Debating a split stay Value to Deluxe

[Casey LC]

So my family of five (3 kids, 12, 10 & 10) are doing a big trip on Thanksgiving this year. We are staying in two rooms at Pop from Nov 25 to Dec 7. I’m considering doing a split stay of the last 5 days/4 nights at Beach Club in a 5 person standard room so we can try a deluxe resort for the first time. We have only ever done a moderate before. The extra cost would be approximately $1300 unless any discounts come out between now and our trip. We would have a full resort day planned for our time at BC so the kids could enjoy the pool and would be at Epcot for at least one if not two of the days, and the studios for a day.
Question is, is it worth the money? $1300 is a lot of money and I’m concerned we could end up using that on something else (like paid fast passes, if that happens) but I think this might be our best chance to stay at a deluxe while the kids are young enough to all fit in one room without complaining. What do you think?

 

[Disney Fool]

so...realize that you'd be going from two bathrooms, to one (although the bathrooms at the Beach Club have sinks outside the toilet/tub area which makes for easier mornings). Not all Beach Club rooms have a balcony. Yacht Club has all balconies. Stormalong Bay pool is awesome, you may never get your kids out of the pool! I love the Yacht/Beach club area, so I'm not trying to discourage you!!! I think you would love it there, Just know before you go. Only do it if the cost isn't going to hurt you financially. Feeding a family for 14 days will be expensive. Snacks add up! on the other hand, if you think you can swing it, its a lovely resort and a great location.

 

[DJFan88]

This is what we do all the time and love it. You can't beat the feeling of just walking into epcot or the studios, and you have ample time. The kids love that pool and the ages of your children are old enough to do things. I have a tip also which is to not forget how close you also are to Dolphin when looking for quick food, they have the Pikabu quick food, awesome ice cream to go at the Fountain, and that is also an excellent good old sit down burger sandwich and fries also that is easy to get into. Marketplace at BC is limited.

 

[_19disnA]

5 people sharing one bathroom doesn't sound like much fun. There is also the issue of having to repack/move/unpack for your second hotel. Some people on here like doing that but we like to unpack ONE time when we first arrive for our entire vacation. Then at the end of the vacation we pack all of our dirty clothes into the luggage and head for home.

It also sounds like you would be paying more money for less space just to stay at a bit more upscale place.

 

[epcotobsessed]

"Worth it" is totally subjective - I'm sure you know that! For us, it is totally worth the extra money to stay at Beach Club. The >5 minute walk to Epcot, the easy walk or boat ride to HS, the Boardwalk itself, the pools, all of it makes the extra money worth it to us. We do split stays every day and have never even thought about the packing/repacking issue - this is clearly a big deal for some, but it's not for us and we think it's fun to experience two different resorts on the same trip - we have even done three once or twice.

 

[DizneyFamof4]

If it is something you always wanted to do and you can afford it then go ahead and try it. We have done a couple of splits, but the re-packing is one of our biggest issues with split stays, mainly because we drive, so we end up bringing more stuff (pillows, food, toys etc.) so it is a hassle for us, especially with kids. Besides that, we really liked it. The walk to Epcot (.35 miles) is a quick 5-8 minutes depending on how fast you walk. I would not really recommend walking to HS because it's 1.25 miles of extra walking and takes about 25-30 minutes. We really like the look of the boardwalk, especially all lit up at night.
BTW, we will be at POP during turkey week also, 20-28. Me personally, I can no longer find the "worth" in paying $300+ more a night for a deluxe, unless it was for a special trip. Either way you decide, you "will" have a great trip

 

[NY Pirate Princess]

Our last trip was a pop century/BC split. We had a DVC rental and tacked on two extra days on the front end because our flight in arrived at midnight. We got the dining plan for two nights, giving us mugs for length of trip and awesome ts dinners on night two and three. We could only book dining in batches but were able to get fast passes for the whole trip.

Moving resorts completely threw me with stuff management. I found myself sorting through stuff a ton more than I expected. Other than that, the split was a dream.

I don't think I would stay in a standard room for 5 days and 4 nights with 5 people. Would you consider just one or two nights, to get your feet under you with a deluxe and enjoy the resort? I will warn you, I am still happy at value resorts but the family wants deluxe every time now that we've stayed at AKL and BC!

 

[mi*vida*loca]

If you can afford it go for it. I love BC. It's my favorite resort. The Epcot area is awesome, SAB is an amazing pool, your close to tons of food options. When we did BC my kids lived in the pool. We went to Epcot twice and they stayed at the pool

With kids those ages one bathroom is fine. I grew up with only one bathroom all of my life and still to this day only have one bathroom. I know nothing else. My kids know nothing else. We make it work. Showers at night for the kids, adults in the morning.

 

[kylenne]

I just did my first split stay a month ago and it was a breeze. Granted I was solo, but I'm a big proponent of using packing cubes and they were a godsend. I organized my stuff in cubes by resort and put the cubes with my GF clothes directly in the drawer while I was at GF. Dirty clothes went into my laundry bag as I went (I use Away luggage and they have them built in). It made it so I really had nothing to repack when I moved to YC except PJs, toiletries, electronic cords, and ears/magic bands. Switching was quick and painless, I had Bell Services come up to get my stuff early on moving day and was still able to rope drop AK, my room ready text came while still in the park and when I got to the resort my bags were already waiting for me (around 4pm). Far less onerous than some people say it is. Like I said it was just me, but I have to imagine cubes are an even bigger life saver for a whole family.

 

[epcotobsessed]

@kylenne you are so right - packing cubes are a GAME CHANGER! We did many split stays before them and the repacking was no big deal, but with packing cubes it's ridiculously easy. I was dubious that they would make a big difference but they totally do.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I just did my first split stay a month ago and it was a breeze. Granted I was solo, but I'm a big proponent of using packing cubes and they were a godsend. I organized my stuff in cubes by resort and put the cubes with my GF clothes directly in the drawer while I was at GF. Dirty clothes went into my laundry bag as I went (I use Away luggage and they have them built in). It made it so I really had nothing to repack when I moved to YC except PJs, toiletries, electronic cords, and ears/magic bands. Switching was quick and painless, I had Bell Services come up to get my stuff early on moving day and was still able to rope drop AK, my room ready text came while still in the park and when I got to the resort my bags were already waiting for me (around 4pm). Far less onerous than some people say it is. Like I said it was just me, but I have to imagine cubes are an even bigger life saver for a whole family.

My 15 year old doesn’t want to be restricted on what to wear. She needs access to allll of her “fits.” She needs to decide that day after changing 865677 times and asking me how she looks in each “fit” too.

So no packing cubes and hopefully no split stay next trip. I could easily do the packing cubes and plan my outfits out. I usually do mentally anyway.

 

[Ursula_Fan]

We have done multiple split stays with 2 young kids. Our last trip we did POR, Kidani, VGF. On switch day we packed up, had breakfast, left luggage with bell services and headed to a park around check out. Did lunch in the park. Got the text with our new room by 3 or so, went to the new resort around dinner time. I wouldn't recommend this if your kids are still napping but it worked for us with a 6 yo & 5 yo. Doing split stays has allowed us to experience most of the deluxe resorts without having to pay for an entire week at one (full disclosure, we rent DVC points most of the time).

As for BC, I would try it but we have also done 5 people with 1 bathroom and that is tough. I'd do BC for 3 nights max because I found that was the time about when we all went from cute to curmudgeon after not enough space and too much togetherness.

 

[Sarahslay]

We have done two splits stays as a family in the last 6 months and packing cubes were used in the most recent trip, and OMG where have these been all my life?!! So easy to pack and unpack at the different resorts compared the the trip we did at christmas, it was night and day. I will say, as a cost savings, renting points is my favorite thing now. We stayed in a 1 bedroom villa at Riviera for the first 6 nights of our trip, and then moved to OKW to a 2 bedroom villa for the remainder and it saved so much money. I've also rented points at BWV for this coming January when I go with my dad since he wants to do HS a bunch (huge Star Wars fan), and we have a 2 bedroom lock off for a fraction of what it was going to cost for me to get a room for the same amount of time. Of course, we stay in the hotel rooms a lot too, we've stayed in YC a ton since reopening and you can never beat being able to walk to 2 parks and having access to that amazing pool. However, "worth it" really is in the eyes of the beholder, and while I'm more than happy to shell out that much money for the rooms on every trip I know some people would scoff at it and say they'll just take a bus.

 

[DizneyFamof4]

My 15 year old doesn’t want to be restricted on what to wear. She needs access to allll of her “fits.” She needs to decide that day after changing 865677 times and asking me how she looks in each “fit” too.

So no packing cubes and hopefully no split stay next trip. I could easily do the packing cubes and plan my outfits out. I usually do mentally anyway.

Yep! That is our family, we gave up on having outfits picked out in advanced once our DDs were old enough to dress themselves. LOL We use the cubes now to only make packing more compact in our suitcases, but once we get to the room we all like to totally unpack and put our suitcases away. None of us wants to live out of a suitcase. Being the only male in our family (DW and 2 DD's) my job is to go get breakfast in the morning, why they all "try" and get ready. I will get back and I can guarantee you that there will be 3-4 tops laying on a bed with one or both of my DDs trying to decide. LOL
BTW, I am not immune to changing my mind on what shirt I want to wear either

 

[kylenne]

My 15 year old doesn’t want to be restricted on what to wear. She needs access to allll of her “fits.” She needs to decide that day after changing 865677 times and asking me how she looks in each “fit” too.

So no packing cubes and hopefully no split stay next trip. I could easily do the packing cubes and plan my outfits out. I usually do mentally anyway.

I mean the main reason to use them besides organization is being able to actually bring more clothes (my used cubes go in a plastic bag) and not having them loose in hotel drawers with god knows what. They just make splits easier if you divvy up clothes based of resort but you can organize things in them however you want. Usually I do it by item type.

 

[Happy2BMommy0812]

Well, that’s how we got addicted to the deluxe resorts - we tried it for a few nights here and there and got hooked. I’d say go for it, but know it can be addictive. I would definitely say it’s worth it, the deluxe hotels are so much nicer. And I agree with others, being right next to EPCOT and having that pool are amazing perks of Beach Club.

Sharing a bathroom can be frustrating, but my family does it. And I find the deluxe bathrooms provide more sink space outside the toilet and shower area, so there is more room to spread out.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

So my family of five (3 kids, 12, 10 & 10) are doing a big trip on Thanksgiving this year. We are staying in two rooms at Pop from Nov 25 to Dec 7. I’m considering doing a split stay of the last 5 days/4 nights at Beach Club in a 5 person standard room so we can try a deluxe resort for the first time. We have only ever done a moderate before. The extra cost would be approximately $1300 unless any discounts come out between now and our trip. We would have a full resort day planned for our time at BC so the kids could enjoy the pool and would be at Epcot for at least one if not two of the days, and the studios for a day.
Question is, is it worth the money? $1300 is a lot of money and I’m concerned we could end up using that on something else (like paid fast passes, if that happens) but I think this might be our best chance to stay at a deluxe while the kids are young enough to all fit in one room without complaining. What do you think?

I think this is entirely up to you and if you think the $1300 would be realized in your enjoyment. We are 4 and make the DVC Studios work for us simply because we really don't enjoy the values as much as we used since our kids are a little older now, 14 & 12. You can't beat the Boardwalk area resorts and the ease of walking or boating to DHS/Epcot. It's not necessarily worth $1300 but it is a great perk. We love that location. And the pool at BC- it's really nice.

We also love the amenities but going from two rooms at a value to one room at a deluxe may feel like a downgrade. It's a long trip and 4 nights feeling cramped may get to you. If you and your kids are pretty easy going and/or you spend most of your times swimming and out and about, the room situation may not be a big deal. We are usually out of our room most days and only do one real resort day on our trips so for us, the room size is a moot point. Even on our resort days, we are swimming, at Disney Springs or shopping and walking around the property. It totally makes sense to start at a value or mod and then end at a deluxe so for such a long trip, I think a split stay could be a really nice way to add variety, make your trips feel like two separate trips and get a little more bang for your buck on the front end.

I think this sounds really cliché but once you do deluxes, it's hard to go back to moderate and even harder to go back to value. And what makes it worse, is that Disney deluxes don't hold a candle to most high end hotel chains but they got us, we're total suckers.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

My 15 year old doesn’t want to be restricted on what to wear. She needs access to allll of her “fits.” She needs to decide that day after changing 865677 times and asking me how she looks in each “fit” too.

So no packing cubes and hopefully no split stay next trip. I could easily do the packing cubes and plan my outfits out. I usually do mentally anyway.

OK glad to know I'm not alone. We went to Fernandina Beach FL a few weeks ago for a quick Friday-Sunday drive in beach trip and my 14yo daughter had SO MUCH STUFF! She said not everyone dresses like a lame mom and she needed to see what she felt like wearing. LOL! Once I started calling my clothes "fits" she stopped since now that I said it, it lost it's luster. I also plan my outfits out ahead of time with one or two extra, especially in the summer.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

OK glad to know I'm not alone. We went to Fernandina Beach FL a few weeks ago for a quick Friday-Sunday drive in beach trip and my 14yo daughter had SO MUCH STUFF! She said not everyone dresses like a lame mom and she needed to see what she felt like wearing. LOL! Once I started calling my clothes "fits" she stopped since now that I said it, it lost it's luster. I also plan my outfits out ahead of time with one or two extra, especially in the summer.

LOL. I say fits too and she gives me the glare. She also needs an entire luggage for herself whenever we travel. Also I've realized if I say an outfit is cute she then doesn't want to wear it or doesn't like it. This also happens when we go shopping. Fun times....fun times.

 

[Sue M]

Love packing cubes! I don’t organize them according to “fits” my new word lol! I just organize according to type of clothing, shorts, tops, etc. So easy to pack & unpack. Just put in drawer and unzip. Zip up to put in suitcase. Since I have longer trips I usually do a wash mid trip.

Since I’m not a fan of the values I’d do a split stay. Although in Nov weather can be a mixed bag so don’t count on pool days. It can be anything. I’ve swam in January mid afternoon. I was at Universal last Nov. Arrived on Black Friday. A few afternoons were warm, but lots of days I had long pants, down vest and layers. Evenings I was wearing light winter jacket.

YC is my preference because of full balcony. And with 3 kids it’s nice to have an additional space to hang out in. Your kids are old enough to help pack themselves up, and split stays sometimes feel like 2 vacations!