Do you split your stay between resorts?

[ncbyrne]

Just wondering how many of you split your stay between two, or even three resorts...on or off property. I would have never thought to do this if I hadn't read about it in DIS trip reports. We've split our stay three times now and just love it. We leave tomorrow (Hip hip hooray) and will stay three nights at the DD Holiday Inn, 4 nights at the Dolphin, and the last 3 nights at the Sheraton Safari. Got great rates thru Hotwire (Holiday Inn) and Starwood Points (Safari) and the gov't rate at Dolphin thru DU. It's just DH and I and we have no problems resort hopping. Of course when I take my DGD's we only go for 5 or 6 days and usually stay put....but that's another story.

 

[chipnwendy]

We will be splitting our time at WDW between 2 resorts on our upcoming trip. We will be spending the first 5 days with our girls at the Boardwalk Villas for logistical reasons, but they will then be leaving for the beach with their grandparents, leaving us a few days alone. We will be switching to one of the suites at the Hotel Royal Plaza (more bang for the buck and a great deal from mousesavers.com) for the rest of the trip.

We haven't done this before, but then again we've also never been with kids either, so we're hoping both work out wonderfully.

 

[Gator Kate]

Since we enjoy both Disney and Universal we sometimes split our stay between on-site resorts at both places. We find it way more relaxing to plop ourselves down on-site and either walk or use the resorts transportation system to get around. To me driving is stressful.

 

[disneysteve]

We wouldn't split our stay unless there was some reason that it was absolutely necessary (which I can't imagine). When we get to a hotel, we like to settle in, unpack, spread out and make ourselves comfortable until its time to go home. The thought of wasting the better part of one day in the middle of our vacation packing up, checking out, checking in and unpacking again just doesn't appeal to us.

 

[ncbyrne]

I never unpack...just live out of the suitcase. We only change resorts on longer trips when we're not in the parks every day. It's what makes the vacation special to DH.

 

[kilee]

We prefer to not change resorts but have done it. Our last trip, I just couldn't win a priceline bid for 7 nights no matter how hard I tried. So, we split it to be a 2 night/5 night stay. It wasn't that bad changing, except the first hotel was 100 times better.

We stayed at the Sheraton Safari this last trip for $37 a night an LOVED IT!! I would love to get a deal on this hotel again!!

 

[Aimeedyan]

I LOVE changing hotels! It makes my vacation, to me. I love seeing new places, trying new restaurants, chillling at new pools, etc. But we are adults, if I had chlidren to lug with me, it'd be different, I'm sure.

We are switching SEVERAL times this trip, mostly for $ reasons. I am looking forward to it =)

 

[cleo]

I change resorts almost every trip. This past trip was Resort Quest villas and then the Hard Rock hotel. I've changed up to 3 times and love being able to see all that Orlando has to offer. It's amazing what's out there once you venture off Disney property. My standard for luxury hotels has gone WAY up now that I've seen what 'else' is available.

 

[Debbie]

We've split a few times. Twice we did HIFS for a week before our onsite hotel stay. That was to save money, and we did, however, the children actually preferred the HIFS to the BC and Dixie. The extras were big with them. Last year we did the Courtyard at the $20.03 rate and did CSR for one night, just to try it. I wouldn't do a 1 night stay again. I'd want at least 2 or 3 to get the real flavour of the resort. This year, we aren't going, even for 1 day.

 

[disneysteve]

To those of you who intentionally switch hotels, don't you find that you lose valuable vacation time in the process? I would hate to give up half a day to repack everything, check out, go to the next hotel, check in and unpack again. Maybe if we were there for an extended stay I might not mind, but on a 1 week vacation, I've got better things to do than that.

I have switched hotels during vacations in places other than Disney but that was because we were going to a different area. For example, last summer we spent a week in Massachussetts. We did 5 days/4 nites outside of Boston and then 4 days/3 nites in Springfield. The two hotels were almost 100 miles apart so it made sense.

But at Disney, I can't think of anything that would make me want to give up time mid-week to switch hotels. I'd rather be in the parks.

 

[Amirah95]

Steve, my husband agrees with you. He gets somewhere, he settles in and then that's where he stays until we go home. I, on the other hand, would like to do at least 2 days on a Disney resort to experience the Magic. We cannot afford to stay on Disney for the entirey of our trip.s I think a lot of people hotel/resort "hop" for budgetary reasons. What do you think?

 

[disneysteve]

Originally posted by Amirah95
I think a lot of people hotel/resort "hop" for budgetary reasons. What do you think?

This seems to be what a lot of people do based on what I've read here at DIS. Personally, we greatly prefer the offsite accomodations so going on site is no appeal at all to us. But I can understand that if folks really want to be onsite for part of the trip, hopping may be the only affordable way to do it.

 

[Planogirl]

Originally posted by kilee
We stayed at the Sheraton Safari this last trip for $37 a night an LOVED IT!! I would love to get a deal on this hotel again!!

Wow, how did you do that? I can't find it for under $99 but then we don't have Sheraton points.

We are splitting our stay because of where we're going this year. We'll be in St Augustine for 3 nights-where still to be determined, then we'll be at the Royal Pacific for 2 nights (wanted more but these hotels are pricey this year!) and then I have a short list for the rest of our trip at various Orlando resorts.

I haven't done this before and I'm kind of excited about it.

 

[Lisa P.]

We've done this a few times. If we're vacationing in one area (like greater Orlando/LBV/Kiss) for a week or less, then we prefer to stay all in one resort. We all seem to sleep better in unfamiliar places after the 3rd night or so. Switching midweek is undesirable. Adding a couple days onsite to a weeklong trip offsite is okay... though on the last few trips, we've preferred to spend those extra nights at the beach or visiting relatives along the drive home. Sometimes, we do visit other resorts, just to see them, but don't need to move our things.

If we're on the road, traveling between destinations, then we prefer to spend 2-3+ nights per location, when possible. The full days in one place are the most fun, seeing the sights. Packing & unpacking, or living out of suitcases, is a necessity on that kind of (exploring) trip. But for a destination like Orlando, it holds no appeal for us.

 

[manderine]

I love changing hotels. We've done this on the last two disney trips. My family are not too keen on the packing/unpacking so I take that on board late at night, after parks, eating etc. We check in at 2nd hotel and leave luggage locked away safely with them if room is not ready. We always plan "the change" on a non park day.
It is well worth it if you can't decide between hotels so this way you try both in one trip. The only negative is if the 2nd hotel is much worst than the first (WAAAH! we should have stayed at 1st hotel...). Luckily this has not happened to us. We've marvelled at how the feel of the holiday changes i.e. in 2002 we changed from HIFS to Vistana Villages. From busy, fun, crowded, free food to relaxed, luxurious, spacious cook your own food in the full kitchen.

Doing more than one hotel per hotel is a definite for me.

 

[Amirah95]

How is HIFS by the way? I heard good reviews about it. Is that the place where the the kids get their own part of the suite? Or am I mistaken?

 

[spiceycat]

I LOVE to do this - why - I find a bargin but still want the originally place.

I stay at DVC resort sun-thurs so I want something different fri/sat.

I also just love to try different places....

I love Orlando so much that I also trade my SA to it - there is so much to do and see in the Orlando area.....that I just don't get bore there - even just staying around the resort and enjoying the pool is fun.....

I want to see other timeshares and resort than just WDW - don't get me wrong I love WDW - but I like to enjoy other places too - and in Orlando at certain times - even great 4 star hotels are a bargin......

I am going to try Pop Century at the end of this month - I could find a much cheaper (and in my opinion better offsite) - but the reason I am sticking with it - alot of the stuff is for after hours and I know the drive to PC will be short (if I have to drive).

I also love staying on-site at Universal hotel - these are pet friendly - so Spicey adores these hotels - only one day - but oh boy he (and me too) had a blast.....I am hoping for more days there this Thanksgiving because of their hotel guest first inline entry....that is a great program!!!!

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

Did this for the first time last year and it was not so bad condsidering the place we first stayed was Liki Tiki (yuk). We were unable to get 14 days at Wyndham Palms so we need a fill and Liki Tiki was 29 for 4 days with the tour. We go for over 2 weeks so we can afford days not at the park.

This year we could not find the deals we wanted so we are staying for 4 days at Marriott Grande Vista with a tour for 80 per night. 4 days at vistana villiage no tour for a total of 119 for 4 nights and 10 days at Wyndham Palms for 99 per night for the two bedroom with a tour. I know it sounds like a a lot of packing BUT we do not bring much since we have washer and dryer in all the hotels. It will cost us about 1400 for 18 nights AND these are all luxury hotels. I could stay at a lesser hotel OR for less time but moving is a small price to pay for these really great places.

 

[Amirah95]

My husband loves the Liki Tiki LOL. See how low key that place is? That's what he loves. That's the first place we ever stayed (May 2003) in Orlando...first time I ran into someone who didn't like it. I want to stay at least two nights on Disney and you are getting a nice deal for 18 days. Did you make a budget for you spending money?? It must be a fortune judging on how long you'll be in Florida for.

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

Amirah 95 you must have been lucky at Liki Tiki. We were staying in the buildings about to be demolished. It was disgusting all the way down to the stains all over the mattress of my son's pull out bed. I will admit that the models they showed us werevery nice. Check the search function I know that there are a bunch of us that were very unhappy. Even the balcony was dangerous no screens and very wide bars on the railing.