Split Stay AoA and Swan/Dolphin? Anyone done this?

[colinsdad]

Hi All, I'm taking my DD5 to Disney in October, and originally was thinking I was going to do a camping trip at Fort Wilderness. Now I'm having some second thoughts about this.

I have enough points for a free stay at the Swan/Dolphin using my SPG points, but really want Magical Express. So I was thinking maybe start out at AoA for 2 days so they'll pick up up at the airport and take our bags; then move to the Swan for the last 5 days.

Has anyone done a split stay with a Disney hotel and the Swan/Dolphin? Will they still move your bags like the other resorts, or since Swan/Dolphin is not "disney", I'd be on my own.

If they will move our bags, would it be crazy to do 1 day at AoA, 5 Swan, then back to AoA so I can get ME on both ends?

Thanks for any thoughts/ideas/input.

 

[patty57]

No, I've never done that for DME. Would you be crazy to do it? If that's what you want to do, who's to say it's crazy? If I wanted to do a split stay to try a new resort I would totally do that, but I wouldn't bother packing up and moving to another resort if it was only for DME.

 

[jiminyfan]

And yes they move the bags for you. We never changed back at the end for the DME as we used a limo service. We like the flexibility of being able to leave at a much later time compared to the DME.

Go for it and enjoy the Swan and Dolphin, we love staying there.

 

[jw105]

Last August we were in the same boat. We had 5 free nights at the Swan. We started off with one night at CSR. They moved our bags to the Swan without any issues. Following the 5 nights at the Swan we spent a night at All Stars Sports and got a 5am DME back to the airport. We didn't have any issues and it was one of our best trips yet. When given the choice between $100 cab ride or spending another night on property, I'll always opt for the extra night.

 

[joanjett1976]

What about a reverse situation? We'll be switching from Swan to AKL. Will Swan transfer our luggage?

 

[jw105]

Yep, we went both ways CSR->Swan->All Star. The trip from the Swan to All Star worked out without any issues. We just called the bellhop whenever we were ready to leave the Swan and he came up within 15 minutes to get all of the luggage. It was at the All Star whenever we arrived after spending a day at the parks.

 

[Robert P]

What about a reverse situation? We'll be switching from Swan to AKL. Will Swan transfer our luggage?

If you start at the Swan/Dolphin, you won't be able to get the free Magical Express component that the OP is looking for, coming in from the airport after arrival.

 

[colinsdad]

And yes they move the bags for you. We never changed back at the end for the DME as we used a limo service. We like the flexibility of being able to leave at a much later time compared to the DME.

Go for it and enjoy the Swan and Dolphin, we love staying there.

Last August we were in the same boat. We had 5 free nights at the Swan. We started off with one night at CSR. They moved our bags to the Swan without any issues. Following the 5 nights at the Swan we spent a night at All Stars Sports and got a 5am DME back to the airport. We didn't have any issues and it was one of our best trips yet. When given the choice between $100 cab ride or spending another night on property, I'll always opt for the extra night.

Yep, we went both ways CSR->Swan->All Star. The trip from the Swan to All Star worked out without any issues. We just called the bellhop whenever we were ready to leave the Swan and he came up within 15 minutes to get all of the luggage. It was at the All Star whenever we arrived after spending a day at the parks.

Thanks for the replies. Exactly what I was hoping to hear. I have booked the double split stay to get ME on both ends, and since I'm within my 180 days I've been making my ADRs this week.

 

[nanienamou]

We did one night at AOA last October, followed by 13 nights at the Dolphin. However, we hired a town car because we like to stop at a grocery store on the way. We took a taxi when we switched hotels. We found that the luggage service at AOA was pretty slow, so we just transferred it ourselves.