Split stay between 2 DLR resorts

[nicolispicoli]

I have read that if you do a split stay between resorts, they will transport your luggage for you via bellhop between resorts. Does anyone know this to be true? We are looking to try out the GCH in October, but we kind of want a little time at the DLH pool since the weather didn't allow for it this last trip, so we were thinking 2 days at each.

Also, I have read a couple reviews on trip advisor where people mentioned that they requested a bunk room at the GCH and that request was not able to be filled upon check in. Anyone have any experience with that? I know a couple reviews is not neccessarily a trend, but I figured it can't hurt to see if anyone on here has experienced that. If we don't get a bunk room at GCH, we would almost just rather skip it and stay at DLH because they're standard rooms with the pullout work perfect for us!

Thanks All!!

~ Nicole

 

[DisneylandForever]

I have read that if you do a split stay between resorts, they will transport your luggage for you via bellhop between resorts. Does anyone know this to be true? We are looking to try out the GCH in October, but we kind of want a little time at the DLH pool since the weather didn't allow for it this last trip, so we were thinking 2 days at each.

I rarely stay on property at DLR, but I always stay on property at WDW, and they definitely transfer your bags for you when you switch hotels. So I would imagine DLR does it too!

 

[nana50]

I would just stay the whole time at DLH. Since the refurb I think it is a lot better. Not just the pool, but the rooms are better. Bigger, roomier and much more Disney Themed.

 

[nicolispicoli]

I would just stay the whole time at DLH. Since the refurb I think it is a lot better. Not just the pool, but the rooms are better. Bigger, roomier and much more Disney Themed.

That is what I am starting to think. We love the DLH, the rooms are huge and the layout is perfect. I would hate to be set on a bunk and then be disappointed. Wish they just had the couch pullout in their queens like DLH, that would make it so much easier! I assume bunks are in high demand, so I assume it's not a guarantee to get one.

We have just never tried GCH, so we thought it would be nice since this will be our last trip with our annual passes, so it might be awhile before we get back. Also, all of our kids are under 7, so the DLH is much more magical for that age, or so I think

 

[mrswh]

When you make your reservation, request bunk beds. Then call the GCH directly, talk to the front desk, and confirm the request is in there (they are on a separate reservation system than WDTC - don't get me started). On the morning you are going to check in (even if you haven't left for the airport yet - just first thing in the morning), call the pre-registration line for GCH (714-300-7210) and make sure you got what you requested - if not, you might be able to get them to change it. We have done this the past two stays and got what bunk beds, along with other location requests.

Oh, one other thing. Confirm that your reservation shows the correct number of adults and children. If you have 4 adults, they're not going to give you bunk beds! If you have 2 or 3 kids you have a much better shot. For whatever reason, even though I enter all the info for the whole family, somehow the reservation always ends up with the wrong number of adults/kids (last time it said 3 adults, no kids!). So you have to make sure the hotel (not WDTC) has it right, and that it's correct on your confirmation.

 

[Nonsuch]

I have read that if you do a split stay between resorts, they will transport your luggage for you via bellhop between resorts.

This service has existed, but it's best to call the hotel to confirm.

...I have read a couple reviews on trip advisor where people mentioned that they requested a bunk room at the GCH and that request was not able to be filled upon check in.

The majority of rooms have 2 queens, so it is common to not get a requested bed type. My success getting a king bed (more rare than a bunk) is only 25%
Checking in early can be helpful with bed requests. If GCH is the second half of your stay, check in before even checking out of DLH. I have checked in at 6AM several times, but you might even be able to check in at midnight (which would be convenient if the park is open late).

My best advice is to not switch hotels, it is a big waste of time and will be an afternoon without a room.

 

[nicolispicoli]

Thanks for the advice! I would hate to miss out on GCH because of this, but with luggage easily moved, I wouldn't mind a split stay this time.

I also wanted to call and check out the one bedroom suites as that might work also. My best friend and her son don't have annual passes, so it's hard to get the correct number in there. When I click it as a package, it brings up the suite price, but since only two people need hoppers, it might make more sense to try and book over the phone. When I click hotel only, it doesn't show the suite anymore with the same number of people sans tickets. I planned on buying their hoppers separate anyway since WDTC is notorious for having the price be much higher with packages than booking separately. When paying more than $200 for a hopper, I just get the AP, makes so much more sense and monthly payments hurt the wallet less!

 

[nicolispicoli]

Nonsuch- The more I think I about it and see advice, the less I am inclined to do the split stay, even with the easy luggage switch. I am also weary about paying so much for GCH and then not liking it as much as GCH. I never hear anything but rave reviews for it, but it might be saved best for when our kids aren't so little.

I do love the DLH that I never mind staying there and honestly, we take the monorail more than anything while staying there and when we do walk, it's at a cruising pace.

 

[blackjackdelta]

We were going to try split stays two years ago and were specially bell won't move the luggage from on hotel to another. I would call and get it written in blood.

Jack

 

[nicolispicoli]

We were going to try split stays two years ago and were specially bell won't move the luggage from on hotel to another. I would call and get it written in blood.

Jack

Good to know, thanks Jack! I actually see why they wouldn't, so it wouldn't surprise me if they didn't.

I had booked the hojo and thought of doing that, but I think I may move the entire thing to DLH instead. Better to be safe and stick with something we know we love. We were there in November and LOVED the refurb and I know the kids would drool over that pool. We wanted to hit the hot ub, but it opened the day we left

 

[DizMe]

When I asked about this a year or so ago, I was told that they do NOT transfer luggage from one hotel to another. I also asked at the front desk and at the concierge desk and all of them told me the same thing. They will move you from one room to another within the same hotel, but not from one hotel to another.

As far as splitting your stay, it can be fun but if it's not going to be convenient to move your bags from one place to the other I think I'd skip it. I can easily move my own stuff, but if I had to move mine and my kids' things I would nix the idea, although you can do it via taxi for about $5.

Is there any chance you could upgrade to concierge on the second part of the stay? Sometimes it's a huge cost difference and sometimes not so much. If it is relatively reasonable, with a larger number of people in the room it can be very handy and will offset many of your food costs. If, when it's time to switch hotels, you move from DLH to GCH in the morning and you have a concierge room, you can immediately go into the lounge for breakfast and snacks, even if your room isn't ready. We did that and it was great! We also got to go into the lounge later on on the last day. Or you could do that in reverse and stay concierge at DLH, getting early lounge access your first day, having breakfast and stocking up on snacks your last, and then move over to GCH.

Either way, it does take some time out of your day to move, but not too much with a taxi. There are some inconveniences though, like storing your bags if your room isn't ready and having to set up again in a new room.

 

[8timesblessed]

I stayed at the DLH on Feb 29th and then moved to the PPH theme park view for the other two nights. They told me they would move my luggage but I said I was fine walking it over because it was just my son and I and we didn't have alot of stuff and I had a stroller. You just might want to call and hopefully you get the right answer.

I didn't like the DLH but it was probably because I had a king room and it felt so cramped, especially the bathroom and closet. Our room had one of the double doors where you had to open one set and then inside were two rooms. It was so hard to hold the door get my stuff in and then help my child and open the other door. Plus it made it soooooooooo noisy when the other rooms door was being opened and closed. We were at the end of the hall on the 10th floor overlooking the pool. I did love the headboard and color scheme but overall not the best experience. Plus I felt it was so spread out and huge. I can't imagine having a room in the back, it would feel so far away from everything. The monorail was closed while we were there so we had to walk. I love walking from PP through GC into the parks. Can't wait for our GCVilla stay in December, so nice with kids.

 

[DizMe]

I stayed at the DLH on Feb 29th and then moved to the PPH theme park view for the other two nights. They told me they would move my luggage but I said I was fine walking it over because it was just my son and I and we didn't have alot of stuff and I had a stroller. You just might want to call and hopefully you get the right answer.

I didn't like the DLH but it was probably because I had a king room and it felt so cramped, especially the bathroom and closet. Our room had one of the double doors where you had to open one set and then inside were two rooms. It was so hard to hold the door get my stuff in and then help my child and open the other door. Plus it made it soooooooooo noisy when the other rooms door was being opened and closed. We were at the end of the hall on the 10th floor overlooking the pool. I did love the headboard and color scheme but overall not the best experience. Plus I felt it was so spread out and huge. I can't imagine having a room in the back, it would feel so far away from everything. The monorail was closed while we were there so we had to walk. I love walking from PP through GC into the parks. Can't wait for our GCVilla stay in December, so nice with kids.

Wow, that's weird...they gave you a suite but only let you have the bedroom side? Was there someone next door or did you maybe not realize it was a suite? That happened to us once. They gave us a suite and we thought that we only got the left door side (after going through the first set of double doors). We began to wonder why the double doors and called down to the desk and found out both sides were ours!

And yet another example of how you just never know for sure because different CMs give you different answers! Wow! They offered to take your luggage over and they were very adamant to me that that was not done.

 

[taaren]

Last fall we did 2 nights in DLH before checking into our VGC room. We checked out of the DLH room, they took our luggage on our cart (including our carry ons, only kept a few valuables), and we walked over to check into our room at the VGC, got the new keys, and when our villa was ready we just called down to the GC bell desk and they brought our luggage up (along with a 2 other carts of our groceries and our friends' luggage). I think they told us it might not be available until 2p since they take them over all at once, but our villa wasn't ready til 2p anyways.

Luggage transfer not a problem between on-site hotels. I liked the split stay since we tend to do a park intensive day, then a pool/resort intensive day, then another park day. Have had great customer service and lovely rooms at both DLH and VGC.