Tips for staying at 2 Resorts during 1 vacation

[weluvthecastle]

We are looking at possibly spliting our next vacation between 2 different resorts. We have been to Disney many times but we have never done this before. We are looking for any times to make for a smooth transition. And suggestions? Thank you!

 

[pl4bby]

Giving luggage to bell hop and have them move it to the new resort makes it easier

 

[Masonmj84]

We just did a split at Poly and BC and loved it.

As PP mentioned, we used bell services to move the bags. Specifically, when we were ready to leave Poly, we called bell services from our room. They arrived in less than 10 minutes.

Then, we simply hopped on the Monorail and spent the day at Epcot.

When we arrived at BC in the late afternoon, we simply to told the CM at check-in that we'd come over from Poly and had used bell services to move some bags. He then called bell services and told them to bring our bags to our room. About 15 minutes later, they arrived.

The whole thing was incredibly smooth and I'm now totally hooked on split stays.

One final piece of advice, if you use bell services to move your bags and think you'd like to swim during the afternoon on your transfer day, make sure to bring your swim wear with you. Bell services may not get the bags to the 2nd resort until around 5 pm.

 

[softballmom3]

Not meaning to hijack but I have a question about this too and it seems silly to start an additional thread.

We are doing a split stay-first time and since we are driving down would there be any reason to use bell services? I thought that maybe we could transport our luggage and if room isn't ready leave our things either in our vehicle or would it be better to leave w bell services? We will be going to a water park that day...

 

[scdak]

We are looking at possibly spliting our next vacation between 2 different resorts. We have been to Disney many times but we have never done this before. We are looking for any times to make for a smooth transition. And suggestions? Thank you!

Alot of people have suggested to pack for each portion of the stay in a suitcase(s) and it worked well for us. We knew which suitcases were for the first resort, put the dirty things in there every day and never opened the other suitcases. Moving day was a breeze, the ones filled with dirty clothes never were opened in the second resort, just the ones packed for that resort. We kept toiletries seperate so that bag was unpacked at both resorts. And as we kept swimwear/pool items with the toiletries to use at the new resort since our room wasnt ready when we checked in, but having our suits let us relax and enjoy the pool until it was ready.

 

[*NikkiBell*]

This is something I tried over the summer. You can find pics and my experience here:


http://www.disunplugged.com/2012/07/17/resort-hopping-101-the-art-of-carpetbagging-around-the-world/

 

[eeyoresmom]

Not meaning to hijack but I have a question about this too and it seems silly to start an additional thread.

We are doing a split stay-first time and since we are driving down would there be any reason to use bell services? I thought that maybe we could transport our luggage and if room isn't ready leave our things either in our vehicle or would it be better to leave w bell services? We will be going to a water park that day...

No reason at all to leave it with bell services, with the exception of refrigerated items. I would have bell services store these. Bring it to the second resort yourself.That way you don't have to wait for it to be delivered or tip bell services twice. Also, far less chance of something getting lost.

 

[Sammie]

Not meaning to hijack but I have a question about this too and it seems silly to start an additional thread.

We are doing a split stay-first time and since we are driving down would there be any reason to use bell services? I thought that maybe we could transport our luggage and if room isn't ready leave our things either in our vehicle or would it be better to leave w bell services? We will be going to a water park that day...

I would definitely do that, as on one of our split stays Disney lost on of our bags over night. Major hassle.

To the OP: if you have Disney move your bags, make sure they tag each bag and you keep the receipt tags, we even made a photo of our bags, before they picked them up. They lost one of our bags once and we were glad we had the tag and photo as they tried to argue it was not missing.

 

[disneynanacat]

I've done several split stays and have used bell services without any problems however it's kind of an pain not having your bags. The last couple times I just got up early, took a taxi (with bags) to the new resort. I checked in and left the bags with bell services because the room is never ready, then head out for my day. I'm an early riser though...

Oh, and I don't really like being "homeless" until the new room is ready because we like our afternoon breaks.

 

[Sue M]

We have done split stays for some of our longer trips of 10+ days so we had time to feel settled in at both resorts. I prefer to take a cab with my luggage to new resort, first thing in the morning and do early check in. Sometimes our room has been ready, sometimes not. Then I just leave luggage with Bell Service.

But we also enjoy hunkering down in just one resort too

 

[elaw]

... I prefer to take a cab with my luggage to new resort, first thing in the morning and do early check in. Sometimes our room has been ready, sometimes not. Then I just leave luggage with Bell Service.

We've found taking a cab with our luggage to the next resort to be the more "stress free" method. That way we know that our luggage will be waiting for us when our room is ready. Sometimes our room is ready fairly early and when we get that text, we head over to the new resort from the park and get settled in way before the official checkin time.

 

[klwdisney]

We are also trying our first split stay on our next trip in May. We are arriving on a Sunday at POR and spending the afternoon at DD. Then Monday - Friday we'll have park days. Saturday morning we're checking out of POR and heading to the POLY for 2 days of relaxation! We fly home at 7:40 pm on Sunday so we plan on lounging by the pool and on the beach recuperating from all the walking!

I was told when making the reservation that POR would transport us over to the POLY. Is this not true? I see people talk a lot about using a cab and I can't imagine why they'd pay for a cab if the hotel offered transportation for free?

 

[goofy4tink]

I have done this mulitple times. I have never been driven to the next resort by Disney though. There was one two week stay that I moved four times!!! Every time, I handed my bags off to Bell Services and they moved my bags. Then, I went to a park for a few hours, and then took a bus to the next resort and got checked in.

I'm not sure who told the poster that Disney would move them...it isn't a common occurrence at all. Just isn't. And that's why we talk about cabs.
The issue with switching resorts is a luggage one. Yes, they will tell you that your bags will arrive at the next resort by mid-afternoon, maybe earlier. BUT...I have yet to have my bags, in my next resort, any earlier than 5:30pm!!! And that can make life miserable!!!!

From now on, I'll be taking a cab from one resort to the next. It will be worth my while to have my bags with me. If my room isn't ready yet, I can still have access to the bags!!!

 

[elaw]

... From now on, I'll be taking a cab from one resort to the next. It will be worth my while to have my bags with me. If my room isn't ready yet, I can still have access to the bags!!!

Exactly