Split stays

[Dean]

There are many reasons to do split stays, some out of necessity (availability) and others out of choice. However, there are a subgroup that seem to do it out of mania. They're so obsessed with staying at different resorts that they may hit 3 in a 5-6 days stay or 4 in a 7-8 day stay. Historically, the DDP regulation prompted a lot of the split stays so I think you'll see less going forward if the segmenting option remains.

 

[a742246]

My family does split stays because each stay feels like a different vacation.

We also have decided that we are not crazy about spending more than 7 nights at the same resort....it gets a little "boring", so switching resorts gives us something to look forward to.

Our favorite split stay is AKV/BCV.

I agree with this response.

My favorite split stay is BC/OKW or BC/SSR. We like to visit a resort here DTD
for its nightlife to wind down our vacation.

A one move split stay for us is a given (all our children are adults). Although,
this year we have a two move split stay because we saved a couple of hundred dollars in airfare by adding an extra night.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Like some others, my favorite split is BCV/AKV. At each resort, I concentrate only on 2 of the 4 resorts. AKV for AK and MK, BCV for Epcot and DHS. Certain resorts are more convenient for certain parks or activities, so sometimes it makes sense to do a split stay.

 

[bcrook]

I use split stays for lots of reasons. Last October, I had a three day 2 BR at AKV, then I wanted to add a day and couldn't at AKV - so I had to add on at OKW. On 4th of July two summer ago, I stayed at Boardwalk (studio) so I could walk into EPCOT for fireworks, then I moved to AKV (2 BR) for 5 nights and then moved back to Beach Club (1 BR) to join friends to use Storm-along-Bay. Next summer I booked AKV for 5 nights and we are bringing DVC friends. They booked 6 nights at OKW and will join them. We may switch two nights to Beach Club to use the pool and walk into EPCOT.

I don't have enough points to stay for a week in a 2 BR unit, so sometimes I have to spend some time in a Studio and some in a 2 BR if we have to move - we might as well switch resorts. Sometimes I move to a studio for Friday and Saturday or even stay off site, and then return to a new room. Although this isn't as much of problem with the readjustments of points. And finally, it depends on how many people are in my party - sometimes people come and go.

We pack our stuff and have the bell hop service send it over to our new resort.

 

[kristenrice]

We've done three split stays so far. The first time, we were renting points for SU-TH and then realized that airfare was a LOT cheaper (and we could get a non-stop) by arriving Friday instead of Sunday. We stayed Fr-Sat nights at Pop Century and then moved to OKW. Our kids were 2 and 4 at the time and we'd rented a car. It couldn't have been easier!

The next split-stay was after we became DVC members. We only have 100 points so I like to stretch them, if possible. We planned a trip for early June but could only go for 4 nights in a value 1BR. The 5th night (weeknight) was the next "season" so we didn't have enough points. When airfare came out, it was again cheaper to fly out Saturday instead of Sunday. As it turned out, the value studio for the weekend night was the same number of points as the value 1BR for the weeknight. So, I booked the value studio, figuring that since our flight wasn't arriving until 7pm, there was no sense in paying cash for a room we'd only be in overnight. This was before the point reallocation....it would have only been 96 points for 5 nights in a 1BR!

After that, I really started to embrace the same resort split stays. Being a family of 4, it is a great way to stretch our points. We like to stay 1-2 nights in a studio (and hit the parks hard on those two days) and then move to a 1BR for the next 3 nights. We don't really unpack at all in the studio and we like to do the DDP for the first night(s) so a grocery order isn't necessary. With only 100 points to play with, it is a great alternative.

In October, I will be doing my first split stay involving different resorts. DSiL are going, sans children and hubbies, and we're doing 2 nights in a LV studio at BLT and 3 nights in a standard 1BR at BWV. We have the DxDDP at BLT and no DP at BWV since we'll be participating in the F&W festival. I can't wait!

 

[castleri]

We are doing two split stays this year . The first is 3 nights at BLT in 1BR for extra bathroom and because a 2 bedroom was too many points (I also wanted to try BLT at least once) and then 3 nights in a 2 BR at OKW (unless WL for BCV comes through). This reservation was made at about 3 1/2 months out and was originally dictated a lot by availability. We originally had ALV Kidani 1BR for the last two nights then added a night and switched to OKW.
The second trip is for Dec 4-10. The reservation was made at the 11 month check in date and was originally all BCV and one day shorter. When we decided to add a night there was no availability for that night at BCv but we could get two nights at AKV Kidani. This made the best of both worlds for my son who originally wanted AKV for his and his daughter's (4yo) sake and then decided BCV would be great also and was having trouble deciding. We took advantage of the 11 month BCV window since that week can be hard to get if you don't especially at the smaller resorts. I usually don't want to switch resorts but am looking forward to these two trips much more than I thought I would.

 

[daisyx3]

We did a split stay once to maximize points--we had 5 nights at BWV with my parents, and then paid cash for a weekend at the Poly, and then 2 nights at VWL. That was a long time ago--2002. We also had a trip at the end of the year (busiest ever) in 2003 where we had one night at the Dolphin with the teacher discount, then three nights at CR (nice because we used points, and got an MK view before it cost more, perfect for the NYE fireworks).
This time I have booked a week at SSR, our home resort, but am going to try to do a 3 night BLT/4 night AKV split because I want to try both resorts. If I can only get one at 7 months, I'll wait a couple of years and hope to try the other one.
If we get what I want, we'll maximize our MK while we are at BLT and then do AK, TL and relax while we are at AKV. Not sure where DHS and Epcot will fit yet. I'll figure it out when the 7 month date is passed so I can figure out any ADRs.
Daisyx3

 

[bam1515]

Crazy question! I have never done a split stay before BUT we are doing our
1st one in November. How do you move your luggage from one resort to another? Our split stay is at SSR and AKV. Thanks

 

[csmommy]

Crazy question! I have never done a split stay before BUT we are doing our
1st one in November. How do you move your luggage from one resort to another? Our split stay is at SSR and AKV. Thanks

Nothing crazy about it!

We check out, give them our luggage, go to a park & them show up at our new resort whenever we feel like it to check in. Sometimes they have already put our stuff in our new room. It like magic!

 

[DizGirl20]

Does bell services also move your food as well? What about items in the fridge/freezer - might they get warm or melt?