A DVC vacation idea??

[KyCruisinSusan]

Ok. DH and I are planning our first trip to WDW as DVC owners this winter. Now we have our plan as 8 days at AKV. If you have the points (320) and have no plans on another vacation til 2012, would you take advantage of all of those point? DH has brought an idea to me based on what we have planned for our vacation. Here is "HIS" idea.

2 nites AKV Studio/1br SV
then
3 nites BLT 1br LV
then top it off with
3 nites BWV 1br prefered view(he thinks this is the best change at 7 months)
And all of this is right along with what parks we are going to on those days. Is this a good idea? Have you tried something like it? Or is it just a bad idea? I'm going to add a poll to let you vote too

 

[toniosmom]

I have never done a split stay, but if I do, I doubt I will stay at more than two resorts in that time frame. I personally like to settle in and not have to pack up until it's time to go home.

I'm curious to see what routine split-stayers have to say about your proposal.

 

[DisDaydreamer]

We like to move-in, settle down and stick it out. No matter how difficult.

 

[KyCruisinSusan]

I have never done a split stay, but if I do, I doubt I will stay at more than two resorts in that time frame. I personally like to settle in and not have to pack up until it's time to go home.

I'm curious to see what routine split-stayers have to say about your proposal.

You are not the only one. A room gets a complete clean every 4 days from what i have ready on the DIS. We want to try BWV for 3 days at the end of the trip but are worried that we can't get a BWV 1br prefered view.

 

[twinklebug]

I have done numerous split stays. If you're up for living out of your suitcases and don't mind giving up a couple hours of your morning each time you switch locations Split Stays are a great way to try more resorts.

I think I'm done playing around with split stays for the most part. I want to settle in and enjoy the resorts now.

 

[bwvBound]

Sit. Stay.

You have plenty of years ahead to try each resort. Make this one special with just one location ... explore every nook and cranny of the resort, try the activities, kick back. Save the next resort for a future visit and enjoy the long planning period and build-up of excitement!

 

[dizfan]

A room gets a complete clean every 4 days from what i have ready on the DIS.

After 4 days, it's fresh towels.
After 7 days, it's a complete cleaning.

However, you can pay extra to have a full cleaning.

Since it's just DW and I, we don't mind split stays. However, we stick to just two resorts.

 

[backyardponder]

We've done split stays but will probably avoid them in the future. They are easy to do, but there's other things I'd like to do on vacation other than packing and moving. Having to be out of the room by 11 and not get a room until 4 (unless you get lucky) can be a pain, depending on your plans for the day.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

We spent more time and money flipping from resort to resort on the one big split stay than it was worth. We went from AKV, to SSR, to the Poly, back to AKV. Part of that was on points, part on cash because we bought our DVC in May and traveled in August so DVC availability was slim.

We decided not to have the resort transfer our bags - we took all the luggage in a cab. By the time we moved everything and tipped everybody it was a huge pain in the tush. Then we did it two more times. Never again.

Last year we moved from a savanna view up to concierge in the middle of our trip. That wasn't a big deal. This year we have a couple of nights in a regular room before we move to the villa. I am hoping that will not be a big deal. Moving between properties was just too labor intensive for me!

 

[Pixieflip]

We have done split stays, they do work, but they are a lot of work. This last time my mom got sick on the day we were transitioning and we had nowhere for here to go. She was miserable, just wanted a bed and a bathroom and had to settle for a bench in the shade near the restroom by HTT and RRC. Not ideal.

OP didn't mention kids. If kids might be in your future, now would be the time to be this adventurous! Moving with more people involved is a ton more work and having the security blanket of a room available is key with kids, too.

But generally, I vote for staying put.

 

[rksbb]

We've done split stays before too. Once was from SSR 4nigts to BLT 3 nights, just because it was the opening week for BLT and we 'had' to try out our home resort. Not too bad.

Recently, we stayed at BWV and because availability was limited we moved from 2 nights in a studio to 4 nights Boardwalk view 1 bdr to Preferred view 2 nights 1 bdr. NEVER again!!! I'm done with split stays I felt like we packed, packed, and packed some more even though it was within the same resort.

So if it's a 'must' do for you, I would advise only moving once.

 

[JimC]

Too much packing and unpacking. We have occasionally split stays at WDW. But only two resorts per trip and four night minimum stays at each. You will have plenty of trips to enjoy all of the resorts so I voted all nights at AKV.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I do ok with one move although not really my preference. With two moves you'll be spending a lot of time packing and unpacking and without rooms. If you really want to try different resorts then why not, but it will cut into your park and free time.

 

[BrentR]

DW and I took a trip in November for 10 days. We had recently done an add-on at AKV and had developer points at SSR as a result. We used our developer points for 5 nights at SSR then did 5 Nights at AKV. It was just the two of us so the move was easy. I don't know if I would want to move 3 times in 8 days but I would definitely consider two resort.....Maybe BLT and AKV.

 

[Mom B]

WE did VB, AKV (1 BR), AKV 2BR, and THV on our last trip. DH has now laid down the law and said we can only do 1 move per trip. It is time consuming and limits other things...like we had to miss our DGS (4)'s Jedi Institute training because we were checking out/in the morning he got it. So that was a bummer. But we really wanted to stay in the Treehouses so it was kind of a wash, but still disappointing. I guess it is more practical to go as others have suggested, limit it to 1 move and 3 or 4 nights minimum each place. Good luck with your decision!

 

[Castillo Mom]

We did a split stay last trip between SSR and Kidani. It wasn't too bad but probably not something I'd do again and definitely not do between three resorts. Personally I think it would take too much coordination.

 

[dianeschlicht]

We sometimes do a split stay with a few nights in concierge etc, but more than one move....FORGET IT! This last time, I determined we would not be moving during a trip again. You basically waste a day each time you move, because of all the time you spend repacking and unpacking and being homeless for the day.

 

[LSchrow]

remember, you have to pack up and get out of the room by 11am.
then you're homeless for a few hours (hopefully, the new room will be ready by 4pm).
soooo, change of clothes, bathing suits, toiletries, etc are in your luggage (unless you plan on lugging a bag around). no naps on a bed, no grabbing a cold water out of the fridge, no settling in and relaxing.
lather, rinse, repeat

nope, i wouldn't do more than 1 move in trips of 11-12 days, and that's still one too many, imho

 

[d-r]

I'd just do two resorts. When it comes the morning of that last move you aren't going to feel like doing it again.

 

[Ln42]

I vote for just one move as well. I'm planning my first split stay and realize its going to take some planning to make it smooth.

We have a rental car which will help. I know DIS will move your bags but then you are without your things. With the car, we can pack some drinks, have our swim suits and even a change of clothes if the temps are cooler at night and our room isnt ready when we are.

One move might be a nice compromise. Good luck negotiating it!