Should we do a Split stay at the Resorts?

[Mom of a *Princess*]

We are planning to visit WDW just after Christmas Dec. 27-Jan.4 2011. It will be our first visit and we are very excited! I realize that the parks will be very extrremely busy at that time, not to mention the resorts are pretty pricey.
I'm thinking that it might be better to split our time at the resorts. We aren't planning to rent a car and will have a 5 and a 4 year old in tow so good, easy transportation routes are important

Thinking about spending our first 3 nights at the AKL (visit the AK park) and then move to the Polynesian (Dec. 30) for the remainder of the stay and see the other parks. Does this sound like a good plan?

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[magicaldisney]

We are a family who has never had a problem with split stays HOWEVER I would not do a split stay for your first trip. There is soooo much to see and do that the last thing you want to worry about is moving to a new resort.

Also, you will only need one day to visit Animal Kingdom so if it were me, I would stay at the Poly for the whole visit. You can always visit other resorts if you are interested in checking them out.

Just my opinion!!!!

 

[johnsonet]

I think that's a great split and have done it myself more than once. My only hesitation for you is that this is your first trip. I find splits stays pretty easy because we have been SO many times and really know the lay of the land - where we're going, how to get there, etc.

I think you could do it and that it's a fun idea but you'll need to be sure to have the best understanding of transportation, parks, etc. that you can have, particularly during the busy holiday season.

If your trip were shorter, I'd say don't do it but 3/5 is good

Good luck. I say go for it!

 

[goofy4tink]

Previous poster is so correct. For a first time visit, I would suggest staying at one resort. You are going to lose a bunch of time unpacking, repacking, unpacking..then having to go the next resort from the first one. Especially with kids. It can take close to all day before you get your bags handed to you at the new resort..nothing I would want to experience with young kids.
If it were me, I would just stay at the Polynesian. The MK is the park that the kids are going to love the most...the monorail is terrific for getting there quickly and effortlessly.

 

[disadventurer]

Agreed! There is soo much excitement at the World--not to mention Christmastime!! With younger children, the Monorail is fun in and of itself!! To be at the Poly is truly a bonus. Why have to uproot the kids and waste a day if you don't have to??

Have fun whatever you choose

 

[a1tinkfans]

We are planning to visit WDW just after Christmas Dec. 27-Jan.4 2011. It will be our first visit and we are very excited! I realize that the parks will be very extrremely busy at that time, not to mention the resorts are pretty pricey.
I'm thinking that it might be better to split our time at the resorts. We aren't planning to rent a car and will have a 5 and a 4 year old in tow so good, easy transportation routes are important

Thinking about spending our first 3 nights at the AKL (visit the AK park) and then move to the Polynesian (Dec. 30) for the remainder of the stay and see the other parks. Does this sound like a good plan?

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Perosnally, No would be my answer.
Not for a first trip. Not with small kids.
Realize you will be checking in, unpacking and then re-packing, checking out. Then checking back in , unpacking again....why ???? waste all that DIsney time
Visit the other resorts, its simple enough to do, while at NK, jump on the monorail and visit Poly, its a great way to "see" resorts , while also taking a break (which will probably be needed).
Whatever you decide, have a wonderful trip, it is MAGICAL!

 

[cottontail]

Hi We do the split stay, but have been going to disney for many years now. We did not do it for our first visit when our kids were small. Plus it is much more work for you probably doing the packing and unpacking. The polynesian resort is a super resort I would stay there for the whole time to give yourself a nice trip with no packing and unpacking.

The only downfall for us is the day we check out of our first resort there is a long window of having no hotel room until you can get into the second hotel, which sometimes is around supper time. My daughter gets severe migraines and I have seen me sitting in the parking lot of the polynesian with the air conditioning on in our car as she is too sick to walk and sit up in a lobby waiting for our room.

We usually do a moderate resort at the beginning and then do more resort activities and less parks for the second half in a deluxe.

Deb.
We have done the akl and poly split for our 25th anniv and I loved it, the children would love the animals. I would definitely go over for lunch to the animal kingdom lodge and have a look out back at the animals and the pool area.

 

[MainStreetFireman]

Our first trip was with 2 DKs who were then 5 and 7. We stayed for free in Downtown Disney. It was not convenient to return to the hotel, so we gutted it out. Some days were not pretty.

Our next trip was at ages 8 and 10, and we paid to stay at The Poly. It was worth every penny. Even at their age, we found the ability to schedule a quick nap or dip in the pool in the middle of the day was the key to a full re-charge of our batteries. Since MK is a real favorite for most young kids, a monorail resort is a great idea, if it makes sense for your wallet.

This year will our 5th trip to WDW as a family. Only now, after 4 trips (all for 7 days each), did I even consider a split stay. Coincidentally, it will be a Poly / AKL split. But that's what made sense for us.

 

[sweetdana]

I do split stays, as DVC the points for 1 bedrooms and studios are way different and cannot afford not too. That being said I wouldn't split a 7 or 8 day trip. Only a 10-12 day trip.
It is too short and it isn't worth the hassle. I would go for Poly the whole time between these 2. AK is far away from everything and a 1st trip you will be at MK alot.

I agree with the poster AK is a 1 day park, unless you are staying like 10 + days.

 

[HockeyMomR]

I am also a fan of the split stay. We actually did the AKL / Poly split several years ago in May 2006. AKL is close to AK and easy bus to DS. Then Poly you could easily get to MK, of course, and easy monorail ride to Epcot.

Good luck planning, I think it sounds like a great plan!

 

[iluvhawaii]

We always do split stays, but as others have suggested, for your first trip I would stay at the Poly exclusively. AKL does not give you a huge advantage in terms of transportation to the parks (i.e. I believe you still have to take a bus). Your children will be young, and I think settling in to one resort and not having to pack and move would be good. Given that sometimes you're not able to check into the resorts until 4pm, it could be difficult on moving day if your kids need to nap or have some down time.

 

[blanq]

I would not do a split stay:

1. on a first trip to WDW
2. for a stay that is a week or less
3. during a time period that includes a major holiday

I have done one split stay, on a 10 day trip, and it worked fine because we planned a down day during our trip anyway. You are going to WDW during one of the busiest times of the year. That coupled with the fact it is your first trip will surely translate into you not being able to see/do as much. To compromise additional vacation time to transfer to a new resort would not be on the top of my list if I were in your shoes.

 

[MainStreetFireman]

that our next trip is for 12 days and 11 nights. As other posters have mentioned, I would not have agreed to a split stay if we were staying for 7 nights.

 

[kaligal]

IMO, pick a resort and stick with it.

Moving is a much bigger pain when you're there than it sounds like at home. You have to gather all your belongings together, which is a pain. Dirty and wet stuff has to be set apart from clean and dry.

You have to pack up like you're leaving. Do you want to do this at the end of a day when you're tired or do you want to take a morning off to do it? Neither is all that fun, IMO.

Then you have to move. Line up for check-in again. Less fun the second time. Out of one place by 11, may not have a new room until 3:00. If you packed your crap the night before and changed places early, you may have gone to a park and want to take a break...nowhere to go. If you did it in the morning, it will be less of a pain - just go somewhere (whether it is roasting hot or raining or whatever, you gotta go somewhere, but at least you aren't so upset about not having a room), but you'll have wasted half a day of your vacation moving around.

Then you have to unpack. Again.

If you want to buy stuff in the parks and have it delivered to your hotel, remember where you'll be so that they send it to the right place. Or just don't do that.

I know none of this sounds like more than minor inconvenience at home, but it really can be a major pain in the patootie when your actually vacationing.

That's MHO.

But mostly people who ask for our opinions end up doing it, anyway, so I figure you'll join that crowd. Good luck. Let us know how it goes!

 

[Mom of a *Princess*]

Thanks for all the helpful comments. I do appreciate hearing about others experiences and you've convinced me that for our first trip we should stay at the Poly. I'm sure it'll be an adventure in and of it self to be at WDW during a very crowded time...we don't need any additional hassles. Thanks again!

 

[disadventurer]

Have a blast with your kids--precious moments in time

 

[MickeyNicki]

I wouldnt want to do a split stay during a holiday time...way too busy, rooms would not be ready, taking park or resort time away from your schedule to pack up and move and then unpack again