The Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Resorts have announced more reimagining plans for the hotel’s dining slate, along with a new games room in addition to the $275 million investment in guest room overhauls and convention space expansion and modernization. This covers everything we know about the project, along with concept art and commentary.
As previously announced, the Swan & Dolphin Resorts are currently in the midst of the first major expansion of the Walt Disney World Dolphin’s meeting space in over two decades, during which a new two-story annex will be constructed. Connecting to the hotel’s existing convention space, it will offer 41,000 square feet of multi-purpose space and 24,000 square feet of additional pre-function space on the first floor.
The hotels’ existing 333,000 square feet of meeting space is also being enhanced with an all-new modern look and new capabilities. In total, the three hotels will have 469,000 square feet of meeting space to go with its 2,619 guest rooms, making the complex one of the largest convention properties on the East Coast. The additional space will expand the hotel’s largest contiguous event space to 175,000 square feet, making it among the largest hotel spaces in the country.
On top of that, the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin has finished the renovation of all 756 guest rooms and suites in the Swan hotel, unveiling a sleek, modern space designed to allow guests to leave the everyday behind and enter a world of wonder. We just shared an update on that recently-completed project, including photos of the new rooms.
This brings us to the latest news, which is that the hotelier has announced the upcoming opening of Lagoon, an all-new game room experience exclusively at the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Resort!
Here’s an overhead look at how the Lagoon Games & Dining Room space will be utilized, followed by details from the hotel:
Level Up Your Playtime: Lagoon Games & Lanes: Lagoon offers the perfect blend of excitement and entertainment, featuring the latest in interactive gaming, from thrilling new releases to timeless classics. Whether you’re here for a family adventure or enjoying a night out with friends, Lagoon provides a dynamic, immersive experience for all ages.
Delight in Delicious Dining: 11:00am-11:00pm daily: Take a break and savor an array of delectable dishes and refreshing drinks at Lagoon’s exclusive dining space. With a menu designed to satisfy every palate, you can fuel your gaming experience with everything from gourmet snacks to mouthwatering meals.
Here’s a couple more pieces of concept art for the new Lagoon Dining & Games Room:
We still have a few unanswered questions about Lagoon that I’ve been trying to chased down before publishing this news, and I’ll update this accordingly once we have those.
For now, the one thing we can confirm is Lagoon’s location. This games and dining room will replace Picabu, which was the former food court at the Swan & Dolphin. Picabu has actually been closed for a few months–it’s been boarded up and audible work has been occurring behind the construction walls.
I just assumed it was a refurbishment, since Picabu looked like this:
Turning to commentary, I’ve seen some fans bemoan the loss of Picabu as a place they loved for early morning coffee or late night meals. I guess that’s a testament to the power of nostalgia for anything at Walt Disney World, even those things owned and operated by third parties. That’s not a dig at other fans–I have similarly fond (albeit fuzzy) memories about an extinct eatery and games room at Shades of Green.
Personally, I’m not the least bit shaken up about the loss of Picabu. With other recent additions and refurbishments, I think there’s a lot of overlap in this space at the Swan & Dolphin, which is probably why Picabu was viewed as redundant and replaceable. For whatever it’s worth, I prefer Fuel and the lobby-level coffee shops over Picabu, and hadn’t been there in a while as a result.
As for the Lagoon Dining & Games Room, it looks promising! I love the idea of bowling, especially something that’s easy and potentially more cost-effective located within our hotel as opposed to a separate standalone option. Splitsville is fun, but it’s also a lot to make a dedicated visit to a bowling alley while at Disney Springs. This could be a good way to get a ‘taste’ of bowling without having to commit to something like that.
At least at this point, I’m less enthused about the arcade component. Swan & Dolphin already have an arcade, and this looks to me a lot like they’re just moving the current (old) machines up to a new location. I hope to be wrong about that–that Swan & Dolphin is investing in new arcade machines for Lagoon to make it more of a bona fide draw. We shall see.
Then there’s the dining component. I’m not expecting a ton here. Given the overhead concept art not really showing much on the dining front, my expectation is that it’ll have a food window, and perhaps some of the options from the old Picabu food court. And again, when it comes to that, I’d prefer just going to Fuel or even the Fountain. To each their own on all of that, though.
In the end, Lagoon could incrementally make the Swan & Dolphin more attractive to families as it gives this non-Disney resort another selling point for guests beyond just conventioneers. At least, that’s what I thought when first reading about this news–that it might be a fun place for our family to bowl after coming back to the park after an early evening at Animal Kingdom.
As I’ve shared (repeatedly) in the past, we’re big fans of the Swan & Dolphin for their value proposition and perks. For those who are unfamiliar with their affiliations and labels, the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin hotels are considered Deluxe Resorts but are managed by Marriott. Due to an agreement way back in the Eisner days, these are the only third party hotels that are treated like actual Deluxe Resorts and bookable by the public. (Shades of Green is similar, minus the last part.)
From a practical perspective, this includes the new Lightning Lane Multi Pass, Single Pass, and Premier Pass pre-arrival booking windows. Ahead of their visit, guests will also be able to purchase and plan Lightning Lane passes, which allows guests to skip the standby line and join a shorter line for select attractions and experiences.
Guests of the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin are able to purchase these passes up to 7 days in advance of their stay, just like other on-site Deluxe Resort guests. This is a huge advantage and, unlike Early Entry, only a handful of third party hotels at Walt Disney World will offer the 7+ day booking window. Dolphin/Swan/Reserve are among the rare few that do.
Read our Guide to Lightning Lane Multi-Pass and Single Pass at Walt Disney World for everything you need to know about these new line-skipping systems.
Although the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort hotels are not owned by Disney, they are very much on-site hotels. Located on Crescent Lake alongside BoardWalk Inn and Yacht & Beach Club, the Swan & Dolphin actually have a better location (in my estimation) than most Disney-owned hotels. To each their own, but I’d put Crescent Lake right up there with the Magic Kingdom monorail loop.
The Swan & Dolphin also have better on-site perks than most Disney-owned hotels now that Disney’s Magical Express has been retired. In addition to Early Entry, Swan & Dolphin guests are eligible for Extended Evening Hours, whereas Value and Moderate Resort guests are not.
Basically, the Swan & Dolphin are treated as Deluxe Resorts in every regard except transportation. Even then, they’re still within walking or boat distance of EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, so it’s really only an issue for Magic Kingdom. And there’s an easy-enough workaround for that.
Unlike other third party hotels that are technically on-site, the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin truly offer the best of both worlds. All of the benefits (for now, at least) of staying in a Disney-owned hotel, plus a rewards program, better management, and more competitive prices. About the only thing you’re compromising is Disney IP infused into the hotel.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you think of the new Lagoon Games & Dining Room being built in the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Hotel? Mourning the loss of Picabu, or pleased to see a distinct offering that might appeal to your kids or family? Other thoughts on anything else discussed here? Do you agree or disagree with our assessments? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
