Split Stay Ease!

[Ptrejo85]

Hello everyone!

I am looking to book a DVC studio from a rental site. My question is ease of the split stay process.

I am looking at staying 3 nights at AKL Savannah View and then transferring our stay for 5 more nights at BWV. First resort for the ambience and view, but the second for the ease and central location to Epcot and Hollywood Studios. This is our honeymoon and my future hubby is not a huge fan of crowds, but he loves culture and drinking and I want to make it easy to visit Epcot especially.

How easy is it to transfer bags, check in to the new location. If it’s going to be a huge headache, I don’t want to stress during our first vacation together as a couple!

Any advice?

 

[Hi Pluto]

First, do online check-in for both resorts. You can check-in as soon as the reservation is linked in MDE.

In the morning of check out day from AKL, drop your bags off at bell services and tell them you are moving over to BWV. It will take them about 3-4 hours to transfer the bags from one resort to the other. Go to the park of your choice. You will get a room ready text for BWV. Then take the bus/monorail/boat/walk to BWV and go directly to your room. Call down to bell services from your room, they will bring your bags right to you.

Of course, this is as long as there is not an issue with your room and under ideal conditions. But in my experience, a split stay was relatively easy.

 

[jo-jo]

It is easy. We pack up, call bell services to get bags. If you plan to have anything that needs to stay cold, I usually bring a small cooler bag in a suitcase. Just point out that the bag needs to be kept cold.

I have been told the bags won't move until mid afternoon. So even if you check out of one resort 8 am and get a room ready text at 1 pm, your bags still won't show up for a few hours after that.

I find it best to just plan to stay at a park all day and not worry about if room is ready early or how soon the bags might come.

 

[Hi Pluto]

I have been told the bags won't move until mid afternoon.

Yes, that could be true too. I have a fuzzy memory about the exact timing.

 

[Ptrejo85]

Thanks for the advice!! Not too worried about the time it takes for the delivery, like you said, just plan on going to the park and not worry about the bags until the evening time. Was just worried about the stress of getting the bags down and checking into the next hotel, but like idea of them texting when the next room is ready.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

It's not hard at all. You can pack up your bags, call down to AKL bell services and have them come to your room. They will tag the bags there for transfer, give you a ticket receipt and you can be on your way. As PP noted, your bags may not arrive at BWV until late afternoon. As PP noted, do online check-in and opt in to receive text messages regarding the status of your BWV room.

You could also pack up your bags, bring them down to the lobby (or ask bell services to help them bring them down) and get a Minnie Van/uber/lyft and simply drive over to BWV yourself. You would then give your luggage to BWV bell services and you can walk into the EP IG entrance from there. It's a little splurge, but that's what I would do.

 

[jo-jo]

It's not hard at all. You can pack up your bags, call down to AKL bell services and have them come to your room. They will tag the bags there for transfer, give you a ticket receipt and you can be on your way. As PP noted, your bags may not arrive at BWV until late afternoon. As PP noted, do online check-in and opt in to receive text messages regarding the status of your BWV room.

You could also pack up your bags, bring them down to the lobby (or ask bell services to help them bring them down) and get a Minnie Van/uber/lyft and simply drive over to BWV yourself. You would then give your luggage to BWV bell services and you can walk into the EP IG entrance from there. It's a little splurge, but that's what I would do.

Although that's more of a splurge than I would normally do, but if had a bunch of meds or laptop that I didn't want to carry into the park, but might need before late afternoon, that's a good idea.

 

[JKMastalski]

Yup, so easy... in fact, I am doing the exact same this Nov/Dec.... 3 nights at AKL and then switching for 8 over to BWV!

 

[Malyficent]

The ease of transferring luggage with a split stay is one of my favorite parts of staying onsite. We did ASMo to POR last year and are doing AKL to AoA this year. So worth the tip $ to hand off the bags at Resort A and call to have them delivered once at Resort B.

 

[gharter]

As much as I don't enjoy split stays, Disney makes it really easy.
Pack your stuff, call ball services. They will take your bags and move them to the new resort.
When you get to the new resort, call bell services and they will bring your bags up. it really was that easy.
We had cold item in the frig and they kept them cold.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

If you don't want to wait all day for your bags, you can also take a taxi over to the 2nd resort.

We do split stays all the time, and find the key to making them easy is not unpacking everything at each stop. If the stay is very short, we unpack little more than toiletries. Also make sure ALL YOUR charging cords get packed; we pack them as soon as we unplug them, otherwise it is very easy to leave one behind. We also try to prep the night before- like what we're going to wear the next day.

For our luggage, we don't have any kind of super complicated system, but generally we try to put everything back in the same place every time. Toiletries (in Ziploc bags) go in the same spot every time. Ziploc bags- big ones- are very handy for wet bathing suits.

In a pinch, a chilled water bottle or can of soda makes a moderately good cold pack for items like chocolate. Somehow, WDW and chocolate just go hand in hand.

At most hotels, check out is around 11am, check-in 3-4pm, so bell services ends to get busy at those times. At WDW, people also often aim to be in the parks around 9am. If you call during those times, you'll wait a little longer. Usually not too bad, but beating the rush hour is just a bit faster/easier.

 

[robinb]

Be aware that rooms are rarely available early at DVC resorts since they run filled at capacity. You will be "homeless" for the day until your room at BWV is ready sometime after 3:00-4.

 

[klmrph]

Another thing to consider with a split stay is you can add the dining plan to just one stay or do different plans with each stay.