Spilt Stay?

[EllenMurphy]

I feel like I am complicating things but here it goes:

Our original plan for Disney was to stay with my parents in a three bedroom at Club Bonnet Creek. However, my parents have decided that they wish to opt for a shorter stay within Orlando and are only interested in a day OR two max for Disney with us. We are planning on a seven day visit to Orlando in total.

We never considered onsite because of the size of our party but are there are benefits to onsite? I was wondering if there was ANY value to staying even in a value resort for our Disney days which would be 3 or 4 days and the rest offsite? The days without our parents will be busier because my parents want a MK day focused on their grandsons and magic and less about rides beyond haunted mansion and tea cups.

The reason Club Bonnet Creek appeals to us is the SPACE> I dont want to share a room with my kids for 7 days!

Anyways, help me figure this out. Maybe its easier if we just stayed entirely at Club Bonnet Creek or if there was ANY benefit for staying onsite during our Disney days.
Thanks!

 

[Madame]

I feel like I am complicating things but here it goes:

Our original plan for Disney was to stay with my parents in a three bedroom at Club Bonnet Creek. However, my parents have decided that they wish to opt for a shorter stay within Orlando and are only interested in a day OR two max for Disney with us. We are planning on a seven day visit to Orlando in total.

We never considered onsite because of the size of our party but are there are benefits to onsite? I was wondering if there was ANY value to staying even in a value resort for our Disney days which would be 3 or 4 days and the rest offsite? The days without our parents will be busier because my parents want a MK day focused on their grandsons and magic and less about rides beyond haunted mansion and tea cups.

The reason Club Bonnet Creek appeals to us is the SPACE> I dont want to share a room with my kids for 7 days!

Anyways, help me figure this out. Maybe its easier if we just stayed entirely at Club Bonnet Creek or if there was ANY benefit for staying onsite during our Disney days.
Thanks!

I would stay put, especially since the Disney heavy days are offsite anyway. I have come to loathe split stays (and sometimes booking last minute dvc it’s unavoidable).

It always seems to be Mom rounding up and repacking etc . Then waiting for the room to be ready and unpacking all of the crap again, and unless you’re looking at a DVC 2/3 bed you’re downgrading (I will never go back to a 1 bd or studio or regular hotel room when we travel all 5 of us). And if you’re losing in-unit laundry by moving, that’d be a dealbreaker…

Never knew I was so passionate about that until I typed it all out

 

[Average Joes]

It would seem quite impractical to move in your situation. At least 1 out of 3-4 Disney days would be with the grandparents. You would presumably not be on site that day(s). You would then need to move to stay at a value for the 2-3 days at the park to gain 30 minute early entry and lightning lane early purchase ability. I assume you have a car staying at Bonnet Creek so the transportation benefit is basically non existent at the value in comparison.

Are you moving to a smaller room when the parents leave? Regardless to me it is not worth it to move and I prefer split stays. Bonnet Creek is significantly nicer than the values too.

 

[EllenMurphy]

It would seem quite impractical to move in your situation. At least 1 out of 3-4 Disney days would be with the grandparents. You would presumably not be on site that day(s). You would then need to move to stay at a value for the 2-3 days at the park to gain 30 minute early entry and lightning lane early purchase ability. I assume you have a car staying at Bonnet Creek so the transportation benefit is basically non existent at the value in comparison.

Are you moving to a smaller room when the parents leave? Regardless to me it is not worth it to move and I prefer split stays. Bonnet Creek is significantly nicer than the values too.

My parents are not staying with us at all. They want their own condo regardless of where we stay.

 

[deedubb]

I love split stays, but things have changed with the pandemic. It allows us to experience more than one resort, and we would often do the dining plan with the first resort. That allows us to have the refillable mug for the entire vacation, even though we don't get the dining plan for the 2nd resort. We also stack our most expensive meals for the first resort, on the dining plan. I don't believe it has been announced when the dining plan will return.

The second benefit is using Disney transportation. You can use the Skyliner from AoA or Pop Century. Taking the bus avoids the hassle of the tram followed by the ferry/monorail when going to MK. My only concern right now would be the pandemic which might tip the scales in favour of just driving to the parks. Parking is free at the parks when you stay on-site.

The only other benefit I can think of is early entry. Extra evening hours only apply to deluxe resorts so you wouldn't get that with the value resorts.

If doing a split stay with on-site and off-site, I would probably just do the whole vacation off-site. The other option I would consider is renting DVC. Bay Lake Tower, Beach Club and Boardwalk are all within short walking distances to parks, and you also get the extra evening hours. Once we started staying at one of the EPCOT resorts, it was a total game changer, especially if you get park hoppers. It is so nice to just hop into EPCOT for some food, or just to watch the fireworks at night if you spent the day at AK or DHS.