The interior of the Swan has a small fountain with swans in the lobby, and the interior of the Dolphin has the same idea of a main fountain in the lobby but with dolphins instead. There are two main fountains on the exteriors and interiors of each hotel. Michael Eisner, CEO of the Walt Disney Company, insisted the dolphins were not to be displayed this way on Walt Disney property, and so Graves’ dolphins have their mouths curving upward to give the impression that they are smiling.Īn important element in both hotels is the integration of water. The major difference, however, is the dolphins in Bernini’s work all have their mouths curving down as if they are frowning. An example of these dolphins can be seen at the King Neptune fountain at the Italian pavilion in Epcot. The dolphin was inspired by the work of Italian sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Graves chose a swan and a dolphin on purpose, creating two characters not yet used by Disney. They are hollow inside except for structural beams and staircases for maintenance purposes. Both the dolphin and swan figures are made of steel, wood, and fiberglass. The story continues with two birds that were entranced by this event and when they went to view it up close they were magically transformed into swans, thus explaining the 28-ton, 47 foot high statues. This water also splashes up on the side of the Swan, which is painted on the hotel displaying another large mural.
In Graves’ tale, this burst open and water began flowing down to the dolphin pool. The banana leaves painted on the side of the hotel represent the foliage on the island, and the “black box” on the front elevation of the building is the heart of the mountain. When the island emerged from underwater it lifted the dolphins up as well, and these are represented by the dolphins on the roof of the hotel, each 63′ feet tall. Graves’ story behind the hotels began with the idea for the Dolphin, which he said was an island that was formed by a sudden cataclysmic event, such as an underwater volcano or earthquake. The theme for the design of the hotels sprung right from its early conceptual stages, where Graves developed an entire story to create characters for both the Swan and the Dolphin in a magical tale that he thought could potentially become Disney characters. The Theme for The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort: Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort by Michael Graves, In a world where anything in your imagination can become a reality, Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida stayed true to their word and hired architect Michael Graves to design a resort consisting of two hotels that would become part of Disney’s famous collection of “entertainment architecture.” Graves’ postmodern, colorful style was the perfect choice for the playful theme-park resort, and his whimsical design decisions and statues of grandeur contribute to the famous Disney kingdom.
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