Walt Disney World Swan Hotel Review

So what’s the big deal about the Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotels at Disney World? These hard to miss hotels are within walking distance of both EPCOT and Hollywood Studios. And being on the Disney Boardwalk, you get access to so many great things! Boat transportation, the entire Boardwalk area filled with restaurants, resorts and gift shops and the chance to use or earn Marriott Bonvoy points are all part of the draw of the Disney Swan and Dolphin. But should you stay here? Is the Swan Hotel Disney enough? Here’s our Disney World Swan Review for you to decide yourself!

Okay, so if you’ve read this blog for any amount of time, or are familiar with our Disney Boardwalk obsession, you know we will do basically anything to get here! Unfortunately, when peak times at Disney World hit, like Spring break or Christmas, the prices at the resorts on the Boardwalk (and everywhere else on Disney property) can really skyrocket. We are talking, “you’d better sit down when you see these prices” kind of high. Which is why we almost always recommend using a third party to book Disney World Hotels during the busiest times. Having stayed at the WDW Dolphin Hotel before and absolutely loved it, we were excited to find a great deal during Spring Break at the Walt Disney World Swan to see how it compared. 

Details

One of the things that can be confusing is that the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotels share amenities, like pools, access to the Swan boats on the water, s’mores on the beach and more. And while they may seem similar, there are quite a few differences between the Swan and Dolphin Hotels at Disney World. Things like restaurants, rooms, and atmosphere are unique. 

• Address: 1200 Epcot Resorts Blvd, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
• Restaurants: Chill Bar, Garden Grove, il Mulino, Java Coffee, Kimonos, Splash Pool Bar and Grill
• Amenities: Pools, Boat Transportation, Complimentary Disney Bus Service. 
• Parking: Self Parking $36, Valet $44
• Check In Time: 4:00 PM
• Checkout Time: 11:00 AM
• Resort Fee: $45 ( for two guests, $35 per each additional guest) Includes:
  • In-room wireless internet
  • Loyalty Program guests receive enhanced speed in-room wireless internet
  • Daily access to the Balinese Relaxation Areas at Mandara Spa
  • Daily Swan Paddleboat rentals
  • Daily certified instructor led fitness classes
  • Nightly movies and S’mores on the beach

Is the Swan Hotel a Disney World Hotel? 

For starters, the Walt Disney World Swan isn’t managed by Walt Disney World. It’s managed by Westin and as a result, you can collect/redeem Marriott Bonvoy points at this resort. As one of the Disney World Marriott Bonvoy Hotels, this is such a great perk if you’re a member, and want to use or earn loyalty points. And since the Marriott Bonvoy Points program is one of the very best in our opinion and who doesn’t want free nights at Walt Disney World?! We also used our hotels.com hack on this trip and were able to save a ton, all while earning points towards both hotels.com and Marriott Bonvoy. Not a bad deal. 

Is the Disney World Swan Hotel considered a Deluxe Resort?

Yes,  the Disney World Swan Hotel is a Disney Deluxe Hotel. As such, you get all the Disney Resort benefits allowed, including early entry perks, and extended evening hours when they are offered.

Location 

If you ask us, the location of the boardwalk resorts can’t be beaten. And thankfully, the Disney World Swan is within walking distance of the Boardwalk area. Giving you the options of loads of Disney Restaurants, other Disney Resorts, gift shops and even activities like Surrey Bike rentals and watching live performers on the weekends. Plus having the convenience of being able to walk to Disney Parks saves us so much time when we are trying to make the most of our Disney Days. 

Can you walk to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios from the Swan and Dolphin Hotels?

Yes. Being about a 10-minute walk from Epcot and a 20-ish minute walk from Hollywood Studios, the Swan is really the perfect location. And let’s be real here, who doesn’t love the Boardwalk? It’s classic, it’s beautiful and best of all, it’s usually not too crowded! With the addition of Disney’s Skyliner in recent years, we love how easy it is to resort-hop from this area as well. 

Rooms

We have been very lucky to stay here a few times.  We’ve stayed in standard rooms as well as balcony rooms and both are spacious and comfortable. There are a variety of room types and sizes to accommodate whatever needs you may have while traveling. The Walt Disney World Swan Hotel has everything from standard rooms to suites, and we’ve enjoyed every type of room we’ve stayed in. 

The rooms are pretty standard in size for the area, and come equipped with a coffee maker, safe, mini-fridge, and Marriott’s signature smart TV. The rooms come stocked with water bottles, coffee, hot tea bags, and standard toiletries. 

The bathrooms are separated from the vanity area which makes getting ready in the morning a breeze. The mirrors are backlit and provide excellent lighting, which we really appreciated.

Again, while the Walt Disney World Swan is actually on Disney property, it is managed by Westin, meaning that they have their signature Heavenly beds in these rooms, and well, they are quite heavenly.

Amenities

If you’re looking for Amenities, there’s no shortage of them at the Swan. Bell Services, National and Alamo Car Rental desk, coin-operated laundry, shops, dining options, concierge services, and much more are all available here. 

There is also a health club complete with Peloton bikes, fitness equipment, a wellness concierge, and much more; so if you’re looking to work off whatever you were eating around the world, you’re in luck! The Swan and Dolphin share amenities; so you can use any of the pools or health clubs at either resort, as well as the beautiful beach over at The Dolphin.  You can also rent watercraft at the Swan and Dolphin, play beach volleyball, or bring your kiddos to the beach playground. There’s so much to do at this resort!

And if you’re looking for a more upscale experience during your pool day, the Swan has private cabanas that can be rented for the day. 

Restaurants

There are quite a few options for dining here. The Swan itself has character dining in the evening at Garden Grove or you can forgo the characters and get breakfast and lunch daily here. The characters also make their appearance on the weekends for breakfast, so if you’re looking for a character meal without having to use a park ticket, they’ve got you covered. 

Java is the resort’s coffee shop and recently got an awesome new upgrade. Plan to spend a pretty penny here; the coffee isn’t cheap. But if you need a handcrafted latte or a breakfast sandwich before the Parks open, it’s worth the stop.  Chill is also available in the main lobby and serves up sandwiches and frozen libations for a quick stop. 

For a more upscale experience, Kimonos Lounge and IL Mulino are also on-site at the Swan.  You can find all of the Disney Swan dining options here. 

Transportation 

Transportation is easy at the Swan. We love that you can walk to Epcot and Hollywood Studios; but if walking isn’t your thing, you can always take the Friendship Ferry to either Park.

By Boat

From the Swan Boat Launch, which is shared with the Dolphin Hotel, you can sail on the Friendship Ferry to EPCOT’s International Gateway entrance or the entrance of Hollywood Studios. This makes for a great option when trying to stay out bus lines. 

By Walking

Walking to Epcot will take you to the back entrance of Epcot, the International Gateway, between UK and France in the world showcase. It’s the perfect place to start your day at Les Halles Boulangerie and Patisserie for breakfast.  And if you want to walk to Hollywood Studios

Buses to the Parks

Buses go from the Swan to both Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom. Or, you can get into Epcot and take the monorail to the TTC. You then transfer over to Magic Kingdom if you prefer to skip out on the Disney buses. A quick note about the buses that take you to Magic Kingdom. They are no longer run by Walt Disney World, but instead by Mears. Because of this, these buses no longer take you directly to the Magic Kingdom bus stop. Instead, they will bring you to the TTC, where you will have to take the monorail or ferryboat over to Magic Kingdom. If you’re not really a fan of buses, you can also Uber or Lyft to any of those locations. 

How to get from the Orlando Airport to the Swan Hotel?

When flying into MCO, you’ll want to book the Mears Connect Driven by Sunshine Bus Shuttle Service, which does go to the Swan, Dolphin, and Swan Reserve Hotels. Or grab a taxi or Uber as well. 

Go Green Program

One of the programs we loved at the Swan is their “Go Green” program. If you opt to forgo housekeeping services, they will give you a $5 voucher per day. You can use this at any of their restaurants on-site. Or an extra 500 points per day for your Marriott Bonvoy account. Using this program is easy and we love helping out the environment in any way we can, so it’s a win-win for us. 

Housekeeping will continue to bring you new water bottles, coffee, and toiletries each day. And will take your trash if you leave it for them, but your room will generally not be serviced. Meaning no one will make your bed, or basically do any of the basic housekeeping you would expect. 

This is totally optional and could be challenging for large parties or longer stays, but for short stays we found it to be a great perk!

Cost

As mentioned of the three Disney Marriott Bonvoy Hotels, the Disney World Dolphin Hotel tends to be the cheapest. And we’ve also found great deals on hotels.com at random times throughout the year. So much so, that while the price range at the Dolphin Hotel is typically between $500-$1000/ per night, we’ve found deals as low as $275 during the cheapest times to visit Disney World. And don’t forget you can earn and use loyalty points as well. 

Do Guests at the Swan Hotel Get Disney Perks?

Mostly yes! For the most part, guests staying at the Swan will get the same perks as those staying at a Walt Disney World resort. 60-day dining reservations are available to those staying at the Swan and so is Early Theme Park Entry. 

And guests staying at the Walt Disney World Swan also get the perk of Extended Evening Theme Park Hours, which are available to guests at Deluxe Resorts at Walt Disney World. 

Can you get Disney Discounts and Special Offers at the Swan Hotel?

Sometimes, yes! The Disney Dolphin often offers discounts for Disney Annual Passholders, Teachers, Military, and Medical Staff. You can see the full list of their discounts here. 

Do you get Disney Magical Extras at the Swan Hotel?

Yes, Guests staying a the Disney Swan and Dolphin get Magical Extras as part of their stay. The Disney Magic Extras include things like free tickets to the Miniature Golf over at Fantasia Gardens, which is in walking distance. As well as discounts at retailers, and restaurants. 

Review

Is the Disney World Swan a Good Hotel? As much as we love the Disney World Swan, we know it’s not for everyone! Apart from the Disney Character Restaurant experience there is no Disney presence here. As a smaller boutique hotel, it feels upscale and classy with a low-key, soft atmosphere. For some people this will definitely be a con; for others, it may be a nice break from being submersed in Disney all day. We’ll let you decide.

One thing to mention is that the Walt Disney World Swan Hotel does charge an extra $35 resort fee daily. This fee includes the use of the fitness centers, two bottles of water each day, use of the Swan boats at the Dolphin and fitness classes, as well as a few other perks you may not even notice. 

A lot of conventions and conferences are held at both The Swan and the Dolphin.  So they generally have a little bit more of a “business” feel and less of a vacation feel. For us, it didn’t really make a difference. But just be aware that while you are all decked out in Minnie Mouse ears and character tees, you may be surrounded by professionals in suits and pencil skirts. 

Overall, we love staying at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin and highly recommend either of them. And if you’re up for even more of this experience, you can also try the Disney World Swan Reserve Hotel, which is in the same area and shares amenities with the Swan and Dolphin as well. Have you stayed there? What did you think? Let us know!