Swan & Dolphin v. Beach Club
There are several hotel options near Epcot at Walt Disney World, including two third party options–the Swan & Dolpin–that present an intriguing alternative to official resorts. In this post, we’ll compare those to Disney’s Beach Club Resort, which we previously dubbed the best of the official Crescent Lake options.
For many Walt Disney World fans, we know choosing a third party hotel is a non-starter. Part of the Walt Disney World experience is staying in the “Disney Bubble,” and there’s no doubt that it’s not quite the same at the Swan & Dolphin. Even as partners with Walt Disney World that offer some on-site perks, they’re Marriott hotels that have plenty of differences from Disney-owned hotels.
However, as on-site hotels that are within walking distance of both Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, it’s impossible to ignore them. Especially given that they have their own distinct styles and aren’t just generic hotels that you could find anywhere in the United States….
With that aside out of the way, let’s get to the comparison of the Swan & Dolphin and Beach Club. As with our previous Walt Disney World ‘versus’ posts, we use 6 elements of two different resorts to determine which is “the best.”
Theme: Beach Club – For a lot of Disney fans, this is the threshold issue that’s difficult to get past. Beach Club has “Disney” theming, whereas the Swan & Dolphin do not. Or so the argument goes. We’ve already covered how Beach Club has a theme resulting from former Disney CEO Michael Eisner’s obsession with his childhood vacations in the seaside communities of the Northeast, with Beach Club’s theme meant to recreate the seaside resort cottages scattered around New England in the early 20th Century.
However, I’d argue that the Swan & Dolphin have themes resulting from former Disney CEO Michael Eisner’s obsession with architect Michael Graves and his striking and unique style. Let’s call it “Gravesitecture.” Love or hate it, these hotels are probably the pinnacle of Gravesitecture, and there’s nothing else quite like them in the world.
They blend postmodern and whimsical designs with contemporary design in a way that’s not thematically-rich, but arguably is not a whole lot different than Disney’s Contemporary Resort. I’d further argue that it’s very difficult to assert the Contemporary “feels” like Disney theming whereas the Swan & Dolphin do not. (Totally different than thinking the Contemporary looks nice whereas the Swan & Dolphin are ugly.)
With all of that said, when making a value judgment about theme, as we’re doing here, Beach Club wins handily. Aside from time travelers visiting from the year 1992, Gravesitecture appeals to about 2.37% of the population, and those folks probably still wear L.A. Lights and carry Walkmans. 😉
Rooms: Swan & Dolphin – Once we get past that threshold issue of theme, this becomes a much tighter race. Following a $125 million refurbishment of its 2,267 guest rooms, the Swan & Dolphin are feature sleek, modern design and excellent features. The “Heavenly” beds, in particular, are the best at Walt Disney World, and the bathrooms and furniture are similarly nice. There’s no pretense of theme beyond “modern,” but if you’re looking for quality, it’s tough to beat these guest rooms.
Beach Club likewise just finished a large refurbishment to its rooms, and scaled back their theme in the process. They are now indistinguishable from something you’d find at a trendy hotel with a beach motif anywhere, and don’t feel distinctly “Disney.” This is troubling because Disney doesn’t put the same emphasis on luxurious bedding, bathrooms, or other touches, meaning theme necessarily must be top-notch for it to hold its own against real world competitors. It does not, and as such, these new guest rooms are not as good as the Swan & Dolphin’s.
Dining: Swan & Dolphin – Both resorts have their upsides and downsides in terms of dining. The upside of the Swan & Dolphin are an impressive lineup of higher end restaurants and bars. As it does a lot of convention business and caters far less to families, the Swan & Dolphin do sophisticated and adult restaurant options really well and at more competitive price points than Disney-owned competitors. Not being on the Disney Dining Plan helps in this regard, too. On the other hand, family options and counter service dining are woefully poor at the Swan & Dolphin (The Fountain is overpriced and not that good).
Beach Club is similarly weak in terms of counter service options, with Hurricane Hanna’s being its strongest option…which isn’t really saying much. The upside to Beach Club is that it offers better mid-range and family options. In this case, we think it’s fair to include the Yacht Club restaurants, too, as we are including all restaurants at both Swan & Dolphin. Even with that in mind, Swan & Dolphin get a slight edge thanks to quantity and quality, particularly thanks to some of the top-rated restaurants in all of Orlando.
All Crescent Lake resorts should be rebuked for the district’s pathetic counter service choices. Additionally, and as we’ve mentioned before, the restaurants throughout Crescent Lake are so incredibly easy to access from one another that we don’t think dining is an outcome-determinative factor.
Transportation/Location: Push – With all Crescent Lake resorts, location is one of the biggest selling points. They are all easy to stumble back to after a day of Drinking Around the World at Epcot, enjoying wine seminars during the Food and Wine Festival, or drowning your sorrows after having spent a full day at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Both within walking distance to Epcot via the International Gateway and Disney’s Hollywood Studios is a big deal, and a huge advantage–but it’s one shared by all of these resorts. Friendship boat service is also available from all of these resorts, to that’s another push. Unfortunately, bus service is poor at the Crescent Lake resorts, but once again, that’s a shared disadvantage.
Pools: Beach Club – Swan & Dolphin have some of the most underrated pools at Walt Disney World. However, even their very good pools that would rank highly as compared to most Walt Disney World resorts are far surpassed by Stormalong Bay at Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts.
We probably sound like a broken record at this point, but Stormalong Bay is the gold standard of Walt Disney World pools. This sprawling pool complex 3 acres in size with sand at the bottom, a lazy river, pleasant lounging space, and 230-foot water slide is in a league of its own. This is one of the best amenities in all of Walt Disney World.
Swan & Dolphin’s beautiful grotto pool with rock-work and a waterfall that overlooks a white sand beach is the second-best pool at the Crescent Lake resorts, and there are 4 other pools in addition to it. There are also poolside restaurants, kiddie pools, whirlpools, and more. Still, unless you are an adult who would prefer fewer kids around, this slate of pools cannot add up to Stormalong Bay.
Cost: Swan & Dolphin – If theme is the threshold issue for some Disney fans making the Swan & Dolphin a non-starter, price is the threshold issue for others making Beach Club a non-starter. On any given night of the year, rack rates at Beach Club are at least double the price of Swan & Dolphin. On many nights, that’s closer to 2.5 to 3x the cost. It would take Free Dining with 4 adults in a room at the Beach Club to begin bridging that gap, but even then, Swan & Dolphin offers better value. (With discounts, we’ve managed to book Swan & Dolphin for ~$150/night.)
Things that must be factored in if you’re considering the Swan & Dolphin are the resort fee (currently $25/day). There’s also potentially parking if you have a rental car, but that charge is now at both resorts. Disney’s Magical Express also is not offered to Swan & Dolphin, so you’ll either be more likely to have a rental car here (thus paying that above fee) or paying for Uber to get from the airport.
As regular readers of this blog know, I abhor resort fees and strongly recommend consumers fight back against them. With that said, even after factoring in all of these nickel-and-diming fees, the Swan & Dolphin are still considerably cheaper than Disney’s Beach Club Resort.
Verdict: Swan & Dolphin – I know some hardcore Disney fans are going to view this result as a betrayal. Yes, the Swan & Dolphin’s exterior is garish (counterpoint: when you’re staying inside the hotel, you see it less than those at the Beach Club with views of the Swan & Dolphin 😉 ) and it doesn’t have the same caliber of theme. For me, the difference between a ~$200/night resort (after fees) and a ~$400/night resort (after modest discounts) is too significant to ignore. (This is particularly true as someone who travels elsewhere, earning and redeeming Marriott rewards.)
For most readers who do not view this as heresy, this probably will come down to price v. theme & pool. If money is no object or if you’re one of those families of 4 traveling during Free Dining, Beach Club is a compelling option. We have made no secret of our frugality; as someone with such a perspective, my verdict shouldn’t come as much of a surprise.
Beyond that, for me Swan & Dolphin do a “good enough” job with some semblance of theme–or at least Walt Disney World “bubble immersion.” Staying at the Swan & Dolphin feels to me like staying at a Walt Disney World resort, and the significant amount of money saved helps me sleep easier at night. (Oh, and those Heavenly beds help, too.) This is a divisive topic among Walt Disney World fans, so your mileage may vary.
None of this is to disparage Beach Club or any of the Crescent Lake resorts. We love all of them, and when given the option to use our DVC points at Beach Club or pay out of pocket for Swan & Dolphin, we’ll pick Beach Club every time. Likewise, if money were no issue, we’d also choose Beach Club. Or, if we had kids and wanted it to be a special trip for them. Actually, the list of “exceptions” to my verdict could go on and on. (Finally, I should note that although I’ve used the word “our” at some points in this blog post, these opinions are my own–Sarah does not agree with the outcome of this comparison.)
While we hope this post is helpful in offering a head-to-head comparison of the most crucial elements of each Walt Disney World resort experience, we know it’s not definitive or the final word for every guest. In addition to reading the comments before making your own decision, we suggest supplementing this with our full review of the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Resorts and our Disney’s Beach Club Resort Review.
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
Is money the deciding factor for you, or is theme? Does Stormalong Bay provide enough value for you to help bridge the price gap? Is there another “exception” you can think of to make Beach Club the better pick? Are we missing a key variable that could, potentially tilt the scales in Beach Club’s favor? Do you agree or disagree with our picks? 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!
I have stayed at the Beach Club 2 times &Swan Hotel 1 time. I worked for the Sheraton (Starwood Hotels at one time -2009).
I had a great time at the Swan Hotel & love the Heavenly Beds. The only downsize was not having the Dining Plan or Magical Express. I went early December so the pool was not a factor. The price was good plus to offset the Dining issue, I had my dinner early to save money. I was only there 4 nights/5 days and solo, so it was easy.
What I like about the Beach Club is that it is closest to entrance to Epcot (but still a long walk) & inside the Magic, & of course the pool complex. Beach Club dining is good not great. Swan Hotel dining did not matter, as I was in the parks most of the time. So my verdict is both are good. I would stay at the Swan again faster than Beach Club. The Contemporary is my personal favorite. I would also love to be able to stay at the Grand Floridian again. Stayed there one time in 1994.
This post has me thinking of switching our reservation to swan and dolphin from beach club. My concern is, we booked our dining reservations 180+10 days in advance because we were staying on site. If we change hotels will we lose our ADRs?
Nope. ADRs are not tied to hotel reservations.
We sandwiched in a 2-night stay at the Swan last fall, inbetween stays at AKL and Coronado (which avoided the Magical Express and paid parking issues nicely), and I cannot say enough good things about the Swan now! Really enjoyed the uncrowded Grotto Pool area and the close proximity to everything. I’ve stayed at Yacht Club before, and really liked Stormalong Bay, but pound-for-pound I think the Swan wins out. And I agree that it’s s better to look out FROM than to look AT! The beds were heavenly, indeed, and so was the customer service. Considering the savings that are often on offer and the excellent first experience we had, I would stay there again in a heartbeat. Next time I hope I get more of a chance to try their dining, as that was hard to do during Food & Wine! 🙂
It’s been fun to read the assessments and comments here. I agree with you 100%. That said, cost always plays the trump card. I had read lots of TripAdvisor reviews on dolphin/swan and the place looked kinda dumpy and undesirable and I wouldn’t even consider it. However, on our most recent trip just 2 weeks ago we had to pick up our rental car at dolphin so I had a chance to walk around and check it out. I have to say my opinion has now completely changed. I think swan is very modern, clean and hip from the inside. The pool looks amazing and as far as I’m concerned you are in the Disney bubble because of location . I can go sit at the beach club property and shop there but not have to pay the price. Yes, the outside is garish. On the kid side of things, I pick pop century over beach club any day because of the theming. Kids love the big, colorful icons and it’s so visually fun. And the quick bussing can’t be beat. All in all, if money were no issue, I’d probably choose beach club. But since it is, swan wins.
When looking at online reviews, but sure to look at the date. The Swan & Dolphin just completed a $125 million room redo (last fall), and it’s a night and day difference. I stayed in one of the rooms before, and it was so, so bad. (Like, worse than an All Star.) After is no comparison.
There are additional refurbs ongoing, including the lobby, but the rooms are totally different now.
A huge thing for me are using magic bands to charge to the rooms. I don’t see anyone else who mentioned it. I love buying drinks and quick food with my magic band. It’s so much faster. Reduces receipts, no signature. It means I carry around nothing but a phone and my band. I probably will never stay at the Swan because of that missing convienence. For people with older kids, being able to buy water or snacks on their own with the band is also convenient.
I completely agree with you! I hate carrying cash or even a credit card around the parks. They can too easily be lost.
My parents recently stayed at the Swan and we visited them during the trip. The Swan lobby and hallways are outdated and feel cheap compared to the Beach Club. My parents were unhappy with their room. They are Marriott Platinum members and didn’t have much good to say about their rooms or the resort in general. Having seen the hotel and the rooms, I’d choose the Beach Club without hesitation.
Tom…no mention of spg anywhere which makes the swan and dolphin that much better. If you are a platinum, you get
– free breakfast for 2/3 days at either swan or dolphin
– no resort fees if plat
– late checkout
– room upgrades…we have been upgraded to living room with piano suites on three separate trips
Plus you can use point here…whereas Disney has no rewards program. And those points are the same at peak times, so Christmas on points is an amazing deal.
I agree the atmosphere is not as good and beach pools are way better, but value wise swan and dolphin blow it out of the water.
Lastly, swan is our preferred as its smaller and is first on the bus stop line so you won’t get bypassed with full busses.
I mentioned Marriott points–since the Marriott acquisition of Starwood is now complete, I figured that is the appropriate way to reference this. SPG works, too. (For now, at least.)
Though I don’t think you can use Marriott points yet? You have to convert the, to spg or something.
Still in denial on the merger
I don’t see it mentioned, other than a reference to Marriott staying elsewhere. I imagine it’s in the individual reviews, but worth noting as many business travelers would use it
I was going to comment the same thing. The resort is still technically an SPG property–even though the merger is complete, they haven’t yet merged rewards programs. You have to convert Marriott points to SPG points. It’s not technically correct to call them Marriott hotels–and as we know, “technically correct” is the best kind of correct.
Fair points! 🙂
So I haven’t stayed at Beach Club yet (hoping to this summer!), but I did stay at Swalphin back in 2013 for a work conference. I absolutely loved it. The pools, as you point out, are amazing. The food is outstanding. The meals I had at bluezoo and Il Mulino are definitely among the top meals I’ve had on Disney property. If I had another work trip at Swalphin, sure, I’d extend a day or two after the trip and stay there and visit Epcot for a day or two.
However. It’s completely unreasonable and nonsensical, but I really do just enjoy the experience of staying onsite when I’m doing a full-out Disney vacation. I like ME, I like magic bands & booking FP+ 60 days out. I like the bubble.
I love Orlando and have stayed at many offsite resorts (Waldorf, Hilton Bonnet Creek, Marriott timeshares, etc.) that are great when I’m not doing a “Disney” trip. “Disney” means exclusively Disney parks (even as a UO passholder!) and staying onsite!
Thanks for your work on comparing the resorts! I would definitely love a comparison of the “under construction” Coronado and Caribbean.
I’ve stayed at the Dolphin a dozen times as a kid and have really fond memories. Now in my mid 20’s, my husband and I recently stayed there and it’s still a favorite for me. Could just be nostalgia, but you can’t beat that location for the price. Our room had an amazing view of the entire boardwalk and Tower of Terror. We did not have a balcony, but we are in the parks all day so it doesn’t make a difference to us. Maybe when we have kids we will splurge on the Beach Club, but for now we really enjoy the Dolphin!
Also important to note – you are able to make fastpass reservations 60 days in advance (I originally thought 30 days like all offsites) and you get EMH. However, you do not get Magicbands, but I’m sure most people reading this blog have a few anyway!
My husband and I totally agree with you. The Dolphin is maybe our favorite resort. We went there for our honeymoon and it was wonderful. You’re close to everything and you’re not paying an arm and a leg to be there!
The rooms at the Swan and Dolphin not having balconies is a huge a negative for us. Especially when our when our kids were younger, we would put them to bed and then be able to sit outside and relax by ourselves. We are more rope drop than shutting down the parks people. Sitting on the balcony each evening and chatting about the day with a glass of wine adds so much to our vacation.
Some of the rooms have balconies.
We stayed at the Dolphin and did have a balcony overlooking the water and the Boat Dock it was great, and relatively quiet and peaceful for being right on Crescent Lake.
Before kids, I would have said S and D hands down bc of cost even though yacht and beach is my number one disney hotel. However, now that I have two young children who need car seats, Disney’s magical express has become invaluable. We travel a lot with our kids, and there is nothing more liberating than not having to think about car seats on a trip! Until at least one of our kids is out of car seats, we’ll continue to stay at magical express hotels out of convenience. Now if we are driving to Disney, we would absolutely consider S/D bc I think they offer great value.
Car seats are fairly easy to take on a plane… bu tit is one more thing to have to remember and lug around. When our DD was n a car seat,/booster, we looked forward to DME just for that reason.
We just got back from our first trip as a family with two children ages 3 and 3 months, (not to Disney). When discussing logistics and packing, my husband and I looked at each other and said, “ah…this is why people vacation to Disney when they have babies.” No lugging of car seats or pack n plays required!
I didn’t realize the price difference was that large, the one time I looked at the Swolphin years ago, it was pretty close to the deluxe hotels in terms of price. And most of our trips have been to Values, so I wasn’t really paying attention to the price of the Swolphin or others. Thanks for the information.
You don’t get DME, but you do get EMH and Dinsey busses, right?
Also. Check the website for the Swan Dolphin for other discounts. They do deep discounts for military, nurses, EMTs, and Educators and their support staff. So even a IT person at a university or hospital can get a discount.
We stayed at the Swan in November 2013, it was a last minute trip and our DVC points were already tied up in other reservations. I think we got the room for around $150 per night plus that ridiculous resort fee We got a round trip package in a tow car from and to the airport since magical express was not offered, can’t remember the cost for that. We did like the resort, having stayed at Beach club and Boardwalk I was worried but the location felt just like we were staying at a Disney resort. The bus service was slow and crowded just like BC and boardwalk since they all share but it was nice to have 2 parks that we could walk to. Overall we were pleased with our stay but nothing compares to our DVC villas.
I’m quite pleased with all the views around Crescent Lake having spent a lot of time between Yacht and Beach.
I haven’t stayed or toured Swan and Dolphin so I can’t vote completely unbiased, yet I attend WDW knowing and expecting to be price gouged. That’s unfortunate, but having spent enough to send a kid to a small college I have never regretted an expense or experience at WDW.
For the simple fact that Magical Express isn’t an option, I probably will never use Swan and Dolphin. Additionally, if I’m at WDW during warm months, or most of the year in Florida, my small family will be at Yacht or Beach due to the pool.
Edit, I actually did regret one experience at Disney. We stayed a night at Caribbean Beach having extended departure date and not forking over additional funds for a sleep night at Beach Club, and after spending over a week at Beach Club, club level, the Caribbean was indeed underwhelming. My most disliked aspect, however, was the obscenely long bus ride around Caribbean. The staff there were a bit less capable as well, and Shutters wasn’t any better than the local restaurants.
Back to the point, Beach Club (and Yacht Club) are, for me, phenomenal.
Fair enough points, especially if you’re a big fan of Stormalong Bay! 🙂
I am curious why Disney’s Magical Express would be make-or-break, though. It’s a nice perk, but would be pretty low on my list of reasons to choose a particular resort, especially with an Uber ride costing ~$20 each way at most.
Magical Express handles baggage as well as transportation. Vacation really starts the moment you board the Magical Express. No worries, Disney has you covered.
The other huge reason no Magical Express is a deal breaker is car seats. Our kids are 3 and 1 and we can’t take them in a cab or über without car seats – but can take them on DME without seats.
Ahhh, I didn’t even think of this. Good point about car seats to all who mentioned them! 🙂
Mears does car seats and our trip is usually 70 base plus tip in big van with 3 car seats included and space for strollers. No brained and no wait for magical express. Yes it’s pricey, but once you do it with kids, you never will do anything else.
When it came down to booking our food & wine trip this year we ended up going with the Swan through a great deal with Costco. There were no DVC points to rent at the beach club in the time frame we were looking (didnt want to pay upwards of $300/night), and we were looking a good 10 months before our trip will actually take place. But we wanted the location and decided to take the hit on themeing and stay at the Swan. It won’t be full of disney magic but my wallet will be happier and I can buy myself some in-park magic.
Good point in mentioning DVC point rental. If it were possible to use that to bring the price of one of Disney’s Crescent Lake resorts down to around $250/night, I think this is a *much* closer call. (At that point, I’d give the nod to Beach Club.)
I will never stay at the Swan or Dolphin due to the startling lack of foresight in giving up the “no views of hotels from inside the park” rule. This is Eisner at his worst. Eisner was a bit obsessed with architecture (which is now 90’s dated) and was willing to give in to fancy architects to build the garish, tall buildings which now are a blemish on Crescent Lake. I also made the mistake of eating there (bluezoo) on my last trip and was quite underwhelmed by the experience. But I guess it doesn’t make a difference to me as I typically stay at Shades of Green.
“This is Eisner at his worst.”
Totally agree. The Swan & Dolphin should’ve never been built the way they were, and Eisner’s willingness to make concessions to Graves seems like it was for the sole purpose of Disney being “legitimized” as a company that built important architecture. Ironically, I’d say just about every architectural endeavor with Eisner’s personal involvement is now critically derided (and almost none have aged well).
Still, that wouldn’t stop me from staying there now. It’s not like avoiding them out of protest will cause the Swan & Dolphin to close and be torn down. 😉 That ship sailed decades ago.
Agree 100% with your assessment. I’ve stayed at S&D 25+ on business, maybe 2-3 personal, and Beach Club maybe 5-7, including 1-2 for business. While I love the Beach Club, the 100% cost incremental (or more) is just a deal breaker. There are few hotels in Orlando as nice as S&W for less than $200 and NONE right smack in the middle of WDW.
Yes, S&D can feel corporate at certain times, and for families with multiple kids, maybe Beach is a better fit. But kids don’t know what they don’t know, and my 10 year old and I had a fantastic time at Dolphin recently.
Love this series of articles, interesting stuff.
“But kids don’t know what they don’t know, and my 10 year old and I had a fantastic time at Dolphin recently.”
This is an interesting point. I would guess you run a similar “risk” as a parent in upgrading from Caribbean Beach (for example) to a one-time splurge at Beach Club. If they become attached to Stormalong Bay, you might have a hard time explaining that it was a one time thing. Whereas, if it’s all they’ve experienced, they’re much more likely to love the pirate pool at CBR.
This is true. We made the ‘mistake’ of staying at the Beach Club on our first visit to WDW from the UK. Having experienced Stormalong Bay our kids (and us, to be fair) wouldn’t want to stay anywhere else! We’ll be there again this August and will certainly make the most of the pool in that Florida heat. In terms of BC vs. S&D the Beach Club makes sense for us as a family of 5 as we can all fit into one room. I tell myself that we can justify the expense as we travel during free dining (UK offer).