Dolphin/teacher rates About This Page:

[macfan2]

Hi everyone my wife and just got our first Passporter and are using it and alot of internet info to plan our (along with our almost 2/yo dau.) first trip as a family to WDW. First time on the boards here so I might as well get some of our MANY : ) questions out.

We are staying at the Dolphin for our 2 night stay. The SOLE reason we can afford it is we found one lonely little reference to a teacher rate available for the Swan/Dolphin on another Disney Bboard. My long-winded questions are why isn't this rate publized more? I've never seen it mentioned in any of the books (Passporter included) and never heard a travel agent mention it either. Also, if anyone is familiar with the rate ..how often is it available and do other Disney resorts ever offer it? Thanks

[Dave Marx]

Welcome to the PassPorter community, MacFan!

This discount is not available from the Disney-owned resorts. The Swan and Dolphin are run by Starwood Resorts, which owns Sheraton and Westin, among other hotel chains. As with many large lodging chains, Starwood offers numerous discount programs to encourage government, organization and corporate business. You can probably get the same discount at the many other Starwood properties in the Orlando area and nationwide. These discounts are not widely publicized, as the general public can't take advantage of them. Generally you have to learn about them through your organization. It's never a bad idea to ask your employee benefits office or membership organizations about travel-related discounts of various sorts.

I suspect the teacher rate was negotiated by either the NEA or AFT, and might have been publicized in their magazines and membership literature.

Speaking in our defense (and the defense of every other guidebook publisher out there), there are simply too many deals of this sort to catalog in a conventional guidebook. A comprehensive listing of discount programs that could conceivably be used in the Orlando area might be as large as a telephone book, and nearly all of those discounts would apply to a small segment of the population. We mention the widely-available discounts such as AAA and American Express, and the discounts that are specific to WDW, such as the Disney Club, as they are available to a large portion of our readership.

However, it certainly makes sense to include a tip in future editions of PassPorter that advises readers to check with their companies and membership organizations when shopping for discounts.

Thanks for raising the issue, as we're always looking for ways to improve PassPorter.



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Co-Author, PassPorter Walt Disney World 2001
http://www.passporter.com/wdw/

[Disneyfan62]

Hi, what kind of rate did you get with the teacher discount and when are you going?
Thanks

[macfan2]

I believe the rate was $139 a night so that with fees and taxes in was right around $150. Which is still alot for 2 teachers to spend for a room but since our stay was only going to be for 2 nights we decided to splurge.

Our 2 nights our April 12 & 13...the rate was not available for earlier in the week. So I'm not quite sure how often or when this rate is available.

[Mindy]

If I may tell you... your $139 per night will be well worth every penny. We stayed at the Dolphin in 9/99 and paid a convention (discounted) rate of $198 and we thought that was good and we were there in the value season. I think I read that you are going in April(High season)the normal room rates there are close to $300 at that time. Take advantage and stay for more than 2 nights. The Dolphin is a beautiful hotel, with great pools and great food. Everyone there was great and we loved it. Have a great time.

ºoº

9/99-Dolphin
10/01-Beach Club

[Tombstone]

I've been checking into the Dolphin for my next trip. The teacher and government rate is $129.00/night. The Disney Club and Entertainment rate is 50% off of the rack rate. Rack rate for a standard view room is $310.00/night so your rate would be $155.00. The AP rate is 50% off of rack rate plus a one level upgrade. So you would get a water view room for the price of a standard room. I believe the AAA discount is 25% off of rack rate, so it is not quite as good of a bargain. I know there are some dates that these rates don't apply for, but there were very few. At the Dolphin you can have 5 people to a room, and the rooms I believe are 360 sq/ft. I cancelled my reservations at DxL because I could fit my family of 5 in a Deluxe resort for less than the price of a moderate in the middle of the summer. Hope this helps.....

[Ncrnation]

I was just able to get my family rooms at the discounted teacher's rate of $129 for December 22-Jan 2 2002. we are very excited!
At first I was told they weren't available for the whole time I wanted, but when i started talking about using the teacher's rate for half and the entertainment rate for half, the CSR changed her tune. (I think because she didn't want to key everything in twice!)

I am psyched beyond belief and what to thank everyone at this board for all the info i found here. I would have never known about the discount or decided on the Swan if it wasn't for all the good information here!

[macfan2]

Glad all this chat helped...I can't wait to get there!

[Tombstone]

Ncrnation. Welcome and you got a GREAT DEAL. The swan and dolphin have great amenities. I know you will be pleased with your choice.

[Ncrnation]

Hi tombstone and everyone, i feel very welcomed!

i do have one question. My birthday falls on December 28th while we'll be there. Does anyone know if the swan does anything for that if we tell them?

i would love it to be acknowledged... especially because i'm so used to it being overshadowed by Christmas and New years!

[Tombstone]

I really don't know. You can ask and hopefully be pleasantly surprised. I hear that the staff is very good here as well as the Disney owned resorts. Did you have anything specific in mind as far as a celebration?

[Susie]

Hi, All!!

Long time, no post, but, happened by tonight to see my favorite place to stay,the Swan, being discussed.

A little history on the various discounts available at the S/D.

The Government and Entertainment rates, are, as Dave stated, rates instituted on a corporate level.

The TEACH rate, the AP holder rate (which is 50% off of rack, with a one catagory upgrade and late check-out included at no charge) the DC discount and now, the newest, latest NURSE discount(which is the same as the gov and TEACH rates) were developed by a member of the Swan/Dophin management staff in response to questions and comments he was hearing from members of a Disney Discussion board he had been reading.

Dates available for discounts have been released as far in the future as March 2002.
If you are not able to get all of the dates you need at a discounted rate, keep trying, as new dates are released into the system every Friday.

If anyone has any questions regarding these two resorts or the available discounts, ask away...maybe I can help!

[HiddenMickey]

Susie-- Great info. Thanks for offering your assistance! -HiddenMickey

[goofyforWDW]

Susie- THANK YOU SO MUCH on the NURSE discount info. that's great news for me since i'm a nurse. my hubbie's first trip to WDW is this fall, and we're staying at WL. i figured it would be a few years before we could afford to go again (already thinking of the next trip!). now a long weekend vacation sometime to WDW isn't so far out of our league.
thanks!
goofyforWDW