Split Stays?

[Deanie1]

For our trip next year, we have decided to do a split stay with 5 days each at Pop and POFQ. For those who have done split stays, could you please tell me the pros and cons - other than being without a room for several hours on the transition day. TIA

 

[matt101980]

I just got back from a trip that was originally planned for 5 nights at the Grand Floridian but with the airport closure ended up having to add 3 nights. They didn’t have my room available for both nights so I did the last 2 nights at animal kingdom. They moved the luggage for use from one room to another and we were technically never without a room (late check out at GF and room was ready before we got to AK)

First time I did a split stay and at first I kinda wanted to stay at the GF but it was actually really nice to do both.

 

[HolRae]

I love doing split stays. It is like 2 vacations in one. Pop is my favorite value and the Skyliner should make it even better. FQ is my favorite moderate. The boat to DS is great. The only con (other than being homeless for part of a day) is ADRs cannot be made for the second stay until you are 180 days out from second check in day. FP can all be made based on first stay as long as you have tickets.

 

[Chami]

We did a split stay in February. The only downside for us was having to pack up between resorts. We dropped off our luggage downstairs before heading to the park. When we arrived at our second resort, it was there waiting for us in the room. It was totally quick and painless.

I don’t know if we will do a split stay again. We found the resort that feels like home.

 

[Deanie1]

Ok, Chaim, spill the beans! Which one is your perfect resort?

 

[Deanie1]

Chami I mean. That darned auto correct. Siri thinks she is smarter than I am!

 

[pinkxray]

I love split stays and we have done them every trip. We do it for two reasons. I love Disney resorts and want to try as many as possible. It also helps with saving some money since I will book a cheaper resort for a few days and tack on a more expensive resort that there is no way I would book for our whole trip.

Cons- not having a room for a bit but I always plan the switch on a day I know we will be in a park until at least check in time
-having to pack everything up for moving. This is the park I dislike the most but I try to make it as painless as possible but packing for stay 1 in one suitcase and stay 2 in another or using packing cubes. Something to help not having to unpack everything.
-some people complain about moving the bags but doesn’t really bother me. I am an early riser so I usually grab our bags and use our rental car to check in at the second resort and drop them off. If we didn’t have a car I would have no problem letting Disney move our bags but I would make sure to pack anything I needed that day in a backpack that stayed with me such as bathing suits in case the luggage arrived late.

We are doing a split stay we Pop and GF and I can’t wait. So excited for both.

 

[Marionnette]

I’m not a fan of split stays but I have done them. When I do them, I do one night at any resort that I can get, either DVC or cash, followed by my main resort stay.

However, last visit I did 5 nights at BWV followed by 3 nights AK club level. It worked out fine because it was just me and my adult daughter (who never unpacks). I don’t think that I would attempt it with small children for whom I had to pack and ensure that no luvies were left behind. We are took an Uber XL with our luggage to AKL and left the bags with bell services until our room was ready. I felt less anxious about their whereabouts and knew that if I needed to retrieve something from one of those bags, I could do it.

 

[Best Aunt]

Discussed here:
https://www.disboards.com/threads/16-night-quadruple-split-am-i-nuts.3767127/

 

[Chami]

Ok, Chaim, spill the beans! Which one is your perfect resort?

We fell in love with the Boardwalk. I hate to admit it, because it was my husband’s choice.

 

[loves to dive]

We have done split stays for the last 10 or so trips. We drive down from Georgia so arrive round 1 or 2 in the afternoon. We spend the first night or two in a value or moderate then move over to an Epcot resort. For us it's just a matter of money. The first time I did one it didn't make sense to spend deluxe prices for that first night since we would be getting there mid-day, then I moved it to two days and we tend to do AK and MK those first two days (arrival day and the next full day) since you can walk to Epcot and HS from the Epcot resorts we save those for the bulk of the trip (they are our favorite parks). We have never felt like we didn't have a room. We check in when we get there, park the car and go to the room if it's ready, drop our stuff off then head to the bus stop. We get on the first bus to arrive. Second day we do the first bus to arrive between MK and AK and then plan our day after that. Move day we get up when we get up (I'm an early riser even on vacation), have breakfast, check out and drive over to resort #2. Check in just to let them know we are there and off to a park. Sometimes we go back to the room when we get the text it's ready, sometimes we stay in the park. The only time we drive to a park is sometimes on move day if we haven't finished with AK we will drive there early in the morning and then head to resort #2.

 

[hakunamoscato91]

Doing a split stay for the first time this upcoming trip (first half at AoA, second half at Yacht Club) and so far the only cons have been not being able to make all my dining reservations at once and then yesterday when I got emails for every day I'm going to be at Yacht Club that my fastpasses were going to be deleted. They haven't been deleted and the cast member I spoke to assured me they wouldn't be because both of my hotel stays are linked and the tickets are good for 10 days and I'm only there 9. The pros are that I'm excited to stay at both resorts (both of which are a first for me), but the planning headaches have not been fun.

 

[tjmw2727]

We have done split stays many times over the past 8/9 years as we have family in the area so our party size changes, with a larger group at either the beginning or the end of the trip. I see no need to pay for the larger accommodations during the days we don't need them so we split.

To date this hasn't affected either our adr bookings or fp+ as long as the stays are consecutive (most recently August 2019). We always plan a park day on move day, bring our bags to bell services to transfer to the new resort, head to the park for the day and return after check in time. As long as you know your bags won't arrive until at least check in time, maybe later and plan for it you are fine.

You also have to pack for this- my kids don't really unpack and I plan for each portion of the trip. If you have groceries just pack the non perishables and the perishables separately (or use a cooler) and let bell services know and they will store the perishables in a refrigerator for you. We do tip bell services at both resorts for the transfer.

Alternately you can rideshare to the next resort and if the room isn't ready store your bags at bell services to be delivered later. For us this eats up to much park time - but it works well for others.

 

[Buddy40]

Good article on split-stays
https://wdwprepschool.com/split-stay-at-disney-world/
Lots of good info on the boards. We did our first split-stay (Poly-WL) in 2017. Luggage transfer was easy-peasy. Allowed us to stay at 2 great resorts.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

The only cons for us during our split stays is packing because I fully unpack since I use a lot of toiletries. Lotion, body wash, shampoo, face wash, hair products, etc.

We are also midday breaks by the pool people and our rooms have never been ready by 1 pm and our luggage has never arrived prior to 4 pm. I don’t like dressing in pool locker rooms And our bags have never been there anyway. Even if we took our bags via Uber there’s still a chance we won’t have a room anyway. So with that I think we’re done with split stays.

 

[MMSM]

We have done split stays for the last 10 or so trips. We drive down from Georgia so arrive round 1 or 2 in the afternoon. We spend the first night or two in a value or moderate then move over to an Epcot resort. For us it's just a matter of money. The first time I did one it didn't make sense to spend deluxe prices for that first night since we would be getting there mid-day, then I moved it to two days and we tend to do AK and MK those first two days (arrival day and the next full day) since you can walk to Epcot and HS from the Epcot resorts we save those for the bulk of the trip (they are our favorite parks). We have never felt like we didn't have a room. We check in when we get there, park the car and go to the room if it's ready, drop our stuff off then head to the bus stop. We get on the first bus to arrive. Second day we do the first bus to arrive between MK and AK and then plan our day after that. Move day we get up when we get up (I'm an early riser even on vacation), have breakfast, check out and drive over to resort #2. Check in just to let them know we are there and off to a park. Sometimes we go back to the room when we get the text it's ready, sometimes we stay in the park. The only time we drive to a park is sometimes on move day if we haven't finished with AK we will drive there early in the morning and then head to resort #2.

I am renting dvc points and have three reservations for April 2020. My first reservation (resort #1) is poly for 2 nights, followed by (resort #2) poly for one night, followed by (resort #3) BWV for three nights. I have read numerous things about dining plans and split stays and need some help. I’d like to do the DP only for reservation #1. I’d like to check in poly and begin to use credits and have dinner and such. I’d like to not use my table service for day 2 and save it for day of check out. I heard I have until midnight to use it. Can I still book my table service and use credits even though I have checked into reservation 2. I would not have another DP so it wouldn’t mess up dining credits. I want to be able to use the table service for dinner that night. Is this possible?

 

[loves to dive]

I am renting dvc points and have three reservations for April 2020. My first reservation (resort #1) is poly for 2 nights, followed by (resort #2) poly for one night, followed by (resort #3) BWV for three nights. I have read numerous things about dining plans and split stays and need some help. I’d like to do the DP only for reservation #1. I’d like to check in poly and begin to use credits and have dinner and such. I’d like to not use my table service for day 2 and save it for day of check out. I heard I have until midnight to use it. Can I still book my table service and use credits even though I have checked into reservation 2. I would not have another DP so it wouldn’t mess up dining credits. I want to be able to use the table service for dinner that night. Is this possible?

I don't use the dining plan so can't help you with that.

 

[nycdisneygal]

We have been doing split stays since 2012. We love it. We always have bell services take our luggage. remember that it takes a few hours. But never had any issues....

 

[bryanb]

Can I still book my table service and use credits even though I have checked into reservation 2. I would not have another DP so it wouldn’t mess up dining credits. I want to be able to use the table service for dinner that night. Is this possible?

Yes! You have until midnight the day of checkout to use all your dining credits, even if you've checked into another resort. This is another benefit of split stays. If I do the dining plan, I'd rather not have it for more than three days in a row. A split stay means you can have the dining plan during your first reservation, no dining plan at your second resort, and also start off the second part of your vacation with a pre-paid table service meal. It gives you just a little more flexibility instead of having to eat table service every night.

Plus, your Rapid Refill resort mug is good for your entire visit if you get it with the DDP during your first reservation.

EDIT: however, for anyone else reading, if you do want to have the Disney Dining Plan at both parts of your split stay, there are some drawbacks. For example, you can't start using the second DDP until all of your credits from the first one have been used up or expired. And the credits from your first DDP won't carry over after midnight of your first checkout, so you actually lose some flexibility there than if it were all one resort reservation.

 

[MMSM]

I have also hear numerous things about magic bands. Some people say each reservation and that sometimes it doesn’t register new resort. Others say no worries and one band will do the trick. What should I do w magic bands with three reservations?