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

[Babsy]

Thanks for the response! We are staying at Boardwalk Villas and want to do a date night in Epcot but the new Pixar kid club at CR seems more like a pain so was thinking the Dolphin one would be much more convenient! What did your kids like about it? Our son will be almost 7 at the time.

It is quite nice. They have games, crafts and movies as well as free play time. You can pay extra for a meal to be included if they are there at mealtime. It is also flexible with regard to hours and you get a discount if you have the kids there while you are eating in a Swolphin signature restaurant. Our girls have always had a great time there and look forward to it. Sounds like your son is the perfect age to have fun there too!

 

[JJ2017]

It is quite nice. They have games, crafts and movies as well as free play time. You can pay extra for a meal to be included if they are there at mealtime. It is also flexible with regard to hours and you get a discount if you have the kids there while you are eating in a Swolphin signature restaurant. Our girls have always had a great time there and look forward to it. Sounds like your son is the perfect age to have fun there too!

Great to hear. We have our kids (also 7 and 5) signed up for a night in November. I checked out the space the last time I was there with just DH and it seemed super small, so I had a concern about them being bored. Do you have any idea if they take them outside - like to smores or the basketball courts?

 

[Dan Murphy]

Great to hear. We have our kids (also 7 and 5) signed up for a night in November. I checked out the space the last time I was there with just DH and it seemed super small, so I had a concern about them being bored. Do you have any idea if they take them outside - like to smores or the basketball courts?

Had anyone used the kids club at the Dolphin? Looking for opinions and reviews!

Some additional information.

https://www.swandolphin.com/kids/campdolphin.html

 

[amalone1013]

Have an amazing time! Hope your anniversary brings you a view worthy of the Swolphin hall of fame, just not in the "worst" category this time! Hope you had safe travels and enjoy!!!

Just checked in... will have to wait for daylight to confirm view, but definitely another roof... happy anniversary to us

 

[Dan Murphy]

Just checked in... will have to wait for daylight to confirm view, but definitely another roof... happy anniversary to us

We'll be waiting to hear.

In any case, have a ball!!!

 

[Nermel9]

Hi everyone! So I’m going to be in Disney for 2 nights in December and it looks like I’ll be booking my first stay at the Dolphin! AAA has so great rates for my days so I’ll probably be booking through them. So once I do that, I will have to call the Dolphin to get my confirmation number to link to MDE? I’ve also been reading this thread about making sure the amount of people they have in the room is right on the reservation...it’s just 2 of us, is that something I have to worry about?

Also I’m probably going to book the cheapest, most standard room available but I’m considering booking a resort view. Either way, what are my chances of getting a room with a balcony? Slim to none I’m guessing?

Oh one more thing-do they normally have your room ready when you check in? Our flight gets into Orlando early, around 9, so I’m guessing there’s no way our room will be ready, right? We’ll be there the week before Christmas so it will probably be super busy.

Sorry about all of the questions, I’m completely clueless when it comes to the Swan and Dolphin so thank you in advance!

 

[Trackstar4400]

Hi everyone! So I’m going to be in Disney for 2 nights in December and it looks like I’ll be booking my first stay at the Dolphin! AAA has so great rates for my days so I’ll probably be booking through them. So once I do that, I will have to call the Dolphin to get my confirmation number to link to MDE? I’ve also been reading this thread about making sure the amount of people they have in the room is right on the reservation...it’s just 2 of us, is that something I have to worry about?

Also I’m probably going to book the cheapest, most standard room available but I’m considering booking a resort view. Either way, what are my chances of getting a room with a balcony? Slim to none I’m guessing?

Oh one more thing-do they normally have your room ready when you check in? Our flight gets into Orlando early, around 9, so I’m guessing there’s no way our room will be ready, right? We’ll be there the week before Christmas so it will probably be super busy.

Sorry about all of the questions, I’m completely clueless when it comes to the Swan and Dolphin so thank you in advance!

We were there at a really slow time and they were able to upgrade us. They did make it sound like it would not have happened during a busy time. We also arrived at the hotel around 9:30am and we were able to get into our room. Again they made it sound like that was abnormal. They did say that if they had not been able to get us into our room early that they would hold our stuff and we could use the pool etc...so I had packed suits etc in a carry on so we would have just hung out at the pool until check in if it had not worked out. I know this isn't terribly helpful since we were there during a slow time (August) but best wishes that you get in early and an upgrade...
Also I think I had to chat with a disney rep on MDE to link our reservations with our tickets. It was super easy though.

 

[SteveH]

@Nermel9
Have a great trip. It's been 11 years since we were there last for Christmas and still full of some great memories.

If you want a better room, you will want to book it. Getting an upgrade around Christmas would be great, just don't count on it. Chances are if you ask at check in you might get an offer to pay for an upgrade, and some have been offered some pretty tempting rates too. When our kids were young having a view was more important as we were more likely to be in our rooms more.

Make sure you use the same names on your reservation as you use on your MDE, if you need to call in you can. You already know about the issues, so don't put it off to close to the time when you need to make your Fastpass and ADRs.

Early room check-in's happen, but this is where you want to be flexible if you want an upgrade. They might not have an upgrade room ready, so let them know you're flexible. We got a great room at another SPG hotel by waiting a few hours for it to become available, it was totally worth having them store our luggage for the room. Plus it never hurts to put in your request and let them know when you are arriving. I believe you can do this on the Marriott or SPG app before your arrival.

Any time around Christmas is busy, the closer you get in that week before it will get even crazier. Since your a AAA member don't forget about the discounts you get while eating at S/D too.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[happymommy]

Checking into the Dolphin tomorrow! Will see how it goes, as we got a Hotwire "hot deal" of $79/night for a king room, and DH is lifetime platinum premier. Not holding our breath for any upgrade, but a balcony for fresh air would be nice! His number is linked, so we'll see! I'm excited to see the new rooms, as it's been years since I've stayed at either the Swan or Dolphin (I prefer the Swan, but it was nice to be able to book a king room guaranteed, as double beds don't cut it for me; I'm tall).

 

[amalone1013]

 

[pepperandchips]

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Dude. Alyssa. WHO DID YOU MAKE ANGRY?

You have got to have the worst view luck...

"HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! We thought you'd be too busy with your romance to look out the window anyway"

 

[Dan Murphy]

Checking into the Dolphin tomorrow!

Have a great time. I bet you get an upgrade.

 

[SteveH]

@amalone1013 so I've got to ask have your rooms been the "hotwire" deals, full price or something else? We don't spend a lot of time in our rooms, but still that's a very disappointing resort view room (assuming that's what they called it). I have to say if I got that view I'd be asking for a room change if I paid rack rates.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Alyssa, is that the only view out of your room? Or is there another window/view? I agree with Steve above. A 'view' like that should not even be available in a deluxe resort.

 

[amalone1013]

I noted our anniversary on the reservation.... specifically I wrote that we were celebrating our first anniversary on the 19th after being married there last year.

2 strange things - they couldn't find the reservation under my married name. I had to give them my old name. I hadn't changed my name on my spg acct when I booked, but after changed it on both spg and marriott AND had them change it on my reservation. It never would show automatically in my account, but if I looked it up by name and conf number it would. I merged my spg and Marriott and it finally showed up in my acct... then get here and its under my old name


Other weird thing was the guy was all, let me go check if this room is ready for you... and went in the back. So I got my hopes up a teeny bit. And then it was that.... it was around 10:30pm when we were checking in. I'd hope the darn room was ready since nothing special was going on in it!

Dude. Alyssa. WHO DID YOU MAKE ANGRY?

You have got to have the worst view luck...

"HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! We thought you'd be too busy with your romance to look out the window anyway"

Right???? Maybe they know my feelings on the points amount change

@amalone1013 so I've got to ask have your rooms been the "hotwire" deals, full price or something else? We don't spend a lot of time in our rooms, but still that's a very disappointing resort view room (assuming that's what they called it). I have to say if I got that view I'd be asking for a room change if I paid rack rates.

Both times have been a standard king booked on points for 5 to 6 nights. So not technically a 'resort view' category

But one time I did one night through Expedia and got upgraded to a resort view, which was up in the triangle looking across at the swan.

Alyssa, is that the only view out of your room? Or is there another window/view? I agree with Steve above. A 'view' like that should not even be available in a deluxe resort.

That's the only window. I agree, I'd be very disappointed if I'd paid the $250+ a night they want this week. Wed be at Pop Century then for half the price We dont spend much time in the room, so if I was paying that much more it would partly be for view at that point.

 

[CJK]

Did you ask for an upgrade at check-in? We did, and got one for an additional $20 a night. Worth a shot?

 

[Tinkerbell8956]

Did you ask for an upgrade at check-in? We did, and got one for an additional $20 a night. Worth a shot?

We asked for an upgrade, if possible, and they gave it to us without charging anything extra. It never hurts to ask!

 

[JJ2017]

So are Suite Night upgrades also not available for Platinum Marriott guests since Dolphin is considered a resort?

 

[shoreward]

Last year, I was assigned what was supposed to be an upgraded view, based on my Gold status. It felt like a jail cell, and I requested and received a room change. And, yes, that diamond-shaped fencing was attached to the outside of the window.

 

[SteveH]

Last year, I was assigned what was supposed to be an upgraded view, based on my Gold status. It felt like a jail cell, and I requested and received a room change. And, yes, that diamond-shaped fencing was attached to the outside of the window.

O M G ! ! !
That is awful. Even if it was a Hotwire deal type of room it would be bad, but for an 'upgraded view' there is no excuse. That said the upgrades for Gold/Platinum are nice extras to get but can't count on it. But seriously, Chain link over the windows?