Resort hopping advice

[annainohio]

We're staying at PC the first half of our trip and WL the last two nights. But I'm kind of thinking about throwing the french quarter in the middle, so it would be two days at pop, three and french quarter and two at WL. What's your experiences with resort hopping? How much hopping is too much? Thanks!

 

[Babsy]

We have a rule of thumb that we like a minimum of three nights for any split stay resort. So, in your example, we would choose 2 of the three resorts that you mentioned and have 4 nights and three nights. Two nights at a resort doesn't really give you a chance to experience the resort very well, IME. Plus, although it isn't hard to switch resorts, moving more often than every three days gives a very unsettled feeling to the vacation.

If possible, I would do four at POFQ or POP and three at WL. (POP, if needed for budget; POFQ if budget allows).

Just my two cents!

Enjoy!

 

[OKW Lover]

We dislike resort hopping. The whole pack/un-pack routine is annoying and you are "homeless" for a day. I'd think that having to do that three times in a week would be unneeded stress.

 

[midnightlouise]

I think more than two would really be pushing it for us. We've done a split stay before (ending with WL and we loved that resort!!) and will be doing it again this year, but not necessarily by choice. (Our arrival day did not coincide with the room category we were looking for at our main resort, and this will save us some cash... but I digress...). I agree with the PP about the potential for stress and feeling unsettled. I dislike having to pack and unpack any more than necessary, so more than two is out for me, but I understand wanting to experience as many resorts as possible!

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

Besides the time and stress of unpacking, packing, unpacking, packing, unpacking, packing...how much are you actually doing to be doing at the resorts? And how much that you can't do just by visiting? If you want to check out a third resort, go have a meal there, walk around the grounds, visit the gift shop, have a drink at a lounge, etc. Other than maybe the pool and the actual room, you can "experience" many resorts by just visiting and not staying. How much time are you spending at the parks versus the resorts? And is that resort time worth all the moving?

 

[sndral]

If you think of the rates you are paying each night you are short changing yourself a lot of hours splitting 3 times in 7 nights. Arrival day if your room isn't ready until 3 you get less than a full 24 hours. Transfer days you have to be out by 11 and maybe not in until 3, so 3 more days of less than 24 hours. If you plan on being in the parks or elsewhere no big deal, and it's not unusual for Disney to have your room ready early but still that's a lot of moving around IMO. That said, I'm doing a 3/5/3 split in Dec. - which seems like a lot to me, so far I've only done a 3/9 split, which was great - room 2 was ready early and my luggage beat me there.

 

[CoolPool]

OP, all this talk of unpacking and packing is a moot point if you are like us and never unpack. It doesn't occur to me to unpack in a hotel room no matter how long I might stay. I love resort changing. The main point is that you can end up having to wait for your room to be ready. If you expect to take a nap between 2 and 4 then that may very well not happen. And it's not a calamity. It just is.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

It's a matter of preference...but 3 different spots is pushing it IMHO...

You don't want to feel like you're
A. A transient living out of a suitcase
B. rushed to see what's at your Hotel or feeling like you weren't even there when you leave.

I'm assuming that if you're hopping that you care about the hotel... Or why bother?

I like 4 night clips...
And I like to vary where...

Next time up it's 4 behind EPCOT and 4 near downtown.

Just my take.

 

[LisaCM614]

Those are three great resorts and if you want to experience all 3 this trip - go for it. Here are a few pointers:
1. Pack for each leg of of your trip - 1 bag for each resort. This way you don't have to unpack or repack too much each time you hop.
2. Be sure you have a carry on that you can use for that days essentials - you'll have 3 days where your luggage is in transit and there are things like swimsuits that you'll want to have. That bag(s) should be left with bell services in your new resort.
3. If you are a rope drop person you'll want to make sure you are up extra early on your days that you are moving. This way you can pack up, leave your bags that Disney is going to transfer with Bell Services, get to your new resort, check in and leave your carry on or day bag with bell services at the new resort.
4. If you won't have a car you might want to consider taking a cab when you have to go from resort to resort in the AM. Not sure how else you would be able to do this and still make Rope Drop. The whole family doesn't have to go - only the person checking in.

We do hop around quite a bit on any vacation - not just a Disney vacation. We don't tend to stay in one place for too long. 3 - 4 nights in one spot even on long vacations is our max.
Hope that helps!

 

[PoohsFan1]

When we do a split stay, we are like the PP that said that they stay at least 3 nights at one resort and the rest of the stay is at the second resort. We never stay at more then 2 resorts when we do a split stay. Even though Disney makes it very easy peasy to change resorts, it is still a hassle because you are basically homeless on the day that you are switching. Also when we do do split stays, it is when we are going on longer trips (we go anywhere from 9-12 nights normally), but if we are going for a shorter trip, we will not even bother with it.