There is a reason the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin are a favorite choice for so many visitors. They are seriously two of the most underrated resorts in the entire Disney resort pantheon, often passed over since they are not Disney-owned. We have gushed before about the incredible value of these luxurious resorts, their convenient location, and their phenomenal food. They are also two of the only resorts on Walt Disney World property where—if you are clever enough—you could stay for almost nothing using the right shenanigans (see #6).
While we love the Swan and Dolphin, there are a few catches to staying at these resorts. While some are minor preferences, others caught us by surprise and could make or break a visit (particularly if you are budget-conscious). Before you book your next stay, here are some of the catches to staying at Disney’s Swan and Dolphin, alongside some of the resorts’ best perks.
1. Con: The resort fee
Image: Chad Sparkes, Flickr (license)
This was the first of a number of hidden costs we ran into during our stay at the Walt Disney World Dolphin. Both the Swan and Dolphin are an excellent value for luxury accommodations on Disney property. We not only found excellent deals for stays on Disney’s website but even better prices on both Sheraton’s website and Hotels.com. At initial glance, it may look like the Swan and Dolphin are a no brainer when it comes to value. The truth isn’t so simple.
The first extra cost of staying at the Swan and Dolphin is a daily resort fee of $25. According to Starwood Hotels, this covers 24 hour access to the resorts’ health clubs, unlimited domestic and long distance calls (time to call the family in Germany!), 2 bottles of water a day, free WiFi, and access to a wide range of resort recreational activities including fitness classes, complimentary paddle boats, a discount at the Mandara Spa, and a S’mores Fun Kit to be used at the nightly campfire. While some of these perks are pretty cool, it is slightly annoying that these extra costs aren’t just rolled into your nightly room costs. It feels less-than-transparent, particularly if you were giddy with excitement over scoring what looked like a slightly better deal on a comparable Disney resort.
If you are going to milk the extra perks for all they’re worth, the resort fee probably won’t bug you. However, if you are planning on spending most of your vacation in the parks rather than puttering around the resort, the extra cost can sting, particularly if you didn’t budget for it.
Image: Jett Farrell-Vega
Pro: Incomparable value for luxury
The Swan and Dolphin are two seriously amazing resorts, and we have lauded them before for their value as Disney deluxe accommodations at a moderate price. If your budget is tight, you will need to crunch some numbers to see if the resort fee and parking (more on that below) put the costs over a comparable Disney resort. However, considering all the perks of the Swan and Dolphin, from their Heavenly Beds to their luxurious pools, you are going to be hard pressed to find a better value for such luxury.
2. Con: No free parking
Image: Harshlight, Flickr (license)
If you are used to rolling into Disney-owned resorts and enjoying a week of free parking, you may be in for a shock when you arrive at the Swan and Dolphin. This was honestly one of the most disappointing elements of our stay as not only do parking fees add up, but if you want to self-park at the Dolphin, you may find yourself in for a long hike from the Swan. If you opt to try to drop your bags off at the front, be prepared for the valets to try to offer you every conceivable selling point possible to get you to do valet parking at a whopping $30 a night.
Particularly if you are staying at the Dolphin, self-parking is a uniquely challenging experience. The lot of the Dolphin was either closed or full at the time of our visit, meaning you could only park in the lot of the Swan, which was packed even on an off-season day. We were only able to find parking in the forgotten far reaches of the lot, and because we’d opted not to use the bell service, that meant a long hike with our bags over to the Dolphin. At $20 a day, the self-parking costs definitely add up. This is a big enough cost that it, combined with the resort fee, might be enough to bump the Swan and Dolphin’s price up to a point similar to some of Disney’s moderate resorts.
Image: Jett Farrell-Vega (@mykingdomforamouse Instagram)
Pro: You can’t beat the location
The Swan and Dolphin’s amazing location near both Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios make it one of the most convenient resorts at Walt Disney World. If you are the sort who finds yourself eating most of your trip meals at Epcot, the convenience of both boats and a walking path to reach Epcot’s International Gateway are unbeatable. Even if you won’t be spending your whole trip at Epcot, the Swan and Dolphin still have bus transportation to Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, and Disney Springs just like the Disney-owned resorts as well as friendship boats to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
3. Con: Convention crowds and lack of Disney atmosphere
Image: CL Photographs, Flickr (license)
This was a surprising item we’ve noticed on most of our visits to the Dolphin (and sometimes the Swan as well). The Swan and Dolphin are a favorite destination for business travelers and corporate conference groups. While this isn’t necessarily always noticeable or problematic, the conference crowds do give the Swan and Dolphin much more of a “business resort” feel. If you happen to arrive on a Friday night, you may also encounter local barflies enjoying drinks as well, and they are pretty hard to miss at the Dolphin since the lobby surrounds an enormous bar and lounge. For adults, this may be no big deal, but families with kids might find this atmosphere messes with your Disney mojo. Conference crowds vary from conservative businessmen to that singularly-annoying “we-own-the-whole-resort” flavor of group, so be prepared for this if you will be visiting either of the resorts– the Dolphin in particular due to its layout.
Pro: The Swan is one classy place
The layout of the Swan, as well as its roots as a Westin resort, give it something of a more relaxed feel. It is just crazy classy. While there are still conference crowds, they aren’t as visible as they are in the Dolphin’s massive central lobby. The Swan is a gorgeous resort, so if the corporate crowd isn’t your thing, you might want to spend a little extra to enjoy the same perks of the Dolphin in the slightly classier setting of the Swan.
4. No MagicBands or room charge
Image: Disney
While this doesn’t affect annual passholders (who already have bands), if you have your heart set on getting a MagicBand for your vacation, you will need to purchase it separately if you are staying at the Swan and Dolphin. Both resorts use standard room key cards rather than MagicBands. Guests are issued entry-cards to use in the parks, but these cannot be used to charge purchases to your room. If you aren’t a fan of MagicBands, this won’t affect you, but for guests hoping for the convenience of that much-loved technology, you will need to make an extra investment in the parks or do without.
Pro: Access to Extra Magic Hours and Fastpass+ 60 Days Early
The good thing is that guests of the Swan and Dolphin still have access to two of the most popular perks beloved by Disney resort guests: Extra Magic Hours and early Fastpass+ booking. While we’ve discussed before how it is up for debate if you want to stay all day in a park where Extra Magic Hours have taken place (due to increased crowds), there is no denying that an extra hour in the morning or evening is a huge plus.
Guests of the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin also now have access to the same 60 day window to make Fastpass+ reservations as guests of Disney-owned resorts. For popular rides like Frozen Ever After and Avatar: Flight of Passage, this is a huge boon. This is a recent development, so take advantage of it for as long as it lasts!
5. No Disney Dining Plan or in-room package delivery
Image: Disney
This one might elicit a chuckle from those who have given up on the Disney Dining Plan. We’ve discussed before how many guests no longer consider the DDP in any of its forms a good value. However, there are still plenty of reasons why a family might prefer using the Disney Dining Plan. If you are one of those families, the Swan and Dolphin might not be the best choice for you.
Because the Swan and Dolphin are not officially Disney-owned, guests do not have access to the Disney Dining Plan or in-room package delivery. While you may still be able to pick up packages at the International Gateway in Epcot, this isn’t a guarantee in all the parks, so big shoppers may also want to weigh if that perk is a favorite of yours.
Pro: An amazing array of restaurants
This is a huge one. The Swan and Dolphin have some of the most outstanding restaurants of any resorts at Walt Disney World. You could seriously eat at these two resorts your entire trip and have a different dining experience every night! From world class Italian fare at Il Mulino to mouthwatering seafood at BlueZoo, the choices for remarkable dining at the Swan and Dolphin are myriad with over nine choices! You can even get a free entrée at Shula’s on your birthday if you sign up for their mailing list. In particular, the 24 hour Picabu Marketplace has become one of our favorite places to grab a healthy bite at Walt Disney World!
6. No Magical Express
Image: Disney
The last of the hidden fees for staying at the Swan and Dolphin comes if you will be flying in from Orlando International Airport without use of a rental car. The Swan and Dolphin do not offer complimentary shuttle service like the Disney Magical Express. You can book a Mears Shuttle for around $23 a person, but this additional cost may put off some. Experts suggest that an Uber or Lyft ride will cost you around $20, so this may be the best way to save, particularly if you can get access to a free ride.
Pro: You could pay for your entire stay with reward points
This is one of the biggest perks of the Swan and Dolphin, and for some guests, it is unbeatable. One of the most interesting hacks that’s been shared on the internet for Walt Disney World travelers was one man’s experiment to book an entire Walt Disney World vacation for nearly free. The way he did this was through audacious shenanigans and financial wizardry– I kid. Specifically, it was through careful accumulation of discounted Disney gift cards from Target, as well as using reward credit cards to cover his family’s flight and room.
You can use Starwood reward points to cover your stay at the Swan and Dolphin. The only other resort on Disney property where you can do something similar is the swanky Four Seasons. If you are patient enough and put all your expenditures on a Starwood rewards credit card for an extended period of time, you could conceivably stay at the Swan and Dolphin for almost nothing. This requires a monumental amount of discipline and patience, but even if you can accumulate enough points to get a few nights for free, this one is a game changer that would easily negate the hidden fees attached to the resorts.
What was your favorite perk staying at the Swan and Dolphin? Were there any other cons that you didn’t care for?
