How do I convince DH to split stay?

[dreamalittledream]

... and is it worth the time to move resorts during the vacation?
Ok, this is what I am thinking about and DH does not want to discuss it yet (way to soon but I am the overplanner)

Going Sat Dec 2 to Wed 13 2006 (12 days so I would get the AP)
staying at CR or GF 2-10 or 11
moving to AKL Con 11-12th

I really would like to do the sunrise safari and I think I can get AKL con for about the same price and CR tower or GF.

We would not go to AK at all until we stay at AKL (ok, maybe 1 day). Please correct me if I am wrong but I don't think you can walk to AK from AKL?

Is that enought time there to justify moving resorts or will it just be a PIA?
Monorail resort is a must, DD's 2 and 5 at the time. I plan to spend alot of time at MK and Epcot.
Thanks! I need help and opinions.

 

[FINFAN]

We have done a splitstay twice...first time ASMU 3 nights/CR 5 nights....secong time WL 4 nights Dolphin 6 nights. We have learned to do the more deluxe resort last...can't imagine the other way around, and to have at least 4 nights at each place. The ASMU was only 3 and it did not feel like we got to enjoy it enough, didn't unpack really. Moving your stuff is no problem...just tell the desk that you are changing resorts and they will come up once you are packed, tag your stuff, give you a receipt and you are on your way. We usually go to our next resort and check in, then head to the parks while waiting for a room. Luggage arrives after 3 p.m. for the most part. Even if you have perishable foods they will store those for you as well...but we do tip nicely, even for the grocery bags...so keep that in mind. We really enjoy the feel of 2 resorts, and have tried to mix it up to be pretty different themes. I would try for the AKL first, doing AK and MGM parks while there, and then MK and Epcot and resort time once over to monorail resort. Our kids were 10 and 6 for the first split, and 14 and 10 for the second, so they were a little lighter to pack up...no baby gear. The room sizes at CR are huge...the biggest we've stayed in for a reg room so far.

Good luck!


Pam

 

[MECH8T7]

Going Sat Dec 2 to Wed 13 2006 (12 days so I would get the AP)
staying at CR or GF 2-10 or 11
moving to AKL Con 11-12th

I really would like to do the sunrise safari and I think I can get AKL con for about the same price and CR tower or GF.

We would not go to AK at all until we stay at AKL (ok, maybe 1 day). Please correct me if I am wrong but I don't think you can walk to AK from AKL?

Is that enought time there to justify moving resorts or will it just be a PIA?
Monorail resort is a must, DD's 2 and 5 at the time. I plan to spend alot of time at MK and Epcot.
Thanks! I need help and opinions.

We just did something similar the week before Easter. 5 nights Poly and 3 nights AKL CL.

It worked out great and there is a good chance we will try to do the same two resorts same time next year.

I think two days for AKL may be a little short because it is a wonderful resort and, just as you are settling in, it will be time to leave. However, it will help that you will have access to the AKL concierge lounge right from the start of check-in day to the end of your check-out day.

For us, I think the "moving day" was painless for two reasons. First, we had a rental car and we had all our luggage with us when we checked-in to AKL. Second, our room at AKL was ready when we headed over there from the Poly around noon on check-in day. You should know that, as a concierge guest at AKL, if your room is ready when you arrive to check-in, the bellman will take you and your luggage straight up to your room and you can check-in at your convenience at the concierge lounge afterwards.

I'm sure you already know this but the Sunrise Safari only operates on certain days. As I recall, you have to be a guest of AKL CL the night before the Sunrise Safari to participate.

Hope this helps. Happy planning!

 

[aubriee]

When we went in Janaury I couldn't decide between WL and AKL, so did a split stay between them and loved it. Disney makes it really easy to change resorts. In May I'll be staying at POP for two days, then renting DVC points at BWV for five days, then unfortunately back to POP for two more days. I'm traveling solo this trip and have absolutely no qualms about doing a split stay. By staying Friday and Saturday nights at POP and avoiding the high weekend points at a DVC hotel, I was able to add two more days onto my vacation. I am dreading going back to POP though, after experiencing BWV, so like the other poster said I would definitely finish the trip up at the nicer hotel if I could.

The thing with staying at two hotels is that it's like experiencing two vacations in one. For us in January, we went from the Pacific Northwest to an African savanna in one trip.

 

[TLinden16]

If I were you, I would make your AKL stay at least 2 or 3 nights, especially given that you have young children. Your daughters will love the Animal Kingdom Lodge, especially if you are in a savannah room room, and one night wouldn't be enough to enjoy it.

Karen

 

[swilphil]

Sounds like a great plan. A couple of days at AKL would be relaxing after all that time at MK and a monorail resort. I don't think it's a problem waiting until you go to AKL to do AK. It's a park that we do in only 1/2 day, and our children are 2 and 4 1/2. You can't walk to AK from the resort, that I'm aware of. We just returned from CR, and our kids LOVED it. We visited GF, and it was beautiful.

 

[DawnCt1]

We have done a splitstay twice...first time ASMU 3 nights/CR 5 nights....secong time WL 4 nights Dolphin 6 nights. We have learned to do the more deluxe resort last...can't imagine the other way around, and to have at least 4 nights at each place.

Pam

I agree. One should only "move up". We left the YC concierge one year to go to Jr Suite at WL. It was a let down. I probably would have enjoyed WL more if we had done that first.

 

[dreamalittledream]

Thank you so much for all the info. I think 2 nights / 3 days at AKL may be enough but I'll see if we can do 3/4.
We have only spent 1/2 day at AK each time we have gone and I don't think we covered it well enough, no time to "smell the roses ( or animals)" same goes for MGM. So I'd like to plan to do the 1/2 each at the beginning of the vacation with our other family members (who will be going to WDW with us but not staying as long as we are) Then when we stay over there, we can do things we didn't and enjoy the parks more, eat at Boma and do the Safari. And always go back to MK for that last day must do's.

When does the schedule for Sunrise Safair come out?

And I agree with going to the nicer resort second so wouldn't AKL Con be a step up from CR Tower? I know rooms are bigger at CR but with the Con service I would feel like we are getting more, right?

Now, How do I convince DH that moving will make the vacation better? (He is the one that suggested we go for 2 weeks the next time we go)

 

[pepe of ohio]

Couple trips back, we couldn't get all the nights we wanted at the Poly so we took days at AKL, first time and then moved to the Poly. Worst experience I had. AKL, too remote, really not a big AK fan and other than eating in the lodge, not much to do. A pool is a pool is a pool. We bussed each day to DTD and got that aspect out of our trip and for me, my vacation didn't really start until we checked into the Poly. The glitz and glamour was there, lites, boat whistles. The moving sucked too. My wife unpacked for those 3 nights and tried cramming it all back in the suitcase for the switch, me, I lived out of my bag. We gave our luggage to bell services at 9 am and wanted to get to the Poly to really start our vacation and expected our luggage in about an hour. Well, guess what? They don't deliver the luggage to switch them until 3pm. Had I of known that before hand I'ld have taken them on the bus when we left AKL, the stuff we had in the fridge at AKL was Florida temp by the time we got it and our swimsuits we in our luggage. Never do a switch again, if you like 2 different resorts, go 2 different trip or vacations and stay in each one for the whole time. It was a wasted day for us. We like our stuff in the room before going to a park and all the articles put away. Good luck!

 

[jxgriffi]

In January, we took our kids and my parents for a week. We had planned on staying at Pop the entire time since we needed 2 rooms. Part way through the vacation, my parents had noticed AKL on the Disney "propaganda" channel. They asked us about it. We explained what it was and they asked if we could change our last night to 2 rooms at AKL! We called and got it all confirmed. We notified POP the night before that we would be changing hotels and they said to have everything packed and they would pick it up and that it would be at AKL around 3:00pm. No problem. We packed and went to a park for the day. Took the appropriate bus back to AKL and checked in. No problems whatsoever. The only downside was that the kids (DS7 and DD3) loved this resort so much, we only had a little bit of time there. Next time...3 days at AKL for sure. AK was both of the kids favorite park and we ended up there 3 times on our trip.