Resort Hopping Questions

[SuJo]

Thanks everyone for you experiences in room jumping. I see that having a car is probably a good way to do this, I hate leaving my bags at bell service because it always takes them forever to get to my room. I also have to look into those cube things, that might make packing easier. But I am a nester, I unpack and move into a room. Repacking reminds me that its time to go home so if I move in the middle of vacation my mind starts thinking we are going home. I think I could do it if we stayed longer than a week. I love the idea of staying and experiencing other hotels, maybe when I retire I can enjoy split stays as I wont have the anxiety of leaving to go back to work.

 

[loves to dive]

Thanks everyone for you experiences in room jumping. I see that having a car is probably a good way to do this, I hate leaving my bags at bell service because it always takes them forever to get to my room. I also have to look into those cube things, that might make packing easier. But I am a nester, I unpack and move into a room. Repacking reminds me that its time to go home so if I move in the middle of vacation my mind starts thinking we are going home. I think I could do it if we stayed longer than a week. I love the idea of staying and experiencing other hotels, maybe when I retire I can enjoy split stays as I wont have the anxiety of leaving to go back to work.

I unpack except on the first leg of the trip. Normally my split stays are one or two nights in resort #1 then the rest in resort #2. Having a car does help since you can pack two bags but I have even just used packing cubes for the first part of the trip and just pulled those out of the suitcase when I get to the room and unpack them then put the dirty clothes back in them. I then put those in the car and not back in my suitcase, thus leaving me more room for whatever I'm going to buy. My son lives out of his suitcase no matter how long the trip so it doesn't really matter to him. I'm not one to leave stuff laying around the room anyway so I always repack my dirty clothes right when I take them off and all my toiletries get put back in the hanging bag as soon as I use them.

 

[canyoncam]

I do split stays as a way of experiencing all resorts. I am pretty confident that after I have tried them all I will narrow it down to stay at just one for each trip. I thought I would HATE POFQ (I dislike Mardi Gras) and LOVE POLY (I take island vacations when not doing Disney) but it turned out just the opposite. I had visited both resorts before actually staying at them and that is why I already had an "idea" how I would feel. But staying at them gives you a better idea of how they really feel. FQ was quiet and peaceful, POLY way too loud and crowded. Had I not done a split stay it would have taken me two trips to discover this. I unfortunately do not have that much time before I want to settle on "MY" resort.

As for the logistics of it all others have replied that each views it differently. And I have done it differently. Taken my own bags via taxi, done a park while bags moved, done a pool day on the same day at both resorts, been able to get into room right away, had to wait for bags, bags have been there. Just be prepared for the most delay or be happy with the least. FWIW I am a nester and really don't feel inconvenienced by packing and unpacking but I also try to stay a minimum of three nights at each place. I am just happy to experience each resort.

 

[goofyintoronto]

I don't recommend split stays for people that haven't stayed at WDW a few times to begin with. Yes, it does take time away from parks and other fun stuff. But, if you've been to WDW many multiple times, it isn't a big deal. I usually pack before I go to bed the night before I move. Then, I take my bags with me, in a cab, to the new resort first thing in the morning. If my room isn't ready, I just leave my things with Bell Services, and head to a park until later on in the day. I stopped having Bell Services move my bags since I didn't get them until early evening! And then, on several occasions, they misplaced the bags and it took quite awhile to find them!! So, I take care of them myself. At least I know where my bags are if I need anything out of them.
I don't spend much time during the day in my room, so not having a room for a few hours isn't a big deal for me.

Its the same for me as well....on both accounts. Bell services takes too long so I'd rather just move it myself. And im hardly ever in my room....so I don't lose any park time at all going from one resort to another. I go to the new resort via cab...bring my luggage with me.....drop it off with bell services....go to park....come back, collect luggage and go to room. Easy peasy! Split stays are very easy if you handle your luggage yourself via cab.

And it depends on the person to be honest. For example, my sister is high strung so a split stay would be such a big deal to her and put a huge damper on her vacation. She'd stress about checking into her new room....she'd wait around the resort until her room is ready, she'd unpack, omg the stress! So she doesn't do split stays. Lol. For someone like me, its a breeze. I pack my stuff the night before. But usually my split stays aren't cut down the middle. For example, for a 10 day trip i'll stay at Pop the first two nights, then at POR the rest of the nights.

The reason I do split stays is because its fun. I like trying new things and new resorts. I've stayed at most of the resorts by now though....so I no longer feel the need to resort hop at each trip anymore.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

I do not like split stays at all. I am a "nester" . I like to unpack and settle in. Having to move mid week would be a big issue for me. Plus I like to enjoy the amenities of my resort, as well as the parks. I think moving takes too much time.

This is a good point to note.
Split stays are harder for those who unpack.
We use packing cubes and never unpack.
I just set my suitcase on the rack and prop it open, taking out when I need each day from the cube, zip cube back up.
So everything remains packed. I refold (roll technically) my dirty clothes each night and place them in the plastic laundry bag and sit them in the suitcase. So it's ready to go too. As I empty a cube, I place a laundry bag in a cube.
Toiletries are in their bags and on the shelf in the bathroom. I use them each morning/night and put them away after I'm done, each time.
So on the day we move we loose no times whatsoever. I simply take those bags and sit them back in the suitcase, zip it closed.
Take it to the lobby with us, on the way to the bus.
Stop at bell services, drop it off to be moved to the next resort.
Head to the park. Spend the day in the park.
Leave park on bus to new resort
Head to new room. Call for bags.
We have not lost even 1 minute of park time doing this process. And because we spend the full day of moving day in the park, we don't need anything in our bags while they are being moved so it doesn't matter that it takes hours and hours for them to move them. We always plan a long park day for moving day for this reason.
But, not everyone likes to live out of their suitcase like that. I do. I hate packing enough that I don't want to unpack when I arrive, even when we stay 2 weeks in 1 resort.

The perfect example of how something can work for one person and not for another. And yet, neither of them are wrong.

I am more like @Hopefully than @AngiTN. We unpack. Move in. Make it home. Load up the fridge. I also use the room during the day. So split stays are horrible for me.

For someone that doesn't do that, I bet they are a breeze.

 

[akl432]

Count me as another one who does not like split stays. We found it a tremendous hassle, having to worry about packing last minute toiletries and fridge items (even though we don't really unpack suitcases), then having to drag all the luggage to the car, driving to the second resort (either before park opening or after park close), spending time checking in again, etc. It does take additional time, even if you use all the tips mentioned by earlier posters to minimize the time and hassle. But we all have different preferences of what works for each of us! Good luck with whatever you decide.