Having just landed at MCO in Orlando, I wasted no time in grabbing a taxi and heading over to get my first taste of the Disney World experience, the Walt Disney World Swan Hotel.
Review: Walt Disney World Swan Hotel (Orlando, Florida)
Walt Disney World Swan
About The Walt Disney World Swan Hotel
Here’s the official info from the Disney website:
Image courtesy of disneyworld.disney.go.com
Location Of The Walt Disney World Swan Hotel
Location, location, location. The Walt Disney World Swan has it.
It is located steps away from the Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel and Disney’s Boardwalk area and walking distance to both Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Click here for the full review on the Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel
In fact, the Walt Disney World Swan Hotel (& its sister Dolphin Hotel) have something usually reserved only for Disney-owned resorts – direct access to the free Disney shuttle bus line that transfers guests to the Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom parks, and the free Disney water taxi that transports guests to Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Image courtesy of disneyworld.disney.go.com
But, You Should Also Know…
The Walt Disney World Swan is NOT an official “Disney Resort”, therefore it doesn’t come with all of the following Disney Resort Hotel Guest benefits:
Image courtesy of disneyworld.disney.go.com
The Marriott Bonvoy Affiliation
The Walt Disney World Swan Hotel does have something that even the Disney-owned hotels don’t – access to the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program.
This means the Walt Disney World Swan is in “the points game” and free nights can be redeemed through Bonvoy. It also means Marriott Bonvoy elite status has its privileges.
Walt Disney World Swan Hotel is currently listed as a Marriott Bonvoy Category 6 hotel, meaning free nights can be had for standard redemption rates of 50,000 Bonvoy points a night.
The Redemption
In light of the recent Marriott Bonvoy devaluations and the reduced earning rate options (R.I.P. SPG), 50,000 Bonvoy points per night can still be hard to come by.
Fear not. Bank points can also be used to redeem nights at this hotel, sometimes for even less points than Bonvoy!
Case in point, I redeemed two nights in a 2 Queen Bed Traditional Guest room for only 37,099 Citi Thank You points.
If I would have paid for this in cash on the weekend I stayed there, it would have cost me $558. This means I was able to wring 1.50 CPP in value out of my Citi Thank you points (though I did have to pay a resort fee of $67.50).
The Check-In
When I arrived for check-in, the place was empty. I was helped right away and I was recognized for having Gold Status (although this was a third-party booking not eligible to earn Bonvoy points).
The staff member was very friendly and helpful and checked me in right away.
Front Desk at the Swan
The room key
Elevator Area & Hallway
(Blurry picture alert)
The Two Queen Bed Traditional Guest Room
The guest room was large, clean, and well-lit. The room came with a balcony (with a view of the Dolphin hotel next door) and an all-important second sink.
The beds were the Westin brand’s (very comfortable) signature Heavenly Beds.
Room Amenities
The Balcony & View From The Room
View of the Dolphin hotel
The Bathroom
The bathroom area was sparkling-clean and featured both a “rain” shower and a second sink (just outside of the bathroom).
The bathroom toiletries were also the standard Westin “White Tea Aloe” variety (that’s a good thing).
The [larger] sink in the bathroom
The “rain” shower
The Vanity + Sink
A second sink is, at times, invaluable (like when you are in a hurry to get to the Magic Kingdom)
The Walt Disney World Swan And Dolphin Guide
In-Room Dining Menu
Surprisingly, the pricing of the In-Room Dining menu items was not unreasonable.
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Answers To Everything Else
The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin are essentially a “city unto themselves”.
With that said, they provide a packet to answer other important questions guests may have during their stay.
Walking The Property
The Disney Friendship Boat [Water Taxi] Dock
The Disney Bus Stop
Wait right here. Buses run about every 10 minutes
Java Bar
The Bottom-Line Review: Walt Disney World Swan Hotel (Orlando, Florida)
I was very pleased with my stay at the Walt Disney World Swan Hotel. The accommodations were great, the bed was comfortable, and the extra sink was a nice touch.
The property was beautiful and the hotel was ideally located. I really enjoyed the waterfront walk to Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and the Boardwalk.
I loved the option to use points here (Bonvoy or otherwise) and I thought the price and redemption rates were reasonable for what you get.
The Bottom-Line Rating: 8.5 out of 10. The Walt Disney World Swan Hotel is beautiful, relaxing, and perfectly located to make the most of any Walt Disney World vacation.
Cheers!
