September Stay opinions

[Srobin159]

i have a wonderful co worker giving me a good deal on pts and we’re looking at a September trip and I was wondering how kindani village savannah rooms and the Polynesian compare. I was wondering if it be worth doing a split stay stay 4 nights lake view at poly and 4 nights savannah view at Kidani. We’re coming from CA and most likely be only trip for a long time. We’re hoping to do standard view poly but 2 days during the week we were planning are now gone

 

[zavandor]

I would reccomend the split stay, it's exactly what I'm going to do. I usually do a three resort split stay: 4 nights in a MK resort, 4 nights in a Crescent lake resort and 4 nights at either AKV or SSR. This way I can plan park days so that I can minimize travel time and it's like three vacations in one.
However I do travel solo, so packing and unpacking is not a big deal. For a family it would be much less convenient.

 

[bobbiwoz]

i have a wonderful co worker giving me a good deal on pts and we’re looking at a September trip and I was wondering how kindani village savannah rooms and the Polynesian compare. I was wondering if it be worth doing a split stay stay 4 nights lake view at poly and 4 nights savannah view at Kidani. We’re coming from CA and most likely be only trip for a long time. We’re hoping to do standard view poly but 2 days during the week we were planning are now gone

Sounds like a fun trip!

 

[drusba]

If you are seeing Poly as missing two nights in a week now in Sep, that indicates you are looking at late Sep for when you plan to go. That is the beginning of DVC's very high demand period that lasts until early Jan. Thus, if you intend to reserve any part of that time, particularly for Poly and including lake view, be advised you may need do it quickly because more days could soon disappear. Moreover, if your co-worker does not own at both of those resorts, he will be limited to reserving at 7 months out, by which time even Poly lake view could be gone for the nights you want and even Kidani has some risk of a night or possibly two disappearing. In other words, you may need a back-up plan.

As to splitting the stay as you propose:

1. The studios at Poly are huge (close to 450 sq ft) in comparison to Kidani (near 360). Thus, if you start at Poly and move to Kidani, you could have a depressing room-size shock, so you may want to do Kidani first (unless you are intending a 1BR at Kidani, which are over 800 sq ft, have a full kitchen w/d, and two bathrooms, and thus the room size and amenities shock could be the opposite, indicating Poly first).

2. You mention Poly lake view. Be aware that those are on two floors at a building with the ground floor view not being as good as the second floor view (some have phrased ground floor as a real disappointment as lake view), and though your co-worker can put in a request for second floor, there is no guarantee you will get it.

3. Both are excellent resorts but very different. Poly is in the midst of the "action" around MK and gives you easy access to Epcot, MK and the other MK resorts (and thus numerous restaurants) via monorail, the ability to watch fireworks from your resort, take in the Polynesian luau, and it has a huge lobby and very good and large stores. Kidani is themed as an African savanna where you get to watch animals, which theme includes creating the sense that you are actually on an African savanna far removed from the rest of the world, has one very good table-service restaurant, a fairly small lobby, and very small store, and only bus service to all the resorts. You also have access to Jambo and its large store, large lobby, and three restaurants, including Boma one of the best buffet restaurants on site, but the distance between the buildings, front door to front door is about a half mile, potentially making the walk long, although a bus runs throughout the day and evening between the two buildings. The pools at both are good with Kidani having an excellent water-play area for kids.

4. Some like split stays, some do not (I am in the latter). The hassle of switching is not overwhelming (the possible overwhelming part is that you need to be with those who can pack quickly -- and I have never had that good fortune with any in my group) as Disney moves your stuff from one resort to the other, but you may not be able to get into the room at the second resort before 4 p.m., so you should likely plan to be at a park for the day when making the switch.

 

[quandrea]

I prefer Kidani. Stayed at Poly once and was underwhelmed. The bathrooms were damp and had that sour, stale water smell that drives me nuts. I couldn’t use the stand up shower for that reason. More expensive than Kidani.

Kidani on the other hand, I’ve stayed at dozens of times. Clean, gorgeous rooms. Community Hall is a wonderful place to hang out for both kids and adults. Fabulous bus service. Sanaa is one of the best restaurants on property. The cultural program is unlike anything you’ll find anywhere else.

 

[Shellyred8]

I think that sounds like a fabulous split!!

 

[Marionnette]

i have a wonderful co worker giving me a good deal on pts and we’re looking at a September trip and I was wondering how kindani village savannah rooms and the Polynesian compare. I was wondering if it be worth doing a split stay stay 4 nights lake view at poly and 4 nights savannah view at Kidani. We’re coming from CA and most likely be only trip for a long time. We’re hoping to do standard view poly but 2 days during the week we were planning are now gone

What is your co-worker's home resort? Right now, September can only be booked at a member's home resort. It will be close to a month before members can book a late-September stay at a non-home resort. Some of that availability may dry up between now and then.

Unless they own at both PVB and AKV, my gut says book the home resort for the whole stay and maybe switch up a few nights when the 7-month booking window opens for non-home resorts.

 

[Henwen88]

Not sure about this year, but last year they started the MNSSHP in August (yes, blazing hot August). It was really nice to watch the party fireworks from the beach at Poly (but I'm a fireworks gal). I think a split stay would be nice, but I agree with PP in stating you should go from smaller room to larger room, not vice-versa.

 

[kniquy]

i have a wonderful co worker giving me a good deal on pts and we’re looking at a September trip and I was wondering how kindani village savannah rooms and the Polynesian compare. I was wondering if it be worth doing a split stay stay 4 nights lake view at poly and 4 nights savannah view at Kidani. We’re coming from CA and most likely be only trip for a long time. We’re hoping to do standard view poly but 2 days during the week we were planning are now gone

Both resorts are wonderful. And AK has some of the best dining options.

I have to tell you. We did a split - 3 nights Poly and 4 nights AK -- We were so sad to leave the poly -- there is just something about that resort that is just a bit more magical than AK. AK is our home resort, but felt that the grounds of Poly were more conducive to being able to stroll around. At Kidani - you can go out and see the Savannah but can't really stroll around. At the poly you have the entire resort to walk around and you can see the castle. We did like the pool area of Kidani better than Poly, it just is more inviting and feels a bit more tropical.

So saying all this - if it were me and this was my one and only trip - I would stay at the poly for the whole trip. Doing a split stay isn't a problem but i think getting settled in and really getting to know a resort would be more enjoyable than bouncing to another resort.

 

[peabody58]

Split stays are fun, at least for me. DW hates to repack and move. We always book the 1 BR at the end of the trip so we feel like we 'upgraded' and also get to use the W/D. Try for 3 nts at least in a studio, IMO 2 nt's is just too short. We also like to do a Water Park on transfer day. Check out of resort A, drive to WP, come back mis afternoon to resort B. Life is good. Either way, enjoy your trip. PS - AK-Kidani 1 BR's have 2 bathrooms!!

 

[blueant315]

Both resorts are wonderful. And AK has some of the best dining options.

I have to tell you. We did a split - 3 nights Poly and 4 nights AK -- We were so sad to leave the poly -- there is just something about that resort that is just a bit more magical than AK. AK is our home resort, but felt that the grounds of Poly were more conducive to being able to stroll around. At Kidani - you can go out and see the Savannah but can't really stroll around. At the poly you have the entire resort to walk around and you can see the castle. We did like the pool area of Kidani better than Poly, it just is more inviting and feels a bit more tropical.

So saying all this - if it were me and this was my one and only trip - I would stay at the poly for the whole trip. Doing a split stay isn't a problem but i think getting settled in and really getting to know a resort would be more enjoyable than bouncing to another resort.

I completely agree with this comment. I did a split stay in December and there are some perks with it - being able to do the dining plan for just a portion of your trip and staying closer to the parks you are visiting are the primary benefits to our family. But AKL just doesn't do much for me - the buses were far from the rooms, the hallways go on forever, and the staff didn't seem very knowledgable about the resort. I would be ok with moving from AKL to PVB, but would be so sad to go the opposite direction. My ideal split stay is a few days in a monorail resort and a few days in a crescent lake resort - I love being able to walk to parks.

 

[Carolynleanne]

We actually LOVE split stays. Disney makes it so easy to switch Resorts and it's kind of like getting a different vacation within a vacation.

 

[Main Street Matilda]

We split stays most of our vacations since we travel down in our motor home, take advantage of Fort Wilderness for 2-3 days (which is awesome) and then switch to a DVC property for the balance of our stay. The only reason we enjoy this is because we like the contrast of the two types of resorts (amenities, food choices, etc.).

What I don't like about split stays is that you lose time in the transfer. No matter how well planned it is, packing up and checking into the new resort takes time away from vacationing. If you're mindful of that and your family won't mind, it's not a bad idea.

 

[jerseygal]

We actually LOVE split stays. Disney makes it so easy to switch Resorts and it's kind of like getting a different vacation within a vacation.

We love split stays also! Get to experience different resorts!