Room Tour: Swan Reserve at Disney World
Another new on-site hotel is opening soon at Walt Disney World, continuing the expansion of the last few years that has included Gran Destino Tower, Riviera Resort, plus Disney Vacation Club expansion, room reimaginings, and additions at Bonnet Creek, Disney Springs, and beyond.
We’ve witnessed a lot of this first hand, driving past Flamingo Crossings every day and seeing about a half-dozen hotels quickly sprout up over the last couple years. (Side note: signage just went up at Five Guys, and in news that is probably far more exciting to me than it is you, it looks like Five Guys will open very soon!)
Further fueling this expansion is Walt Disney World’s Disappearing On-Site Advantage. Disney has been eroding these benefits for a few years, but that has accelerated post-reopening and will kick into even higher gear next year with the elimination of the Disney’s Magical Express airport shuttle service. That makes it easier to justify staying off-site, or on-site in third party hotels.
With that in mind, we’ve been anxiously awaiting the opening of the Swan Reserve for a while now. I’ve also poked fun at its exterior for looking like an office building in Scranton and its name for evoking all the “grandeur” of a rehabilitation center for waterfowl, but we are actually looking forward to it.
The Swan Reserve, along with the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Resorts, occupy something of a “sweet spot.” They are the only third party hotels bookable by the general public that participate in Early Theme Park Entry every day and Extended Evening Hours on select nights at Epcot and Magic Kingdom. That’s better Beach Club caliber perks at Pop pricing!
On top of that, Walt Disney World isn’t offering discounts between now and the end of this year, save for 12 days during peak season right before Christmas. The totality of the perk and pricing situation has resulted in many readers asking about alternative accommodations, including the Swan & Dolphin, Flamingo Crossings, and Universal Orlando. (More reviews from the last category coming soon–still digging out from under all the Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary coverage!)
Anyway, when the hotel invited us out for a media tour of the new Swan Reserve, we took advantage of the opportunity to bring you a sneak peek inside…
We walked over from the Swan, and I was surprised by just how close the Swan Reserve is to the Swan & Dolphin. This shouldn’t be a huge revelation since we walk around Crescent Lake and drive along Epcot Resorts Blvd all the time. I guess I have low spatial awareness?
In any case, the Swan Reserve is only a couple minutes from the Grotto Pool–it’s likely a shorter walk to that pool from many rooms at the Swan Reserve than from those at the Swan & Dolphin. This is significant, as what we saw of the pool at the Swan Reserve looked fairly underwhelming. (No photos, but it’s definitely more of a smaller adult area, featuring fountains and cabanas.)
My favorite area of the Swan Reserve that we saw is the lounge. Lots of cool colors, nice uses of texture, and an upscale yet relaxed vibe. One particular detail I really like is the planters above the bar area. There are also a number of booths off to the sides with some vibrant art in each, but those tables and chairs were still bubble-wrapped, so I didn’t take any photos.
We both remarked after the tour that despite the exterior of the building lacking in personality, the interiors are well done. Lots of high-quality finishes, furniture, lighting, etc. Definitely not the bland tower hotel you might expect if all you’ve seen is the exterior concept art or photos.
Also on the second floor is Amare Mediterranean Restaurant, which will be open for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
To my recollection, these are the only dining options in the Swan Reserve, but there are something like two-dozen between the Swan & Dolphin, so no shortage nearby.
Now let’s turn to the guest rooms, starting with a look inside the standard or traditional guest room.
This felt very similar in size to a regular room at the Swan & Dolphin. Main difference is the floor to ceiling windows.
As someone who loves balconies, the lack of that is pretty significant for me, but so many rooms at the Swan & Dolphin don’t have balconies. Ditto all Value and Moderate Resorts at Walt Disney World.
So I guess at this price point, floor to ceiling windows is pretty much the best case scenario.
The huge windows definitely make for a brighter room than you’ll find at Walt Disney World’s Value and Moderate Resorts.
One of the challenges Disney has had with those rooms is striking the right balance between dark/dingy and white/sterile. I personally think Disney has done a great job with the Pop Century and All Star rooms, but many fans seem to disagree with that.
In any case, the Swan Reserve rooms allow in abundant amounts of natural light, and that plus a blue and white color scheme really pops.
The headboards, bedside tables, lamps, carpet, and even the dresser drawers also give the rooms some personality. Even the otherwise all-white bedding has a bit of texture to it.
I’m not sure why, but every room has pool art. I like these paintings. They’re unique and not simply the type of nondescript modern art that’s ubiquitous in chained-brand hotels.
The crow (?) statues, on the other hand, do absolutely nothing for me. Hardly a dealbreaker, but I’m not sure anyone has ever said, “you know what would enhance this relaxed aquatic setting? SOME CROWS!”
Speaking of things that didn’t do much for me, we’ll turn to the Junior Suite.
The room itself is fine–a bit more spacious than a standard room.
The added seating area, which is behind the yellow chair in the previous photo, is what I found a bit underwhelming.
Don’t get me wrong–I’d take this extra space over a standard room. It just doesn’t move the needle a ton for me in terms of practical space.
If I were considering a suite, it’s probably going to make more sense to book the Signature Suite.
For the dates I checked, there was only a $20 to $40 price difference between the two. The Signature Suite is 610 square feet, versus 425 to 590 square feet for the Junior (I realize that’s a huge range, but it’s what the Marriott site indicates).
The big difference between the Junior and Signature Suites is that the latter has a separate living room, with its own television. This is an increasingly popular style of room among real world hotels (pretty much all of the new ones in Anaheim are this style), but is incredibly difficult to find on-site at Walt Disney World.
On a side note, the picture above the couch is titled “Poolside Gossip” and it’s one of my all-time favorite photos of one of my all-time favorite homes, the Kaufmann Desert House. You’ve undoubtedly seen it before if you’ve ever watched television, movies, or looked at clothing advertisements. Its inclusion alone makes the Swan Reserve a winner in my book!
We also saw a variety of bathrooms. Not much of a surprise as these are usually (always?) a feature of hotel rooms.
I don’t have much to say about these. They seem fine. I’m a little surprised the mirrors don’t have more “high powered” lighting around them.
Following the room tour, we headed up to the top floor for a look at the event space.
Enamored with what was outside the windows, I didn’t take any photos of the space itself. I recall it having nice chandeliers. In my defense, those views are what’s going to sell weddings/meetings/whatever on this venue. The floor to ceiling windows plus expansive views of pretty much everywhere on Walt Disney World property is what makes this space.
There was a lot that I did not photograph, but my general impression is that the Swan Reserve is pretty similar to Gran Destino Tower.
The main differences are that the Swan Reserve has even more windows so it’s even lighter and airier, more suites, and instead of being reminiscent of a Las Vegas hotel, this is like one along the California coast.
Hotel reps indicated that a Marriott-record number of nights have already been booked for the Swan Reserve (I believe the number was 25,000 but am not 100% sure of that). This is interesting, but also unsurprising given the lack of availability all around Walt Disney World for the end of the year.
The Walt Disney World Swan Reserve is a Category 6 property. Using Marriott points, you’ll need 40,000 points for an off-peak stay, 50,000 points for a standard stay, or 60,000 points per night for peak season. This is on par with the JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort or regular Swan & Dolphin.
Which of these hotels is right for you will depend upon what you’re after. Location-wise, it’s farther from Epcot and Hollywood Studios than the Swan & Dolphin. The in-building amenities are also more scaled back, so if you want a wealth of dining options under the same roof, one of those will likely be your better bet. However, the main pool is about the same distance from the main buildings, and even those lobbies aren’t much of a walk.
Beyond that, the rooms at the Swan Reserve seem nicer across the board. While the Swan & Dolphin did undergo a room overhauls not long ago, these are still newer and more modernized. Not to mention the variety of room layouts, which will be huge for families or anyone wanting more space.
Those Signature Suites, in particular, should be appealing to a lot of families. That’s a room layout that Sarah and I have really come to appreciate in our non-Walt Disney World travels, as it’s very useful even for just the two of us. Hopefully this type of room becomes more prevalent at and around Walt Disney World, as the extra space (and privacy for adults with kids!) is fantastic. We’d anticipate these rooms being hot tickets that book up quickly.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Have you stayed at the Swan and/or Dolphin? What did you think of those hotels? Looking forward to checking out the Swan Reserve? Do these accommodations look appealing to you, or is this not to your tastes, preferences, or needs? Do you agree or disagree with our early assessment? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
Well, it wouldn’t be a Swan/Dolphin-associated resort without SOMETHING to pick on about its exterior appearance, now, would it? 😀
Would people recommend the new refurbished rooms at Pop Century or family suites Nemo at art of animation? What one’s better? They’re both the same location. Which one is cleaner and better service, better pools?
We are Marriott members and due to my husbands work travels, we earn enough points to stay at the swan for free a couple times a year. It is truly our second home. The location can’t be beat with just a 5 min walk to Epcot and 10 min walk to HS, rooms are way more spacious than Disney rooms and the dining options are great. We are super excited to try the reserve. We are here now and spoke with a reserve manager and she told us the next targeted open date is oct 26th. The delays have been due to supply issues. Apparently they, like most everyone else, have items needed that are stuck on boats offshore. Fingers crossed for everyone that has reservations, they make that date. We had our current trip moved to the swan, which was disappointing because we wanted to try the reserve, but still ok because we adore the swan!
Just got back from an 8 night stay at the Swan. Other than price, which admittedly was 25% less than Disney, I would not recommend anything we experienced! No balconies (without a substantial price increase) horrible food options (and expensive with terrible service, with exception of Schula’s). Everything is run-down. Internet is nearly non-existent. The Dolphin is worse nearly a nightmare…. We found ourselves eating at Disney restaurants the majority of the time! Had a wonderful housekeeper, nice desk staff who could do nothing about the internet.
Our conclusion…. The only advantage is dollars per night! If that is your bottom line, book a Disney value resort, I guarantee you will have a better vacation.
As always, very informative. Thank you. We were scheduled to stay at The Reserve at the end of Nov but decided to cancel after reading (on another site) about reservations for the end of October being cancelled. We didn’t want to deal with the possibility of a last minute cancellation and even if it did open early Nov, we didn’t want to be guinea pigs for the new digs. Interestingly, when we first booked (Mon-Sat), it cost 210k (10k less than the Swan and Dolphin) but within the last week (before I cancelled), the same dates were reduced to 190k at all three hotels. While we did get a 20k credit before cancelling, we ended up booking the Hyatt Grand Cypress (also on points) and are saving our Marriott points for another date at the Reserve.
Hi Tom! Have you seen any resort discount PIN/UOC codes recently? Keeping our fingers crossed for a last-minute late January/early February discount code!
The Swan Reserve website says both “October 2021” and “Fall 2021” for an opening date. I am scheduled to stay there in early November so we’ll see if the October opening holds.
Also, the Swan/Dolphin prevent me from even considering buying a Disney DVC. At those prices, I can essentially get Deluxe Resort amenities (e.g., amazing pool, great dining, and premier location) at moderate prices. That completely undercuts the advantages of committing long term to DVC and I don’t have to plunk down tens of thousands of dollars. When the annual dues is the same as the price of a trip to Swan/Dolphin, its a massive disincentive to buy DVC.
Great blog as always Tom.
While staying at the Boardwalk next June, we’re planning to walk over to the Swan Reserve to have a drink/meal before or after a round of mini-golf at Fantasia Gardens. I’m a bit disappointed the rooftop space isn’t being used as a publicly available restaurant/bar, but I’m glad you like the lobby lounge. We’ll definitely be enjoying a drink in there.
Stayed at the Dolphin once. It was the worst hotel stay of my life. Waited over an hour to be checked in. There was one person in front of me and she was waiting about 90 minutes. Certainly did not get the Disney Customer service. Went to the room. Carpets in hallways were threadbare. Hallways were noisy. Received no information about the hotel or dining options. was not told about water transportation. Did not receive a map of the property. Three lights out of four in the room did not work. There was no working internet. No Disney-theming. I would have been better off in the Sleep Inn. We made several calls to the front desk but got no satisfaction. No list of Hotel activities. The room would not have been worth it even if it were free.
I wish they would have added architectural flourishes to the Swan Reserve that match the Swan and Dolphin. I realized the were going for something more contemporary as times do change. But is seems they could have integrate a little of the playful styling of the original hotel. The Swan Reserve doesn’t feel like it’s part of the full complex of three hotel.
We’re (hopefully…) visiting from the UK in April and have booked Swan Reserve. How long roughly is the walk to Epcot and Hollywood Studios do you reckon? Thanks!
Tom, one quick question about the Swan/Dolphin/Swan Reserve:
I know the official Disney Resorts have the benefit of being able to book advance dining reservations for the duration of your entire stay within 60 days of your check-in day. Does that particular benefit apply to these three hotels as well, or only the “official” Disney hotels?
We stayed at the Swan & Dolphin in March and LOVED it. I’m a Marriott guy due to business travel so it was great to take advantage of the loyalty program and still be on-site. (Not to mention that nighttime and early morning walks around Crescent Lake is one of my favorite things to do in WDW now.) We’ll be visiting again next March and intend to stay there again. The value compared to every other Disney property is just too good to pass up, especially if you’re most interested in going to Epcot or Hollywood Studios. The Reserve doesn’t move the needle for me very much due to cost, but I could be convinced to stay there if booking with points.
@Liz
The Swan and Dolphin have their own buses now so you don’t have to worry about them being shared. That said, it was worth it to us to walk over to the Boardwalk or Yacht Club anyway for going to the Magic Kingdom (Swan buses now drop off at the TTC).
When I was looking at your pictures I was also having flashbacks to your myriad Anaheim hotel reviews. Something about that teal contrast wall makes me wonder why it isn’t covered in a huge picture of pecans.
I am glad the Swan and Dolphin are getting a third building, but really disappointed with the name. If they aren’t going to plop down a four-story tall waterfowl on top they shoudn’t get to call it the Swan anything. It was a great opportunity to call it ‘The Sea’ (its blue and wavelike) or ‘The Mermaid.’ Instead I’ll now always be calling it ‘The Reserve’ which makes it feel a bit like a backup choice. I probably won’t pick to stay there due to the extra walking and extra cost, but I can see how it would appeal to some. Its a great convention hotel for when that is a thing again…
Tom, I can understand not caring about bathrooms. Mostly I don’t either. But your picture showed what could be a roll in shower. Though, for some reason photographers always show the same end. The end where a seat or bench might be, not so much. Like I don’t need roll in, but seat is non negotiable. This is not an accessible blog, but a short sentence about accessibility would be appreciated. ;/
I stayed at Boardwalk awhile back (in peak summer season)and was not pleased that a deluxe real Disney resort shared buses with swan and dolphin. We frequently had to wait for multiple buses. With the opening of a 3rd nondisney hotel in this area do you think they will get different buses? No big deal for Epcot or HS (used my feet) but MK was a nightmare. I can’t get over Disney doing this to their own hotel guests.
Tom,
We were to stay at the Reserve next week but we were told hotel not completed so we will be staying at the Dolphin.
Thanks for the heads up–I’m not surprised. While the rooms all appeared totally finished, there’s still work to be done on the first two floors and top floor. I’d be surprised if it opens this month.
Shhhhhhhh…..don’t give away the best deal on property. We have long been Swolphin converts. Excellent pool and dining options, perfect location, all the perks, and a fraction of the cost. What’s not to love? Glad there are more rooms over there. Hopefully it doesn’t overwhelm the grotto.
Hahah, something tells me the gigantic pyramid visible from World Showcase isn’t exactly a big secret. 😉 We’ve been recommending the Swan & Dolphin for years, but most Walt Disney World fans weren’t interested because it’s “not Disney.”
Starting to see that sentiment change with the loss of perks, parking fees, no DME, and Disney prices continuing to increase!
When does it open?
It’s already been delayed a couple of times and there’s no date at this point. Judging only by what construction still needs to be done (and without any insight into their staffing situation), I’d give the generic “Holidays 2021” timeframe.
That basically means November or December. I’d be surprised if it opens in October.