As a wheelchair user (no car), and if the Dolphin Resort was slightly cheaper, would you stay at Pop Century Resort?

[RaySharpton]

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As a wheelchair user (no car), and if the Dolphin Resort was slightly cheaper, would you stay at Pop Century Resort?

With all of the changes going on and being 70-years very old and other things, which resort would you stay at?

I have a reservation at Pop Century Resort and I like the room and extra space with the fold-up bed/bed and the large roll-in shower.

I'll probably stay there.

But with all this talk of the MEARS' bus transportation instead of the WDW bus transportation at the Swan and Dolphin Resort, I was sure I wouldn't want to bother with the wheelchair lift. I don't mind using the DME to and from the airport.

The Swan Resort is more expensive. The Dolphin Resort Fee is included in the total cost. With no car, I can decline the daily parking Fee if required. And if I sign up for the Marriott Bonvoy program, I won't have to pay for the WiFi daily fee.

But to use the MEARS' bus transportation every day from the Dolphin Resort is different. The bus takes more time and a very small space. I would have to maneuver backward off of the lift with a narrow entrance and avoid a small obstruction along with the bus bathroom located right next to the lift bus side entrance. Then turn 90-degrees in a tight space to face forward on the bus.

Plus the MEARS bus lift doesn't deploy automatically like a WDW bus ramp. The bus driver has to manually pull the lift parts out and put it together like a transformer toy. And then he has to go back inside the bus to strap me down. Then go back outside and repack the lift into the bus.

So, what would your list of Advantages versus Disadvantages be?

Both have a roll-in shower.

Would you stay at the Pop Century Resort or the Dolphin Resort if the total cost of staying at the Dolphin Resort was slightly cheaper?

Here is my list.

Pop Century Resort Advantages.
I've stayed there before and liked it.
I like the extra space with the fold-up bed/table.
I like the roll-in shower (especially compared to the BWV).
Skyliner to two parks and two resorts
WDW buses 100% With ramps.
Relaxing Lake.
Two food courts.
Everything POP Shopping & Dining
Petals Pool Bar
Landscape of Flavors
The Drop Off Pool Bar

Pop Century Resort Disadvantages.
Restricted food court. (I realize restricted food options everywhere).
No food court microwave for reheating cold meals.
Possible long Skyliner lines, mainly in the morning going to DHS.
No bus to DHS or EPCOT
If the Skyliner goes down (lightning or mechanical) and in line at PCR Skyliner, hoping a bus will substitute and having to travel from Skyliner line all the way to the front of the PCR bus area.

I'm tired, maybe you can fill in what I missed

Marriott Dolphin Resort Advantages.
Slightly cheaper. (no car, parking fee, and free wifi with special sign-up).
Inside door entrance.
Very nice relaxing lake surrounded by sidewalks even to two parks and five other resorts.
Within wheelchair rolling distance to more restaurants.
The Roll-in shower looks good.
Comfy chair
Rolling table.
Highrise with possible nice views
Restaurant etc.
The Fountain
Fresh Mediterranian Market
Shula's Steak House
Todd English's Bluezoo
plus options at Swan, Boardwalk, Yacht, and Beach Club.

Marriott Dolphin Resort Disadvantages.
MEARS bus with lift with only 10% fleet total (all buses used, not just WDW).
Possible fewer buses with lifts to go to MK, AK and AK parks with longer wait times if a bus doesn't have a lift.
Possible no Friendship boats to S/D dock (speculation).
Double beds and less space.
Not a Disney feel.
Picabu restaurant 24-hour closed
Resort fee. (included in total cost).
Swan more expensive.

 

[RaySharpton]

It looks the Friendship boats will dock at the S/D dock afterall.

Disney’s FriendShips to Resume Guest Service to EPCOT, Hollywood Studios on November 1 - Laughing Place Disney - Oct 23, 2020

Another mode of Walt Disney World transportation will resume guest service next month. Starting on November 1st, Disney’s water transports, aptly named FriendShips, will sail guests from their hotels to EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

[QUOTE

• Disney’s FriendShip boats will sail once again transporting resort guests from their hotels to parks.
• Disney has announced that FriendShip boats will resume full service for the EPCOT-area resorts between International Gateway at EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios beginning November 1.
• Boats will operate with physical distancing measures in place.
• FriendShip boat service will dock at:
  • EPCOT International Gateway
  • Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts
  • Disney’s BoardWalk Resort
  • Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Hotels
  • Disney’s Hollywood Studios
• Service to Disney’s Hollywood Studios will begin one hour before park open and service to International Gateway at EPCOT will begin 30 minutes before park open.
• The service will be available through 1 hour after park close.

 

[starry_solo]

You have a scooter right? Or a motorized wheelchair? I would probably go with the dolphin . You can scooter over to YC, BC, BW for more transportation options if the boats aren’t operating

 

[RaySharpton]

You have a scooter right? Or a motorized wheelchair? I would probably go with the dolphin . You can scooter over to YC, BC, BW for more transportation options if the boats aren’t operating

I use an electric wheelchair.

I'm curious about your thought process choosing the Dolphin Resort over the Pop Century Resort.

Fortunately, it looks like the Friendship boats on Cresent Lake may start running with guests to all five dock stops on November 1, 2020.

 

[DL1WDW2]

Interesting... is that eliminating 6 seats for every 2 guests seating?

 

[DL1WDW2]

I voted POP ...I prefer to support Disney Castmembers
I also believe Disney Cast is a safer decision in case of emergency when traveling with my mother in wheelchair... First hand experience. Stay on property for many important reasons.

 

[RaySharpton]

Interesting... is that eliminating 6 seats for every 2 guests seating?

I don't know. But it looks like it. I can't see all of the seats. Or the outside rear bench or the seats facing the handicap area. The photo shows every other bench with 3-unavailable on the one bench and 2-available and 1-unavailable on the second bench.

 

[Allison]

How will you get to the Dolphin from the airport?

 

[RaySharpton]

How will you get to the Dolphin from the airport?

MEARS roundtrip $39.90.

 

[starry_solo]

I picked Dolphin because it is close to two parks and accessible by using your electric wheelchair and taking the concrete path there (to HS and EPCOT). It does not solely rely upon bus transportation, unless you want to get to AK or MK.

 

[RaySharpton]

I picked Dolphin because it is close to two parks and accessible by using your electric wheelchair and taking the concrete path there (to HS and EPCOT). It does not solely rely upon bus transportation, unless you want to get to AK or MK.

Thank you.

 

[RaySharpton]

Interesting message from a Swan Resort General Manager about the bus issue

We stayed at the Swan last week. I got a survey and filled it out, commenting on their new bus situation (which was a surprise to us). I got an email from the GM and I thought what he said about transportation was interesting:

"Thank you for providing your feedback in regard to the challenges you faced with our transportation system during your stay with us. Unfortunately, this was a last-minute change due to our contract running out with Disney and the choice not to renew. We would have readily communicated prior to your stay had this been a planned decision and apologize for the distress this caused your family. We know that theme park transportation is of utmost importance to our guests staying to go to the Walt Disney World theme parks and worked hard to ensure that we could continue that service, even if in a new capacity."

 

[RaySharpton]

I was checking the other day for the Dolphin Resort and the Swan Resort using the annual pass discount costs.

The Swan Resort was a little more expensive than the Dolphin Resort.

But what I found interesting is the Dolphin Resort had an option for a handicap wheelchair roll-in shower room, but the Swan Resort did not.

Can anyone confirm that the Swan Resort doesn't have any rooms with a handicap wheelchair roll-in shower room?

The Dolphin Resort has three handicap options.

1-Hearing impaired room.
2-Handicap wheelchair roll-in shower room.
3-Handicap bathtub room.

The Swan Resort has only one handicap option.

1-Hearing impaired room.

 

[lanejudy]

Can anyone confirm that the Swan Resort doesn't have any rooms with a handicap wheelchair roll-in shower room?

Is it possible they are sold-out for the dates you searched? I found this on their website:

Guest Room Accessibility

• Accessible guest rooms with 32” wide doorways
• Accessible route from public entrance to accessible guest rooms
• Alarm clock telephone ringers
• Bathroom grab bars
• Bathtub grab bars
• Bathtub seat
• Deadbolt locks, lowered
• Door night guards, lowered
• Doors with lever handles
• Electrical outlets, lowered
• Flashing door knockers
• Hearing accessible rooms and/or kits
• Roll-in shower
• Shower wand, adjustable
• TTY/TTD available
• TV with close-captioning
• Toilet seat at wheelchair height
• Transfer shower
• Vanities, accessible
• Viewports, lowered

 

[SummerRses]

Not sure if I should vote, because I've only stayed at Disney Resorts, with my favorites being the Pop Century and Port Orleans - French Quarter (but rooms are small). I have seen pictures of the Dolphin, but never visited it in person.

However, like DL1WDW2 said, I do like the "Disney" cast members and the Disney themed resorts. I feel like Pop Century is a home away from home, probably because we've been fortunate enough to go there several times. I know my way around the resort and enjoy the layout of the place and the Disney feeling you get when you stay there. Thus, even if Dolphin were slightly cheaper, I think I'd still pick Pop.

I have not yet seen the new rooms since I had to cancel my last reservations, but from the pictures, I think I will like it. Also, I think having watched enough people in scooters being loaded on a bus, I feel like I might be able to do it if we get to go back. Last visit, I rented a wheelchair at the parks.

 

[RaySharpton]

Is it possible they are sold-out for the dates you searched? I found this on their website:

Guest Room Accessibility

• Accessible guest rooms with 32” wide doorways
• Accessible route from public entrance to accessible guest rooms
• Alarm clock telephone ringers
• Bathroom grab bars
• Bathtub grab bars
• Bathtub seat
• Deadbolt locks, lowered
• Door night guards, lowered
• Doors with lever handles
• Electrical outlets, lowered
• Flashing door knockers
• Hearing accessible rooms and/or kits
• Roll-in shower
• Shower wand, adjustable
• TTY/TTD available
• TV with close-captioning
• Toilet seat at wheelchair height
• Transfer shower
• Vanities, accessible
• Viewports, lowered

I think you are correct. Who knew that the website options would be that intelligent.

At least the Pop Century Resorts list all of their type of rooms separately.

Here is a video of a handicap tub room.

https://wheelchairjimmy.com/listing/walt-disney-world-swan-hotel/

Hotel Guest Room Accessibility
I Booked a WC Accessible Room

Wide Clearance Around Bed (min 36 inches)

Hotel Bathroom Accessibility
Step Free Access

Wide Clearance to Shower & Toilet (min 36 in)

RI Shower has Pull-Down Bench Seat

Additional Details

• WJAR Rating:4
• Hotel Star Rating:
• Hotel Quality Star Rating:4
• Total # of Hotel Rooms:258
• # of W/C Accessible Guestrooms:23
• # of Rooms with Roll-in Showers:7
• Estimated Price:$215

 

[RaySharpton]

Not sure if I should vote, because I've only stayed at Disney Resorts, with my favorites being the Pop Century and Port Orleans - French Quarter (but rooms are small). I have seen pictures of the Dolphin, but never visited it in person.

However, like DL1WDW2 said, I do like the "Disney" cast members and the Disney themed resorts. I feel like Pop Century is a home away from home, probably because we've been fortunate enough to go there several times. I know my way around the resort and enjoy the layout of the place and the Disney feeling you get when you stay there. Thus, even if Dolphin were slightly cheaper, I think I'd still pick Pop.

I have not yet seen the new rooms since I had to cancel my last reservations, but from the pictures, I think I will like it. Also, I think having watched enough people in scooters being loaded on a bus, I feel like I might be able to do it if we get to go back. Last visit, I rented a wheelchair at the parks.

I feel the same way.

 

[DL1WDW2]

I should add the friendship boat in Epcot only allowed the outside seating for the far corners with nobody allowed in the middle of the bench. We were able to sit two on each side since we were average body size and really wanted the breeze on the water that day. So 4 could be seated outside possibly.
Crazy crazy crazy.... hope they do not place plastic on the seats.
I am miserable enclosed in plastic It’s worse than the masks!

 

[mamabunny]

I vote for Pop because, well... it's Disney.

It's bright and fun and full of all the magic and themeing that we want and expect when we go to WDW.

Yes, it's a "value" resort, but it's still a great place to stay - even if it doesn't have all of the amenities of some of the other near-Disney Resort hotels do.

And while the Swalphin (our family nickname for the Swan & Dolphin Resorts collectively) has some advantages, to be sure, I am that person who always wants to stay on property when I travel to WDW.

Microwave issue aside, a lot of what you are actually comparing is transit/transportation related. The one thing that we know Disney does well, is move people around the property. Even if the Skyliner goes down long enough that they have to bring in buses, you still have that comfort zone of knowing how the transportation works, and what to expect. Given the current situation at S/D, personally, I would not feel comfortable that I would always have the appropriate transportation that met my needs.

And with S/D using Mears, apparently you no longer have a dedicated bus stop at the Parks and Disney Springs, which puts you out in the parking lot - so if it's cold and windy, and/or rainy, or blindingly hot out on that asphalt (any one of which could happen, because Florida) then you are stuck out there, waiting in the open for a bus that operates on an unknown schedule. In fact, I don't even know where they drop off/pick up at Disney Springs, come to think of it...

Prior to the pandemic, Disney buses tended to run pretty much like clockwork (I presume they are still fairly regular even now, perhaps with slightly extended loop times?) The Skyliner basically never stops (until it shuts down for the night) and once you are at Epcot, or MK you have the Monorail as well. All of that transportation is free to every Guest at WDW; you don't *have* to pay for transportation at WDW unless you choose to Uber/Lyft or call a Mears shuttle. It's isn't always the fastest, or the fanciest, but to me, it's part and parcel of being at Disney World!

I have a soft spot for Pop, anyway. It opened just days before our daughter's first trip to WDW, and we stayed there in a brand-new room that no one else had occupied yet! My Mom was still alive, and it was just us 3 girls. We surprised my daughter - we told her we were going to stay at a brand new Resort Hotel; we just didn't say anything about it being at Disney World! When we hit Orlando, I heard this little voice from the back seat say "We are just going to drive RIGHT BY the Disney World and I will never see it" and I just kept telling her that she was going to have a great time at this new hotel that Grandma and I found... ...and then we took the exit for Disney World, I thought she was going to pass out from sheer happiness. When we drove through the "welcome" sign, she was so happy she cried.

It was a fantastic trip. A CM spied her "first trip" pin, (and all of her Tinkerbell pins that she had collected that day!) and just before fireworks took us to the perfect spot, so Tinkerbell flew from the Castle, right over our heads, and there were more happy tears. And there were fireworks every night, and Mickey waffles for breakfast every morning, and swimming every afternoon. We traded pins, and collected stickers, and I took a million pictures, and it was the start of our (now long-standing) tradition of mother-daughter girls only trips to WDW.

Yeah, you should stay at Pop.

 

[fabfemmeboy]

I voted for Dolphin because of its location. Pop was our home resort for a lot of years, but with how absurdly crowded it has been post-reopening and being wary of the Skyliner, Dolphin would be a better choice for our circumstances.

I understand people saying they want to support Disney CMs, but the people working at Swolphin are just as deserving of their jobs and just as screwed by the pandemic. If anything, CMs have a better/stronger union that has helped protect more of them, and the company that employs them is more diversified which means while there have obviously been layoffs there is still more opportunity for Disney to recoup some money than companies that are only in the hotel/hospitality business. If I say "I would stay at Pop to support Disney CMs," my brain fills in "because who cares if Swolphin employees get fired?" To be clear, I am not saying that's anyone else's thought process, just where my brain comes from.

The one thing I would be wary of with Dolphin, other than the questions about Mears buses to get to/from MK and AK, is that it's all enclosed/indoors as opposed to the corridors being outside like at Pop.