And last year it said through the end of 2018. I’m. sure they want to keep their options open.
1 Like
My thread has been hijacked. I feel like an official member now. 
3 Likes
There should be a badge for that.
3 Likes
Dolphin’s standard rooms are two full beds, and Swan’s standards are two queens. They both might have King rooms with pullouts - I can only vouch for staying in a king room at Dolphin.
They are separated by a short walkway that has their shared Friendship boat boarding area in the middle. They share all amenities, I think - maybe not fitness rooms, but I could be wrong.
Dolphin is bigger, and feels bigger. Swan has a more chill vibe. I’d be happy to stay at either. If the bed configuration works, I’d stay at whichever is cheaper - which is usually Dolphin. I do believe the busses pick up and drop off at Swan first, and dolphin second. During busy times, that might be a factor. For the most part, the amenities are pretty much interchangeable, so one or the other - pretty much depends which bed config you can get, and if it works for you or not.
1 Like
@ryan1 - I never officially thanked you, but thanks for pushing me to add an Epcot day for our trip! TT was DS’s favorite ride and Mary Poppins was DD’s favorite live M&G. For the record, Typhoon Lagoon ranked pretty high and may have been a favorite part of the whole vacation. No regrets… THANK YOU!
Oh. You’re welcome. Thing is, I don’t remember what I said that made you add an Epcot day. (Although, that doesn’t surprise me, since we’re an Epcot kind of family!)
1 Like
Sorry 
To make it up to you, I’ll report back on my stay at the DolphinFISH when I’m back – we’re going in 9 days! Squeeee! 
4 Likes
Thanks! We just stayed at the Yacht Club and it had me thinking if we can get a lot of the same benefits at Swan or Dolphin why not stay there to save some money. I loved staying in that area and my DS7 was oddly obsessed with it every time we took the boat to HS.
2 Likes
Sure you wouldn’t rather stay at the SwanBIRD? 
Well, we considered it. But ultimately, the siren song of staying in a place with a weird fish statue on the top of it won out. (The cheap deal we got on hotels-dot-com was also persuasive…)
1 Like
If you don’t care about a dining plan, and Magic Express doesn’t matter, then Swolphin might be for you. They are really nice hotels, and the location - well, we see what the other resorts charge in that location. It seems that people just disregard these resorts because they are not owned by Disney. I’m ok with that. - shhhhh 
1 Like
I get it. You’re obviously a denizen of the deep.
1 Like
Shhhhh don’t blow my cover!
2 Likes
Hmm. There’s something fishy around here.
1 Like
No worries! Yay for 9 days! I look forward to your report. Have so much fun!!!
1 Like
I just learned you can’t be on the Disney Dining Plan. That doesn’t make or break it for me though. We used the DDP for our trip in Nov. It was great because we got to experience all the “Disney” meals and didn’t worry about how much we were spending because it was pre-paid. The con was it was tough at times to stick to the schedule like that. I think going a second time it’ll be easier to eat more QS meals and have a few special ADR TS meals, which a meal plan really wouldn’t be worth it. Especially since we mostly had breakfast in the rooms from a grocery delivery.
The only other thing is the Magical Express. Meh, take an UBER. You will get to resort quicker! Oh, also the room key is a regular hotel cc, not your MB.
I think the proximity compensates for any Disney benefit you don’t receive if you stay there. As long as they continue to offer the 60 day FP benefit.
@hmbhmbhmb - do you get to make your FP for 60+ or was it for 60 days from each day?
Well, if the thread’s been officially hijacked, should we start talking SWGE? Or FPP rules? Those are the only topics that seem to be popular the last few days…
1 Like
Well, we booked with a mere 33 days to go (we were cold up in the frozen north and just really needed some sunshine. And a mickey bar or three). So I booked some very last-minute FPs. But I’m 99% sure you get to book them all at once. You get all the on-site perks except for Magic Bands and getting to use the DDP.
ETA: I am pretty bummed about not having the MBs to open the room. That is just THE COOLEST thing about staying on-site (I mean, like, aside from being at Disney…)
1 Like
We just stayed at the Dolphin in June of 2018. You get 60+ the length of your stay for FP+. You can’t beat the location for walking access to Epcot and HS.
We are going again during Thanksgiving 2019. I have two connecting rooms so my wife and I have one and our teenagers the other and the room rate for both together is only $150 more than a single room at the Disney Epcot resorts - BW/BC/YC.
1 Like
It’s definitely 60+