Best split stays with kids

[CATANDSAL1009]

My kids are 8, 6 and 3. Not this year, but we are possibly planning to do a split stay next year. I was planning to do BLT and another resort. I was thinking to do AK, but then we would be far from Epcot and HS. I guess another option would be to do MK and AK instead of Epcot and HS. I would love to hear what your experiences have been with split stay with kids and how many days did you stay at each resort? Any tips or advice on what to avoid would be great. =)

 

[Stargazer65]

We did several split stays through the years, and still plan to do them periodically. We always drive, so a split stay is not a big deal:

2011 BLT and SSR – We had 5 little kids - I think we did about 4 or 5 days each
2018 AKL and BLT – We had 5 big kids - We did 2 days at AKL, and 5 days at BLT
2021 VB, SSR, and HHI – We had no kids 2 days VB, 4 days SSR, and 2 days HHI

Next month:
BRV and BLT – We will have 2 big kids - 4 days at BRV, and 9 days at BLT

One thing we are doing this trip is a shorter stay in a smaller room up front in one resort to save points (BRV studio), then have a longer stay in a nicer room (BLT 1 bedroom). We’re packing light for our studio stay, then when we move out from BRV we’ll go to Walmart and get supplies (groceries, etc…) for the longer stay in a 1 bedroom.

BLT and AKL are excellent choices for a family of 5 if you get a 1 bedroom villa because of the extra full bathroom at those resorts.

 

[AnnabelleTheTalkingTree]

We've only done one split stay before but we loved it so much we planned our upcoming trip that way too. For us I think the best way is to choose one Crescent Lake resort and one MK area resort. Last time we did BWV and WL, this next trip is BCV and GFV. Convenience of park transportation is a HUGE thing for us especially with kids, so having easy (read, non-bus) transportation to Epcot/HS from Crescent Lake, and then focusing on MK while we're at a resort that has easy transportation there is a perfect solution.

 

[Anna131517]

We are also a family of 5 and AKL isn’t the best for families of five. I say BLT and either BC / YC if you’re going at a time of year when the kids can enjoy the pool, or AKL for a couple nights. It is farther but if you just do AK when you’re there it shouldn’t be that inconvenient.

 

[Stargazer65]

We are also a family of 5 and AKL isn’t the best for families of five.

Why don't you think so?

 

[Anna131517]

Why don't you think so?

Just because you have to get a more expensive room. I wish they had pull down single beds like a lot of other resorts. My kids actually prefer when we’re all in one room. When there are two rooms it always causes people to wander around all night.

 

[Stargazer65]

Just because you have to get a more expensive room. I wish they had pull down single beds like a lot of other resorts. My kids actually prefer when we’re all in one room. When there are two rooms it always causes people to wander around all night.

Ah, okay. Of course BLT has the same problem, you can't fit 5 in a studio. YMMV from one family dynamic to another. I liked the kids having their own bathroom.

 

[Anna131517]

Ah, okay. Of course BLT has the same problem, you can't fit 5 in a studio. YMMV from one family dynamic to another. I liked the kids having their own bathroom.

True but contemporary does have 5-person rooms.

 

[CATANDSAL1009]

We did several split stays through the years, and still plan to do them periodically. We always drive, so a split stay is not a big deal:

2011 BLT and SSR – We had 5 little kids - I think we did about 4 or 5 days each
2018 AKL and BLT – We had 5 big kids - We did 2 days at AKL, and 5 days at BLT
2021 VB, SSR, and HHI – We had no kids 2 days VB, 4 days SSR, and 2 days HHI

Next month:
BRV and BLT – We will have 2 big kids - 4 days at BRV, and 9 days at BLT

One thing we are doing this trip is a shorter stay in a smaller room up front in one resort to save points (BRV studio), then have a longer stay in a nicer room (BLT 1 bedroom). We’re packing light for our studio stay, then when we move out from BRV we’ll go to Walmart and get supplies (groceries, etc…) for the longer stay in a 1 bedroom.

BLT and AKL are excellent choices for a family of 5 if you get a 1 bedroom villa because of the extra full bathroom at those resorts.

Thank you so much! That was super helpful. We plan to drive from NY to Florida and hope if all goes well that we continue to drive. Having the car with a split stay will make things much easier with kids.

 

[EilonwyWanderer]

My kids are 8, 6 and 3. Not this year, but we are possibly planning to do a split stay next year. I was planning to do BLT and another resort. I was thinking to do AK, but then we would be far from Epcot and HS. I guess another option would be to do MK and AK instead of Epcot and HS. I would love to hear what your experiences have been with split stay with kids and how many days did you stay at each resort? Any tips or advice on what to avoid would be great. =)

I would really hesitate to do AKL. We almost always do split stays and thought we loved AKL, though we'd only stayed there at most 2 nights before moving to another hotel.

It is very, very, very far from everything. It's honestly not even that close to animal kingdom with the bus waits. You can lose an hour to waiting/riding the bus. We spent a whole week there this time and swore to never do it again. Maybe for one or two nights tops, but that's it.

This time we did Wilderness Lodge for 2, then Jambo house for 1, then Kidani for 6 (checked out on day 7). I would, hands down, always go with Wilderness Lodge or a monorail resort after this last trip with little kids (they turned 8 and 6 while we were there)

 

[CATANDSAL1009]

I would really hesitate to do AKL. We almost always do split stays and thought we loved AKL, though we'd only stayed there at most 2 nights before moving to another hotel.

It is very, very, very far from everything. It's honestly not even that close to animal kingdom with the bus waits. You can lose an hour to waiting/riding the bus. We spent a whole week there this time and swore to never do it again. Maybe for one or two nights tops, but that's it.

This time we did Wilderness Lodge for 2, then Jambo house for 1, then Kidani for 6 (checked out on day 7). I would, hands down, always go with Wilderness Lodge or a monorail resort after this last trip with little kids (they turned 8 and 6 while we were there)

It's so interesting you say this. We actually planned to go twice this summer. The first trip we're staying at only 1 resort, but we thought to do a 2nd trip a little low key towards the end of August and maybe go to 1 or 2 parks top. We booked the polynesian for 4 nights and AKL for only two nights. I figure we do a park while we are at the Poly, but how do you feel AKL if you just stay at the resort? Truthfully, I think AKL may just be a one and done kind of thing for us or one of those resorts that we use just to stay at the resort.

 

[DisWeaver]

We do split stays (usually three places over 7 nights) each trip. We will wake up later on our transfer days and hang out at the pool for a few hours. Works great for my family. Also, gives us the opportunity to stay at Epcot and MK locations so we can walk instead of depending on Disney transportation.

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

When we stayed at AKL in May we drove to AK. It was super easy and parking was free at the time. Plus AK isn't a full day park for us anyway, so it was super convenient to come back to the hotel, have a nice dinner, and hang out in the pools/watch the animals. We also used an AKL day to go to Discovery Cove.

We're going back as part of an extended family split stay trip at the beginning of December. We'll do AK, a low key MK day (my niece needs a little time to "warm up" to the parks), and some combination of pool/Disney Springs/water parks.

The hotel itself is fantastic. Location-wise it's certainly no BC, but it isn't Siberia either. Plus with the Minnie Vans coming back a lot of the transit issues at AK will get easier.