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

 
Stayed at swan last year. Loved it. But room was a tad on the dingy side. Didn't really mind it though. Loved the convenience of the location and found the hotel had charm.

Have three nights booked again this year as part of a split stay in July. Seeing that Swan Reserve is only about 200 more than what I paid for Swan. Not that I'm looking to spend more but is it worth moving over to the Reserve? With a toddler. Would the extra few minutes of walking to launch and/or walking all the way to Epcot make sense. I do love me updated rooms and have no problem paying 200 more but not if the logistics are worse. Would love opinions.
 


TheDailyMoo said:
Stayed at swan last year. Loved it. But room was a tad on the dingy side. Didn't really mind it though. Loved the convenience of the location and found the hotel had charm.

Have three nights booked again this year as part of a split stay in July. Seeing that Swan Reserve is only about 200 more than what I paid for Swan. Not that I'm looking to spend more but is it worth moving over to the Reserve? With a toddler. Would the extra few minutes of walking to launch and/or walking all the way to Epcot make sense. I do love me updated rooms and have no problem paying 200 more but not if the logistics are worse. Would love opinions.
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It sounds like you pretty much know the logistics. Instead of a covered walkway to the hotel, it’s outdoors and longer. Shorter walk to your room after hitting the hotel though. What I think it comes down to- is an updated room worth $200 to YOU vs saving $200 and getting into the AC quicker?
 
PinkMagnolia said:
Staying at the Dolphin and I'm looking for maps of the BEST (most efficient) walking paths between the Dolphin and Epcot/Hollywood Studios. I've tried Googling but haven't found anything that's super clear.

If someone could link to a previous post or outside link of a map that's super clear that would be great.

My brain works better when I can see a map as opposed to directions - Thanks!
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Download the Swan/Dolphin app for your phone. Choose I'm on Property. There are resort maps and walking path maps there, very clear to use.
 
gottalovepluto said:
It sounds like you pretty much know the logistics. Instead of a covered walkway to the hotel, it’s outdoors and longer. Shorter walk to your room after hitting the hotel though. What I think it comes down to- is an updated room worth $200 to YOU vs saving $200 and getting into the AC quicker?
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How much longer/less convenient is the walk from the launch to the closest entrance of the reserve than the back entrance of the swan?
 


gottalovepluto said:
Oof! That’s not good.
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So got back from trip a couple days ago and stay at Dolphin was fantastic. There was a convention that started on out 3rd day so guessing maybe some rooms had opened up or something. It was vey big/ high number of people. Hotel is very nice and our room was very nice. No view or anything but really nice furnishings. I would say this would be a great stay for couples and families with tweens plus especially Disney veterans. Really miss out on no theming / convention-vibe but very nice/high end hotel. Great location and the pools are fantastic. Literally 3 Huge pools side-by-side. Waterfall was working in big pool and really awesome. Very nice you could quick serve order using QR code on lounge chairs. Had the swan boats, ping pong, pool, and basketball outside. For going to parks would tend to walk more to Epcot than boat .. since closer and has 2 stops on the way at other resorts (there seems to be an exit door on end of Dolphin towards Epcot but we could not find it and had to walk around the notch). HS is non-stop on boat and a little further so would do boat for that. Due to park size, though, we actually took a Lyft over to the front of Epcot for extended hours (2nd park trip of day) and worked our way back to the hotel. For $12 was easily worth the time and all the walking we saved.
 
sakamana said:
So got back from trip a couple days ago and stay at Dolphin was fantastic. There was a convention that started on out 3rd day so guessing maybe some rooms had opened up or something. It was vey big/ high number of people. Hotel is very nice and our room was very nice. No view or anything but really nice furnishings. I would say this would be a great stay for couples and families with tweens plus especially Disney veterans. Really miss out on no theming / convention-vibe but very nice/high end hotel. Great location and the pools are fantastic. Literally 3 Huge pools side-by-side. Waterfall was working in big pool and really awesome. Very nice you could quick serve order using QR code on lounge chairs. Had the swan boats, ping pong, pool, and basketball outside. For going to parks would tend to walk more to Epcot than boat .. since closer and has 2 stops on the way at other resorts (there seems to be an exit door on end of Dolphin towards Epcot but we could not find it and had to walk around the notch). HS is non-stop on boat and a little further so would do boat for that. Due to park size, though, we actually took a Lyft over to the front of Epcot for extended hours (2nd park trip of day) and worked our way back to the hotel. For $12 was easily worth the time and all the walking we saved.
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Welcome home, @sakamana. Sounds like a great trip. Thanks for your review.
 
Dan Murphy said:
About 890 feet from back entrance of the Swan to the SR.
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Love the specificity! So in your own personal opinion would you take a swan reserve room over a comparable room at swan and walk the extra however many minutes to boat launch with a 5 year old? What would you say 5 minutes extra? Will probably be using a stroller and I personally don’t mind walking or pushing even in the July heat.
 
TheDailyMoo said:
Love the specificity! So in your own personal opinion would you take a swan reserve room over a comparable room at swan and walk the extra however many minutes to boat launch with a 5 year old? What would you say 5 minutes extra? Will probably be using a stroller and I personally don’t mind walking or pushing even in the July heat.
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Personally, I would stay at the Swan, my favorite. I've never stayed at the Reserve. I'm a creature of habit, and past pleasant stays.

I would say 5 minutes, tops.
 
sakamana said:
(there seems to be an exit door on end of Dolphin towards Epcot but we could not find it and had to walk around the notch).
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I’ve looked for this too, but I believe it’s an emergency exit only. It would be so convenient to pop out there, right next to Yacht Club rather than needing to wind around the building to go that way.
 
Dan Murphy said:
Personally, I would stay at the Swan, my favorite. I've never stayed at the Reserve. I'm a creature of habit, and past pleasant stays.

I would say 5 minutes, tops.
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Have great feelings at the swan and a brand new room isn’t a game changer so thanks I think that makes up my mind to stay at Swan. Would you or anyone happen to know if they accept Marriott gift cards by the way?
 
SnowChaser said:
I’ve looked for this too, but I believe it’s an emergency exit only. It would be so convenient to pop out there, right next to Yacht Club rather than needing to wind around the building to go that way.
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We have found a door that cuts off some of the winding, it comes out in the bend next to the last building so you walk around one building. You have to take the elevator down to floor #1, lobby is on 2. You also have to be in that wing and for the life of me I don't know if that's east or west. If you were looking at the bar in the lobby and hung a right and took those elevators. It comes out sort of behind Bluezoo I think.
 
Hello! Headed to the Dolphin for the first time at the end of the month for just a 2 night stay just to take in the Flower & Garden Festival. We will arrive at MCO around 6 PM and probably taking Sunshine Flyer. It will be myself, adult daughter and 2 granddaughters, 4 & 6. We don't want to make an ADR that night for obvious reasons, so what would be the best bet for a quick meal with 2 kids? We are open to Swan/Dolphin or anything on the Boardwalk.
 
AndreaDM said:
Hello! Headed to the Dolphin for the first time at the end of the month for just a 2 night stay just to take in the Flower & Garden Festival. We will arrive at MCO around 6 PM and probably taking Sunshine Flyer. It will be myself, adult daughter and 2 granddaughters, 4 & 6. We don't want to make an ADR that night for obvious reasons, so what would be the best bet for a quick meal with 2 kids? We are open to Swan/Dolphin or anything on the Boardwalk.
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Sounds like fun.

I think the Fountain at the Dolphin would be a good choice.

Picabu would be a good second choice.

Either place would be good with the kids. Have a great visit.


https://swandolphin.com/dining/fountain/
https://swandolphin.com/dining/picabu/
 
AndreaDM said:
Hello! Headed to the Dolphin for the first time at the end of the month for just a 2 night stay just to take in the Flower & Garden Festival. We will arrive at MCO around 6 PM and probably taking Sunshine Flyer. It will be myself, adult daughter and 2 granddaughters, 4 & 6. We don't want to make an ADR that night for obvious reasons, so what would be the best bet for a quick meal with 2 kids? We are open to Swan/Dolphin or anything on the Boardwalk.
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Download the Swan/Dolphin app so that you can see the menus.

I agree with PP about The Fountain and Picabu.

What time do the grandkids usually eat dinner? Depending on their personalities, their normal schedule, and their schedule on the day of travel - they might be hungry long before you get to a restaurant on the hotel complex. You might want to think about getting something at the airport, even if it's just a sandwich from one of the grab-and-go places near your gate, to tide them over If you aren't checking bags, you could eat in the chairs near one of the gates. If you are checking bags, you could take it with you to the baggage claim area, and one of the adults could eat with the kids while the other adult waits for the bags. If it's a long day of travel and they're hungry, they may get cranky. (Or the kids might be fine and the adults might get cranky.)
 
Best Aunt said:
Download the Swan/Dolphin app so that you can see the menus.

I agree with PP about The Fountain and Picabu.

What time do the grandkids usually eat dinner? Depending on their personalities, their normal schedule, and their schedule on the day of travel - they might be hungry long before you get to a restaurant on the hotel complex. You might want to think about getting something at the airport, even if it's just a sandwich from one of the grab-and-go places near your gate, to tide them over If you aren't checking bags, you could eat in the chairs near one of the gates. If you are checking bags, you could take it with you to the baggage claim area, and one of the adults could eat with the kids while the other adult waits for the bags. If it's a long day of travel and they're hungry, they may get cranky. (Or the kids might be fine and the adults might get cranky.)
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Yeah good call, I planned on throwing some frozen uncrustables in my bag that should be thawed by the time we land to hold them over. I just wondered if we should stick to Swan/Dolphin or if we'd have better options walking over to Boardwalk area.
 
AndreaDM said:
Yeah good call, I planned on throwing some frozen uncrustables in my bag that should be thawed by the time we land to hold them over. I just wondered if we should stick to Swan/Dolphin or if we'd have better options walking over to Boardwalk area.
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If you want to be flexible on your first night, I think you're better off sticking to Dolphin rather than going over to the BoardWalk. BoardWalk has Big River Grille, Flying Fish and Trattoria al Forno. That's about it, other than the Deli and the pizza window. Personally I was a big fan of the Boardwalk To Go kiosk for arrival night, but last I heard on the Boardwalk thread it isn't open.

https://allears.net/dining/menu/
 
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