Hi there, Dan, and welcome to planDisney!
It’s always exciting when a visit to
The Most Magical Place on Earth is on the horizon, and I’m happy to hear you’ll be staying just steps away from the magic at the Walt Disney World Swan or Dolphin Hotel. I had the chance to stay at the Dolphin last year on a last-minute trip with my oldest son, and we had a blast. We loved being able to walk to both EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, explore all the incredible dining options within the hotel, and stroll over to nearby resorts like Disney’s BoardWalk Inn and Disney’s Beach and Yacht Club to check out even more great places to eat.
The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin are not part of the
Disney Resorts Collection, but they are considered “Other Deluxe Resorts” and offer many great perks. You’ll be able to purchase Walt Disney World theme park tickets directly at the resort, and if you're looking to pick up a MagicBand, the gift shops typically carry a variety of options. It’s important to know, though, that while these bands can be used to enter the theme parks (as long as your tickets are linked to your account), they won’t have all the functions available at a Disney-owned resort. That means you won’t be able to open your hotel room door with your band or charge purchases back to your room.
Here's a helpful tip. Once you’ve booked your stay at the Swan or Dolphin, be sure to link your reservation to your
MyDisney account. In some cases, you’ll need to call Marriott to get a Disney-specific confirmation number, but once you’ve added that number, your reservation details should appear in the app. Why is that helpful? Because from there, you can buy your park tickets directly in the app, which means you can skip the ticket desk altogether. Even better, your tickets will be instantly linked to your account. That allows you to take advantage of
Disney MagicMobile on your phone, or, if you choose to
buy a MagicBand+ before your trip, everything will be good to go and assigned to each Guest. You could drop your bags and walk straight into the parks without needing to make another stop. Pretty great, right?
If you prefer to wait and pick out your
MagicBand+ once you arrive, I recommend heading to Disney Springs.
Pin Traders is a favorite spot with a huge selection, and while you’re there, you can also visit the
Disney Ticket Center to grab your park tickets if you haven’t done that yet. Another great option is the
Pin Traders – Camera Center near the front of EPCOT. Both spots offer plenty of choices and can get you set up quickly, as long as your tickets are already linked in your
My Disney Experience app.
I hope this helps point you in the right direction, Dan. If you have any other questions or would like more suggestions as your trip gets closer,
I’d be happy to help!
See you real soon!
Brent