While I originally settled on the Swan for logistical reasons, it ended up changing how I think about staying at Disney entirely. For years, I’d ended park days facing the same impossible choice: stay for the fireworks, or leave early enough to actually find dinner somewhere. At the Swan, that dilemma disappears. Here, I can get room service, pizza on the way to the elevator, or a late-night sushi roll at Kimonos, the hotel’s Japanese restaurant, which also happens to double as a karaoke bar. I’d booked the hotel for practical reasons, but it was the moment I realized I could have both the fireworks and the chicken parm that I knew I’d be back.
What you can expect from a stay:
Jacqueline Dole
The Swan is a 758-room Marriott Bonvoy property on Crescent Lake. Its sister hotels, the Dolphin and the Swan Reserve, are located just across the street. The Swan’s architecture is hard to miss: designed by Michael Graves and opened in 1990, the building is topped by two 47-foot swan sculptures, has several ornate swan fountains both inside and out, and is clad in a wave pattern that has become one of the most recognizable silhouettes on Disney property.
Inside, the vibe lands somewhere between grown-up resort and Disney-adjacent magic, close enough to the parks to feel like part of the experience but offering down-to-earth hospitality. The newly renovated rooms are comfortable, with complimentary water bottles and the kind of beds you actually want to come back to after a 10-hour day on your feet. There are several room types available, but I recommend asking for one with a balcony facing EPCOT for perfect views of the nightly fireworks.
The dining lineup at the Swan is genuinely impressive by any measure, not just by Disney standards. Head to Il Mulino for classic Italian, Rosa Mexicano for margaritas and tableside guacamole, Kimonos for sushi and karaoke, and the newly opened Bourbon Steak for Basque cheesecake worth planning a night around.
Multiple pools mean you’re never fighting for a lounger, and poolside service ensures you don’t have to leave your seat once you’ve found it. When you’re recovering from a slew of 20,000-step days, the Mandara Spa is also exactly where you want to be.
Jacqueline Dole
Jacqueline Dole
What’s nearby:
The Swan’s location is arguably one of its greatest assets. EPCOT and Hollywood Studios are both walkable, which means you can be back in your room within minutes of the fireworks ending rather than queuing for a bus with several thousand of your closest friends. If you’d rather not walk, the Friendship boats offer a scenic ride across Crescent Lake to both parks, and the Skyliner gondola connects EPCOT with Hollywood Studios. Buses cover Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, and Disney Springs.