CM kinda talked me outta doing a split stay...

[breebella]

I already have my reservation for 5 nights/6 days @ POR, but I've really been wanting to stay at WL. So I called to find out how much it would cost if I were to do 3 nights @ POR and 2 nights WL. The CM I spoke to seemed to be discouraging me from doing a split stay. She was like, "Well, you know you are going to have to have 2 separate reservations and an additional $200 deposit for WL and you would lose your discounted park tickets by doing that." Then she asked me some other questions, but her whole tone made it sound like it was going to be a pain in the butt. By the time I got off the phone with her, I was so discouraged, that I never did get a quote.

If anyone has done a split stay, was it a hassle? Also, what about the discounted park tickets she was talking about? Did you really lose a lot of money by splitting your stay rather than staying at just one resort the whole time?

Thank you.

 

[Evil Genius]

We did a split stay and didn't have any problems. Call back and talk to someone else.

 

[4greatboys]

We do split stays all the time but not on a package. Im not sure I would want to put down 2 $200 deposits and and park admission on reservation.
We have AP's anyway so we just buy a 1 day ticket. If I did a split stay on a package that would double the number of tickets we would have to buy.

If you dont mind the double deposits or park admission then go for the split stay. If dont want to do that stuff double then just stay at 1 resort.

 

[Dis31]

For just two nights i wouldnt switch. It can be a pain, you need to have your luggage sent over which isnt guranteed till after 3 and than you would need to book a new package for the WL room unless its room only. I like split stays but we usually dont do them unless were going for a long time, this trip we split 4 nighst POR and 5 nights AKL and it was nice to switch.

 

[PoohHappens]

You only have to pay the 2 200 deposits if you are booking 2 packages. If you are doing the DDP she is right about the tickets because to get the DDP you must have a package with a ticket purchase. You can stay your first 3 nights with your tickets, just get 5 or 6 day tickets with that package. Then make a room only reservation for the last two nights. You would have to pay a deposit of one night stay for the room only...... so if you really want to do it you can. You could also get AAAroom onlys to get a little discount and purchase your tickets from undercover tourist or someplace like that and get a little discount on that as well.

 

[WDW LifeLong Fan]

We do split stays ALL of the time, often at 3 or more resorts. We never use a package.

It has never been an issue and/or a problem for us.

If you really want to do a split stay, then by all means, call back and schedule it.

 

[noahynav]

Last year we spent 5 or 6 nights at AKL before moving to the Contemporary. We were so sorry we moved. Mostly because we hated the Contemporary and we will never stay there again, but it did sour my opinion on split stays, and I had done it twice before that with no problems.
You always run the risk of not liking the second hotel you check into as much as the one you were originally in. I thought Contemporary was a step up from AKL.......but when I got there I realized it was definitely a BIG step down, JMO. Then I regreted giving up free dining and paying more per night to stay there.
Aside from that, there are also the other hassles of packing up and moving and then unpacking all over again, which also cuts into vacation time. That never used to bother me, but I am the one who packs everything up for our family of four, with no help ( I am kind of controlling about how things are packed)......So I am beginning to think that staying at one place would be more relaxing.
One advantage to split stays is that you get to try out different resorts. We want to stay at all the Disney hotels, so far we have stayed at 5, with 2 different hotels scheduled for later in the year. We are taking 2 trips, and we are not doing split stays on either trip.

 

[Allison]

The issue comes into play with packages that require the purchase of a ticket for each stay. This is more expensive than staying at one resort with one package and not having to purchase 2 sets of tickets.

 

[Vickie46]

we are getting ready to do our first split stay.. 4 nights at WL and 2 nights at CSR.. can't wait!

 

[tinawv]

We do split stays ALL of the time, often at 3 or more resorts. We never use a package.

It has never been an issue and/or a problem for us.

If you really want to do a split stay, then by all means, call back and schedule it.

I think the problem lies with the package plan (I think this is what the OP is referring to). If you are doing a package plan, you have to book a room for at least three nights to get the discounted park tickets. Since the OP is only wanting to stay two nights at WL, they would not be eligible for the package plan and would have to pay full price for the park tickets. With the Magic Your Way Package Plan, the more you stay the less you pay.

 

[Ruth B]

We are doing a split stay between SSR(on points) and DBC( cash)- no probelms!

 

[Zooey72]

It's your $ and all, but I kind of agree with the CM.

You're going to be spending a lot more $ doing that

 

[Selket]

If you are doing a package I wouldn't do a split stay cause of the extra cost of the park tickets - you might as well move up and stay the whole time at the more expensive resort.

We might do a split stay this summer but we are at conference at CSR the 1st part with no package and no park tickets. Then we'd move to the Poly on a package with dining. It will be a hassle to move I think but I'd really like to stay at the Poly. I wouldn't do it if the 1st hotel was on a package though.

 

[Sammie]

If anyone has done a split stay, was it a hassle?

Yes and No.

We have done it and it was no hassle at all.

And we have done it and it was such a hassle we will never do it again, for fear of a repeat of the biggest hassle ever.

Basically you lose a day in our opinion on move day. Packing up and moving is time consuming, regardless of how organized you are and on that day, you basically lose the use of a room even though you are paying for it. If you stayed put you would have that room all day, however if you move you might not get that room until 3pm or later.

On our hassle trip, our niece really, really needed a nap about 2pm and we had no room. Our luggage got misplaced in the transfer and we were late for our ADR that night. We did not get into our room until 4:30 and we had no luggage for 5:30 reservation. We had to cancel it.

If I was doing an adult only trip and was staying at least 5 nights at each location, then I "might" do it again. Anything less and with kids, no way.

 

[breebella]

The issue comes into play with packages that require the purchase of a ticket for each stay. This is more expensive than staying at one resort with one package and not having to purchase 2 sets of tickets.

I guess thats the part I didn't understand.

Thanks everyone for all of your responses. Very interesting points.

 

[simonkodousek]

There are a few CM's who are very unplesant. I think you got one of them. Anyways, there is absolutely nothing wrong with doing a split stay. It's quite fun actually.

~Simon

 

[ToyStory]

We did a split stay without a package and it wasn't an issue. Our day that we changed resorts we just put our luggage in the car and went to a water park that day.

If I were to do a split stay (doing the dining plan) I would first plan on spending the majority of my trip at my first resort and then switch. I would get my park tickets for the entire length of my stay with my first resort. My second resort would be just a room only reservation with no dining. Unless I rented points from a DVC owner then I could purchase the dining plan too during my stay since I wouldn't have the ticket requirement issue.

 

[Butterfly818]

Our travel agent from Small World Vacations did our package with the DDP as a split stay under one reservation with one deposit. We're splitting ASMv and WL (4/3).

I'm not sure why it takes your day up as others have suggested. Call the night before. Be up early and remind bell services to get your bags and where to take them. (Label them if you want to.. big signs.. "Take me to WL...") Check out by 7/8 am (well I am all about being at the parks earlier and sleeping the afternoon away). After lunch, cruise to your next hotel, check in, relax.... And start calling people if they lost your luggage (the one with the big tag that said "Take me to WL".. .) Course, if you have your necessities in your day bag, it's a nonissue anyway til the next day.

One caveat: with the DDP, say you check out of one place Wednesday and move into anoher that night, you have until Wednesday night to finish using your dining credits earned. So for example, I'll have 4 nights x 4 people worth of credits to use by then. So if you were banking them for later days, it wouldn't work.

But otherwise, I am not sure what the big deal is. I've heard mainly positive split stay experiences.

HTH!

 

[Olaf]

For two days, I wouldn't do it either. We find it a bit of hassle as well. It really depends on you. It always seems to take us forever to pack up. DH hates it, and gets so grumpy. It's just not worth for us.