Disney’s Swan and Dolphin Restaurants Guide (By Resort Gal)
Disney’s Swan and Dolphin Hotels have a considerable number of restaurants. Additionally, the surrounding Epcot Resorts Area has more options within walking distance. So, if you’re planning a stay at either of the resorts, you’ll want to be aware of your options. From multiple signature dining locations to table and quick-service options, these resorts offer a little bit of everything regarding dining.
This dining guide for the Swan and Dolphin will touch on those options below. We’ll preview each restaurant, including menus and photos of what to expect. As you are probably aware, the Swan and Dolphin are slightly different from the surrounding Walt Disney World Resorts. These two hotels are owned and operated by Marriott. A third hotel, the Swan Reserve, also sits nearby.
Disney World Swan and Dolphin Restaurants
Below is a list of the restaurants at Disney’s Swan and Dolphin.
Disney Swan Restaurants
- Il Mulino
- Kimonos
- Garden Grove
- Java
- Chill
Disney Dolphin Restaurants
- Shula’s Steak House
- Todd English’s Bluezoo
- The Fountain
- Rosa Mexicano
- Cabana Bar and Beach Club
- Picabu
- Fuel
Lounges at the Swan and Dolphin
- Phins
- Shula’s Steakhouse Lounge
- Kimono’s Lounge
- bluezoo Lounge
- Il Mulino Lounge
We’ll start on the Dolphin side of the two hotels.
Fuel
Our first stop is Fuel, the Dolphin’s quick-service restaurant. Fuel is more of a convenience store that offers grab-and-go and a few freshly prepared items. It is located off the main lobby of the Dolphin Hotel.
- Location: Dolphin Hotel 2nd Floor Lobby
- Hours: 6:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m.
- Menu: Check the Resort’s App*
*The Swan and Dolphin have their own hotel app. While I’m not a huge fan of downloading apps, I have this app and use it when staying at the hotel. It is convenient, especially if you’re in the room or at the pool and want to preview restaurant menus. You can also use the app to place in-room dining orders and have someone come and pick up your things when you’re finished.
Fuel is spread out over a large area and offers a nice variety of options.
You’ll be able to find various beverages, including water, sodas, sports drinks, and juices. They also have a large selection of premade salads and sandwiches.
You’ll find plenty of snacks, chips, crackers, and similar items. Fuel has plenty of unique brands that you won’t find just anywhere. This is my go-to spot when I’m in the area and want something unique. When taking the FriendShips between Hollywood Studios and Epcot, I often stop here for a break.
They usually have a large selection of beer, wine, and prepackaged cocktails.
For breakfast, you’ll find a variety of bagels, muffins, and danishes. Several breakfast sandwiches are prepared to order. A few types of sandwiches and salads are available at lunch and dinner.
Specialty coffee drinks and tea are also available. They have a coffee bar area on one side of the shop.
Fuel has a couple of tables and chairs if you want to dine inside. If you prefer, there are usually a few tables and chairs outside of Fuel, close to the walkway that leads to the bus stop. The Dolphin’s lobby is also an excellent place to take a break.
A few chocolate and candy art sculptures are usually on display. It’s fun to see what the resort’s chefs created.
Rosa Mexicano
Rosa Mexicano replaced the former Fresh Mediterranean Market at Disney’s Dolphin. This newer restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
- Location: First Level of Disney’s Dolphin
- Hours: 7:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m.
- Hours: 12:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m.
- Hours: 5:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m.
- Disney: Menu with Prices
Rosa Mexicano has a modern, contemporary vibe and a unique spin on Mexican cuisine. We dined here when they first opened and were impressed with the menu and the food we tried.
Here are the fresh Ahi tuna tacos on the lunch and dinner menu. They are an excellent item if you enjoy sushi-grade tuna.
Related: Rosa Mexicano Review at Disney
Picabu
Picabu is around the corner from Rosa Mexicano and is considered a buffeteria. We have enjoyed several meals here over the years.
- Location: First Level of Disney’s Dolphin
- Hours: 7:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m.
- Hours: 5:00 p.m. until 12:00 a.m.
- Disney: Menu with Prices (Limited)
Picabu used to be open 24 hours, making it a prime location to pick up a meal after a late night at Magic Kingdom. Thankfully, the restaurant stays open until midnight. (Late-night dining at Walt Disney World is hard to find.)
Picabu serves breakfast and dinner. Its menu includes everything from rotisserie chicken with country-cooked vegetables to pizza and chicken fingers. Picabu also has a selection of Mexican food, like tacos and salads.
The Fountain
The Fountain is a restaurant I consider a hidden gem. It’s located on the immediate left of the escalators, where you enter the resort-side entrance underneath the fountain.
- Location: First Level of Disney’s Dolphin Hotel
- Hours: 11:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m.
- Disney: Menu with Prices
The Fountain takes walk-ups on a first-come, first-serve basis. However, it can be quite a popular dining spot, so expect a wait during regular dining hours. Menu items include burgers, chicken fingers, fries, salads, and soup. Expect a similar experience to Beaches and Cream. Additionally, The Fountain has several vegan and vegetarian options and a few menu items that lean toward the healthier side, like turkey burgers.
Todd English’s bluezoo
We run into Todd English’s bluezoo on the right-hand side of the escalators. This signature dining location gets rave reviews.
- Location: First Level of Disney’s Dolphin Hotel
- Hours: 5:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m.
- Disney: Menu with Prices
bluezoo is known for its high-quality seafood menu selections. However, if you aren’t a fan of protein from the sea, several other choices include pasta and beef. This Dolphin restaurant has a modern vibe and is worthy of securing a reservation.
Shula’s Steak House
Most of you have probably heard of Shula’s Steak House. As you probably know, Don Shula was a former Miami Dolphins head coach who led his team to many wins, including an undefeated season. Likewise, a meal at Shula’s will get you a pretty good steak—well, delicious.
- Location: Off the Dolphin’s 2nd Floor Lobby
- Hours: 5:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m.
- Disney: Menu with Prices
Shula’s Steakhouse is open for dinner only and is considered signature dining. It is located on the second floor of the Dolphin in a corridor off the main lobby. While the restaurant specializes in steak, other options are available. If you want to enjoy a special meal during your vacation, this is one of our top contenders.
Related: The Best Signature Dining Restaurants at Disney World
Cabana Bar and Beach Club
The Cabana Bar and Beach Club is a poolside restaurant beside the fabulous Grotto Pool. It offers mobile orders and has a separate walk-up dining area. This location also doubles as the pool’s bar.
- Location: Between the Grotto Pool and The Dolphin
- Hours: 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
- Disney: Menu with Prices
On a previous visit, I enjoyed a salad and an order of sweet potato fries from the Cabana Bar and Beach Club. The atmosphere was perfect, the service excellent, and the meal delightful. Make sure to eat here while staying at the resort.
Related: Pools at the Swan and Dolphin
Across the lake, we have the Swan Hotel. Since the resorts are only a few steps apart, guests can easily enjoy either hotel’s restaurants and amenities. Disney’s Swan is more of a boutique hotel with fewer crowds. Meanwhile, the Dolphin has a convention center attached to it and is often busier.
Java
Java is a coffee bar on the Swan’s ground level. It’s similar to Fuel at the Dolphin, only not as significant.
- Location: Disney’s Swan Lobby
- Hours: Sunday through Thursday 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
- Hours: Friday through Saturday 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
- Disney: Check the Resort’s App
Java is an excellent place to grab a coffee or a pastry. It also has a decent selection of grab-and-go items.
They typically have the same items, including sandwiches that are available at Fuel and Grounds at the Swan Reserve.
Related: Java at Disney’s Swan
Chill
Chill is another dining stop unique to the Swan Hotel. However, this quick service is limited to select hours over the weekend.
- Location: The Swan Hotel
- Hours: Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, 1:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
- Disney: Menu with Prices
Guests can cool down and relax with a refreshing selection of beer, wine, and unique frozen libations. Some of the offerings include a Cold Fashioned, Mango Margarita and a Paloma, which contains a blend of Herradura Silver Tequila and fresh grapefruit juice. Family friendly options are available as well as sodas, snacks, chips, and cookies.
Kimonos
Kimonos is a signature dining location at Disney’s Swan Hotel. The restaurant is well-known for its Asian cuisine and sushi menu.
- Location: Off Swan Hotel Lobby
- Hours: 5:30 p.m. until 11:30 p.m.
- Disney: Menu with Prices
While I haven’t had the opportunity to dine at Kimonos, the restaurant is definitely on my list to try. Orlando Sentinel readers voted it the top Orlando restaurant for sushi.
Garden Grove
Garden Grove sits next door to Kimonos and was formerly known for its character dining option. This location now offers breakfast a couple of days per week.
- Location: Off Swan Hotel Lobby (Breakfast Only)
- Hours: 7:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. (Closed on Tuesday-Wednesday)
- Disney: Menu with Prices
Garden Grove is designed to resemble New York’s Central Park, with a large tree in the center of the dining room. It currently serves breakfast on Thursdays through Mondays.
Il Mulino
Lastly, we have another popular signature dining location at the Swan. Il Mulino is an Italian restaurant featuring risotto, pasta, and a commendable antipasti selection.
- Location: Off Swan Lobby
- Hours: 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
- Disney: Menu with Prices
Unfortunately, I don’t have a current review of the restaurant. However, the last time we dined here, a while back now, the food was excellent. I wouldn’t hesitate to return.
Swan Reserve and Other Nearby Options
The Swan Reserve is a neighboring hotel and sister to the Swan and Dolphin. You might prefer to walk to enjoy their restaurants during your stay. Those restaurants include:
- Grounds
- Tangerine
- Stir
- Amare
Related: Swan Reserve Hotel Dining Guide
Lastly, the Epcot Resorts Area has plenty of other restaurants you might enjoy. Disney’s Boardwalk has several table-service restaurants, like Trattoria al Forno, Flying Fish, and The Cake Bake Shop. Disney’s Yacht Club also has several excellent options, like Ale and Compass Restaurant and Yachtsman Steakhouse. We have resort dining guides for each of these hotels that you might want to skim over before your visit. See Dining at Disney’s Beach and Yacht Club and Disney’s Boardwalk Restaurants List.
Final Thoughts on Restaurants at the Swan and Dolphin
This wraps up our preview of Disney’s Swan and Dolphin restaurants. Hopefully, this article gave you a good overview of dining options for your upcoming vacation. For more information, all of our articles for the resort are listed in our complete guide: Disney’s Swan and Dolphin Resort. Or you might enjoy these other related articles:
- Disney’s Swan and Dolphin Review
- Transportation Options at Disney’s Swan and Dolphin
- Laundry at Disney’s Swan and Dolphin
- The Walt Disney World Swan Reserve Review
In the comments:
Do you have a favorite restaurant at Disney’s Swan and Dolphin? Do any of these restaurants sound appealing? Let us know below in the comments.
