Hi Kelly! Welcome to planDisney and thanks so much for sending us this question! How exciting that you have a vacation in less than one month to visit The Most Magical Place on Earth during
The World's Most Magical Celebration!
I just stayed at
Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel a couple of weeks ago and I'm happy to help you feel prepared for your stay! If you have never stayed at this property before, you are going to love this beautiful resort! You are correct that you cannot check-in online through the
Walt Disney World Website, however, you can check in through the Marriott Bonvoy app. If you do not have a Marriott account, you will need to create one and then you can check-in before you arrive. Once you arrive at the hotel, you can check with the front desk to see if your room is ready. If it is not ready, you can provide a mobile number to receive a text notification and you can check your luggage with bell services. Our family did this when we arrived and headed to
Cabana Bar and Beach Club for drinks and appetizers poolside while we waited for our room to be ready. If you prefer to head straight to the theme parks, you can take
complimentary transportation via boat to
EPCOT or
Disney's Hollywood Studios. These theme parks are also within a short walking distance if you prefer to get some extra steps in. My best advice is to be sure to make a
theme park reservation for each day that you would like to visit a theme park as it is required for entry.
While there are some magical benefits extended to guests of the Dolphin, this hotel does not utilize Key to the World cards or MagicBands for charging privileges or unlocking your hotel room door. As a guest of this hotel, you are eligible for
Early Theme Park Entry each morning of your stay and
Extended Evening Theme Park Hours at select theme parks on select nights. Having just used these benefits, I can tell you that this extra time in the theme parks is extremely valuable! As a guest staying at the Dolphin, you can also purchase
Disney Genie+ Service for your theme park days!
I especially love the location of the Dolphin for its proximity to EPCOT! I noticed that the
EPCOT International Festival of the Arts will still be taking place on your arrival date! If you haven't experienced a festival before, plan to go hungry because the
food choices are absolutely amazing!
I'm so excited for you and wish you a very magical vacation! Please visit us again at planDisney if we can answer other questions!
Happy Planning!
Lisa