Swan & Dolphin Fastpass plus & Virgin Holidays

k8Davies

K8Davies
Joined
May 20, 2010
This is just an FYI - I'm sure some of you already know - But as it not made clear on the website, which they have promised to rectify after my telephone conversation yesterday.

To give them their due they did apologies, say they would update the website and comp my V-room for 3 people.

Even though on the Disney website and the Swan & Dolphin hotel website it says you can book your FP+ 60 days in advance for some reason the contract with Virgin you can only book 30 days in advance.

Okay it's not the end of the world; but I was set and ready yesterday to book everything up and now have to wait another 30 days before I can finish my planning.

So thought I share the info just in case there are others out there like me who didn't know.
 
We are flying on 16th December with Virgin staying two weeks at the Dolphin. We have stayed at the Swan before so we know we can book fast passes at 60 days. As is often the case, as much as I like flying with Virgin, the customer advisors know less than their customers do. We booked all our fast passes 60 days out, we linked the tickets to our MDE account ( bought our tickets direct from Disney though) using the reference number on our invoice from Disney. Don't know if it makes a difference if you buy your tickets from Virgin though.

If I was you I would just keep trying to link them as it can take about a week from booking until Disney get the booking from Virgin. I had the same problem with Thomson which is why I always get my tickets direct from Disney, their customer service is second to none.
 
That sucks, just remember to push out your Flights of Passage FP further into your trip as the early ones will likely be gone now
 
We are flying on 16th December with Virgin staying two weeks at the Dolphin. We have stayed at the Swan before so we know we can book fast passes at 60 days. As is often the case, as much as I like flying with Virgin, the customer advisors know less than their customers do. We booked all our fast passes 60 days out, we linked the tickets to our MDE account ( bought our tickets direct from Disney though) using the reference number on our invoice from Disney. Don't know if it makes a difference if you buy your tickets from Virgin though.

If I was you I would just keep trying to link them as it can take about a week from booking until Disney get the booking from Virgin. I had the same problem with Thomson which is why I always get my tickets direct from Disney, their customer service is second to none.

Thanks have to say it has been a lesson learnt and I will not be booking everything through them again.

That sucks, just remember to push out your Flights of Passage FP further into your trip as the early ones will likely be gone now

Yeah that's really the only FP+ I was desperate to get so pretty bummed by the situation, I know it only one ride. But my young child has Autism so were were going to take turns and FP it. Know you can get the baby swap but at least one person will need to queue, and if the queue lengths are still 2 hours it's not going to be fun for the one who waiting with him.

Also means rope drop is out of the question, especially in AK as those narrow passages with a surge of people, not a recipe for a happy chappy.
 


Is this still the case?
We have just booked the Swan for next year through Virgin.
Does it just apply to the Swan and Dolphin as we went to the Yacht and Beach Club a couple of years ago and booked FP’s on 60 days then.

Ps just found out the free dinning does not apply to the Swan either!
 
Is this still the case?
We have just booked the Swan for next year through Virgin.
Does it just apply to the Swan and Dolphin as we went to the Yacht and Beach Club a couple of years ago and booked FP’s on 60 days then.

Ps just found out the free dinning does not apply to the Swan either!
Yes Swan And Dolphin are not Disney hotels (just on Disney property) so won’t qualify for free dining or 60 day fastpass through Virgin.
 
I am not sure why you wouldn't be able to book Fastpasses 60 days in advance. We have stayed at the Dolphin numerous times and always book our FP 60 days out. Is it just the case that Virgin Holidays are telling you they won't give you the reference number to link the booking until 30 days out?
 


Yes, this is still the case. For some reason Virgin classify Swan & Dolphin as resorts which aren't eligible for 60 day fastpasses, so the problem is due to Virgin only sending your tickets 30 days before departure.

This was fairly easy to solve for me. I enquired with Virgin using live chat on their website, and they cancelled the Disney tickets and reimbursed me there and then. Very efficient service, just a shame they couldn't just release the tickets in time for 60 days fastpasses.

I then bought the Disney tickets from an independent ticket seller (at a cheaper price), which took 2 days to arrive, leaving plenty of time to prepare for the 60 day window!

Virgin really need to adjust their system to categorise Swan & Dolphin as a 60 day resort. I assume the same problem would arise with some of the other hotels which have been recently 'upgraded' to 60 days.
Is this still the case?
We have just booked the Swan for next year through Virgin.
Does it just apply to the Swan and Dolphin as we went to the Yacht and Beach Club a couple of years ago and booked FP’s on 60 days then.

Ps just found out the free dinning does not apply to the Swan either!
 
So we won’t get 60 days for FP and won’t get Disney Dining......do you still get the magic bands??
 
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So we won’t get 60 days for FO and won’t get Disney Dining......do you still get the magic bands??

No, you won't get Magic Bands. You can't charge to the room at WDW when you stay at Swolphin, so the only benefit to having them would be for the FP and Memory Maker. Did you book your tickets through Virgin too? If so, why not cancel them and buy them independently, then as long as you can link the hotel reservation on MDE, link your tickets and you should be able to make your FP at 60 days out.
 
Can’t we even use the magic bands we got last time?
This is looking like a bum deal!
 
Can’t we even use the magic bands we got last time?
This is looking like a bum deal!

You can use existing Magic Bands, but as I said above, only for FPs and Photopass/Memory Maker.

I absolutely love staying at The Swan and Dolphin, but it is definitely a bum deal if you can't take advantage of the benefits, such as making FP 60 days out. One of the many reasons why I never book a package.
 
We stayed at the Swan back in the day before fast passes could be booked online and loved it. We then stayed at the Dolphin at Christmas and wouldn't stay there again however we didn't book it as a package therefore we could book our fastpasses at 60 days. We were fortunate that we already had magic bands from the BWI but don't like having separate room keys and didn't like the incovenience of not being able to charge to the room. The Dolphin has a very impressive lobby and some great restaurants, location is fab and it has some great room rates but it didn't cut it for us.
 
Thanks all.
Our magic bands will be 3 years old when we go....will they still work?
I presume you can buy new ones if they don’t?
 
I am not technical by any means but someone tried to explain to me the working of the magic band a few years ago. From what I gathered the bands will continue to work if they are used against something, ie, to open a room, for entry into the park, for fast passes - it's something to do with the passive element.

You can of course buy new ones from many places across WDW.
 
Thanks all.
Our magic bands will be 3 years old when we go....will they still work?
I presume you can buy new ones if they don’t?

I am not technical by any means but someone tried to explain to me the working of the magic band a few years ago. From what I gathered the bands will continue to work if they are used against something, ie, to open a room, for entry into the park, for fast passes - it's something to do with the passive element.
You can of course buy new ones from many places across WDW.

They will still work. There is a short range RFID and long range RFID battery. The long range has a short life so may not work for ride photos on rides (but you can still scan at the end of the ride) but, otherwise, they will be good. We have used Magic Bands that we've had from when they were first introduced and had no problems.
 
So the Swan and Dolphin are still regarded as “Disney Hotels” on MDE?
And we will be able to link our reservations on there as soon as it goes through but then have to wait until Virgin send the tickets on 30 days rather than 60.
Surely that is inconsistent? And can be easily fixed by them. I’ll get in touch with them and see if they can get it fixed!!!!:mad:
 
@XAVIER they are not operated by WDW but they get some of the benefits of a WDW hotel, including access to parks during EMH, package delivery and ability to book FP 60 days out. You do not get free Magic Bands, cannot charge to the room (from the WDW parks and other resorts - you can from the hotel restaurants, shops and bars obviously), cannot use Magical Express and do not get the +10 benefit for dining reservations.

I have always managed to link my hotel reservation but I always book direct with the hotel so not sure how it works as far as Virgin Holidays is concerned, whether they will give you the correct reservation number to be able to link. Although there is no real benefit to having your hotel stay linked if you don't have your tickets. I would try your hand at persuading Virgin Holidays to give you your ticket numbers early but, honestly, if their policy is not to release until 30 days, I'm not sure what more you can do.
 
@XAVIER they are not operated by WDW but they get some of the benefits of a WDW hotel, including access to parks during EMH, package delivery and ability to book FP 60 days out. You do not get free Magic Bands, cannot charge to the room (from the WDW parks and other resorts - you can from the hotel restaurants, shops and bars obviously), cannot use Magical Express and do not get the +10 benefit for dining reservations.

I have always managed to link my hotel reservation but I always book direct with the hotel so not sure how it works as far as Virgin Holidays is concerned, whether they will give you the correct reservation number to be able to link. Although there is no real benefit to having your hotel stay linked if you don't have your tickets. I would try your hand at persuading Virgin Holidays to give you your ticket numbers early but, honestly, if their policy is not to release until 30 days, I'm not sure what more you can do.


The +10 is what we missed as our stay was over the Christmas/New Year period. I suppose it wouldn't have been such an issue at a less busier time but I was unable to get some of the reservations I wanted.
 
So the Swan and Dolphin are still regarded as “Disney Hotels” on MDE?
And we will be able to link our reservations on there as soon as it goes through but then have to wait until Virgin send the tickets on 30 days rather than 60.
Surely that is inconsistent? And can be easily fixed by them. I’ll get in touch with them and see if they can get it fixed!!!!:mad:

Getting the Tickets for S&D at 30 days instead of the 60 is entirely a Virgin thing, as I did complain thoroughly last year about my January trip and they told me it was to do with the contract they had with the S&D and Disney.

I suppose as UK visitors don't have to pay the S&D resort fee which is around ($25 per day) or the parking Fee which is around ($20 per day) they had to make concessions somewhere else.

Although now learnt my lesson if I ever want to stay at the S&D in future get the trip through Virgin but get the tickets from another supplier.
 

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