Opinion on split stay

[esisson]

We have a vacation booked 9/11-9/14 at Poly and 9/14-9/9-18 at Beach Club. We are planning on getting in around 9:00 pm on 9/11. After a day of travel with three kids we will probably go to bed shortly after checking in. I'm considering staying at a studio that costs less points (AK or OKW would be 5 points less) for that first night since we will basically be sleeping there and that's it. In my head, it doesn't seem like it will be that inconvenient to do that. We won't unpack and we could spend the day at AK and then take a bus over to Poly. My husband and I are DVC rookies though. This will only be our second trip as owners. Any thoughts on if it is worth it to do that?

 

[princesscinderella]

I personally wouldn’t want to stay somewhere on the first night and move again the next day and not have access to my room potentially until 4pm (and we’ve had it be later too unfortunately). The points savings isn’t that great to be worth it in my opinion. If you were staying in a one or two bedroom and were coming in a day early before the rest of your party got there then I’d stay a night somewhere else.

 

[RanDIZ]

It looks to be about a 5 point savings to stay first night at AKL instead of POLY. I own at AKL and love it! If you’ve never been, checking in at dark wouldn’t be good since the Savanah is useless. But to wake up the next morning and spend the day until POLY check in time might be worth it. It depends what you have planned for that second day.

 

[esisson]

I personally wouldn’t want to stay somewhere on the first night and move again the next day and not have access to my room potentially until 4pm (and we’ve had it be later too unfortunately). The points savings isn’t that great to be worth it in my opinion. If you were staying in a one or two bedroom and were coming in a day early before the rest of your party got there then I’d stay a night somewhere else.

Thanks for your response. That is

I personally wouldn’t want to stay somewhere on the first night and move again the next day and not have access to my room potentially until 4pm (and we’ve had it be later too unfortunately). The points savings isn’t that great to be worth it in my opinion. If you were staying in a one or two bedroom and were coming in a day early before the rest of your party got there then I’d stay a night somewhere else.

Thanks for your input. I think that's the way we're leaning. We'll have an almost 2 year old with us. No need to make things more complicated!

 

[esisson]

It looks to be about a 5 point savings to stay first night at AKL instead of POLY. I own at AKL and love it! If you’ve never been, checking in at dark wouldn’t be good since the Savanah is useless. But to wake up the next morning and spend the day until POLY check in time might be worth it. It depends what you have planned for that second day.

If I'm being honest with myself this is probably less about saving points and more about me getting one night at AKL! I haven't stayed in the villas before but I've stayed in a regular room a couple times. I love it there too!

 

[RanDIZ]

If I'm being honest with myself this is probably less about saving points and more about me getting one night at AKL! I haven't stayed in the villas before but I've stayed in a regular room a couple times. I love it there too!

Oh ok so you already know how nice it is there. I think it has some of the best restaurants on property. I'd go for it.

 

[Marionnette]

We'll have an almost 2 year old with us. No need to make things more complicated!

This alone would be a big enough reason to forget about doing a single night at the start of my trip. You’re going to be traveling all day with a toddler. You’re getting in pretty late for a little one. Do you honestly want to have to gather your belongings, take small children by the hand and leave your room by 11 AM the following morning?

You have many years of DVC vacations ahead of you. You will get back to AKV eventually. And when you do, you’ll be able to really savor the resort because you allowed yourself more than just one night there.

 

[Simba's Mom]

On one hand, I adore split stays. I can concentrate on different parks, depending on where I am. For instance, AKV/BCV split-AK and MK from AKV, Epcot and DHS from BCV. But I travel solo on many stays, and always on split stays. I'll admit that I shudder at the thought of a split stay with my DGDs in tow.

 

[Shellyred8]

This alone would be a big enough reason to forget about doing a single night at the start of my trip. You’re going to be traveling all day with a toddler. You’re getting in pretty late for a little one. Do you honestly want to have to gather your belongings, take small children by the hand and leave your room by 11 AM the following morning?

You have many years of DVC vacations ahead of you. You will get back to AKV eventually. And when you do, you’ll be able to really savor the resort because you allowed yourself more than just one night there.

We love split stays, but even if it were just the two adults in my party, I still wouldn't want to do a split stay just for one night if we were getting in that late. The thought of having a full travel day and then the following day having to get packed up and moved out by 11am and then not have my next room ready until after 4pm, just doesn't sound like a great way to start a vacation.

I agree with @Marionnette 's comment: you have many years of DVC vacations ahead of you. You will get back to AKV eventually.

And if you really want to go see AKV, you could take a bus there from AK after you are done there for the day and check it out. Then just hop on another bus back to a park that is close to where you are staying (just make sure to pay attention to park closing times of when the busses are operating). Or take an uber/lyft.

Have a great vacation!!!

 

[Heather07438]

If your intention is a full day starting the first morning you are there, resist the temptation to see another resort. It's more of a distraction/disruption than one might think.

Without the other move mid stay it might be ok to handle, but I think moving twice will make the overall trip feel unsettled enough to make it not worth the effort.

 

[Heather07438]

I want to add that we just did a Poly/BC split and it was fun Enjoy!

 

[Carolynleanne]

I LOVE split stays, but couldnt do only one night. Its just too much of a hassle for me!

 

[NuJoy]

()

 

[Debbie Jean]

Oh ok so you already know how nice it is there. I think it has some of the best restaurants on property. I'd go for it.

Most of which remain closed.

If that is your motivation you would be taking a huge chance that any of them would reopen by then.

 

[gharter]

We've done split stays, but not a fan.
Even though Disney makes it very easy with them moving your luggage, its still a hassle to pack and unpack multiple times.

 

[Ice83861]

We really like doing split stays as well. We fly in from Alaska, so we get in pretty late. We will just rent a hotel room near the airport for that first night, so we dont have to spend our points on a "come in and immediately go to sleep" night and add an extra night onto the end of the trip instead. That way you get the full benefit of the points.