Disney Swan/Dolphin Resort

[Anonymous]

Has anyone stayed at this resort? I'm looking for feedback on the resort itself and how convenient it is to get from there to the various parks and restaurants and the other hotels. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Check out tripadvisor.com. You will be able to see peoples candid reviews as well as current pictures of the resort that guests have taken. We had considered staying there for our last Disney trip. I like the idea that it is on property but not a "Disney" hotel, sometime you need a break from the mouse

[Anonymous]

I stayed at the Dolphin many years ago. It was a nice hotel. The rooms were standard hotel rooms - nothing fancy. The pool was pretty cool. There is a shuttle that comes to the hotel that will take you all around. Once you're at the hotel, you won't need a car unless you want to leave Disney property. Even then, say you're only going out one night - you could always use a cab or find alternative transportation.

[Anonymous]

Nice hotels with good discounts. But hotels owned by the mouse are heavily discounted now due to the economy so be sure to price out all your options before choosing. Go to www.disboards.com for info. Also, check www.mousesavers.com

[Anonymous]

I've stayed at the Swan in 2008 with DH and our 2 kids, and posted a review on Trip Advisor. I am not a theme park person and would not go there without kids, but we all managed to have a fantastic time.

The hotel is really convenient to the rest of Disney. Free and frequent shuttle buses just outside the reception area to all Disney parks, and Epcot is walking distance. There is a water bus service as well, though we took that as a "ride" and not as transportation.

The Swan is adjacent to the Dolphin and the Disney Boardwalk, which is sort of a resort in itself. We rented surrey bikes several nights and cruised around with our kids while watching the nightly fireworks. The Dolphin and Swan have several (mediocre, Chili's quality, but great service) restaurants, and there are more of the same in the Boardwalk complex. Food wise, keep your expectations modest and you'll be okay.

We used Starwood points and all stayed in 1 standard room, which was actually plenty of space for the 4 of us, especially since we spent so little time in our room. Aside from being walking distance to Epcot, the Boardwalk resort and many Disney amenities (water taxis, shuttles) the resort itself is really nice (albeit in a completely unnatural kind of way--extensive pools, manicured landscapes devoid of any weeds or bugs, artificial lakes, lagoons, water features, beaches, etc). It's also very "all American" so the food in the resort properties (with the exception of the high end restaurants) is like pretty standard American fare.

One tip, if you book park passes online, you can pick them up at the Disney desk on the main floor of the Swan (maybe also the Dolphin). Doing this saved us the hassle of waiting in the ticket line at the park gates--we could go right through the turnstiles.
Also, if you care about hotel size, the Swan is a smaller property than the Dolphin, but shares all the outside amenities, fitness center and children's "club". The public areas of the Dolphin seem almost like a really plush airport--absolutely huge. Good luck!