Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort

Chloe Rideout

We had an awesome midweek stay with family at the Dolphin! We booked two nights so we could take our little one to Epcot and meet all the Disney Princesses. We wanted to be close to the theme park so we could get early entry and come back to the room for naptime, and wanted to take advantage of Bonvoy status. The location is perfect. I love the post-modern architecture of the hotels- so fun and kitschy with classy interiors. We visited three different restaurants there and had yummy meals, all with fast service (ideal for toddlers). The king room we booked is your standard 4 star hotel chain room that had a little bit of wear and tear if you looked closely, but had nice toiletries provided and a comfy bed and I appreciated that the bathroom had a real door (with a lock on it!) We could see the Magic Kingdom fireworks from our bed at night which was a nice touch. Housekeeping service was great. The resort pools were beautiful. The temperature only got up to the 60s during our stay but the hot sun meant we could still splash around for a bit the last morning, and had the baby pool area to ourselves. We would absolutely stay here again the next time we come to Disney with our kid.

bartsimsp

Our check-in experience at Disney's Dolphin Hotel was, unfortunately, a complete disappointment. It's unbelievable that a brand like Disney, expected to provide one of the most professional guest experiences in the world, could fall so short on such a fundamental aspect. Around check-in time, the reception area was utter chaos. Hundreds of people were waiting in line, and despite this crowd, we saw only one person working at the check-in desk. Yes, you read that right: hundreds of people... one person... This wasn't just slow progress; it was a complete system breakdown. The line moved at a snail's pace, people were getting increasingly frustrated, and everyone was asking the same question: "How can a hotel this size have such poor planning?" Families on vacation, guests with children, and people who had traveled long distances were forced to stand for hours. Instead of being able to relax in their rooms after a tiring journey, they were subjected to stress and anger from the very first moment of arrival. This wasn't just a matter of "it might be busy"; it felt like the result of completely poor organization and a management approach that didn't prioritize guest satisfaction. What should have been standard at a Disney property were simple but effective steps like extra staff support during peak hours, fast check-in points, clear directions, and alternative solutions (such as directing guests to mobile check-in, separate lines for families/guests with children, etc.). But we saw none of that. People just waited... and waited... and waited... No one provided clear information, and no one tried to speed up the process. It was completely a "you wait, we'll get to you when we can" attitude. Considering the hotel's location, brand image, and price point, this experience is truly unacceptable. People staying here expect not just "an ordinary hotel" service, but the quality associated with the Disney brand. But that perception of quality is shattered from the moment you arrive. Check-in is the first impression of a hotel, and unfortunately, the first impression here was very bad. In conclusion: Even if the room cleanliness, comfort, etc., are good, this disastrous check-in experience negatively impacts the entire experience. My advice to those considering the Disney Dolphin Hotel is clear: allocate extra time for check-in and be patient... because check-in here depends entirely on luck and how many people are working that day. It's truly sad that such a large hotel manages this process so poorly. Disney management absolutely needs to take this seriously and improve their staffing. Because we came here to have a vacation, not to wait in line at the reception for hours.

Freddy Rivera

Disney’s Dolphin Resort is no doubt one of, if not, the best hotel in Orlando. The location, right near Epcot and Hollywood Studios, is incredible and is super convenient. The rooms are basic, but meet your needs perfectly. The balcony has a nice view and looks nice for a pretty small space. The pools and the fun activities add on to the quality of the resort. One of my favorites are the swan boats you could paddle on their lake. I would say the souvenirs and pool items are pretty expensive, but the other fun things that come with the resort make up for it. The staff and workers are super respectful and are willing to help everyone. The restaurants are exquisite! The resort is most definitely worth the prices and is a must go to.

Courtney Mains

Our recent stay was a huge disappointment which was especially disheartening given that it coincided with my 40th birthday. Check-in was easy, and we were initially happy with the room we had booked using points. However, we were offered a paid upgrade to a larger room, and since it was my birthday, I agreed. Unfortunately, this decision resulted in immediate regret. Upon arrival, we discovered the upgraded room was directly next to the elevators. The noise was extremely disruptive, leading to very little sleep. The room itself was also noticeably dusty and had a musty odor, which was unacceptable. Most concerning, however, was the construction taking place directly outside our window. There were multiple men working on the roof immediately outside our room, able to look straight in. On more than one occasion, they interacted inappropriately with our children by staring in and “playing” with them through the window. While we attempted to tolerate this on the first day, it happened again the following day despite my request for a late checkout so I could rest due to the lack of sleep from the elevator noise. This situation made us feel uncomfortable and unsafe. When I brought these issues to management, the response was extremely disappointing. I was offered 5,000 points as compensation and was told they would appear in my account immediately. As of now, they have not. The lack of follow-through only added to the frustration. Additionally, the way guests using points are treated at your property is disrespectful. Points are earned through loyalty, time, and money, and should not result in diminished service. I am struggling to understand how this aligns with your brand’s stated values. Finally, I must note that valet service was careless. Our personal belongings were left exposed and unattended, creating a serious security concern. This stay fell far below expectations and significantly impacted what should have been a meaningful milestone celebration. I would appreciate acknowledgment of these concerns, confirmation regarding the promised points, and information on how this situation will be addressed.

Kayla F.

We did not enjoy our experience at the Dolphin Resort, and would not stay here again unless we absolutely had to. The location is great, it is within walking distance to Disney's Boardwalk and Epcot which was really nice! We definitely liked the location. However, there were quite a few things we didn't enjoy that made it to where we won't be back. First, we booked this room for one night to allow us to come into Disney one day earlier. We enjoyed that this hotel got the Disney Magic Hours and wasn't crazy expensive like most of the other hotels that offer this, or so I thought it was cheaper. We got there and there wasn't any parking nearby, so we had to park the car with valet. The valet guy was great, took our keys and parked our car. I went in and got us checked in and found out that on top of the $55 I just paid to park my car for one day; I was also going to have to pay a daily resort fee which put me in for over an additional $100 by time parking and fees were added. This made the room almost equivalent to staying at an actual Disney moderate resort. We made our way to the room, and it was spacious. The windows were so dirty that our great view was hardly a view, and we couldn't take any photos out of the window- that is how dirty it was with handprints on the inside and grime on the outside. That night, our room was so incredibly humid that we couldn't hardly sleep. The bed was very comfy, but the sheets are so noisy that every time you moved you were waking someone up in the room. We did not get much sleep as guests were also very noisy and seemingly drunk all night long going down the hallways. We got breakfast in the cafe, and while it had the longest line, it did seem to move quickly. We waited forever for our coffee to be ready, and when it was ready the order was wrong. Stood there for several minutes for them to correct the order, to no avail and finally walked off. We checked out and tipped Valet. By time we got to our next resort, I realized they only gave me back the key fob, and all of my other keys from my key ring were missing. Called valet as there were several important keys on my key ring, and they said they did not have it. This was very frustrating as I lost every single key to my office, safe, house, family's homes, etc. While the resort itself is very pretty, and the location great- this was a never again hotel for us! Definitely not worth the money, and the experience was very poor all the way around.