Disney’s Swan vs Dolphin vs Swan Reserve: Which Option is Best?

If you’re considering staying at one of Disney’s Swan and Dolphin Resorts, you’ll have to decide which best suits the needs of your travel party. For this article, we’re comparing the Swan vs the Dolphin vs the Swan Reserve. Upfront, all three resorts share the same amenities and theme park benefits. So you won’t miss out on any of those things, no matter which one you choose.

That said, a few nuances come into play when we consider the resort’s rooms, overall layout, and that each hotel has its own vibe. While we review the Swan and Dolphin as one hotel, they do have some differences, which we’ll get into below. I think for most, the main considerations will be age, price, and size. Some might also take the immediate location into account. While the Swan and Dolphin are connected by a short outdoor walkway, the Swan Reserve sits a little further back and requires crossing an internal street for access. Let’s take a closer look to help you figure it out.

Key Differences Between the Swan and Dolphin Hotels

For starters, the Swan and Dolphin Hotels celebrated grand openings around 1990. Needless to say, these two hotels have been around for some time. As of 2026, the Swan has undergone a complete room renovation, and from our understanding, a room renovation at the Dolphin will soon follow. On the flip side, the Swan Reserve is the newest of the three hotels opening in 2021. Needless to say, it is significantly younger.

Taking renovations into account, I don’t think that age is necessarily a huge factor. The Swan Reserve is by far a more modern hotel with a sleek look and feel. In contrast, the Swan and Dolphin feature a unique design created by architect Michael Graves. They are timeless hotels that embrace the surrounding Florida landscape. The hotel’s grounds are distinct in a way that envelops you as soon as you cross the bridge from the surrounding Epcot Resorts.

To me, the Swan and Dolphin have character and charm that’s unparalleled. The details of the Swan and Fish statues perched on various rooflines, the calming sound of the water rushing from the giant clamshell fountains, and the surrounding lake, with Friendships coming and going, all contribute to that character.

So in this instance, you might consider whether you want to stay in a plush hotel with a brand new feel or a hotel with loads of charm. If you still cannot decide, you might want to consider the overall hotel size and room amenities.

• Disney’s Swan Reserve has approximately 349 guest rooms. Standard rooms come with two queen-size beds. King-size beds are available. Standard rooms at this hotel average 330 square feet.

• Disney’s Swan Hotel has approximately 756 guest rooms. Standard rooms come with two queen-size beds. Rooms with king-size beds are available. Standard rooms at this hotel average 340 square feet.

• Disney’s Dolphin Hotel has approximately 1514 guest rooms. Standard rooms come with two double-size beds. Rooms with king-size beds are also available. Standard rooms at this hotel average 360 square feet.

As you can see, the Dolphin is twice the size of the Swan Hotel as far as rooms are concerned. Additionally, the Swan Hotel is about the same when compared to the Swan Reserve. We have stayed at all three hotels and feel that the Swan and Swan Reserve are more comparable in size, whereas the Dolphin feels significantly larger. See our tour of the hotel room at Disney’s Swan for more photos and details.

Most of the rooms at the hotels have a walk-in shower, but a shower with a bathtub is often available upon request. Another big difference is that the Swan and Dolphin both have upgraded rooms that offer balconies. The Swan Reserve does not have any balconies. If you decide on the Swan or Dolphin, we have a separate article that discusses whether or not a balcony is worth the upgrade.

Of course, with the Swan Reserve being a newer hotel, it offers a feature that you won’t find just anywhere. The hotel rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows, which are a nice touch, making the room feel larger and more spacious. We have a separate tour with photos of a room at the Swan Reserve.

Getting back to the overall size of the hotels, it’s important to mention that, as a whole, the entire resort is home to a tremendous convention center. While you’ll find meeting rooms and event spaces in each of the hotels, the primary convention center is at the Dolphin Hotel. The Dolphin is so large that you might not ever realize the conference area is there.

From our experience, during the day, the hotel often feels slow and relaxed. However, if a large convention is taking place during your visit, you’ll see common spaces, lounges, and restaurants fill up after 5:00 p.m. Many of these events are business-oriented, so you’ll see a lot of people in casual work attire mixed with others wearing casual theme park attire.

I’ve probably stayed at the Swan and Dolphin more than 20 times over the years, and some of those trips were even part of a convention. This has never bothered me, but I like to mention it in case you are someone who travels for work often and wants to escape that vibe. If you are that person, you’ll want to pick the Swan or the Swan Reserve. Both of these hotels are more boutique options and never really have as “busy” a feeling as the Dolphin.

It’s also worth mentioning that each resort has its own dining options, but the majority of the restaurants are at the Dolphin. So even if you don’t stay at the Dolphin, you’ll likely be walking over for a couple of meals during your stay.

Before we wrap things up, I wanted to briefly touch on the location and the pools. First of all, these resorts are all part of the Epcot Resorts Area. You can’t beat the location. However, if you’re staying at the Swan Reserve, you will have a little further walk. For example, you’ll have to leave the hotel, cross the street, and then pass the Grotto Pool area before you get to the Friendship boat dock. It’s a short walk, but if you were to get caught out in a rain shower or thunderstorm, there’s really no way around it unless you decide to wait it out in the Swan or Dolphin’s lobby. The photo below was taken at the Friendship dock, looking to the Swan Reserve in the distance.

As far as swimming, all resort guests are welcome to use the pools at the Swan and Dolphin. If you’re staying at the Swan Reserve, you can walk over to the Grotto Pool area that sits primarily on the Dolphin side of the resort. However, the Swan Reserve does have a small pool that’s convenient for a quick swim.

When we stay at any of these hotels, we try to plan an entire day at the Grotto Pool. It’s such a nice pool with offerings for everyone, including a waterfall, a water slide, a kiddie pool, and multiple hot tubs. We enjoy it so much that we rank it near the top of our list of best pools at Disney World.

Final Thoughts

I hope this comparison of the three resorts gave you an idea of how to decide which one is right for you. To sum things up, I put together a quick list of questions with answers to most of the things we’ve already discussed.

• Is budget your primary factor? Go with whichever hotel has the cheapest rate.
• Want a Balcony? Both the Swan and Dolphin have rooms with options.
• Do you want the hotel within the closest walking distance of select parks? Your best choice is probably the Swan, but the Dolphin is not much further. The Swan Reserve will be about a quarter of a mile past the Swan.
• Are you looking for something that feels new and upscale? The Swan Reserve is your best option.
• Want a boutique feel that’s close to the Grotto Pool? We would pick the Swan.
• Do you want to be near all the action? Your best option is to go with the Dolphin.
• Have active children or teenagers? We would pick the Dolphin.
• Have small children? This is a tough call, but we would probably pick the Swan or Dolphin to be closest to the resort’s amenities.

Which one would Resorts Gal pick? I would be happy to stay at any of them. That said, I end up at the Swan more than I do any other hotel on the property.

In the Comments

When it comes to the Swan vs Dolphin vs Swan Reserve, which one would you pick? Did you find this comparison helpful? Let us know your thoughts, opinions, or experiences below in the comments.