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

[Disneydawg74]

Stayed at the Swan Reserve over Labor Day weekend. We stayed at Dolphin in Oct 2020, which was our first time at an Epcot area hotel. Dolphin was okay, but rooms were showing wear even then and I am very picky about hotels. However, we loved staying in that area. I use Marriott points and FNCs for Disney, so knew we would do Swolphin for this trip. I loved the rooms at Swan Reserve, but the bus situation was terrible. I used a Minnie Van for MK, which was expensive but worth it to save time. We were there in 2020 when they switched from Disney to Mears. Supposedly that contract is coming up for renewal soon, so hopefully they have listened to their customers and will go back to Disney buses. I love the rooms/hotel enough that the buses are not a deal breaker.

One warning, your reservation may get unlinked from MDE during your stay. I had read that on here before going, but didn't connect the dots until it was too late. We were there 5 nts and did Genie+ with no problems up until the next to last day. On the fourth morning we got up again for 7:00 am bookings and it wouldn't let us book LL, ILL, or do VQ. I thought it was a glitch in the system or maybe because it was Labor Day. Very long story short, it turned out our res had unlinked in MDE. So I recommend you proactively verify your MDE hotel status before 7:00 am every morning.

Same unlinking happened during our recent trip there. Good suggestion to verify before 7:00 a.m.

 

[maxiesmom]

Same unlinking happened during our recent trip there. Good suggestion to verify before 7:00 a.m.

It happened to us too last month. We set the alarm extra early so we could verify everything each morning before trying to book anything.

 

[sky13]

Stayed at the Swan Reserve over Labor Day weekend. We stayed at Dolphin in Oct 2020, which was our first time at an Epcot area hotel. Dolphin was okay, but rooms were showing wear even then and I am very picky about hotels. However, we loved staying in that area. I use Marriott points and FNCs for Disney, so knew we would do Swolphin for this trip. I loved the rooms at Swan Reserve, but the bus situation was terrible. I used a Minnie Van for MK, which was expensive but worth it to save time. We were there in 2020 when they switched from Disney to Mears. Supposedly that contract is coming up for renewal soon, so hopefully they have listened to their customers and will go back to Disney buses. I love the rooms/hotel enough that the buses are not a deal breaker.

I only used the bus once to get from Dolphin to Disney Springs last weekend, was not a fan - there was a sign about tips being allowed, an overly enthusiastic driver (not sure if this was related to the sign about tips) and a drop off behind Cirque at Disney Springs that was a lot less convenient than the usual Disney bus stop.

On my way back to the Dolphin I just took the Disney YC/BC/Boardwalk bus instead. Works out to the same amount of walking as I didn't have to walk as far to get to the Disney bus stop from where I was at Disney Springs (Ghirardelli).

I was mainly at Epcot/DHS during that stay so otherwise didn't have to deal with the buses. I intentionally didn't plan for any MK days during the Dolphin stay.

Would be nice if they switch back to Disney buses for MK and DS especially!

 

[gottalovepluto]

Stayed at the Swan Reserve over Labor Day weekend. We stayed at Dolphin in Oct 2020, which was our first time at an Epcot area hotel. Dolphin was okay, but rooms were showing wear even then and I am very picky about hotels. However, we loved staying in that area. I use Marriott points and FNCs for Disney, so knew we would do Swolphin for this trip. I loved the rooms at Swan Reserve, but the bus situation was terrible. I used a Minnie Van for MK, which was expensive but worth it to save time. We were there in 2020 when they switched from Disney to Mears. Supposedly that contract is coming up for renewal soon, so hopefully they have listened to their customers and will go back to Disney buses. I love the rooms/hotel enough that the buses are not a deal breaker.

One warning, your reservation may get unlinked from MDE during your stay. I had read that on here before going, but didn't connect the dots until it was too late. We were there 5 nts and did Genie+ with no problems up until the next to last day. On the fourth morning we got up again for 7:00 am bookings and it wouldn't let us book LL, ILL, or do VQ. I thought it was a glitch in the system or maybe because it was Labor Day. Very long story short, it turned out our res had unlinked in MDE. So I recommend you proactively verify your MDE hotel status before 7:00 am every morning.

Interesting. I was actually pretty happy with the SR bus situation. Never waited more than 10 mins a couple weeks ago.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I only used the bus once to get from Dolphin to Disney Springs last weekend, was not a fan - there was a sign about tips being allowed, an overly enthusiastic driver (not sure if this was related to the sign about tips) and a drop off behind Cirque at Disney Springs that was a lot less convenient than the usual Disney bus stop.

On my way back to the Dolphin I just took the Disney YC/BC/Boardwalk bus instead. Works out to the same amount of walking as I didn't have to walk as far to get to the Disney bus stop from where I was at Disney Springs (Ghirardelli).

I was mainly at Epcot/DHS during that stay so otherwise didn't have to deal with the buses. I intentionally didn't plan for any MK days during the Dolphin stay.

Would be nice if they switch back to Disney buses for MK and DS especially!

Ohhh, yeah. Good reminder. I never use the DS bus. All off-sites drop off by Cirque which is never near what I want.

 

[djmeredith]

Interesting. I was actually pretty happy with the SR bus situation. Never waited more than 10 mins a couple weeks ago.

It was mainly the drop off/pick up locations that I didn't like. Although we did have to wait a long time for the bus at AK one afternoon.

Then at Epcot after EEH closing, there was no bus at all. A CM told us our bus slot number as we walked to the bus area. Another CM saw us walk up to that further out slot number. We were the only ones there and she asked where we were going. I told her SR and she said, "we will get you a bus. It will be a Disney bus, so they can only take you to the Swan, but you can walk from there." I guess the Swolphin bus didn't run as late at the Dis ones. When we got on the bus, the driver said that Swolphin only authorized Dis buses to drop at Swan because they had "trained" the Disney drivers at that location and not the others. He was allowed to get us a little closer to SR by dropping us at the Convenetion Ctr entrance. The walk isn't too far, but it sure felt very long at almost midnight after a very long park day.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Oh! Do we know Swan is undergoing balcony refurb now like Dolphin did? I meant to snap a couple pics early this month but totally forgot.

 

[Dave006]

I guess the Swolphin bus didn't run as late at the Dis ones. When we got on the bus, the driver said that Swolphin only authorized Dis buses to drop at Swan because they had "trained" the Disney drivers at that location and not the others.

Did you take a bus from SR to Epcot or enter the International Gateway by walking or by Friendship boat?

None of the Epcot Crescent lake resorts have scheduled bus service to or from the Front of Epcot. They expect you to enter and exit at the International Gateway. That includes the Boardwalk, Yacht / Beach Club. Walk or the Friendship boat. Only normal exception is if there is lightning in the area and Friendships are down.

The Disney CM was just not leaving you stranded since you were already in the Bus transport area.

Dave

 

[djmeredith]

Did you take a bus from SR to Epcot or enter the International Gateway by walking or by Friendship boat?

None of the Epcot Crescent lake resorts have scheduled bus service to or from the Front of Epcot. They expect you to enter and exit at the International Gateway. That includes the Boardwalk, Yacht / Beach Club. Walk or the Friendship boat. Only normal exception is if there is lightning in the area and Friendships are down.

The Disney CM was just not leaving you stranded since you were already in the Bus transport area.

Dave

Well that explains it! I can't believe I never knew that as much I research. We entered the front of Epcot that day after taking the monorail from MK. We ended EE at GOTG and it was after official close, so we just went out the front gate. That's pretty funny that the CM telling people which bus slot to go to didn't even know. I contemplated getting a ride share as we walked out. Next time I will know and plan accordingly to exit IG or get a ride share.

 

[SteveH]

@djmeredith as I was reading the post I thought you know, I don't think any of the Crescent Lake resorts make it very clear of how it works. The Transportation page on SD's site mentions the water taxi and walking but never mentions a thing about bus options to/from Epcot. I just recall one year the skipper on the boat made an announcement, but I cant' say they all do it.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I recall one visit, maybe 15 years ago, after maybe 10, 12 or more stays at the Swan, I'm sitting out at the bus stop at the Swan for probably 30 minutes, wondering when the heck the Studios bus was going to finally be there. Saw many for MK and AK and DTD. Then all of a sudden, a facepalm for me. A slow walk to the back to the boat dock.

 

[djmeredith]

@djmeredith as I was reading the post I thought you know, I don't think any of the Crescent Lake resorts make it very clear of how it works. The Transportation page on SD's site mentions the water taxi and walking but never mentions a thing about bus options to/from Epcot. I just recall one year the skipper on the boat made an announcement, but I cant' say they all do it.

After your first post, I did go back and look at the Swan/Dolphin transportation FAQs and it is silent about the buses. It would very helpful for them to make it very explicit for new WDW/Epcot area folks. I'm an experienced WDW person and I didn't realize it, so I guarantee my situation happens frequently. Which is why that CM came up to us immediately when she saw us enter that slot way down the row.

 

[jlundeen]

I recall one visit, maybe 15 years ago, after maybe 10, 12 or more stays at the Swan, I'm sitting out at the bus stop at the Swan for probably 30 minutes, wondering when the heck the Studios bus was going to finally be there. Saw many for MK and AK and DTD. Then all of a sudden, a facepalm for me. A slow walk to the back to the boat dock.

View attachment 796439

My group did that at DS one year when we were staying at PO-French Quarter. The little voice in my head finally (after waiting 45 minutes!) said, "Why don't you just get on the boat?" DUH....

 

[georgina]

Oh! Do we know Swan is undergoing balcony refurb now like Dolphin did? I meant to snap a couple pics early this month but totally forgot.

I knew because I was there early Sept! It looked like the whole east wing section that sticks out toward the Dolphin was closed. I had never been put in the west part before, had a balcony with no real view.

 

[AussieFan8]

During our first Dolphin stay, we tried the Dolphin bus to AK. The bus was in pretty bad shape and had a pretty bad odor, and the driver went the wrong way and had to turn around, so the trip took twice as long. I felt bad for him, though, because one of the passengers starting yelling at him as we got off, saying she was an attorney and she could sue him for the time she missed at the parks due to his error. Anyway, after that, we walked over to Boardwalk and took the Disney buses to MK and AK which worked out great.

 

[Dan Murphy]

one of the passengers starting yelling at him as we got off, saying she was an attorney and she could sue him for the time she missed at the parks due to his error

People are nuts.

 

[gottalovepluto]

People are nuts.

Sometimes I see early morning behavior and I just know they're going to get the unique pleasure of groveling to Disney security by lunchtime about how they promise they'll be good little boys and girls going forward...

 

[Disneydawg74]

I knew because I was there early Sept! It looked like the whole east wing section that sticks out toward the Dolphin was closed. I had never been put in the west part before, had a balcony with no real view.

We were there last week and were put in the west wing also. We were put in a very strange room (a king with no second sink and no sofa, and a large bathroom area with a tub instead of a walk-in shower). We asked to be moved (which they did).

 

[maxiesmom]

During our first Dolphin stay, we tried the Dolphin bus to AK. The bus was in pretty bad shape and had a pretty bad odor, and the driver went the wrong way and had to turn around, so the trip took twice as long. I felt bad for him, though, because one of the passengers starting yelling at him as we got off, saying she was an attorney and she could sue him for the time she missed at the parks due to his error. Anyway, after that, we walked over to Boardwalk and took the Disney buses to MK and AK which worked out great.

Glad I have never had that happen to me!

 

[disneyfan150]

We were there last week and were put in the west wing also. We were put in a very strange room (a king with no second sink and no sofa, and a large bathroom area with a tub instead of a walk-in shower). We asked to be moved (which they did).

Oh man! I was at the Dolphin in August 2022 in a wonderful balcony room facing Epcot. I moved to the YC the next day. During my YC stay, my Dolphin balcony was suddenly under construction. Now, I have a reservation for the Swan in just 34 days and it is balcony deja vu!! I just changed my reservation to a balcony room.

Is the east wing the one by Boardwalk or the Reserve? Maybe I shoud change to the Dolphin???