Why do you stay at more than 1 resort in a trip?

[eelvira]

Hi,

From what I read here a lot of you end up staying at 2 different resorts in a lot of your trips. Why is that?

Isn't it a hassle to have to pack/unpack in the middle of your vacation?

I can understand the part of been able to see 2 beautiful hotels as I've done that in trips by myself. BUT! when the whole family is with you, doesn't it get very complicated?

Inquiring minds want to know!

Thanks
Eric

POR in 10 days.....If counters were working....

 

[currycook]

Sometimes I could not get an AP discount for the entire stay at one resort but could get an AP discount by splitting the stay up.

Then we just like to split the stay up in two different places that we enjoy very much.

 

[tinkerbee]

I've done it because it's like getting a different vacation in one. It's not much of a hassle for us because most of the time it's just my fiancee and me.

 

[liznboys]

We're doing our first split stay in Feb. 6 nights at POFQ and 6 nights at AKL. It will be like having 2 vacations back to back! Anyway, we are doing it because we want to try out a deluxe resort, but don't want to pay deluxe prices for 12 nights. Since we will have almost a week at each resort, I don't think it will be a hassle to switch (we won't feel like we *JUST* unpacked and have to repack right away...). We are switching on a Saturday, and that day and the following Sunday are "non-park" days, so we'll have plenty of time to move.

 

[JESW]

For the first part of our trip we stay at a Magic Kingdom area resort and ONLY go to the MK and AK. When we move over to an EPCOT resort we ONLY go to EPCOT and MGM (and usually DTD and a water park). For us it is not a hassle and our kids are 5 & 10 and enjoy staying at two different places - it's like two separate vacations.

It's not for everyone tho...I only completely unpack when we get to our second resort. We used to stay 4 nights at each resort but now we stay 3 then 5 - works better for us as EPCOT is our favorite park and we spend more time there.

Jill

 

[kirbsam]

Hey JESW--In October we are doing the exact same thing. Spending four nights at CR and then four nights at YC. I planned on doing MK, AK, and Hoop de doo during CR stay. Epcot, MGM, fantasia miniature golf, and whatever else. I have never stayed at two different resorts before, and just decided to after reading all the reports on this board. My family and I are really looking forward to it, and I think(hope), the packing will be a minor inconvenience to the awesomeness and convenience of being able to take advantage of the two different areas we will be staying in.

 

[oogieboogie]

Because DH gets antsy if he stays at one resort for too long. Besides how else would we complete our goal of staying at every disney resort at least once? If we just stay at one resort for the entire trip, that would take many, many, many trips to complete!

 

[yecats]

Many people stay for different reasons. I also have the goal of staying in as many of the different resorts as I can afford. However, staying in different resorts can also be for economical reasons as well. Plenty stay the first night in a different (value, moderate or offsite hotel) resort as you may be arriving later at night after a long day of driving and wouldn't want to do too many things after that. Additionally, for those of us that can't afford 10 nights at a deluxe, we can budget for 6 or 7 days at a value or moderate (thereby saving some money and hitting the parks commando those days) and then staying deluxe the last 3 or 4 and relaxing a bit.

Usually its me and/or another adult along on the trip. I've gotten really good at packing for 4 to 5 days only (do at least one load there) and repacking is done so quickly (you've already picked your clothes out and theres only 4 days worth anyway) so it doesn't take long to repack, review the room and checkout. Disney will then move your luggage for you so you get to go to a park and checkin later on. No sweat. However, I could understand why someone who has 2 or more children wouldn't want to split a stay.

 

[eelvira]

Thanks for all the interesting responses.

What really frustrates me is WHY didn't I find this board sooner??!!!! I'm a Florida resident for a decade now. I always stayed outside of the resorts because I would look at the rack rates and say forget about it...

With codes I could have been doing this for years...

At least now this is a whole new world. I think I should join in the crowd of trying to visit as many resorts as I can.

THANKS for all your help and information.

Eric

 

[Bill From PA]

Because I couldn't get all our days at either Swan or Dolphin at the Teacher's Rate. I'm still working on changing those two days at AllStar to S/D.

Bill From PA

 

[spiceycat]

sorry you have been missing the Florida resident discount all these years.
(which is generally better than the codes for everyone else)

This last trip I stayed off-site at the Sheraton Vistana Resort for a week, and Celebration World Resort for a week - with 1 night stays (so just pack a bag for one night) at PC, OKW, VWL - for my WDW visits.

I got a 2-bedroom at Sheraton and a 1-bedroom at Celebration - just my on-site nights were in a hotel room or a studio - big difference.

 

[sherry8253]

We are switching because we could not get a discounted rate at any resort but CBR for the entire time and we wanted a deluxe. So, we are splitting between the Dolphin and AKL. I keep calling every few days to see if we can get all of the nights at one resort but no luck so far. Switching resorts is not making me smile but it is better than paying rack rate at AKL 4 nights.

 

[SnowWitch]

I do it because we are in the dvc and we don't get to see old favs much anymore. So we either start or end each vacation at the Poly, WL, or AKL because we miss them.

 

[Leota]

We're switching this trip because I couldn't NOT stay at the Dolphin, but I wanted to try AKL too. I enjoy split stays because of the variety. Also, it allows me to stay at an old favorite, while trying something new....
My DS is 16, so he can pack & unpack himself....

 

[JESW]

Kirbsam - great plan! I find that when we do it that way it cuts down on the bus trips - not that they are BAD, but you can walk back to the CR from the MK, and the same with the YC from EPCOT.

How old are your DD's? My kids (5 & 10) really like the arcade at the CR. (I know...go all the way to Disney and spend all that $$$ and the kids want to go to an arcade! We found it was a nice break..

To get to the HDDR from the CR you take the boat - that thing can really book across the water!

Have fun!

Jill

 

[Stiff]

we want to stay at a deluxe this next trip....but cant afford the deluxe the entire week (or dont want to afford it)....so we plan to do POP for 3 nights, then WL for 4 nights

 

[disneymom2one]

Hi,

From what I read here a lot of you end up staying at 2 different resorts in a lot of your trips. Why is that?

Isn't it a hassle to have to pack/unpack in the middle of your vacation?

I can understand the part of been able to see 2 beautiful hotels as I've done that in trips by myself. BUT! when the whole family is with you, doesn't it get very complicated?

Inquiring minds want to know!

Thanks
Eric

POR in 10 days.....If counters were working....

For our next (ten night) trip we're staying at four hotels and each makes sense. We want to see ICE the first night (we saw the one in Nashville in '03) so we'll use Choice Hotel points that night and stay for free. We're DVC members so we'll spend the next four nights at BCV. But then it's weekend points so it's off to AKL for three nights, followed by SSR (again on points) for two nights. You just have to be organized. We also drive so we have our van to put everything in and we check into the "new" hotel at 7:00 a.m. each time and then catch a bus to a park (usually for early entry). By the time we're done with the park our room is usually ready. It's actually pretty easy.

----MB

 

[zippehsmom]

Well we usually try to split our stays because I like staying at a MK resort & a Epcot resort. It is so nice to be able to get to a park without driving or taking the bus.

We usually only upack what we need, and once we have worn the clothes we pack all dirty clothes in a separate suitcase. For my DD's I usually put their clothes in ziplock bags, complete with underwear, socks and all (another wonderful tip I learned from the DIS).

This time we'll be Wilderness Lodge, Beach Club Villas, and we were going to Universal (but hotel prices are ridiculous), but now we are staying at AKL. The new MYW tickets made it cheaper for us to get even more park days, so we will just stay at Disney the whole time.

zippehsmom

 

[LadyTrampScamp&Angel]

I've done it before with a family of 4, two young kids and it wasn't a huge hassle. That being said I don't know if I'll do it again as you do lose some time the day you switch and I guess I want to get all I can out of vacation. We already switch to a Universal Hotel during our stays now so don't want to do it 3 times! I did it so that DS could experience the Toy Story section at ASMo's but the adults preferred CBR (and the larger rooms) - so then moved over there.

 

[cdntourguide]

I am staying 10 nights at POP and 5 at AKL: I wanted 15 nights all in one spot: the Coronda SR. Unfortunately I could not get into CSR, nor could I get 15 nights in any one modeerate resort. I wanted a moderate (because of the price) but could only get a max of 6 days in any one resort. I finally told the CM on the phone that get me the most nights at one resort: the only one for 15days was POP but that I would have to switch rooms twice. That did not sit well with me so I finally decided that if I had to switch I was going to upgrade to deluxe and that is what I ended up with.
Now after reading all the posts, I am glad that I end my vacation at AKL.