A couple of follow-up questions with respect to the cab bag transfer:
1.) If I'm transfering early in the morning (say around 7 a.m.) can I expect to have an easy time getting a cab from resort A to resort B? (have never thought to notice whether there are cabs parked in front of the resorts that early)
2.) In that situation, assuming my room in the new resort is not ready, am I expected to tip bell services when I drop the bags off? (I know I'm expected to tip AFTER they bring the bags to my room, but wasn't sure if I'm expected to tip when dropping the bags off)
1. Yes, you will be able to get a cab. Just go to Bell Services or Valet parking...they will call a cab if there isn't one there already.
2. Yes, if your room isn't ready, you will leave your bags with Bell Services, and yes, they will expect a tip. But I tip when I pick the bags up, not when I drop them off.
I did my first split stay last Dec - super easy. I called down to Bell services @ resort A the night before I was leaving to arrange a pick up time. They called me that morning to let me know they were on their way and and to ask if I was ready. They showed up, gave me my voucher, I tipped $2 per bag, then I went to breakfast, wandered through MK, headed over to Epcot wandered through Epcot and then checked into resort B. Once I was in my room in resort B, I called Bell sercvices for my bags and they brought them right up. I tipped $2per bag again (I'm a good tipper usually.) They'd warned me @ resort A that the bags might not get to resort B until after 2 or 3 pm, but they were there before then.
Why waste park time schlepping bags around when Bell services will deal w/ all of that? Even if you use a taxi, the driver will be out there @ the trunk putting the bags in/out and expecting a tip - won't he, or would that just be part of his normal expected tip?
I have done split stays about 15 times now. Not once, not one single time, did they get me my bags before 4pm. There was one time that I handed my bags to Bell Services at the BC at 7:30am. They told me that the bags wouldn't be over at POR until 3ish. Okay, not a problem. My dd and I went off to MK for awhile. But after about 1pm, we got really hot and tired, so went to POR to check in. We checked in and were told that we could have a room right then, or wait an hour or so and get a room in bldg 14! We said we would wait. So, grabbed some lunch and walked around for a bit. By about 3pm, we were able to get into our room. Our bags weren't there, but I hadn't expected them to be. So, when 4pm came and went, I called down to Luggage Assistence..no bags yet. Okay. 5pm came. I walked over to Luggage Assistence...nice to be in bldg 14!! I talked to the nicest man. He called BC to see what the story was. 'Oh, we've been too busy today to move the bags. Someone will get right on that.' Now, I 'get' busy. But there was nothing out of the ordinary going on at BC that day!! So, went back to my room. All we wanted to do was swim for a bit before heading out to a park for dinner. Well....when 6pm came, I called down to Luggage Assistence again. The same man answered, and told me that nothing had shown up yet. And that he had called BC again....they still hadn't left. Now, I'm getting peeved. He told me he would call me as soon as they had the bags. About an hour later, he called me, said he was on his way with the bags. He was so apologetic!! I tried to tip him, which I normally do anyway. He flat out refused to take my tip. He said, and I quote,'Mam, there is no way I am taking a tip for such crappy service. You have had to wait way too long for these two bags. So, thank-you for your patience, and have a really wonderful stay at POR!' and he walked away!!
Most times I get my bags right around dinnertime. But I always have to call several times...except at BW. They are incredible there!!!
I think I may take a cab with my bags next month. I don't want to have to carry a bag with me, to the parks, with swim suits. It's going to be hot, and we'll want to swim midday. But yes, that cab driver will be expecting a tip as well. But, he would if it was just my dd and me...bags really don't impact that. So, I will have to get a cab, and probably tip the person who gets that cab for me, then ride to the new resort, pay and tip the driver. Then, if my room isn't ready yet, I can just leave the bags with Bell Services, and then tip them when they get to my room. Yep, it's expensive.
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) and enjoy the start of our Disney vacation. 
