mad morning dash of people that run down to pools and throw down towels or shoes on bunches of chairs to hold them for people to show up hours later
Click to expand...
I agree about the Cabana's. They're a premium experience that can be rented for an additional fee. I've got no problem with that - in fact, we've rented a cabana in the past. They also have a TV, mini-fridge, light snack items and a personal "concierge" at your service. I'd never consider going into an empty one and use it without reserving one.
But I do think that charging for chairs/umbrella's around the pool is different. We're already being charged a resort fee. Shouldn't regular seating around the pool be covered by that? And we don't throw down towels and then come back hours later. We tend to get up early, we go to the pool, settle into our chairs and pretty much stay there until mid-afternoon. Everyone else who's paid the resort fee has the same opportunity.
 
Horizons '83

Horizons '83

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
No
Kkar said:
Here at the Dolphin now, and were surprised (not in a good way) about a new upcharge that has been put in place. They have designated 3 umbrellas facing the Grotto pool and two lounge chairs under each as "reservation only". These are not the chairs/umbrellas tied to the Cabanas, but rather the 3 umbrellas in the front row by the pools edge, looking directly across to the waterfall. The daily charge? $85! We're a group of 7 and have always arrived in the morning to get 7 chairs by the pool including two under an umbrella as one in our party went through skin cancer treatment so it's imperative that we have at least one chair with shade. So now, we have 7 chairs, but we're broken up by the two "reserved only" chairs. We've been here two days, and both days those two have remained unused. On day one, we tried to use them as I saw on the app that they hadn't been reserved, but were promptly told we'd need to reserve/pay by one of the managers. We discussed this new policy with him (he was actually very nice, as were we, and he did seem genuinely interested in our feedback), but bottom line was we couldn't use them.
So, a few thoughts on this:
  • On the first day, there was a larger party that apparently did book all 3 of them, but when they arrived they appeared to be disappointed that they weren't clustered together. They cancelled their reservation for the one next to us, thus why those chairs remained empty for the day. So, we were a party that didn't want to pay and were disappointed that we couldn't use them. The other party was a group that were willing to pay, but ended up not being happy that they weren't all together. So, neither party ended up happy with this new arrangement.
  • What we find most bothersome is that we're forced to pay a $50/day resort fee which is ostensibly to provide access to all pool amenities, including chairs and umbrellas. Now they want guests to pay an upcharge for certain chairs? We find that to be a blatant money grab. I shared our concern with the manager we spoke to, who again was very receptive to hearing out our concerns, and he indicated that they just rolled this concept out and it may not be permanent. He also stated, correctly, that this upcharge is, for now, only for those 3 umbrellas and chairs. To that, our opinion is that it really doesn't matter if it's just one umbrella, 10 umbrellas or all the umbrellas, it's just wrong and is a really bad look for the resort. Our other concern is where will it end? They're basically now charging extra for shade; if some other guests really want full sunshine, will they start charging $85 for a pair of chairs that guarantee no shade? Charge extra for the beach area, the shaded kiddie pool area, etc. when we're already paying the resort fee?
Curious what other's think about this new policy. Hopefully, it's just a temporary thing they're just testing out, but we just think it's a bad idea on many levels.

Your thoughts?
Click to expand...
It's unfortunate that this has reached their Disney properties. I have seen this at some of their JW properties in Florida and I just find it so offensive and greedy. Its a shame.
 
Z

zappy

Active Member
I've stayed at the Swan and Dolphin so many times I thought I knew the property as well as anyone but I was unaware of the hunger games like attitude towards prime chairs at the Grotto.
 
Disone

Disone

Well-Known Member
John park hopper said:
Next Marriott will be charging for the use of toilets, charge you for the air you breathe, and a trash surcharge for any trash you generate. My thoughts Marriott will go to any length to make a buck --SAD
Click to expand...
Fixed that for you. Not that Disney is honestly any better but if you could at least throw that criticism at Disney for when they actually are doing this. These hotels are neither operated by nor owned by the Walt Disney company. This one you cannot put on Disney unless you just blindly attack Disney because......... Yeah.
 
Blinkyrob

Blinkyrob

Member
The curmudgeonly side of me would say to pack an umbrella like this…


They are small and lightweight(could easily fit in a suitcase). I have one for the beach/patio ant home and they clamp onto virtually any chair I’ve tried.

To be clear…ANY seats with umbrellas are being charged for or just the ones up front though?
 
J

JMcMahonEsq

Well-Known Member
Blinkyrob said:
The curmudgeonly side of me would say to pack an umbrella like this…


They are small and lightweight(could easily fit in a suitcase). I have one for the beach/patio ant home and they clamp onto virtually any chair I’ve tried.

To be clear…ANY seats with umbrellas are being charged for or just the ones up front though?
Click to expand...

From what I saw it was the seats right near pool were applicable. But to be fair I am not sure if there were seats further back with umbrellas
 
K

Kkar

Member
Original Poster
Blinkyrob said:
The curmudgeonly side of me would say to pack an umbrella like this…


They are small and lightweight(could easily fit in a suitcase). I have one for the beach/patio ant home and they clamp onto virtually any chair I’ve tried.

To be clear…ANY seats with umbrellas are being charged for or just the ones up front though?
Click to expand...
We have one of those umbrellas at home; may need to pack it next time. Great suggestion!

When we were there, it was only the umbrellas in the front row (for now).
 

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