A value and a deluxe in the same week? Need feedback.

[bellatheball]

We have AK booked for October with our three kids (all under 7). We loved Kidani when we were there two years ago so we were planning AK this time around as well. We will check in fairly late on a Saturday night and will leave early the following Saturday morning.

I just got the vacation planning DVD from Disney and looked at the value resorts for fun. The AOA Lion King rooms look like fun for little guys. I'm not sure I would have considered it based on photos of the value resorts online. Now I'm thinking my kids would like the over the top Disney themes and water areas.

The additional benefit would be the reduced cost for our stay, of course. We are going at a time when Disney offered 30% off of our rooms for most of our stay. The first two days will be at the normal rate.

If we went that route, we'd check in late Saturday, go to MK all day Sunday and have to check out Monday morning before heading to Hollywood Studios for the day.

Any feedback? Is it easy to switch hotels? Will it take a ton of time? I assume AK will hold our bags for us until check in so we don't miss out on the park, right?

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

Our very first stay at WDW was a deluxe then a value. I wasn't able to book the entire vacation at the deluxe so spent the last three days of it at the value. Disney moved all our luggage which was a wonderful help.

We ended our stay at All Stars and it was a nice transition back to the real world.

 

[Kim1964]

We do split stays all the time and they are easy. A couple of years ago we did a week at Pop and then 3 nights at YC. It was fun to get two completely different resort experiences in the same trip. If you think your family would enjoy it, I say go for it!

 

[Pakey]

I find split stays to be easy especially if you pack your stuff with that intent (i.e., one piece of luggage for all of you to share the first 2 nights so you don't have to open everything).

Bell services will transfer your luggage and any bags of groceries, etc but you will not have access to any of it until late in the afternoon. We tip $1 per bag on both ends for this service.

We have done split stays on our last 4 vacations because we enjoy having 2 different resort experiences.

 

[KBoopaloo]

We have done several split stays in recent years to take advantage of the best deals, etc. It has always gone very well for us.

Last year, we moved 11 people from Port Orleans French Quarter to Kidani Village. They had to move 20+ pieces of luggage for us! I was a nervous wreck but it was easy as pie. We checked out of POFQ in the morning after breakfast and headed to EPCOT for the day. We headed over to Kidani in the early evening, around 5:00 pm or so and checked in there. Our bags (and our grocery delivery) were brought to us within a half hour of checking in. It was all very easy!

 

[Disneyhenry]

We have AK booked for October with our three kids (all under 7). We loved Kidani when we were there two years ago so we were planning AK this time around as well. We will check in fairly late on a Saturday night and will leave early the following Saturday morning.

I just got the vacation planning DVD from Disney and looked at the value resorts for fun. The AOA Lion King rooms look like fun for little guys. I'm not sure I would have considered it based on photos of the value resorts online. Now I'm thinking my kids would like the over the top Disney themes and water areas.

The additional benefit would be the reduced cost for our stay, of course. We are going at a time when Disney offered 30% off of our rooms for most of our stay. The first two days will be at the normal rate.

If we went that route, we'd check in late Saturday, go to MK all day Sunday and have to check out Monday morning before heading to Hollywood Studios for the day.

Any feedback? Is it easy to switch hotels? Will it take a ton of time? I assume AK will hold our bags for us until check in so we don't miss out on the park, right?

We did a split stay with Kidani and POP, stayed 3 nights at Kidani and 7 nights at POP, we had our 2 year old DS, the move went smooth and our little guy loved POP, I just missed the microwave and our balcony. But at AoA you will have a microwave.

I really enjoyed the split stay, felt like 2 vacations in one.

 

[mmmears]

We do split stays almost every trip.

I would stay at the value first, so you move "up" in the world.

All you have to do is check out of your room in the morning, give your bags to Bell Services and tell them you are moving to X resort that day. Then go to a park and enjoy the morning.

When you are ready to check in to the new resort, do so. Your bags should arrive between 1-3 pm.

That's it!

We love doing split-stays since it lets us see more of WDW. Some people find it very hard having to pack up and move. I guess it's a personal thing and only you can know if it's something you would like.