Is it bearable to do a split-stay w/downgrade?

[Beautybelle43]

Hello!

We are getting ready to plan our WDW wedding/honeymoon and due to a tight budget we are doing a split-stay of a deluxe and a moderate resort.

We've done split-stays in the past and loved them! We usually do a moderate for the first half of our trip and splurge with a deluxe resort for the last few days. We've also done all moderate trips and been very content. I stayed at POR Riverside when it was Dixie Landings and loved it.

This trip will be different though because it's our wedding and we want to spend our wedding night and the night before our ceremony in a deluxe. That is our time to be prince and princess

So, we are thinking about doing first 3 nights at the WL (night before the wedding, wedding night, and night after the wedding) and the last 5 days at POR Magnolia Bend in a king-sized bed for our HM. We saw some posts and photos on here and I fell in love with those mansions!! I love the grounds, the room decor, and the fact that it has a boat to DTD

We will really just be grateful to be in WDW, but I'm worried that we might be disappointed to go from deluxe to moderate because I've read people adamently stress to always start with the deluxe when you are doing a split-stay.

But the POR MB looks so fancy! Is there really a huge difference in comfort? We plan to be very casual and relaxed on our HM. We are fine with waiting for buses, fine with travel distance to parks (and we don't plan to rush around), fine with exterior hallways (instead of the interiors they have at the deluxes), we'd actually prefer to walk outside to our rooms and we don't mind walking. We are ok with limited eating options at the moderate resort (as long as I can get a chicken strips and fries to take back to my room one night!). As long as our room is clean, pretty and private, comfy and must have a king-sized bed, I think we'll be fine.

Again, we are not really people who live in luxury in general. DF could sleep in a tent and be content! I'm all about the theming. We plan to be very casual during our HM & just have fun with romantic dinners. It's the wedding night stuff that I want to be pampered.

What do you think? Is it inevitable that we would be disappointed if we do a split-stay starting out at the WL for 3 nights and then moving to a POR mansion for 5 nights?

Any thoughts appreciated!!!

 

[BabyPiglet]

If you go in with that wonderfully relaxed attitude you have now, I'm sure you won't be dissapointed!

Just be positive, and you'll have a great stay. Have fun!

 

[Native NYer]

You'll have a great trip no matter what. Just remember you're in WDW. Enjoy your wedding and honeymoon!!!

 

[bigmoonmullen]

Hi there Beautybelle43:

I can't imagine that you will be disappointed... it's your honeymoon... your eyes and hearts will be bursting with love, joy and happiness!!! You will already be floating on cloud nine. On top of that it will almost be like two separate honeymoons wrapped into one... Go for it!!! Two separate resorts to pamper and spoil you... what a way to create special memories to start your lifetime together.


Congratulations and have a Great Disneymoon,

Mark

 

[NCDisneyMom]

Please just keep in mind that there is no way to guarantee one of the mansion buildings at POR. You can reserve a room with a King Bed, and request the mansions, but they will not guarantee that. You could, feasibly, end up with a King Bed room in Alligator Bayou. I just don't want to see you get your heart set on a mansion room and then be disappointed if you don't get it. You will have a GREAT honeymoon regardless...congratulations!!!

 

[DiznEeyore]

If you go in with that wonderfully relaxed attitude you have now, I'm sure you won't be dissapointed!

Just be positive, and you'll have a great stay. Have fun!

I agree totally!

The atmosphere at POR is so different than WL, it will be like a second vacation for you.

 

[Disneychix]

You do seem to have a good attitude about it. I say go for it! It's not like you'd be leaving WDW. I agree with the poster who said it's like having 2 vacations! 1 where you get married and the other for your honeymoon!

 

[lauralw]

We did exactly what you are planning on our vacation last August. We stayed at the Wilderness Lodge Villas for a week then POR for free dining.

It was fine for us. There are definitely some thing that are better about the WL and they are noticeable, but there are also things that I like better about POR, so it did not feel like a big let down.

The WL is definitely a more luxurious resort. You notice it in the details and the materials used throughout the hotel; the grandness of the lobby. The rooms at POR definitely feel less luxurious. We stayed in the mansions and the back of the mansions near the parking lots seemed to need a bit of maintenance/upkeep.

But on the plus side, we loved walking through POR with the beautiful river running through it. The pool, IMHO, is better at POR. The bridges are fun and the theming relaxing.

All in all, I had the sense of a downgrade in luxury (not huge but noticeable), but still fully appreciated POR for all it had to offer. I would not hesitate to do it again in a heartbeat.

 

[ashef]

When you make your reservation, request the king bedroom in the mansions building & tell them you'll be on your honeymoon. Then a week before you leave for Orlando, send POR a fax reminding them you requested a king in mansion bldg & that you'll be on your honeymoon. I'm sure that will shoot you to #1 on the list for a king room in the mansion!

 

[logan115]

For our May trip, we'll be at SSR in a studio for 5 nights, then off to POP for the balance. While I'd love to switch the order our schedules won't allow it. We don't spend a ton of time in our room anyway, so not all that worried, plus DS (4) loved POP when we went last year.

You'll be fine - your still at Disney

 

[DisneyBride'03]

I am so pleased with the responses you have received!

YOu will WL for the backdrop for your wedding photos...etc....and POR will be wonderful for your honeymoon....beautiful grounds...longwalks.. ferry to DTD...great spot!
These are great plans! Congratulations!
YOur at WDW...its your wedding....take downgrade out of your vocabulary

 

[SpaceGirl]

If the second half of your stay falls between Sunday-Thursday you should be able to rent points from a DVC Member for a studio for less than you would pay at POR. You could continue your stay at the Villas @ Wilderness Lodge, Beach Club Villas, Animal Kingdom Villas, Boardwalk Villas, SSR or OKW.

 

[lovetomow]

I've stayed at both WL and POR (in Paterre Place Mansion) and I don't think you will be disappointed in either resort. Both are A+.

 

[Beavertails Queen]

I agree with everyone else who had posted. Last year I went from the villas in WL to POR and was still perfectly happy. Look at it as getting two totally different feeling resorts in one stay. You will have the wilderness and rugged feeling at WL but when you move to POR it will be quieter, secluded and you have all the great paths to stroll and the river running through the property.

 

[jsmla]

We've done DVC to moderates several times due to the cost of DVC on the weekends and it's always been fine. You've chosen two of my favorite resorts! I think they're both very romantic.

Wishing you a wonderful, beautiful, magical wedding,

Jennifer

 

[Beautybelle43]

Wow, thank you everyone for these wonderful replies & for your warm thought!! WDW wedding is still 2 years away, but we are starting to save up for it now, thus just started the planning!

After reading your responses, I realized that was a very silly question to ask! I just had read other people's threads about split-stays with suggestions to upgrade and not downgrade......and I think I"m getting those beginning planning jitters!

But really, we aren't used to staying in luxurious places (WDW is luxurious enough for us!). I know we are gonna fall in love with the WL for our first few nights during the festivities, but I think we might almost prefer to "change out of our fancy clothes and put back on our play clothes" & go to a moderate for our HM.

Even if we do find a good DVC deal, I think I'm still drawn to POR. I stayed there once when it was Dixie Landings and I remember it was so peaceful and I like that it's a little distance away from the parks. Kinda separates the experience a bit. Plus the pictures in all the POR research I've done are so pretty!! Looks like Tom Sawyer town or something with that big pretty mill! and the theming of the mansion buildings and rooms look so beautiful!!

So, does it really work to mention it's our HM when making our reservations to increase our chances of getting a mansion? We've made requests before, but never really followed up on them or pushed it if it wasn't met. The AB room I think I stayed in when it was DL, but the theming seems so similar to WL, I'd prefer the mansion theming if we could.

Oh boy-thanks so much everyone and again for your warm thoughts-everyone is so nice on here!!

 

[DisneyBride'03]

Of course....let them now its your honeymoon!!! When you make your reservation....when you call 3 days prior to your arrival for one more mention of your request...couldnt hurt....and when you check in!