We want to hear from you! -- Help others plan their trip!

Heidi Stanton - October 2005

I recently visited WDW Oct. 7-14 and stayed at the Dolphin. My husband was there attending a conference. He received a special discounted rate, which seemed to equal discount room. We asked for a King bed, got doubles. The view was of the back of the hotel, delivery area, and trucks backing up could be heard at all hours. The room was slightly shabby and they charged $7.00 a day to park, $14.00 if you used valiet service, which was a total surprise. The fountain resturant was closed, but we only found this out when trying to find it. The only bright spot was the Mandara Spa. Fantastic! Jennifer was the best technicition I have ever encountered.

*****

Charlene - October 2005

All Ears Discount at the Dolphin: Just returned from a trip to WDW for the wine festival, Halloween Party etc. We're a family of 4 from New England and have gone to WDW about 2-3 times a year for the last 15 years. We usually get the annual pass discount and have stayed at all the premium and moderate resorts several times. We decided not to get the annual pass this time and were looking for a deal. I've been a subscriber to All Ears for quite some time and WDWIG is one of my favorite places to visit on-line. So... I booked a stay at the WDW Dolphin from Oct 9 - Oct 13 on the All-Ears discount. We were treated beautifully and were upgraded to a patio room looking at the beach and pool area. Our stay went absolutely perfectly and the rate was very affordable. Thanks for all the hard work that you do and all the effort that you put in. The information that you provide and the All Ears discounts that you have worked out are extraordinary!

*****

Paula - June 2005

We just returned from a stay at the Dolpin and it was GREAT. We booked through Expedia, got a good rate. But wanted to pass along that if you are a Starwood Preferred Guest member, show your card at check in. We got a room upgrade and also got an unexpected "Kids Eat Free" card for each of our kids, good at several restaurants on the Swan/Dolphin complex. This saved us about $40 for each day we stayed. The onsite restaurants had wonderful breakfast and dinner buffets and the kids enjoyed the Disney characters at the dinner buffet each night at Gulliver's in the Swan. Palios had wonderful Italian food.

We had a 4 p.m. flight our last day and at check in we asked for a late checkout, which they could not guarantee. So we asked again the night before checkout- again, no guarantee. So we asked AGAIN the morning of our departure and they agreed to let us checkout at 2 p.m.

Service was good, resort transportation ran often and was very convenient. We took the launch to MGM and Epcot, the bus everywhere else. It would be hard not to stay at the Dolphin again the next time we go back.

*****

Elisabeth O. - January 2005

As someone who likes to stay at Disney's resorts, I was a little hesitant about a stay at the Dolphin, but the price was right. I must say that I was pleasantly surprised. We left the Dolphin feeling pampered and relaxed.

I think that the beauty of the Dolphin rooms is really in the details. Needless to say, the Heavenly Beds are out of this world! We also loved the shower curtain rod that curves outward, making the shower space much larger. We liked the vanity area across from the sink (it provided extra room when getting ready in the mornings). The resort's location is also wonderful, as were the staff we encountered.

The only minor problem we encountered was a little bit of confusion in the valet area when we were coming to check in, which was quickly resolved. We would happily return to the Dolphin!

*****

Terry Wallbridge - January 2005

I have recently returned from an 8 day stay at the Dolphin and would recommend the resort to everyone. This was my 11th trip to Disney and I thought the location of the hotel was fantastic. There is a lovely walk to the back entrance of Epcot and the "friendship boats" to Epcot and MGM made a great alternative way of travelling around. As this was my first trip to Disney alone, I found the layout of the hotel ideal as it doesn't involve walking to your room outside in the dark.

My only comment about this site's review would be that "there is a small sitting area with a table and two chairs" didn't apply to my room which only had a bed. However, that didn't put me off and I'll definitely be staying there again

*****

Lisa Ignjatovic - November 2004

My husband and I just returned from a two night stay in the Dolphin resort celebrating my birthday. We were able to get the $129.00 rate through All Ears. We had already booked a room, but the reservationist was more than willing to switch the rate when I called back. They automatically upgraded us to a room with two balconies because it was my birthday. The view was wonderful. The beds were so comfortable I really didn't want to leave!!

We had one minor problem with the room. I called and they said they would send someone to fix it immediately. It wasn't fixed, but they took money off the room rate. All in all it was worth the money. The location was ideal. We were able to walk to the Boardwalk. It was truly a "magical" vacation. If you can get the reduced rate, it is really worth the money!!

*****

Susan M. - November 2004

Just got back from a 7 night stay at the Dolphin and was very impressed with the room, the lobby, the pools, the service, and especially those heavenly beds! I always said I would NEVER stay at a non-Disney resort, as I usually stay at the Beach Club or Boardwalk, but there were no rooms available so I booked at the Dolphin. I was not disappointed. I would highly recommend staying there to anyone, especially someone like me, who thought it would ruin my vacation! (Although I did have pangs of sadness when going to the Beach Club store!)

I booked with the Allearsnet rate and upgraded to a room with a balcony. I would have tried the Club Level room, but they do not come with a balcony, so I opted for a regular room and was glad I had the balcony. It would have been a bit close without it for a week. Our view was of Epcot and the Boardwalk area and we enjoyed the Epcot fireworks from out 9th floor balcony. There were two very large conventions and all the rooms were taken mostly by them, but we really did not bump into them at all during our stay. I thought they would be overwhelming at the pools, but we only saw them one day and they had a pool to themselves.

Overall, I would stay here again if I could not get a room at the Beach/Yacht Club, or Boardwalk, especially at such a great rate.

*****

Sherry - October 2004

My husband and I have taken our kids to Disney World every year since they were 4 and 7. They are now 21 and 24. We have never missed a year. 17 years in a row and always stayed on "Disney" property- Beach Club, Yacht Club,Grand Floridian, Wilderness Lodge, and Contemporary. Never ever had a bad experience untill last October. Because of the hurricane, our trip was postponed. When rescheduling, the only hotel with rooms was the Dolphin. We were assured it was a "Disney" property. If it had not been we would not have stayed there.

It was a nightmare!! The sign out front said "Walt Disney World Dolphin". We found out upon checking in that we could NOT use our room key to charge on through out the park. We never carry much cash because we know we can use our room keys and pay with a credit card at the end of the trip.

It was down hill from there.The room we got was much smaller and the carpet was wrinkled and filthy. (we were told they were in the process of "remodeling"). There were no "Disney" amenities anywhere! No Mickey soap, NOTHING! It wouldn't have been so bad had we not been paying MORE for this room than the one at the Beach Club where we were supposed to be staying. When we complained to the manager the most the hotel offered us was a free Character Breakfast and we had to go next door to the Swan Hotel to get that! Upon our arrival home we immediately started writting letters and making phone calls with our complaints. After THREE months we were reimbursed 1000.00 of the 5000 we spent. The first time in 17 years we did NOT have a magical time!!! The reason I am telling you this is I just want people to know that at the Dolphin and Swan you DO NOT have the same privileges and treatment that "real" Disney properties offer. I took the word of another guide to Walt Disney World about the Dolphin. It gave it great reviews and listed it with the other deluxe hotels. That's why we stayed there. It was truly a nightmare!

*****

Amy H - July 2004

We just returned from a 6 night stay at the Dolphin. This was our first visit to this resort and it has now become our favorite! Check in was a breeze. My son mentioned that while we were there we would also be celebrating his birthday. That night after we returned from the parks there was a piece of cheesecake waiting in our room with a note to him saying "Happy Birthday"! Our room was located in the west wing which is close to the bus transportation area, Daisy's Garden Gift Shop and the swimming pools. The Heavenly beds were truly that! They have got to be the most comfortable beds on property. This resort provides a personal touch that we have yet to experience at any other Disney resort

*****

Jen Dalton - April 2004

We decided to give the Dolphin a try for our Easter 2004 trip and were so glad we did! Upon our arrival after 12 am were delighted to discover our wonderful upgrade to a deluxe room with a balcony! Our check in was quick and flawless! The staff was courteous and helpful! I had called earlier in the day to remind them of our late check in and to also ask if a crib would already be in the room. The wonderful woman on the phone assured me it would not be a problem and true to her word the crib was set up and ready to go!

Although we did not have a renovated room as we were on the 9th floor our room was very clean and well kept. The balcony was wonderful and my husband and I spent many nights eating dessert on the balcony while catching some of the fireworks from Illuminations! It was magical!

While at the Dolphin we used the pool almost every day for our mid day break. It was simply awesome! We ate at Tubbi's many times for a quick breakfast. We loved the onion rings from the Dolphin fountain and breakfast at fresh was delicious.

Don't be afraid to stay here if you are a family.. Although there were conventions going on we did not notice them. What we did notice was a superb location, a wonderfully helpful staff and a first class resort! We are planning to return to spend Christmas 2005 with our family!

*****

Angela Themes - December 2003

My husband and I stayed at the Dolphin during the first week of December 2003. I had been a bit of a snob about the Dolphin not being a "real Disney" hotel. I thought it would not live up to Disney standards. I WAS SO WRONG!

Every person was truely a "cast member". They went out of their way to make sure everything was perfect. While we were there, there were 2 conventions. You would never have known that the hotel was catering to business functions. You would have thought that only people at the hotel were there for a Disney vacation. The boat transportation to Epcot and Disney-MGM was wonderful. We never had to wait for more than 5 minutes for a boat. We liked it so much better than the bus transportation to Downtown Disney and Animal Kingdom. While visiting, we were "stranded in Florida" because of a snowstorm. The cast member at the front desk made sure we were able to stay in our same room for the additional night. I know of at least 1 other teacher who needed the additional night who was also "stranded" and they were able to stay in their original rooms too. I have raved so much about our experience, that teacher friends who have stayed at other Disney resorts in the past or had ne ver thought to go to Disney as an "adult only" getaway are making plans to stay at the Dolphin.

*****

J. Knox - December 2003

My wife and 1-yr. old stayed at the Dolphin December 15-19. Absolutely incredible stay. The staff was extremely friendly and helpful the entire week. The staff called our second night to see how we were enjoying our room, and I just mentioned the seperate vanity seemed a little dirty. Ten minutes later, (8:30 at night) housekeeping is at our door to take care of the problem.

The huge Christmas tree in the lobby was magnificent, especially during the tree-lighting ceremony each night.

Our room was on the 15th floor center above the giant sea-shell fountain. That meant we got to see the Swan, Boardwalk, Epcot, and MGM from the huge bay window in the room. Being able to watch "Reflections of Earth" at Epcot everynight from the room was quite a treat. The view alone was worth the price of the room.

Being there the week before Christmas was incredible, as the resorts were all decorated, but the crowds didn't arrive until our last day. We never waited more than 10 minutes for any attraction, which was great given we had an infant with us. As they say, timing is everything.

Once again Disney delivered. And if you take your pets, the Epcot Kennel took wonderful care of our dog, and for only $8 per night, you can't beat the price. Highly recommend the Dolphin.

*****

J. Montgomery - June 2003

My family just returned from a June 2003 trip to Disney and the Dolphin. The service there was outstanding. The valets were very friendly upon our arrival. Check-in was very easy. The massive lobby was confusing, but our valet showed us exactly how to navigate the lobby and the quickest exits to the Disney Transportation. When I called guest services to report the key was missing in the in-room safe, security was there in ten minutes to open the safe and give us a key. We enjoyed the grotto pool which is excellent for viewing Epcot's fireworks. When we left a package on a Disney bus, guest services connected me immediately to DisneyCentral Lost and Found. Our package was never turned in so I hope someone is enjoying my daughter's Ariel dress-up wig!

The location between Epcot and MGM is wonderful. The boat service to Epcot and MGM is a great alternative to the buses. The character breakfast at the Coral Cafe was WONDERFUL. The food was great, and we got to see Goofy, Pluto, and Chip and Dale. No priority seating was required. We will definitely return to the Dolphin if they continue to give overworked, underpaid teachers a discount!

*****

Sandy Volden - May 2003

My 3 year old daughter and I stayed at the Dolphin for Mothers' Day weekend, and it is now both of our favorite resorts!

I loved jogging around the boardwalk and walkway to MGM and lounging on the hammocks on the beach, and Ellie especially enjoyed the grotto pool, playground, and seal sand lot (the seal sprays water out of his mouth when you press a button). The location is tops (I left my room at 9:45 am and was able to walk to EPCOT in time for the Princess Storybook breakfast priority seating for 10:10. You never have to go through the ticket and transportation center as buses (or boat if you're going to MGM or EPCOT...or you can walk) go directly from the hotel to the parks.

Dining at the Swan Dolphin is the best kept secret that I'm somewhat reluctant to share. Character meals were pretty much empty when we were there (perhaps 4 or 5 other families), so the characters (although not has many ! as at other meals) had a lot of time to interact with the kids. This was my 3 year olds 7th trip to WDW (11th if you count Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland) and she says this is her favorite hotel (she's stayed at Caribbean Beach, Contemporary, All-Star Movies, and Shades of Green) and even ranks it up there with the "Mickey Boat" (DCL...she's been on 4 cruises and knows what she's talking about!).

A+++ and I say this despite a maintenance problem that unfortunately could not be fixed (half our carpet was soaked...rm 9-196). The staff was very friendly, apologetic and tried to help as best they could. When I said it was too much trouble for us to switch rooms, they credited me $50 which I was thankful for but thought unnecessary. Afterall, we weren't in the room much at all!

*****

Lori Wedeking - March 2003

I stayed for about a week in early March 2003, most nights on the nurses' discount rate. The room was a typical hotel room, one of the very few on the wings that did not have a balcony. It was a long distance from where one enters the hotel from either the bus or the boat, but many rooms could have been even a longer distance. Check-in was a bit strange. Basically, I was just handed a key and told my room number. I was so taken aback that it took me a bit to recover myself and verify what I was paying for the room. I couldn't decide if this was poor customer service or was an attempt to provide business customer service. The hallways in the hotel seemed tired and worn. I found the hotel lay-out a bit confusing -- three elevator systems going to different parts of the hotel. Packages from the parks are delivered to the hotel, but guests are not notified that packages have arrived; one has to check with the gift store.

The hotel is nicely located for those who want to spend time primarily at MGM or EPCOT. I found boat service after Illuminations to be plentiful.

The required "resort fee" means one has a coffee pot in the room, so I used Tubbi's to pick up orange juice or milk in the evening when returning, and had breakfast in my room most days. That helped to even out the $10 resort fee a bit.

I like the location, and would stay at the hotel again as a way to save money during peak times, but truly prefer other resort areas.

*****

On Friday 4/25 we stayed at the Dolphin Resort (we made reservations under All Ears!!) I just had to write to let you know that we were blown away by the staff of this resort. It was my 34th trip to Disney. The view from our room was the best I have ever seen! The staff was so nice and caring and just wanted to be sure we had everything that we needed. We could see the Boardwalk Resort, Downtown Disney, Cresent Lake, Downtown Orlando and many other beautiful sites. Our stay was the best ever, and I know that on our next trip we will be staying at the Dolphin!!!! (Joyce and Michael Blair, April 2003)

*****

Out of all the Walt Disney World resorts, I think the Dolphin is my favorite. It has spacious rooms, good places to eat, great pools, several shops, and many other amenities. The Dolphin hotel is also really close to both Epcot and the Boardwalk. It's great to do a little shopping on the Boardwalk or to catch Illuminations, after a long day at the parks. Also, the coke floats at the soda fountain are great. Additionally, Tubbi's is a great place to grab a late-night snack. The Dolphin has many pools, including a lap pool and a big pool with a waterslide and waterfall. There is also several hot tubs tucked away in little areas near the pools. They have great activities at the pool, too. Some of the things I have done include sand castle building and a hula-hoop contest. Also, this resort has the Friendship boats for transportation to Epcot and MGM. The ferries are a relaxing alternative to the crowded Diney buses. Liza Wiley