Split Stay Questions

[Bobobob]

First, we are new to DVC, just purchasing in the last few months. We cannot thank the members of these boards enough for the amount of education we received regarding buying a resale contract! Now on to a new questions!

We are going in October for 8 days. We were originally going to stay at our home resort (AKV) for all 8 days, but are now considering a split. (3 @ BLT, then 5 @ AKV.) (We are not yet at 7 month window, but for the sake of this question, please assume we get the BLT rooms.)

1. If doing a split stay, how do you end up moving everything from resort to resort? Is there a system in place or do you haul your stuff on the bus?

2. Can you do the dining plan under one reservation (i.e. BLT 3 night stay) and then book the remaining 5 days at AKV w/o the dining plan?

It was just a thought as we are luke warm on the dining plan....it is just too much food for 8 days. 3 days we can handle, just not 8!

Thank you in advance for your help!

 

[MouseMomx2]

1. Bell Services will move your luggage for you.

2. Yes, you can split the dining plan when you have 2 reservations. The DP is done by reservation, not by complete stay.

 

[Bobobob]

Thank you!!

 

[Sandisw]

And just to clarify. The credits from the dining plan will only be good until midnight of the day you check out of BLT. They won't be good for all 8 days.

We do splits every summer and really like it.

 

[vdub322]

Your post sums up our situation perfectly! We just bought DVC and planned our first trip with it for this April/May. We had been booked for seven nights at BLT in a 1 BR Lake View, but now we are going to just do 5 nights at BLT and spend 3 nights at our home resort AKV in a 1 BR Savanna View. We put the dining plan on both reservations though because we already had planned on having it for the original 7 night stay.

We will have our own car with us and I am thinking about just moving our own stuff. Is it best to get out of BLT first thing and head to AKV early so that they can notify us when our room is ready? Maybe check in and then head to a park? Or should we just go to a park early and take our time checking out of BLT at 11am, then head to AKV, check in, and hang out or lay by the pool? Or does it make no difference?

I am not planning on accomplishing too much on this day, and I realize that there will be some time that we are "homeless", but I just want to make sure that I understand the process. I was told to online check in for both hotels ahead of time.

If anyone has any input, I would appreciate it!

 

[Pakey]

We love split stays and have done them on every vacation for a few years now.

We move our own luggage via a $20 taxi. The reasons for this are:

1. you don't have access to your stuff until late afternoon if you have bell services move it

2. we once had an issue where one bag went missing and we wasted so much time waiting for bell services to locate it.

3. by going early to your second resort and checking in, if the room is ready early, you will be notified.

Sometimes we make our change day be a pool day. We go to the new resort, check our luggage with bell services, check in and then head to the pool. If we are going to the parks, I usually transfer the luggage and do the check in and then just meet my group at the park of choice.

 

[lions1995]

Your post sums up our situation perfectly! We just bought DVC and planned our first trip with it for this April/May. We had been booked for seven nights at BLT in a 1 BR Lake View, but now we are going to just do 5 nights at BLT and spend 3 nights at our home resort AKV in a 1 BR Savanna View. We put the dining plan on both reservations though because we already had planned on having it for the original 7 night stay.

We will have our own car with us and I am thinking about just moving our own stuff. Is it best to get out of BLT first thing and head to AKV early so that they can notify us when our room is ready? Maybe check in and then head to a park? Or should we just go to a park early and take our time checking out of BLT at 11am, then head to AKV, check in, and hang out or lay by the pool? Or does it make no difference?

I am not planning on accomplishing too much on this day, and I realize that there will be some time that we are "homeless", but I just want to make sure that I understand the process. I was told to online check in for both hotels ahead of time.

If anyone has any input, I would appreciate it!

vdub322, one thing I found very important to be aware of during a split stay is your dining credits. As you stated, you have dining on both reservations. For the second half of your vacation at AKV, you will not get those dining credits until you check into AKV. This may or may not be a big deal. If you have used all your credits the last night at BLT, you will not have anymore until check in at AKV. In my case I inadvertently split my dining when I was planning on doubling up for a dinner show (it worked out in the end just fine).

As to your main question, I think both options you staed are great. 1) check out early of BLT, check into AKV (if needed for dining) and then go to a park. 2) take your time check out of BLT, head to AKV for check in, and have some pool time. I am an over planner myself, but I would probably decide this the night before.

BTW - WE ARE!!

 

[vdub322]

vdub322, one thing I found very important to be aware of during a split stay is your dining credits. As you stated, you have dining on both reservations. For the second half of your vacation at AKV, you will not get those dining credits until you check into AKV. This may or may not be a big deal. If you have used all your credits the last night at BLT, you will not have anymore until check in at AKV. In my case I inadvertently split my dining when I was planning on doubling up for a dinner show (it worked out in the end just fine).

As to your main question, I think both options you staed are great. 1) check out early of BLT, check into AKV (if needed for dining) and then go to a park. 2) take your time check out of BLT, head to AKV for check in, and have some pool time. I am an over planner myself, but I would probably decide this the night before.

BTW - WE ARE!!

Thank you so much for the advice! I am going to keep a close eye on the dining credits and try to use up everything before we leave BLT. All of our TS dinners are one credit so I shouldn't have a problem keeping things straight (at least I hope not!).

I'm glad that both of those options will work. We are kind of leaving that day open to see how we feel and if we need a low-key day in the middle of our trip. I am definitely an over planner, but for the sake of DH I am trying to leave some details up in the air so he feels like he has a choice in some matters

Oh, and....PENN STATE!!!!!!!!!!!
(I am a full-time student and DH is full time staff and an alumnus!)

 

[lions1995]

All of our TS dinners are one credit so I shouldn't have a problem keeping things straight (at least I hope not!).

Just to be clear, Your BLT credits (If there are any) will be good up to midnight the day you check OUT of BLT. I was just makig a point that if they are all gone, you will need to check into AKV to get them "refreshed".

Always like helping fellow Staters!!!

 

[vdub322]

Just to be clear, Your BLT credits (If there are any) will be good up to midnight the day you check OUT of BLT. I was just makig a point that if they are all gone, you will need to check into AKV to get them "refreshed".

Always like helping fellow Staters!!!

Oh, ok gotcha! So when they say "midnight on the day of checkout", they mean you have those credits the entire day that you leave the resort. Got it! Thanks!