Your split stay tips

[artemis908]

November will be our first split stay 1 night at AKL 4 nights at CSR, and 2 nights at GF. Does anyone have any tips they can share after experiencing split stays first hand?

When my husband and I traveled last year we went to Los Angeles >Tokyo > Kyoto > San Francisco, so I think I know how to pack like a pro for our stay, but still figuring things out like ideal time to go to the next resort since we want to spend the day at the parks and eat dinner there.

 

[LeslieLou]

We love split stays!! They feel like separate vacations

Our plans and preparations change based on the day. Magic kingdom all day extravaganzas are great for moving day because you don't need/want a room. Or, take your swim suit with you and plan to relax by the pool for the afternoon while your room is prepared.

We separate clothes or have an overnight bag if we have a one night stay. Bell services will store your things and move them according to your needs, but the transfer can take awhile.

It's perfect that you're staying at the most luxurious place last, it will feel better that way, I think.

Any more details on your stay/family/concerns?

 

[artemis908]

Thanks! There are only two of us (my mother cancelled her trip, was suppose to be a family trip ). We are planning to be "light" on the parks when at AKL and GF. One thing I am trying to figure out is park tickets. The Disney Travel Co. agent said to add tickets to my package at Coronado Springs since it'll be cheaper. Wondering if the tickets just automatically go to my magic band and if I can make FP+ reservations for those extra days. Thinking that when we get to GF we will take some time to enjoy the hotel and then head to DHS for their EMHs.

 

[DisneyFirstTimer10]

Make sure you completely check out of the resort (go down to the lobby to check out) before checking into the next- or you may have a problem with your bands opening your door at the new resort.

I'm curious why the tickets would be cheaper to get added on to your package at CSR- is there a stay and play promotion offered?
Your tickets will be linked to your band.

 

[artemis908]

We have a free dining offer but that's it. I guess because the more days you buy, the more of a discount you get...?

 

[AshleeH]

Our split stay was so bad, I will never do it again. However, I learned two valuable lessons:

1) Plan on losing half a day. This may not happen, but it's best to plan for it. We were told to go on to the parks, our luggage would go to WL and we could check in later in the day. Wrong! We walked to MK, couldn't get in, wasted a half an hour or more at Guest Services (nothing they could do), hopped on a boat to WL, checked in, went to the room, but by then it was nearly 11:00 (peak time - we don't go at peak time) and my in-laws were arriving within two hours. We hung out in the hotel to wait, but it was disappointing to lose a morning in the parks.

2) Go from what you think will be your least favorite hotel to the better hotel. We went from Contemporary to Wilderness Lodge. I don't love Contemporary, but I love the access to MK, so it's a favorite for that reason. Now, for us, we could only get the beginning of the week at CR, so we had to do a split stay. But if I was actually planning for a split stay, I would have reversed it. Some love WL - I'm not one of them. Only because it looks nearly identical to the area I live, so I didn't feel like I was on vacation. I'm glad we were only there for the second half of the week and not the whole stay. But it was nice to see a new hotel.

 

[MKay]

We are splitting our next trip and did not think about having to transfer our luggage to the second resort. Do they not do this for you?

 

[dansdad]

We are splitting our next trip and did not think about having to transfer our luggage to the second resort. Do they not do this for you?

Yup. It won't get to resort #2 until about 3 or 4 in the afternoon. But we are at the park all day on moving day anyway so it doesn't bother us. This is what we do.

Call Bell Services at resort #1, ask them to come pick up our luggage and deliver it to resort #2. They will even keep any perishables refrigerated if need be.
Check out of resort #1. This is VERY important to do or your Magic Bands could have issues later.
Take WDW Transportation to a park for the day.
Around 4 or 5 take WDW transportation to resort #2 and check in.
Once in our room call Bell Services and ask them to bring up our luggage while we get ready for dinner.

Easy Peasy and we lose zero park time.

 

[chicita713]

Yup. It won't get to resort #2 until about 3 or 4 in the afternoon. But we are at the park all day on moving day anyway so it doesn't bother us. This is what we do.

Call Bell Services at resort #1, ask them to come pick up our luggage and deliver it to resort #2. They will even keep any perishables refrigerated if need be.
Check out of resort #1. This is VERY important to do or your Magic Bands could have issues later.
Take WDW Transportation to a park for the day.
Around 4 or 5 take WDW transportation to resort #2 and check in.
Once in our room call Bell Services and ask them to bring up our luggage while we get ready for dinner.

Easy Peasy and we lose zero park time.

When you check out of resort #1 is there a lull in your magic band while you are in between checking out and checking in?Are they still useful to get into parks, charging etc

 

[dansdad]

When you check out of resort #1 is there a lull in your magic band while you are in between checking out and checking in?Are they still useful to get into parks, charging etc

As long as we were checked out of resort #1, we've never had an issue using our Magic Bands for anything.

 

[loves to dive]

I'm getting ready to go on my 4th split stay in late Sept/early Oct. I enjoy them because I get to experience multiple resorts and since I tend to stay in the deluxe resorts I can save money by staying in a mod or value that first night/half day. I drive down from Georgia so my experience is a bit different.

I usually get there between 1 and 3, check into resort #1. That is usually for 1 or 2 nights so I just pack an overnight bag for that and leave the rest of my luggage in my car. I have a hanging toiletry bag that I just switch from bag to bag. If my room is ready I go ahead and take my bag to the room, if not, I just leave it in the car and go to the parks. I'm usually there until at least 6 or after so my room will be ready after that. When I do online check in I always put early arrival as an option. I'm not a late sleeper so I'm usually up around 6, even on vacation. Move #2 I get up when I get up, pack my bag back in my car and head over to resort #2. I go ahead and check in, knowing my room isn't ready but I get them to check my MB and letting them know you are already there tends to get you a room quicker. I drop my bags off at bell services and head somewhere for breakfast, then off to whatever park I'm going to that day. I don't think I've ever checked out of hotel #1 but I always tell them at check in I want automatic check out so there is always a bill waiting under my door. Checking into hotel #2 is important, I never by pass the front desk, even with on line check in. I'm bad to forget my pin on my MB and have to reset it and I like to have them check it that way there are no problems.

If not driving, use packing cubes or those huge ziploc bags and roll all the air out. Pack each resorts clothes in a bag so all you have to do is just switch out bags and don't have to pack and unpack. I can't tell you how easy it is with the hanging toiletry bag, we keep one packed at all times at home so it's just grab and go. I never unpack it at the resort, grab what I'm using and put it right back in when I'm done. No issue with leaving anything behind and it easy to move from bag to bag.

 

[TeamSy]

We did our first split stay last year (Boardwalk and GF) and we loved it so much that we're doing it again (YC & AKL). It was so smooth and wonderful that we think we will do it every time from here on out! Here's what we did and it worked out perfectly....

We woke like we would any other day planning to go to the park. We packed up the night before, checked out, handed our things to bell services and told them where to take them. That was it. An extra 5 minutes of our morning.

We went to the park as planned, stayed until close, then headed to hotel #2. We checked in, obviously our room was waiting for us as it was so late. Bell services arrived just when we did with our bags. We unpacked and went to sleep.

It was so easy and didn't take anything out of our already planned days! We loved it!

 

[Masonmj84]

I agree with the PPs about checking your bags with bell services and then just going to a park on a transfer day. We have never lost park time or felt "homeless" using this strategy.

Another suggestion I would make is to plan your park days (and ADRs) such that you are always close to whatever park you are visiting. This is one of the main advantages of split stays (minimizes your reliance on buses).

For example, we often start out at a MK resort (usually Poly), focus on MK during that part of the vacation, then switch to an EP resort (usually BC) and then focus on EP and HS during that part of the vacation. We usually go to EP on the transfer day (just hop on the EP monorail from the TTC, spend the day in EP, then walk from the International Gateway to one of the EP resorts).

Another idea is a 3 way split where you stay at a MK resort when focusing on MK (and MK area restaurants), an EP resort when focusing on EP/HS (and restaurants in that area), and AKL when focusing on AK and waterparks (and AK/AKL restaurants).

 

[mom2grace]

What do you think about this plan? It seems to vary from the above.

1 night Pop, we arrive late into MCO. Set #1 of MB, for room only. Rent car, drive to Pop, just have overnight things, sleep.

Drive to AKL, check in, Set #2 of MB, for room & tickets. Go to MK. Come back around dinner time and move into room. Act like this is really Day 1.

Our last night we are moving from Kidani to Jambo, due to room availability. Pack and leave 1 bag for new room. Tickets are still on MB #2.
Load car, check in at Jambo with 1 bag. Go to park, come back to Jambo when we are finished and go to room with MB#3.

MB #1 & #3 are room only bands.

Thoughts?

 

[Maxie86]

What do you think about this plan? It seems to vary from the above.

1 night Pop, we arrive late into MCO. Set #1 of MB, for room only. Rent car, drive to Pop, just have overnight things, sleep.

Drive to AKL, check in, Set #2 of MB, for room & tickets. Go to MK. Come back around dinner time and move into room. Act like this is really Day 1.

Our last night we are moving from Kidani to Jambo, due to room availability. Pack and leave 1 bag for new room. Tickets are still on MB #2.
Load car, check in at Jambo with 1 bag. Go to park, come back to Jambo when we are finished and go to room with MB#3.

MB #1 & #3 are room only bands.

Thoughts?

Magic Bands are interchangeable. There is no information stored on the bands, they just access your MDE account. You can wear whatever band you want...all bands will work at each resort. I take 3 or 4 each trip to match my outfits.

 

[Maxie86]

November will be our first split stay 1 night at AKL 4 nights at CSR, and 2 nights at GF. Does anyone have any tips they can share after experiencing split stays first hand?

When my husband and I traveled last year we went to Los Angeles >Tokyo > Kyoto > San Francisco, so I think I know how to pack like a pro for our stay, but still figuring things out like ideal time to go to the next resort since we want to spend the day at the parks and eat dinner there.

We often stay at a mod or DTD hotel if we are getting in late. I only unpack toiletries and such the first night. We have breakfast and go to our 2nd resort, check in then go to a park until our room is ready. Many times it is ready when we arrive. We almost always have a rental car, but the one time we didn't we just took a cab so we would have our luggage and not have to wait for it to be delivered.

 

[TeamSy]

What do you think about this plan? It seems to vary from the above.

1 night Pop, we arrive late into MCO. Set #1 of MB, for room only. Rent car, drive to Pop, just have overnight things, sleep.

Drive to AKL, check in, Set #2 of MB, for room & tickets. Go to MK. Come back around dinner time and move into room. Act like this is really Day 1.

Our last night we are moving from Kidani to Jambo, due to room availability. Pack and leave 1 bag for new room. Tickets are still on MB #2.
Load car, check in at Jambo with 1 bag. Go to park, come back to Jambo when we are finished and go to room with MB#3.

MB #1 & #3 are room only bands.

Thoughts?

Nothing is "on" the magic band. Essentially you can use the same magic band for the entire time. All your reservations are linked through MDE.

Personally, I would avoid getting a rental car period and just use Disney transportation. However, if getting a rental is important to you, I would skip #1. If you're arriving that late I would personally just stay at the hotel in the airport (or one of the nearby hotels that offers airport shuttle) and avoid getting the car for the extra day. Then wake up, rent the car, and head to Disney and start your vacation. There's no point to being "in Disney" already if you're going to have your own car anyway. And it sounds like that first night is just a place to sleep.

 

[redc]

Our split stay was so bad, I will never do it again. However, I learned two valuable lessons:

1) Plan on losing half a day. This may not happen, but it's best to plan for it. We were told to go on to the parks, our luggage would go to WL and we could check in later in the day. Wrong! We walked to MK, couldn't get in, wasted a half an hour or more at Guest Services (nothing they could do), hopped on a boat to WL, checked in, went to the room, but by then it was nearly 11:00 (peak time - we don't go at peak time) and my in-laws were arriving within two hours. We hung out in the hotel to wait, but it was disappointing to lose a morning in the parks.

2) Go from what you think will be your least favorite hotel to the better hotel. We went from Contemporary to Wilderness Lodge. I don't love Contemporary, but I love the access to MK, so it's a favorite for that reason. Now, for us, we could only get the beginning of the week at CR, so we had to do a split stay. But if I was actually planning for a split stay, I would have reversed it. Some love WL - I'm not one of them. Only because it looks nearly identical to the area I live, so I didn't feel like I was on vacation. I'm glad we were only there for the second half of the week and not the whole stay. But it was nice to see a new hotel.

I absolutely agree with the advice in #2.
I made a huge mistake of doing a split stay WL--> CSR.
After an hour at CSR my family was ready to mutiny and go back to WL.
Going from a super gorgeous, high-class hotel with wonderful restaurants and amenities to a nicely themed motel was a big mistake.
(Tried to save some money and got burned.)
NEVER AGAIN!

 

[johnvree]

We always split our stay. We do it a bit different though. On our transfer day, we use that as our day to sleep in, grab breakfast, and then transfer to the new resort. Then we check in and hang out at the new resort, and then hit a park at night. So, next May, we are staying at the BC for five days. Then we are transferring to the Poly. On the transfer day, we'll check in at the Poly, swim, eat lunch, and then go to MK in the evening for about 4 hours.

 

[artemis908]

We don't have tickets for our first night at AKL, but for the second part of our trip. I would prefer to not going to CSR before heading to the parks so we can enjoy AKL in the morning before we check out and then head out to the parks. Will there be any issues with dining and tickets? I wonder if AKL can check that for us to make sure we can get into the parks...