Walt Disney World Swan Reserve Hotel Guide and Review

The Walt Disney World Swan Reserve Hotel is one of the best newer hotels in Orlando. Offering a prime location just outside the Disney Boardwalk, the Swan Reserve Hotel includes rooms with a view, restaurants, bars, and access to all the Swan and Dolphin Resort amenities. Here’s everything to know about the Swan Reserve. 

If you’re not familiar with the Disney Swan and Dolphin Hotels, know that there are 3 resorts here. Located in the Boardwalk area of Walt Disney World these hotels share amenities. And while they are considered Walt Disney World hotels they are not managed by Disney.

Rather, they both are managed under the Marriott Bonvoy brand. As such you can use Marriott Bonvoy points to stay here, as well as earn them during your stay. These hotels are considered deluxe resorts; and generally receive most of the same perks as guests staying in a traditional Walt Disney World resort. Everything from Early Park Entry, to Extended Evening Hours to the Disney Dining Plan can be added as part of your stay at the Swan and Dolphin Resorts.

Swan Reserve Atmosphere

Disney’s Swan Reserve offers an upscale, elegant environment and is one of the best hotels near Disney World. While it is a Disney hotel, it is first and foremost a Marriott hotel. As such there is one Mickey feature on the 3rd floor lobby that designates the Disney desk where you can get help with tickets and tours. Don’t expect to find any other Disney decor here, because it’s not that kind of hotel. It’s filled with beautiful colors, and finishes and offers views of the Boardwalk Area.

The Swan Reserve is also home to several conference rooms, which means you may come across business events being held at the resort quite often. This also quite common at the Swan and Dolphin Hotels.

Is the Swan Reserve good for families? 

The Swan Reserve isn’t bad for families. But if you’re looking for that Disney magic feel, you won’t find it here. There are touches of Disney around the hotel but they are generally more subdued. Hidden Mickeys can be found on occasion but that’s about it. The overall feel of the resort is more grown up. As a result kids may been feel quite bored staying here. That said, it’s proximity to the miniature golf course, and parks, makes it easier to manage if you’re traveling with children.

Walt Disney World Swan Reserve Location

The Walt Disney World Swan Reserve is located in the Boardwalk area, just across the street from the Swan and Dolphin. As part of the Marriott Autograph Collection, the Swan Reserve is slightly more upscale than the Swan and Dolphin Hotels.

The Disney Boardwalk area is one of our favorite areas to stay. The Walt Disney World Swan Reserve is within walking distance to both Epcot and Hollywood Studios. Being so close to the parks, within a 10-20 minute walk, is such a godsend! Being able to easily head back to our rooms was such a gift on hot or rainy days. Plus staying at Swan Reserve gets you easy access to Disney’s Skyliner just outside Epcot too. 

Swan Reserve Rooms

The Swan Reserve has a variety of rooms, from standard rooms to a variety of suites. We stayed in a standard room, with two queen beds and had a view of the Boardwalk. You can also choose a room with a view of Hollywood Studios. Frankly, this entire hotel has amazing views. From our room overlooking the Boardwalk and EPCOT were we able to see the Luminous Nighttime Show. The weather wasn’t the best during our trip, as it was quite cold and rainy. So we really appreciated being able to watch these from the inside. 

The rooms at the Swan Reserve are bright and airy thanks to the huge floor-to-ceiling window. Between the natural light and the little decor accents around the room, it felt welcoming and upscale. The standard rooms come with a mini-fridge, coffee maker, and safe.  There is also a decent-sized closet, along with enough drawer space for a few people. The bathrooms are roomy.

And if you’re just getting a standard room, there is only one sink/vanity area that is located inside of the bathroom. There are plenty of outlets and charging ports for all of your electronics and the smart TV offers streaming capabilities which is always nice. 

Swan Reserve Restaurants

The Swan Reserve has several dining options. Whether you want something quick, a nice sit-down meal, or room service, they offer a little bit of everything!

Grounds Coffee Shop and Cafe

Grounds is their coffee shop and is a one-stop shop for all of your early morning needs. It is located on the third floor, which is considered the main lobby. With a variety of coffees and lattes, teas, breakfast sandwiches, and grab-and-go items, it’s a bit pricey but works if you’re in need of some caffeine or a quick breakfast before you get to the Parks or wherever you’re headed. We also loved grabbing hot cocoa on the way back to our room at night since it was a bit chilly. 

Amare

Amare is the hotel’s signature restaurant. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, You can view the full menu for Amare here. Although we didn’t eat at the restaurant, we did order room service one night and were told that it’s the same food that is served there. We found the prices and portion sizes to be pretty reasonable.  Room service itself is quite pricey since they add on a bunch of fees, but we wanted to eat in our room after a long travel day, so we were willing to splurge. 

Stir Lounge

This bar area takes up half of the 3rd floor lobby. Serving a wide variety of drinks, appetizers, and a few entrees, you can get pretty much any drink you can think up here. Plus, this is such a pretty bar, we loved it as a great place to settle while waiting for dinner. You can find the full menu for Stir here. 

Tangerine Pool Bar

And Tangerine is the pool bar located outside serving a variety of food and drinks. You can see Tangerine’s full menu here. 

Swan Reserve Amenities

The Swan Reserve shares amenities with both the Swan and the Dolphin. So although they do have their own pool and fitness center, guests of the Swan Reserve can use any of the pools or health clubs located at any of these three hotels.

Fitness Center

The fitness center at Swan Reserve is small, but open 24 hours which is nice for those looking to keep up with their fitness during their trip.

Pool

The Swan Reserve has one pool and spa just outside the Grounds Cafe. Here you can find loungers, small tables, and the pool bar. While it’s not a huge pool, keep in mind that as a guest you can also use the Dolphin and Swan Pools, which are much bigger. But if you’re just looking to lay out, sip your toes and sip a drink, this little pool area is quite perfect.

Disney Benefits

Guests staying at the Walt Disney World Swan Reserve get a variety of Disney Benefits as part of their stay. To take advantage of these perks, make sure your confirmation number is linked in your My Disney Experience account.

• Early Morning Theme Park Entry
• Complimentary Disney Transportation
• Extended Evening Hours
• 60 Day Dining Reservations
• 7 Day Advance Lightning Lane Reservations

Swan Reserve Transportation

Since this is one of the Disney Resorts within Walking Distance of the Parks, you can walk to Epcot and Hollywood Studios. Epcot is about a 15-20 minute walk depending on your pace. And Hollywood Studios is closer to a 25-minute walk via the Hollywood Studios walking path. You can also take the Friendship Boats to Epcot and Hollywood Studios or the Disney Buses to the Parks and Disney Springs.

There are many options when traveling from Orlando Airport to Swan Reserve Hotel. You can use a rideshare, private car, or schedule a Shuttle Bus. We have routinely booked Mears Disney Shuttle which runs about $17 per person but taking an uber may be cheaper for you depending on your travel party size.

Swan Reserve Cost

As with most Disney Deluxe Resorts, you can expect to pay anywhere from $325-$550 per night at the Swan Reserve for a standard room. This is of course depending on season and availability. We stayed during a lower attendance time of year and were able to get a pretty reasonable deal.

Walt Disney World Swan Reserve Marriott Bonvoy Points

Since Swan Reserve is a Marriott Bonvoy hotel, you can also earn and redeem points here. The Swan Reserve is considered a Category 6 hotel, meaning you’d need anywhere from 40,000-60,000 points to stay one night for free here. But if you travel a lot or use a Marriott Bonvoy credit card, you could potentially stay here for free! 

Walt Disney World Swan Reserve Resort Fees

Guests staying at the Swan Reserve also have to pay a daily resort fee of $50 in addition to the room rate. This is actually the same standard as the Swan and Dolphin, so if you’ve stayed at either hotel, this shouldn’t be much of a shock to you. The resort fee includes daily benefits for two guests.

• W-Fi In-room. (Value $14.99)
• Loyalty Program guests receive enhanced speed in-room wireless internet and daily access to the Balinese Relaxation Areas at Mandara Spa. (Value $20)
• Daily Swan Paddleboat rentals. (Value $25)
• Daily certified instructor led fitness classes. (Value $25)
• Nightly movies and S’mores on the beach. (Value $20)
• $30 off Spa Services of $230 or more during each night of your visit. Excludes Hair & Nail services.

If you have more than two people staying at the resort, it’s an extra $35 per night / per person plus taxes. If you’re not taking advantage of these amenities it may seem like a waste of money.  But the fee is included in your bill regardless and there really isn’t any way around it. 

Is Swan Reserve Worth the Price?

If you prefer a newer hotel, or really want to be able to experience the views from this resort, then yes I do think it’s worth it. You can find a good deal on a third-party site like hotels.com. Or as we mentioned earlier, you can earn and redeem points through Marriott Bonvoy.  It really does feel like an upscale stay. If you’re planning to spend any amount of time in your room, this resort gives you great on property food options, recreation, and a prime location. The Boardwalk Resort Area is by far one of the most convenient areas to stay at Walt Disney World.

Booking Disney’s Swan Reserve Hotel

You can book a room or Disney vacation package including the Swan Reserve on Walt Disney World’s website. You can also book a room directly through Marriott Bonvoy, or look for a great deal on hotels.com.

Walt Disney World Swan Reserve Hotel Review

Overall, we were very happy with our stay at the Swan Reserve! And we are excited about the fact that there is another place to stay in the Boardwalk area of Walt Disney World. While it is a little farther from the parks than the other Boardwalk Resorts, it was still close enough to make the higher cost worth it for us. For Disney Adults especially, we highly recommend this one.