Disney’s Swan and Dolphin Resort Review

This review of Disney’s Swan and Dolphin Hotel shares an account of our last stay on the Swan side of the resort. We cover our experience at the resort with rooms, dining, pools, transportation, and a few tips for making the most of it. Both the Swan and Dolphin Hotels are connected by a causeway that runs between them. So while you can book a room at the Swan or the Dolphin, you’ll still have access to all the resort’s amenities.

Most importantly, you’ll want to know that they are Westin hotels, which are owned and operated by Marriott. All three hotels are part of the Epcot Resorts Area. They are the only non-Disney-owned hotels on Walt Disney World property. While guests staying at the Swan and Dolphin will receive many of the same benefits as a Disney Resort Guest, there are a few nuances, which we’ll touch on in this review. Upfront, one major positive is that members of the Marriott Bonvoy program can use or receive points when staying here and take advantage of select other member benefits. For those who travel often and prefer the Marriott hotel brand, it’s a win-win.

A third resort, the Walt Disney World Swan Reserve, sits across the street. It’s a significantly newer resort. We have a separate review of the Swan Reserve if you would like to know more. Guests of all three resorts share amenities, including the popular Grotto Pool area.

We were surprised to receive a text that our room was ready well before our arrival. While that’s not a guarantee, it was nice to know we could head straight to the room as soon as we got there. I would imagine that most guests like to freshen up when they first get to the room after a long day of travel. That, however, is when our real work begins. You and I both know the hotel room will never look the same after unpacking. We received a standard room with two queen-size beds.

The guest bath is sizeable, featuring two separate vanities.

Our room had a tub and a shower combination. Many of the rooms here have a walk-in shower.

For example, on a previous stay, we had nearly the same view. However, because we were on a higher floor, we could see further. From this room, we could look left and see the Boardwalk, and look right to see the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror Hotel at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Or you can pay the upgraded price for a resort view, which is my personal preference when my budget allows. This room had a balcony, which is an additional upgrade. After that stay, I wrote an article that discusses whether or not the balcony upgrade is worth it at the Swan and Dolphin.

As far as rooms go, both the Swan and Dolphin offer the following room types:

If you compare the standard rooms at the Dolphin and Swan, there is one significant factor you’ll want to consider. Standard rooms at the Swan have two queen-size beds, while the Dolphin’s rooms have two double beds (full-size). That said, the rooms at the Swan are slightly smaller at 340 square feet, sleeping 2 adults and 2 children. While the rooms at the Dolphin are 360 square feet, sleeping 2 adults and 3 children, with a roll-away bed option for the third child.

We’ve stayed at both resorts multiple times, and I don’t feel that you’ll notice many significant differences if you look at them as a whole. Again, the Dolphin is larger and will be somewhat busier. I tend to lean toward the Swan, but the Dolphin is probably a little more convenient to the pool and most dining options.

Now that we’ve taken the accommodations into account, I want to talk about location, which is, to me, the most major selling point for the Swan and Dolphin. As mentioned above, the hotel sits among the other Epcot Resorts. Its neighbors are Disney’s Yacht Club, Disney’s Beach Club, and Disney’s BoardWalk Resorts. Not only are the Swan and Dolphin within walking distance of these resorts, but you can also walk to Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. If you do not want to walk, you have the option to take the resort’s boat service to and from all locations listed above. These are the same FriendShips that service all the hotels and parks mentioned above.

We cover walking at Disney World a good deal on this website. While it might not sound like the most glamorous transportation option, there is one huge benefit. That benefit is that you are in control of when you leave and how long it takes you to get there. When you leave the hotel, you don’t have to wait for anything. Well, that is, unless someone forgot something and you have to return to retrieve it. (It happens.) Walking is especially nice when you leave a busy theme park. Suddenly, you’re in a wide open space with no crowds in sight. It’s the perfect way to decompress.

That said, there are a few negatives to consider. For one, these are not what I would call short walks to and from the parks. It takes about 17 minutes at an average pace to get to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and about 14 minutes to get to Epcot. (Both routes are a little less than 3/4 of a mile.) So if you’re not a regular walker, it could be a long day. For those who are able, we always recommend starting a regular walking routine a couple of months before your trip (no matter where you’re staying).

We’ll discuss other transportation nuances more below. The other major selling point of this location is having access to so many dining options. If you’re staying at the Swan, you might have dinner at Il Mulino, then walk to the BoardWalk to enjoy a little entertainment. You might wake up one morning and walk to the Beach Club to enjoy a character meal at Cape May Cafe. You might have a couple of early mornings or evenings at the resort, where you simply walk the loop around Crescent Lake to take in the lovely setting.

After the location, price is often the next consideration for staying at the Swan Hotel. When compared to the neighboring Disney Hotels, you can often find a much more reasonable price here. Now, this is where you’ll want to do some research to compare your options. The Swan will have a resort fee that’s included in the price at the time of booking. So if you’re considering the Beach Club and the Swan, the totals should give you a clear picture. That said, if you have a car, parking is what I would call a hidden fee at these resorts. Disney Resorts do not have parking charges, but the Swan and Dolphin hotels do. So you’ll want to look up the current parking charge and make sure you account for it. It’s one of those things that isn’t charged until during your stay.

After location and price, deciding to stay here is going to come down to personal preferences. We first began staying at the Swan in the early 2000s because my mother had a work conference. On our first trip, the resort was overbooked, and we were moved to the Boardwalk. After that, we were always at the Swan or the Dolphin for this same conference. I’m sharing this with you because you need to know that the entire resort is a tremendous convention center.

Personally, I don’t think this is a big deal. But there have been times when the resort feels “extra” packed in common areas. Even during this last stay, we had an evening where we weren’t able to get walk-up reservations at one of the hotel’s restaurants. Now, we should have known better and made reservations in advance. But at the time, it didn’t feel necessary. I assume most of the convention guests had been in meetings all day, so the resort didn’t feel anywhere near capacity until later that evening.

From my experience, I’ve never encountered an issue with any large group (convention or kids), except for a YouTube conference at the Yacht Club that was held more years ago than I care to recall. The point being is that many of the Disney Resorts host conventions, large groups of teens (think band, sports, etc.), and private events like weddings. No matter where you stay, these types of events could very likely take place during your vacation. So I wouldn’t let it deter you.

Guests of both the Swan and Dolphin will receive many of the same benefits as neighboring Disney Resort Hotels like the Beach and Yacht Club or the BoardWalk. For starters, guests can take advantage of the early theme park entry benefit. This benefit gives you a 30-minute head start in the parks over guests visiting from off-site. While an extra thirty minutes might not sound like much, you’ll be able to head straight to one of the more popular rides and get it out of the way before long lines begin to form. You’ll also be able to participate in extended theme park hours on select evenings at select theme parks. Typically, these nights are held twice weekly and last for two hours after the park closes. Extended evening hours are exclusive to deluxe and deluxe villa resort guests.

Guests will also have access to complimentary transportation, advanced dining and Lightning Lane reservations, an on-site planning concierge, and complimentary parking at the theme parks. Unfortunately, the Swan and Dolphin are not included in the list of eligible hotels that receive the summer-only complimentary water park admission.

It’s no secret that Disney’s Swan and Dolphin offers a serene outdoor setting. Between the luscious green landscaping and surrounding views, the entire atmosphere is relaxing. Outdoor amenities include swimming pools, sports courts, and a white sand beach.

One of our favorite resort amenities is the pools at Disney’s Swan and Dolphin. The resort’s Grotto Pool area feels like a calm retreat. It’s such a nice pool that we rank it high on our list of best resort pools at Disney World. Like its name, the pool has a large grotto area underneath a waterfall.

The Grotto Pool is expansive, with a waterslide and several water features.

A separate lap pool is available at the Dolphin.

On the Swan side of the resort, you’ll find an additional lap pool.

Four whirlpool spas are spread out between the two resorts.

A kiddie pool sits toward the back of the Grotto Pool area.

A significant white sand beach sits between the pools and the lake. This area has two volleyball courts, loungers, a beachside playground, and paddle boat rentals.

Here is a photo of a ping-pong table on the Swan side of the resort.

Below, we see the outdoor playground.

A few other activities at the Swan and Dolphin include:

• Camp Dolphin
• Health Club
• Arcade
• Mandara Spa

Camp Dolphin is a kids’ club for children ages 5-12. It’s open in the evenings from 4:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m. You can read more about the club here on the hotel’s site.

Disney’s Swan and Dolphin each have a fitness center. Both gyms are located near the pool area.

One of the best features of the Swan and Dolphin is its numerous dining options. There are so many that we have a separate restaurant guide for the resort. For this review, we’ll briefly preview the restaurants.

For those interested in fine dining, you’ll likely want to plan at least one meal during your stay. Disney’s Swan and Dolphin are home to several signature dining locations. The first of those signature restaurants is Bourbon Steak. This restaurant is located on the Dolphin side of the resort. Todd English’s bluezoo, another fine dining location, is located at the Dolphin. bluezoo is predominantly a seafood restaurant with a long list of accolades.

On the Swan side, there’s Il Mulino, which offers Italian cuisine. While I don’t have a current review, we’ve dined at Il Mulino a couple of times over the last year, and it’s become one of our favorites. Lastly, as far as fine dining goes, there’s Kimonos, also located on the Swan side of the resort. Kimonos serves a menu predominantly composed of high-end sushi and other Asian cuisines.

Disney’s Swan is home to Garden Grove. This location is only open on select days of the week (Thursday through Monday) and serves breakfast. Years ago, it was a popular character dining location.

The Fountain is a casual table service restaurant on the Dolphin’s ground level. It is one of our favorite hidden gems at Disney World. Expect casual, diner-style food along with a few healthy options. We enjoy dining here and appreciate that they are often open until 11:00 p.m.

Rosa Mexicano is located on the lower level of the Dolphin. This location offers a daily breakfast buffet and a regular menu for lunch and dinner. We recently had lunch there and thought it was reasonably priced with a nice variety of food. If you’re looking to enjoy a leisurely meal without leaving the hotel, check it out.

Those looking to spend a day or evening at the pool will want to have a meal at the Cabana Bar and Beach Club. This location is perfect for enjoying an alfresco meal, and the menu has several unique items. Additionally, toward the Swan side, the Splash pool bar serves up cocktails and snacks.

Lastly, you’ll find three quick-service options between the Swan and Dolphin. Each location is set up similarly to a convenience store, offering deli-style options. They are Java, Chill, and Fuel.

If these choices aren’t enough, you can walk to one of the neighboring resorts to enjoy their options. You can also dine at Epcot or Disney’s Hollywood Studios as long as you have valid park admission. Both parks are within a short boat ride or walk of the Swan and Dolphin. We recommend having a park-hopper ticket to take advantage of being so close to both parks.

On the Dolphin side of the resort, you’ll find the Disney Gift Shop, which is comparable to Cabanas at the Swan. Of all the shops, I enjoy browsing Accents the most. Accents is a boutique store offering higher-end merchandise. If you’re looking for a place to do laundry during your stay, a large laundry facility is available on the ground-level floor of the Dolphin.

Next door to the Swan Reserve, you’ll find Fantasia Gardens, a mini-golf course. Mini-golf is an extra-cost experience, but it might be worth a visit on a more laid-back vacation. As mentioned earlier, a nightly light show is available on the causeway between the Swan and Dolphin. Each evening, the walkway between the row of palm trees lights up in pretty colors while inviting music plays in the background. Those kinds of little things make me love this resort so dearly.

Final Thoughts

Overall, Disney’s Swan and Dolphin has many pros and a few cons. Unfortunately, those cons include a daily resort fee and parking charges if you have a car. Remember, you can take advantage of complimentary parking at the theme parks, but the resort’s parking charge cancels that out. Valet parking is also an option at the Swan and Dolphin. For a minimal per-day difference, I will almost always choose valet over self-parking.

Hopefully, this Swan and Dolphin review provided you with enough information to decide whether a stay here is suitable for your group. We have always enjoyed our stays here with only minor complaints. I’ve also been fortunate to stay here many times since the resort first opened.

This review is part of our collection of Disney World Hotel Reviews. If you prefer Marriott Hotels, we have a complete guide to the best Marriotts near Disney World. It includes budget-friendly to high-end accommodations near Disney World.

In the Comments

Did you find this Swan and Dolphin review helpful? What are your thoughts on planning a stay here? Do you have any questions about the Swan or the Dolphin? Let us know in the comments.

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