Switching resorts during a stay?

[jamstew]

I'm consideriing a solo "exploratory" trip in October in preparation for taking my children and grandchildren to WDW later on. I'd like to try out three different resorts (WL, AKL and POR) during my stay to (1) see what the resorts themselves would be like for small children and (2) checking out the transportation system. I'll be traveling without a car.

If anyone has switched resorts during a stay, how did you go about getting your luggage transferred between resorts? I travel light and could conceivably put my stuff in a locker while in the parks, but would prefer just to have it moved on to my next resort. Suggestions?

 

[JESW]

Disney will move you free of charge. Just pack up your stuff, tell them where you are going and then go off for the day. When you return to your "new" resort your baggage will be there and you will need to check in.

We split our stay many times and always enjoy it - almost like having two separate vacations. We did 3 resorts one time but only during 8 nights and that was a bit crazy! But since you are alone it shouldn't be so bad.

Jill

 

[squirrel]

Remember that you have to go to a park from one hotel to get to another hotel. Or pay for a taxi to take you from one hotel to another.

I did it one time-went from All Star to PO. Only because we got PO as part of the DCL pkg. I also had hoppers from the previous year that I wanted to use so we added some extra night at the begining of our trip.

 

[Beth E. (NJ)]

A solo exploratory trip to check out resorts for an upcoming family vacation? Wonder if I could get my family to accept that as a reason for me to go to WDW?

Have a great time checking out the resorts! I'm jealous.

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

We resort hopped a few times and Disney does make it pretty easy. Only one time were we dependent on Disney transportation, but the resort we were leaving took our bags and had them sent over to our new resort with no problem. When we checked in after our day of touring, our stuff was right there waiting for us.

I have to agree with Beth E.-I need to see if my family will go for that explanation for a solo trip!

Have a great time..I'm jealous too!

 

[Golden Rose]

I have resort-hopped once - I really wanted to stay at the Beach Club, but couldn't justify it for a week back then, so we did three nights at CS and three at the BC. We did have a car, but it was super super easy. Disney moved our luggage for us while we spent the day in the park. At the end of the day, we just went over to the other hotel.

My mom had to resort hop twice on our last "family vacation." My husband and I had booked a room for a week and my mom was originally going to meet us for just three days. At close to the last minute, she decided she wanted to be there the whole time, but there were no rooms at the BC left for part of the trip. So she did (I kid you not) one night at the Boardwalk, one night at the Yacht Club, and then five nights at the Beach Club. That's one way to check out the Epcot resorts... She was expecting the worst, but it turned out to be pretty painless. Except for the fact that my husband teased her about it for the whole trip

 

[jamstew]

I have resort-hopped once - I really wanted to stay at the Beach Club, but couldn't justify it for a week back then, so we did three nights at CS and three at the BC. We did have a car, but it was super super easy. Disney moved our luggage for us while we spent the day in the park. At the end of the day, we just went over to the other hotel.

My mom had to resort hop twice on our last "family vacation." My husband and I had booked a room for a week and my mom was originally going to meet us for just three days. At close to the last minute, she decided she wanted to be there the whole time, but there were no rooms at the BC left for part of the trip. So she did (I kid you not) one night at the Boardwalk, one night at the Yacht Club, and then five nights at the Beach Club. That's one way to check out the Epcot resorts... She was expecting the worst, but it turned out to be pretty painless. Except for the fact that my husband teased her about it for the whole trip

Your mom sounds like me! That actually sounds pretty fun, but I don't think I'd want to do more than three in a week It gets a little confusing to me trying to work it all out. Are the reservation folks very helpful? My dates are also fairly flexible. Would it help to tell them that? I'd like to be able to say that I want to arrive somewhere in a four or five day range, spend 7 nights, stay at two (or maybe three now that you've mentioned it) resorts during my stay, and let them tell me what's available. Is that possible?

 

[jamstew]

We resort hopped a few times and Disney does make it pretty easy. Only one time were we dependent on Disney transportation, but the resort we were leaving took our bags and had them sent over to our new resort with no problem. When we checked in after our day of touring, our stuff was right there waiting for us.

I have to agree with Beth E.-I need to see if my family will go for that explanation for a solo trip!

Have a great time..I'm jealous too!

They don't get an option 'cause I'm not paying until they're all potty trained and 40" tall, and I don't have a husband who has to approve it

 

[squirrel]

Can you adopt me? I'm over 40" high and I'm potty trained. I'm not picky where I stay. As you can tell by my signature I go for the lowest priced resort.

 

[Golden Rose]

Your mom sounds like me! That actually sounds pretty fun, but I don't think I'd want to do more than three in a week It gets a little confusing to me trying to work it all out. Are the reservation folks very helpful? My dates are also fairly flexible. Would it help to tell them that? I'd like to be able to say that I want to arrive somewhere in a four or five day range, spend 7 nights, stay at two (or maybe three now that you've mentioned it) resorts during my stay, and let them tell me what's available. Is that possible?

The reservation folks were very helpful, particularly considering that the original trip had been booked online. My husband and I had been fortunate enough to get the deal they offered a few years ago that was 7 nights for the price of 5, so we had decided to use the extra money we were saving to upgrade to Concierge Level. I tried and tried to talk my mom into it, but she kept insisting that she didn't want to do a week at Disney. By the time she was sure we was going to do any of it, the special pricing was gone AND the Concierge Level rooms were gone. So I booked her three nights at the Beach Club in a regular room. A couple of months later, she decided she would stay the whole time after all. We look online. No rooms available for the other four nights. She decides to go ahead and call Disney instead of having me try out various combinations online.

Apparently when she called, they gave her a couple of options. She could do (what she ended up doing) a night at the Yacht Club, a night at the Boardwalk, and five nights at the Beach Club if she wanted to stay in the Epcot Resort area. If she only wanted to stay at one hotel, she could move her entire reservation to several other deluxe hotels, or if she was willing to stay in two hotels, she could have done two nights at another (non-Epcot) deluxe and five nights at the Beach Club. She was not really happy with any of the options since she wanted to stay near us and not move!

Anyway, it turned out really well. When she got to the Beach Club on the third day, the castmember checking her in could see her hotel hopping history and the fact that her party (me and my husband) were on Concierge Level, so they immediately upgraded her and put her just down the hall from us.

So everyone turned out to be really great in what was definitely a slightly difficult situation.

We've got another trip planned with our now two year old son (I was pregnant during that last trip, which was part of why my mom decided she wanted to stay the whole time.) This time my mother left all the trip planning completely in my hands!

 

[jamstew]

OK, I think I'm about ready to put this plan into action and reserve 4 nights at Port Orleans and three nights at Wilderness Lodge. My next questions are: (1) Port Orleans Riverside or French Quarter? I know the kids and grandkids are going to prefer the Riverside area when we all go, but I thought French Quarter might be better for me on my solo trip. I LOVE New Orleans! (2) Good locations within that section? (3) Wilderness Lodge -- Can you see fireworks from a room with inner courtyard view if you're on the top floor and toward the end away from the elevators, or is there something better? (4) I realize WL is a BIG place, but is it comparable to how far you have to walk to get out of one of the big hotels in Vegas? I'm REALLY hoping not!

Thanks for all the help! I'm really hoping to get this booked within the next day or two.

 

[jenrein]

A solo exploratory trip to check out resorts for an upcoming family vacation? Wonder if I could get my family to accept that as a reason for me to go to WDW?

Have a great time checking out the resorts! I'm jealous.

I was wondering this too

 

[jenrein]

OK, I think I'm about ready to put this plan into action and reserve 4 nights at Port Orleans and three nights at Wilderness Lodge. My next questions are: (1) Port Orleans Riverside or French Quarter? I know the kids and grandkids are going to prefer the Riverside area when we all go, but I thought French Quarter might be better for me on my solo trip. I LOVE New Orleans! (2) Good locations within that section? (3) Wilderness Lodge -- Can you see fireworks from a room with inner courtyard view if you're on the top floor and toward the end away from the elevators, or is there something better? (4) I realize WL is a BIG place, but is it comparable to how far you have to walk to get out of one of the big hotels in Vegas? I'm REALLY hoping not!

Thanks for all the help! I'm really hoping to get this booked within the next day or two.

I stayed at French Quarter and Riverside. The FQ has an awesome pool for the kids with a sea serpent waterslide. The Riverside has a couple pools and I love the classicness of the rooms in Magnolia Bend. I personally liked both.