Should we say at the SWAN?

[yse325]

Should we stay at the SWAN?

Over the years I have stayed both on-site & off; including the Contemporary, Polynesian (twice), the Caribbean Beach Resort, Wilderness Lodge (our favorite), a Days Inn (don't ask), the Sierra Suites and the Holiday Inn Guest Suites (excellent off-site property).

We plan to visit WDW in May 2005 before Memorial Day. This will be my third trip to Disney with my kids (now preteens). During the previous trips we have not spent much time in EPCOT, but the kids fell in love with MGM. Our touring plan this trip includes a full day in EPCOT and another evening at MGM for Fantasmic. With this in mind, I thought it would be convenient to have easy access to both EPCOT and MGM and therefore, I thought about the Swan and Dolphin.

These resorts seem significantly more budget friendly then do the Yacht Club or Boardwalk, and I have heard great things about the renovation, the Grotto pool and the Heavenly beds. I was curious about how efficient the boat service is to the parks, about the restaurants there and in nearby Disney hotels, about the size of the rooms and if families really enjoy the resort. Any comments, both pro and con would be greatly appreciated; especially from those who have stayed there recently. Thanks

 

[bhg469]

scott,

you have made up my mind and i dont even plan on going to disney for at least a year. my girlfriend is a teachers aid and until now we have only stayed at moderates cause that all we could afford. now this opens up a whole new world for us. thanks alot.

 

[bhg469]

The Dolphin is a Sheraton Hotel and the Swan is a Westin.

The teacher Rate is for anybody who works at a school so you could be a librarian, or a teacher-aide, or a custodian. If you have a pay stub from a school, you are eligible for the rate.

You should check on the Starwood (Sheraton, Westin, Doubletree) for the best rates.

I stayed at the Dolphin in December for only $119 per night. This is peak season mind you. The rates will generally be about what the rates are for the Disney Value Resorts, and in my mind, both the Dolphin and the Swan are better than the Moderate Disney resorts, except there is no theming. So you are really getting a great deal. The only complaint we had was a very crowded pool area (but hey it was Christmas) and that the housekeeping didn't come until about 4, which was when we were usually coming back to the hotel to re-charge. However, that was probably due to the location of our room, as it was at the end of a corridor.

The restaurants are many and all are quality. You can charge stuff to your room from either hotel.

The best thing about the Dolphin (or Swan) in my mind is the proximity to everything. You can walk in about 2 minutes to everything on the boardwalk, including the ESPN club and Atlantic City Dance Hall (which is steps from the Dolphin.) MGM is a brisk 10 minute walk. Also, something we would do in the evenings was walk to Epcot and then take the monorail to the MK. This was a great way to avoid the bus.

Basically, in my mind, all you are giving up by staying at the Dolphin or Swan, is some of the "Disney Feel". And that is really important to some people. If it is something you can live without while you are at your hotel, than the Swan and Dolphin is for you.

Hope this helps.

just curious, when you got that rate, who did you book it through?

 

[iubigman]

I called the Hotel Directly

I called the Hotel Directly, and you need to be a teacher, or school employee, I don't know if the special is going on right now.

Here are the numbers:
Dolphin: 407-934-4000
Swan: 407-934-3000


wdwinfo.com has an ad up saying $149 right now

 

[FourFourSeven]

I stayed at the Swan almost 2 years ago (we picked it because I used to travel a lot for business, and had so many hotel points we could stay there for free). If you're not an "all Disney, all the time" person, it's a great place to stay. Comfortable beds, fine restaurants, and close to everything Disney without the Disney overload. One other added bonus - we were there during a major convention. As a result, we were some of the only people to use the bus system - how fun to travel by bus almost by yourself to the parks!

One suggestion if you do stay at the Swan - see if you can upgrade to a "club level" room for a reasonable price. (They upgraded me for free, but I give Westin and Sheraton a lot of business.) They have a lounge up there that serves free breakfast and nighttime snacks, all for free. We would get a nice breakfast there before heading to the parks.

As for transportation to Epcot and MGM - your feet are definitely the quickest to Epcot (but it's a pleasant walk). For MGM, see if a boat is arriving soon - if so, grab it. Otherwise, the walk is probably quicker.

 

[bhg469]

great info, i tell you im sold, i just wish i could go back soon to take advantage of this deal. i cant see a downside to staying there. for the same price as the moderates you get a much bigger, better room and still get the transportation to go with it. hopefully we can geta date picked out and i can qualify for that 149 a night deal. although i tried to book through the site and it quoted me over 200 a night. i will just call when im ready and try to do it that way.

 

[Glasgow]

I just got back today from a 4 day conference at the Swan and Dolphin. I have to say that the beds at the Swan were absolutely awesome. I also really enjoyed the view from the land bridge that connects the swan and dolphin to one another .. at night you can see the boardwalk and spaceship earth and it's really nice. I think you'll enjoy your stay!

 

[yse325]

Which restaurant to eat at?

Now that we got the rooms covered, a few people have mentioned the excellent restaurants at the Dolphin/Swan. Which are the best? Which are family/kid friendly? Which are best bang for the buck? Can you charge your meal to the room regardless of whether your staying at the Dolphin or the Swan? What about the Character Breakfast? What characters attend and how does it compare with other Disney Character Breakfasts?

 

[surfsupdon]

Word of warning is that their character breakfasts stink. One or two characters wander arounan unthemed room. My cousins went to it once, complained about the overall lack of enthusiasm encountered, and sspoke to the manager, who clearly said they don't want to do these character meals, but its a clause and they must. I don't know how "true" that statement was, but I would never eat a character meal here from their horrible experience.

But, Tubbi's Buffeteria located in the basement is a great food court, and a rarity for a deluxe to offer a food court (usually only Mods and Values have them.)

And there ice cream place is great! Great homemade sweets and icecream, and they out on a 50s style show with dancing and music. A lot of fun.

 

[Kadee]

For my family's next trip in just over a year, we have been debating (ok....arguing incessantly) over where to stay. We all want some place different. And I am NOT changing resorts three times. The only place that we all liked was the Swan/Dolphin. I am a teacher and my husband also works for the school system in the IT dept. I have a few questions that I hope some one may be able to answer:

Can you get ANY type room with a teacher's discount?
How big are the rooms?
What is the going rate for a suite with the teacher's discount?
Is it really that much better than a true Disney resort?