Split Stay

[charlielinda3]

I've been reading the boards and see that many people talk about split stays. Could someone explain and tell me why they would do this? Thanks!

 

[Monykalyn]

Usually I have found it means switching resorts partway through a stay-either to experience new resorts, wanting a different experience (Value to Deluxe for example) but not wanting to spend tons of money or even starting off/onsite and switching to on/offsite.

As an example-this trip we are starting at Caribbean Beach resort (Moderate-got a great deal) for 3 days then changing to Beach Club for next 3 days. We are doing Star wars Weekends at Studios so this resort is very close to DHS and makes the convenience very nice-but more expensive than CBR. We are then moving offsite to experience other parts of Orlando.

 

[Reddog1134]

Resorts are a big part of the Disney experience for many people. Doing a split stay allows you to experience multiple resorts in one trip.

Another factor could be money. They may want to stay at the Poly but can only afford it for a few nights. So they spend the rest of the trip at a less expensive resort.

 

[loves to dive]

I do it when I go solo just to experience different resorts, I always try to do the last half of the trip at an Epcot resort since it's my favorite park. I rented points one time and it just turned out that I had to split it since that was all that was available. I usually stay in BC/YC when I go with my DS and DIL, so I thought it would be fun to see what the values and moderates were like so I have tried them for a couple of days at the beginning of a trip. I have a trip coming up in May (that was supposed to be solo but is now with my DS and DIL) that we are doing 2 nights at AKV and 3 nights at BWV because I couldn't get an Epcot resort for the entire 5 nights and I've never stayed at AKL so I thought what the heck. I switched it to AKV when the kids decided to join me, I'm not renting points, I was just able to get the AKL and BWV for less off Orbitz then when I switched to AKV it was only $200 total more with my AP discount for a 1 bedroom. I enjoy it, it is a fun way to experience the different resorts.

 

[Canuck16]

We had a blast doing split stays on our trip last May.

We started off at Universal for 3 days so we could get the Express Pass. Then we moved to POR and loved it there and then moved to BC for the rest of our trip.

It was fun seeing the different resorts and experiencing them as they are all so different.

 

[eyehartdisney]

You also can only do a package for the entire length of your reservation, even if you don't want it. So by switching reservations and possible hotels, you duck having to have a longer package than what you want.

 

[cakebaker]

We're doing our first split stay, but it's at the same resort. We had to split if we wanted to get the AP discounts since the end of 1 and the start of the next discount was right in the middle of our trip. I'd hope for a little pixie dust so we don't have to change rooms, but we have a different view for each stay so I doubt we'll get by with not changing rooms.

I don't like the idea. We have 2 rooms and so it's lots of packing up. I'm hoping it's as easy as I'm reading it is, but I'd never voluntarily do one. It saved us $1k and I couldn't pass it up.

 

[ScrapYap]

At the end of the trip, you feel as though you had multiple vacations when you do a split stay! Your days at Riverside were totally different from your days at Pop Century. You eat at different food courts, walk different paths, soak up different theme-ing and landscaping, try out different forms of transportation (boat to Downtown Disney rather than bus), enjoy different photo ops of your family, if taking pictures is something you enjoy.

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

It gives you a great chance to experience different resorts. You can also work it to where you are staying at a monorail resort on days you are planning to visit Magic Kingdom and at Yacht Club, Beach Club, or Boardwalk on days you plan to visit Epcot or DHS.

 

[charlielinda3]

All so interesting. I hate packing and unpacking so I'm not sure if this would be great for me. But it has given me ideas -- we usually stay off site. We would stay off-site and then on-site for a two or three days.

 

[thisismyusername]

http://www.disboards.com/threads/the-ultimate-split-stay-thread.3322505/

 

[Doug M]

How do you move luggage if you fly in and dont rent a car switching resorts? There is a small chance my current reservation could become split if FD is offered during my trip. Our resort is typically excluded, and the blackout dates generally include the first few days. If it makes financial sense we would split.

 

[aaarcher86]

How do you move luggage if you fly in and dont rent a car switching resorts? There is a small chance my current reservation could become split if FD is offered during my trip. Our resort is typically excluded, and the blackout dates generally include the first few days. If it makes financial sense we would split.

Bell services can move your luggage to the new resort.

 

[Doug M]

Thanks!

 

[momimouse27]

All so interesting. I hate packing and unpacking so I'm not sure if this would be great for me. But it has given me ideas -- we usually stay off site. We would stay off-site and then on-site for a two or three days.

We have done this. Sometimes we drive and get there fairly late, so we stay offsite the first night not wanting to waste money for a resort stay without getting anything out of it. We have also done it where we change resort mid stay. We've only done this once, and as much as I enjoy staying on property, it doesn't allow the full enjoyment of the resort you're at IMO. We once stayed at POFQ three nights and then switched over to BWR for three more. The problem is that just when you get settled, its time to move again. The only way I'd do it again is if I were staying 4 nights or more at each resort. As it is right now, we don't have the money for that long a stay.

 

[Masonmj84]

We find that doing split stays makes staying at deluxe resorts worth it because they allow us to plan our vacations such that we're always close to the park we're visiting on a given day. Split stays also allow us to eat at a lot of different restaurants without having to travel too much. These advantages, in addition to experiencing different resorts, are reasons that we are big fans of split stays.

 

[Texas Mickey]

We are doing our first split stay this October. POFQ over the weekend when the rates are higher FRI, Sat and Sun. We like the boat ride from there for doing some DTD stuff. Also its closer to Epcot. Monday we switch to Wilderness Lodge. The money we saved at POFQ allowed us to upgrade to club level for our 4 nights at WL. Plus WL is closer to MK so after our late night at MNSSHP we can quickly boat back to the resort. This might be the way we go from now on.

 

[lauradis]

I understand why people do. Just doesn't sound relaxing.

 

[TinkFan74]

In 2013 my dd and I stayed at 5 different resorts over 16 days, we found that this was quite overwhelming, but we were able to figure out what our favourite resorts were. For our two week trip this coming August we are again doing a split stay with one week at Kidani (my fave), then a week at OKW (dd's fave). It will be like two different vacations and both resorts are very relaxing.

 

[tjmw2727]

We only switch if the party size changes and we want to be together in a villa setting instead of all being in our own room. I don't love switching but it isn't really a big deal. Last trip my 2 dd's and I were in a Vila at the Boardwalk for 5 days and then joined by my sister, niece and nephew so we moved over to the Beach Club for the next few nights in a 2 bedroom villa. We really didn't need all that space (or the expense) for the 3 of us so that worked out well.

We checked out in the am, gave our bags to bell services for transfer and hit Epcot for the day. Checked into the Beach Club and bell services brought our bags - easy and convenient.