Resort Review: Walt Disney World Swan Reserve
On our most recent trip to the Most Magical Place on Earth, we got to stay at one of the newest properties on the block – the Walt Disney World Swan Reserve. This hotel is Marriott Autograph Collection meets Disney Select Deluxe Resort, and in summary, we loved it!
Just like its sister properties, the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin, the Walt Disney World Swan Reserve is technically a Marriott hotel on Disney property. This is great news if, like me, you or your spouse travel a lot for work and you have a lot of Marriott points racked up. The property is a Marriott Category 6 hotel, if you’re a points person. Thanks to my husband, we were able to book our stay on points. Is this what it feels like to be a DVC member?
Transportation and Location
The Swan Reserve is located a short, 10-minute walk from the Boardwalk and is walkable to both Disney’s Hollywood Studios and EPCOT. You can reach both parks by boat as well, which picks up between the Swan and Dolphin. For the Kingdoms, Animal and Magic, you can catch a bus from the resort bus stop, but note the Magic Kingdom bus will drop you off at the Ticket and Transportation center, meaning you’ll need to monorail or boat to the MK, and the Animal Kingdom bus will drop you just a short walk to the park. There is a Disney Springs bus as well!
Rooms
The Swan Reserve offers both EPCOT and Hollywood Studios views, and we were able to stay in a traditional Studios view room. Ever watched and/or performed Fantasmic from your room’s window? Let’s just say it’s a blast. The rooms themselves are standard for Marriott – lovely but not a lot of theming. The hotel offers several suite options, which would be perfect if you are traveling with kids.
Amenities
The hotel boasts a pool (though it was closed for refurbishment during our stay) and fitness center, which we did not experience because we ran a half marathon. John, who also ran a half marathon and also exercised, told us it was nice. As a Swan Reserve guest, you also have access to amenities at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin, including the pools, Camp Dolphin childcare for potty trained children, fitness classes and the Mandara Spa.
Dining
The Swan Reserve offers three main dining options, and we experienced all three more than once during our stay! The first is a quick service option – Grounds, a coffee shop with grab-and-go snacks and bevs. We loved the crafted lattes and coffee drinks, and though we weren’t the biggest fan of the breakfast sammies, we loved the smoothie and hashbrowns. Need a can of rosé or a bottle of wine for back in the room? Grounds has got you. They’ve even got branded wine openers for purchase – genius! The second, Amare, is a table service restaurant serving Mediterranean fare. We enjoyed both a dinner and post-race breakfast here. For dinner, we loved the wine flight (duh), salad and skewers, and for breakfast, you have the option to order from the menu or choose the breakfast buffet. Clearly, we chose the buffet. This was so clutch to come back to after the race! It was fairly easy to get a table for both meal times. Finally, the Swan Reserve features a lounge, Stir. This lounge is open in the evenings and is perfect for a cocktail or late night snack. They feature a selection from the Amare menu, such as the skewers and flat breads.
Overall, we loved our stay here, and it’s definitely a resort we’d recommend, especially if you’re a Marriott person. Another resort checked off on our quest to stay at every Disney property! Where should we stay next?