Crowned by five-story-high sculptures of swans and heraldic dolphins, the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin resorts tower above the nearby Epcot area resorts. Westin and Sheraton, both of which are divisions of Starwood Hotels, jointly manage this pair of luxury hotels popular with business and international visitors. Renovations are in progress here.

ROOMS AT THE WALT DISNEY WORLD SWAN AND DOLPHIN RESORTS

Guest rooms feature either one king-size bed or two double-size beds, separate vanity and bath areas, two 2-line phones, mini-bar, hair dryer, iron, coffeemaker, weekday newspaper delivery, and in-room safe. The mandatory $23/night ($28.13 with tax) resort services fee gives you use of the health club, Internet access, 60 minutes of local calls, unlimited local and domestic long-distance calls, and two bottles of water daily. Some rooms have balconies, and 195 suites offer a bit more room. Guest rooms at both resorts sport a modern design by Michael Graves and “Heavenly Beds” with pillow-top mattresses and goose-down comforters. The sister resorts offer conference facilities, too.

AMENITIES AT THE WALT DISNEY WORLD SWAN AND DOLPHIN RESORTS

Between the resorts, there are 17 eateries, including Il Mulino, Garden Grove, Kimonos, Shula’s Steakhouse, bluezoo (an upscale seafood restaurant by chef Todd English), and Fresh (an innovative market-style buffet)—see page 259 for details. Picabu is a 24-hour quick-service buffet/cafeteria with a whimsical atmosphere. The BoardWalk entertainment district is just a stroll away, as is Fantasia Gardens miniature golf. Free buses serve Disney’s parks and Disney Springs, and boats run to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot. Guests receive many of the benefits enjoyed at the Disney-owned resorts, including package delivery, Extra Magic Hours, MyDisneyExperience, and the option to purchase park tickets. Guests cannot charge Disney purchases to their room, nor do they get complimentary MagicBands (you can buy them for $12.95).

RATES AT THE WALT DISNEY WORLD SWAN AND DOLPHIN RESORTS

Rooms begin in the low $200s, but discounts and special rates are available—ask about discounts for AAA, Annual Passholders, teachers, nurses, and military. Great rates have been found on StarwoodHotels.com, Hotwire.com, and Priceline.com (see page 16). Starwood members earn points (see http://www.spg.com).

INFO FOR WALT DISNEY WORLD SWAN AND DOLPHIN RESORTS

Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resorts

1200/1500 Epcot Resort Blvd., Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830

Phone: 407-934-4000

Fax: 407-934-4884

For reservations, call 888-828-8850 or 407-934-4000

For more information, visit http://www.swandolphin.com