StarwoodGuy: Birthday Trip to Disney World and Universal Studios!

At the end of May my friends treated to me a great trip to DisneyWorld Orlando and Universal Studios. I had not been to the Disney World Park since I was a teenager growing up in Toronto and I am a big Disney fan so I was really looking forward to the trip. We flew over on Alaska Airlines direct which was quite simple. Upon arrival in Orlando we had hoped for an Uber but apparently they can only drop off not pick up so a taxi had to suffice to get us to the twin Walt Disney World Dolphin and Swan Hotels.

Many will tell you that you need to stay at a Disney property when in Orlando to get extra benefits such as the early or late park entry, and it is well worth doing so. Fortunately the Swan and Dolphin are both classified as Disney properties though they are Starwood managed. Upon entering the two hotels it is clear that the Dolphin is a Sheraton and the Swan is a Westin, so if you have a preference keep that in mind. We were at the Dolphin which was said to have better views from many of the rooms of the Epcot fireworks which we found to be true.

The hotels themselves are very 1990's and with that in mind the Swan was currently being updated. The Dolphin is presumably up next. There is a separate Gold and Platinum line at check in which made a big difference at the busy resort saving us at least thirty minutes, a few more staff members at check in would have been helpful. We had to argue a little to get a suite upgrade and were told that Disney limits the amount of benefits that can be dished out to platinum members. We opted for the breskfast as our platinum amenity and paid the extra $8.00 per person a day to have it upgraded to the full buffet which was very good and can be had at either the Swan's restaurant or the Dolphin's, but on Saturday and Sunday the Swan has a character breakfast so on the Sunday we made our way offer there to enjoy the company of Chip, Dale, and Pluto.

The suite we were given was a little outdated but it had a large King bed, sitting area with pull out sofa, and a full dining table. A walk in closet area with a sink was handy before entering the toilet shower area which had another sink, this helped in getting ready. We also had a wet bar area which was great for hosting our other friends who were in different rooms. The hotel had a very good gym, several pools shared between the two resorts, Swan paddle boats to take out on the river, and beach volleyball. Outdoor Disney movies were aired on the beach weather permitting along with smores and the pool bar was very good if a bit pricey. The Todd English Bluezoo restaurant in the hotel was exceptional and well worth a stop for dinner when not heading into Downtown Disney.

One of the best things about the Swan/Dolphin location was the ability to walk to Epcot and Disney's Hollywood Studios or to take the boat service, though this service was slower then simply walking. The shuttle bus service to Downtown Disney, the Animal Kingdom, and to the Magic Kingdom itself was reliable but often quite crowded. For a day at Hogwarts in Universal we were fortunate to have friends pick us up otherwise it would have meant a cab ride.

I will not go too much into the parks themselves, but I loved the Harry Potter rides at Universal, Animal Kingdom was a surprise hit as was the Aquarium aspect at Epcot and its many restaurants, but of course I am still in love with Mickey and the Magic Kingdom. Going back from midnight until 2:00am with the extended hours and with most of the little kids in bed was a real treat since the lines were non-existent.

Though the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin may be a bit dated and lack some of the excitement of Disney's Polynesian Resort or some of their other properties, the hotels had good amenities at a much more affordable price with plenty to do on site. The fact that you could walk into Epcot for dinner or drinks if you had a Park Hopper Pass was a great feature, and the surrounding areas including Disney's Boardwalk Hotel and its great walkways along the river make for great spots for coffee or drinks without having to make the trek to Downtown Disney. Another great stay!