Resort Choice Help ... CBR vs Dolphin?

[sjlogghe]

Heading to Disney in January for a long weekend, marathon weekend. One of my friends is running the marathon. We currently have reservations at CBR. My friend's husband just texted today, and said Dolphin is $90 more for our dates and is thinking about moving there. I'm just not sure I like that plan ... thought I'd get others' opinions, since I've never stayed at Swan/Dolphin! We've always stayed on property - Pop, CBR, Saratoga, etc.

Some details ...
My "group" will be me and 2 girlfriends (none of us are running), so 3 adults. One of them has never been to Disney, this is her first trip! The extra evening hours aren't a factor, as they aren't happening the nights we'll be at the parks. We're doing 3 park days, all but AK.

I'm leaning towards CBR - queen beds, Disney property for the first timer, skyliner, etc. I'm not sure how the transportation is from S/D, do the buses run like the Disney buses or are they more sporadic/longer waits?

Any info/input would be appreciated!! Thanks!

 

[OKW Lover]

Well, the Dolphin has a better location since you can walk to either Epcot or DHS. It also has more dining options there and at the BW/YC/BC in easy walking distance.

Be sure you include the Resort Fee in you calculation.

The drawback with their bus service is when going to the MK, where you get dropped off at the TTC. A bus from the CBR will take you to the Disney bus drop-off. The drop off at DAK isn't significantly further away than the Disney buses.

 

[CynBeth]

I would keep CBR. We stayed there last November around Thanksgiving and loved the Skyliner to Epcot and HS. The internal bus from OPR to there was really good. The buses to MK and AK were just fine. We stayed in a preferred room in Martinique. It was so close to the food court. After we did our stuff at 7 am on Genie+ I would put in our mobile order and hit I am here and either on the way to the food court or we had just arrived got the food is ready text.

 

[raddisneyfan]

Dolphin rooms are bigger and I like the pool better and the walking to EP and HS...and a lot more food options in EP resort area that are within walking distance. So, all that said, if Dolphin gets early entry benefit like Disney hotels, then stay there. If Dolphin doesn't get early entry, then keep CBR.

 

[sipnride]

I've never stayed at CBR but love Sebastians and the fact that you can walk over to Riviera. I've stayed at the Dolphin though, and the location + dining is outstanding. But the rest of the hotel experience is not a Disney experience. That could be good or bad depending on one's perspective.

The one thing that puts Dolphin over right now is EEH, but that would only apply to Mondays and Wednesdays. If it were me for a long weekend I would stay CBR until Monday then stay a night at the Dolphin.

 

[RoseGold]

From Dolphin you could walk over to the Boardwalk to see the marathon go by super early, which is neat. It's a good spot to cheer on your friend because it's the home stretch.

Walk to two parks, Dolphin gets the late extended hours, usually Mon/Weds. If that's in play, Dolphin is a no-brainer.

Marriott is a better hotelier IMO. So it will have nicer beds and so on.

 

[sipnride]

Marriott is a better hotelier IMO. So it will have nicer beds and so on.

When I stayed there in September I did not feel this was the case. It was fine, but the room I was staying in had no balcony, more specifically, the tiny balcony the room should have had was in the process of being repaired or replaced and so we could not go out. That's a huge negative, especially to be given such a room without warning and without the ability to change to a room where that wasn't the case. The bed was not worse but also no better than the beds at Coronado Springs, and imo a step down from SSR and AKV (all part of thesame September trip. The decor was dull, and the bathroom was small. I'm not saying it was bad, but the room itself is one of the things I liked least about the hotel, which was fine because we were at the parks/boardwalk from Rope Drop to midnight the days we stayed there.

 

[stinkpickle]

The beds we had at the Dolphin two weeks ago were much nicer. If I can get Swan or Dolphin within $100 per night (after taxes, fees, etc) of a Disney moderate, I would stay there, instead.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

Have stayed at both and while I love a disney themed resort, hands down, the location of the dolphin cannot be beat. And the fact that it's adults only, it's a no brainer to be in the boardwalk area. You can walk/boat to DHS/Epcot, hit up the boardwalk area for entertainment, drinks/eat at the epcot area resorts. I love the disney resorts but there is no beating any of the epcot area hotels including swan/dolphin. The beds at the Dolphin are not queens but they are a lot more comfy than CBR and the rooms are a ton more modern. Depending on your room selection, you may or may not have a balcony which may not matter to you but I also think the S/D are still doing balcony renovations so it might be a moot point. I would not pay for a balcony until the reno is done since you may not get to use it. Also, you will pay extra for parking which is not in the Dolphin nightly fee, $32/nt plus the $35/nt resort fee. Make sure you keep those numbers in mind when comparing. They also add taxes to these charges so add about $75 to each night's stay. The bus to MK/AK is just like a disney bus, they come regularly, about 15-25 min on avg, just like disney resorts, however the MK bus will only drop you at TTC, not the MK bus depot. It's not a big deal to us but it can add 10-15 min to your transport time.

 

[sipnride]

Have stayed at both and while I love a disney themed resort, hands down, the location of the dolphin cannot be beat. And the fact that it's adults only, it's a no brainer to be in the boardwalk area. You can walk/boat to DHS/Epcot, hit up the boardwalk area for entertainment, drinks/eat at the epcot area resorts. I love the disney resorts but there is no beating any of the epcot area hotels including swan/dolphin. The beds at the Dolphin are not queens but they are a lot more comfy than CBR and the rooms are a ton more modern. Depending on your room selection, you may or may not have a balcony which may not matter to you but I also think the S/D are still doing balcony renovations so it might be a moot point. I would not pay for a balcony until the reno is done since you may not get to use it. Also, you will pay extra for parking which is not in the Dolphin nightly fee, $32/nt plus the $35/nt resort fee. Make sure you keep those numbers in mind when comparing. They also add taxes to these charges so add about $75 to each night's stay. The bus to MK/AK is just like a disney bus, they come regularly, about 15-25 min on avg, just like disney resorts, however the MK bus will only drop you at TTC, not the MK bus depot. It's not a big deal to us but it can add 10-15 min to your transport time.

For MK you can also walk or Boat to Boardwalk and catch a bus from there. Unlikely to save time but depending on when you're going that route can be more relaxing than dealing with the TTC crowds.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

For MK you can also walk or Boat to Boardwalk and catch a bus from there. Unlikely to save time but depending on when you're going that route can be more relaxing than dealing with the TTC crowds.

It's 6 of one, half dozen of the other. We did this a few times, and you either walk to the YC/BC/BW to catch the disney bus to MK and bypass TTC or do it on the return and have to walk to S/D, either way, you're still walking. Depending on time of day, we did both methods and neither is really a time saver. Just depends if you don't mind the walk or prefer bus/waiting.