Located right in the heart of Orlando near the most popular theme parks, water parks, and dining options, the luxurious Walt Disney World Swan Reserve is both centrally located for and an oasis from all the theme park fun. It’s right across the street from the iconic Tower of Terror attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, yet also a world apart from it, too.
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Owned by Marriott, the almost entirely glass tower of the Swan Reserve is a sister hotel to the nearby Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin complex. And because the hotel is right in the heart of Walt Disney World, theme park fans can experience all that the sprawling theme park resort has to offer, with many of the same benefits that Walt Disney World-owned hotel guests have, too.
Things to Know about the Walt Disney World Swan Reserve
The Walt Disney World Swan Reserve is located right in the middle of Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. The resort offers a variety of room types ranging from standard guest rooms to two-bedroom suites.
Many of the guest rooms have adjoining doors, so a standard guest room and a one-bedroom suite can be combined into a two-bedroom suite for larger families.
The resort is within walking distance to EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios (home of the popular Star Wars land, Galaxy’s Edge) via a short pathway that connects the Swan Reserve to the Swan and Dolphin hotels.
What Families Should Know
Because the Walt Disney World Swan Reserve is perfectly situated in the center of all the action, it’s easy to get to the four Disney theme parks, Disney Springs, and Disney water parks right from the hotel. There’s also a complimentary shuttle to all four theme parks for those who want it, though the drop-off and pick-up area at the theme parks is different from where the regular Disney buses drop guests off.
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There are plenty of things to do at the Swan Reserve itself, too, including hanging out at the on-site pool. With plenty of loungers, a fire pit, and nearby pool bar and restaurant, Swan Reserve’s pool feels like a total escape from the bustle of Magic Kingdom.
If your family is looking for a larger pool for even more family fun, consider packing a beach bag and making the five-minute walk to the neighboring Swan and Dolphin pool, which has a grotto, games, a beach, and plenty of party music throughout the day. Access to every pool at the Walt Disney World Swan, Dolphin, and Swan Reserve is available to all guests staying at any of the three resorts.
Walt Disney World Swan Reserve Reviews
The Walt Disney World Swan Reserve currently earns a score of 9.4 out of 10 on booking.com based on eight reviews, a 3.6 out of five on Google Reviews based on 55 reviews, 3.0 out of five on Tripadvisor based on 32 reviews, and an 8.4 out of 10 on hotels.com based on four reviews. Reviewers like the hotel’s cleanliness and friendly staff, but note that the check-in process is challenging since the front desk is upstairs instead of right through the front doors like most hotels.
Important Details about the Walt Disney World Swan Reserve
Walt Disney World Swan Reserve Location
The Swan Reserve is located in the heart of the Walt Disney World resort area in Orlando, Florida. From I-4, you’ll get off at the Disney Springs and EPCOT exit and pass a few of the other Walt Disney World hotels and theme parks before reaching the entrance to the Walt Disney World Swan Reserve.
Guests arrive at the hotel in a variety of ways, including personal vehicle or car rental, airport shuttle service, and ride share service. The Swan Reserve is about 20 minutes from Orlando International Airport.
The Property
Accommodations and activities are all centrally located within the Swan Reserve tower, though some guests do like to walk over to the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin to use the pool or eat at the on-site restaurant of the sister resorts.
There are a variety of room styles and views. Many of the accommodations look directly into EPCOT and in the distance guests can see Magic Kingdom. Rooms with theme park views are also privy to seeing the nighttime spectaculars like Disney Enchantment at Magic Kingdom or Harmonious at EPCOT.
Rooms at the Walt Disney World Swan Reserve
Rooms at the Walt Disney World Swan Reserve range from standard guest rooms to Chairman rooms with a balcony. The type of room you choose will likely depend on your budget, group size, and vacation style. Here’s an overview of each selection available.
Traditional. This room comes with all of the standard amenities, and either one king bed or two queen beds. You can also choose to have no view, a pool view, an EPCOT view, or Hollywood Studios view.
Junior. This large suite has a living room with a pull-out couch for a bed and a spacious bedroom with a king bed.
Signature. There are a variety of rooms labeled as signature suites at the Walt Disney World Swan Reserve. Room configurations can include one king bed and a sofa; two queen beds and a sofa; or one king bed, one queen bed, and a sofa. Each signature room also allows you to pick your view of either EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, the pool, or nothing.
Chairman. The most elaborate rooms at the Swan Reserve in Orlando are the chairman suites, which have one king bed, one sofa bed, and a view of EPCOT. These are also the only rooms with a balcony.
Dining at the Swan Reserve
There are a few options for dining at the Walt Disney World Swan Reserve. Guests looking for a traditional dining experience will want to go to Amare Restaurant, which serves a menu filled with Mediterranean favorites for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. At Grounds, guests can get grab-and-go snacks, specialty coffee drinks, and light lunches to munch on at the pool or in their room. Grounds is also open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
For additional dining options, guests can enjoy any of the restaurants at the Walt Disney World Swan or Dolphin, which are just a short walk away.
Activities
The Swan Reserve is geared more to adults or those traveling with older children, so there aren’t many on-site activities outside of the pool. But since the hotel is centrally located at Walt Disney World, there are plenty of activities including theme parks, miniature golf, water parks, walking trails, golf courses, and more to keep everyone occupied.
COVID-19 Precautions
All of Marriott’s properties around the world follow an extensive set of COVID safety precautions, including cleaning high-touch surfaces more often, having hand sanitizer available around the resorts, and a health checklist every employee must complete before starting work each day.
