Hi Nikki! Welcome to planDisney!
My family has a long history of staying at both the Walt Disney World Swan and
Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotels. In fact, my very first
Walt Disney World Resort vacation was spent at the Swan Hotel when it was brand new! My parents still stay in either the Swan or the Dolphin Hotel on every trip because the location is hard to beat, and to them, it simply feels like home.
Staying at these Resorts comes with so many benefits, Early Theme Park Entry being one of them! I've stayed at these Resorts many times and never felt rushed or late getting to any Walt Disney World Resort Theme Park. Usually, transportation begins running at least an hour before the earliest Park opening, so if the
Early Theme Park Entry hours begin at 8:30 a.m. busses will be running by at least 7:30 a.m. I say "at least" because they do often run even earlier than that. I love having the opportunity to head to the Parks a little early. It makes jumping right on some of the most popular attractions possible, and then we can have a leisurely and delicious breakfast of Mickey Waffles at
Sleepy Hollow while everyone else is just walking into Magic Kingdom Park!
An important difference between these Resorts and those that are part of the
Disney Resorts Collection is that transportation from the Swan and Dolphin Hotels is not provided by Disney. Because of this, bus transportation to
Magic Kingdom drops Guests at the Transportation and Ticket Center instead of the bus turnaround at the entrance of the Park. Your journey to the Park will continue by Monorail or Ferry, so plan for a little extra time before you step into the magic!
As for
Disney's Animal Kingdom Park, you're welcome to
drive and park (for a fee) or take complimentary bus transportation. Parking lots usually open 30 minutes prior to the earliest park opening, so again if Early Theme Park Entry begins at 8:30 a.m. the parking lot will most likely be open by 8 a.m. The nice thing about taking your own car is that you're able to pay the one-time fee and park at any of the Theme Parks for the rest of the day. If you have a
Park Hopper Option Theme Park Ticket this is a great way to act like Tigger and quickly bounce from Park to Park.
I bet you and your party are getting extremely excited about your upcoming trip. With only a few more days to wait you'll be on your way in no time! Mickey will "see you real soon!"
Ashley M