Crazy to do 3 split stay for a week stay? *another update I made a decision*

[FSU Girl]

To me the problem is not only being homeless for the afternoon, it’s cutting a resort stay so short you barely have time to tap the surface. So that parts makes the inconvenience of moving all our stuff and homeless afternoon pointless.

What about booking the 2 nights you see at VGF separate, then keep watch and if the other day you need pops up book it. Only cancel Copper Creek after getting all 3 days in the same room at VGF

So I did grab the grand Floridian room since I’ve seen it get booked pretty quickly when it does pop up. I haven’t modified my copper creek yet so I still could cancel it if I wanted and stay with what I originally had. I’m searching the site pretty frequently to see if any cancellations pop up. I think I’m almost to 30 days out and I know that’s a day people cancel stuff so I’m hoping.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I just remembered that I did do a 3 way split once, and I was OK with it. It was way back in 2008, and there were special circumstances. For one thing, I planned on a resort-heavy trip, and all 3 parts were at the same resort, but 3 different room types. It was very shortly after the DVC villas were added at AKL Jambo-I did 3 nights in a value studio, then 2 nights in a standard view, finishing up with 3 nights in a savannah studio. So the main purpose of my trip was to learn a little more about the different size of the value studio and the different views overall. If I wanted to spend much time at the parks, a 3 way split wouldn't have been for me.

 

[samsp99]

When is this trip? if its during the holidays, CCV has some of the best decorations and festive feel - GF does it too, but very differently.

 

[FSU Girl]

When is this trip? if its during the holidays, CCV has some of the best decorations and festive feel - GF does it too, but very differently.

Going the week of Veterans Day. Not sure if that’s too early to have the decorations up I thought they don’t until Thanksgiving

 

[Willow Ufgood]

Going the week of Veterans Day. Not sure if that’s too early to have the decorations up I thought they don’t until Thanksgiving

They start as soon as Halloween is over. The resorts are decorated in no particular order (it's done by lottery every year) but all of them will be finished by Thanksgiving. We were at GF during Jersey Week several years ago and they were in the process of building the gingerbread house.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Going the week of Veterans Day. Not sure if that’s too early to have the decorations up I thought they don’t until Thanksgiving

What's funny is that I was there one year on October 31st and November 1st. Leading up to October 31st, the parks were all full of Halloween stuff-pumpkins everywhere. Then on the morning of November 1st, suddenly everything was fully decorated for Christmas. I remember I went to DS that morning, and many of the shop windows were Christmas themed-I saw a few Christmas trees. In one store, behind the register were a few Halloween decorations that must have been found. I kept thinking how busy Santa's elves, all the ghosts, and the Disney employees must be after Halloween night!

 

[BaybeeYoda]

For a moment I thought it read “crazy to stay 3 weeks” and my reaction was heck no, I’m jealous!

But then I read your post thoroughly confused and figured it out …. 3 times in a week is a lot. But it might be fun….

 

[Mai Ku Tiki]

All my rooms are two bedroom villas booked cash through Disney. I really wanted the Grand Floridian from the start it’s my favorite hotel and I’ve stayed in the villas there a couple times. When I booked my trip it was booked up and from my previous posts you saw me very conflicted about where to stay. Did eventually settle on Riviera for 3 nights and Copper Creek for 3 nights. Booked all our dining and parks and of course after all those plans got solidified Grand Floridian popped up for the first half of my trip when it really made no sense staying there since we put everything magic kingdom at the end because of copper creek. Was super sad but didn’t book it.

Well I was just playing around and noticed that there is a lake view 2 bedroom villa at grand Floridian available the last two nights of our trip, which has me so conflicted because I’m not thrilled of having to switch twice back to back and would rather it be for all 3 nights instead. But I also really really want to stay there. Like literally check the website every day to see if someone drops it.

So idk what to do. Our plans right now is Thursday we switch to Copper Creek and go to Magic Kingdom and if we do all three we switch to Grand Floridian on Friday and go to Magic Kingdom. We have a capture your moment booked at 10:30 and Cinderellas lunch at 12:30. Also going to Victoria and Alberts that night when my parents will babysit our kids.

We’ll have a car so we can go over to Grand Floridian and drop our bags off to the bellhop and then get on the monorail to Magic Kingdom. But now we’d basically be homeless for two days since have to check out by 11 and not check in until 4 and I’m assuming Friday is a popular check in day so an early room unlikely. My husband told me to do whatever makes me happy lol so idk is this plan insane?

If you were 2 adults or solo, I'd say give it a try. We do one split often.
But gathering the family & their belongings & dealing with ANYTHING that puts you off schedule (weather, kids with the sniffles, etc...) can add so much stress.
I'm just not sure it's worth risking a more relaxing visit & good memories.
Since you'll have the car & bus option, MK will be easily accessible no matter where you stay.

 

[Donna M]

I was not happy after our split stay; the vacation wasn't as relaxing as it could have been.

 

[EatMoreVeg]

We did a 3-way split stay with a group of 8 back in March, which included two kids, aged 5 and 7 and two seniors, aged 68 and 69. No one complained and we just planned our resort transfer days accordingly to avoid going back to the room before 4 pm. We usually took the morning pretty easy, planned a sit down lunch to take up some time and didn't really feel it being a hassle. Everyone was really good with packing up their own things and all the kitchen supplies we accumulated during each stay, since we were in a 3 BR. We planned our park days accordingly and it was so convenient to be able to walk or boat/skyliner to the parks and the kids loved exploring each new resort.

That being said, we did 4, 5 and 5 nights. I would not change resorts for any shorter time than that with a larger group.

 

[KPeterso]

I have done split stays a few times, and am not a huge fan. But it is only 1 switch in a 1-2 week vacation. I have done the first night value and transfer to DVC a couple times when I was a little point short or getting in super late. I am doing another in March 3 nights AKV-Jambo, then 4 nights at Riviera. I am meeting up with another DVC friend and she really wanted to do Riviera and for us to both stay there. The points I use on my March vacations have a few that are resale restricted from Riviera that were previously banked so I had to use those, so that it why I am doing the first 3 nights at AKV.

 

[wilkydelts]

Ever thought of renting points before paying Disney a cash rate? Honestly that was my biggest take away from your question.

 

[Mle8308]

Yes. Crazy.

 

[JulieBeeRN]

Personally, I wouldn’t switch three different resorts in one week.

 

[JulieBeeRN]

Also keep in mind there are less rooms available at VGF, so chances for an early check in is less too.

 

[FSU Girl]

Ever thought of renting points before paying Disney a cash rate? Honestly that was my biggest take away from your question.

I’ve looked into it, but we never plan 11 months out so we’d be at most a few months out and many times we plan a month or two out. I’ve looked at confirmed reservations and there usually is nothing that would work then. I’m also indecisive and change hotels a lot so being locked in makes me nervous. My rate for riviera was really good with a discount but I’d probably get better rates for the other two for sure.

 

[FSU Girl]

Also keep in mind there are less rooms available at VGF, so chances for an early check in is less too.

When I’ve stayed there in the past i actually got our room around 1pm each time probably the earliest out of all my DVC stays

 

[FSU Girl]

For a moment I thought it read “crazy to stay 3 weeks” and my reaction was heck no, I’m jealous!

But then I read your post thoroughly confused and figured it out …. 3 times in a week is a lot. But it might be fun….

I love Disney but I don’t think I could handle being there for 3 weeks that seems exhausting lol

 

[JulieBeeRN]

When I’ve stayed there in the past i actually got our room around 1pm each time probably the earliest out of all my DVC stays

We were on a REALLY good streak of getting our GF room early, except for the last three times (it was after 430p). To be fair, I don't expect a room before 4p but they clearly spoiled us before, lol.

Once we had a hotel stay at GF that we received a text before we even left home; I think it was around 930a CST. Earliest DVC stay was at SSR at 1130am.

Good luck with whatever you plan on doing!!

 

[BaybeeYoda]

I love Disney but I don’t think I could handle being there for 3 weeks that seems exhausting lol

Believe it or not the longer you stay the easier it is and the more relaxed the vacation is. You don’t have to hit every park every day, stay morning to evening, ride every ride. Instead, you can take your time jump on a ride if there’s no line, go back to your room. Enjoy the resort. Leisurely stroll around. Pretty much have fun without any sense of urgency.

We started going 13-15 nights a year starting in 2017. It’s no longer a frenzied vacation….

It’s just a wee bit more expensive. Lol,