The ABCs of Spliting Resort Stays???

[pennyplanner]

Am thinking of staying at AKL for my first night and then switching to WL for the rest of my stay. I was originally just planning on WL BUT since the rates change while I am there and I will need 2 reservations anyway, I was thinking of spliting my stay just for fun.

Is it worth the hassle?

Calling all you WDW lovers who split your stays. What do I need to know?

I will be up early to head out to the parks that Sunday. I am a little concerned that when I get to WL for around 3 p.m. or so, will my bags be there? It is a busy time at WDW.

I am traveling solo this time and it will be the weekend after Thanksgiving.

Thanks,
penny

 

[TLinden16]

If you really want to try both resorts, then go ahead and do it. If you are travelling solo, it shouldn't be too much of a hassle. Your bags should make it to the WL by 3:00 or 4:00.

Karen

 

[4forDis]

Penny, I am so glad that you posted this. I just logged on to post a similar question. I have always wanted to stay at GF, and my husband gave me the green light. I just called and for our dates, they only have four out of our eight nights available. We want to do the split if it doesn't cost us a lot of time with moving bags etc. We need advice too.

 

[pennyplanner]

Anybody have some tips?

--penny

 

[NCombs]

There's another thread on the first page discussing this topic with some good replies.

I say go for it. We did it last year b/w POR and BC. It's nice to get to see more of DW in one trip. We don't go every year and so it gives us a chance to expand our horizons related to Disney.

I just emailed our DU agent 5 minutes ago to tell her we want to split our 2006 trip between Contemporary and Polynesian. Who know if we will go back again so why not experience both.

 

[vacationwoman]

We just recently split our stay with 3 nights at POR and then moved to the Contemporary for 3 nights. We only did this because I had a conference at the Contemporary and my company paid for the stay there otherwise I would have stayed all 6 at POR.
I'm always reading about people who splits their stays with 2 or 3 hotels and wondered if it would be a hassle. But it never really appealed to me.

We called bell services about 9am at POR and they came within 10 min. and took our luggage. We then went directly to the Contemporary and registered. We were given our room keys but of course it wasn't ready yet and we went to MK.
Returned to Contemporary about 3pm and our room was ready (free upgrade to the tower from a wing, nice surprise) Went upstairs called bell luggage and they came up with our luggage in minutes.
Everything went very smoothly with the luggage and room.
That being said I wouldn't do again. When we unpack I like to put everything in it's place for our stay. Unpacking at POR and packing again and unpacking at Contemporary and packing again when we left for home just wasn't worth the hassle to me.

 

[Desnik]

We have split our stays in the past and love it! We will be doing it again this year. We drive so we have our own car so we transfer our luggage ourselves. We usually spend the night we arrive at a value or mod, then transfer to DVC or deluxe. What I always do is pack a small bag with the stuff we all need for the one night. That way when we go to the first place all I have to carry in is our toiletry bag and a small bag with pj's and outfits for the next day. This works really well for us. The last trip we were at POR 1 night, BWV 5 nights, and WL 2 nights. Before we left BWV I did laundry and used the same small bag to pack for the 2 nights at WL. So we only had a small bag and toiletry bag. We really only had to unpack once. This may not work for all but it really does for us!

We like to split stays to get to stay at a different resort. Also the first night we arrive late and want to do that night cheap. At the end of our vacation we like to take a few days to just relax, and enjoy the resort and no parks. We make the switch with ease even with our kids ages 7 and 2.

 

[robinb]

Here are my ABC's of Splitting Resort Stays:

Always stay at least 4 days in each resort.
Bring your swimsuits in a seperate bag.
Check-in at the new resort in the morning.
Depend on the luggage fairies to move your stuff.
Expect to be "homeless" for the day you move.
Fast check-out with a credit card.
Go to the parks after checking into your new resort.
Home away from home resorts have a later check-in time.
Ice your cooler before you leave.
Joke and chat with the CM to get a better room.
Kill 'em with kindness, they might have a room in the AM.
Luggage fairies rock.
Move to the higher level of reort: Value to Moderate, Moderate to Deluxe.
Never move from a Deluxe to a Value. {{shudder}}
Only move once, three resorts are too many.
Pack your luggage the night before.
Quietly and politely ask for another room if you are not satified.
Rest at the pool if your room isn't ready.
Swim there too!
Take all valuables with you, store them in the hotel safe if need be.
Understand that your room may not be ready until after 4pm.
Verify your requests with the CM when you check-in.
Waterparks make a good moving day destination.
Xerox your passes and keep the copies with you.
Yes, you'll have to tip the valets who pick up your bags and the ones that deliver them at the next resort.
Zoo? AKL? Natazu. Cool Resort.

 

[ToyStory]

We split out stay last time. From POR to Contemporary (we too also got upgrade from wing room to Tower Room facing MK). I am planning splitting our stay for our 2006 vacation.

We just packed up our rent a car and went to Tyhoon Lagoon for the day and then checked in at the Contemporary around 3:30 and our room was ready. When I packed our suit cases I packed suitcases for each resort so I only had to repack toliteries. No big deal.

In 2006 plan on staying at a moderate or Animal Kingdom and then move to a monrail resort, most likely the Poly.

It is a great way to experience Disney since we don't go every year or even every other year.

 

[4forDis]

Thanks for all the good tips. We went ahead and booked 4 nights at GF and 4 at BC. I am feeling good about the decision and excited to stay at both resorts. A friend of mine told me that she packed half of her stuff in one suitcase and half for the other 4 days in another that way she was only dealing with one suitcase at the first resort. I am going to try that.

 

[pennyplanner]

Robin B.,

Way cool alphabet!

Thank you for clever and creative suggestions. Your kind of post is what makes the Boards so successful!

Thanks again,
penny

 

[All Aboard]

I think I have a dissenting opinion...

We've resort hopped a couple of times. My one caution is that we've been guilty of "wishing away" the first part of the trip. For example, we spit a stay between Dixie Landings and Animal Kingdom Lodge. I spent the first days looking forward to our first stay at AKL that they flew right by.

To the opposite, we recently spent the first 3 nights at a resort we had never stayed in and then hopped to another deluxe that we had stayed at several times. The "looking forward" didn't really happen. The "special" part of the trip was at the beginning. And, our stay at the second resort was great as well. But, I never found myself wishing away.

So, I would consider staying at the resort you look most forward to first. I know that sounds odd, and few may agree with me.

 

[ptrbryant]

I'm glad to hear this! Nearly everyone here says if you do a split stay, make sure the "better" resort is last. Well, because of the way travel dates worked out and only wanting to rent DVC points on weekdays, we're going to spend 4 nts. at Saratoga Springs this May, followed by 3 nts. at POR (Mansions). We've only stayed at WL before, so I'm kind of looking forward to trying out TWO Disney resorts I've never stayed at before. I also just found out that Saratoga Springs has exterior hallways, the main thing that used to put me off the idea of MODs...so I think the "transition" should be less striking!

Karla B.

 

[Ilovestitch]

So do you have to let bell services know the night before that you are moving resorts? Do you tell them at check in? Can you just take your luggage down to bell services the day you leave and tell them?