Split Stay at an All-Star or two nights at Disney Springs Hotel

[adear11]

Hi All.

I have question put to all of you fine, knowledgeable people.

We booked a trip at Beach Club Oct 7 - Oct 13 with 5 day park hopper tickets. This was right after 2023 packages were released back in the summer of 2022. I'm something of a planner and even though the trip is still (as of this moment) 227 days away, I'm doing some preliminary planning for the trip. We'll be driving from central Mississippi. We've decided to leave a couple of days early, on Oct 5, so that we can get down into Orlando and be ready to have our full check-in day available for going to a park rather than coming in exhausted on Oct. 7. Right now I have a room at Windham Garden Lake Buena Vista booked for Oct 5th and Oct 6th. My plan was to arrive on the 5th, get a good nights sleep and kick it around Disney Springs on the 6th. We'd then get up early on Oct 7th, our BC check-in day, and drive over to BC and leave our luggage at the Bell desk and head to Epcot via the IG.

Okay, so with the current plan background out of the way, I've had a thought. I've been looking at the WDW website, and I can get a preferred room at one of the All-Stars for only $66 more than what the room at Wyndham Garden will cost. I'm not looking to add more park days so it would be a room only reservation. So, my question is, do you think it would be worth the negligible amount of extra cash that it would cost to go ahead and be "In the bubble". The main reason that I'm considering it is the convenience of not having to deal with moving my luggage. Shouldn't I be able to have my luggage transferred from an All-Star hotel to Beach Club and be able to head straight to Epcot. I'd have my car, so I could drive to BC and enter from the IG as we were planning without having to stop and unload my luggage.

If I decided to stay at Wyndham, would I be able to drive over to BC on the 6th and leave my luggage with Bell services overnight? Obviously, getting to Disney Springs from an All-Star is going to be less convenient than being at Wyndham, but is it going to be significantly more inconvenient?

I was pretty set on my plans but now I'm second guessing everything! I just need some advice.

 

[DWillowBay]

I love the All-Stars, so my vote is for that, for sure. So....on the transfer of luggage.... it's a great benefit and we have used it several times with good success. However, know that you luggage may not arrive to BC until 5:00 or so. Since you're going to have a car, why not drive over to BC with your luggage...tell the gate you're checking in, which is at some point true...and leave your luggage with BC Bell Services. Then you don't have to think about the transfer at all, Just pick it up from Bell Services whenever you actually do check in. Just a suggestion. Hope you have a great trip!

 

[adear11]

I love the All-Stars, so my vote is for that, for sure. So....on the transfer of luggage.... it's a great benefit and we have used it several times with good success. However, know that you luggage may not arrive to BC until 5:00 or so. Since you're going to have a car, why not drive over to BC with your luggage...tell the gate you're checking in, which is at some point true...and leave your luggage with BC Bell Services. Then you don't have to think about the transfer at all, Just pick it up from Bell Services whenever you actually do check in. Just a suggestion. Hope you have a great trip!

So my primary reason for considering doing a luggage transfer is so that I don't have to deal with unloading it and getting it to the bell desk on a morning when we're trying to rope drop Epcot. In my head I have visions of there being a line of people trying to do the same thing and we end up waiting for help and are late getting into Epcot. But I could also be overestimating the amount of people coming in at that time of day.

On the other hand, this just occurred to me, by staying at an All-Star, we'd be eligible for early theme park entry. Are you eligible for ETPE on your check-in day?

 

[DWillowBay]

So my primary reason for considering doing a luggage transfer is so that I don't have to deal with unloading it and getting it to the bell desk on a morning when we're trying to rope drop Epcot. In my head I have visions of there being a line of people trying to do the same thing and we end up waiting for help and are late getting into Epcot. But I could also be overestimating the amount of people coming in at that time of day.

On the other hand, this just occurred to me, by staying at an All-Star, we'd be eligible for early theme park entry. Are you eligible for ETPE on your check-in day?

Gotcha! The good news is that there are several options for you. I just wanted you to know that the luggage isn't transferred til later in the day in case you need something prior to the delivery. I have gone to ETPE on my arrival day. So, I'm sure it's not a problem. See.....it's all coming into view! Enjoy!

 

[Marthasor]

With either resort, you are going to have to deal with Bell Services. If you stay at All Star and want to transfer your luggage, you will have to take it to Bell Services there and have them transfer it for you. If you drive it to BC, you will need to leave it with Bell Services there. Personally, I would drive it all to BC and leave it there. It really doesn't take very long and then you will have your luggage at BC when you are done in the parks (I'm not a huge fan of Disney transferring my luggage). Why not just head over early so you can drop it off before IG opens? I'm not a huge fan of the WDW value resorts, so I would probably stick with Wyndham.

 

[starry_solo]

Does the DS hotel charge for parking? Was that cost taken into account with the $66.

 

[Skippyboo]

Plus there will probably be room discount for the fall, Disney dropped the parking charges but most DS hotels will have them. Getting to DS from All Stars is easy you can just take the bus. You could also drive and park in DS springs garage. You could pack a smaller bag for your pre BC stay and leave main luggage in car and drop it off at bell services when you move to BC.

 

[Kae]

Does the DS hotel charge for parking? Was that cost taken into account with the $66.

It does & I'm pretty sure a resort fee, so I hope OP has checked that. Having stayed at both I would switch to the All-Stars.

 

[gottalovepluto]

After the line I waited in early one morning to transfer bags at Pop I’d definitely load it my self and bring it to BC. I don’t really see how it will be some crazy time suck. You just pull up with your car to the front under the awning, bell services will come out to you, they will take your bags from your car and store them for you, then you go park your car and head into the park.

 

[loves to dive]

Personally, I'd just stay at whichever was less. Being in the bubble isn't going to be much of an advantage if you aren't going to the parks. I always drive down and do split stays just about every trip. I do the luggage transfer one of two ways.

On check out day I check out of resort #1 take my luggage to the car and take a bus on over to whatever park I want to go to. After I've done what I want to at that park or if I'm ready for a break, I just take the bus back over to resort #1 and drive my car to resort #2, check in to see if my room is ready. I either just leave my luggage in the car if it's not ready or leave it with bell services. Just depends on my mood that day.

Or I get up early on check out day (which I do anyway as I'm old and never sleep late), check out and drive over to resort #2 and check in. I know my room isn't going to be ready but I like to let them know I'm on property in case something opens up early (I don't care about view or location since I only pay for standard) and then again either leave my luggage in the car or drop it off with bell services.

I always have a small tote bag or back pack that my laptop, kindle and hanging toiletry bag are in. I usually will put a small packing cube with the clothes for the next day, pjs, etc. in it and put that in the tote/backpack so my bigger suitcase stays in the car that leg of the trip anyway. I always have a jacket and a sort of throw blanket in my car so I just throw those over my suitcases and either leave them in the back or put them in the floor in the back seat. I drive a small SUV so I also have the capability of putting my luggage under an adjustable bottom in the back and my windows are tinted enough you can not see into it.

 

[Kae]

The rooms at the Wyndham garden are nice, and the pool area looked nice. These are motel outside rooms and the outside area was not very clean and I would not have walked to my car alone. the front desk staff was basic & not real friendly. We have stayed at all the DS resorts the only 2 I would prefer not to stay at again are The Wyndham Garden & B Resort.

so for us for $66 more the All Stars would be our choice.

 

[lanejudy]

So my primary reason for considering doing a luggage transfer is so that I don't have to deal with unloading it and getting it to the bell desk on a morning when we're trying to rope drop Epcot. In my head I have visions of there being a line of people trying to do the same thing

I think you are more likely to have a line at POP Luggage Services to drop-off your bags for transfer, than a line at BC Bell Services to drop bags for check-in later. Either way, unless you leave your luggage in the car you need to deal with bell/luggage services that morning so it could just be a wash. You likely would have trouble accessing BC parking lot until your check-in day, so dropping luggage the day prior may not be do-able; plus you'll still have at least an overnight bag the next morning.

If you want to be "in the bubble" and will use WDW transportation to DS on the 6th -- I'd do the onsite stay. If you'll be driving everywhere, I'm not sure "the bubble" does much of anything for you. ETPE applies to check-in day as well, so the onsite pre-stay isn't required. But as others mention, be sure you are taking resort and parking fees into consideration with your price comparison.

 

[kylenne]

After the line I waited in early one morning to transfer bags at Pop I’d definitely load it my self and bring it to BC. I don’t really see how it will be some crazy time suck. You just pull up with your car to the front under the awning, bell services will come out to you, they will take your bags from your car and store them for you, then you go park your car and head into the park.

Sorry for the silly question since I'm not familiar with the values, but do they not have the option to call Bell Services to your room to get your bags for transfer? I vaguely remember hearing Bell Services isn't actually called Bell Services at those resorts

 

[gottalovepluto]

Sorry for the silly question since I'm not familiar with the values, but do they not have the option to call Bell Services to your room to get your bags for transfer? I vaguely remember hearing Bell Services isn't actually called Bell Services at those resorts

Not sure. I had just assumed dropping it would be quicker.

 

[starry_solo]

Personally, whatever you decide,, I would pack an overnight bag with two days worth of clothes and toiletries to unload and leave all other luggage in the trunk of the car to bring to BC when you check in.

 

[adear11]

Does the DS hotel charge for parking? Was that cost taken into account with the $66.

Yes, there is a resort fee and and daily/nightly parking. The resort fee was included in the calculation, but the $22/night parking was not. That brings the difference down to $12 with the possibility (likelihood) of there being a discount for the All-Stars. A discount as small as even 10% would make the All-Stars the cheaper option.

Personally, whatever you decide,, I would pack an overnight bag with two days worth of clothes and toiletries to unload and leave all other luggage in the trunk of the car to bring to BC when you check in.

Will definitely be packing a separate bag for the extra 2 night stay. For this part of the trip it will be just me and my two kids (14 and 12). My wife will be joining us after we check-in on Oct. 7th.

I think you are more likely to have a line at POP Luggage Services to drop-off your bags for transfer, than a line at BC Bell Services to drop bags for check-in later. Either way, unless you leave your luggage in the car you need to deal with bell/luggage services that morning so it could just be a wash. You likely would have trouble accessing BC parking lot until your check-in day, so dropping luggage the day prior may not be do-able; plus you'll still have at least an overnight bag the next morning.

That's a good point, and I hadn't thought about it that way. I'll be dealing with luggage that morning one way or the other so I might as well deal with the one that is likely to be the least busy, which the consensuses seems to be BC will be least busy. And I also hadn't thought about the fact that they probably won't let me in the parking lot the day before our check-in to drop my luggage off...though technically I guess I could try to get a reservation at Beaches and Cream or Ale and Compass to get around that.

So I think I will switch to, probably, All-Star Movies. Since that will likely end up being the cheaper option once it is all said and done, and I'll drop my luggage at BC on our way to Epcot.

Thanks everyone for the information. It really helps to get all these different viewpoints!