Cons of doing a split stay?

[Sparrow624]

I have done a few, but they were very hard on our kids (ages 3 and 1) not so much on us. We would do them again, but only in a 7 or 8 night, 3 and 4 or 3 and 5 split with the longer stay at the end. Packing and moving can just be such a pain. We did 1 day AKV, 3 days BWV, 1 day BLT, and 1 day BCV in June (short notice trip). We were exhausted and ready to come home after day 6...It felt like we had been there forever. Not from the walking, but from packing, unpacking, moving, and entertaining kids while they were tired with no room to go to...

 

[kboo]

What you can do on a split stay for the second half you will have to wait till 9am on the 180 day of the FIRST part of the split stay and you can call MS and they will "bridge" the 2 separate split stays which will allow you to make ADR'S for the second part at the 180 day msrk. Only problem is that you loose 3 hours since you can't do it on line at 6am. We did it twice this way for two different split stays. Good luck!

Actually that is no longer possible - I have a split stay coming up and was only able to book ADRs for the duration of our 1st stay; then I had to wait for the booking window to open up for the second half of the split to make additional ADRs. I called before the booking window for the 2nd half opened and was told I had to wait until the 2nd window opened to make more ADRs.

 

[jerseygal]

Actually that is no longer possible - I have a split stay coming up and was only able to book ADRs for the duration of our 1st stay; then I had to wait for the booking window to open up for the second half of the split to make additional ADRs. I called before the booking window for the 2nd half opened and was told I had to wait until the 2nd window opened to make more ADRs.

Hmmmm.thats too bad. Maybe they changed policy?

 

[loves to dive]

I've done 3 and am getting ready for my fourth at the end of this month. I have no problems with them but I have an AP so I can't speak to the whole ADR/FP issue. I do always go check into resort #2 or 3 as the case may be but I just call from my room and check out from resort #1. I tell them at check in that I want my bill emailed to me. I leave early in the morning of check out/check in day (I get up around 6:30 even on vacation, can't help it, I'm old it's what we do) and go over to the next resort and go ahead and check in. I also always do on line check in even though I know I'm going to go to the front desk. When I do on line check in I say early arrival, I've found my room has been ready about 75% of the time. By going ahead and checking in early, they know you are there and will try to get something for you. I drive so bags are not an issue with me, I just pack two bags, and switch out. If I'm using valet parking, which I do about 85% of the time, I just let them keep my bags until my room is ready. If I'm not, I just leave the bag in the car and go get it later. As far as being homeless, I usually head over to the parks any way so that is not a problem and I usually get the text that my room is ready long before I'm ready to go back to the resort.

 

[kboo]

Hmmmm.thats too bad. Maybe they changed policy?

Sounds like they did - luckily we are going at low traffic time (3-6 on easywdw) so I didn't have trouble getting ADRs. But I could see it being a problem if I were going at a peak time. It's really about getting that "+10" on the 180+10 window.

 

[jdkdorn]

Be careful which resort is first. We did a split stay in January and went from GFV to SSR and we were very sad. The difference was just too great. We move again to AKV and it was better. You need to have little expectation of a smooth trip with split stays. Saying that, we till always stay one night in a different resort if we are coming in after 3 so we don't get the left over room for ten days.

Good luck

 

[laughinplace199]

For me, the cons of split stays are the packing and unpacking and the fact that you're usually "homeless" on the day you switch resorts. We did a split stay once with a baby who was used to going back to the room mid-day for a nap. That was the longest afternoon of my life!

 

[SarahInMN]

Actually that is no longer possible - I have a split stay coming up and was only able to book ADRs for the duration of our 1st stay; then I had to wait for the booking window to open up for the second half of the split to make additional ADRs. I called before the booking window for the 2nd half opened and was told I had to wait until the 2nd window opened to make more ADRs.

We have done split stays previously and no problem with ADRs until our upcoming trip. Our 180 window opened in May 2015 for the whole trip and they could only book 180+2 for our boardwalk stay and then once the BCV 180 opened we could do 180+7. In all honesty, the only ADR we wanted was BOG dinner and after about 1 hr on the phone and heroic efforts by a DVC phone person and her supervisor they got us the BOG reservation.

We prefer to not to do split stays but sometimes circumstances force us to - i.e. we decide to stay longer at F&W and then BCV is booked (as it was by the 10 month mark recently) so we stay somewhere else. The packing/unpacking is a hassle but bell services takes care of it: the luggage, the lockers, the food, and it has never been an issue.

 

[Collette]

Saying that, we still always stay one night in a different resort if we are coming in after 3 so we don't get the left over room for ten days.

Thank you for this!! I have been regretting my decision for us (five adults) to stay one night at All Star Music prior to our five night stay at BLT. I really like to settle in at a resort for the duration of our vacation and really don't like packing up to move. Plus there is the time consideration and being without our things on moving day. I chose the one night ASMu stay to save money because our flights arrive at 5:30 pm. I never thought about the left over room for all of the days when arriving so late!

What time would you suggest to check in at BLT the next morning? I know we need to plan to store our luggage - that a room may not be available until 4 or later.

 

[jerseygal]

Thank you for this!! I have been regretting my decision for us (five adults) to stay one night at All Star Music prior to our five night stay at BLT. I really like to settle in at a resort for the duration of our vacation and really don't like packing up to move. Plus there is the time consideration and being without our things on moving day. I chose the one night ASMu stay to save money because our flights arrive at 5:30 pm. I never thought about the left over room for all of the days when arriving so late!

What time would you suggest to check in at BLT the next morning? I know we need to plan to store our luggage - that a room may not be available until 4 or later.

It is my understanding that you can try to "check in" at BLT as early as 7AM. If your room is not ready, you can of course store luggage. You can enjoy the resort facilities hoping for a text about a room being ready or go to the parks and wait for text. ENJOY your vaca!

 

[Minniesgal]

We only ever do split stays I can't imagine us staying at 1 resort all they way through. I would have a massive problem choosing that resort and be forever changing my mind.

I understand the software has been changed and that this year they no longer treat split stays as 1 continuous stay so you have to do your dining separate with each reservation. This doesn't bother me as I never use 180+10 anyway I just book day by day and have always got what we wanted.

While we split every stay and usually stay in at least 3 resorts if not more. I would never ever split for less than 4 nights. We always make our move day a rest day, sleep in and pack slowly leave the first resort at 11am. We go to the mini golf and sometimes a watermark before arriving at the new resort about 4p where I spend an hour unpacking before dinner. I find it easy to do.