Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort

What an amazing resort! It's just a short boat ride away from Epcot and Hollywood Studios, and the other parks provide their own bus transportation. The rooms are spacious, although the bathroom is a bit small compared to the room size. The lobby is stunning, and the fountain area offers a lovely dining spot. Overall, it's a fantastic resort, and we would definitely stay here again. Plus, it's very walkable—you can easily walk to Epcot and Hollywood Studios!

The standout features of the hotel include its pool and spa facilities, as well as Fuel, a fantastic breakfast spot located right in the lobby. For those looking for a more satisfying dining experience beyond the usual turkey legs and hot dogs, both Blue Zoo and Shula's are excellent choices. While we personally prefer the nearby Yacht Club and Beach Club resorts, which are also within walking distance of the lagoon and river that connects the theme parks, the Swan Dolphin provides a commendable option and, by Disney standards, good value.

When we checked in late at night after a long drive, we were greeted by an extremely rude woman at the front desk. We had an employee rate form registered under my husband's name, but the reservation was under my name. We've been doing this for over eight years without any issues. The woman's attitude was obnoxious; she made a comment about liking her job and not wanting to lose it over us. When she brought a manager over, he told me that if my husband had really worked for Marriott for eight years, he should know the rules. This was frustrating, especially since we had stayed at the same hotel just weeks earlier with the same form and reservation name without any problems. The issue wasn’t really about the form—I could have easily called to have it switched to my name. It was the rude attitude of the staff that was upsetting. Additionally, my daughter accidentally left her toy from Magic Kingdom in the room. We knew just where it was, but even though we had checked out only five minutes prior, security was unable to find it.

We mainly stayed here for early access to Epcot. We only had one day at the park and want to make the most of it. The hotel is expansive and neighbors Swan. All our Uber drivers had to be redirected to Dolphin vs Swan but I think that’s an Uber map issue. The quick service cafe in the lobby was helpful but can get crowded. The room was nice and cool and well appointed. We had a view of the water which worked well for viewing of the fireworks. The ferry just behind the hotel runs frequently. We arrived at 8:20 and guests with early access were already being let in. The line for Ratatouille was over an hour wait. The ride had a delayed start but we were given a lightning pass for later which was appreciated This is our favorite ride at the park. So we tried to end our day with another ride but it broke down over an hour before closing and sadly we were turned away. We had a late flight home but easily stored our luggage for free at the bell service desk. Then took the shuttle to Disney Springs to watch a movie to stay cool and kill time. Easy peasy. In summary a great stay for early Epcot access. Also the rate we got was reasonable I think because there was some construction but it was barely noticeable and we were unaffected.

We always have a great time when we have stayed at the dolphin. We enjoy eating a fuel, or the other restaurants, the pool, sing fireworks from our room, and overall atmosphere. We love that the hotel is so close to the parks and that the facility offers so many different amenities. I have to give a special shout out to Mohammed from the front desk. He was kind, sincere, genuine, and really made me feel like a valued guest. He showed kindness and compassion when speaking with me and it actually felt like he truly cared. Although overall customer service is good at the Dolphin, this gentleman definitely exceeded my expectations when interacting with him! My husband and I are very impressed and definitely plan to return, one again .