The Dolphin opened June 4, 1990, with 1,514 rooms, just edging out the 1,500-room Orlando World Center Marriott. And Disney doesn’t own it.
Those giant dolphins (that look like fish) on the roof by EPCOT have been there since 1990. When they went up, they were sitting on top of the biggest hotel in Florida.
The Walt Disney World Dolphin opened on June 4, 1990, with 1,514 guest rooms, per its Wikipedia history. That made it the largest hotel in the state at the time, “edging out the 1,500-room Orlando World Center Marriott.”
When did the Walt Disney World Dolphin open?
June 4, 1990. Its smaller sister hotel, the Walt Disney World Swan, actually beat it by about five months, opening on Jan. 13, 1990, per Wikipedia.
The Swan is 12 stories with 756 rooms, crowned by two 47-foot swan statues. A newer boutique tower, the Swan Reserve, added 349 rooms in November 2021.
The pair were the first resorts built in the EPCOT area, per WDW Magazine. They opened before the Yacht and Beach Club and years before the BoardWalk Inn filled out the lake.
The Dolphin still has 1,514 rooms today.
Who designed the Swan and Dolphin?
Architect Michael Graves, one of the best-known names in postmodern architecture, designed both.
The Dolphin is a 27-story center tower with four nine-story wings, per WDW Magazine, with that triangular turquoise and coral shape and the famous rooftop dolphins (that look like fish). The Swan across the lake has its own giant swans. The whole complex was designed as “entertainment architecture,” buildings that act like part of the show.
Graves had a lot of freedom. “Michael Graves was given free rein to create a hotel he could love,” WDW Magazine wrote in its history of the resort.
What else did Michael Graves design for Disney?
A couple of buildings fans know on sight.
Graves designed the Team Disney Building at Disney’s Burbank studio lot, the one with the giant Seven Dwarfs holding up the roof, which opened in 1990. He also designed Hotel New York at Disneyland Paris, which opened with that park in 1992.
All of them share the same playful, oversized style. Once you’ve seen one, you can spot the others.
Does Disney own the Swan and Dolphin?
No.
The Swan and Dolphin came out of a joint venture between Disney, developer Tishman, MetLife, Aoki Corporation, and Starwood Hotels, per Wikipedia. Starwood was later bought by Marriott, and the hotels are now run by Marriott’s Sheraton and Westin brands.
That’s why you can book them with Marriott Bonvoy points, and why prices often run lower than Disney’s own Deluxe resorts nearby.
Do Swan and Dolphin guests get Disney perks?
Some of them. Guests at the Swan and Dolphin get Early Theme Park Entry, per Disney’s list of eligible hotels, and they’re a walk or boat ride from EPCOT’s International Gateway and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
What they don’t get is the full Disney resort treatment. There’s no Disney Dining Plan, and some Disney-owned hotel perks don’t apply. It’s a trade many people are happy to make for the price and the location.
What is the biggest hotel at Walt Disney World now?
Not the Dolphin anymore. Disney’s own sprawling resorts, like Pop Century and Coronado Springs, now hold more rooms, spread across big campuses instead of one tower.
But for a while in 1990, the hotel with giant dolphins (fish) on its roof was the biggest in Florida by 14 rooms.
Article compiled with the help of the Pirates & Princesses newsroom.
Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
Hat Tips:
Wikipedia, Walt Disney World Dolphin: opening date, room count, largest-in-Florida status and ownership
Wikipedia, Walt Disney World Swan: opening date, rooms, statues and the Swan Reserve
WDW Magazine, building design, Michael Graves and the resorts’ place in EPCOT history
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