Splitting up the trip...Advice?

[ChloandEls]

Hello! This is my first time on this site and I'm hoping some knowledgable people will be able to help!

I am a big Disney Vlog watcher, but have not actually been myself yet! I am planning on going in May next year and have done a lot of researching to find the best deals!

The trip I am thinking of doing is this...

7 nights at Coronado Springs
4 Nights at Universal Endless Summer
3 Nights at Pop Century to end the trip!

This is coming up a lot cheaper than staying at Disney for 14 nights and just going to Universal on a few random days. Why do more people not do this? Am I missing something???

Also, If I buy my ticket for Disney (14 day pass) with my Coronado reservation, I can still use that for the full 14 days right? I wouldn't need to purchase a separate ticket for that?

Sorry for all the questions!

Thanks so much
Chloe x

 

[Her Dotness]

Actually, quite a lot of people do split stays. Yours isn't at all unusual.

I think whether or not a split appeals depends upon one's "stay likes." We prefer to unpack almost everything and settle into our Disney home, clothes in closet and drawers, kitchen gear stashed in cupboards or set on counters (DVC), etc.

We do a sort-of split stay, booking arrival night at one DVC resort and then moving to VGF, our primary home resort, for the remainder of our stay. We unpack only phone/tablet chargers and other essentials on arrival night--"camping out" in other words, waiting to settle. Since we drive to WDW, we spend arrival day lounging about or shopping a bit as we wait to get into our room, no park.

We'd purely hate your proposed split. Far too much moving out/moving in for us. We'd feel like we were "in transit" the whole time.

But, that's the beauty of travel habits--you choose what suits you. If you'll be fine with not having a room from late morning to late afternoon on a couple days, along with the necessary repacking, ain't nobody you must please but YOU.

I think the park tickets will work as you hope but am not sure. DH handles that end of things; I simply go and have fun, worrying about nothing but spending money.

Whatever you decide regarding the split stay, ENJOY.

 

[Anthony1971]

Personally I would not go back and forth between Disney and Universal if you plan days at universal. Universal first or second part of trip… what I however would spend more money on is one of the 3 universal resorts that offer front of the line included. Disney it is not really important to stay Deluxe as far as Theme parks are concerned the extra few hours for the offer twice a week really did not make much of a difference if any at all. Of course if you enjoy deluxe resorts Disney has a lot to offer as far as the resorts and grounds themselves. As far as transportation it is just hit and miss when you go to all parks if your interest was one park there can be a differenc.

 

[CeeCee101]

I will defer to others on this because we haven’t been in 13 years though we are headed down in November. We always do split stays and are doing one this time. We like doing an Epcot area resort and then a MK resort area. I would encourage you, especially if you are a Marriott Bonvoy member, to consider the Swan/Dolphin. They aren’t as Disney themed but they are in a great location, walkable to both Epcot and HS and priced much more like a moderate resort room yet with all the Deluxe benefits. We’re doing 4 nights there and 3 nights at the Contemporary. We could justify the CR by saving a lot at the Swan.
We’ve only been to Universal once, not for us, especially now as we’re older and less interested in thrill rides so am not a good person to ask on that.
disney will transfer your luggage between hotels. So that’s another thing to consider if you are doing 2 Disney hotels, maybe doing them back to back rather than U in the middle.
We like it, enjoy a different vibe On our trips by splitting stays.

 

[_19disnA]

There are lots of older threads on the topic of staying in multiple places. We prefer to unpack once and only repack at the end of out trip. You are also 'homeless' for some part of the day when relocating. Where people stay tends to be determined by: 1) their budget, 2) personal preferences regarding hotel theming and 3) which park(s) they plan to visit. There are also many other places in the area to stay if you are doing both Disney & Universal which tend to be less costly and offer various options.

 

[Best Aunt]

I agree with PPs.

I personally don't like split stays. I like to unpack and stay put until my trip is over. I don't like to pack stuff back up and unpack it again. I don't like the thought of having a large chunk of time where I can't go back to my room because I've switched hotels and the second room might not be ready yet.

If I were going to split between Disney and Universal, I would do one first and one second. I would not do Disney then Universal then back to Disney.

The advantage of staying at a Universal hotel is that at 3 of the hotels (RPR, PFB and HRH), the Express Pass is included in the cost of the hotel stay. This is not a perk when staying at the other Universal hotels.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

We LOVE split stays!

One reason to do them now is that you get a clean room upon arrival. Right now housekeeping is hit or miss.

A second reason we do them, and the main reason is that that we save a tone of money, while making best use of all the perks. Though when we stay at Universal, we tend to go for the deluxe resorts to get the Express Pass.

Another plus of split stays is that you get to try the various pools, and you don't get stuck eating in the same places every day. We tend to eat in the food courts for breakfast.

So to make it work best, we usually have a car. You can do pretty well using a car service, but with our own car we can leave luggage in the car. In practice, that often is just the dirty laundry.

At each stop, we do minimal unpacking. I try to find hotels that have lots of counter space, so we can just open up the suitcase. One goes on the luggage rack, one often goes on the hotel desk.

Toiletries we mostly keep in zip lock bags. One+ bag is things we use every day. But one bag is all items might only need- like Neosporin. So the might need bag mostly stays in the duffle bag.

We tend to organize where each person gets a carry-on size bag. then we have a duffle bag with underwear, bathing suits, and one end holds toiletries. The other holds phone cables, and stuff we might want during the flight. (that bag goes under the seat if we fly).

Moving rooms is usually pretty simple. The only thing that kinda is a pain is if it is hot. then you also need some sort of cooler bag and cold packs. We have a cooler bag that is a backpack. Otherwise you can leave stuff with bell services in most cases.

We go to the parks every day, so not having room between 11am-4pm is no big deal. We sometimes are able to request late check-out. We pack everything up, then just come back to room to get our stuff.

At Universal and WDW, even if your room is not ready, you can 'check in,' in the morning to access onsite perks. So you get early entry, and Express Pass. A one night stay at Portofino = 2 days of Express Pass.

We have not tried Endless Summer, but we really like the Universal hotels we have tried. Beyond the deluxes, we really like Sapphire Falls. (no EP there though). Bonus is the parking garage, so shaded parking. For offsite very close we like Residence Inn, with included breakfast.

Many people do split stays. Some don't like moving luggage. I can't speak to tickets questions, but check they are good for 14 days. If so then you should be okay.

We like Coronado. Our most recent stay was in the Gran Destino tower, and we loved it. It is really pretty. We had a car though so did not use bus. CSR is a big resort. If you are not in the tower, walking around can take a bit of time. The grounds are really pretty, but we prefer efficiency. We mostly stuck to the tower. I really like the pool there! My most recent stay at Pop was pre-covid. It is fine. I like AoA a little better. I think AoA has a better food court/slightly better theming, but again my most recent visit was 2019. If splitting our time between a mod and a value hotel: value hotel= more park time, mod = more hotel time. The mods have better pools, etc.

 

[lanejudy]

Also, If I buy my ticket for Disney (14 day pass) with my Coronado reservation, I can still use that for the full 14 days right? I wouldn't need to purchase a separate ticket for that?

I'm not sure where you are from, but in the US the longest ticket one can buy is a 10-day. If you are in the UK they do offer a 14-day pass.

US 10-day ticket is valid for 14 days from the designated start date. If bought as part of a package (resort+tickets) that is automatically your check-in date. Based on your proposed trip your ticket would expire before your final check-out date from POP, meaning you could not go to a park on that day. Which may or may not be ok for you. It could be extended by purchasing the Park-Hopper Plus, and if you already planned Park Hoppers the Plus is a relatively small extra cost and in addition to the extra activities it allows it extends the ticket valid window by 1 day.

If you have a UK 14-day pass, I'm not as sure of the rules but I think it should still remain valid for 14 days from first use. That again puts you at the day prior to POP check-out, with no parks on check-out day.

 

[RoseGold]

I agree I'd do Universal at either the start or end of the trip, and not flip back and forth. I'd do whatever lines up with a weekend, because the Universal line-cutting is better.

If you goal is the best deal, I'd pick Pop over Coronado because of the Skyliner. Or, I'd consider renting DVC points. This has risk and commitment and is not for everyone, but it will be the cheapest way to book something like Poly.

I'd also look at Swan/Dolphin. They swing wildly in price, especially far out, and they get the Disney "deluxe" late hours.

What you are "missing" is that Disney is very expensive for what you get, which is an OK hotel. I've never stayed there, but Universal can be much cheaper and considered equal or better. I would have no hesitation at all staying at Universal for more nights, even commuting to Disney or whatever.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

Hello! This is my first time on this site and I'm hoping some knowledgable people will be able to help!

I am a big Disney Vlog watcher, but have not actually been myself yet! I am planning on going in May next year and have done a lot of researching to find the best deals!

The trip I am thinking of doing is this...

7 nights at Coronado Springs
4 Nights at Universal Endless Summer
3 Nights at Pop Century to end the trip!

This is coming up a lot cheaper than staying at Disney for 14 nights and just going to Universal on a few random days. Why do more people not do this? Am I missing something???

Also, If I buy my ticket for Disney (14 day pass) with my Coronado reservation, I can still use that for the full 14 days right? I wouldn't need to purchase a separate ticket for that?

Sorry for all the questions!

Thanks so much
Chloe x

I think you have a great trip planned and I'm not so sure about your ticket question, I've not seen 14 day Disney tickets. I thought 10 days is the max so your tickets might be expired if you do UO in the middle of your trip, which I like Universal but I just wouldn't do that, I'd do it on the front end and end at Disney. Totally your call but it might ruin your park day plans given your tix may expire.

Also, if you do your split stay back to back at disney, you can then take advantage of Disney bell services moving your bags to your next resort and not you. Also, this is just our preference, I'd start at a value and end at a moderate resort. Granted POP has the Skyliner which is a big perk, however, the rooms at CSR are much nicer than at POP and imo, it's a downgrade in stay to end your trip at a value. Just our preference, POP is very nice but the room is smaller and the bathrooms are a bit larger at CSR, and if you are staying in the tower at CSR, it definitely feels more deluxe.

I'd double check your ticket plans and go from there.

 

[Lisa P.]

7 nights at Coronado Springs
4 Nights at Universal Endless Summer
3 Nights at Pop Century to end the trip!

Also, If I buy my ticket for Disney (14 day pass) with my Coronado reservation, I can still use that for the full 14 days right? I wouldn't need to purchase a separate ticket for that?

Welcome to disboards, Chloe! When we do a split stay, we prefer to move UP in luxury over the course of the vacation. Our first few days, we're usually just recovering from travel and transitioning from work mode to vacation mode. I also agree with other PP's about keeping Universal at one end of the trip and Disney at the other. Since Coronado Springs is so spread out with multiple bus stops, it takes a long time to ride to/from the parks. The Tower seems lovely though, more upscale at a "moderate" price, so if you're staying there, the slow bus rides may be worth it to you. My suggestion would be:

3-6 nights at Art of Animation (nicer theme than Pop, IMO) or Coronado Springs - this is the least deluxe room you'll have.
5-8 nights at the Swan or Dolphin resort - deluxe, wonderful resort amenities, walking/boating distance to Epcot & HS, reasonable prices.
3-4 nights at a deluxe Universal resort with wonderful theming & pools, walking/boating distance to both parks, and daily Express access to all attractions, including both check-in and check-out days.

I think if you stay at the resorts in the order you listed above, you'd feel a bit let down by ending your vacation at Pop Century. Also, the heat and humidity in May can be rough when standing in line so by the end of your trip, you'll really appreciate the Express pass at Universal, as well as likely want to spend some time relaxing at the deluxe pools. 3 days at Universal is plenty, especially with the Express pass from check-in to midnight after check-out, giving you time to enjoy the resort. HTH.

 

[Dis Dragon]

We do split stays a lot just because of the variation you get in the resorts. I have to say straight off, we've done triple splits before and we won't do them again, it's just too much moving around. The biggest part of moving resorts is you'll have to deal with your luggage, where Disney will move it for you between resorts if you stay on property. (if you really wanted to stay at CS and Pop)

As everyone else has stated, you should splurge more at universal and get a deluxe resort to get an express pass. You'll recover that money in savings over buying one straight out. It makes a huge difference.

I'm not sure why you want to bounce between Disney and Universal, my thought is you would be better served by ending at Disney and starting with Universal instead of doing bookends.

4 nights at Universal is our choice (3 if you don't plan VB), and you'll be happy with 10 at Disney. Also if you do the triple split you have a few extra days on tickets, I'm not sure if 10 day tickets at Disney would stretch that extra 4 days but they most likely would.

I can't first hand speak of the buses at Coronado but over the years I've read about a lot of frustration because of how big that resort is. I've stayed at both Riverside and OKW and those add like 10-15 minutes (after you wait on the bus) just to get out of the resort and CS is similar.