Split Stay..... Help?

[miss_bell]

Last night we finally decided we would stay at OKW but then I thought of a problem we want to go to Universal, Seaworld & Kennedy as well as fitting in a few shopping days so is it worth paying for 2 weeks in disney when we will only be there 50% of the time?

So I came up with the idea of a split stay 1 week on Internationl Drive and 1 week OKW on DDP. When I looked at the figures its £600 less to do the split stay, so would we really spend £600 on food during the one week on IDrive (i'm certain the answer is no).

Has anyone done a split stay before? what are your thoughts? We're a party of two adults and we will be hiring a car.

 

[scottishgirl87]

We did last year! Boyfriend and I did 1 week at Pop, 1 week at RPR (Universal) and we absolutely loved it! As we weren't driving it was perfect for us and we actually wouldn't do it any other way when we go back!

The first week we just did Disney alone, the 2nd week we did Universal, IOA, SeaWorld and Busch. We knew a 14 day Disney ticket would be absolutely wasted on us so we purchased the American MYW ticket instead which saved us money also. The 2nd week as we stayed on-site at Universal we were in and out of the parks as we pleased and staying on-site means you get Front of the Line Passes meaning no queues!

 

[JuliaVA]

We have done lots of split stays - sometimes 3-4 lol. I like a change of scenery and facilities. It works for us and it can save you money. The only thing I find is that it does waste about half a day of your holiday. Just the packing, unpacking, checking in does take up a number of hours.

I think this year we will stay in a Universal hotel for a few days in the middle of 2 Disney hotels because at a universal hotel you get a free fast pass apparently.

 

[penlanspice]

We always split our stays (not really into my holiday being completely taken over by disney).
We sometimes stay at 4 or 5 places.
This trip we are staying on I drive for the first 3 nights, 2 weeks in a timeshare on 192, 1 night downtown Orlando (to see bon jovi) 3 nights in Sarasota and then finally 5 nights in Disney.

 

[mcarthur205]

We always split our stays, I don't like to spend the whole holiday in Disney because there's so much to see and do outside of WDW. Last year we spent 10 nights at SSR with free dining, 9 nights in Key West to relax, and the last 3nights at the Hard Rock Hotel so we could have FOTL at Universal Orlando.

This year we're flying into Miami and spending the first night at a hotel near the airport. Next day we'll drive up to Orlando and stay there for 10 nights (offsite as there's no free dining in June/July), and then Key West for 11 nights before we fly home again from Miami.

 

[wayneg]

My thoughts, although I said in your other thread we enjoy offsite as much as onsite IDrive would be last place I want to stay, many enjoy IDrive but we don't, I just couldn't imagine anything worse for us than a week at OKW to a week on Idrive.
One problem is you really need to do onsite 1st to get free DDP and your Disney tickets, unless you are not doing Disney at all while offsite but you will probably get a 14 day for price of 7. Not sure of the current chances of getting your Disney tickets before checking into Disney hotel.

 

[Tink2312]

I agree with what Wayne has said to a point - i-drive on the whole has gone downhill in recent years, having said that there are still some nice accommodations, especially around the Universal area (North I-drive). We stayed at the two tower hotel at the entrance to Universal (it was a Radisson when we stayed but has changed hands numerous times since). We also stayed at the Holiday Inn and Suites opposite Universal and some newer hotels have gone up in recent years due to the expansion of Universal. I'd say go for it, just do your homework, check reviews and you'll be able to find plenty of great places to stay which are convenient to Universal

 

[miss_bell]

Thank you everyone for your replies, we have come to a decision and that is we won't be staying at Disney or even doing any Disney parks on our next trip.

There is so much more to see and do in Orlando we felt that going to Disney just because it's a good offer wasn't the right reason, we are still looking at doing a split stay, maybe staying up near universal on I drive and then travelling to St Petes or Clearwater for 3nts at the end of the holiday.