Swan & Dolphin...your thoughts?

[EvilQueen-T]

we're disney veterans and always stay on site but have never stayed at the swan or dolphin. i've been considering a short stay there with my adult daughter. she wants to do a day or two at epcot during food and wine festival as her birthday present. i like the idea of having a deluxe for a little less money than the other disney deluxe resorts but still being in the epcot area since we are going specifically for f&wf. i just wasn't sure how "disney" it would feel, i personally didn't love my stay at the contemporary for that reason. for those contemporary lovers i have nothing negative to say about my stay there it just felt "less" disney and more hilton to me is all...please don't kill me in my sleep lol.

 

[MKCP 1985]

Some may disagree, but my experience with both hotels was that they were plenty-Disney and are a great option to consider for a Disney trip.

The location with access to the Boardwalk and Epcot is awesome and so are the views. The rooms were very nice and, as you said, a better value than some other options in the same area.

Good luck!

 

[MickeyPeace]

we're disney veterans and always stay on site but have never stayed at the swan or dolphin. i've been considering a short stay there with my adult daughter. she wants to do a day or two at epcot during food and wine festival as her birthday present. i like the idea of having a deluxe for a little less money than the other disney deluxe resorts but still being in the epcot area since we are going specifically for f&wf. i just wasn't sure how "disney" it would feel, i personally didn't love my stay at the contemporary for that reason. for those contemporary lovers i have nothing negative to say about my stay there it just felt "less" disney and more hilton to me is all...please don't kill me in my sleep lol.

The Dolphin and Swan are only mildly Disney compared to Disney owned resorts.

However you will not find a more comfortable bed on property that I will guarantee. Also if you drink coffee, you will have a few different types of Starbucks coffee in your room each morning to make, a newspaper at your door, fast internet, beautiful pools and hot tubs, swan boats, a 24 hour quick service restaurant Picabu, excellent dining, a gym and be within walking distance of Boardwalk, Epcot and Hollywood Studio.

I'll be staying there for the fifth time this October.

 

[Tiggerish]

I stayed in the Swan once, and would not hesitate to stay there again if we hadn't joined DVC!

Can't speak for the Dolphin, but the decor of the Swan was whimsical enough that it felt plenty Disney to me. You've got the package delivery service, the boats to DHS and Epcot right outside the door--if your reason for visiting is to enjoy the F&W Festival, I would not hesitate to save $$$ by choosing the Swan or Dolphin over Yacht or Beach Club (Boardwalk is a tougher call...:lol.

Look at it this way--you could use the money you save to go to one of the ticketed F&W events. Even the wine seminars and culinary demonstrations are now a paid ticket! I highly recommend the Food & Wine Pairing at Tutto Italia. They also have Food & Wine Pairings at Japan and Morocco. At $55 per person, they are some of the more affordable "premium events", and good value, too, as you get three courses and wine with each course. Not hearty portions, naturally, but it's a nice event. Any of the culinary demonstrations is also a pretty good value at $11-$13 pp, as they started including a wine pairing with those last year.

 

[iubigman]

Echoing the other replies

My wife and I stayed at The Dolphin about 8 years ago and LOVED it. The only reason we haven't stayed there since is that we really haven't had the ability to choose our own resort for one reason or another. We would definitely stay there again. The SWAN is a WESTIN, technically, and therefore slightly pricier and slightly nicer than the DOLHPIN, which is a Sheraton property.

We found it to be slightly less disney, but not noticeably, especially if you go to a character breakfast.

It has a GREAT pool area (not themed, but BIG and relaxing with LOTS of lounges and chairs) that the two resorts share. The food is great, and more plentiful than at most Disney resorts (I believe 10 restaurants between the 2?)

The Mandara spa is cheaper than GF or SS spas, but just as nice.

One benefit is that they have unpublished rate specials for teachers or other government employees that can make the hotels cost less than Disney Moderate Resorts.

The only drawback is sharing a bus with Yacht and Beach Club and Boardwalk.

 

[EvilQueen-T]

i've received emails about a discount rate for nurses but when i've tried to put it into the computer it says invalid, will have to call about that one. sounds like we may have to seriously consider trying a stay here.

 

[DisneyJoe]

Note: Swan/Dolphin do not participate in Magical Express.

 

[EvilQueen-T]

magical express isn't an issue for us, we're from north florida so we drive.

 

[MaryJaneP]

we're disney veterans and always stay on site but have never stayed at the swan or dolphin. i've been considering a short stay there with my adult daughter. she wants to do a day or two at epcot during food and wine festival as her birthday present. i like the idea of having a deluxe for a little less money than the other disney deluxe resorts but still being in the epcot area since we are going specifically for f&wf. i just wasn't sure how "disney" it would feel, i personally didn't love my stay at the contemporary for that reason. for those contemporary lovers i have nothing negative to say about my stay there it just felt "less" disney and more hilton to me is all...please don't kill me in my sleep lol.

Won't kill you in your sleep. Is it even possible to kill the evil queen? Can't you just re-animate yourself. It's okay you don't want to stay at CR, more room for me.

 

[bayoubelle]

You have to call for the nurse or teacher rate. Both the Swan and Dolphin are wonderful. We're DVC members at BWV but hate paying the huge pts for Fri/Sat night stays so we often choose the S or D. Also if we want to go to WDW and there are no dates available, we will stay at the Swan or Dolphin. Many times they are close or even cheaper than Disney moderates and you're getting a deluxe resort.
I'd also like to suggest joining starwoods guest program. It's free to join and sometimes helps to get an upgrade-not a guarantee but it has helped us in the past. Here's the link, if you're interested:
https://www.starwoodhotels.com/preferredguest/account/enroll/index.html

 

[EvilQueen-T]

yes the evil queen will always show up when you least expect her lol. so glad you enjoy your time at the contemporary. it's what i like about disney...there's something for everyone .

 

[coachwnh]

stayed at the swan one week this july (over the 4th) not much as far as disney themes, and moving from AKL where we stayed the previous week only reinforced that! having said that, the rooms were a nice size and the lobby smelled great! elevators were fast and you have an easy walk to Epcot and Hollywood (even for kids - we have an 8 and 6 yr old) the views were nice too. thought the pool was way over crowded!! did it once and that was enough. didnt like the shot girls or DJ advertising shot and mixed drink specials either. wont get that at a disney hotel! kids did like the pool though. only one thing that turned me off and put me over the edge. we were to transfer to WL for our final week, and some how the luggage ended up back at AKL. after being disconnected several times and somewhat yelled at by the bell mgr. at the swan, (he insisted that the delivery was indeed sent to WL), the swan manager confirmed after speaking to bell services at WL that they did mess up. long story short, after speaking with this manager a second time and having major time issues for dinner that night, the swan credited us $125 for our trouble and WL gave us a lift to Epcot in their SUV. would i stay again, i guess if it was a great deal, but i prefer to stay at a disney hotel.

 

[EvilQueen-T]

good to know. we had a problem at bwi one year similar to what yours so i know how it is with the will i or wouldn't i go back kind of feeling. i think once you've had a negative experience like that it's really hard to go back. we wouldn't have the issue with the shot girls but i wouldn't like that with young children either, but for us it's fine since it will be just my daughter and i (whose birthday we'd be going for she's turning 22). my grandmother wdw stay is later this month with my 7 y/o granddaughter staying at the poly