I can book 2 rooms at POFQ or a family alcove room with a connecting room at The Dolphin. I would save about $500 by staying at the Dolphin. I would lose Magical Express. My dining would be done one day at at time rather than length of stay if I choose the Dolphin. POFQ 4 queen size beds between the 2 rooms. The Dolphin, one king, one sofa bed, 2 double beds. This is for 5 adults, a 3.5 year old, and 13 month old. Dolphin says I can get a crib, POFQ says travel crib. What pros/cons do you see in the 2 properties? Preferences?
And that is a total savings over 7 nights, not per night!
I wouldn’t want to be the adult relegated to the sofa bed. Just saying.
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Hoping that with the 140 million dollar refurbishment that all of the bedding might be new including the sofa bed?
Dolphin is closer to HS and Epcot; you can walk or take a boat.
Is that Dolphin price including the resort fee?
Yes!
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Wow!
Dolphin:
No DME
No Free Magicbands
No Dining Plan
Disney “theme” is not overt (this disappoints some people)
Pools are AWESOME
Beds are AWESOME
Restaurants are AWESOME
Location is AWESOME if you are going to spend time in Epcot and Hollyweird. The time savings, especially if you’re hopping is completely worth a monetary consideration. You can walk to two parks. Epcot International Gateway is about ten minutes, and Hollyweird is about 15 minutes. You’ll also have the Boardwalk at your back door, essentially, and all of the Epcot Resort restaurants are only a few minute walk if you’d like to visit. You’ll also have the Friendship Boats to get you around the area.
I can’t comment too much on the whole 180 adr thing. I’ve read reports that some people are able to get length of stay, and others are not. I don’t need CRT, so the 180 thing has no effect on my stays at all. I’ve never had any issue with adr’s. Frankly, I don’t even understand the big deal, unless you’re going at the highest of crowd times. Reservation Finder for the win.
I’d be hesitant about sleeping on a sofa bed. Our son slept on a Dolphin sofa bed a few months ago for a 6 day trip, and he said it was nice, but he’s a kid. The other beds will be VERY comfy, their “Heavenly Beds” are one of their selling points. I’ve heard the doubles might be bigger than most ppl think? If you guys can agree to take turns on the Sofa bed (if it’s less than ideal) or work out a “deal” for someone to sleep on the sofa bed (if it’s less than ideal) that might be something to think about?
It might be perfectly nice, I’ve heard sofa beds in general have gotten MUCH better.
I’m a big fan of Swan / Dolphin - the cons just don’t even matter to me, so it’s a no brainer. Plus, we LOVE DHS and Epcot, and we hop, so…travel time to 2 parks being minutes? It makes planning soooo simple.
Good Luck!
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That’s a no brainer for me…I would do Dolphin. The location and savings alone would win out. I’m usually the adult that gets stuck on the less than magical bed (I’ve done the sofa beds, pull down beds, you name it) because I am the people pleasing non-complainer - I would suck it up for the location/savings.
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Regarding the resort fee, we would have the alcove room with the connecting regular room for just 1 resort fee.
There is definitely a distinct difference here and I would MUCH prefer an actual crib with a 13 month old than the Pack N Play. Can anyone confirm that the Dolphin gives you an actual crib?
Also, depending on the make up of the adults, if you have 2 couples sharing the king and one of the doubles then nobody would necessarily need to sleep on the sofa, right?
For sleeping, the connecting room with 2 doubles would go to my daughter, son in law, the 3.5 year old and the 13 month old. The king bed and sofa bed would be for me, my husband, and my adult son. When making the reservation on the phone, the preservationist at The Dolphin told me crib, not travel crib when I asked yesterday. I will call the hotel to confurm.