happymommy

I have one booked for Christmas - but wonder if it's too much $$ (we are paying about $500 a night total; $179 for salute the troops, $200 suite upgrade, plus $119 for the second bedroom). It is Christmas, but my husband seems to feel it's a lot of $$. I want two rooms as our kids are 11 and 13, and I won't stay in the same room. We get 50% off most dining with the salute the troops rate, including room service, so the suite is nice for eating in.

I'm a bit torn, as with Disney's 40% off they have a one bedroom villa at the Boardwalk for $400 a night for our dates. Nice to have the washer/dryer but it's only one bedroom, so even with the sofa sleeper we'd bring an aerobed. Not ideal sleeping arrangements for Christmas.

CarolDisney1

HappyMommy,

I had the suite a few months ago. A couple of "thoughts" It's not a "Real kitchen" type suite. I know it had a "dorm size" fridge and I think it had a microwave. So I am not sure how much "eating in" it's really good for. I guess for the room service, but..... At the price you are paying arent' you really making a HUGE increase in the price of room service? LEt's say you have dinner from room service and at 50% off you pay $100 (which is easily doable for four people, prices are high and then there are things like the "service charge" and mandatory 18% tips) Your 50% off meal just cost you $279 if the ONLY reason you were getting that suite was for a place to eat it! Just doesn't make sense to me!

If money is really a concern I would go with two rooms and get connecting one. I just didn't think the suite was all that. Nice, but.... not worth stressing over!

happymommy

Thanks!

I know it isn't a kitchen, and we're coming over from a condo for the week prior to this, plus I don't plan on cooking at all. I did think the suite idea was nice, as we'd have a living room to spread out in. The 50% off dining was an unexpected perk for the military special they're running, so the suite has nothing to do with that (it's for the $179 rate for a regular room).

I am considering switching to just two rooms, thus dropping the extra $200 a night. Or, using 30,000 points instead for the suite upgrade (but I was saving those for something else). Problem is, it's Christmas and I'd love to have the space. Just not sure it's worth $200 a night, when we're already adding on the extra days to stay over Christmas.

Decisions, decisions.

Bean

Wife and I will be staying 2 nights on points at the Swan with a 5 yr. old and a 5 month old. Debating wether or not to get adjoining rooms or a suite so the baby has her own quiet sleeping space.

How are the rooms at the swan? Are they super small or do they have an alcove type area where we could keep the crib kinda out of the way?

Suite upgrades are the same price as another room (10K points) so I'm not sure what would be the best route if we decide to upgrade....

Thoughts?

JonathanIT

This thread might have some useful info: Walt Disney World Swan - Orlando [Master Thread]

sbtinme

In the interest of addressing the OP's specific question, the Swan does offer an ALCOVE JUNIOR SUITE that would probably suffice just perfectly. It's hardly a full suite, but it would offer a little more elbow room and a small, boxy little room where the crib would fit just fine.

Not sure about using points for Alcove rooms -- you might call the property and enquire if that's even possible. The std rooms are not tiny, but they're not especially large, either. Very standard.

cruiser9999

Using points or C&P will only get you the basic room. Contact the hotel manager directly and see if they will let you pay the difference between the basic room and the upgrade. Some hotels apprently will allow it, others not. I have had no problem doing this when I needed a bigger unit (I am plat and that might have made the difference - as well, sometimes I was charged for the guaranteed upgrade, other times not). Re the rooms in the Swan - if it is like the Dolphin (which is in the same complex and was built at the same time) then there are some odd-shaped rooms (some with alcoves etc) which might meet your requirements. Just call the manager and ask.

Bean

Thanks for the replies.
I talked to the manager and was able to book a deluxe alcove for only 1,500 more points per night. It's not a separate room with a door, but an area off to the side when you walk in the door.

Hopefully it will work just fine.

sbtinme

Bean --

If it's helpful to you, here's a basic schematic of how an Alcove room at the Swan typically lays out.

http://www.swandolphin.com/accommoda...luxeAlcove.gif

As you can see, it's more or less a standard room with a little room off to the right of the entrydoor. Once you wiggle that table out of the way, it ought to be an ideal set up for a travel crib.

The other real advantage of these rooms is a LOT of windows. Three windows plus the balcony gives the room a very spacious feel. Enjoy your trip!

Bean

Yes, that was the diagram I looked at when making the decision.
I think it should work out well....

sbtinme

here's the 360 view

http://www.iceportal.com/brochures/m...r=1&type=HD360

DFWsakp

Does the Swan offer Free Breakfast to Platinum Guests? Do they have a Lounge? Apart from a possible Room upgrade, what do Platinum Guests get at this hotel?
I am a Platinum with Starwood and Silver with Hilton. I have over a million hilton points to burn and would rather spend it at the Hilton located in the Walt Disney Resort rather than spending at the Swan, if the Platinum Status is not going to get me even breakfast.

hhoope01

No breakfast and no lounge. As a Plat, in addition to the possible room upgrade, as a Plat you will get the Resort fee waived. I think the resort fee was $10/night otherwise. The resort fee included free I-net, a couple of bottles of water per day, health club access.

sbtinme

If you're going to MCO to enjoy the Disney parks, it's well worth remembering that one can WALK to EPCOT from the Swan in just over ten minutes and the boat ride to Hollywood Studios takes about 8 minutes from the Swan. That's certainly worth SOMETHING ... to get to either park from the Hilton would be a solid 30 minutes or more on a bus......

alamedaguy

Just back from a four night stay (including the weekend before Thanksgiving) booked on points. I actually had two separate reservations of one and three nights due to a late change in our plans and me being too lazy to book it as one. My wife arrived a day before me and checked in; she was upgraded to a resort view balcony room (I'm platinum). I called the next day to ask about a better upgrade, since I wasn't going to check in until well after midnight. The front desk person looked for a junior suite for us, but said they were all occupied as they had 6 groups at the hotel. He insisted the balcony was an upgrade, which is obviously true, but I can't say I saw many other people taking much advantage of their balcony while we were there.

As mentioned above, the resort fee was waived. Getting to Epcot was great. Walking is probably a little faster than the boat, especially if you have to wait.

Getting to Animal Kingdom was a nightmare. The guest services person told me the bus left every 20 minutes starting on the hour, and took 10 to 12 minutes to reach the park. We rushed to catch one at 2:40. It ended up coming at 2:51, then taking just over 30 minutes to get there. It stopped at 4 other hotels, including the Dolphin.

One day room service did not replace the disposable cups even though they removed the used ones.

The breakfast buffet in Garden Grove is not worth even $19.99, in my opinion. The variety was okay, but the quality was not even that good. For instance, the pancakes in the warmer were hard.

I would stay here again for convenience, the ability to use points, and the kids' pool, but not if I were looking for a great hotel.