
There are dozens of Walt Disney World resorts full of cleverly designed Mickey Mouse heads and strict property-specific world theming. The Swan and Dolphin don’t quite fall into the same hotel categories. Situated near EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Yacht Club, these two hotels easily get blended together. While The Swan and Dolphin are linked, they do have their differences.
Here’s how the relative size of the Disney Swan and Disney Dolphin is responsible for most of the two hotels’ most significant differences in cost, availability, and overall atmosphere.
Swan Hotel v. Dolphin Hotel Size Difference
The main difference you need to know about The Swan and The Dolphin Hotels is that size actually does matter. The Dolphin Resort is almost double the size of The Swan Resort, and this translates into differences in energy, availability, and the overall general cost of each. Let’s take a look at how the atmosphere, aesthetic, design, and decor reflect their size difference.
Atmosphere
Because The Swan is a smaller resort, Guests describe the atmosphere as down-to-earth and welcoming. The boutique-style hotel offers Guests a more personal and quiet experience – a simpler, less flashy reprieve after a long day exploring Walt Disney World. While The Swan features a toned-down but still high-end experience, The Dolphin is certainly more grand and luxurious in presentation.
Guests find the extravagant lobby alone to be quite an impressive sight, only enhanced by the modern decor. Due to its size and glamour, The Dolphin is definitely a more active hotel. High energy Guests have felt at home in The Dolphin’s “party” energy, even after a big theme park day. I mean, even The Dolphin’s palm trees put on a light show!
Availability/ Cost
More often than not, because The Dolphin has more rooms, it has more availability than The Swan. And, because The Swan’s rooms sell out faster just due to a smaller supply, they are usually more expensive than those at The Dolphin. However, Guests have reported that beds at The Swan are queen-sized, as opposed to The Dolphin’s smaller double beds.
In proportion to its larger amount of rooms, The Dolphin also has more available Guest room types than The Swan. If you’re the REALLY luxurious type, try renting out The Dolphin’s grand two-level suite!
Disney Theming
Guests may be surprised to find a severe lack of Disney theming within The Swan and Dolphin Hotels, and that is because they are actually managed under Marriott. Despite the missing Mickey Mouse decor, the properties are still considered deluxe Walt Disney World hotels and are located on Disney property. So here’s one BIG difference only available at The Swan…
…Character dining! Usually, on weekends, Garden Grove at The Swan serves as a character breakfast spot. While it only takes place on The Swan‘s grounds, it’s important to know that these two different hotels are inherently linked. They share all amenities and dining. So, if you’re staying in one, you can access the perks at the other.
Do you have a favorite between the Disney Swan Resort and the Disney Dolphin Resort? Both are great features for any Disney World trip!