Logistics of Changing Resorts During Vacation

[nickspace]

If we stay, for example, at SSR for a couple of nights and then go to BCV for a couple of nights what are the logistics of changing rooms and transporting all your luggage and stuff. We will not have a car but will be relying on Disney transportation.

Thanks!
Nick

[dianeschlicht]

You can leave your luggage with bell services, and they will transport it to your new location if you request it. You can then go check in at your new location and head out to the parks. When you get your room assignment, you will have to call bell services at the new resort to have the luggage brought to your room. They wont bring it unless you are there. Remember that rooms aren't going to be available until after 4, so plan on getting your second check in out of the way and then going to play for the day. It will be easier than waiting to get settled into the new resort and missing a whole day of vacation in the process.

[mmjm]

Its certainly easier to stay at one resort, however when we did it it wasn't as bad as I thought, the worse thing is repacking your stuff. If your traveling during a slow season your 2nd resort may be ready in the morning or earlier than 4 PM, call the 2nd resort front desk when you check out of your 1st resort.

Depending on the # of days you will have at Disney, we found it easy to use the check-out/check-in day as a down day. We got up late, kids hit the pool on last time, we took our time checking out, left the bags with the bell hop, ate a leisurely lunch, traveled to the new resort, checked in early if possible, if not we hung out at the pool of the 2nd resort (just rememeber to keep your suits out). You can also do other things that require only a couple of hours at a mcuh slower pace than the parks and do require the purchase of a ticket. Example, mini golf, downtown disney, the boardwalk, or whatever you feel like depending on the time. This also allows some time to unpack at your own pace, versus trying to check-in and unpack after spending a long day in the park, especially if you go when its HOT.

[Bichon Barb]

I did this last year. SSR to BCV. Our plan was to spend the day at the pool at BCV, so since time = money, my friend and I packed our bags and hopped in a taxi. I think it was under $20 and worth it for us. When we got to BCV, we just took what we needed and gave our luggage to bell services to hold. When our room was ready, we just grabbed our luggage and headed to our room.

[disneynutz]

If we stay, for example, at SSR for a couple of nights and then go to BCV for a couple of nights what are the logistics of changing rooms and transporting all your luggage and stuff. We will not have a car but will be relying on Disney transportation.

Thanks!
Nick

Luggage is transfered around 3:00 PM each day. BS will give you a transfer tag when they pick up your luggage from your room.

[OKW Lover]

Keep in mind that you'll be "homeless" for most of the day and you'll also have to spend extra time packing/un-packing. Don't expect to get into your new resort room until late afternoon.

[nickspace]

How do you get from resort to resort?

[salmoneous]

Depending on the # of days you will have at Disney, we found it easy to use the check-out/check-in day as a down day. For us it's just the opposite - move day is spend-all-day-at-a-park day.

1) Get up
2) Call bell services to get bags
3) Take bus to park
4) Spend all day at park
5) Take bus to new resort
6) Check in
7) Have bags delivered

Very smooth and easy

[dbanzai]

I did this in September, my first stay at my two home resorts (SSR, AKV). We took our bags to bell services as said before, and they transfered them from SSR for us.

We had a little trouble getting our stuff and into our room in AKV, but that wasn't on the fault of BS. They did everything fine. Our issue was that since it was still changing from hotel to DVC on the wing, housecleaning didn't prepare our room by the time they said they would. That was pretty bad because I had to do work that night, and needed to start pretty much at the time I was supposed to be in the room. I would hope as they open more DVC units and the new building, it won't be as much of a problem.

How do you get from resort to resort?

After dropping our stuff off with BS, we went to a park, then took the bus back to the other resort no problem. Our stuff was there for us, even though we had the room issues.

[gcbsdad]

I was also curious about this.
We added a night onto our trip so we have 1 night at SSR
then we go to BWV for 4 nights.

Will they transport food?

[thepops]

I've read that yes they will, and for cold items will store them in a refrigerated area atthe new resport until you get your room

[Buckeye Fan]

For us it's just the opposite - move day is spend-all-day-at-a-park day.

1) Get up
2) Call bell services to get bags
3) Take bus to park
4) Spend all day at park
5) Take bus to new resort
6) Check in
7) Have bags delivered

Very smooth and easy
I think this would be my preferance as well. We moved from All Star Movies to SSR over Spring Break, and we couldn't get in our room until 4. We checked out at 11, ate lunch, hung out in SSR's lobby (too cool the day we got there to swim), drove around the resort, grabbed groceries, etc. I honestly felt like we blew an entire day of our vacation switching hotels. If I had it to do over again, I would have this be one of my park or outlet mall days and then check-in time really wouldn't have mattered.

Had we been by ourselves, we would have spent time at DTD or gone to play mini-golf, but MIL/FIL were with us and she can't walk well. No biggie, though. We hung out and talked to the DVC sales guy and got the scoop on Disney cruises! :laughing: He was a super nice guy and we enjoyed hanging out with him. I think we helped him get some tours scheduled, too, as he would always look at us and say, "Do you like your membership?" "Do you wish you had bought DVC sooner?" Of course our answers were, "YES" and "YES"!!! :thumbsup2

Hey...come to think of it, I should have gotten some fast passes out of that one!!!

[weluvslinkydog]

For us it's just the opposite - move day is spend-all-day-at-a-park day.

1) Get up
2) Call bell services to get bags
3) Take bus to park
4) Spend all day at park
5) Take bus to new resort
6) Check in
7) Have bags delivered

Very smooth and easy

Couldn't agree more. smooth, easy, and the only thing that takes time is checking in again at the second resort. otherwise, worry and stress free! I packed bathing suits in our backpacks that morning and after Epcot we hit the pool at the new resort until our room was ready...really not a big deal at all.

[toocherie]

would anyone recommend going to the second resort and checking in before going to a park or DTD, etc.? So that you have a better chance of getting room choice?

[LOVETHATMOUSE]

We are staying at SSR - arriving Thanksgiving afternoon around 2:30ish. We have a 1B for just that day only, then on the 28th will check into a 2B, along with another family who is meeting us down there. I am just packing an overnight bag for Thanksgiving and not touching the rest of the bags till we check into the 2B. Our friends won't arrive till after lunch, but if we are already checked into the new room, do we have to be there to check them in too since they are on the ressie? We would like to check in early and head to a park and meet them back at the hotel later on. Can this be done?

[dbanzai]

would anyone recommend going to the second resort and checking in before going to a park or DTD, etc.? So that you have a better chance of getting room choice?

I would not recommend it, just because it would mean finding alternate means of trasnportation most likely from one resort to the other. Unless you are going between Boardwalk-area resorts wher you could walk or take the ferry, the resorts don't have transportation between one another. If you are using something other than the Disney transportation system, you might as well go to whatever park you get a bus to.

Maybe it's me, in fact, looking at the threads over Disboards, it must be me, but I don't usually mind what buildings/floors/villages I stay at during my stays so long as I'm in the category I booked or upgraded.

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

This will be my first time traveling with my laptop, and we are going to be staying in 4 different rooms. What do you guys do with your laptops? Bring it to the parks and put it in a locker? Put it in a bigger suitcase and lock the suitcase? Walk around with it all day? (Not really an option for me because my laptop is heavy and I have a bad back!) We have never done a split stay before, but I bet we will be experts by the end of this trip!

[salmoneous]

I would leave my laptop with bell services like any other piece of luggage

[dbanzai]

I put it in the locker at the park, but it wasn't because of security really... It was jus in case my luggage didn't arrive to our room in time for me when I had to start working. I would have otherwise likely left it with my other bags.

[PEANUT1]

When we did it last year my hubby went out early in the morning and checked us into our new hotel while I stayed with the kids and finished packing up. The bag issue is really not big deal bc disney will take care of it.

I just didn't like moving in the middle of my trip. I like to be settled and not pack until I am leaving. I told my hubby that we won't be doing that again any time soon.;)

[hakepb]

That is an interesting thought about the laptop issue and a move.
To me, the most important thing about my laptop is the important data, Memories. Which are the pictures I download from my camera (which I also burn new pictures to CD or DVD every night so I can clear my camera's memory card and not have to worry about a hard drive crash)

If I did not have a car, and bell services was moving my laptop (To me a laptop bag is too obvious, I'd at least hide the laptop inside a normal piece of luggage), I'd then at least keep my backup picture CD/DVD's with me and store them in a park locker or a carry around bag during the day. Or with free high-speed access for DVC at DVC it is now easier/cheaper to upload to an online storage / photo location. Having data in at least 2 seperate physical locations is always a good rule at home or away.

With pictures I am more concerned with memories lost than hardware/data theft, I am not sure I would ever trust a laptop with confidential company data to anyone else to move. Then I'd insist on keeping it at the resort/front desk if available, and move it myself later.

[hakepb]

Now, of course the biggest question regarding a bell services luggage move, what is the cost / charge / customary tip?

[dbanzai]

No charge, just a tip if you feel the desire (I always do when dealing with bell serrvices).

[Marshay]

We split our stay last year between BCV and AKV and we will NOT do it again. We wasted way too much time packing and unpacking, moving our suitcases (and we had a rental car to make it easy) and paying them the $1-2/bag. Our DD2 didn't understand the whole move process and it took her some time to get used to the new room and bed.

We asked if BCV would transport our perishables to AKV and they said they would not as they are not responsible for items that can go bad (i.e., milk). So we ended up just throwing out all our cold items. I've heard that others were able to do this -- we weren't (maybe b/c we didn't give them our suitcases, too?)

I did like the variety of the rooms and resorts but I guess I agree with PP -- I like to be settled into one room and hate the hassle of picking everything up and starting over. Definitely not smooth for us, but maybe we just pack too much! :rotfl2:

Good luck with whatever you do!