Why These Are Some of the Most Underrated Hotels in Disney World

Updated March 25th, 2022

There are a lot of different resorts to choose from when you’re planning your Disney World vacation, and a group of options that many guests overlook is the Walt Disney World Swan, Swan Reserve & Dolphin.

These three resorts are not Disney-owned, but they are located on Disney property and offer a lot of the same guest benefits as the Disney World Resort hotels! Between the dining options, location, transportation offerings, and more, we’re compiling the greatest things about these three underrated resorts!

Here’s why you should consider staying at the Walt Disney World Swan, Swan Reserve, & Dolphin!

Location, Location, Location!

It just wouldn’t be right if we didn’t start off with one of the greatest perks to staying at these hotels — the location! The resorts are located on Crescent Lake which connects Disney’s BoardWalk, EPCOT, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

And, the best part? You can hop on complimentary Disney boat transportation from the resorts to any of these three locations! The hotels share a boat dock and are one of the stops on the continual loop between the parks and resorts that the Disney boats make throughout the day.

Plus, since they are located right in the middle of EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, you are only a short walk away from getting to the parks and Disney’s BoardWalk!

So, you’ll be able to take advantage of some perks that only those staying at the Deluxe Disney Resorts (Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club and Disney’s BoardWalk Inn) normally receive.

And, both the Swan, Swan Reserve, and Dolphin offer free bus transportation to Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney Springs, and the water parks!

Dining Options

Another great thing about these resorts is that they have TONS of dining options — over 20 total! So, you can choose to have a nicer meal at one of the eight sit-down restaurants such as Garden Grove…

…or you can opt for a faster meal from Picabu (a “buffeteria”), a light breakfast from Java or Grounds, or stop at one of the 10 bars/lounges in the hotels.

Just keep in mind that the three hotels are technically separate and dining options are located in all of them, though guests can choose to dine at the restaurants in any of the resorts during their stay.

Use Travel Points

For those who are frequent travelers, a huge benefit of choosing to stay at the Walt Disney World Swan, Swan Reserve, & Dolphin is that you can actually book with your Marriott Bonvoy Rewards Points!

The hotels are considered a Category 6 by Marriott Bonvoy, so the point pricing is 40,000 during off-peak times, 50,000 during standard seasons, and 60,000 during peak seasons per night.

Plus, if you’re a Marriott Bonvoy Rewards member you can sometimes receive extra perks here, like free breakfast buffets and more. And, if you aren’t using points, you will earn points during your stay!

Disney World Resort hotels don’t offer any ability to use travel points, so this can be a huge money saver if you’ve got some travel points stored up!

Pricing

And, even if you’re not using travel points, these hotels are priced pretty low for how much you are getting access to and the location.

Depending on the time of year that you are planning your Disney World vacation, you can find room rates for as little as $192 (plus tax, resort fee, and parking) per night.

So, the pricing is pretty comparable with Disney’s Moderate Resorts, though you’ll be getting access to more dining options and will be conveniently located within walking distance of two Disney parks.

So, are you thinking about checking out the Walt Disney World Swan, Swan Reserve, & Dolphin on your next trip? You can learn more about the hotels and take a tour with us in our video below!

And, stay tuned for more Disney World vacation planning tips and tricks!

Check out the Best Off-Site Hotels for Your Walt Disney World Trip

Have you ever stayed at the Walt Disney World Swan, Swan Reserve, & Dolphin? Let us know in the comments!

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