Split stay or not ?

[mhmcduff]

Help! I am so torn by this. Right now my Dis son (17) and I have a 6 night stay - 2 nights BLT studio lake view and 4 nights BWV studio boardwalk view. I have a waiting list for the first 2 nights to switch to the full stay to the Boardwalk but now I am thinking maybe staying 2 nights at BLT would be nice to mix it up and also walk to MK and monorail - etc
Our plans are -
Feb 20 arrive- maybe disney springs or chill at resort - dinner at Jiko (trying to get steakhouse 71 for my son who loves
Feb 21 AK - dinner at Poly - Kona -at night
Feb 22 MK ( Dinner at Tutto Italia) would have to move this day)
Feb 23 Epcot (dinner at Tempan edo)
Feb 24 HS (Dinner at Chefs France)
Feb 25 MK (dinner at tempan edo again.. )
Feb 26 brunch at beach club and leave
I am so excited but torn if I will
Have regret if my wait list by chance comes through.
any and all thoughts and suggestions on my plans welcome!

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I only split stay when absolutely necessary or if it's a super long trip, like 10+ nights. I never feel settled in my room during the first leg, which makes the whole trip feel shorter.

 

[WDW Traveler]

I only split stay when absolutely necessary or if it's a super long trip, like 10+ nights. I never feel settled in my room during the first leg, which makes the whole trip feel shorter.

I agree with CaptainAmerica. I personally would only do a split stay if a absolutely had to or was staying longer for the same exact reasons he mentioned. I like to unpack, settle in and not have to worry about that for the length of my vacation.

 

[jennyq87]

My husband and I love doing split stays! If I had young children I probably wouldn't, but with older kids/adults, I think it's fun to bounce around and explore different resorts. 2 nights at each resort is a minimum for us personally. I feel like you need at least that much to get a good feel for a place.

 

[mhmcduff]

I only split stay when absolutely necessary or if it's a super long trip, like 10+ nights. I never feel settled in my room during the first leg, which makes the whole trip feel shorter.

Very good point!

 

[JLong06]

I did a split stay my past trip specifically so I could easily get back to my room after the deluxe evening hours (BWV for Epcot and Poly for MK). It was nice walking back to my room at Midnight (monorail, then walk at MK).

However my next trip I do not plan to do this. I felt like a lot of time was wasted packing then unpacking again (especially with two kids). I probably won’t do a split stay again until either my kids can pack themselves (Ha!) or it’s just my wife and I.

 

[Brian Noble]

Add me to the "not a split stay fan" list. I've done it once or twice when absolutely necessary, but I try hard to avoid it.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I did a split stay my past trip specifically so I could easily get back to my room after the deluxe evening hours (BWV for Epcot and Poly for MK). It was nice walking back to my room at Midnight (monorail, then walk at MK).

However my next trip I do not plan to do this. I felt like a lot of time was wasted packing then unpacking again (especially with two kids). I probably won’t do a split stay again until either my kids can pack themselves (Ha!) or it’s just my wife and I.

Exactly. You don't save any time in total. Yes, it's faster to get back to your room after the parks, but when you factor in the packing, unpacking, checking in, and checking out, you're actually adding time.

I think what @jennyq87 said is right. Do a split stay if you like the idea for its own sake, because you like the idea of variety. Don't do it thinking it'll make things more convenient.

Add me to the "not a split stay fan" list. I've done it once or twice when absolutely necessary, but I try hard to avoid it

Yep, every once in awhile you'll run into something like "adding on Saturday night makes your flights $600 cheaper" or something like that. In those cases it makes sense.

 

[mhmcduff]

I did a split stay my past trip specifically so I could easily get back to my room after the deluxe evening hours (BWV for Epcot and Poly for MK). It was nice walking back to my room at Midnight (monorail, then walk at MK).

However my next trip I do not plan to do this. I felt like a lot of time was wasted packing then unpacking again (especially with two kids). I probably won’t do a split stay again until either my kids can pack themselves (Ha!) or it’s just my wife and I.

Thanks! Question- What is deluxe evening hours? Is this different than extra magic hours?

 

[jwakja]

Help! I am so torn by this. Right now my Dis son (17) and I have a 6 night stay - 2 nights BLT studio lake view and 4 nights BWV studio boardwalk view. I have a waiting list for the first 2 nights to switch to the full stay to the Boardwalk but now I am thinking maybe staying 2 nights at BLT would be nice to mix it up and also walk to MK and monorail - etc
Our plans are -
Feb 20 arrive- maybe disney springs or chill at resort - dinner at Jiko (trying to get steakhouse 71 for my son who loves
Feb 21 AK - dinner at Poly - Kona -at night
Feb 22 MK ( Dinner at Tutto Italia) would have to move this day)
Feb 23 Epcot (dinner at Tempan edo)
Feb 24 HS (Dinner at Chefs France)
Feb 25 MK (dinner at tempan edo again.. )
Feb 26 brunch at beach club and leave
I am so excited but torn if I will
Have regret if my wait list by chance comes through.
any and all thoughts and suggestions on my plans welcome!

Nice way to access different parks and enjoy freshened up rooms. BLT on the monorail or walk to MK and monorail to EPCOT. BW to EPCOT or DHS easy. Be aware not all transportation available to all parks. Example recently no bus to DHS from BW only boat.

 

[mhmcduff]

Exactly. You don't save any time in total. Yes, it's faster to get back to your room after the parks, but when you factor in the packing, unpacking, checking in, and checking out, you're actually adding time.

I think what @jennyq87 said is right. Do a split stay if you like the idea for its own sake, because you like the idea of variety. Don't do it thinking it'll make things more convenient.


Yep, every once in awhile you'll run into something like "adding on Saturday night makes your flights $600 cheaper" or something like that. In those cases it makes sense.

VERY good points regarding time- wasnt thinking about packing and checking in and out

 

[kes601]

I’m not a split stay fan especially with the beginning or middle portions being short. We have set a self-imposed limit of 5 nights being the minimum unless it is the last part of the stay. Last summer we did 5 BLT / 5 RIV / 7 BWV. It was fun, but felt like we were packing / unpacking too much during the beginning part of the trip.

At Christmas we did 10 BWV / 4 Poly. It felt like a better split since we were at the first stop for 10 nights.

This summer we are planning a 7 AKV / 7 BWV split.

I’d prefer to do 14 at AKV or 14 at BWV but we don’t have the points for 14 at BWV and there’s no way we are getting another 7 in an AKV Value Studio.

 

[DeeBee3]

I think it's fun to split stay and your son is old enough that he's "adultish" so you don't have to worry about all the kid stuff you transport. I'd go for it!

 

[Donna M]

Thanks! Question- What is deluxe evening hours? Is this different than extra magic hours?

All theme parks will let you enter 30 minutes early when you are a resort guest. Certain parks give you extra time at night, but that depends on the date and the park. They never line up with the date and park I want though.
Deluxe would include all DVC.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

I used to hate split stays. We would do it just to get the dining plan for the first part of our trip. When we stopped getting the dining plan, we stopped split stays. Now, we do them sometimes just to avoid long transportation times. The last time we stayed at AKV followed by CCV. We did AK/Epcot one day when we were staying at AKV and DHS/MK when we were staying at CCV. To save time on packing and unpacking, we packed two different suitcases as if we had two different trips. It was super easy. But it was just the two of us, so it was easy. Your son is definitely old enough to make for an easy switch.

 

[JLong06]

Thanks! Question- What is deluxe evening hours? Is this different than extra magic hours?

I always forget the actual name, lol. It’s called “Extended Evening Theme Park Hours” and it’s for deluxe and DVC guests. Currently only for Epcot and MK. Here’s all the information directly from Disney

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/extended-evening/

 

[RoseGold]

I love split stays, even with little kids and with kitchen stuff. You're two adults, you can figure it being homeless for five hours at WDW. I'd keep the split stay.

I don't understand why this plan doesn't use the deluxe late night hours. Those extra hours are THE BEST.

 

[MickeyMice]

we might be crazy people, but even with 2 little kids, we have no problem hopping from resort to resort. but you have to be willing to live like a backpacker, carry what you need on you for the day, live out of your luggage (just to swap out clothes, pool gear etc). we did this last fall for a park-heavy visit and are planning to the do the same in april for a resorts-only visit. it can be fun, but it's a completely different approach and i can see why a lot of people wouldn't go for it.

 

[loves to dive]

I'm not DVC but I do split stays often. I tend to do two nights at a value and then move over to an Epcot resort for the last part of the stay. I've done 1 night and 4 nights, 2 nights and 4 nights, 2 nights and 2 nights, all sorts of combinations. I actually have a two night ASMo 4 nights Dolphin coming up in April. For me it's part money, part practical. We are not huge MK fans and tend to spend only 3 or 4 hours there and always have park hoppers. Since you have to take a bus to AK no matter where you stay and unless you are staying in one of MK resorts, you are either going to have to bus or monorail to MK, I use the first two nights to get those two parks mornings done. I do have a car with me so it's a little easier to move.

I usually either pack a small suitcase for the first part of the stay and just move my toiletry bag between the two or use packing cubes for the first part of the stay. I always unpack but if I use packing cubes for those first two nights I can just take the cubes out and not bother with the rest of the clothes until stay two. I'm sort of a neat person anyway so I just put my used clothes back in the cube or luggage when I take them off so there really isn't any packing the next morning. My toiletry bag is a hanging one and it never gets unpacked, I just put things back in it after I use them and that way the counters are not cluttered. I usually get up fairly early in the morning even on vacation so on move day I just get up and eat breakfast and go to resort #2 and go ahead and check in. My son is not always a fan of this because like most younger men, he likes to sleep but he puts up with it. Sometimes I leave my bags with bell services, sometimes I leave them in the car, just depends on the resort. I tell them I'm there and just want first available instead of any kind of view. I then head off to whatever park I'm going to that day. I've found if they know I'm there and don't care about the view, my room tends to be ready a little earlier. Depending on what I'm doing at the park, I either head back to the resort when I get the room ready text or stay until I'm ready to leave. Easy as pie, I suffer none of the "being without a resort" issue some people seem to have and there is no problems of packing and unpacking.

 

[Sandisw]

We stay almost every trip because we love them. We gear our park days around it and do MK and AK..if we do AK.when we stay at BLT or VGf, and then move to RIV…used to be BWV or BCV…to relax and do Epcot and HS.

I even do them for. 3 night stay. I have VGF and RiV booked in two weeks and then BLT and RIV booked for March.

We have an owners locker and travel light to make it work.