Walt Disney World SWAN, DOLPHIN & SWAN RESERVE RESORTS Information & Questions

[Dan Murphy]

We just used prime for this trip. I called the driver and told him to meet me outside and had no issues.

Microwave alert 3rd floor East Wing of Swan ice machine has a free microwave. I imagine other floors have them as well but wanted to share the info.

Thanks for those updates, Trackstar. Good to know.

 

[mrsdaly]

Microwave alert 3rd floor East Wing of Swan ice machine has a free microwave. I imagine other floors have them as well but wanted to share the info.

WOOT. Thanks. We are staying at Swan and wondered if I'd have to venture over to Dolphin to get to a microwave.

 

[mrsdaly]

For a 15yo.

If you were charged for the 15 year old, could it be because they were listed as an adult on your reservation? Here's a tip.. don't think about Disney's terms of adult and child when booking your Swolphin reservations. When you apply it to MDE - it will ask you who it is for, and you can change a Swan/Dolphin "child" to a Disney "adult" in MDE. There is a $25 charge for rollaways, though.. even if they're for kids I believe.

From Swan/Dolphin website:

Family Plan Policy
Room rates include the accommodation of children (17 years old or younger) who sleep in the existing bedding of a guest room. Rollaway beds and cribs may incur extra charges. (I have never been charged for a crib)

 

[mrsdaly]

Who do you use to get to Dolphin. To/From MCO.

BUS?
UBER?
CAR SERVICE W/ GROCERY STOP.

How much do the varied choices cost?

Any recommendations for car service?

Car service with Grocery Stop. Or rather, Van service. Tony Hinds. aobh607@gmail.com http://taxi-mco.com/Drivers/Tony Hinds.htm
Make sure when you e-mail it populates with gmail and not yahoo (if you go to his website and you click the e-mail it seems to populates as a yahoo and not gmail address). We usually do one way back because we stay on property for our first night, but when we have used roundtrip it was about $110.

 

[rteetz]

New look lobby coming to the Walt Disney World Swan

 

[Dan Murphy]

Looks great, Ryan, thanks for adding. I really like the light color scheme, brightens the place up.

Just like I said, very active!!!

 

[SteveH]

Looks great, Ryan, thanks for adding. I really like the light color scheme, brightens the place up.

Is there a photo? I'm not seeing anything if there was

 

[dansdad]

Is there a photo? I'm not seeing anything if there was

Click on the text of the post by @rteetz. It's a link to an article with pictures.

 

[SteveH]

Click on the text of the post by @rteetz. It's a link to an article with pictures.

Doh! Thanks just looked like ordinary text on my screen. Thanks!

 

[dansdad]

Doh! Thanks just looked like ordinary text on my screen. Thanks!

 

[CJN]

Oh, that’s pretty. I like it!

 

[NancyIL]

New look lobby coming to the Walt Disney World Swan

Lovely! It says it should be completed by the end of 2018. I'll be there late November/early December, and again at the end of February - so I'll look forward to seeing it.

I was also out of the loop regarding the new hotel by the Swan & Dolphin!

 

[NancyIL]

The newly combined Marriott/Starwood/Ritz Carlton program debuted on August 18:

https://www.marriott.com/loyalty.mi
https://www.marriott.com/help/rewards-faqs.mi
https://members.marriott.com/

SPG points were automatically tripled so they would be equivalent in value to Marriott points. However, even if your Marriott and SPG accounts were previously linked - they still have to be combined (if desired) by the individual member (the web site says "coming soon"). The Points Guy has a number of interesting blog posts about the new program, including one today about the value of elite status: https://thepointsguy.com/guide/what-is-marriott-elite-status-worth/

Regarding the Make a Green Choice option - it looks like 500 points/day is still the maximum:

Make a Green Choice lets you earn Points for the days you pass on housekeeping services. When you do, we will credit your Membership Account with 500 bonus Points per day at participating Renaissance® and Marriott® hotels or with 250 bonus Points per day at participating Courtyard®, Fairfield by Marriott® and SpringHill Suites® hotels in the U.S. and Canada. You can forgo housekeeping any day for up to three consecutive days at a time and up to 5,000 bonus Points per continuous stay. To participate, give us your Membership Number at check-in and tell us what days during your stay you want to Make a Green Choice.

I assume the Swan & Dolphin will still give 500 points/day, even though no SPG brands were mentioned.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Yikes, so complicated, Nancy.

Good to see you again.

The newly combined Marriott/Starwood/Ritz Carlton program debuted on August 18:

https://www.marriott.com/loyalty.mi
https://www.marriott.com/help/rewards-faqs.mi
https://members.marriott.com/

SPG points were automatically tripled so they would be equivalent in value to Marriott points. However, even if your Marriott and SPG accounts were previously linked - they still have to be combined (if desired) by the individual member (the web site says "coming soon"). The Points Guy has a number of interesting blog posts about the new program, including one today about the value of elite status: https://thepointsguy.com/guide/what-is-marriott-elite-status-worth/

Regarding the Make a Green Choice option - it looks like 500 points/day is still the maximum: I assume the Swan & Dolphin will still give 500 points/day, even though no SPG brands were mentioned.

 

[SteveH]

Regarding the Make a Green Choice option - it looks like 500 points/day is still the maximum: I assume the Swan & Dolphin will still give 500 points/day, even though no SPG brands were mentioned.

I didn't feel that $5 voucher or 500 points was much incentive before, and if point values jump and no adjustment it's even less of an incentive. We skipped it in January and probably would again, when I'm on vacation I like having the room cleaned and fresh towels. If they want me to give up services they need to do something to reduce my out of pocket expense enough that I see the value.

 

[Grasshopper2016]

I am thinking about trying the Club Level extra fastpass program. We usually stay at the Swan, in a regular two-queen room. I guess that I would have to upgrade to a Deluxe Alcove room in order to be eligible for the program. It's hard to get much of a sense of that room from the Swan's website, but it looks like it has one king sized bed and a sofa bed. That seems like it would be less comfortable for the kids than a regular room! And yet it costs much more. Am I missing something?

 

[CJN]

I didn't feel that $5 voucher or 500 points was much incentive before, and if point values jump and no adjustment it's even less of an incentive. We skipped it in January and probably would again, when I'm on vacation I like having the room cleaned and fresh towels. If they want me to give up services they need to do something to reduce my out of pocket expense enough that I see the value.

I’m the same way. We’re staying ten nights and I want a clean room and to feel at least a little pampered. Now if they were offering breakfast instead....

 

[happymommy]

WOOT. Thanks. We are staying at Swan and wondered if I'd have to venture over to Dolphin to get to a microwave.

It's probably more convenient to use a microwave at Picabu than to go to a floor in the Dolphin. I took this as there is a microwave for those on the floor to use (maybe on some floors; I have never seen one though).

 

[bluejasmine]

Oh wow that Swan lobby looks so much better, more open and lighter and not so 80s lol

 

[mrsdaly]

It's probably more convenient to use a microwave at Picabu than to go to a floor in the Dolphin. I took this as there is a microwave for those on the floor to use (maybe on some floors; I have never seen one though).

Yes, but it is a microwave in the Swan(not Dolphin), I've never known there to be one anywhere in the Swan before..(but I've never actually stayed in Swan, only Dolphin) I've used microwaves in Picabu and Fuel in Dolphin, but didn't want to have to go to Dolphin if that was my only reason...