The Resorts Gal Guide to
Disney’s Swan, Dolphin, and Swan Reserve
The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort is a AAA Four Diamond award-winning resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Due to its prime location in the Epcot Resorts Area, it’s one of the more popular resorts on the property.
Disney’s Swan and Dolphin comprises three hotels that share resort amenities: the Walt Disney World Swan Hotel, the Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel, and the Walt Disney World Swan Reserve. These hotels sit in the heart of the Walt Disney World theme parks, but they are unique because they are owned and operated by Marriott.
The Basics of Disney’s Swan and Dolphin Resorts
- Check-In Time: 4:00 p.m.
- Check-Out Times: 11:00 a.m.
- Self-Parking: Disney’s Swan and Dolphin charges registered guests per day for self-parking. Valet Parking is available at an additional charge.
- Free Wi-Fi Internet
- Address: 1200 Epcot Resorts Blvd, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
Resort Benefits
Guests of Disney’s Swan, Dolphin, and Swan Reserve can participate in Disney’s early theme park entry, a perk extended to all Walt Disney World Resort guests.
Early Theme Park Entry: This perk allows resort guests to enter any Walt Disney World theme park 30 minutes before officially opening to the general public. This early entry provides several advantages:
- Lower Crowds: Being among the first to enter the park allows you to experience popular attractions with shorter wait times. This will help you to check off must-see rides and experiences ahead of the crowd.
- Photography Opportunities: If you love capturing the magic of Disney, the early hours provide a fantastic opportunity for photos in front of iconic landmarks with fewer people in the background.
- Cooler Temperatures: Morning hours are often cooler, making outdoor activities more comfortable. But if you visit during cooler weather, don’t forget a jacket!
Extended Evening Hours: Disney Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resort guests, which includes those staying at Disney’s Swan, Dolphin, and Swan Reserve, can enjoy the privilege of spending extra time in select theme parks on specific evenings. During extended evening hours, these parks stay open later than their regular closing time, usually for an additional two hours.
This benefit offers several advantages as well:
- More Ride Time: This allows you to enjoy additional nighttime rides and attractions when lines tend to be shorter.
- Magical Nighttime Atmosphere: Disney parks take on a unique and enchanting ambiance at night, with beautifully lit landscapes. So you’ll have time to savor the nighttime magic for longer with fewer crowds.
- Less Rush: With extended hours, you can explore at a more relaxed pace.
Planning Your Stay at Disney’s Swan and Dolphin
Below, you’ll find our resources for planning your stay at Disney’s Swan, Dolphin, and Swan Reserve. We’ve taken detailed photos of everything you can imagine. If you’re unfamiliar with Disney, we consider our resort transportation guide to be one of our most valuable resources. It’s designed to help you prepare in advance and can be used as a tool to help you get around while you’re there.
2024 Swan and Dolphin Special Hotel Rates: Preview special rates for teachers, firefighters, senior citizens, and others for 2024.
Disney’s Swan and Dolphin Review: This review provides an account of our last stay at Disney’s Swan and Dolphin and an overview of the amenities you can expect during your stay.
Disney’s Swan Hotel Room Tour: This article provides photos and a video tour of a standard guest room at Disney’s Swan.
Walt Disney World Swan Reserve Review: This review provides an account of our stay at the Swan Reserve, the newest hotel among the sister resorts. We visited Disney After Hours at Epcot during that stay and share our experience walking to and from the After Hours event.
Disney’s Swan Reserve Room Tour: Preview multiple photos and a video of a standard room with a king-size bed at Disney’s Swan Reserve Hotel.
The Pools at Disney’s Swan and Dolphin: This article provides numerous photos and a video of the Grotto pools, quiet pools, and the pool at the Swan Reserve. The Grotto Pool is available to all resort guests and features waterfalls, a waterslide, hot tubs, a kiddie pool, and complimentary life jackets. This guide details everything you need to know about the pools at each of the resorts. We think it’s important to mention that we rank the Grotto Pool as one of our top choices for resort pools at Disney World.
Disney’s Swan and Dolphin Transportation Guide: Our transportation guide details how to get to and from the resorts to the theme parks using complimentary transportation. Guests can take the FriendShips boat service to and from Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or you can walk to both of these parks. Bus service is provided to Disney Springs, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and the Transportation and Ticket Center for Magic Kingdom Park.
Disney’s Swan and Dolphin Restaurants: The Swan and Dolphin boasts world-class restaurants that offer outstanding service on their website. We have indeed enjoyed dining at several of these locations, like Il Mulino New York Trattoria, Shula’s Steakhouse, Todd English’s bluezoo, Rosa Mexicano, and Kimonos (sushi). Our dining guide provides an overview of all the dining options you can expect.
Swan and Dolphin Individual Restaurant Reviews
Amare Breakfast Review: We love this breakfast option at Disney’s Swan Reserve. Preview photos of the buffet and a la carte menu items we’ve tried.
Rosa Mexicano Review: This review provides photos of the restaurant and what we enjoyed for lunch one afternoon when the restaurant first opened.
Grounds at the Swan Reserve: Preview what items you can expect at the Swan Reserve’s quick-service restaurant.
Fuel at Disney’s Dolphin: This location is the resort’s quick service. It offers both grab-and-go and made-to-order items.
Java at Disney’s Swan: This location serves as the resort’s quick service. It offers tons of grab-and-go items and items that can be made to order.
Extras
Since Disney’s Swan, Dolphin, and Swan Reserve are owned and operated by Marriott, you’ll find a few differences compared to a Disney Resort Hotel. For example, Disney Hotels offer free parking, but the Swan and Dolphin have nightly parking charges and resort fees. (Disney Resorts do not have resort fees.) So, when comparing room rates, make sure you’re considering everything in the total price. Thankfully, resort fees must now be included in the upfront estimates. But you’ll still need to account for parking charges if you have a personal car with you.
Those with a car can take advantage of complimentary parking at the theme parks. You can show your hotel room key at the gate. However, a shuttle bus or boat service is provided from the resort to the parks. As noted above, Hollywood Studios and Epcot are both only a short boat ride or walk away. For Magic Kingdom, the bus will drop you off at the Transportation and Ticket Center. From there, you’ll have to take the Express monorail or ferry to Magic Kingdom. In comparison, Disney Resort buses drop guests off near the Magic Kingdom’s entrance.
Guests of these Marriott hotels will not be able to use a MagicBand for room entry or charges throughout their stay. Disney Resort guests can link their MagicBands to their hotel room and enjoy charging privileges.
The Swan and Dolphin has a Disney Planning Center where Disney Cast Members can assist you with tickets, park planning, and reservations. These services could come in handy for those visiting a convention or anyone making a last-minute trip without much planning.
Speaking of conventions, the Dolphin is a tremendous conference and convention hotel. So, the mix of guests usually includes large groups of business travelers mingling in the lounges and lobbies during after-hours.
One of the perks of staying at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resorts is its proximity to the other Epcot Resorts. Guests can enjoy a leisurely stroll around Disney’s Boardwalk area at any time of the day (but we prefer sunset).
Related Reading
For your convenience, here’s a list of all our articles related to Disney’s Swan and Dolphin:
More Deluxe Resorts to Consider:
If you haven’t decided on a resort, you might consider a few other options. The following resorts are part of the Epcot Resorts Area:
Whether you’re new to the world of Disney or are a seasoned pro in search of a new adventure, their goal is to give you an experience like you’ve never had before. Check with our travel partner, Firefly Travels, to begin planning.