To Split Stay or Not to Split Stay...that is the question

[parlay]

Our next trip is a combination Cruise/Park. We have a 7 day cruise on the Fantasy - we usually do split stays on our trips to WDW because we love our home resort AKV but like to try the other resorts. But this time we were planning on 8 days after the cruise at VWL. BUT I've been reading about how much smaller the shared space (living room) is in the VWL 2 Bedrooms compared to Kidani and of course there is that 3rd bathroom. We will be a group of 6, my family and my daughter's friend. My son will be on the pull-out, the 3 girls have the second bedroom, and dh and I have the master. I'm thinking about splitting our stay between VWL and Kidani - maybe 3/5 respectively - because I don't know if I will LOVE VWL. DH wants to do 6 Kidani, followed by 2 VWL. I'm afraid that DS will feel crowded in the living room. We've stayed at OKW, SSR, BCV, BLT so I'm familiar with their sizes. I thought SSR and BCV "living room" were a bit small - but then again when we stayed it was with family and there were 8 of us.
Any suggestions or things I haven't considered? Opinions please

 

[Deb & Bill]

Our next trip is a combination Cruise/Park. We have a 7 day cruise on the Fantasy - we usually do split stays on our trips to WDW because we love our home resort AKV but like to try the other resorts. But this time we were planning on 8 days after the cruise at VWL. BUT I've been reading about how much smaller the shared space (living room) is in the VWL 2 Bedrooms compared to Kidani and of course there is that 3rd bathroom. We will be a group of 6, my family and my daughter's friend. My son will be on the pull-out, the 3 girls have the second bedroom, and dh and I have the master. I'm thinking about splitting our stay between VWL and Kidani - maybe 3/5 respectively - because I don't know if I will LOVE VWL. DH wants to do 6 Kidani, followed by 2 VWL. I'm afraid that DS will feel crowded in the living room. We've stayed at OKW, SSR, BCV, BLT so I'm familiar with their sizes. I thought SSR and BCV "living room" were a bit small - but then again when we stayed it was with family and there were 8 of us.
Any suggestions or things I haven't considered? Opinions please

VWL dedicated two bedroom is large. The second bedroom of the one we had was huge. The door to the second bedroom is in the living room.

 

[Disney Princess]

Many people love the split stay, but I'm not one of them. If I can avoid it, I'd rather stay at one resort for my whole trip. After spending a week on the cruise, your 2 BR will feel LARGE!

Seriously though, if the girls are in the studio, your son can share your master bath with you, and it works out. I think you'll have plenty of space personally.

If you do decide to split, I would stay at VWL before AKL so that you are going from smaller to bigger. It sets up VWL to be a failure if you stay at the more spacious, extra bathroom resort first.

Enjoy your trip - it sounds wonderful!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Many people love the split stay, but I'm not one of them. If I can avoid it, I'd rather stay at one resort for my whole trip. After spending a week on the cruise, your 2 BR will feel LARGE! ...

And I would agree with this. We unpack and settle in until we leave. In an emergency, we might stay one night somewhere else, but we don't bring all our stuff into the villa. Just what we need for the night.

 

[parlay]

Many people love the split stay, but I'm not one of them. If I can avoid it, I'd rather stay at one resort for my whole trip. After spending a week on the cruise, your 2 BR will feel LARGE!

Seriously though, if the girls are in the studio, your son can share your master bath with you, and it works out. I think you'll have plenty of space personally.

If you do decide to split, I would stay at VWL before AKL so that you are going from smaller to bigger. It sets up VWL to be a failure if you stay at the more spacious, extra bathroom resort first.

Enjoy your trip - it sounds wonderful!

Thank you, I hadn't considered the smaller to bigger - Great point! VWL will seem really large after the cruise. Forgot to mention that we are trying to stay at VGF or Vero for 2 days before the cruise - the cabin will seem small but we won't care because we are on the ship!

 

[hakepb]

Due to late booking, we just had a 6/2/2 split stay trip, and DW said never again to any leg of a split stay being less than 3 nights, otherwise you seem to be perpetually unpacking or packing and bever get to fully relax in the resort.