3 weeks in 1 resort or split??? Please advise!

[mum2threemonsters]

Hi everyone,

Iv tried speaking to my OH but hes not an obsessed planner like me and many others on this site and all I get is 'Its up to you' or 'lets just leave it as it is so we dont confuse things'. The problem is we've been looking forward to this trip for so long and we are finally in the position financially to afford it.

I got a really good deal on OKW so at present we are staying 3 weeks here 25th August to 15th September 2013. However, we are the kind of people that get bored very easily and are always on the go. I have always wanted to stay at Animal Kingdom Lodge however it was an extra £600 for 3 weeks and I realised thats what I intend to give the children as spends. I also love the look of the Yacht club as there is sooo much to do just chilling round the pool - something I am hoping would tempt my other half to chill at the hotel rather than spend 21 days running chaotically round all the parks.

We were planning on doing the whole seaworld, univeral, discovery cove and busch garden parks too however I feel that in order to relax and have plenty of time we should just do Disney and Universal saving the others for another trip. This would save us the extra ticket costs and therefore allow me to upgrade the hotel. I am still excited about staying at OKW so I would still like to stay here so my options are;

1... 3 weeks OKW
2... 2 weeks OKW 1 week AKL
3... 10 days OKW 10 days AKL
4... 1 weeks OKW 1 week AKL 1 week YC/BC

If you choose number 4 which excites me the most is it difficult moving all your belongings around between hotels (we do have a car) and which order would you do the hotels in??? I would like the wow factor on arrival however I would like to save the best for last?

If anyone has time to give me there thoughts Id be extra grateful, these thoughts keep spinning through my head! Its also going to be our honeymoon so if I upgrade Ill keep it a secret from everyone. PS a long shot but is there any way Disney would transfer our bags to the other hotels for us and place in our room, a little like magical express service??

 

[Stitch'sCousin]

From what I've read when I was looking at a split stay, Disney will transfer your bags for you if you change hotels. Personally, I like the look of #4. If you get bored easily, this would give you three holidays in one!

 

[Stitch'sCousin]

P.S. I'm jealous! We are going for 9 nights this summer and I would love to stay for 3 weeks!

 

[shenaniganzz]

I realize it wasn't listed as an option, but I would probably split my stay between BC and OKW.. but I just wasn't a huge fan of AK.

I think the biggest issue I have read about is that when you switch, you can be without a "home" if your room isn't ready early. You may be waiting until check-in time at the new hotel. That said, you could always keep anything you think you'll need for the day in your car and let Bell Services handle the rest for you. I think if I were staying for 3 weeks and had a car to keep certain things accessible, I would do a switch at least once.

 

[Tinkerkell007]

If it were my choice, I'd pick #4!

I've been to AKL and BC and when I walked in both I had that "WOW" moment. I think, especially if you get bored easy, that this is the best way. You will feel like something brand new is happening each week!

I think that I would pick YC out of YC/BC. I'm not sure why, it could be because I already stayed at BC, but to me the YC rooms look more interesting and fun(but this is just my opinion).

As for all the adventures you have planned, I might narrow it down to a couple and if you have time then do the rest. You could find yourself tired, especially in the summer months. I know I always forget to take into account how brutal the sun/heat can be.

Good luck with your vacation, I'm sure whatever you end up doing will be a blast! YAY disney for 3 weeks!

 

[roydavid7771]

Hi everyone,

Iv tried speaking to my OH but hes not an obsessed planner like me and many others on this site and all I get is 'Its up to you' or 'lets just leave it as it is so we dont confuse things'. The problem is we've been looking forward to this trip for so long and we are finally in the position financially to afford it.

I got a really good deal on OKW so at present we are staying 3 weeks here 25th August to 15th September 2013. However, we are the kind of people that get bored very easily and are always on the go. I have always wanted to stay at Animal Kingdom Lodge however it was an extra £600 for 3 weeks and I realised thats what I intend to give the children as spends. I also love the look of the Yacht club as there is sooo much to do just chilling round the pool - something I am hoping would tempt my other half to chill at the hotel rather than spend 21 days running chaotically round all the parks.

We were planning on doing the whole seaworld, univeral, discovery cove and busch garden parks too however I feel that in order to relax and have plenty of time we should just do Disney and Universal saving the others for another trip. This would save us the extra ticket costs and therefore allow me to upgrade the hotel. I am still excited about staying at OKW so I would still like to stay here so my options are;

1... 3 weeks OKW
2... 2 weeks OKW 1 week AKL
3... 10 days OKW 10 days AKL
4... 1 weeks OKW 1 week AKL 1 week YC/BC

If you choose number 4 which excites me the most is it difficult moving all your belongings around between hotels (we do have a car) and which order would you do the hotels in??? I would like the wow factor on arrival however I would like to save the best for last?

If anyone has time to give me there thoughts Id be extra grateful, these thoughts keep spinning through my head! Its also going to be our honeymoon so if I upgrade Ill keep it a secret from everyone. PS a long shot but is there any way Disney would transfer our bags to the other hotels for us and place in our room, a little like magical express service??

I would absolutely pick #4! Disney will transfer your bags for you between resorts, just have bell services pick them up and tell them where you'll be going next and they'll be glad to transfer your luggage. Be advised that it takes a while for the bags to get to you at your new resort, so pack a bag for whatever you need for the day and take it with you. Personally, I would be bored staying at one resort for that long a time. Switching resorts will be like three different vacations!

 

[*Fantasia*]

My choice would be #4. I have never stayed at any of those resorts, so I wouldn't know in which order I would want it.. I'm not sure if that would matter. 3 weeks in 3 different resorts sounds wonderful!! Enjoy your stay!!

 

[mum2threemonsters]

Ohhhhh Thankyou sooo much guys!!!

Im glad Im not the only one that things number 4 is a good idea, my OH thinks Im crazy.

Whilst the rooms at Animal Kingdom do nothing for me my 2 boys are obsessed and I mean 'travel across the UK' crazy to see Giraffes! I cant imagine how they would react seeing a Giraffe outside their bedroom!

Im still waiting till Monday to contact TA regards whether it is possible, when I rang TCD yesterday they said their system wouldnt allow it and to call back Monday. How I hope it is all possible.

Does anyone have any tips on BC Vs YC? Im not sure what the difference is apart from theming. If it helps my OH hates seafood so which one has the restaurant with more 'meat' on the menu?

Stitchs Cousin: Im sure once you've done the 9 days you'll be back. We are obsessed with the Disneyland Paris and its speading to WDW! I could see myself buying DVC on this trip!!! I needed 3 weeks because I had visions of my OH marching through all the parks to see 'everything' with 3 kids in tow in 35 degrees weather! This 25 degrees weather in the UK has killed me and the kids!!!

Should I do OKW first then AKL and finally YC/BC?

 

[Kim1964]

YC rooms have more full balconies than BC rooms, so if balconies matter to you, go with YC. It's a gorgeous resort (just got back from there this week). I've never stayed at OKW and have only visited AKL, but I would do OKW-AKL-YC in that order if you go with the 3 way split (which I would do, too, if I had three weeks to spend there). Since I happen to LOVE YC, I would want to end my trip there. I think once you stay and fall in love, you won't want to move to one of the others, so save the best for last.

 

[tsme]

Personally, I don't like split stays. It's just added work, unpack, get organized, then repack, & repeat. It's time I could be relaxing, shopping, or at a park. So if it were my family, we'd stay put at one resort. Make it your home for 3 weeks!

 

[333disneymom]

I would pick #4! I would especially include either the Yacht Club/Beach Club in your plans, no matter what your decision. The pool there is great and at the time you are going, you would probably be able to use it a lot.

Split stays are very easy. We just did one with BLT/BCV. You pack up your things, call them to come pick up your bags and go about your day. For us, since we were going to BCV, we choose Epcot for that day. We toured and ate lunch, then I called BCV to see if our room was ready. It was, so we left and checked in. Once in our room, we called for our bags and they were brought right to our rooms. I think it's very easy as long as you don't pick the moving day to just hang in the lobby and wait for your room. Of course, you could always go right to the new resort and check in, then head to the pool and stay there until your room is ready too.

Good luck with your decision. Let us know what you decide.

 

[mmmears]

I would pick #4

For me, one week is enough in any resort.

I don't find it difficult to move, but some people do. For a 3-week trip, I wouldn't pick just one resort. We do split-stays all the time for trips much shorter than yours...

 

[Disney Doll]

I probably wouldn't split between 3 resorts.

When I stay at a DVC property, I kind of like to "move in"....clothes in the closets and drawers etc. so packing up twice would annoy me.

Packing up once to go between 2 different resorts wouldn't be so bad because then it would feel like 2 different vacations.

Disney will transfer your luggage for you. Just make sure to keep anything with you that you think you might need on transfer day, so you'll have it in the car (ie-bathing suits, change of clothes, pool noodles, sunblock....that sort of thing) in case you are "homeless" for a period of time and want/need to change your plans a bit.

As far as which to do first....OKW is older but villa sizes are overall larger. Since your kids are so into animals, it's probably better to do OKW first and "save the best for last" in terms of them being able to see and hang with the animals.

 

[mum2threemonsters]

Thankyou everyone, I know its going to be a hassle to keep packing up but with the amount of mess my 3 make and the amount of unneccesary junk that will be building up in our room I would need to do a big clean once a week anyway... This way I get the chance to discard things we dont need!

Im glad it sounds easy to move Im just hoping my TA is able to do it for us and the quote isnt unreasonable... Iv decided to do the most expensive last as the prices seem to decrease the later into September you go!

Thanks for all your help!

 

[Kathy Z]

I'm late in chiming in here; I just noticed your post. I'm with the minority that would do a split stay with just two resorts. Way back when my DH & I took our two teenagers to Hawaii for three weeks we flew from island to island staying on 3 of them. I even booked 2 different hotels on two of those islands! Although all places we stayed were great my DH and kids were ready to kill me by the time we were moving for the 4th time! I've confined 3 week trips to two locations since then.

I've never stayed at OKW but I know it has a loyal following and expect you'll like it but I think I would go stir crazy if I had 3 weeks at WDW and didn't get a chance to try a second resort. I love AKL because I am also a "critter lover". Their restaurants have great food. Their buses are the only thing that bother me; we've had several waits longer than the 20 minutes. But you will have a car so you'll have the option of using that instead of waiting for a bus.

My TA's family likes AKL the best. When they stayed in the Boardwalk area her boys asked "Mommy, where are the animals?"

 

[GovieMom]

I would also go with #4. I'm not a fan of switching resorts ... UNLESS I'd have a full week at each. And since you will, you should absolutely make the most of it! Preference of order would be: OKW, AKL, YC. And for what it's worth, my kids loooove the AKL above all others; there's just something about waking up to find zebras and giraffes grazing outside your balcony - amazing!

 

[cattylove2001]

Oh my goodness you are sooooooo lucky! Def option #4!!! Have a great trip!

 

[CarolineB]

I like option #4. Have a great trip.

 

[B-Ride]

With the amount of time you have switching sounds like a good option. I would go for a week at the Poly, a week at the Beach Club and a week at AKL. Even though that wasn't one of your options I am being selfish and thinking about my dream vacation.

Oh and can someone please fill me in on what OH is. "Other Husband".

 

[LisaDKG]

There is no way I would want to stay at the same resort for 3 weeks! We usually move after 5 days in one place so a week at each seems ideal. You will really get to enjoy everything about the resort and then move on when things start to get repetitive! We've stayed at BC and AKL out of your choices and I would do one of these first with OKW in the middle (it seems the least WOW factor to me but I really don't have first hand experience). You will really need to do a trip report - hope it is a wonderful time for you all!