TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

We planned a last minute Disney trip after my mom just passed away. We always stay on property and usually at the Poly. We were not going to break the bank on this visit and I was too wiped out mentally to plan the way I usually do. Costco offered a really affordable package for a room at the Dolphin and park hoppers. We had said that when we came back to WDW that we wanted to stay in close proximity to Epcot and try that out vs the monorail. The Dolphin seemed to check all the boxes. Our stay here was a mixed bag. The resort is nice but it does have some significant shortcomings. My two biggest issues were with housekeeping and the availability of quick service food options. At check in I was asked if I wanted daily housekeeping or only upon request. I said daily. Day 2 our room still had not been serviced. Late that night I chatted to the front desk via the BonVoy app. I informed them that our trash was overflowing, we did not have towels, and that all our glassware was dirty. They promised to have our room done in the morning. We returned around 3pm the next day only to find our room exactly as we had left it. So I chatted to them again. This time, the person on the other end responded that I had opted for housekeeping upon request vs daily. I told them that was inaccurate, but in any case, they can see the previous messages from the night before where I notified that we had not received the expected service and was promised a visit in the morning. They did finally show up and made the beds, took the trash out, replaced the wet towels…but left all the dirty glasses. The next afternoon we returned once again to find our room had not been serviced. My brother and his family were in a room 4 doors down from us and their room was taken care of every morning while ours was constantly skipped. My other chief complaint was the availability of quick service food. They did have a little shop called Fuel where you could get snacks and sandwiches. The prices were reasonable and the sandwich I had was fantastic…it’s just that options are quite limited. We took midday breaks from the park and spent time at the pool. It was IMPOSSIBLE to get food there. They have what seems to be a great setup, if only it worked. There are tags on each lounger with a QR code and identifying number for your specific chair. On the first pool day, we were going to order drinks and maybe some food, but it said it was going to be 80minutes before they’d arrive. Needless to say, we did not order. The next day, at the pool again, and it was not as busy as the day before. The wait was only 30min but when I went to put my name and room number in, it kept saying it was incorrect. After multiple tries, I walked over to the host stand at the bar/restaurant to inquire if I could order there and just pick it up…no one was there. I waited and waited and no one ever returned. So, again, we did not order anything. My husband went to Fuel and got a sandwich to split bc clearly we were not getting anything at the pool. On the 3rd day, we knew better and brought our own drinks and snacks with us…despite the signs forbidding it. This whole ordeal trying to eat lunch by the pool was super annoying and has never been our experience at the other places we have stayed. The other issue with staying here is the buses are not a very efficient way to maneuver WDW. Getting back from Animal Kingdom took forever. We must have waited 30-40minutes for the bus to arrive. Also, getting to Magic Kingdom is not very easy. You take the bus to the TTC and then monorail or boat over. There are positives at the Dolphin, too….the lobby is beautiful. The view from our room was beautiful. The elevators were quick and we never had to wait for one. Th pool and beach area were nice. Comfy beds. Easy walk to Epcot. Very efficient boat ride to Epcot or Hollywood Studios. Our room was nice and quiet. Good water pressure and plenty of hot water. So, all in all because of service I can’t rate higher than a 3. Had service been better, I’d give it a 4 or maybe even a 4.5. I would consider staying here again but with reluctance. It definitely was not the same as staying at Disney properties but again that’s likely due to the poor service. We did save a couple thousand dollars and had an amazing trip despite the unnecessary headaches caused by the hotel.

We enjoyed our spring break here . This was our second time staying here . Our room was 9200 (March 29- April 1 )It’s close to Disney & Hollywood studio is very close . The only complain I have is the horrible experience we had in Picabu restaurant inside this hotel . My son got sick with upset tummy . We arrive late on March 29 and dint want to go out for dinner so we decided to go to Picabu at 9 pm . The food looked bad and tasted bad too . I had to throw half the stuff away . Next day my son got upset tummy and threw up later that evening . Thankfully we were able to get medicine for him and since my husband is a Physician , it helped a lot . I did inform the front desk the next day and they wanted to come do some health inspection or something , but I declined since we were leaving soon . It’s a bummer since it’s with such a beautiful hotel but the restaurants are taken for granted . Next time I would be willing to try other hotels outside of Disney . Thankyou !

We have been to Disney over 20 times. There is one positive, the location is good for traveling to Hollywood Studios and Epcot. The rooms are dated. You need to be an acrobat to get into the bathroom. This is not a joke. The toilet is next to the door. Anyone who is elderly should avoid this hotel. The resort pretends to be Disney, but it is not. The transportation to the other theme parks and Disney Springs is deplorable. We paid for Ubers after waiting 40 minutes and giving up. There is low service, but the costs of everything in the hotel are inflated. Expect to pay $5 for every drink, and $11 for an egg sandwich. Stay at a real Disney hotel or off property. There is really no benefit to staying at this hotel. The cost, when adding in the additional fees of the challenges of staying here, actually is higher than staying in a real Disney Resort.

The staff at this Marriott Bonvoy property was every bit as amazing as the Disney staff we encountered during our family vacation at the parks - and then some. We started with Brianna at the front desk who made us feel like we were returning home instead of visiting for the first time - she took care of meeting the specific needs of our family with grace and professionalism. The hotel has several terrific restaurants on property and the staff at breakfast was like being at a friend's kitchen table every morning. The location was absolutely as simple to navigate to and from the Disney parks as any on the actual Disney property, with easy and convenient access to buses, boats, and "minnie vans" any time of day. One tip is to self-park. It is close enough to get easily to your car and much faster than the very busy valet option. All in all, we would absolutely stay at this hotel again!

Grounds were pleasant. Transportation by Disney boats was good. Mears bus transportation to other parks was sketchy at best. We waited 25 minutes for bus to animal kingdom. First bus says, sorry just dropping off. Second bus, 10 minutes later says the same thing. The 10 folks that were waiting protested loudly and the driver relented and took us to the park. Pick up area at AK was not well defined. The bus driver had to come to waiting area to find all of us. Pool area was very crowded but nice. If you sat on the shade, which was hard to find, you were covered with tree debris. This stuff was also in the pool. More was expected for the $45 per day room fee. I think the parking fee was also $30 per night. Room was large and comfortable. Beds were very comfortable. Room facilities were dated. Tub shower, flush toilets, lack of USB ports. Walk to West elevator from our room was about 1/2 mile (literally). Great hours for convenience store on property. It was actually still open upon returning from parks. We got a very good deal through AAA for room fee, otherwise it would have been way overpriced. Would only go back for another very good deal. If you’re expecting a Disney hotel at the Dolphin, you’re not going to get that.