ByHow to Get Your Resort Fee Waived at Disney Swan
The is located at the heart of Disney and is a walking distance to Disney Studios and Epcot. The 12 story building is not only luxurious, but is also at the center of all the fun that Disney has to offer.
While it's close to the throbbing heart of Disney, Walt Disney Swan resort comes with one challenge that can quickly add up your cost of stay— resort fees. For most people who choose to stay at the resort, these somewhat exorbitant resort fees can really add up. Even worse, you might not even be using the amenities and extra features packaged under resort fees.
Luckily, there's a workaround to get your resort fees waived at Disney Swan. Trying to have your fees waived on your own can take time, but you can cut that time in half with DoNotPay.
First, it’s important to understand what type of extra charges Disney Swan requires of you in addition to the regular room charges.
Types of Fees Disney Swan Charges?
has two primary extra charges over their regular room charges. There's the parking fee and the resort fee. For parking, Disney Swan charges $29 for self-parking and $35 for valet parking per night. The resort fee totals $35 per day.
While the parking fee is not necessary if you make other arrangements for your vehicle, the resort fee is mandatory and excludes tax, charged separately.
What’s Included in the Resort Fees:
- Unlimited long-distance calls
- In-room internet access
- Bus service to parks and use of Friendship boat
- 24-hour access to Swan Resort's health club facilities
- Complimentary daily fitness classes (scheduled)
- Complimentary pool and resort activities (scheduled)
- $25 off Mandara spa services (regular spa charges are $100)
- Complimentary Boat rentals
- S'mores Fun kit for campfires and S'mores events
- Daily Dolphin resort bottled water (provided in the room)
Why Do Hotels Make You Pay a Resort Fee?
Resort fees cover the amenities you use during your stay at a hotel. Most resorts, including Disney Swan, use resort fees as an extra source of revenue and a way to provide their guests with more amenity options to enhance their stay. However, resort fees can quickly add up if you travel as a family or a group, so they are not always ideal.
Even if there have been many complaints about resort fees, it doesn't look like the State of Florida is doing much to deter hotels from adding resort fees to their packages. However, states like Washington DC and Nebraska have filed lawsuits to ensure hotels remove resort fees from their packages.
Lawsuits take time, however. So far, neither state has had success in their battle against additional resort fees. But now, Marriott will start to include their resort fee in the advertised room rate.
Can You Refuse to Pay Resort Fees?
Resort fees are quite murky where the law is concerned. There are no clear laws or regulations to make resort fees illegal. However, a bill in progress states resorts and hotels are to fully disclose all required rates in their room advertising rate.
If a resort was not transparent about the fee, you could refuse to pay based on a lack of transparency of additional fees. That said, you can also find a workaround if the amenities and facilities packaged under a resort fee are unavailable or in bad condition.
The Odds of Getting Disney Swan Resort Fee Waived
You increase your chances of if:
| The Resort Fee Was Not Disclosed During the Booking | This can often happen over the telephone or on a hotel booking site where total charges are not disclosed initially. |
| The Amenities, Features, and Facilities Covered by the Resort Fee Are Unavailable, Broken, or Unfit for Use | For instance, if the pool is under maintenance, or there are health restrictions for using the Friendship boat. |
| You Are Not Able to Use the Amenities Covered by the Resort Fee. | For instance, due to a health condition, you cannot use the health club facilities and pool facilities packaged under the resort fee. |
How to Get Disney Swan Resort Fee Waived on Your Own
As mentioned previously, getting a resort fee waiver is hard, but it's not impossible. In the case of Disney Swan, they disclose their resort fee at the time of booking, so you'll have a pretty good idea of what your final charges will be.
However, if you don't plan to use the facilities and features covered by the resort fee, you can try these three methods to get your resort fee waived at Disney Swan resort:
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Negotiate With the Manager
Negotiating for a Disney Swan resort fee waiver is the easiest method, but it will take some convincing and persistence. You can first try negotiating with the hotel clerk once you arrive at Disney Swan.
If they can't handle the issue, escalate it to the manager for negotiation. Explain that you don't plan to use their facilities or features on the resort fee. For instance, you might not be interested in their health club facilities and long-distance calls. Or, you may be unable to utilize these amenities either due to health conditions or the condition of amenities.
This method does not always guarantee success, but it has a high chance of success since it's up close and personal. The manager might also relent to achieve customer satisfaction or prevent a bad review or escalated complaint.
Sometimes, the resort may not be in a situation to waive the whole resort fee, but they can work a reduction based on the excluded items. Keep in mind that negotiations should happen upfront during check-in to prevent any surprises along the way.
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Dispute the Resort Fee to Your Credit Card
For instance, if you made a phone reservation and the Disney Swan wasn't transparent about the resort fee, you can dispute it with your credit card. Keep in mind that the credit card company may require documented proof. Make sure to have copies of this documentation to send to your credit company for the resort fee dispute.
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File a Consumer Complaint With the Florida Attorney General
If the two other methods fail, escalate the issue by filing a complaint with the Florida attorney general office. You'll find the complaint page here and the form under the consumer protection complaint form.
If you prefer to file the complaint in person, here is the address and telephone number.
- Office of the Attorney General
PL-01 The Capitol
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1050
- Telephone: (850) 414-3990
- Toll-Free(within Florida): 1-866-966-7226
Filling out the online form takes less than a minute, but the process that follows can be long, frustrating, and tedious. However, you can do it faster and more easily with DoNotPay.
Automate Getting Your Resort Fee Waived at Disney Swan With DoNotPay
One frustrating issue you have to deal with when getting your resort fee waiver from Disney Swan is the time and processes involved. Negotiation may be quicker, but management might not relent as easily. On the other hand, credit card disputes will need some serious documentation and writing. The downside of filing a consumer complaint is the time it takes to resolve your issue.
Here's where DoNotPay comes in. We automate the whole letter writing process, so you don't have to waste time at the front desk or wait for a manager. DoNotPay crafts your refund demand letter and sends it to the relevant person, and from there, you'll hear soon from them regarding the dispute.
How to Get Your Resort Fee Waived at Disney Swan Using DoNotPay:
If you want to have your resort fee waived but don't know where to start, DoNotPay has you covered in 4 easy steps:
- Go to the Hotel Bill Negotiations product on DoNotPay.
- Answer a few questions about your hotel bill, which charges you want to have refunded, and the details of your reservation.
- Tell us whether this is for a past reservation or you're still at the hotel (this helps us decide whether negotiation or chargeback is a better option for your case).
- Choose whether you want us to contact the front desk or general manager (if you've already tried contacting the front desk already).
It's as simple as that. The resort management will then get back to you regarding the refund once we file your refund demand.
Why Use DoNotPay to Get Your Resort Fees Waived
The reason why DoNotPay has been successful with its continued service is due to to the fact that its:
- Fast—You don't have to spend hours trying to solve the issue
- Easy—You don't have to struggle to fill out tedious forms or keep track of all the steps involved in solving your problem
- Successful—You can rest assured knowing we'll make the best case for you
DoNotPay Works Across All Hotel Brands
Whether you have refund challenges with Hilton or Marriott, DoNotPay has you covered. DoNotPay helps you automate demand for refunds, contact relevant government agencies, and make consumer complaints no matter what hotel or resort you are dealing with.
What Else Can DoNotPay Do?
Helping you get a resort fee waiver is only one of the things DoNotPay can help you with. DoNotPay can help you to also:
- Request for chargeback and refunds
- Create passport photos
- Get a child travel consent
- Access tourist visa
- File a complaint against any company
- Get your parking tickets dismissed