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

[loves to dive]

So I’m looking at potentially a 13 night stay at the swan.

The Marriott site seems to have the best rate averaging $300/night (plus resort fee and taxes) for a prepaid, non refundable, non changeable reservation.

But in here I’m reading recommendations to book changeable so I can adjust if prices drop? The flexible rate is $334/night.

Is it worth over $400 to have that flexibility?

I’m Marriott gold if that matters.

Are AAA rates always non-refundable rates? When I look up the dates I'm considering in November, those rates are non-refundable.

I didn’t know that! Do you recall about what the discounts were? Do you know at what age the senior citizen one works?

Senior citizen age is 62. I think the AAA discount is on food at the QS, cabana bar, Fuel and used to be at Fresh Med. Market (they are redoing that so who knows). If memory serves (and it might not I'm over 62) it was 20%.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Another perk of AAA at Swan/Dolphin is you get a discount at the restaurants.

Available at the non-signature restaurants. Food and non-alcoholic drinks. Also good at the Grove.

 

[rafiki]

Just thought I’d repeat the obvious (at least to those with experience around here), but it’s always a good idea to periodically check rates after making a reservation. Perhaps because of the Disney hotel discounts or maybe reduced travel expectations or who knows, but rates have dropped. I made a Swan reservation on Dec. 1 for 6 nights around the Wine & Dine weekend next November. I checked rates last night and the total cost for the same room dropped $310! Used the Bonvoy app both times. Just a reminder for everyone.

 

[jf256]

Just thought I’d repeat the obvious (at least to those with experience around here), but it’s always a good idea to periodically check rates after making a reservation. Perhaps because of the Disney hotel discounts or maybe reduced travel expectations or who knows, but rates have dropped. I made a Swan reservation on Dec. 1 for 6 nights around the Wine & Dine weekend next November. I checked rates last night and the total cost for the same room dropped $310! Used the Bonvoy app both times. Just a reminder for everyone.

This is good advice for pretty much any hotel. I don't tend to do it for stays abroad (UK based) but if its only 1 /2 nights another thing I do is wait around 2 weeks before - when I am 99 percent certain that I am going and see if there is a really good deal for a non-refundable rate; My travel insurance from my credit card would cover any emergencies and its very unlikely I wouldn't go for another reason. If the rate is signficantly less then i will take the chance.. if not i will keep it.

 

[frontroper]

I want to take advantage of early access on the same day I check in at SR. Can I check in early on the Bonvoy app and head straight to the park, or do I have to go to the hotel first? If checking in online is sufficient, will I able to show the reservation at the park to get free parking? I thought I read that Swan guests get free parking at the parks.

 

[buzz1fan]

Anyone know if there is a time of year when educators rates get released for June. Right now on the site it is not a discount

 

[SteveH]

@buzz1fan my wife is a teacher and never found their discount rates to be that great, AAA rates were much better (at least in the past) vs teacher discounts.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Did you get charged a "Room Revenue" fee? Checked out yesterday and had that charge ($180 per room) added on to the first nights' charges. No idea what it was for. It was in addition to the resort fee. Had two rooms, one booked with cash and one using points. The charge was on both rooms.

That's a new one. Never heard of it. Sounds like a 'hoser' fee.

Has anybody been able to come up with a reasonable explanation as to what this Room Revenue Fee is?

 

[Nursemanit]

Room Revenue Fee is not charged to you - Look at your bill and add it up. It is an accounting number from which they calculate the franchise fee the hotel pays to Marriott for your stay.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Room Revenue Fee is not charged to you - Look at your bill and add it up. It is an accounting number from which they calculate the franchise fee the hotel pays to Marriott for your stay.

Thanks. Interesting. Never saw that on a folio before.

 

[austinelsa]

Question:

We have 4.5 day trip coming up in March with 5 day park hoppers and was thinking instead of taking a night off in the middle to rest, we'd take one night to ONLY do Fantasmic and just keep it low key. (We do mid day breaks everyday too so dont really wanna take a night off completely)

I know it takes about 15 mins to walk to the entrance of HS, but what do you think the end to end walk is for the Fantasmic amphiteater?

Thanks!!

 

[Dan Murphy]

what do you think the end to end walk is for the Fantasmic amphiteater?

About 950 feet from ticket area to Fantasmic entrance on Sunset Blvd.

 

[baggs32]

You know I have stayed at Swan/Dolphin many, many times and have never had this happen until this upcoming trip. I'm not going until April so I haven't really been looking at my account but thought why not. Sure enough, my Dolphin reservation was listed. Easy enough to add it back but so weird that it is happening now and never has before.

Does it matter if not everyone is on the linked reservations in MDE? We have 2 connecting rooms in March at the Dolphin, one for my wife and I and one for our kids who are 19 and 17. I was able to link both to MDE but because both were made in my name I had to be one of the people on each link so one of us is not on either resort confirmation in MDE. Our tickets are for all 4 of us but if one of us isn't showing in the Dolphin will that affect buying Genie+ early, making ride reservations, and early park entry?

 

[cdrn1]

Room Revenue Fee is not charged to you - Look at your bill and add it up. It is an accounting number from which they calculate the franchise fee the hotel pays to Marriott for your stay.

Nope, I did the math and it was indeed charged to my card. I have emailed twice asking about it and have not heard back yet.

 

[Lewisc]

Does it matter if not everyone is on the linked reservations in MDE? We have 2 connecting rooms in March at the Dolphin, one for my wife and I and one for our kids who are 19 and 17. I was able to link both to MDE but because both were made in my name I had to be one of the people on each link so one of us is not on either resort confirmation in MDE. Our tickets are for all 4 of us but if one of us isn't showing in the Dolphin will that affect buying Genie+ early, making ride reservations, and early park entry?

It won't affect early entry, just show dolphin room key.

On one of the rooms match your name with someone else. You don't have to accept Disney's suggested match. Make sure all of your group are listed under friends and family in MDE

 

[cdrn1]

Has anybody been able to come up with a reasonable explanation as to what this Room Revenue Fee is?

It was indeed charged to me. I have emailed twice asking about it as I can't seem to reach a real person. I haven't heard back but I will let you know when I do.

 

[baggs32]

It won't affect early entry, just show dolphin room key.

On one of the rooms match your name with someone else. You don't have to accept Disney's suggested match. Make sure all of your group are listed under friends and family in MDE

OK, thanks for clearing that up. I tried to make the other room match my son but it didn't give me the option to change the suggested match. It had my name there for both rooms because I booked both rooms and it was locked. Not sure if that's new but that was my issue today.

 

[Lewisc]

OK, thanks for clearing that up. I tried to make the other room match my son but it didn't give me the option to change the suggested match. It had my name there for both rooms because I booked both rooms and it was locked. Not sure if that's new but that was my issue today.

It may be locked once you accept the match. Before I posted I linked my name, reservation for 2 rooms was in my name, to my daughters.

Edited to add I booked one reservation with 2 rooms on Marriott app. Swan then produced 2 reservation numbers, one for each room.

I li

It might be different if you booked 2 rooms individually. Call the Dolphin. Select front desk. They have experience linking with Disney.

 

[stitchfan18]

OK, thanks for clearing that up. I tried to make the other room match my son but it didn't give me the option to change the suggested match. It had my name there for both rooms because I booked both rooms and it was locked. Not sure if that's new but that was my issue today.

You won’t be able to book ILL at 7:00 for anyone not linked to a resort reservation on MDE, so book it for the people in your party that you can, then head to the blue umbrellas guest experience team in the park & they can help you add the additional ILL, even if they are sold out.

 

[baggs32]

It may be locked once you accept the match. Before I posted I linked my name, reservation for 2 rooms was in my name, to my daughters.

Edited to add I booked one reservation with 2 rooms on Marriott app. Swan then produced 2 reservation numbers, one for each room.

I li

It might be different if you booked 2 rooms individually. Call the Dolphin. Select front desk. They have experience linking with Disney.

That is probably the difference then. I booked two rooms separately at different times. I'll call them so they can unlink the one and fix it. I already changed the name on the one reservation to my wife so I can put her and our other son on that room. Thanks again!