Your thoughts on the Dolphin.

[oldschoolfigmentluvr]

I just wanted to know if you've stayed there, how you liked it? How was the service? Did you feel out of the Disney element when you stayed there? Any stories would be great. I've never stayed here before so I'm not sure what to expect. Also, do they have the Disney Resort Tv?

 

[WeluvDisney2]

We are staying there for the first time in June. We are really looking forward to being so close to Epcot!

 

[gardenia]

The rooms are nice but the service was the worst I've ever had. We received no housekeeping and all of our requests were ignored. It was a shock after staying at places like BWI and YC/BC.

 

[oldschoolfigmentluvr]

The rooms are nice but the service was the worst I've ever had. We received no housekeeping and all of our requests were ignored. It was a shock after staying at places like BWI and YC/BC.

No housekeeping? No matter where I've stayed be it Disney or elsewhere they've always come knocking at my door, lol.

 

[JB2K]

Having just returned from there (I stayed at Shades of Green, which is another non-Disney Owned & Operated hotel located on WDW property), and I did notice this much while passing-by the Swan/Dolphin (my shuttle dropped-off someone at the Dolphin):

Both hotels are just a boat ride away from Epcot (World Showcase), which IMO is truly one of the great "gems" of WDW.

As both hotels are Sheraton O&Os, you can expect to see Sheraton's Sweet Sleeper bed, which is among the industry's best (and something you will most definitely appreciate at the end of the day). You will also get Extra Magic Hours as well as access to the extensive on-site WDW transportation system.

You mentioned "Resort TV" (which isn't the first time this has been mentioned on these forums) -- what makes this channel sooooooo special, anyway? Not trying to sound negative, but most people don't travel all the way to WDW just to watch a certain TV channel (for the record, if this is the channel with the "Top 7 must-sees" hosted by Stacey, SoG does offer this channel, so I suspect the Swan/Dolphin might offer it, too)...

If you're getting the Swan/Dolphin at a good price, I say go for it, and enjoy your stay!

 

[oldschoolfigmentluvr]

Having just returned from there (I stayed at Shades of Green, which is another non-Disney Owned & Operated hotel located on WDW property), and I did notice this much while passing-by the Swan/Dolphin (my shuttle dropped-off someone at the Dolphin):

Both hotels are just a boat ride away from Epcot (World Showcase), which IMO is truly one of the great "gems" of WDW.

As both hotels are Sheraton O&Os, you can expect to see Sheraton's Sweet Sleeper bed, which is among the industry's best (and something you will most definitely appreciate at the end of the day). You will also get Extra Magic Hours as well as access to the extensive on-site WDW transportation system.

You mentioned "Resort TV" (which isn't the first time this has been mentioned on these forums) -- what makes this channel sooooooo special, anyway? Not trying to sound negative, but most people don't travel all the way to WDW just to watch a certain TV channel (for the record, if this is the channel with the "Top 7 must-sees" hosted by Stacey, SoG does offer this channel, so I suspect the Swan/Dolphin might offer it, too)...

If you're getting the Swan/Dolphin at a good price, I say go for it, and enjoy your stay!

We got an amazing deal on Travelocity and I'm really excited about going. As for the resort tv...I dont know, I guess i'm just a dork like that. I guess I really feel like im in Disney when I first check into the room, throw my bags down and flick on the tv and see disney world. Crazy? So be it

 

[GGOOFY1]

We have stayed at the Dolphin for a couple of nights on NYE a few years back, and the service was great. We are staying at the Swan for 2 nights during our trip in August, and I am looking forward to our stay. The location is one of the best in WDW. I am traveling with 6 boys all 18 years old and they are looking forward to walking over to the mini-golf

 

[djlexus]

Just got back today from a night stay at Dolphin. Love both Swan and Dolphin. The thing i like is not only the rooms and the beds omg! haha But the food choices. There are so many restaurants Theres 8 restaurants and bars inside the hotel and they have a 24 cafeteria place that rocks. They also have the unlimited drinks like the other hotels do buy the cup get unlimited refills. I can say the housekeeping is good they always knock on my door early in the morning. They have excelent bell staff the valet staff is great as well. All in all I say it is a luxury resort 5 star in my opinion and the price is usually to good to pass up. Now the boat dock only makes it sweeter too. I always stay at the Swan and Dolphin.

 

[NMAmy]

We just stayed at the Dolphin for our sixth visit. So, yeah, we like it.

I've never had an issue with housekeeping. Our room has always been made up during the day and they stop back in the evening with extra towels, toiletries, and chocolates. I've actually had better service at the Dolphin than we've had at Disney deluxes we've stayed at.

Regarding the tv, if you're talking about Stacy and her Top 7 Must See's , then yes, the Dolphin has that channel. I think she's unavoidable anywhere at WDW.

The things we like best:

LOCATION! -You can walk to Epcot and MGM or take the boat. I love being able to go over to WS for dinner.

Heavenly Beds - Best beds anywhere at WDW. This is the only hotel I sleep as well as I do on my own bed.

Picabu's - 24 hour convenience store/cafeteria. They have pretty good food and wonderful staff and a much wider selection than a place like Roaring Forks at the WL.

Starwood Preferred Guest Card - I earn points toward future stays. I get an automatic upgrade without asking and without having to be coy like I do at a WDW resort.

Friendly, knowledgeable, helpful staff.

Toiletries - Bath & Body Works stuff. I miss the oatmeal soap they used to have but B&BW is a pretty good alternative.

And, no, I don't really feel like I'm not at Disney with views like this:

Lying in bed to watch Illuminations is pretty magical!

 

[MickeyNicki]

We have stayed at both Swan and Dolphin and the rooms were the same, the same great beds but we prefer the Swan because it is a lot quieter than the Dolphin....too many conventioners at the Dolphin...crowded loud lobby, dining areas and elevators.

If the Swan was not available I would book the Dolphin in a heartbeat, cannot beat the beds or the location.

 

[TDC Nala]

I think they're great, personally.

I won't be going back if I have to pay a daily resort fee for stuff I am not going to use, though. Unless they really undercut Disney in price.

 

[Disney Daniel]

I am a big fan of both the Swan and Dolphin and have stayed at both. I have never felt that the Disney touch was lost, but at the same time there are no Disney bath soaps, shampoos etc. that sometimes add a little extra touch at the Disney Resorts. The location is fantastic with the Disney Studios and Epcot within walking distance or a short boat ride away, and having the Boardwalk next door doesn't hurt either. The restaurants and pools are excellent, and the mugs are quite useful.

One thing that I must note though is keep in mind that the Swan and Dolphin are convention resorts. I have seen Kinko's, Wells Fargo, and others at the hotel on previous stays, so you may see more people going around in suits, with their laptops and acting generally more businesslike than at a typical WDW Resort. For our family this is not a major concern as there are no smaller children, but some with smaller children may be concerned with this.

As I said though, they are my favorite resorts on property and we will be returning to the Swan/Dolphin for our sixth consecutive stay in April.

 

[Dis31]

I was just about to start a thread about how much we love the Dolphin! We're actually here right now for the first time and it’s GREAT! We love it. We've stayed at almost all the Disney hotels and we're really impressed esp. for the price we paid to stay here. Rooms are great- beds HEAVENLY, the pool is really nice, the restaurants are good it’s a nice atmosphere, there’s a cute candy shop and a redone poolside restaurant really nice! We really like it and think it might be out new fav although the Yacht club is right there as well. We didn’t know how we would like not staying in a "Disney" hotel and not being able to do ME but its turn out to be really nice! And we got a great room on the 14th floor facing the boardwalk and lake we can see the Tower of Terror and the Epcot fireworks every night plus there’s a outside exit by the elevators and we can see the MK and the fireworks at night! Can you tell we’re having a great time!

 

[oldschoolfigmentluvr]

We just stayed at the Dolphin for our sixth visit. So, yeah, we like it.

I've never had an issue with housekeeping. Our room has always been made up during the day and they stop back in the evening with extra towels, toiletries, and chocolates. I've actually had better service at the Dolphin than we've had at Disney deluxes we've stayed at.

Regarding the tv, if you're talking about Stacy and her Top 7 Must See's , then yes, the Dolphin has that channel. I think she's unavoidable anywhere at WDW.

The things we like best:

LOCATION! -You can walk to Epcot and MGM or take the boat. I love being able to go over to WS for dinner.

Heavenly Beds - Best beds anywhere at WDW. This is the only hotel I sleep as well as I do on my own bed.

Picabu's - 24 hour convenience store/cafeteria. They have pretty good food and wonderful staff and a much wider selection than a place like Roaring Forks at the WL.

Starwood Preferred Guest Card - I earn points toward future stays. I get an automatic upgrade without asking and without having to be coy like I do at a WDW resort.

Friendly, knowledgeable, helpful staff.

Toiletries - Bath & Body Works stuff. I miss the oatmeal soap they used to have but B&BW is a pretty good alternative.

And, no, I don't really feel like I'm not at Disney with views like this:

Lying in bed to watch Illuminations is pretty magical!

I have a starwood preferred guest card! Do they look to see how many points or on it, or do they just give you an upgrade because you have the card?

 

[ImprovGal]

I have a starwood preferred guest card! Do they look to see how many points or on it, or do they just give you an upgrade because you have the card?

I think the upgrades NMAmy may be referring to are the ones based on what level you are at with the starwood preferred guest program.

Base level membership doesn't list complimentary upgrades as a benefit. However, if you sign up for SPG via AAA, the base status becomes "Preferred Guest Plus" and includes complimentary upgrades to a "preferred" room when available. There's quite a bit of leeway with that description. I've always booked at the standard "limited view" level and have gotten upgrades to upper floor rooms with views of either the parks or Boardwalk.

If you get to Gold level, that status includes the aforementioned complimentary upgrades to a preferred room when available as well. I don't have experience with the status to determine if the upgrades are similar or better to the ones via my "preferred guest plus" card.

If you're a Starwood heavy hitter and reach Platinum status, that status includes upgrades to the best available room at checkin.

 

[NMAmy]

I have a starwood preferred guest card! Do they look to see how many points or on it, or do they just give you an upgrade because you have the card?

We were upgraded on our very first visit with no points at all on the card. I think that depends on what time of year you're visiting and how booked up the hotel is--we were just lucky, I think.

When we checked in the first week in March 2008, I'd booked a standard room at the gov't rate. I'd requested an Epcot fireworks view if possible on the reservation. As we were checking in, the CM told me that he didn't think he had any of those rooms available but he'd check for me. I told him that this was our sixth stay and how much we loved the hotel. Bless his heart, it took a while but he found us the room with that wonderful view.

Last year during busy Spring Break, we were upgraded to a room with a balcony and a view of ToT instead of Epcot which was great.

Just for the record, I've never fussed about the upgrade--just mentioned what we'd like in the comment section of the reservation. They've always worked very hard to get us into an upgraded room from the standard view.

I also should be sure to mention what some see as cons against Swan/Dolphin. No Magical Express, no Disney Dining Plan, and no charging to the room. For us, we save so much money that I have no problem paying for a town car pickup (the grocery stop is SO worth the money for us because dd always forgets something vital!), the DDP doesn't really work for us anyway, and we just use a regular credit card instead of the room key to charge.

 

[madthemouse]

We stayed one night at the Dolphin in 2004. I have nothing bad to say about our stay, with one exception.

That exception being that you will notice the ambience change from evrything Disney. We had just left the BCV after a week and wanted to try a different resort. If you're looking for the "Disney Magic" to be present, you may be disapointed. My daughter even notice that. If that's not a factor, you should have a good time.

 

[TaraPA]

The rooms are nice but the service was the worst I've ever had. We received no housekeeping and all of our requests were ignored. It was a shock after staying at places like BWI and YC/BC.

OMG for real? We were just at Dolphin in December & had the best housekeeping, and all of our calls for requests were handled within 10 minutes. The front desk staff was better than any Disney Resort check-in we ever had. Same when we stayed at the Swan a few years back. I think you had an invisible "Do Not Disturb" sign on the door!

I wouldn't stay anywhere but the Swan/Dolphin (ok, I've got a freebie offsite trip coming up, but hey, it's FREE!) just for LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION. Tons of dining options from Picabu to Blue Zoo and everything in between right onsite or on the Boardwalk. There's nothing like spending a day in a park, coming back for a nice dinner, then strolling around the Boardwalk on our way to World Showcase so the kids can work on their country mask while we eat, shop, watch Illuminations or just take in the sights & sounds. I don't miss the non-Disney theming at all, you can just look out the window & see Epcot!

 

[epcot1stfave]

We stayed 2 weeks at the Dolphin Sept 06 and loved it. The location is excellent, cant beat having a stroll around the boardwalk and calling in at the big river grille for a glass of beer and sitting outside people watching. You still get package delivery even though you cant charge. You also have to avoid the conventioneers groups swamping the lounge but it was no big deal for us. The pool is very good and a beach area as well. Picabus is good for a quick snack and you can get a refillable mug from there for about $11. We would stay there again if we hadnt bought into DVC.

 

[jrpc]

My husband and I were at the Dolphin at the end of January (our second time staying there) and are returning again in November. We love the hotel and the fact that we can get easily to 2 parks (Epcot and MGM) by walking there, we often get the monorail back from Magic Kingdom, walk through Epcot and back to the Dolphin (yes you've guessed it we do like walking a lot but at least that way I can eat what I want and not feel too guilty) We also used to run around the lake every morning (1 mile) which is one beautiful place to go for a run. When were were last there it was Superbowl we had a room in the 'A frame' part of the building and could see for miles, well whilst he watched the game I was able see Mickey on top of the mountain at Fantasmic and the fireworks then at 9 p.m. stood at the window and watched the Globe move across the lake at Epcot and then had a view of Illuminations fireworks with one of the fountains on the roof sillouetted against them.

The only time we seemed to get frustrated with transport is going to Downtown Disney which takes ages because the bus picks up at the Swan, Dolphin, Yacht and Beach (2 stops) then Boardwalk before you even get going so just allow extra time if your'e going there. We never had any issues with housekeeping who were very good and we are still using the lovely Coconut Lime Verbena soap and body lotion as they just kept on leaving it so we bring it home to England, the smell makes me think of Disney!! As you may have guessed I absolutely love the place (even when its full of conventioneers - to be honest we just have a laugh at them trying to spot 'the boss' with underlings trying to impress him!) and can't wait until 22 November when we return for 14 nights. BYW we have stayed at Port Orleans (when it was Dixie Landings - twice) and All Star Music - twice and can't say that I miss the Dolphin not being a Disney Hotel, it might be different for people with kids but for us it's like staying in a proper hotel (boy are those beds comfortable after a long day in the parks) but with Disney on the doorstep and right outside the window!