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

[Jillfo]

...with the lease that Tishman has I don't think Disney would want to buy it out, at least not for a while.

If Disney did become owner of the S/D/SR complex, we could kiss the less expensive rooms with most of the great benefits good-bye.

 

[Best Aunt]

HS and under in general. A week or a few days off during Fall. Became widespread over the last 5-10 years.

Interesting. That's not a thing here. Maybe because school starts after Labor Day in September; I think southern schools start earlier.

 

[SteveH]

If Disney did become owner of the S/D/SR complex, we could kiss the less expensive rooms with most of the great benefits good-bye.

I 100% agree. Plus the the Tishman group (company that built Epcot & owns several other hotels) has a 99 year lease on the land with Disney - maybe at the end of that lease Disney will take it over, but they are only 34 years into the lease so I don't see anything happening for a long time.

 

[AussieFan8]

Not sure if anyone will be able to answer this one - I reserved a room at the Dolphin for later this year with the teacher discount. They charged me a deposit equivalent to one night's stay. The rate has since decreased, so I went into the app to modify to the lower rate. It now says if I book the rate, it will charge me an amount equivalent to over half of our total stay. Does anyone know if that will still be charged since I already paid a deposit? I am guessing I'll just need to call and ask.

Update in case anyone has this question later - I called and they said since I had already been charged a deposit, I will not be charged the larger deposit. Fingers crossed.

It's interesting to me that the first time I booked, it was just a one night deposit, but now it's showing a much larger deposit required. It goes back to the inconsistency in deposit charges that have been discussed here before.

 

[AustinTink]

If Disney did become owner of the S/D/SR complex, we could kiss the less expensive rooms with most of the great benefits good-bye.

When I checked my dates for the Swan they were not much less than what we paid for th Yacht Club last year. Seems like the really good rates for the Swan are a thing of the past.

 

[Bird003]

When I checked my dates for the Swan they were not much less than what we paid for th Yacht Club last year. Seems like the really good rates for the Swan are a thing of the past.

If you have an AP, swan and dolphin usually have great rates.

 

[Dave006]

They are just like Disney, they only offer big discounts for fill rooms that otherwise would go empty. Just keep checking as conventions often cancel large blocks of rooms as their booking window expires.

@AustinTink what month are you trying to compare? The Swan is small and only has about 750 rooms.

Dave

 

[AustinTink]

They are just like Disney, they only offer big discounts for fill rooms that otherwise would go empty. Just keep checking as conventions often cancel large blocks of rooms as their booking window expires.

@AustinTink what month are you trying to compare? The Swan is small and only has about 750 rooms.

Dave

There is a conference there during our dates. Hopefully you are right and some blocks will open up.

 

[Dave006]

If it happens to be the Gartner Expo in October don't expect any cancellations. For other seasons there are move likely blocks released as the conference date nears.

Dave

 

[SnowChaser]

Thank you everyone - you've put my mind at ease! The idea of one of us being able to pop out to the nighttime shows even if the kids need sleep is very appealing too, I've got to say and we'd never be able to afford a deluxe resort.

(Re: fees, I've done a bit more research and apparently it's a UK law that means the price has to include the fees, hence the confusion there. Obviously will double check but if that's true it is barely more than POR even with the free nights offer they're running at the moment.)

If you have kids with early bedtimes, I recommend putting in a room request for a room where you can see the Epcot fireworks. You can ask when you check in as well, to see if they might be able to accommodate you on that, if available.

The Dolphin has a bookable fireworks view category, but, if you’re willing to roll the dice, there are definitely resort view rooms with at least a partial fireworks view.

 

[Lewisc]

JMO I think posters overstate the benefits of walking over to a Disney resort to access Disney transportation.
The ferry takes about 10 - 25 minutes to go from the TTC to MK. The walk from the Swan bus stop at the TTC to the ferry is shorter then the walk from the MK bus stop to the park entrance. Bus service is 3 close resorts and 2 parks. Waits for buses tend to be shorter then Disney and you're more likely to get a seat.

My experience..the walk to the YC or Boardwalk, combined with the walk from the bus stop to the gate plus an increased wait time for a bus offsets all (or almost all) the time the ferry takes.

 

[loves to dive]

Never stayed at BWI, only BC/YC so I'm not familiar with the BWI bus stop. Do you have to walk through the hotel to get to it?

No, you don't have to walk through the hotel. Take the path to the BW. There are some steps to the side of the bottom porch that go up. Take those and turn left and there is a covered walkway to the bus stop.

 

[AustinTink]

JMO I think posters overstate the benefits of walking over to a Disney resort to access Disney transportation.
The ferry takes about 10 - 25 minutes to go from the TTC to MK. The walk from the Swan bus stop at the TTC to the ferry is shorter then the walk from the MK bus stop to the park entrance. Bus service is 3 close resorts and 2 parks. Waits for buses tend to be shorter then Disney and you're more likely to get a seat.

My experience..the walk to the YC or Boardwalk, combined with the walk from the bus stop to the gate plus an increased wait time for a bus offsets all (or almost all) the time the ferry takes.

Food for thought. Does the Swan bus go directly to the TTC or does it stop at any other resorts?

It has been so long since we stayed at the Swan. The last time we were there over a decade ago they shared a bus with the YC/BC.

 

[AustinTink]

No, you don't have to walk through the hotel. Take the path to the BW. There are some steps to the side of the bottom porch that go up. Take those and turn left and there is a covered walkway to the bus stop.

Thanks. That is the info I was looking for.

 

[Dave006]

Food for thought. Does the Swan bus go directly to the TTC or does it stop at any other resorts?

It may stop at the Dolphin but no Disney resorts on the way to TTC depending on the time of day.

It has been so long since we stayed at the Swan. The last time we were there over a decade ago they shared a bus with the YC/BC.

That would have been back in the days when the Swan & Dolphin used Disney Buses vs the Mears buses. During the period after 11 AM (through Mid-day) the Disney buses often went Swan, Dolphin, YC, BC and then the BWI on the way to or from to the MK.

Dave

 

[AustinTink]

It may stop at the Dolphin but no Disney resorts on the way to TTC depending on the time of day.

That would have been back in the days when the Swan & Dolphin used Disney Buses vs the Mears buses. During the period after 11 AM (through Mid-day) the Disney buses often went Swan, Dolphin, YC, BC and then the BWI on the way to or from to the MK.

Dave

Yes! I remember all those stops! The never-ending pick up route.

 

[Lewisc]

Food for thought. Does the Swan bus go directly to the TTC or does it stop at any other resorts?

It has been so long since we stayed at the Swan. The last time we were there over a decade ago they shared a bus with the YC/BC.

The bus stops at the Dolphin, Swan and Reserve. I think the order varies.

 

[AustinTink]

Thanks for all the replies re: transportation. I think we will just go with the Minnie Van. Time is our most precious resource for our WDW trips since we are not AP holders and don’t travel there frequently.

 

[tony67]

Thanks for all the replies re: transportation. I think we will just go with the Minnie Van. Time is our most precious resource for our WDW trips since we are not AP holders and don’t travel there frequently.

Never done the Minnie van - does it take you to TTC as well? Always wondered where Uber drops you as well for MK.

 

[Dan Murphy]

So, I know you can’t use your Magic Band to open your hotel room door or to charge store/food purchases when staying at SDR. But, MDE will still function normally without a Disney hotel account linked? For example mobile food orders and express checkouts in the stores are completely separate from hotel bill in MDE, correct?

Yes, that is all correct.

- None of the 'Disney magic' (presumably including no characters wondering around, if you're lucky to spot them), but very close to hotels that would have it. This is my biggest con right now, given the theming of Riverside has appealed for a long time - but not sure it can compete with location and being so close to the Boardwalk. Obviously that's a very personal thing. (The kids will just be excited about the pools and won't know what they've missed out on with theming!)

I have stayed at Port Orleans before and I do not think there was much Disney theming. Great theming, beautiful, but not very Disney. I think the only resorts with a lot of Disney theming would be the All Stars and the Art of Animation. Or am I missing something?

Never done the Minnie van - does it take you to TTC as well? Always wondered where Uber drops you as well for MK.

Minnie Van goes to the Disney bus area. Uber to the TTC area.