Considering a non-DVC split stay - logistics questions?

kboo

DIS Veteran
Joined
Mar 10, 2014
Hi! We currently have 5 nights reserved at BLT in February for President's Week. We could use Starwood points to stay at the Dolphin for 3 nights beforehand (there is no availability on site), and probably save some $ on flights in the process. WWYD?

Other logistics questions:
How would you get from MCO-Dolphin (we normally use DME and stay onsite)?
What about transferring from Dolphin to BLT?

We have 2 kids, 6 and 2, and the little one still naps. Is there anything else I'm not thinking of?

Would you still do this if flights cost the same whether we added on the 3 nights before or not?
 
For transportation I would use Uber or maybe a Taxi.

Depended on when you kids nap I would go to BLT before and then maybe just stay around the pool area while the kids are sleeping. If you like the pool area around the Dolphin better you could also just stay there until their nap is over.

I might not be the right one to answer this as I would to go as many days as possible, so if you can go for an additional 3 extra days without the costs of flights increasing and the extra days are not that expensive I would go for it. Depending on when you normally arrive during the day, you could WL 1/2/3 days at another or same resort for a split stay. We normally arrive late in the evening around midnight so going forward I think the first day maybe two will be offsite and then we head to Disney for our fix :-)
 
If I were in your position, I would definitely do it. You are essentially trading the cost of one way transportation, a few Starwood points, and a day of napping for your 2 year old to get three extra days out of the northern winter, spent with lower crowds at Disney World. It is also nice that the Dolphin is walkable to both Epcot and HS, so you would really only need to bus to AK during your whole trip.
As for how to go about doing it, I would hire a town car to take you from the airport to the Dolphin. You end up paying about $50, but you are getting someone who is licensed to transport children. Uber just makes me a bit nervous with my 2 year old. You can also try Uber family, as I am sure there are plenty of those drivers around the Orlando area.
On the day of switching hotels, I would just sleep in, and then either bus or take the Minnie Van over to BLT. Drop off the luggage and spend the later morning at MK. Take it easier that evening, making it a bit of a mid-trip rest day, and then continue on with the rest of your vacation the following morning.

The choice is totally yours, and you will have a great time with whatever it is you choose to do. I am jealous just thinking about it!
 
Normally, it's no big deal to get from MCO to the Dolphin (Uber, Lyft, cab, car rental, towncar service).

Normally, it's no big deal switching from the Dolphin to BLT (Uber, Lyft, cab, car rental if you have one).

But there are two things which make your situation a little different - the need for a car seat and a kid who naps.

Lyft does not have car seats. I don't think cabs have car seats, someone else will have to pipe in about whether you can request a cab with a car seat. Uber Family has 1 car seat. I don't know about rental cars and car seats. I don't know about town cars and car seats, but you're not going to want to pay a town car to get from Dolphin to BLT anyway.

Some people take a car seat with them - bubble butt or something like that.

Minnie Vans have 2 car seats, but I don't know if they would have room for all of your luggage. Also, I don't know if staying at Swan or Dolphin qualifies you to get the Minnie Van access on the Lyft app turned on.

When does your little one nap? In the morning? In the afternoon? Does he/she have to be in a hotel room to nap? Would he/she nap in a lounge chair by the pool?

Check-out time at the Dolphin is 11:00 am and your room at BLT may not be ready until after 4:00 pm.

So how does that timing fit in with when and where the little one needs to nap? If your kid must be asleep in a hotel room after 11:00 am, you have a problem.
 


Lyft does not have car seats. I don't think cabs have car seats, someone else will have to pipe in about whether you can request a cab with a car seat

The Lyft Minnie vans have 2 car seats each. Yes, they are $20 to go from resort to resort, but that can be a small price to pay compared to the potential hassle of switching busses while hauling luggage and kids.

As for the cabs, many have car seats as well. I missed the Magical Express from my hotel last winter and we had to take a cab. One was ready and waiting with 2 car seats. The trip cost us $60 after tip, but I actually felt like it was money pretty well spent. No waiting for the bus to load up at 4 other hotels, showing up at the airport 3 hours early, etc.

When it comes to napping, vacations are meant to throw off routine. That's half the fun. My kids go to bed at 7:15 at home, but when we are at Disney, it is not too crazy to have them up at 11:00 once or twice. By extending a trip from 5 days to 8, it is easier to take things slow and have a rest day or half-day when it is needed.
 
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Would you still do this if flights cost the same whether we added on the 3 nights before or not?
Of course I would. It's 3 nights in Disney World for almost nothing. For us the key would be time off work and school but your kids are young so only work matters. Uber does car seats, so there's your ride. And the Minnie Vans too. So for $100 in extra transport costs (plus or minus) you get 3 days there. :) If the flights are even $25 cheaper you'll make that up on the flight cost. I'm really not seeing any drawback at all!
 
...so... slight glitch in plans....

I went to look at flights departing Friday or Saturday of President’s weekend versus Monday (Pres Day), thinking they’d be about the same. Nope. They are about $200 per person (so $800) more!! I’m still considering it and will continue to look for flights, though. I think there’s an argument to be made that even $800 for 3 more days (we have APs) may be worth it.
 


If Minnie Vans are an option to go from Dolphin to BLT, our luggage should fit. We plan to do laundry at least once anyway, so it shouldn’t be too much of a problem.

Our 2yo naps pretty well in the stroller, so it is definItely possible to do that afternoon nap out of the room.

Now the real issue is finding decent cheap(er) flights.
 
Dolphin will transfer your luggage to BLT. I stayed at the Swan before WL last year and they handle it the same way as other Disney hotel luggage transfers. Of course, you should take anything you'll need that day since the luggage may not be delivered to BLT until early evening. depending when you drop it off.
 
Well, managed to find nonstop flights on our preferred airline for $150 more per person... It is done. I have a ton of SPG points and we are requesting early check in and late check out given my status, so hopefullly that helps us with nap. I thought DH would hem and haw about it, but we are doing family obligation trips for Thanksgiving and Christmas to our elderly parents - FIL is dying of multi-system organ failure and my mom is in late/end stage dementia - so we agree we will need some smiles after those trips.
 

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