The ultimate split-stay thread

[Lehuaann]

I keep being told you can book FP from the day of your first resort night. I hope that isn't wrong...

It allowed me to do it

 

[ah10is]

I've got my 1st split stay scheduled for August 2016! 4 nights at Yacht club and 4 nights at The Polynesian! Really excited!

 

[Alicatt]

Yes, the tickets can be pulled up to 3 days before your package begins. However, I don't think it can be done at the hotel--I believe it can only be done at Guest Services at the parks and DTD.

As for the dining, you should be officially checked in (if you do online check in) at 4 p.m. on the 9th--even without going to the resort. Worst case scenario, if for some reason it doesn't work, you can always pay for dinner with your MB, and then have them refund your MB room charge and adjust your dining entitlements at the CBR concierge.

I have the same thing and the phone cast member said I could activate my tickets at the hotel concierge.

 

[Alicatt]

It allowed me to do it

If you have tickets associated with the resort stay, then yes you can from the first night, but if you have a split stay and the tickets are on the second reservation, then you have to wait for the first day of that one.

 

[Lehuaann]

If you have tickets associated with the resort stay, then yes you can from the first night, but if you have a split stay and the tickets are on the second reservation, then you have to wait for the first day of that one.

Again, it allowed me to do it.

Our 9 day PH are associated with our second stay at FW (package).

I was able to book all 9 days of FP+ 60 days from the date of our first stay at AKL (room only).

Disney Destinations sent me an email on 8/26 telling me that it was time to select our FP+ experiences. That is 60 days prior to our AKL checkin of 10/25.

Our FP+ booking window was open through checkout of Nov 7.

 

[LuvDaisy&Minnie]

Again, it allowed me to do it.

Our 9 day PH are associated with our second stay at FW (package).

I was able to book all 9 days of FP+ 60 days from the date of our first stay at AKL (room only).

Disney Destinations sent me an email on 8/26 telling me that it was time to select our FP+ experiences. That is 60 days prior to our AKL checkin of 10/25.

Our FP+ booking window was open through checkout of Nov 7.

I was able to do it too. From what I understand, this is new.

 

[Alexsandra]

Oh man I just saw this thread. Great info! Can't wait for my split stay in March!
POFQ 6 nights and poly 3 nights.
I was going to take that moving day off so we could send our luggage, take a bus to mk and then monorail over to poly. I was hoping to check in and then I have a ADR for kona Cafe. If our room is still not ready hopefully we can hit the pool while waiting. That night we have an ADR for ohana'. What do you think?

 

[thisismyusername]

I have the same thing and the phone cast member said I could activate my tickets at the hotel concierge.

Things change all of the time at Disney, but that wasn't my experience. In the past, it had to be done at Guest Relations at a park or at DTD. I would certainly try since the line at your resort will be shorter.

 

[thisismyusername]

For FP+ reservations, all the computer looks for is a resort reservation (which opens the window) and tickets. It doesn't matter which stay the tickets are linked to.

 

[weskbob]

Long time lurker, first time poster. So let me start by thanking everyone for all the great tips I've already gotten in this thread. It's definitely helped a lot.

We're starting with 3 days at Pop Century and then 4 more in a savanna view at AKL. But my kids don't know about the second hotel. My wife and I were hoping to surprise them by just getting on a different bus at the end of the day and heading to AKL.

So my question is how to pull off the surprise. We could always just pack up and tell them we're moving, but not tell them where. But I was wondering if there is any way to "schedule" a time for a bellhop to come to the room and get bags. In my best case scenario, I could cut out from breakfast our last morning ("Hey, I forgot my sunglasses in the room. I'll be right back."), meet the bellhop to get the bags and then be back down with them before they're any the wiser.

Anybody have any experience with doing something like that? Or any other suggestions for pulling off a surprise move? Thanks everybody. Just 10 more days!

 

[thisismyusername]

Long time lurker, first time poster. So let me start by thanking everyone for all the great tips I've already gotten in this thread. It's definitely helped a lot.

We're starting with 3 days at Pop Century and then 4 more in a savanna view at AKL. But my kids don't know about the second hotel. My wife and I were hoping to surprise them by just getting on a different bus at the end of the day and heading to AKL.

So my question is how to pull off the surprise. We could always just pack up and tell them we're moving, but not tell them where. But I was wondering if there is any way to "schedule" a time for a bellhop to come to the room and get bags. In my best case scenario, I could cut out from breakfast our last morning ("Hey, I forgot my sunglasses in the room. I'll be right back."), meet the bellhop to get the bags and then be back down with them before they're any the wiser.

Anybody have any experience with doing something like that? Or any other suggestions for pulling off a surprise move? Thanks everybody. Just 10 more days!

I don't have any suggestions for a surprise move--especially because it's a surprise to our kids if we DON'T move --but I think your plan sounds definitely doable. Generally, if you call bell services from your room, it will take about 10 minutes for a bell hop to arrive, so I'd just keep that in mind. If you don't have too much luggage, I'd likely just excuse yourself from breakfast and take the luggage direct to bell services yourself if you think you'll be gone suspiciously long waiting for bell services to come to your room.

 

[weskbob]

I don't have any suggestions for a surprise move--especially because it's a surprise to our kids if we DON'T move --but I think your plan sounds definitely doable. Generally, if you call bell services from your room, it will take about 10 minutes for a bell hop to arrive, so I'd just keep that in mind. If you don't have too much luggage, I'd likely just excuse yourself from breakfast and take the luggage direct to bell services yourself if you think you'll be gone suspiciously long waiting for bell services to come to your room.

Thanks so much!

 

[Shellyb84]

Possible split stay question. I have a friend who booked a stay at a resort using a promotional discount (a package with park hoppers). She now wants to add 3 days to the end of the trip, but there's no availability using the promotion she originally booked with. She's considering adding a room-only reservation for the extra 3 days at another resort she's always wanted to stay at since she can't change her existing reservation without losing her discount.

She can see online that it is cheaper to add days to her park hoppers from the package than it is to buy 3 days of hoppers separately. Can she just add days to her tickets, and use them for her second stay? That is, can they be linked to the new room/magic bands without too much trouble? If she can, what is involved in doing so. The entire trip (both resorts) would be 11 days - 8 at the first resort and 3 at the second. She called WDW but got conflicting and confusing information.

Reservations have always told me I could make any changes I need to up to 45 days, so she should be able to just call WDW and add days to her ticket no problem, if her trip is over 45 days out.

 

[DeeCoop]

We will be celebrating our 20th anniversary with a 5 in 5 resort club level crawl. Reservations are at WL CL, YC CL, AKL CL, BWI CL, and Poly CL. We have no plans to visit parks as we will enjoy ADRs at the resorts. We will have APs if the lure of Epcot gets to us. This will be our first time staying at these 5 resorts. Thanks for all the tips I have gotten.

 

[teachertink]

I have a split stay booked. I have a 3 day RO for the first stay and a 11 night free dining package for the 2nd portion. FPP has been made. I need to cancel my 3 day room only reside. Will I lose my FPP?

 

[LuvDaisy&Minnie]

I have a split stay booked. I have a 3 day RO for the first stay and a 11 night free dining package for the 2nd portion. FPP has been made. I need to cancel my 3 day room only reside. Will I lose my FPP?

As long as you are within 60 days of your 2nd stay, you will not lose your FP's. If you are not, then you need to wait to cancel.

 

[Ruth B]

Sorry sure this has been covered?!
Ddp with split stay? We currently have 11 nights free ddp at akl
Thinking of changing this to 5 night poly/ 6 akl. Is this possible or will I lose free dining? How do park tickets work?
Thank you
Ruth

 

[thisismyusername]

Sorry sure this has been covered?!
Ddp with split stay? We currently have 11 nights free ddp at akl
Thinking of changing this to 5 night poly/ 6 akl. Is this possible or will I lose free dining? How do park tickets work?
Thank you
Ruth

Is the promotion still valid? As far as I am aware, there are no free dining offers any longer, except if you have a PIN. Meaning: If the promotion is not current, you would not be able to book the Poly with free dining since it would be a second and new reservation. Another issue with free dining is that Disney requires a set of tickets attached to EACH reservation, so you would wind up spending more for the eligibility of free dining. See the third post at the start of the thread (the section titled "How to Book a Split Stay") for further information on how to do this most cost effectively.

There are many cases where free dining is not more cost effective than taking a good discount on a room, buying tickets a la carte, and paying out of pocket for food. So if you decide you really want to do the split stay, I'd research your potential food costs each day + the rack rate of your room and see if that truly makes "free" dining worth keeping as a promotion.

 

[Alicatt]

We're arriving on the first res. on 12/31 and then starting the next on 1/2. Will I get two different Disney Your Way Packages?
Thanks!

 

[Ruth B]

We are from uk and the free dining plan run til 11/3. Spoke to them today and I can only get free dining with room and ticket purchase and even though tickets remain valid, I would have to buy a new set.
Makes it cost £1500 on tickets alone x2!!
Could miss out on free dining but think it means we will stay at akl and visit FW and poly instead of staying.
Thanks for your help. Ruth