Split stay: splitting headache or double the fun?!?!

[CajunMomof3]

We are doing a split stay in October: 3 days at POR & 3 days at Poly.
I am really nervous because we have never done this before.
We are driving, so we can move our own luggage, and I think I have the DxDP credits figured out right.
Any advice or tips that seasoned splitters can give me?

 

[cbg1027]

It's super easy when you have a car. I don't even lose park time doing it.
Make sure to request express check out when you check in so you don't have to visit the front desk on the day you move resorts.
I just pack in the morning and put everything in the car, then drive to the park du jour for RD. Then when I leave for my mid-day break, I go to the new resort and check in there!

 

[rentayenta]

It can be a headache. It's the packing and unpacking not the actual transferring of luggage and groceries I find to be a pain.

 

[bumbershoot]

I like a split stay. Others don't! The 20 minutes of packing (and 10 minutes unpacking) for a move is MORE than made up for by the fun of a new resort or type of room, for me.

 

[pad406]

We did a split stay last Christmas between poly and AKL. Simply checked out of the poly, went to the parks, they transferred our luggage which was there waiting for us when we got to AKL. Easy as

 

[fla4fun]

Personally, I wouldn't do it. I like to unpack once and settle in and then that's my home for the duration. I don't even like when I have to make two reservations at the same resort due to restrictions on discounts (sometimes a 14 night max) because I might have to change rooms - although so far I haven't had to make a switch. I also usually have perishables that would need to be taken care of, so just loading up the car and leaving everything in it until I check in the next resort would not work. Plus, unlike the pp, it takes me longer than 20 minutes to pack up and more than 10 minutes to unpack.

However, if your trip is long enough that you would have time to actually enjoy both resorts, and you don't mind the packing and unpacking, then it can be a good way to experience two totally different resorts. For example, you could stay at a MK area resort and enjoy the easy access to MK, then move to an Epcot resort and enjoy the easy access to Epcot and DHS. Or you could stay at POP and hit the theme parks hard, then switch to FW for a few days unwinding and enjoying the resort activities. Since you are splitting POR and Poly, each resort has it's own location advantages - MK and Epcot are simple from Poly, and AK and DHS would be by bus from either resort so save those for POR.

I once read a post where someone was switching resorts every couple of days, and either going to three or four resorts during their trip. I can't imagine what that must have been like!

 

[let'sgo]

Loved it! I did it for the first time last trip and now am planning another split stay for my next trip. It was like a whole new vacation being able to explore around another resort. Have fun!

 

[Disneyfanatic108]

We did a split stay between the Beach Club and the Polynesian. Everything went well and we enjoyed both resorts. However we did like the beach club a lot more, and wished we could have gone back. When we got to the Poly and checked in, we went straight to the room, and then right back to the check in. The original room had gum on the walls and the fridge smelled terrible. They moved us to a different room and all was good again.

 

[rentayenta]

I like a split stay. Others don't! The 20 minutes of packing (and 10 minutes unpacking) for a move is MORE than made up for by the fun of a new resort or type of room, for me.

20 minutes and 10 minutes? I take double that, at least. I unpack everything though and put the luggage away.

 

[Kae]

Love it. We did pop then AKL. We didn't have a car but even if we did I would still let disney handle the luggage. We just walked it to Bell Services on our way to the Bus stop, dropped it off they got it to AKL. Disney Resorts to me our part of the fun so we like to try as many as we can.

Kae

 

[CajunMomof3]

Thanks for all the replies!

We couldn't get Poly with the military discount for the whole trip so we decided to try doing a split.

I am usually the unpack once type of person, but DH REALLY wanted to stay at Poly...

Fla4fun, thanks for the parks advice. We were thinking about changing our MK day just for that reason. You have confirmed it for us!

 

[disneygal58]

Absolutely double the fun!!!!

 

[Sandisw]

We will always split stay our summer trips and love it! We have not run in to any major problems because of it. Have taken care of my own luggage as well as used bell services and its easy.

The only drawback is that you are "homeless" on the split day but if you plan things out, it works well.

This year, we made lunch reservations around noon, and by the time we were done, we planned to head over to the new resort to swim, until the room was done. Luckily, we got the call around 2:00 pm.

The other plan was to go to DTD that day because we knew that shopping would certainly help to pass the time!

Good luck and have fun!!

 

[LuvLuvLuv]

we loved it

in may we spent the first 2 days at saratoga springs and didn't do any parks those days. it was relaxing, we shopped, he went to disneyquest, i went to the spa, we hung out on the boardwalk... it was nice to relax when we first got there rather than go go go go go. then we moved over to kidani and our "parks" vacation started. it felt like 2 vacations and we liked that!!

in november we're splitting GF and YC!!

 

[mantismad]

Double the fun. We have done two split stays now, Saratoga Springs with the Beach Club and Bay Lake Tower with the Beach Club. It was like having two different holidays and I will definately be doing it again next time.

 

[goofy4tink]

Last April, we checked into Hard Rock Hotel on a Thursday, checked out on Friday, drove to Cocoa Beach, stayed at the Doubletree there for 2 nights, then cruised for 4 nights, then over to WDW for 2 nights at AKL, then to Tampa for a night and then back to Sanford to fly home. Or, there was the trip two years ago.....1 night at AKL, 4 nights at BWV, 2 nights at Kidani, 5 nights at Pop (free dining), 2 nighst at BWV and then home. I usually don't have a car which makes it all even more interesting.
As you can see, I love doing a split stay. Yes, it's more packing and unpacking, but I have it down to a science at this point. I don't overpack, travel pretty lightly.

 

[Alabama Minnie]

Split trips give us the chance to stay at the deluxe resorts too. We would not be able to afford a whole week at them. With a car it is easy. Last trip at BWI our room wasn't ready and they gave us a beeper. We went to DHS and they called us when it was ready. They will hold your luggage or you can just park and go get it when you want to. You could always seperate your clothes into a bag for each resort. We just unpack what we need for the first stop and leave the rest in the bags until the last stop.

If I were you I would go to AK/DHS while you are NOT staying at the POLY and save MK and Epcot for the monorail. You could even have extra time to switch resorts if you are able to do the EMH on that day.

Tell your husband the Poly IS worth the hassle IMO.

 

[elaw]

...... I once read a post where someone was switching resorts every couple of days, and either going to three or four resorts during their trip. I can't imagine what that must have been like!

It was awesome!!!!

 

[bumbershoot]

I once read a post where someone was switching resorts every couple of days, and either going to three or four resorts during their trip. I can't imagine what that must have been like!

Could have been me. It was fabulous, and we're doing it again! Last December we had 2 nights at CBR, 4 nights at OKW 2 bedroom, 4 nights OKW 1 bedroom, 3? nights at Royal Pacific Resort, then 3? nights at AKJambo. [In a couple weeks we have 1 night at Hyatt Regency (2 nights was too long to sleep off jetlag, it was frustrating to BE THERE and have no plans to go into the parks so we will just stay away from WDW LOL) and we had a free night through hotels.com), 4 nights OKW 2 bedroom, 1 obnoxious Studio night at Boardwalk b/c of points, 4 nights at OKW 1 bedroom, then finishing up the trip with 3 nights at Portofino Bay.]

20 minutes and 10 minutes? I take double that, at least. I unpack everything though and put the luggage away.

We don't have very many clothes, the dirty ones are in mesh pop-up bags and just got moved that way (we had a car), clothes that were cleaned just before the move were already put away into the luggage, and I had a system for the bathroom stuff. Maybe it was a little longer, but I'm not sure. And unpacking is easy. But again, we don't have many clothes. And there's only 3 of us.

We are doing a split stay in October: 3 days at POR & 3 days at Poly.
... and I think I have the DxDP credits figured out right.

You know that if you're doing the dining plan for both of those stays, you're paying for tickets twice? Just making sure that you knew that.

 

[jnfr2424]

It depends on how many people and what you are trying to achieve
My mother wanted to resort hop for her 80th birthday a couple years ago.
We started at the Contemporary MK view 14th floor for 2 nights then we bounced over to AKL for 2 nights then we bounced to BC for 2 nights.
It was only 3 Adults so it was easier to move around. Plus we are AP holders so park time was not an issue

I tried it once with my niece and her family (7 of us:4 adults and 3 kids) and it was sheer madness!!