A Minor Report

[Travisma 1,317]

Doing a quick semi-unplanned trip to WDW 5/30 and 5/31.

The lure of week 3's Star Wars poster is too strong for my daughter to resist. She's flying in from Minneapolis tomorrow morning so we can go back to HS. She was here last weekend for our stay at the Fort. One of the perks for working for an airline, free flights.

We are not camping. We did a lot of searching for a decent inexpensive hotel. Prices are high for this weekend, guess Star Wars is making them desireable. Ones that are usually around $60 were up around the $100 plus range.

We found a room in the Bonnet Creek area using HotWire for $96 total with tax and a $25 discount applied plus a $17 resort fee that we pay at the hotel. This was one of those crap shoot deals that you don't know exactly what you are getting until you book and pay. We were thinking it might be Bonnet Creek, but it could've been a few others.

We took a shot and got ..... The Dolphin!

We had tried booking it earlier for $140 and using a discount code to take $25 off, but it said this hotel doesn't accept discounts. Will wonders never cease.

So our little weekend jaunt looks like it's off to a good start.

[momof3kids-Yvonne 596]

In and first!

Of course everyone else is probably asleep, but hey I'll take First bragging rights however I can get them.

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

In and second!  

[dblr....Rennie 224]

In and third!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Wow. The Dolphin is nice. I don't understand the hotel business. If they had empty rooms, why not offer the discount directly on their website? BTW I heard that passholders can get a free magnet at the Inside Out movie preview in Epcot today (Imagination Pavilion).

TCD

[Littleolwoman.aka.Kristie 119]

In and ready for some Star Wars pics. My boys will be reading over my shoulder. This is one trip they are begging for.

[Travisma 1,317]

Wow. The Dolphin is nice. I don't understand the hotel business. If they had empty rooms, why not offer the discount directly on their website? BTW I heard that passholders can get a free magnet at the Inside Out movie preview in Epcot today (Imagination Pavilion).

TCD

The rules are made to be broken on hotel rezzies anymore. Nothing makes sense especially if you use Hotwire, Priceline, etc.

I was surprised the Travelocity has all the Disney resorts listed on their page, not sure if they are cheaper than going thru Disney itself. That's the site that said the Disney bookings wouldn't accept the discount code. Go to Hotwire, do a blind booking and they did accept the discount.

It used to be if you waited to the last minute to book on those sites you could get really good deals. Seems like the prices climbed from Thursday to Friday.

Looks my my daughters already have us Fast Passed for HS today. If we get settled in, maybe I'll run over to Epcot while my wife and granddaughter relax at the Dolphin.

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

In!! Excited to see how your weekend goes :)

[DramaMama .......... Janet 75]

In.  First page?  Wow, haven't gotten that in a while.  

Have fun.  Congrats on the discount; I love a good deal!

[keith_h 420]

Wow. The Dolphin is nice. I don't understand the hotel business. If they had empty rooms, why not offer the discount directly on their website? BTW I heard that passholders can get a free magnet at the Inside Out movie preview in Epcot today (Imagination Pavilion).

TCD

 

They are worried about the brand, setting a precedence and upset full price customers. By using the other online services they can somewhat hide the discounting and have some plausible deniability. My little brother managed one of the big highrise hotels on International Drive in the 90's and told me walk-ins or last minute reservations could often get a room for their cost as it was better to have the fixed room costs covered than have a room site empty. However he didn't publicize this fact so as to not set an expectation that they would bargain on price when making normal reservations or book conventions. Just to give you an idea his cost was $26 compared to a basic two double bed room rate of $95 at that time.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Can't beat the Dolphin location for HS.

Being a Starwood hotel, I bet they dump rooms on discount sites on a regular basis. Luck of the draw, and good deal for you!

[diane+ not THAT monte 7]

Ready to go .

[Travisma 1,317]

Got home later than planned. We ended up hanging out at the Dolphin more than we had planned and ended the trip at Beaches and Cream.

I'm going to try to upload some photos and start a real report tomorrow.

[Travisma 1,317]

Saturday got up, tossed our luggage and a few extras into the truck and was on the road by 9.

 

It’s a lot simpler packing to go to a hotel than the Fort!  No PUP, no truck bed full of “necessities”, just 3 overnight bags, backpack for the parks, and a granddaughter.

 

It was a decent ride over towards Orlando.  Light traffic, not too hot, rode with the windows down enjoying the morning low temps.

 

We took our time and pulled into the Dolphin around 11 after a detour to the DollarTree to pick up a couple of items.

 

We had been to the Dolphin a few times quite a while ago for our girls dance competitions.  We had never stayed there, since 6 people would require 2 rooms.  We always stayed at the Fort and ran over each morning.

 

But now we were official Dolphinites!  We even got to come in the front entrance instead of the lowly Convention Center doorways!  Whoo Hoo.

 

Check in went pretty quick.  I got into one long line, then realized it was for “special” people that had points, memberships, etc.  Well the laugh was on them, I stepped into the next line and got waited on in a couple of minutes while they were still waiting for their special treatment.

 

Oops, minor glitch.  We had requested a room where we could see fireworks.  The clerk said that if we wanted early check in (11 instead of 3) that we would have to wait.  They had other rooms we could check into right then.  Well an early check in tops a view at any time (since we had a Fantasmic FP anyway and wouldn't be around for fireworks) so I took what was ready.

 

Now when we booked thru Hotwire I paid the room up front, and was told there would be a $17 resort fee payable to the hotel at check-in.  The clerk told me that the resort fee was $23, and then on top of that was an $18 a day parking fee. So now I’m paying extra fees that were about 40% of my room rate.  I explained about the $17 price quoted and that no parking fee was mentioned.  A manager came over, looked at my reservation information and lowered the resort fee to the $17 and waived the parking fee.  Two big thumbs up for great customer service.

 

This place was big!

 

 

 

 

Finally found the way to our room.  We were on 11, not too far from the elevator.

 

The view wasn’t too bad.  We could see AK in one direction, and MK in the other.  Also could see the end of the Yacht Club.

 

 

 

 

Contemporary, Space Mountain barely above the trees, and Cindy's Castle next to the pole.

 

You know you are in a fancy place when they give you Starbucks for the coffee maker.

 

 

We got settled in, then headed poolside.  Plan was to relax then head to HS and meet up with 2 daughters and a granddaughter.  One daughter and granddaughter were at Typhoon Lagoon and the other was enroute from Minneapolis.

 

 

 

 

 

Swan boats are $20 a 1/2 hour

 

 

What’s this?  A real swimming pool with different depths! Call the overbearing safety Czars!  How unsafe, it’s not all 3 feet, how will we ever survive?

 

Well with the amount of people hanging out on the pool deck and the amount of kids enjoying the pool, all was right in the world.

 

We were at the Grotto pool complete with slide and waterfall.  The also had a typical rectangular pool by the bar/café, a single depth big round pool, a kiddie pool, and two hot tubs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was a nice place to hang out, relax, and prep for the HS madness, even though the water temp felt like it was glacier fed.  Frying temps on the pool deck and sub zero in the pool itself.

 

They have a campfire/marshmallow roast, and movies on the beach also.

 

Here's the campfire...

 

 

 

 

Time to head to HS.  We waited for the boat instead of using the walkway, since the Dolphin/Swan is the last stop before the park and we knew we would get plenty of walking in the park.  Of course 2 boats about 4 minutes apart come from the park heading towards Epcot arrive before our overfilled boat pulls up.  Guess the boat schedules are no better than the busses.

 

Wow, bag check line was almost empty.  Same with the turnstiles and we could actually walk thru the plaza without bumping into people!

 

First stop the Passholder posters with a quick picture of Ewok Chip and Dale.

 

 

Tried to get onto the Great Movie ride, but it was an hour wait.

 

Saw Darth Goofy.

 

 

Headed back towards the two special Star Wars stores.  Well they were both about a ½ hour wait so we headed towards the Rebel Hanger to try to get an early dinner.

 

Saw some Storm Troopers

 

 

 

A stroll thru NYC

 

 

 

 

 

Rebel Hanger was reservations only, and if we wanted a walk-in we could get one for an hour and 40 minutes later, so we headed to the Commissary instead.

 

On the way my wife made a new friend.

 

 

 

My GD took a spin

 

 

 

My wife and GD got the kids cheeseburger meals and I got a salad.  Of course Darth and Olaf had to join us for dinner.

 

 

 

 

 

After dinner we went to the greatest show at HS

 

 

 

 

Time to meet up with the rest of the clan over at the Indy Show.  I don’t remember the winding path through the jungle before you got to the seating area, but then again it’s been years since the last time we went to the show.

 

 

 

I don’t know if it was the time of day, because it was Saturday instead of Sunday, or because it wasn’t a Holiday Weekend, but the park was definitely not as crowded as the previous weekend, and not as many over the top dressed up Fanatics.

 

Next up: Characters, shopping, fireworks, shows, and more!

[Dalspot ... Karen 21]

In and on the first page?  Wow.

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

Pretty nice hotel for about $100!  Love the pool area :)

 

Darth Goofy... that's too funny :)

 

Wow, I don't remember this much Star Wars when we were there in October... guess they are really ramping that up!!   

[Travisma 1,317]

Pretty nice hotel for about $100!  Love the pool area :)

 

Darth Goofy... that's too funny :)

 

Wow, I don't remember this much Star Wars when we were there in October... guess they are really ramping that up!!   

It's Star Wars Weekends.

 

Ends 6/14.

 

Next weekend is the last Passholder poster.  Last weekend they wanted proof you were a passholder, either your card, or we showed them out MB passholder slider.

 

This weekend they were handing them out to anyone walking up.  Guess that's why they ran out before my daughters got there.

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

Great start to your trip!

 

I'm always tempted by the Swalphin, but the extra fees add up. Looks nice though, and you got a deal! 

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

It's Star Wars Weekends.

Ends 6/14.

Next weekend is the last Passholder poster. Last weekend they wanted proof you were a passholder, either your card, or we showed them out MB passholder slider.

This weekend they were handing them out to anyone walking up. Guess that's why they ran out before my daughters got there.

Ahhh....gotcha. Personally, I'm glad. Not a huge Star Wars fan. Then again, Tom might have liked it.

[Travisma 1,317]

Great start to your trip!

 

I'm always tempted by the Swalphin, but the extra fees add up. Looks nice though, and you got a deal!

I guess we shouldn't complain, even if we paid all the fees, it would have equaled a one night price before taxes, fees, etc.

But, why not ask to have them dropped, it's all gravy to them.

Hotels and airlines are working hand in hand with these fees that gouge you at every turn.

They know they have you. If you want to stay you will pay.

You would think they would rather have customers drive, then they have less shuttles to run to the parks and airports.

We stayed at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress a few years ago and had to pay our first resort fee. But that fee was $10 and included putt putt, access to the driving range, canoes, kayaks, paddle boats, bikes, huge pools and water slides, etc. Next stay was $15. Now I think it's $20 and a $20 or $25 parking fee.

Parking fees are pure greed, especially when you end up parking a 1/4 mile from the entrance.

[keith_h 420]

I ran into parking fees at a hotel for the first time when Rene and went to Philadelphia to see a friend of mine that was playing The Mann Center. It was $15/day for their enclosed parking deck or $5/day for their protected outdoor parking a block away. Since we were staying fora week I opted for the $5/day lot. The so called protected lot was an unsupervised gravel lot with chain link fence on three sides. If the fee had been optional I would have parked on the street for free.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I'm surprised that Disney doesn't charge a parking fee for the WDW resort hotels.  They charge for parking at the Disneyland hotels, and as Travisma said, these fees are pure profit.  As greedy as Disney has gotten, I am really surprised they've held off as long as they have on this.

 

TCD

[Travisma 1,317]

I ran into parking fees at a hotel for the first time when Rene and went to Philadelphia to see a friend of mine that was playing The Mann Center. It was $15/day for their enclosed parking deck or $5/day for their protected outdoor parking a block away. Since we were staying fora week I opted for the $5/day lot. The so called protected lot was an unsupervised gravel lot with chain link fence on three sides. If the fee had been optional I would have parked on the street for free.

We stayed at a hotel in Salt Lake city and paid to park the one night we had a rental car.

 

They had a very tiny lot for their valet parking and then they had rented spaces in a shared private garage for the self parkers.

 

I could see charging in this situation since it was in a downtown core with little or no parking available, and I think it was about $8.

 

But to be charged to park at a resort hotel, then end up walking a 1/4 mile to the entrance is just greed.  They have the land, the parking lot was built when the place opened years ago, they aren't running shuttles and not even protecting the cars from the elements or break ins.

[Travisma 1,317]

I'm surprised that Disney doesn't charge a parking fee for the WDW resort hotels.  They charge for parking at the Disneyland hotels, and as Travisma said, these fees are pure profit.  As greedy as Disney has gotten, I am really surprised they've held off as long as they have on this.

 

TCD

Don't give them ideas! 

 

I don't think they will do this anytime soon, they want drop ins to visit the hotels and spend $$ at the shops and restaurants.

 

Now they might designate a lot for hourly parking and you get a discount if you purchase an item or food and get a pass from the shop.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Don't give them ideas! 

 

I don't think they will do this anytime soon, they want drop ins to visit the hotels and spend $$ at the shops and restaurants.

 

Now they might designate a lot for hourly parking and you get a discount if you purchase an item or food and get a pass from the shop.

 

True.  And so far, they've gotten away with jacking up rates rather than nickel and diming guests with fees.  But like I said, I won't be surprised when parking fees happen.  It's easy money, and if there's one thing Disney loves, it's money.

 

TCD