Short trip split stay..worth it?

[pammydw]

Thank you to everyone for your positive responses and ideas. I really appreciate your time! The 2 days we would spend at Poly would be more relax days with park nights, one night being the MNSSHP, so I feel like we might have the chance to enjoy the resort. We’ve never stayed at Poly on one if our trips, so it would be awesome to surprise our DD with this! Part of her gift is bringing her friend. We are a family of 3, so the price of 4 cuts in to what we are used to spending!
You’ve given me many options to present my DH with! Thank you!

 

[pammydw]

My wife and I really enjoy split stays, although we've never done as short as a split stay as you have in mind. That being said we've never had a problem with Disney getting our luggage from one resort to the next. But as mentioned above, I'd really look into renting DVC points for your stay--a great way to save on rooms!

Thank you! I wish we could stay longer, but we are going during school so a long weekend is all we can spare.
You’ve given me great ideas to present my husband with!

 

[jhoannam]

We have a crazy split stay coming up next month, I’ll let you know how it goes. 3 nights Pop, 2 nights YC CL, 3 nights CR. The YC is our rest day, so we will have plenty of time to enjoy the resort.

 

[pammydw]

We have a crazy split stay coming up next month, I’ll let you know how it goes. 3 nights Pop, 2 nights YC CL, 3 nights CR. The YC is our rest day, so we will have plenty of time to enjoy the resort.

I would love to hear how it goes! Can I ask, when you booked your rooms, was it a separate deposit for each reservation?

 

[beccasmom]

We just did a short split stay in April - three nights at BRV and a night at the Contemporary club level. We are split-stay veterans, but I’m not a proponent with a short stay. It worked for us, but if I had to do it again I’d just pick one resort for the duration (and that would be challenging because we enjoyed both! ). Good luck with whatever you decide!

 

[jhoannam]

I would love to hear how it goes! Can I ask, when you booked your rooms, was it a separate deposit for each reservation?

Yes, it was 3 separate reservations & deposits. It didn’t start out as a split stay so paying 3 deposits wasn’t a big deal, since the other reservations where added months later.

 

[pammydw]

Yes, it was 3 separate reservations & deposits. It didn’t start out as a split stay so paying 3 deposits wasn’t a big deal, since the other reservations where added months later.

Thank you!

 

[FSU Girl]

I love split stays. I'm doing one on my upcoming trip 2 days at the Contemporary and 3 at Boardwalk. I'm very excited. We are focusing on Magic Kingdom when at the Contemporary and then Epcot and Hollywood Studios when at the Boardwalk and can walk to those parks.

 

[pammydw]

I love split stays. I'm doing one on my upcoming trip 2 days at the Contemporary and 3 at Boardwalk. I'm very excited. We are focusing on Magic Kingdom when at the Contemporary and then Epcot and Hollywood Studios when at the Boardwalk and can walk to those parks.

Thank you! So you’re a fan of the split stay on a short trip? I think it would be fine! I can’t wait to bring this idea to my hubby!

 

[FSU Girl]

Thank you! So you’re a fan of the split stay on a short trip? I think it would be fine! I can’t wait to bring this idea to my hubby!

Yes I like them even on a short trip. For the turnover day I plan to be in the parks for a few hours, going to head over to Epcot after checking into the Boardwalk. I prefer moving my bags myself that way if the room is ready earlier I can go to bell service to get them, if you have the hotel move them it’ll be later in the day. If you make plans from 11-3 you won’t even notice you don’t have a room during those hours. Definitely try and plan your parks around the hotel you’re staying to cut down on travel time. I feel like having two hotels makes a short trip feel longer.

 

[NYCgrrl]

We have stayed at Poly and BC's twin, YC, and enjoyed them both.
Makes a good split stay from my point of view what with Poly giving quick access to MK, and BC, HS, Epcot, and AK. BC is also a fast ride to DS as well.

 

[pammydw]

We have stayed at Poly and BC's twin, YC, and enjoyed them both.
Makes a good split stay from my point of view what with Poly giving quick access to MK, and BC, HS, Epcot, and AK. BC is also a fast ride to DS as well.

Thank you! Yes, we love BC for its proximity to Epcot and HS. We’ve stayed at Contemporary before and loved being so close to MK. Poly has always been on our list. Thanks for your input!

 

[pammydw]

Yes I like them even on a short trip. For the turnover day I plan to be in the parks for a few hours, going to head over to Epcot after checking into the Boardwalk. I prefer moving my bags myself that way if the room is ready earlier I can go to bell service to get them, if you have the hotel move them it’ll be later in the day. If you make plans from 11-3 you won’t even notice you don’t have a room during those hours. Definitely try and plan your parks around the hotel you’re staying to cut down on travel time. I feel like having two hotels makes a short trip feel longer.

We were planning on a pool day that Sunday which would be the transition day, and going to MNSSHP that night. Thanks for all your suggestions.

 

[pammydw]

My wife and I really enjoy split stays, although we've never done as short as a split stay as you have in mind. That being said we've never had a problem with Disney getting our luggage from one resort to the next. But as mentioned above, I'd really look into renting DVC points for your stay--a great way to save on rooms!

So, in renting DVC points, do the park tickets and dinning plan come with, or are these separate? I’ll be honest, I don’t know/understand DVC. My husband has looked in to DVC, but I’m just clueless. I went in the DVC board and it’s all Greek to me!

 

[nkereina]

Another thing to consider is that you'll have to wait until 180 days out from the check-in date of your second resort to book any dining reservations for that half of the stay. They aren't linked together in a way that the system recognizes the "+10" advantage for on-site guests. If you have any must-do reservations, I would try to do them in the first part of the trip to secure it.

I don't love split stays, only because I like to unpack and "take care of business" when I arrive and not think about it again until I have to leave. But if I were going to do it, I would check out before heading to the park in the morning and allow Disney to transport my luggage. After a day in the park, you can just head to your new resort and it should be there for you. Its true that it could take a few hours, but if you're in the park anyway, then what's the difference. To me, this is the most seamless/easiest way to deal with the logistics of a split stay.

 

[pammydw]

Another thing to consider is that you'll have to wait until 180 days out from the check-in date of your second resort to book any dining reservations for that half of the stay. They aren't linked together in a way that the system recognizes the "+10" advantage for on-site guests. If you have any must-do reservations, I would try to do them in the first part of the trip to secure it.

I don't love split stays, only because I like to unpack and "take care of business" when I arrive and not think about it again until I have to leave. But if I were going to do it, I would check out before heading to the park in the morning and allow Disney to transport my luggage. After a day in the park, you can just head to your new resort and it should be there for you. Its true that it could take a few hours, but if you're in the park anyway, then what's the difference. To me, this is the most seamless/easiest way to deal with the logistics of a split stay.

Ahhh, you brought up a very important thing that I hadn’t thought about, the adr’s... thanks for bringing that to light!

 

[Hi Pluto]

One bonus that would support the split stay idea is that you could be the DDP just for the first part of your stay, and then pay OOP for the rest (possibly saving you money). Since the DDP would be good until midnight of your switch day you could really play with the credits. I wouldn't add a second DDP to the other half unless you really worked out the numbers.

We are doing a split stay where we ended up adding one night at POP before 5 nights at CSR, and we added DDP only to POP (ticketless package) so we could get the mugs and use the credits for Cape May and a quick-service lunch. I did the math for the DDP for the rest of the trip and it just wouldn't work out financially to buy it for the whole trip, but for that one night we will pay $226 for DDP (we have 3 disney adults) which will more than cover just the OOP cost of the mugs and Cape May (so "free" QS meal and 2 snacks each).

~Cari~

 

[Have3Kids&aHusband]

Yes! We always do Epcot first and we love BC for being so close ( International gateway is one of our favorite things). If it were just the 3 of us, Poly would be doable, but bringing her friend means we have to sacrifice somewhere (not that BC is a sacrifice by any means ), but she’d would love Poly. I know 2 days just won’t be enough to really get to enjoy the resort, but those 2 days are going to be our take it easy days so we can enjoy the resort, and do parks at night. We plan on going to MNSSHP that Sunday and chillin on her birthday until night, so we would have some time to enjoy.
Thanks so much!

I think the split stay will be feasible since you are planning on making the 2 days at Poly the take it easy days. You will be actually spending time enjoying the resort during the day. We're doing a similar thing as you for our daughter's Sweet 16 next summer. We're doing 3 nights Poly and 5 nights Yacht Club. We selected Poly first because the kids like to do Magic Kingdom first. We stayed at Poly when the kids were younger and our daughter wanted to experience it again, but the prices have just increased so much from 7 years ago. Plus her siblings reminded her of how much fun they have had at Yacht Club. This was the best compromise.

 

[Ksquared]

We have always wanted to stay at the Poly so I decided to add one night to our upcoming stay. I justified to my hubby by telling him we will take the time to enjoy the resort, use the monorail to go to MK, etc.

I think your plan is the perfect way to do a split stay, esp since you will be doing the party on one of the nights you are staying at Poly. It will be a great surprise for your daughter.

 

[Marionnette]

So, in renting DVC points, do the park tickets and dinning plan come with, or are these separate? I’ll be honest, I don’t know/understand DVC. My husband has looked in to DVC, but I’m just clueless. I went in the DVC board and it’s all Greek to me!

Park tickets are not included in a DVC rental. You’re on your own for those.

The dining plans can be added to your reservation. The owner has to do it through Member Services. The renter cannot. Dining plans must be paid for at the time that they are added. It’s between the renter and the owner ast how they want to handle the finances but at least one rental company has the renter get a Disney GC in the amount of the dining plan price. Then the owner is given the GC # to place the order with a Member Services.