You know you’re a Disney Adult if you just can’t get enough of, well, Disney! If you’re like us, you probably look forward to planning your next Disney World vacation.
What we’ve suddenly noticed about many Disney Adults heading to the theme parks is that more and more of us are booking hotel rooms at non-Disney owned hotels, instead opting for two hotels that are still located on Disney property, but are independently owned — the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin. And there’s a VERY good reason why!
The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resorts and the Swan Reserve are Marriott hotels that are available to stay at right in Disney World. These three resorts are not affiliated with Disney World, but guests here do get special perks.
Guests staying at the Swan, Dolphin, and Swan Reserve get several of the same perks that Disney Deluxe Hotels receive. These include free transportation to the parks, Early Entry, and Extended Evening Hours. You can typically find rooms at these hotels for cheaper than at the Disney Deluxe hotels, so these are great perks for the price point of the hotel!
Not only do you get those perks, but each of the hotels has excellent dining options. We recently got to try the new restaurant, Bourbon Steak by Michael Mina, which opened on July 26th. Along with this restaurant, there are several others, including The Fountain, Amare, Kimonos, and more.
But one of the biggest reasons we see Disney Adults choosing to stay at the Swan and Dolphin, especially in the fall, is for the annual Food and Wine Classic. This is like the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival, but you don’t need a park ticket!
This year, the event will run Friday, November 14, 2025, through Saturday, November 15, 2025, from 5:00 to 9:00 PM on both days. There are food and drinks from each of the restaurants at all three hotels, plus other locations. We go every year and have a very fun and fulfilling time!
The menus for this year were just recently confirmed, and boy, do they look amazing! Last year, we tried several food options, and we were not disappointed. From Baked Corn Dog Bites to Seminole Pumpkin Fry Bread to a Vegan Pan Seared Dumpling and more, everything was unique and tasty. Many of us Disney Adults love getting to try the many foods and drinks around Disney World, and this Food and Wine Classic is another opportunity to do that.
If you enjoy staying on Disney World property, love the perks of free transportation and extra time in the park, and want to enjoy some delicious food and wine outside of a theme park, then you gotta check out the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin. (And don’t forget to get those Marriott Rewards points!)
8 Reasons You’ll Regret Not Staying at Disney’s Swan & Dolphin Resort
Have you stayed at the Disney World Swan, Dolphin, or Swan Reserve? Let us know in the comments!
We just came back from an 8 night trip to Florida and stayed the first 4 nights at the Swan and moved to the Dolphin the last 4 nights for my work conference there. We loved staying at both and greatly appreciated the frequently running free water taxi and bus shuttle options to the Disney parks. So easy! We did prefer staying at the Swan. Queen beds versus double beds at the Dolphin. The Swan also had nicer shower/bathtubs, microwaves on each floor by the ice machine, and better refrigerators. Beds were equally comfortable and service was great at each location. We liked the restaurant options at each hotel too. Tasty food choices!