Split Stay or 1 resort?

[a_sailor's_wife]

My family and I will be going to Disney November 19-25 and then hopping over to Universal. We'd like to stay at the Poly, but that is more than likely out of reach unless a discount is offered for the entire stay. Would you do a split stay with CBR and the Poly or just choose one to stay for the entire time?

 

[Princess&CowboyMommy]

We've done a lot of split stay and will be doing it again in December. It looks like you're talking about going the week before and up to Thanksgiving??

if you do a split stay, I would recommend at least 2 nights at the one you stay at less days...probably Poly if you're trying to keep costs lower. I think Poly rates go up a few days before thanksgiving, so you might want to do the poly at the value rate at the front end so it would be cheaper overall that way.

Split stays can be fun, but just be aware that sometime your room may not be ready until the 3pm time, especially closer to holidays/peak times. So if you decide to do it, just try to have something planned for the time you'll be without room.

What we usually do is get up around 6-7am, lightly pack the last of our stuff while we drink a couple of cups of coffee and then head over to the new hotel by 7:30 or so. After we check into our new place, we have breakfast either at the new hotel or old one, then back to the room for final pack-up. If we have extra time (like if we did CS breakfast and packed most thing up the night before), sometimes the kids will go to the current hotel pool for 1/2 -1 hour. Then we head over to the new hotel. I usually set up TS around 12:30 or 1 for lunch either at one of the new hotel places or somewhere close. If that flows right, we're usually done about 2pm at the latest. *Most* of the time our room is ready before or by then, especially at resort hotels (not as always likely with the villas). If the new or old hotel doesn't have a great TS to burn 1-2 hours, we go to DTD

A lot of people go to the parks after they switch even without the room. But we're usually there at WDW for 7-9 days and like to have 2-3 non-park, relaxing days

 

[Jenna319]

We did a split stay in September- 3 nights at POR, 4 nights at Poly..... It was wonderful!!! I would suggest ending with Poly as IMO it's harder to go from a deluxe to a moderate. I LOVED having Poly to look forward to and would do it again in a heartbeat. It almost seemed like 2 vacations. We arrived at Poly the Tuesday after Labor Day and were lucky to have our room available at 10am! Enjoy Poly!!!! It is our absolute favorite!!!

 

[iheartdolewhips]

You'll love both of those hotels! Split stays are great - they really do make it feel like two different vacations. The only thing that can make a split stay more challenging is if you like to use the dining plan. To book the dining plan, you must purchase a vacation package which includes tickets (unless you have an AP). Split stays are two separate reservations to Disney, which means you must purchase tickets at each stay to get the dining plan, which makes it more expensive since tickets get cheaper per day the more days you have, or you have to give up the dining plan at your second hotel and make it a room only reservation.

Probably one of the best things you can do to make your split stay easier is to pack your bags with your split stay in mind. Rather than packing bags for each person with all of their stuff in it, I would consider combining your luggage and packing based on the number of days. For example, if you're doing 4 nights at one hotel and 3 nights at the next - pack your clothes for the 4 nights in one bag and the 3 nights in another and don't open it until you get to the next hotel. If you have a car, you could even leave the second bag in your car. Pack your toiletries and other things you need at both places in a seperate bag.

We night owls, so when we do a split stay we just get up around 9 or 10 and pack up our luggage and are ready to leave at check out time 11 am. We drive so we take our own luggage, but if you don't have a car Disney will take the luggage for you. We then head to our new hotel and check in. If our room is ready, we go ahead and check it out and get our luggage there. Then we eat lunch there and head to the parks. If our room isn't ready, then we'll eat lunch there and hopefully it's done when we're done eating. Then we'll get our stuff to the room and head out to the parks.

Most people will suggest that you stay at the lower level hotel first, so that you don't have to "downgrade" during your trip. I can definitely understand the logic behind this, but for us we've actually found the opposite works better. When we stay at a nicer hotel, we want to take more time to enjoy the hotel, pool, location, etc. However, on the last days of our trip, we also are much more commando in the parks and love rushing around to hit everything again. So for us it works better to stay at the nicer hotel first so that we don't feel like we're missing out on enjoying the last of the parks when we want to just hang around at the hotel for a bit.

 

[clanmcculloch]

Do you like dining plans? If yes, you'll have to purchase at least a 1 day ticket for both reservations unless you have an AP.

Do you typically book package specials (like free dining, 4/3, GC deal)? If yes, you'll have to purchase at least a 1 day ticket for both reservations even if you do have an AP. I think free dining at the end of 2009 or buy 4 get 3 in the beginning of 2010 required a length of stay purchase so if you had an AP that made these expensive.

If you'll be booking room only reservations then a split stay can make your trip feel like 2 vacations. I keep wanting to try a split stay but I always end up finding package deals to be our best savings based on my family's configuration and preferences.

 

[a_sailor's_wife]

We love the dining plan, and normally only go when we can get a good deal. However, this year is special with celebrating birthday, military homecoming, and anniversary. So we'll go whether we have a discount or not. But we have a discount, we'll be able to stay at a nicer resort. We're still mulling it all over to find what we like best as well as what is best for the pocket book.

 

[kaffinito]

I also prefer to do split stays. It's nice to have another resort to look forward too sometimes. One trip we went from AKL to POP to POFQ. I do NOT recommend a triple split (especially if you're a resort switcher like I am )

The advice on staying at Poly first before the rates go up is sound. You might want to check on the rates so you know if you can stay at Poly at the end or if you need to book it at the beginning. I've been lucky enough to get discounts for both of my Poly stays during Easter, so I know they're out there.

Have fun planning your celebrations!

 

[TxDisFans]

We're planning to do our first split stay in late April, 3 nights at Poly, 4 nights at AKV. I'll be alone with my kids for the first 3 nights, then DH is joining us for the last day. I actually have a logistics question, though...

I was planning to pack up early on switch day, and leave my bags with the bellman and head off to AK with my kids. I thought I'd read on the Dis that bell services will transfer your luggage for you. So, then, I'd be at AK with my kids all morning until early afternoon, and then just go directly to the new hotel (AKV) and check in.

Will this actually work? Or would I have to backtrack to the original hotel and get my bags myself, then schlepp them to AKV?? That seems like a very bad scenario.... anyone know the answer about whether Disney will transfer my bags for me?

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I've only done a split stay where part was off property (to do Universal). I think it's a pain in the butt.

And I love CSR.

 

[a_sailor's_wife]

Once I figure out exactly how this will work with the split stay, should I go ahead and book? I've heard of course to wait if we're wanting a discount, but should I book since this is during Thanksgiving?

 

[jadedbeauty14304]

We're planning to do our first split stay in late April, 3 nights at Poly, 4 nights at AKV. I'll be alone with my kids for the first 3 nights, then DH is joining us for the last day. I actually have a logistics question, though...

I was planning to pack up early on switch day, and leave my bags with the bellman and head off to AK with my kids. I thought I'd read on the Dis that bell services will transfer your luggage for you. So, then, I'd be at AK with my kids all morning until early afternoon, and then just go directly to the new hotel (AKV) and check in.

Will this actually work? Or would I have to backtrack to the original hotel and get my bags myself, then schlepp them to AKV?? That seems like a very bad scenario.... anyone know the answer about whether Disney will transfer my bags for me?

Yes, you tell Bell Services that you need your luggage transferred to AKV and they take care of it. Once you get your room in the afternoon at the new resort just call Bell Services and tell them your luggage was transferred from the Poly and to bring it up.

 

[TxDisFans]

Yes, you tell Bell Services that you need your luggage transferred to AKV and they take care of it. Once you get your room in the afternoon at the new resort just call Bell Services and tell them your luggage was transferred from the Poly and to bring it up.

THANKS! That's exactly what I was hoping to hear... seems like my plan will work out, fingers crossed!