Guests of Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin - including the new Walt Disney World Swan Reserve will be able to participate in Early and Extended Theme Park Entry

Jul 16, 2021 in "Walt Disney World Swan Resort"

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Posted: Friday July 16, 2021 11:11am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Starting in October, as part of The World's Most Magical Celebration,' guests of the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin will be able to enjoy extra time every day in the Walt Disney World theme parks with early theme park entry and extended evening theme park hours.

Walt Disney World Swan Resort

Until today, there had been some uncertainty if the Swan and Dolphin would be eligible for the additional park hours in the same that Disney resort hotels guests are.

Early Theme Park Entry

Starting October 1, 2021, guests of the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin will be able to enjoy more fun with 30-minute early entry to any Walt Disney World theme park, every day - available at all 4 Walt Disney World theme parks.

For early theme park entry, guests will need valid admission, a park reservation and Resort ID.

Extended Evening Theme Park Hours

Also beginning in October, guests of the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin can enjoy extended evening hours—experiencing select attractions, shops and dining after regular park hours—in select theme parks on select nights.

Together with early theme park entry, guests of the hotels will get to arrive earlier and stay later to maximize their time in the parks during “The World’s Most Magical Celebration!”

Specific dates and parks for extended evening hours will be shared later.

For extended evening hours, guests will need a valid Resort ID, valid admission and a theme park reservation for the same park on the same day. (Or a ticket or annual pass with the Park Hopper Option, provided you entered the park where you made your reservation earlier in the day.)

The Walt Disney World Swan Reserve concept art

Both benefits will be available to guests of the hotel’s newest addition, the Walt Disney World Swan Reserve, opening later this summer.

Discuss on the Forums

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SandurzJul 17, 2021

The other thing about Mears buses is they have to go through the regular parking gates, which can impact morning drop off times. I’ve been in a Lyft next to one waiting the 5-10 minutes you might sit if you’re arriving close to rope drop, could have been a fluke (and I haven’t ridden one myself so it might not matter) but it seemed less than ideal

DfromATXJul 17, 2021

I was going to ask if that was doable. I agree that's probably a much better idea.

PolynesianPrincessJul 17, 2021

We just walked over to Boardwalk to use the buses when we stayed at Dolphin in April. So much easier than waiting for the buses at the Dolphin. At AK they drop off over where the ride shares pick up and we took the bus back twice and waited awhile for the buses to come. They come twice an hour.

DfromATXJul 16, 2021

Thank you! I will definitely plan some extra time for transportation.

Weather_LadyJul 16, 2021

They do -- but it's no longer provided by Disney. They've contracted with Mears instead. As @bee noted above, the drop-off locations are also different. They now drop off and pick up at the TTC/AK parking lot in the areas for charter buses, not Disney resort buses. Supposedly the Mears buses are also a little less frequent than Disney buses -- 30 minutes in between instead of 20ish.

DfromATXJul 16, 2021

OK thank you. I did not realize that. I've never stayed at the Swan or off property before.

beeJul 16, 2021

Yes and no. Currently bus access "to MK" actually goes to the TTC instead of the MK bus stops, so you have to take the monorail or ferry over. Bus service to AK is normal but perhaps less frequent than from other resorts. Friendship Boats to Epcot and DHS are running as usual.

jpinkcJul 16, 2021

Yes I believe its part of the 100 year lease deal for the property the hotel sits on. They built the hotels and Disney owns the land it sits on.

DfromATXJul 16, 2021

And the cons are not really cons to me. :)

Horizons '83Jul 16, 2021

Not to sound like I work for Marriott or anything (I promise I don't!) but here is a list I put together about the pros and cons of the S&D in another thread that might be helpful: https://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-swan-dolphin.973698/post-9865690

DfromATXJul 16, 2021

I will, thank you. This will be our first time staying there. It looks really nice so I'm pretty excited.

Horizons '83Jul 16, 2021

Good move👍 Keep checking the rates on the Marriott website leading up to your trip. They typically go down a bit. Can’t hurt to check every so often.

DfromATXJul 16, 2021

We'll be there in January. Originally we were booked for CBR, but then I found out the skyliners would be down while we're there so I changed to the Poly. Then after thinking about it some more (the cost and lack of perks), I decided to change again to the Swan. It was $1,000 less than the Poly!! And now today with this news, I am very happy and feel like I made the right decision. (Just yesterday I called and asked them if these perks were included and they told me no.) Yay!!

Horizons '83Jul 16, 2021

You know I hear this a lot but I still find much better rates at the S&D then Disney resorts. In August, I'll be staying at the Swan, all in (resort fees/taxes) for $221 a night. Where else are you going to find that within walking distance to 2 parks? I understand it fluctuates for sure, and they are more expensive than 10 years ago but I still mange to find great rates. In my mind its a deluxe resort, at the bottom tier. Come January we will be using points to stay at the Swan Reserve, right now they are priced high at around $450 a night, but it won't stay that way unless there is a convention/conference.