Favorite activities during transition days on split stays?

[DeletedAccount]

Ah first thread! @Elvis Glazier had a great take on this question, so I wanted to open it up to more ideas since I don't have any experience with this.

We're doing a split stay WDW honeymoon in June/July over 10 days, with a couple days @ Vero before. Really excited to see the different resorts (AKL, GFL, and CCV), but we have two transition days. I've read a lot of helpful stuff on how it works, so I'm set on that, but I'm curious what are your favorite activities to do during transition days on split stays? With the amount of time in between check-out and check-in at the next place, what has worked and been fun for you? any other advice?

Thanks!

 

[Sandisw]

We always do late parks the night before the split,,,sleep in...check out at 11..then head to Disney Springs for lunch and shopping. Sometimes, we eat lunch at a different resort and then go to Disney Springs,

One time, we hit an afternoon movie to kill the time. I have heard of other bowling too

By the time we are done, and get back to the resort, we have almost always had our room!

 

[jerseyduke]

well remember, on transition days you can use both resorts facilities (2 pools) . I always pack such that bathing suits/pool gear is easily accessible.

Just be rested, the only big loss is the afternoon nap possibility.

Also. being homeless is not a bad time to check out a hotel lounge for a respite.

Otherwise than those 2, I'd probably be in a park.

 

[loves to dive]

We aren't DVC but do split stays all the time. We get up and go have breakfast and resort #1. Then we head back to the room and make sure everything is packed up and move to resort #2. We drive so we have a car. We go ahead and go to the front desk just to let them know we are there, store our luggage with bell services and head out to a park. We just do a regular park day until our room is ready. Sometimes we go back to the resort when it's ready, some times we just keep going with our park day.

 

[Donna M]

We hang out at the resort with the best pool til we get the room ready message.

 

[cruisin5]

Lunch, shopping and a spa appointment at Saratoga, where you can change into your swimsuit before heading to the pool at the new resort.

If you use Disney to transfer your bags, don't expect them to arrive at your new resort until late afternoon. You could Uber/Lyft and drop off your bags, we prefer this method.

 

[DeletedAccount]

Lunch, shopping and a spa appointment at Saratoga, where you can change into your swimsuit before heading to the pool at the new resort.

That sounds like a fantastic idea for one of the afternoons. Disney Springs is walking distance from Saratoga, right? Favorite lunch spot at Disney springs?

 

[heynowirv]

That sounds like a fantastic idea for one of the afternoons. Disney Springs is walking distance from Saratoga, right? Favorite lunch spot at Disney springs?

My favorite lunch spot at DS is Wolfgang Puck's for Butternut Squash soup and half a sandwich. It hit's my spot. And yes it's right across the bridge or a boat ride from SSR.

 

[Aussie RJ]

We generally leave our bags at bell services for transfer to the new resort. Then head to a park and stay until we get the room ready notification. We always book our FP’s starting around midday on the transfer day. The only hassle is the pack / unpack in the middle of your trip.

 

[Elvis Glazier]

We always do late parks the night before the split,,,sleep in...check out at 11..then head to Disney Springs for lunch and shopping. Sometimes, we eat lunch at a different resort and then go to Disney Springs,

I never thought to do a late night prior to transition day and check out late. I think I will try that one day.

I have always done quite the opposite. I usually make the day prior an easy day to pack and get to bed a little earlier. I always (over) plan my transition days. Especially if I am transitioning from DVC to off property. I will want to take advantage of extra magic hours, or spend the day eating if I did a Deluxe Dining plan.

Being a creature of habit one activity that seems to happen for us on transition days is going to Bay Lake Towers to watch the fireworks. We love it up there and unless you are going to AKV after it's a really good place to end the night.

Also, by that time of night, you are pretty much guaranteed that your luggage will precede you.

I love that you're doing a Vero to DW split at the beginning. That just sets the right tone for the Honeymoon! It's a hard transition day though. I would plan to stay at your new resort and enjoy the amenities. A spa service that day would be wonderful calm before the storm moment. Also AKV is one of those rare properties that I could stay at and never set foot at a park. The food is so good!

You are really getting a nice variety of resorts and you have definitely planned a memorable holiday.

My advice. Don't unpack completely
Just move necessary items from the big bags to closets, drawers and carry-on as you plan out the next two days. Keep yourself mobile and let Bell services take care of you. Take a bag to the park with you with bathing suits and a change of clothes if you have something fancy planned. Put it in a locker at the entrance to whichever park you're going to. You probably won't need it but just in case you call an audible and want to hit the pool or resort you can do it in style.

I would also look for some last minute deals on a Disney cruise because that is the best split stay you can do at the end of 10 days at DW!!!

Also, congrats on your upcoming nuptials!

 

[Lakegirl]

Love all these ideas. We have done many split stays and have one coming up and we are doing the late night before checking out at 11 and then having a late lunch at one of the parks. I figure we will maybe Uber over to the new resort with our Luggage so we can tell them we are there and have everything there as well. Then head to the park for lunch.

 

[cruisin5]

That sounds like a fantastic idea for one of the afternoons. Disney Springs is walking distance from Saratoga, right? Favorite lunch spot at Disney springs?

Yes, you can walk or take a boat from DS to SSR.

 

[Simba's Mom]

We generally leave our bags at bell services for transfer to the new resort. Then head to a park and stay until we get the room ready notification. We always book our FP’s starting around midday on the transfer day. The only hassle is the pack / unpack in the middle of your trip.

I do the same thing- I plan for transfer day to be a park day. What's a little strange is the feeling of going to a resort other than the one I left that morning and tapping my MB to open the door to a new (to me) room.

 

[Elvis Glazier]

It's really nice knowing that I'm not the only one who looks forward to split stays.

When I book DVC, I look for ways to do split stays. My family now expects it and I enjoy the extra "value" I eke out using split stays.

I

 

[DeletedAccount]

It's really nice knowing that I'm not the only one who looks forward to split stays.

When I book DVC, I look for ways to do split stays. My family now expects it and I enjoy the extra "value" I eke out using split stays.

I

That was my thought too. To be fair, I haven't done split stays yet, I've only stayed at CCV, but Disney does an amazing job with the theming at DVC resorts, as well as with the different dining options, and I feel like while I'm still new I need to check out as much as I can (within reason) on each trip. It's almost like traveling to a different "land" with each new resort.

 

[heidijanesmith]

I saw a previous posters suggestion to not unpack completely.

We are doing our 1st split stay this year.

I have a tendency to over pack and then unpack completely when I get to the resort. I am second guessing that decision now.

 

[MICKIMINI]

Alamo Car Care Center (near MK) will pick you up for free at your resort and you can spend the day at the beach, outlets, pick up groceries, check in and drop your bags (or have bell services transfer)go have dinner and then do a park for the evening. In the morning, drive your car back to Alamo and they will give you a lift back to any destination on property for free, so you can go early to a far flung location for breakfast (like Boma), stop at Alamo and then be dropped at any park you want. Be sure to make a reservation online ahead for both the car and call for pick up a couple hours ahead. If you plan well, you can really get a solid 24 hours worth out of your rental and do a few things that otherwise, would be a major hassle to get to.

 

[DeletedAccount]

Alamo Car Care Center (near MK) will pick you up for free at your resort and you can spend the day at the beach, outlets, pick up groceries, check in and drop your bags (or have bell services transfer)go have dinner and then do a park for the evening. In the morning, drive your car back to Alamo and they will give you a lift back to any destination on property for free, so you can go early to a far flung location for breakfast (like Boma), stop at Alamo and then be dropped at any park you want. Be sure to make a reservation online ahead for both the car and call for pick up a couple hours ahead. If you plan well, you can really get a solid 24 hours worth out of your rental and do a few things that otherwise, would be a major hassle to get to.

I had no idea. Thats a fantastic idea. We really want to see HP world, so perhaps that could be an option with the rental as well.

 

[nkosiek]

We like to sleep in, do a nice late brunch/breakfast before going to a park close to wherever we are moving. Allows for a nice slow morning.

 

[bookwormde]

I have done a lot of split stays,, mostly studio (2-4 days) to 1 or 2 bedroom (5 to 7 days) to studio (2 to 4 days) A lot depends on what resort I am moving to. When I have a car the day starts with me loading up luggage and groceries and heading to the new resort to be there at 6am (yes I am naturally an early riser) so that I know my bags are there when the room is ready While I do on line check in for 6am, I have found that being there in person gives a chance to reconfirm room location preferences as well as adding other options that are hard to do on line. With this I am typically in my room between noon and 2 though it has also been as late as 5. I also have had a room before I check out of old room which has glitched the system so the rest of the family has had to check out and head over. When that is the case and I am not "homeless" we just head to the parks

For epcot area resorts mini golf tennis and just cruising world showcase are typically what we do Since we can get back to move in quickly, Beaches and cream is also a regular stop on homeless days

For OKW and SSR we do DTD

For MK resorts we often just explore the other resorts, I can sit in one of the quite spot overlooking the WL lobby and just enjoy the ambiance

We often start with AKV, but when we have moved there we spend time finding quite spots to watch the animals or "study" the lobby, except that if we are in concierge, we are in the lounge a lot