Walt Disney World Swan Resort

Grace

Unfortunately had a less than satisfactory and very stressful experience at the Swan. My boyfriend and I went in not knowing that this Is a Marriot owned hotel (our bad) and were surprised to learn that unlike other Disney owned Resorts, not only is there a lack of Disney decor (mickey emblems/characters - I know they technically don’t have the rights so - if that is important to you, maybe don’t stay here) there is also an $100 incidental fee that is charged daily. This fee was very much not made apparent on their website, so imagine how shell shocked we were learning this as we are about to experience a week long vacation. According to my research - all Disney hotels only charge an $100 hold for your whole stay - so the fact that Swan/Dolphin does this nightly is ridiculousss and a testament to how much this resort cares about their guests (especially since the so called “services” that this incidental charge covers are just poor- which I’ll get into later.) We were told about 3 different stories about that incidental charge, all with attitudes and inconsistent/vague language - seemed they just wanted to get us out of their hair and didn’t care to explain/help us understand. A really aggravating sneak charge. We were also charged an additional $500 hold on the last night of our stay after already getting charged $500- and we were told it was because of the way the bank does it? To this day not even sure what happened there. We also were charged $40 daily for parking at a lot that rarely ever opens it’s gates correctly. When contacting the staff - to which they confirmed they had fixed it for us, it still refused to open. We also requested housekeeping one morning, to which they confirmed with us, spent a long day out at the parks, only to return to our room- to see they had not come at all. The vibe of this resort is kind of standoffish - the staff sort of match that vibe as well. I am a POC from the east coast and I can kind of assume why, but I was heavily stared at. Just in case any POCs are reading this, and if that is important to you - just know you’ll probably be a minority here. My boyfriend and I were also surprised by how different of a vibe the Dolphin was when we crossed over to do laundry and have lunch - still some stares, but staff and patrons were worlds nicer and less.. stoic and cult like. In addition - we saw a roach on the Swan/Dolphin bus on the way back from Magic Kingdom. Gross and was praying that the bus wouldn’t come to a short stop and the roach would fly onto me lol. Not something you want to see after an exhausting day at the parks. I’ve stayed at many Disney Resorts throughout the years- The Coronado, Bay Lake (The Contemporary), Pop Century to name a few, and none of those ever had the service/atmosphere that The Swan had. I guess now it makes sense learning that this is a Marriot hotel. Don’t get us wrong, we love a Marriot, but it seems this hotel is trying to profit off of people just breathing in their hotel and it also has a weird liminal/dated vibe that I can’t quite put my finger on. Thanks for the memories Swan, but we will never return again. We will likely opt for The Coronado - similar price point (probably would’ve saved more money tbh), a Disney Owned hotel where you know they’ll actually care…lol rip - sayonara.

Beth Smith

We really like this hotel. It is quiet and the location is good. We were given an accessible room for this trip which was fine but there is less storage in this type of room than a regular room. The transportation to the parks is fine but during summer when there are regular storms the boats will stop running. There are supposed to be busses which run in the event the boats are down but we were left stranded at Epcot in a terrible lightning storm where we waited for a bus to arrive for nearly an hour. Finally at 10pm we got an Uber back to the hotel.

Reviews by Pablo

To start, bring a jacket when visiting this hotel—it is extremely cold throughout the property. The rooms are outdated and in need of renovation. They are also on the smaller side, and if you’re around 6 feet tall, you may feel like the ceilings are almost touching your head. The restaurants and shops on-site are very expensive for what you get. You can find much better value at the BoardWalk, where, for example, you can grab a large slice of pizza for around $10 instead of paying premium prices for very average restaurant food. The TV service in the rooms is disappointing, with very few channels available and not much to watch. Overall, the room experience feels average and does not justify the price. One additional note: if you wear XXL-sized clothing or are a larger person, you may find the bathroom quite uncomfortable. The shower and overall bathroom layout are very tight and can feel cramped. There are some positives. The walking paths around the hotel are pleasant, the pools are well maintained, and the fitness center is good enough to keep up with your workout routine. The complimentary bus service to Disney Springs is convenient, and the water taxis are a nice touch as well. That said, the price per night simply does not match the overall experience. Between the freezing temperatures inside the hotel, the small and outdated rooms, the cramped bathrooms, and the expensive dining options, I believe many families would be better off staying at a nearby Hilton or similar hotel, where breakfast is included and you can easily drive or take an Uber to the parks while having more dining and entertainment options available. Bottom line: cold hotel, average rooms, small bathrooms, overpriced food, and not enough value for the cost.

david hargrave

The location is perfect, essentially on the boardwalk with a pleasent 20min stroll to either Hollywood Studios or EPCOT which you can also catch the " friendship" boats to and from. The Swan is far more intimate than the Dolphin giving an overall "nicer" feel. Complex wise the outside facilities are excellent with the fitness center being well equipped, the beach is nice and the pools varied and uncrowded. The rooms are large bright and airy with comfortable beds, they are spotlessly clean. Due to the location there is a massive choice of good restaurants within 5 minutes walk. All in all its a great place to have a more adult Disney break.

Autumn Whittle

The rooms are nice but pretty standard, nothing super fancy but they’re clean and the beds and pillows are very soft. The staff that assist with luggage are so polite and extremely helpful! My only complaint is that they didn’t charge for my entire stay upon check in and I ended up being charged multiple times and more than I should have for parking and they had to issue a refund. The valet office staff were pretty rude when I tried to bring this to their attention that they had overcharged me. Self Parking is extremely limited so prepare to pay outrageous valet parking prices! The walking distance from the Dolphin to the boardwalk is pretty far too so be prepared.