Victor Dimitrov
Our check-in was supposed to be at 4:00 p.m., but our room was not ready until 5:45 p.m. That is quite a long time to wait in a hotel lobby with tired children after several hours of driving - not to mention the price we paid for that night.
For the record, we received small credit as a goodwill gesture but not before I requested it, and still that didn’t cover the time we lost waiting.
The staff wasn’t rude in any way, but no one really seemed happy that we were there. The interactions felt transactional at best, and I certainly didn’t get the feeling that anyone cared whether we had a great stay.
As a Marriott Bonvoy Gold member, I also didn’t feel any added attention whatsoever.
As for the room - clean and functional overall, but soundproofing is basically non-existent. You can hear very loudly every time your neighbor takes a shower. It feels like you are in the bathroom with them. You can also hear loud and clear every single word someone whispers in the corridor.
I placed a request through the Marriott Bonvoy app for two dental kits and one comb. We received one dental kit. 🙂
We paid $45 for a miniature bowl of plain spaghetti with butter and a cheese “pizza” the size of a pancake - an American pancake, not a crêpe.
What was even more fun was noticing at checkout that an additional $20 had been added to the room-service charge on my e-folio. After checking with reception, it turned out the amount had been “accidentally” added to the bill. Go figure.
I suppose when guests are already paying several thousand dollars for a few nights, plus heavily overpriced food, the assumption is that they will not notice another $20 quietly added to the bill.
I also never received a customer satisfaction survey after checkout, which is unusual for Marriott hotels in general. Perhaps they already knew what my comments would be.
In terms of its overall appearance, the hotel feels more like Las Vegas than Disney - just without the slot machines. There is practically nothing inside or outside the hotel to suggest that you are in “the most magical place on Earth,” apart from the Disney souvenir shop. It feels more like “the most expensive place on Earth.”
Location is pretty good for EPCOT, but getting to Magic Kingdom still requires taking a bus and then the monorail which becomes heavily crowded.
Overall, I genuinely do not see the added value of staying at the Swan or Dolphin compared with much cheaper and still very convenient Marriott properties nearby.
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.
Courtney Collins
Really enjoyed the resorts calm and inviting vibe. The resort was clean and service was excellent. Loved the way access to HS and Epcot. My family would stay here again! I wish the rooms were more decorated and that the bathroom had towel racks. We had a family of four with one child who had cheer makeup to manage. There was no place to hang our face cloths.
