Gran Destino Tower or Swan for 4 nights in May?

[IslaLila]

Between the room discount on Disney hotels and the huge fees for the Swan & Dolphin, these two options are roughly the same price for our stay. We're planning on 2 park days (MK and AK), and a day where we drive around Orlando to do some other things that interest us, Disney Springs, etc. WDYT?

It's just 2 adults. We likely won't want to swim. We typically like nice hotels but because of some other travel plans we have we can't do a deluxe resort. If it's clean, fairly nice, and has a comfortable bed, we'll be fine. We really love a good view, so would get a balcony room at Swan or water view at Gran Destino. My husband has a health condition, so we usually take an afternoon break at the hotel.

Thoughts?? Thanks!

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

Between the room discount on Disney hotels and the huge fees for the Swan & Dolphin, these two options are roughly the same price for our stay. We're planning on 2 park days (MK and AK), and a day where we drive around Orlando to do some other things that interest us, Disney Springs, etc. WDYT?

It's just 2 adults. We likely won't want to swim. We typically like nice hotels but because of some other travel plans we have we can't do a deluxe resort. If it's clean, fairly nice, and has a comfortable bed, we'll be fine. We really love a good view, so would get a balcony room at Swan or water view at Gran Destino. My husband has a health condition, so we usually take an afternoon break at the hotel.

Thoughts?? Thanks!

I'd pick GDT, hands down over swan, if you're not visiting epcot/DHS. Unless you want to have access to walk over to the boardwalk area/YC/BC to eat/hang out/take in atmosphere, there's really no benefit to choosing swan over GDT if you're taking buses to the parks anyway. Both resorts have some nice features but the #1 selling feature imo of swan is walkability to the parks and that benefit is lost if you don't visit these parks.

Some things to keep in mind and my two cents.

• The bus from Swan to MK will drop you at the TTC, not at the MK bus depot so you'd have to build in some more time for transport from TTC to MK. Whereas, GDT bus will drop you at the MK bus depot. Bus situation for Swan to AK is the same as GDT. Your afternoon break from MK to the hotel will take less transport time if you stay at GDT.
• GDT is newer and the rooms/bathrooms are a good bit nicer and of course, fresher than swan. Swan is nice but it's not as nice as GDT. Only drawback at GDT is there are no balcony's, view is nice but not the same.
• GDT, while it's a moderate, has a deluxe feel given it's a tower and all rooms are accessed via indoor corridors. Similar to the swan, but again, nicer and newer.
• Keep in mind at swan, you'll pay a resort fee+ tax on top of your parking + taxes. You will pay parking at GDT if you have a car too but there's no resort fee. The resort fee at Swan is not included in the nightly rate.
• There are definitely more dining options nearby Swan within walking distance than GDT at CSR, but there are still some solid options at GDT with three bridges bar and grill and the quick service is ok.

 

[AussieFan8]

Would EMH for deluxe resorts be available during your stay and would you take advantage of it? If so, that might sway me to Swan. We love EMH! We also enjoyed the balcony and adult vibe at Dolphin. (I have not stayed at Grand Destino Tower so can't compare.) The downside, though, would be as mentioned above - taking an afternoon break from MK specifically will be tougher at Swan due to the bus situation.

 

[IslaLila]

I had forgotten about EMH and didn't realize Swan counted for that! Looks like they haven't announced those dates for May yet, so I'm not sure. If it was offered at a park/day that worked for us we would go. I'll keep checking back. (I just looked at the times and we aren't really "stay at the parks til 1am" kind of people, so not sure if we would use that or not).

I think we'd enjoy being near the Boardwalk on the day we get in/day we leave - but GDT looks SO beautiful and sounds like bussing is better there (especially for MK. - though at Swan we could take the Boardwalk bus), so that's where I'm torn.

 

[loves to dive]

If the price is about the same and you aren't doing Epcot/HS, I'd do GDT. CSR is my favorite moderate resort, it is sort of a deluxe lite. I do stay at Swan/Dolphin often because even with resort fees, it is usually less than GDT and we spend more time at Epcot and HS then the other parks. A balcony at Dolphin is tiny, you can just barely fit a chair there, I've never had a balcony room at Swan (I'm cheap and never pay for an upgrade to a balcony). Given the two parks you are going to and the price being the same, GDT would be the one.

 

[loves to dive]

I had forgotten about EMH and didn't realize Swan counted for that! Looks like they haven't announced those dates for May yet, so I'm not sure. If it was offered at a park/day that worked for us we would go. I'll keep checking back. (I just looked at the times and we aren't really "stay at the parks til 1am" kind of people, so not sure if we would use that or not).

I think we'd enjoy being near the Boardwalk on the day we get in/day we leave - but GDT looks SO beautiful and sounds like bussing is better there (especially for MK. - though at Swan we could take the Boardwalk bus), so that's where I'm torn.

I've found at my age, I rarely use the EMH any more, I'm usually just too tired. As far as the bussing. Swan/Dolphin uses Meers buses, which means they are cushioned seats not hard plastic ones. The walk to BW and waiting on the bus there has been timed by some and it's actually not that much less than just going to TTC and taking either the monorail or the boat to MK. GDT and Swan/Dolphin aren't that far from each other so it would be possible to do a quick Uber over to BW if you just wanted that vibe, I stay at Swan/Dolphin often and stay at BW every so often as well and other than to walk to the parks, rarely step foot on the BW itself. I will say, the tower is the last bus stop at CSR so it can happen that the bus will be full by the time it gets to that stop. I would suggest you just walk over to Stop #2, which is actually the first stop at the Casitas and catch the bus there. You will have to ride it through the entire loop, it makes 4 total stops, but you will be guaranteed a seat. Tower is usually the last stop coming back from the parks as well but it's easy enough to get off at Casitas and not really a very far walk. You can't go wrong with either place, I stay at both often and actually do a lot of split stays with a few days at CSR then move over to Swan/Dolphin. I've never stayed in the Tower since I can usually get Swan/Dolphin for less, even with the fees.

 

[Marthasor]

That's a tough one if you are only going to MK/AK. I think I would give Swan the slight nod for the balcony - request a room with an EP view - we had one on the 7th floor last year and could see the EP fireworks at night.

 

[rangerxenos]

If you belong to Costco, if the dates are available you can book Swan/Dolphin through them with no resort fee, and parking capped at 5 nights.

 

[glocon]

GDT!!!

You don’t even have to get a water view at GDT- the rooms facing the other way face HS and kind of EP! We had a standard room on a higher for (12th I think) and it looked out at SWGE!!! You could see the fireworks from that side as well. Unless you looked down, you didn’t see the driveway. If you just looked out you could see HS!

And some good options for food/lounge there as well. The Three Bridges is a lounge and casual dining. They have a Sangria University at the Three Bridges too.
Then there is Toledo which I hear is quite a nice sit down restaurant and if you time it right you can see fireworks since it has a rooftop seating at the lounge (Dahlia Lounge). There is the Barcelona Lounge as well on the ground floor which is a coffee bar with light breakfast items in the morning, then a lounge in the evening.

Also available are the original food offerings from CSR (I am not familiar with those) that are just a short walk away.

GDT is amazingly beautiful and looks and feels like a deluxe resort with subtle Disney and Salvador Dali touches.
We are trying The Swan next visit because my sister wants to (sister’s trip for F&W), but our mom/son trip at GDT was great!

 

[Tiggerish]

You mentioned your husband has some health issues. If he has a handicapped parking card or plates, show it to front desk at check in at GDT and they will waive the parking fees.

 

[picktails]

I want to thank you for posting this! I was contemplating adding days to our short trip this spring, booked after losing 2 days to Hurricane Ian last September. We rented DVC points to stay at the Grand Floridian for 3 nights the first week of May, but I figured since I was going anyway why not add a resort staycation? I did not have Gran Destino on my radar but OMG it’s right up my alley. I just booked 2 nights with the 25% off Disney resort promotion!

 

[IslaLila]

Thank you so much everyone!! This is just the kind of detailed information I was hoping for! Just booked Gran Destino Tower and I'm so excited!!

 

[Robber Baron]

I would always take the room with the balcony.

Plus, there is more nearby to do at the Swan.

I've stayed GDT, but have not stayed at the Swan.

 

[gottalovepluto]

-

 

[stinkpickle]

If you're not going to EP or HS to take advantage of the Swan's location, GDT would be fine.

 

[jennyq87]

GDT all day! We've stayed there a handful of times, and stayed at most of the Deluxe resorts on property, and honestly GDT feels more "Deluxe" than a lot of them to me. We love the new, modern rooms, the lobby, the lounges, and there are so many food options. And it's very centrally located, so even though you don't have direct access to a park, you're only a short bus ride/Uber/Minnie Van away from most things.

 

[cjlong88]

Gran Destino Tower. Without question! We will be staying there for our second time next month. It's one of our favorites of all the hotels (we even like it over some of the deluxes...)

 

[E2ME2]

If you belong to Costco, if the dates are available you can book Swan/Dolphin through them with no resort fee, and parking capped at 5 nights.

Please provide more info on how to get this deal through COSTCO

 

[R&RsMom]

Please provide more info on how to get this deal through COSTCO

Go to the Costco Travel web site and search for Walt Disney World. It will bring up all the packages. You can book online, or I think call to talk to someone.

 

[BeachMouse1]

I have stayed at the Swan a few times in the past year and while it’s a perfectly fine hotel it’s just not Disney. The parking fee AND resort fee really annoyed me adds over $70 a night. We booked a theme park balcony room once. The view was over the top of the boardwalk and the balcony was basically unusable.
we stayed at the swan because we were doing several Epcot days all day long and the location can’t be beat and even with the fees it was still less than the Beach or Yacht. Other than location if that’s what you need it for I would always do a Disney hotel