Why are Split Stays so complicated?

[brochad1611]

We will be going to Disney in September for Free Dining. We have a 6 night reservation at the CBR. (My favorite hotel that I can afford). Well, we have come upon a little extra vacation money and wanted to upgrade to a cheaper deluxe ( value rooms at AKL or WL) for 3 nights or a Savanah room at AKL for 2 nights. (That would come to 300 extra dollars for Disney, the exact amount of extra money we have.) Well, Disney won't allow you to switch hotels on the same vacation package. If we stay 2 nights, we lose free dining those nights. Even if we stay 3 nights, we would have to buy 1 day tickets that we wouldn't need which would cost nearly 150 dollars. I am not complaining about my package, free dining is excellent!!! I just don't understand why they wouldn't take my money if I wanted a better hotel, especially with all the free upgrades that some folks are getting.

Please...give me your thoughts?

 

[mcgypsy]

On a positive note, you can save the tickets and use them later. The expiration ticker doesn't start until you use them. You could also trade them in to upgrade for AP's and get the $ for the 1 day tickets credited to your AP's.

 

[msmayor]

They're more than happy to give it to you. But if you want the free dining piece as well (even the pay-for-dining), you have to make it a package, plain and simple.

Because each 'stay' is an individual reservation, they have to be individual packages. Only you can decide if the extra cost is worth it.

Me? Personally? I'd never do a split stay. Every minute spent re-packing, moving and re-checking in is wasted time and in Disney, time is money.

 

[Bibbidi]

I had the same thoughts on our recent trip. We did a split stay at CR/BC and since two of us already had tickets and we'd have to buy extra tickets twice it made no sense. Also, having just experienced splitting our vacation, I won't be doing that again. We actually split three times. One night at POR (added last minute due to change in travel plans), then 3 nights CR and 4 nights BC. POR to CR was a total breeze, our CR room was ready at 8:30 am! However, when we switched over to BC on a Tuesday morning, our room wasn't ready until after 4 pm and I had a migraine all that day. Not a happy day. We are the type who live out of suitcases anyway, but just not having a room for an entire day when we weren't planning to be at the parks was a pain. Just my 2 cents.

 

[brochad1611]

Thanks for responding. I am very satisfied with my package, and have no complaints. I just found it wierd that they wouldn't take more of my money if I offered. Oh well....we love the CBR

 

[jmtf2004]

Have you considered adding a room only ressie at AKL rather than purchasing another package? You could add extra days to your tickets you get with your package if needed. You could keep your free dining package (or possibly reduce the number of days...not sure if this would mean you lose the free dining though). For your first day of room only you would still have access to your dining credits from your package (until midnight of the check out day from the first resort). After several days on the DDP, it should be easy to live off counter service for a while
I will say we have had less than ideal experiences switching resorts as well - but many people do it and have good experiences. My advice would be if you do end up switching is to avoid using Bell Services to move your luggage. It can take Bell Services quite a long time to deliver your things to the new resort and in the mean time you have no idea where they are. We have waited as long as 12 hours for our things to arrive via Bell Services. People will tell you that moving via Bell Services is free - however you still tip the CM's - and we tipped at both ends (not that this actually resulted in good service, mind you...), but in reality it's not completely free.
If you take a taxi you can bring your things to the new resort yourself - if your room is not ready when you get there, they can hold your things at Bell Services *and* you will have access to your bags if needed while you are waiting for your room.

 

[Tink3Belle]

I agree with you it doesn't make sense.

I would do a split stay if I did n't have so much to pack with 3 small kids and retransport and wait for 3:00 to roll around again. I would enjoy CBR and go to AKL next time. Besides it may not be done in time anyway.

 

[marivaid]

It's the dining plan that makes split stays complicated. I'm not sure why they won't let guests keep the plan if they've already paid for a package and aren't getting a room-only discount at the 2nd resort but that's the way it works... If you really want to upgrade for a few nights the easiest thing is to drop the plan.

 

[Sammie]

It has to be split because each resort is it is own enity.

I know that it seems they are all Disney, but to make it easier to understand, it is much like going somewhere else and staying with Marriot for part of the trip with a package and staying with Hilton for the rest with a package.

Just because both resorts are Disney, they are not tied together with billing.