Talk me into keeping my split stay

[bentopher]

So I'm second guessing my vacation plans...

I have 4 nights booked at POP and 3 nights booked at CBR.
The first reservation has our 8 day hoppers and dining plan.
The last 3 days I will have to buy food OOP.
Vacationers: Mom, 2 boys (6 and 5).

I chose this route because I couldn't afford to stay at CBR for 7 nights. And my boys enjoy the down time/resort time. And I know the pool there is zero entry.. plus water slides, and a splash pad type area.

However now that I'm number crunching if I stay at POP for 7 nights (which would include a full dining plan), I'll save myself $275 and then anywhere from $200-$300+ on food the last 3 days. So that's like say, $500 I'd be saving.

So now I don't know what I want to do.
Help me ponder things (either way) that I might not have.
I need help to make my decision!

Thanks!!

 

[figmentswife]

What are your days? Have you been before? Have you stayed at either resort before.

Without these answered I say stay at Pop. We have stayed there twice and have a split stay booked in June. My reasons for the split stay are.... June is a busy month and Pop will be busy and second because employee rates came available for the swan for 5 nights. Bigger hotel and a deluxe AND it will save us money.

 

[bentopher]

I had been many times in my younger years.
Just went in May (back for the first time in 15 years).

The boys and I stayed at All Star Sports then.

I stayed at CBR when I was 14 years old. I don't remember it at all (20 years ago). Otherwise we have never stayed at POP or CBR.

We are going May 15-22nd.

 

[AliceIn]

So I'm second guessing my vacation plans...

I have 4 nights booked at POP and 3 nights booked at CBR.
The first reservation has our 8 day hoppers and dining plan.
The last 3 days I will have to buy food OOP.
Vacationers: Mom, 2 boys (6 and 5).

I chose this route because I couldn't afford to stay at CBR for 7 nights. And my boys enjoy the down time/resort time. And I know the pool there is zero entry.. plus water slides, and a splash pad type area.

However now that I'm number crunching if I stay at POP for 7 nights (which would include a full dining plan), I'll save myself $275 and then anywhere from $200-$300+ on food the last 3 days. So that's like say, $500 I'd be saving.

So now I don't know what I want to do.
Help me ponder things (either way) that I might not have.
I need help to make my decision!

Thanks!!

If it were me, I'd stay at one resort, especially with younger kids. You don't have to do all that running around trying to pack up and then get settled in the new resort. I think your kids will love it at Disney, no matter what resort you stay in. POP looks really fun! My family stayed at the AoA last year, and we had a really great time, even without a slide at the pool. The money savings would just put the icing on the cake for me. Free food for those days, plus no check-in/check-out stress for you.

 

[Anniefrances]

Hi, I have 2 boys, ages 7 and 9. Last summer we did something similar--split stay beginning with ASMo for 3 days and CBR for 4 days. My kids loved ASMo and were disappointed on moving day. Of course they loved CBR once we were there, but had they not seen it, they would have been really, really happy at ASMo. If it were me, I would choose POP for the entire stay and use some of the savings for extra snacks or other treats. BTW, for values, I think POP is pretty fantastic (we love the food court and gift shop and all the exterior theming) and don't think you will get bored on your down time there.

 

[AlohaAnnie]

By staying at Pop and saving money could you add water park option?

That might be an option!

 

[robinb]

It's just you and the boys? I would just stay at Pop the whole time and save money. You know what a value resort is already like since you stayed at the All Stars so it won't be a surprise. IMO you are buying the better pool in your split stay upgrade and I don't think a pool slide that your kids may or may not use is worth $500 for 3 days. Plus, you save yourself the hassle of packing after only a few days and moving to another resort.

 

[figmentswife]

I haven't checked the crowd calendar but your dates don't sound like a super crowded time to me (I could be wrong) so I say stay at Pop. It is the only property we have stayed at so I can't speak for others but we loved it in October 2011 so we booked again for April 2012. I didn't love it so much in April because it was soooo crowded, as much as I would like to stay at another resort, I can't think of a reason to pay more money, unless my oldest can ever go, then I would have to.

Change it all to Pop and enjoy your savings.

 

[figmentswife]

Oh and as for the slides..... Just don't mention it again and take them to the hippy dippy pool, they won't notice that there is no slide.

My DD has never missed having a slide. As I tell her, we are not at Disney to swim, we have a pool at home.

 

[bentopher]

Hi, I have 2 boys, ages 7 and 9. Last summer we did something similar--split stay beginning with ASMo for 3 days and CBR for 4 days. My kids loved ASMo and were disappointed on moving day. Of course they loved CBR once we were there, but had they not seen it, they would have been really, really happy at ASMo. If it were me, I would choose POP for the entire stay and use some of the savings for extra snacks or other treats. BTW, for values, I think POP is pretty fantastic (we love the food court and gift shop and all the exterior theming) and don't think you will get bored on your down time there.

I'm curious, once you were at CBR, how much more did you love it? Did you wish you had spent your whole vacation there instead of split staying? Did you find it a hassle to pack up and switch places (even though they can move your luggage for you)? What was there anything you didn't like about CBR that you wished you had stayed at the movies instead of switching?

 

[bentopher]

By staying at Pop and saving money could you add water park option?

That might be an option!

I honestly haven't even looked at what that would cost.
But I don't think I'd spend a whole day at a waterpark.
It's hard enough being alone in the parks with them. Nevermind a waterpark all day where only 1 of the 2 can actually swim.

 

[CaliforniaDreaming]

I would stay put at one resort as well. Years ago we used to do the whole split stay thing, and it ended up being a waste of time moving. I would only do it if the circumstances meant saving a considerable amount of money, which isn't the case for you. I think with the age of your boys they will really enjoy Pop, it is a kid's paradise.

 

[bentopher]

It's just you and the boys? I would just stay at Pop the whole time and save money. You know what a value resort is already like since you stayed at the All Stars so it won't be a surprise. IMO you are buying the better pool in your split stay upgrade and I don't think a pool slide that your kids may or may not use is worth $500 for 3 days. Plus, you save yourself the hassle of packing after only a few days and moving to another resort.

Yes, it's just the 3 of us. Very valid points.

I just know on our last trip they wanted more time to play, and we didn't have the time (we were only there 4 days). And the times we were in the pool, they couldn't reach the bottom very well to actually play and frolic. They mainly sat on the stairs of the pool. And I know they want to do more than that. I know how much they love pools in the summer time.

Does anyone know how deep the pools are at POP? Same as the rest of the All Stars?

 

[bentopher]

Oh and as for the slides..... Just don't mention it again and take them to the hippy dippy pool, they won't notice that there is no slide.

My DD has never missed having a slide. As I tell her, we are not at Disney to swim, we have a pool at home.

Is the hippy dippy pool different from the other pools at that resort?

We don't have a pool at home.. LOL so the boys are looking forward to a vacation of swimming and a vacation of Disney. Heck, if they could find a day to go to the beach they would include that too.

 

[figmentswife]

Is the hippy dippy pool different from the other pools at that resort?

We don't have a pool at home.. LOL so the boys are looking forward to a vacation of swimming and a vacation of Disney. Heck, if they could find a day to go to the beach they would include that too.

The hippy dippy pool is the main pool where they have games and such. Go check out the pop thread in the resorts threads.

 

[redrosesix]

Yes, it's just the 3 of us. Very valid points.

I just know on our last trip they wanted more time to play, and we didn't have the time (we were only there 4 days). And the times we were in the pool, they couldn't reach the bottom very well to actually play and frolic. They mainly sat on the stairs of the pool. And I know they want to do more than that. I know how much they love pools in the summer time.

Does anyone know how deep the pools are at POP? Same as the rest of the All Stars?

Yes - the same, but Pop has a zero entry pool too. I second the idea of the water park pass -- added to your tickets it would be a lot less than the cost of the upgrade to CBR. And Typhoon Lagoon is really just around the corner from you

If you want down time and fun in the water that's a great place to go -- plenty of places for you to lounge and read a book while your kids play (safely) in the kids areas.

We don't usually do a split stay unless we're in one of the resorts for at least a week -- usually both. That doesn't include staying somewhere else on property for the first night. So although moving at wdw is pretty painless, it's still work and you're "homeless" for a day.

 

[mickey2minnie1]

With having such young kids and being one adult, I would do one resort. The kids will love it.

 

[bethclayton]

having stayed at both when my kids were littler, i would definitely stay at pop. cbr is just not a $500 upgrade, especially for only part of the trip. we liked both resorts, i just don't think it's a huge upgrade. and as far as the pool goes, honestly, i was pretty stressed about cbr's pool (they were 4 & 6). i was really scared they would have a problem at the end of the slide and there were places that you had to walk really close to the deep end to get around the pool and i was afraid they'd fall in. 1.5 years later, we stayed at pop and i was not stressed at their pool at all. save your money. you won't be disappointed. and ps, i think this is the first time ever, that i have told someone to spend less money at disney, lol.

 

[Anniefrances]

In hindsight I think we would have been much better off staying put at ASMo. Packing was a hassle (we always bring lots of snacks and drinks since we drive) and it really broke up some of the relaxed vibe for me. Also, once we were at CBR, as much as the boys loved the pool, we didn't end up using it as much as I thought we would (it was still a hassle to go back for afternoon breaks from the parks and the boys didn't want to give up mornings at the parks in order to swim). Finally, we paid for preferred rooms at both resorts and I felt like we still had quite a hike at CBR to get to the food court. It definitely was a longer walk than we had at ASMo. And then once there I was underwhelmed by the food choices--I didn't notice a whole lot of better options compared to the value resorts. In hindsight I have learned that we are a family of extremes--either we will go values (for longer trips) or deluxe (for proximity for shorter trips)--but for us the mods just aren't worth the price increase over the values.