Walt Disney World Swan Reserve With Kids (2024): My Honest Review as a Solo Parent
When I visited Disney World solo with my two toddlers earlier this year, we stayed at the Walt Disney World Swan Reserve—and I’ve got to say, it was a great pick. It’s technically a Marriott property, but you still get many of the perks of staying at a Disney World Deluxe Resort—at a much lower price. Here’s exactly what it was like, from a solo parent perspective.
One of our nights here was completely free thanks to Marriott Bonvoy points! If you’re curious how that works, check out How We Travel for Free (and How You Can Too).
Location: Epcot Resort Area
The Walt Disney World Swan Reserve is part of the Swan and Dolphin complex and sits right in the heart of the Epcot Resort Area. You can walk to both Epcot and Hollywood Studios, which is huge when you’ve got a stroller and don’t want to deal with folding it up for a bus ride. I walked to Epcot multiple times during our stay—it was super easy!
There’s also a great playground just across the street, part of the larger Swan and Dolphin complex, which gave us the perfect outdoor break between naps and fireworks.
The Room: Spacious and Clean
We booked a Traditional Epcot View room, and it felt clean, modern, and surprisingly spacious. It had two queen beds, a large bathroom (big enough to park the free crib for nap time!), a mini fridge, and a coffee maker. The floor-to-ceiling windows were a huge win—we could even see fireworks from Epcot and Magic Kingdom right from the room!
We had plenty of space to spread out, and even though the decor was mostly white (cue the fear of toddler messes), we made it work. I laid down a blanket for our in-room pizza picnic just to be safe.
Want a closer look at our room? I filmed a quick tour so you can see exactly what to expect.
Vibe and Amenities
The vibe here is definitely more “boutique hotel” than “Disney resort,” and since it’s fairly new (opened in 2021), everything felt fresh and updated. The lobby is a little oddly placed on the second floor, but not a dealbreaker.
It’s also super easy to get around the hotel. There’s a whole row of elevators right by the ground-floor entrance that are always readily available and move quickly. I never had to wait long, even with the stroller in tow.
There’s one restaurant onsite—Amare—but I mostly relied on room service (delicious, but pricey) and walked over to the main Swan and Dolphin buildings for other dining options. You definitely won’t run out of food choices within the complex.
The pool at the Swan Reserve is small and simple, but guests can use the larger pools across the street at the Swan and Dolphin. There’s also Camp Dolphin (a kids’ club), nightly s’mores by the fire, outdoor movie nights, and even watercraft rentals, including swan boats. So while the Swan Reserve itself doesn’t offer a ton of activities, being part of the larger complex means there’s always something to do.
Staying at Swan Reserve With Toddlers: Pros & Cons
What I Loved:
- It felt really clean, which matters a lot when you’ve got kids crawling around.
- They provided a free crib on request.
- The room service breakfast was a lifesaver on early mornings.
- The windows gave my kids so much to look at—and we saw three different nighttime shows from the comfort of our beds.
- Being able to walk to Epcot made our whole trip easier—no folding up the stroller or stressing over buses.
- The hotel felt very safe. It was well-lit, and I always saw staff members at the front desks and around common areas.
What I Didn’t Love:
- The all-white everything gave me anxiety when we ate in the room
Disney Perks: Same as Deluxe Resorts
Even though the Swan Reserve isn’t technically Disney-owned, you still get the top-tier perks that come with staying at a Disney Deluxe Resort:
- Early Theme Park Entry
- Extended Evening Hours
- Free transportation (including water taxis to Epcot and Hollywood Studios)
- Free theme park parking
- Advance tee times at Disney golf courses
And the price? Way better. When I checked, our room at Swan Reserve was $342/night. A comparable room at Disney’s Beach Club Resort (just next door) was $643/night.
Final Thoughts
Would I stay here again? Definitely.
It’s not full-on Disney theming, and there are a few quirks, but the tradeoff is a clean, convenient, comfortable hotel that gives you all the Deluxe perks without the Deluxe price. If you’re traveling to Disney with toddlers—or solo parenting like I am—it’s absolutely worth considering.