Split Stay -- Good Idea or Mistake?

[CrimsonKat]

Hi everyone. Have been reading the Boards for a few weeks and decided to jump in with a question. My wife and I are currently planning a Disney World vacation to take our 2 year old daughter for the first time. I have not been to Disney World in 26 years (went when I was 4 years old) so everything is new to me.

We are considering a 6 day, 5 night split stay for September with the first 3 nights at the Polynesian (Check in Sun -- Check out Wed) and the last 2 nights at AKL CL (Check in Wed -- Check out Fri). We originally planned the full stay for AKL but thought Poly might be better for transportation of the little one to the other Parks on the first few days. With that said, we want to participate in the Sunrise Safari at AK and we just generally would like to get a look at both resorts.

A couple of quick questions:

Is the split stay a bad idea for a 5 night trip? (i.e., will it be a disaster moving over to AKL on Wed?)

Can a 2 year old go along on the Sunrise Safari? (I know ages 3 and up have to pay).

 

[ajleone]

Hi, I wouldn't recommend a split stay for such a short trip. It's not all that difficult but you do need to pack up and then unpack in the new resort which takes some time, time that could be spent doing other things. I'm sure others will disagree with me but I just don't think it's worth it.

 

[KathleensKid]

We did a split stay for our first family trip to WDW. It was great, but we were there for 8 day/7 nights and my kids are older than yours (6 & 4). I had it all plotted out and planned. IMO, your trip is too short (although people probably think mine was as well). I would think a 2 yr old (and a 2yr old's parents) would want as much consistency as possible during a WDW trip.
I personally wouldn't plan your whole vacation around the Sunrise Safari since you have a 2 yr old in the mix.

We started at the Beach Club. where we walked to EPCOT for dinner and/or fireworks each night. We also took the boat to DHS and the bus to AK. Then we transferred to the Polynesian where we travelled to the MK by boat and Epcot by monorail. We stayed at the Beach Club for 3 nights and the Poly for 4. The day we transferred resorts went very smoothly (they moved our luggage and transferred it to new resort), but it was a morning we didn't get going until 10:30 (fully planned that way as a mid-vacation rest day). All the other days we were out at the parks at rope drop. We did not have a car and wanted to try the differences btwn an EPCOT resort and a monorail resort and the ease of transportations at each. AK Lodge was never on our radar b/c it is relatively remote from all the parks.
We loved the experience enough that we might do the exact same thing again!

If you just want to be able to check out a resort, plan for a meal there and allow extra time for exploring.

No matter what, have a great vacation!

 

[hmillerbarilla]

Welcome!

We really enjoy split stays. I think it gives you new experiences and we love trying new resorts since we really spend time at the resort.

That said, I think your stay is a bit on the short side. If it was 2 nights/4 nights that would be different. I think 2 days is a great "let's try this resort out" stay and then we move and "stay" for at least 4 nights (usually 6) so we can properly settle in and enjoy the new resort.

You're picking two great places to stay. Would you consider lengthening your trip?

Also keep in mind that you could easily be without a room on your moving day which can be a hassle with a sleepy toddler. I've been there!

 

[Sammie]

I am not a fan of them especially with small children. That is a lot of stuff to pack and move and you never know what time you will get a room on the day of the move.

Plus you lose hours of room time that you pay for. You have to check out by 11 and probably won't get a room until after 3pm.

You are going in September which is going to very hot, and in the heat of the day when having a room is the place to go to get out of the heat you won't have one on moving day.

 

[lakoda]

Hello and welcome!
I think that it would definitely be easier to stay at just one resort. We usually drive in, and prior to having our DD who is 2 1/2 we typically stayed offsite the first night since we usually arrive late afternoon or early evening. We took DD for her first trip last Sept and it was WAY to much trouble for us with the toddler in tow! So for her 2nd trip a couple of weeks ago we just stayed onsite and it was much easier. Have fun whatever you decide!

 

[iman]

It is easier not to do a split stay, but we stayed 3 nights at AKL and 4 nights at Beach Club and loved the split stay. Got to experience 2 very different resorts and loved doing this!

 

[joeytdog]

I would not do a split stay for the following three reasons:

-Young Age of Child
-Short Stay (we have a split stay planned but a 5/5 nighters)
-First Time Going (with experience comes well....experience)

As a 4 time vistitor in the past 5 years, I would not reccomend a split stay for these reasons.

JIMO

 

[Tink888]

We've done a split-stay on a seven night trip and loved it. We had our car and the move was very easy. We moved, swam during the day and hit the parks that evening.

Not sure I'd do one with a five night trip. It's not impossible. You just need to ask yourself how much packing will you have? Have you filled all of your time with other things (because the move will cut into that)? How badly do you want to try both resorts versus the feeling of really "being" at one resort? In that short of a time, while you'll gain the experience of staying at both resorts, you'll miss out a little on the sense of being immersed in the experience that each resort has to offer because you won't get the feeling of truly being settled at either resort. Hope that made sense.

 

[rie'smom]

We do split stays all the time even for 5 day trips. Just pack everything the night before, call bell services in the morning and tell them you're switching resorts. They'll send up someone who will write down the name of the new resort. At the end of the day, after you're finished in the parks, go straight to the new resort to check in. If it's after 3, your bags will be there waiting for you. You might want to pack an extra outfit for your little one just in case you need one before 3. It really is hassle free.

 

[chris31997]

If you are organized it might be possible, but I am of the camp "Let me unpack and get comfortable and spread alllll out" For us it would be a pain, and I have older kids.

 

[rentayenta]

I would choose one resort for the full trip. Splitting for less than 4 nights isn't worth it. We've done it and while it's fun to check out the resorts, we can do that by making an ADR or something. My goal is to stay at all of the WDW DVC resorts at some point.

 

[Buckimion]

I'm doing a split stay (I think* ) for my/our vacation: 3 days at ASSp solo followed by 2 days at POFQ when my DW flies in from New Orleans following HER vacation. All I really need is a bed but DW is absolutely nutty for New Orleans and would like to treat her. The day I switch hotels I have to pick her up anyways so it's not like I'm wasting a park day. After she gets settled we'll resort hop a bit and get some dinner and maybe a movie at DtD or the campfire program at FW or another resort.

*Ok, so I'm on the fence for spending all 5 days preferred poolside at POP.

 

[cvjw]

I recommend not doing a split stay for such a short trip. We just returned from a 15 night stay, with time spent in 4 different resorts. Moving day was such a pain. Just about the time you are comfortable with your villa and resort, it was time to pack everything up, move it, check into your new resort, wait for your room, and then unpack again. None of our 3 Disney resorts had our room ready when we checked in - it was ready at 3:00 or later every time. We would spend moving day at a theme park, but by afternoon, my family was ready for some down time in our room, and we had no room to go to. We have a new rule in our family - at least 7 nights in a resort before we consider moving to a different resort!

 

[Tink0812]

My family has done split stays before and have nothing bad to say about them! We really enjoy the experience of two different Disney resorts. Everything can work to your advantage if you plan well. For example, while you are staying at Poly go to MK and save AK for when you are staying at AKL. Epcot and DHS are about the same distance from both resorts so you could split it up. AKL is definitly kid friendly and I am sure your DK will enjoy a close up of all of the animals!

 

[illuminatedillusions]

I'm planning a split holiday in September, mainly for safety reasons as I'm going by myself and want to stay in each resort while going around there. I'm planning 4/4 nights (split between disney and universal) , but that includes 2 days flying and a day to move which I think I might do a bit of shopping during the few hours between resorts check in time.

 

[MulanMom]

We've done many split stays. Being DVCers, often we would spend a few nights at another WDW resort before starting our DVC stay. It is nice to spend time in different resorts, but there is a lot of time that is spent on the move. For his bday one year, my then 7 yr. old DS asked for a Disney vacation where we stayed in one hotel the entire time! Didn't turn out that way...we had to move room locations due to an issue. Be that as it may, for our upcoming trip, we are splitting our stay once again. By now, we know how to anticipate for it and plan the day.

My concerns with OP's trip is the short time period and the 2 yr. old. When we did split stays with my kids as babies/toddlers, we had a pretty good idea of the logistics involved AND what our kids needed on vacation @ WDW. Sometimes on a move day, we'd hang at the pool of the resort we were moving into and our children napped in their stroller or on a lounge chair in the shade while waiting for a room. It works out, but the focus of the day becomes your move, rather than having fun in a park. Another drawback to split stays, for us...it seems to shorten the trip time...or makes the trip go more quickly.

With a 6 day/5 night split stay, I would look at it as three days being lost to travel or changing rooms. I would be greedier with park time and would not want to lose a day changing rooms, if I could help it.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[packofprincesses]

We just did a split stay. We were there for 9 nights/10 days. Honestly, I thought it was kind of a pain. We have 4 kids so therein lies the pain part..! I kind of felt like we never got settled at either place. We stayed at All Star Music in a family suite for 6 nights and then moved to the Poly for 3 nights! I LOVED the Poly, but honestly, would have been 100% fine to stay at ASMu.

 

[Sue M]

I do split stays, but on longer trips. If it were me I'd just pick one resort for that length stay, and enjoy it. Both are great pics. Doing a split stay for 5 nights, I don't think you'd really get to enjoy either resort, you'd be there and gone without having the time to really enjoy either. But that's just me. I won't do a split stay for vacays under 10 days.

 

[CrimsonKat]

Thanks so much for all of the feedback. It has been very helpful. We may either pick one of the two for a full stay or extend the trip by a couple of nights. Again, I appreciate the thoughts of all who replied.