WDW Dolphin?

[SavingSadie]

Is there any disadvantage to staying here? I have read that guests get extended hours like other deluxe resorts.

That makes me want to consider this as an option for my next trip.

 

[Alan Hague]

Is there any disadvantage to staying here? I have read that guests get extended hours like other deluxe resorts.

That makes me want to consider this as an option for my next trip.

We just stayed there. So convenient and cheaper. You don't get magic bands and the bus stops back to hotel are not near the disney bus stops. Otherwise wonderful and a great spa for massages! Yes to extra hours. Used to not get magic Express but now not an issue

 

[SavingSadie]

We just stayed there. So convenient and cheaper. You don't get magic bands and the bus stops back to hotel are not near the disney bus stops. Otherwise wonderful and a great spa for massages! Yes to extra hours. Used to not get magic Express but now not an issue

Thank you!

 

[Rubberburner]

Our new favorite "on site" hotel. The location can't be beat. You can walk to EPCOT and DHS if you want, and the boats are sper convenient. The busses to the other parks aren't in the same area as the disney buses, you can also take the disney busses to the Yacht Club or the Boardwalk as a hack.

 

[Bostonjetset]

They charge resort fees. Just something to consider as that’s one of the few hotel money-grabs that Disney hasn’t jumped on board with yet.

 

[KaliSplash]

Getting to Epcot and Studios is a problem if there are thunderstorms. They stop the boats and the Skyliner. There are No buses to either Epcot or the Studios, so you are left to walk in the rain or must take a Disney bus to/from Boardwalk or Yacht Club and then hike to the Dolphin.
Otherwise, the hotel is lovely, the rooms are great, the people are helpful.
(Had a problem last year with finding lunch in the hotels on some days because many of the restaurants were not operating 7 days a week. Hopefully that is or will improve.)

 

[ndsu84]

We prefer Swan and Dolphin for price, location, rooms and service.

 

[Bugz]

Is there any disadvantage to staying here? I have read that guests get extended hours like other deluxe resorts.

That makes me want to consider this as an option for my next trip.

We stayed there last year ,its ok but no Disney magic feel , buses aren't the same getting around , only great thing was walking to Epcot!!

 

[DISR]

Rooms are probably between a moderate and deluxe by Disney standards, but beds are great. As others have mentioned, transportation and theming are not as good, but those things are literally right next door. Food is probably better than most Disney resorts. We got adjoining rooms there for our family of four for about the cost of one deluxe room at Disney.

 

[Hockey89]

Rooms are probably between a moderate and deluxe by Disney standards, but beds are great. As others have mentioned, transportation and theming are not as good, but those things are literally right next door. Food is probably better than most Disney resorts. We got adjoining rooms there for our family of four for about the cost of one deluxe room at Disney.

This is spot on for sure

 

[danlb_2000]

We just stayed there. So convenient and cheaper. You don't get magic bands and the bus stops back to hotel are not near the disney bus stops. Otherwise wonderful and a great spa for massages! Yes to extra hours. Used to not get magic Express but now not an issue

Swan/Dolphin never gave free magic bands, but you don't get them free at Disney resorts either now. Disney has been slowly chipping away at the things that used to be a disadvantage of the Swan/Dolphin like Magical Express and free resort parking.

 

[danlb_2000]

Rooms are probably between a moderate and deluxe by Disney standards, but beds are great. As others have mentioned, transportation and theming are not as good, but those things are literally right next door. Food is probably better than most Disney resorts. We got adjoining rooms there for our family of four for about the cost of one deluxe room at Disney.

Restaurant access is a great perk of these hotels. Between the ones in the Swan and Dolphin, the Yacht/Beach club and Boardwalk you are a 5 minute walk away from a lot of restaurants. One downside is that you couldn't get the dining plan when staying there, so that might still be an issue when/if the dining plan comes back.

 

[bennyw01]

They have started using their own bus transportation as opposed to official Disney, which is only mildly inconvenient, I am sure it will eventually return, but given the transport options of all the surrounding resorts it not a huge problem is you don't mind walking round the corner to get an official Disney bus.

 

[Robbiem]

They have started using their own bus transportation as opposed to official Disney, which is only mildly inconvenient, I am sure it will eventually return, but given the transport options of all the surrounding resorts it not a huge problem is you don't mind walking round the corner to get an official Disney bus.

has anyone measured how long the walk is to one of the alternative disney hotel buses at crescent lake vs taking the swan/dolphin bus and walking further (and crossing SSL to get to magic kingdom)?
I know in the 90s when disney took bus service away from the hotels in whats now disney springs it was often quicker to walk from the grosvenor to the village bus stop and travel that way

 

[Weather_Lady]

Touringplans.com did a whole article on it, measuring and comparing average wait/walk/ride times between the two options - I'll Google and see if I can find it and link to it. As I recall, they concluded that it was pretty much a wash - no big difference either way.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

They have started using their own bus transportation as opposed to official Disney, which is only mildly inconvenient, I am sure it will eventually return, but given the transport options of all the surrounding resorts it not a huge problem is you don't mind walking round the corner to get an official Disney bus.

For Magic Kingdom, this is a big inconvenience as you have to take the monorail back to the TTC and walk 5 minutes to the charter bus lot.

 

[Richie248]

Swan Reserve has been my new go-to resort. I've been able to get a Signature Suite for $320/night (even with the $30 resort fee) it's significantly cheaper than a room at Yacht/Beach. The rooms at the reserve are gorgeous and well appointed. It's a no brainer for me. Yes the transportation is a bit inconvenient (MK especially) but it's worth it for me.

 

[Sans Souci]

Swan Reserve has been my new go-to resort. I've been able to get a Signature Suite for $320/night (even with the $30 resort fee) it's significantly cheaper than a room at Yacht/Beach. The rooms at the reserve are gorgeous and well appointed. It's a no brainer for me. Yes the transportation is a bit inconvenient (MK especially) but it's worth it for me.

I stayed there in January for a long weekend and I really enjoyed it. It feels like a boutique hotel, even though it's on the large side for a boutique hotel. We had an issue with our HVAC and someone was up within 5 minutes of calling front desk to sort it out. Every interaction I had with a CM was friendly and left me feeling positive. I really enjoyed my dinner at Amare, too. I booked here again for my next trip.

 

[bennyw01]

has anyone measured how long the walk is to one of the alternative disney hotel buses at crescent lake vs taking the swan/dolphin bus and walking further (and crossing SSL to get to magic kingdom)?
I know in the 90s when disney took bus service away from the hotels in whats now disney springs it was often quicker to walk from the grosvenor to the village bus stop and travel that way

I love that you mentioned the Grosvenor! thats our second favourite and remember it well, walking to Disney Village at the time didn't take long at all, bus stop was alot closer then.

I'd say walking from the Dolphin to Y&BC or Swan to Boardwalk is comparably less than the TTC to MK, mainly because of other variables such as boat and monorail crowds, plus my mentality is generally to walk up front, rather than travel somewhere to have to walk again, the order of it is important. Also, the walk to the Crescent Lake resorts is generally nicer than the TTC walk, that bus lot on a hot day is horrendous.

 

[Bugz]

Is there any disadvantage to staying here? I have read that guests get extended hours like other deluxe resorts.

That makes me want to consider this as an option for my next trip.

We stayed last year, its nice but no Disney magic and they wouldn't acknowledge any Disney gift cards