Please help me book split stay, confused!

[tarablymurray]

Appreciate your help in booking our split stay trip in May. Contemporary and the Beach Club.

1. Do I just book with Disney or something like Undervover tourist, not sure about best deal.
2. From what I have read, I should first book one resort and include all park ticket days and dining plan for that part. Then book a separate room only or add dining for Beach Club, is that right?
3. $200 deposit each but when do I pay the remainder?
4. So when we find out about discount codes or a free dining plan (confused on that free dining) can I apply later to both or maybe free dining to one reservation and discount code to other?
5. Is one annual pass worth the discounts for the trip?

Thank you for your help!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

1. If you want dining (per 2) you MUST book with Disney.

2. If you want dining on the second reservation, you must call to book and add the dining without tickets. It's a ticketless package.

3. 45 days prior to check-in.

4. Maybe. If those discounts apply to the room type and dates you have booked. You won't get Free Dining in May, though. It has not been offered in May in at least 6 years to general public in the United States.

5. Maybe.

 

[WhitneyMB]

Just wanted to say that we have just done this and thought me chiming in might help.

We booked a split stay between POR and Beach Club for March.
Part 1 - package with room, tickets, and memory maker (3 nights, paying OOP for food, needed tickets with this first part to book FP+ ahead of time)
Part 2 - ticketless package with room and deluxe dining plan (3 nights, using tickets & memory maker extended from first package)

I'm not expecting free dining in March, but I'll check to see if we can get a % off the rooms when discounts are released. Realize I might have to be flexible with resorts/rooms.

 

[Wood Nymph]

So when we find out about discount codes or a free dining plan (confused on that free dining) can I apply later to both or maybe free dining to one reservation and discount code to other?

Discounts for May most likely won't be released until sometime in winter or early spring.

Is one annual pass worth the discounts for the trip?

I wouldn't get an annual pass unless you intend to return to WDW before the pass expires because the AP discount is often the same as the general public discount.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

1. If you want dining (per 2) you MUST book with Disney.

2. If you want dining on the second reservation, you must call to book and add the dining without tickets. It's a ticketless package.

3. 45 days prior to check-in.

4. Maybe. If those discounts apply to the room type and dates you have booked. You won't get Free Dining in May, though. It has not been offered in May in at least 6 years to general public in the United States.

5. Maybe.

Just a slight correction, your package balance will be due 30 days prior to check-in. If you book a room-only, the balance is due at check-in.

 

[Kbendig]

We just did a split stay at AKL/BWV. We rented DVC points, and I bought the tickets using my rewards. I then added the dining plan, and had to add it to each room. To be honest, that made for a very annoying experience because when we checked in to the second room it didn't read the new plan. I mean, it was fixed later that night at the hotel but the server at the restaurant was really embarrassing when I tried to explain it was a split stay and we could fix it later. We got the hotel stay for less than half of what it would have been going through Disney, and almost half off even using a percent off discount. I was nervous doing it that way, but we had a great experience and no issues.