Suggestions re: changing resorts during vacation???

[oybolshoi]

Next month my DH and I will be headed back home for the first time in two years. Due to uncontrolled addonitis, we now own at SSR as well as BCV.

This will be the first time that we split our stay between two resorts and I'm struggling with the logistics of it.

We will be at SSR Wednesday - Saturday and then move over to the Beach Club Villas on Saturday for a week. We want to check in early on Saturday so that we can begin using the dining plan but I don't want to get in the way of guests who are trying to check out. Do you think 10AM is too early to check in? I don't expect our "home" to be ready that early but I'd at least like to get all the paperwork out of the way. And what is the best way to get from SSR to BCV with all of our luggage?

How do you guys usually handle this?

I appreciate any advice or suggestions you may have. Thanks!

Brenda

 

[jakenjess]

We've changed resorts a few times and it's been no problem. For our February trip we'll be getting in late on Saturday and didn't want to waste our points so we'll be staying at Pop the first night, then moving over to Boardwalk. Our plan is to go check in at Boardwalk first thing in the morning (hopefully no later than 9:00) so we can check our luggage with bell services and get our cards for the dining plan and hit the parks. I know our room won't be ready, but that's fine. We've never had any problem checking in early. We always have a rental car and take our luggage with us, but I know that Disney will move your luggage for you. I'm sure someone who has done it will be along with more details on that.

 

[disneydenisel]

We are doing this in November, splitting between BCV and VWL. I called BCV and was assured that bell services could transfer our luggage and any perishables from the refrigerator. However, I was also told once that they would only transfer our luggage.

I think that you can check in any time and they will hold your luggage for you. 10am does not seem too early.

 

[Sammie]

I don't know about food items being transfered and even if they did I would be very leary of perishables, nothing like getting sick on vacation.

Luggage, you can call SSR Bell Services and have them come to your room and take your luggage. Be sure to count your pieces and note what you send with them, so you can make sure you get it all back at BCV. Since check out is at 11am, I think the 10am is good, hopefully they won't be too busy and you won't wait long. Be sure there is nothing in the luggage you need, as you will not get it until 3pm or later.

Then to get to BCV to check in, you will need to take a bus to a park and transfer. I would suggest MGM and then walk over or take the boat. That way you will not have to actually go in the park.

After you get your room at BCV and after 3pm you can call their bell services and ask for your luggage to be brought to your room.

 

[slp87]

We switched from BCV to BWV and did not have a rental car. We bagged up our perishables into 2 sacks and they kept them very nice and cold for us. We called bell services about 20 minutes before we were ready to leave and told them we were moving to BWV. We planned our move on a water park day so we weren't so rushed to get out the door. We got over to BW about 10:00, checked in and caught the bus to TL from there. Our room wasn't ready till about 4:30, but our luggage & groceries were brought up right away. I wasn't sure that I wanted to pack up and move in the middle of our trip, but it was really very painless, especially since we did some pretrip planning that helped out. I packed all of our clothes, swimsuits and other necessities needed for the beginning of the trip, in a couple of suitcases. The clothes for the rest of the week I packed in a suitcase that we stuck under the sink and never opened. I brought along a lightweight dirty clothes bag, since we were moving from a studio to a 1 BR, and we put everything in it after wear. When we got ready to move, I put all of the non perishable groceries in the empty suitcases and we just had to pack up a few toiletries and other items. We tried not to buy any souvenirs till after the move. Once we got to BWV, the dirties were ready to be washed. It was so easy, we will definitely split our stays in the future!!

 

[SpoonfulofSugar]

We moved from SSR to BCV on our last trip. Bell Services will transfer the luggage, and we even had a shopping bag with some paper goods and non-perishables (like cereal and pop tarts). They tag everything and give you the stubs to keep track of them. We checked in at BCV at 9:30 am and received our KTTW, and then they gave us the number to call to get the room number when ready (it was ready around 2:30 pm). Another easy was to change hotels, especially from SSR is to walk to DTD and get the bus direct to the resort. HTH Have a great trip.

 

[oybolshoi]

Thanks everyone for your input - sounds like I was trying to make things more difficult than they needed to be!

 

[jdvm]

All I know is that with four daughters, I'd rather chop my arm off than change rooms...much less change resorts!!
John

 

[DVCLiz]

All I know is that with four daughters, I'd rather chop my arm off than change rooms...much less change resorts!!
John

We changed resorts during our August stay, and there were five of us - me and four girls (DD17, two of her friends, and DD12). It was very simple - I told the girls to be packed and ready to move by 10:30am on our "moving day", and we called Bell Services to move the luggage to our car. We drove to our new resort and checked in, then stored our luggage and went to a park for the day. When we returned, we called from the lobby, got our new room number, then called for our luggage. It was really very easy. I suppose the girls were motivated because two of them were our guests, and the other two were mine and I could boss them around!! Also, they knew we were moving in order to get an extra weekend (we were out of DVC points and switched from the VWL to the Poly for two extra nighta) of vacation, so they were really very pleasant and helpful!!!

I like to change resorts - it makes it feel like two vacations!!!

 

[jdvm]

Hey, DVCLiz,
Can we swap kids? Our girls' luggage explodes the moment they walk in the door and it's a 3 hour ordeal when we pack. Sounds like you're a better disciplinarian!!
John

 

[keishashadow]

If anything, a split stay helps us stay organized.

Knowing that you've got to pack up & move seems to help us reduce the overall amount of stuff we pack in the 1st place; certainly is an incentive to keep things in order.

If we don't need the park tix/dp; we stuff our gear in rental car & check in early afternoon, when the line seems to be short.

It's become 2nd nature, family always asks: how many times are we moving this trip.
Have a great trip.

 

[Mahusky]

On moving day ... I get up early and head over to BWV (Home Resort). I typically get there at 6:45 - 7 AM. No lines and a quick process. When I return from checking in family is up and getting ready.... I call bell services for a lugage transfer.. wait in room for bell services to arrive while family goes and eats and them OFF WE GO to the parks by 8 AM.

This works well for our family!

 

[CRSNDSNY]

Heck, I'd check in earlier than 10am if I could! I don't think you'd be getting in anyone's way.

When we've switched resorts like this, all we do is put our luggage in our villa and call down to bell services. Let them know you're checking out and would like your luggage transferred to a different resort. Then leave.

They'll come pick your luggage up from your villa on their schedule run and you can get it at BCV later on in the day.

We've even done this from regular resort to DVC resort. No problems.

And I'd check in as early as possible so that you have more of a choice in your room location. You may have to wait to get into your room if you're picky, but at least you will increase your chance of getting what you want.

 

[DVCLiz]

Hey, DVCLiz,
Can we swap kids? Our girls' luggage explodes the moment they walk in the door and it's a 3 hour ordeal when we pack. Sounds like you're a better disciplinarian!!
John

I'll have to admit - I was kind of a whip cracker this time!!!! Although older DD is our family packer - she gets so irritated with my method that she says, "Mom, just let me do it!" Gee, OK!!!!!

It is amazing how girls can trash a hotel room with their luggage and stuff. But on this trip we were driving, so I limited each girl to one duffel, and they got together beforehand and decided who would bring the hair dryer, who would bring the straightener, etc. And as I said, they knew that we were moving in order to stay longer, so they would have been really ungrateful brats to complain about getting two more free nights in the Poly!!!!!

It can be a pain to pack up but we love to switch resorts so we factor it in.

 

[solgent]

On moving day ... I get up early and head over to BWV (Home Resort). I typically get there at 6:45 - 7 AM. No lines and a quick process. When I return from checking in family is up and getting ready.... I call bell services for a lugage transfer.. wait in room for bell services to arrive while family goes and eats and them OFF WE GO to the parks by 8 AM.

This works well for our family!

Wow, so you check into the new resort before you've checked out of the old one. I would never have thought of that. Thanks for the tip. We will be splitting our next stay.

 

[oybolshoi]

I never would have thought of that, either; but it's a great idea!

Thanks again everyone - you've been very helpful!!

Wow, so you check into the new resort before you've checked out of the old one. I would never have thought of that. Thanks for the tip. We will be splitting our next stay.

 

[ellenmiele]

We had our first split stay this past spring with 2 nights at AKL followed by 5 nights at GF. We drive down so extra pieces of luggage really aren't a problem (DH might disagree ). I packed one smaller bag just for the nights at AKL and then we all had separate bags for the GF stay (kids each have their own small duffle). But we needed our toiletries bag, DH's bag, and some souvenier purchases moved to GF and GS took care of it with no problem. When we left AKL, the AKL bag just stayed in the car.

 

[keishashadow]

Heck, I'd check in earlier than 10am if I could! I don't think you'd be getting in anyone's way.

When we've switched resorts like this, all we do is put our luggage in our villa and call down to bell services. Let them know you're checking out and would like your luggage transferred to a different resort. Then leave.

They'll come pick your luggage up from your villa on their schedule run and you can get it at BCV later on in the day.

We've even done this from regular resort to DVC resort. No problems.

And I'd check in as early as possible so that you have more of a choice in your room location. You may have to wait to get into your room if you're picky, but at least you will increase your chance of getting what you want.

as one who has luggage go missing on airlines...don't you get a luggage check from the bellman?

 

[CRSNDSNY]

as one who has luggage go missing on airlines...don't you get a luggage check from the bellman?

Can you clarify what you mean by luggage check?