Arlene the Fancy Writer: Walt Disney World Dolphin

TENTH LOCATION

Walt Disney World Dolphin

What is this fancy place?

The Dolphin is the second tall and imposing resort designed by Michael Graves; it is the Swan's magnificent counterpart and wows with its colorful palette, huge statues and waterfalls, and swanky interior.

Like the Swan, the Dolphin has a bubbly colorful exterior, and a more fancy first-class interior. As I try to find a writing space, I begin to realize how business fancy the Dolphin actually is.

First Impressions of the Fancy

The Dolphin reminds me of an airport - in a good way. The air is rich with perfume, glass cases show off designer outfits, and little nooks are transformed into boutiques. The resort echoes with the din of business-chat and keyboard-clack and people in suits with luggage and computers march through the lobby. A sleek black bar serves guests as they sit at high tables and hunch over tablets and computer screens, much like in an airport lounge.

The bar

Fancy Writing Spaces?

If the Swan had outlets galore - then the Dolphin must be the Kingdom of Outlets. I start in the lobby and every seat has access to an outlet; outlets decorate the floor, the lamps and the walls. As I traverse through the Dolphin's levels and hallways, every bench in every nook has access to power. I'm about to burst with glee. There's only one problem - there are no free seats.

The Dolphin resembles an anthill, and is currently crawling with fancy looking people doing Very Important Things on computers. Apparently I've come at the wrong time. I surreptitiously glance at the lanyards hanging around their necks and realize that I've stumbled into the middle of an extremely large convention: IMB's Connect2013.

From the second floor lobby, to the first floor restaurants, to the green hills outside, to the chairs by the pool, to even the seat by the elevator: convention attendees swarm to the available outlets. After about an hour of exploring and searching, I organize my retreat and head to the Swan, where attendees have drifted to, but not yet taken over.

This guy found an outlet by the elevator

Second attempt:

About a week later I make it back to the Dolphin and almost freeze when I realize there is yet another convention going on: Rural Telecom Expo. Luckily, the number of attendees is a lot smaller and when I enter the lobby, there's plenty of seats and outlets to feast upon.

It's difficult to choose because each place looks comfy and accommodating but eventually I pick a seat facing away from the sun and set up camp. I practically melt into the chair and placing the computer on my lap, begin a very productive four hour writing session.

I thought the Contemporary was business-fancy, but it has nothing on the Dolphin, which lives and breathes industry, and is professional level fancy for professional people. From large screens introducing attendees to the convention, to banners and cast members on ipads directing attendees to their conference rooms, to the multitude of outlets and seats, the Dolphin is Disney's practical and fanciful answer to conventions.

Fancy Details

The trees turn colors at night!

This is the bridge that leads to the Swan and Dolphin - look at the cute sailboats on the bridge!

The beach by the Dolphin -
ahahaha cute little Swan boats for rent!

Not sure how visible this is - but there are tiny sparkling lights
on the ceiling of the entry way.

And of course - the Dolphin statue. I thought at first it was supposed to be a common dolphinfish, but apparently it might be a stylized depiction of the dolphin, a nautical dolphin used on old maps. The statue may be based off of the Triton Fountain. I found an interview here that talks further about the style choices and where they might have come from, and more about the lore Graves had intended for the hotel.

Fancy Extras