How easy is it? Split stays!

[Troop o' Goofs]

I am just sittin' here crusing the forums when this question popped into my mind. 11 years ago, my wife and I honeymooned in Disney and were forced to do a split stay between BW and WL. Now we are going to be buying DVC and I wonder, how easy is it to do a split stay through DVC?

I understand the whole 11 month vs. 7 month and home resort and all, but if we wanted to book say a 2 week (just for easy in translation) vacation and booked 11 months out at our home resort but at 7 months out, tried to split it, 1 week at the home resort and 1 week at another resort.

Has anyone done this? If so, how easy was it? Any info would be appreciated.

 

[disneynutz]

I am just sittin' here crusing the forums when this question popped into my mind. 11 years ago, my wife and I honeymooned in Disney and were forced to do a split stay between BW and WL. Now we are going to be buying DVC and I wonder, how easy is it to do a split stay through DVC?

I understand the whole 11 month vs. 7 month and home resort and all, but if we wanted to book say a 2 week (just for easy in translation) vacation and booked 11 months out at our home resort but at 7 months out, tried to split it, 1 week at the home resort and 1 week at another resort.

Has anyone done this? If so, how easy was it? Any info would be appreciated.

Real easy, we do it almost every trip. If you don't have a car you can have Bell Services transfer your luggage. The only negative is that you have to check out at 11:00 AM and you new room might not be ready until after 4:00 PM.

 

[Troop o' Goofs]

Real easy, we do it almost every trip. If you don't have a car you can have Bell Services transfer your luggage. The only negative is that you have to check out at 11:00 AM and you new room might not be ready until after 4:00 PM.

Thanks for the reply. What we liked about the split stay was that we were close to Epcot (BW) for half of our stay and close to Magic Kindom (WL) half of the stay. That was right before AK opened and Hollywood Studios (formerly MGM) wasn't high on our favorites list.

Can't wait to finally buy DVC!

Thanks again.

 

[OKW Lover]

We avoid split stays whenever we can. For us the extra pack/un-pack cycle plus being "homeless" (no place to nap or pool) for most of the switch day makes it not worth the effort.

 

[Disney Devoted Daddy]

But it seems like it is just a matter of planning that one day like any other disney day. You check out at 11:00 am knowing that you will be heading to a park and then you get to the park at latest 11:30 or earlier and you spend the day there and possible have dinner on site and then head back to your new resort and check in.

No real change in "convenience" outside of packing and unpacking and we put little effort in that so it comes down to "throwing clothes in luggage" and having Disney take them to my new resort when we arrive 4pm or later. I leave the kids/wife in the car and go in and get the keys and then give them to them so they can go and rest in the new place or whatever.

Am I over simplifying it?

 

[CarolMN]

Depending on when you plan to visit, the most difficult part might be availability of the non home resort at the 7 month mark.

For example, if you were planning to visit the first two weeks of December and needed to book VWL at the 7 month mark, you could have a big problem!

 

[Perditamarie]

Disney makes it easy by moving your luggage for you. You can even organize your bags to have a set for each hotel (if airline restrictions make that feasible!) so you don't have to pack and unpack. We like to check in early and they give us a card w/a number to call to find out our room assignment for later when the room is ready so we can go straight there. The only tricky thing about this is if you order groceries and packing them to move around and keeping them cool.

 

[Troop o' Goofs]

Thanks for all the great replies. I am hoping that we will be able to pack lighter once in DVC (yay laundry), though laundry isn't exactly what I want to do on vacation, but a load here and there can certainly cut down on the amount we would need to pack.

I see us doing the split stay more for when it's just the wife and I than with the kids. But it was a nice change during our honeymoon to go from one resort to a totally different resort. Change in atmosphere, change in theming, change in location.

I just can't wait until we finally purchase DVC.

 

[dromio42]

Besides moving your luggage, Bell Services will move your groceries and keep them refridgerated.

 

[Flyerfan]

Thanks for all the great replies. I am hoping that we will be able to pack lighter once in DVC (yay laundry), though laundry isn't exactly what I want to do on vacation, but a load here and there can certainly cut down on the amount we would need to pack.

I see us doing the split stay more for when it's just the wife and I than with the kids. But it was a nice change during our honeymoon to go from one resort to a totally different resort. Change in atmosphere, change in theming, change in location.

I just can't wait until we finally purchase DVC.

We are doing a split stay in November. Actually 5 nights OKW, Swan for weekend to save points, then 5 nights SSR. It's just DH and I and we don't mind switching. Like you said, different resort, change in theming, location and atmosphere.

Oh and loved the laundry. I did a load in the morning, went to the spa, came back, got ready and it was done. Did a load at night when we came back to the room. Wasn't taking time away from anything else. It's great...less you have to pack and less you have to do when you get home.

 

[vandy]

We usually do the split stays as well. This year will be 6 nights at OKW and 5 nights at SSR. We buy groceries for one stay, already have a cooler in the van so we put leftovers in there and pack our own bags. Planning is esential for the move to seem effortless and we have had no problems.

 

[DVC Mary]

We are doing a split stay at the moment. We have one suitcase for essentials, tolietries, swimgear, shoes, etc. We pack one suitcase for each resort. When we're ready to move resorts, I toss any clothes we haven't used into the 2nd resorts bag. I fill the 1st resorts bag w/ dirty laundry (I hate doing it on vacation) and any souvies that have been purchased.

We planned our trip to be at BWV for Star Wars Weekend, BB, Epcot, & MGM.

Now we're at VWL, spending time at MK & AKL (yeah I know it's farther but that's how it worked out)

Moving was easy:

We left BWV at noon. We went to the Poly for lunch, rode the monorail around, took the boat to WL & our room was ready when we got there around 3:30. Bell Services delivered our bags around 4:00.

 

[lagunn]

We will be doing this in Sept 1 week at BWV then another week at AKV.
It will be our first DVC stay.
We were thinking of moving our own bags, Has anybody had a problem with Disney moving their luggage around?
I hope the change over goes smoothly, If not then we will not be doing it again.

 

[Lady V]

I have done it before but always had a car. In a couple weeks I will be doing a split stay at AKV, BCV, and OKW with no car! I will see how it goes....I am just doing a lot of pool days on moving days so I am not really concerned. Either way I am AT DISNEY!!!

 

[popisme]

We have always switched resorts in order to save weekend points. We have never had any problems. If you call Bell Services and explain that you are moving and give them your info they will come and get your luggage from your room and move it for you.

Just plan to be without a "home" for a couple of hours...

We always pack 2 suitcases. 1 larger suitcase for the week and smaller one for the weekends and just move the toiletries around (at least that is how it is supposto work... I always miss pack something )

Besides I think it is fun to see the other resorts and my goal is to spend at least 1 night at each of them ....