Good and Bad Experiences with Split Stays

[bookwormde]

We do splits every visit, both when we are by ourselves and with extended family. One "trick" I have found is to split on a saturday or better yet a sunday, Everytime I have done this I have had my new room before I checked out of the old one, and this even included a GV one time. Of course I do not travel during the very busiest times.

bookwormde

 

[Sammie]

The problem with booking the ADRs is when you really need or want to book 90 days out plus ten for your entire trip in one call.

You will two reservations therefore you will have 2 different 90 days out date.

Other than that, there is no problem.

 

[jmtf2004]

Add me to the list of people who have had bad experiences changing resorts. As a result we have decided not to change resorts on future stays - although we have moved within a resort successfully (WL -> VWL). If you don't have a car, I would HIGHLY recommend using a taxi to move your luggage over Bell Services.
Twice we attempted to use Bell Services because so many people report it being 'easy peasy'. It took TWELVE long hours to get our luggage at the new resort both times! If you use a taxi, at least you have access to your things (and know where they are) the entire moving day. I'm pretty sure the taxi would be under $20.

 

[dgaston]

Maybe we're just laid back, but our split stay last summer was very easy. We were at VWL for 3 days on the DDP, and then moved to AKL concierge (no DDP). We had Bell Services move the bags and OL, while we kept a pool bag and change of clothes. It was supposed to be a pool day, but rain changed that plan. We had a rental car, and just drove over to AKL when the rain drove us out of VWL. We were staying in studios in each location. I liked being able to use the dining plan for only part of our stay. Our luggage arrived promptly.

 

[Sammie]

Maybe we're just laid back, but our split stay last summer was very easy. We were at VWL for 3 days on the DDP, and then moved to AKL concierge (no DDP). We had Bell Services move the bags and OL, while we kept a pool bag and change of clothes. It was supposed to be a pool day, but rain changed that plan. We had a rental car, and just drove over to AKL when the rain drove us out of VWL. We were staying in studios in each location. I liked being able to use the dining plan for only part of our stay. Our luggage arrived promptly.

I think everyone is pretty laid back about doing this as long as it goes smoothly, but when you have a special ADR at 7 and you have no luggage and no room to dress in, it can be a problem.

We did not get our luggage until 10pm as they lost it. So not only did we lose hours in the move we lost time dealing with the problems caused by the move.

As I said in the earlier thread, we did this several times without issue but the one time we did it and had problems made me realize we are not willing to take the risk again.

I just felt like on the day we moved, our vacation got put on hold and we had to do things just because we were moving, and not by choice.

 

[mjlass11]

We had one "split stay". Actually, just changing from a grand villa to a 2 br at BWV, and it was horrible. We had to bring our bags to the bell station (they wouldn't do it for us) first thing in the morning, and said they would call us when the new room was ready. They didn't, and we had bring our bags up to the new room, because they said it could take a couple hours (eventhough it was 10PM and no one else was checking in). The worst part was 2 people had Magic Your Way passes instead of separate room keys, and it took almost 3 hours (after bringing down our luggage) to tranfer everything to new MYW cards..... So, I would NEVER do it again with MYW passes, keep your room card and park pass cards separate.

 

[LIFERBABE]

I never realized how much a family of 4 needs to function until we started with the split stays. Dh hates moving because he ends up carrying stuff he's already carried.
I get stressed keeping an eye on the time and mousekeeping checking to see if we are gone yet.
In the summer you really need to check items with bell services because of the heat.

 

[edk35]

I will let you know when we get back on the 30th. We are staying at 3 resorts. First we are staying at Poly for 2 nights in 2 rooms, followed by 5 at BCV in a 2br. and then 2 at AKV Kidani in a 2br.


We have split the last 2 summers too. It isn't bad but I think we will probably never do ones like this again. Last summer was perfect. We did 8 nights at OKW and then moved to BCV for 6. The summer before we did 5 at SSR then 2 at BWV.

I think at the moment we are into trying the resorts so that is why I planned our trips like this.

Our Nov. and Jan. trips have been at SSR without moving and same for OKW............ so those were great too. It is also nice staying put. SO I guess we are of NO HELP!!!!!

 

[GGOOFY1]

We have done split stays when I have a cash ressie for the weekend and then transfer to DVC on points (last year we stayed at OKW 2bedroom (on cash) for two nights then OKW GV for 7 nights). We use the kitchen for breakfast and dinner, so split stays do not work for us. Once we check into our villa we stay there. I did do little shopping while in the 2 bedroom, and then when we transfered to GV did the mega shopping for the week. We were lucky that the GV was ready at 9am, so we just transfered rooms. I am also an unpacker. I do not like to live out of my suitcase. When I do split stays, I usually have an overnight with what I need for the first part and unpack once we get to our final destination.

 

[Alexander]

We have split the last 2 summers too. It isn't bad but I think we will probably never do ones like this again. Last summer was perfect. We did 8 nights at OKW and then moved to BCV for 6. The summer before we did 5 at SSR then 2 at BWV.

This I could do, in fact, we are looking to do a 2 week stay next summer and I told DH we would split the resorts (1 week at each). DS (10) said we should really do the 3 day cruise in between to alleviate the point usage! I didn't mention to him about the cash usage it would take!

 

[Disney_Mama]

Doing a split stay does not interest me in the least..... The thought of packing and unpacking, waiting for your room. Not my thing. Some day I hope to have stayed in all the DVC resorts. Since we joined DVC in 2005 we have stayed at BWV, BCV, and SSR. Looking forward to the rest, but happy to stay at SSR for every trip.

 

[chipper10]

We did a split stay in May 2009. This was also our first stay as DVC members. We did 6 nights at SSR, 3 nights at AKV, and 2 nights at BWV.

DS got extremely sick while we were in Disney. We ended up taking him to urgent care on Tuesday and we were due to check out of SSR and check into AKV on Wednesday (the next day). I had DH go to the front desk at SSR and see if we could get a late check out and to see if there was any way we could have our room ready immediately when we arrived at AKV (DS had a pretty bad stomach bug and was throwing up quite a bit.). The people at SSR were great, they contacted the front desk at AKV for us. We were told our room would be ready for us at 10am at AKV.
We ended up getting to AKV at 9:30 and our room was ready. We were the first room off the elevators, so it was a good location since DS was sick.
We checked into BWV on Saturday around 11am-ish. Our room was ready then. The big problem here was that our luggage took awhile to get to our room and DS ended up getting sick while we were waiting. (We had an extra outfit, but he just kept getting sick).

I would do a split stay again. I think if something comes up, the people at DIsney are always willing to work with you. We had so many caring people checking up on Landon during our trip. It truly was amazing. The cast members at Disney are special people, I don't think you would find so many caring people outside of Disney.

 

[pickles]

we have done several split stays with very few problems. we bring our stuff to bell services (we have also been known to take it with us on a bus to the next resort) and then check it in at that bell services.

after checking out of one, we check in to the other and then head to the parks(whether room is ready or not) we simply are busy during the day and dont need to worry about being in a room.

I enjoy visiting different resorts. Hubby on the otherhand is a one resort person..he hates the moving. I dont find it to be work as much as adventure. So, i guess your point of view can also affect whether you like split stays or not

 

[princessbride6205]

We're currently deciding on whether or not to split our very 1st DVC stay in January. (We bought resale, haven't closed yet, so can't make ressie.) We did a 3-room split in 2005 (POFQ to BW Garden Suite to BW Std - 3 nts in each room). The first switch went smoothly, the 2nd wasn't good - mostly because I forgot some items as we packed up. But this was over our wedding, so we had a lot more stuff to keep track of, trying to spend time with the guests that had flown in, etc. I'm willing to try again since we barely unpack and will only have minimal food in our studio room. But I am nervous I'm one of those people that doesn't feel like I've really had a vacation if I'm switching. Decisions, decisions.
We want to add on at AKV, but want to stay there first. Then we have family coming to join us halfway thru our trip and they're staying at Beach Club, so we'd like to be nearby.

 

[DVCtinkerbell]

I have to agree with those that say it is no biggy unless something goes wrong. The moving of luggage is where problems seem to occur. Our luggage was lost between SSR and BWV. It did not show up until close to 11PM. They had no idea where it was for most of the day.

Also, I never felt settled. Just knowing we had to move kept us from stocking up on snacks and drinks. But, that could be good too because we did not waste as much food as we usually do.

 

[jenelope]

I'm doing my first split stay in October. The group I'm traveling with wanted to stay at OKW, I wanted AKV. They're not arriving until the third day of my trip, so it was a no-brainer: I'm doing two nights at AKV, then moving to OKW. I plan to pack everything I'll need for those two nights in my carry-on bag, so I won't need to pack/unpack much. I was going to get a grocery delivery, but I think I might wait until I'll be at OKW. I plan to visit the Animal Kingdom on my moving day, but since it's an evening EMH day, I might run over to OKW around check-in time to break up the day.

I suspect that traveling solo will be a huge advantage here.