Need some advice, resort hopping.

[ToddS]

We could use a bit of advice please. My family and I (4 total, kids are 6 and 11) are heading down to WDW over April 18 through the 23d. My wife has a one day conferences at the Floridian on the Saturday we are down there and we can tag along if we pay the extra expenses. Basically we get two free nights at the Floridian. We can't get the flights we wanted so we are heading down a day early and staying two days after her conference.

So, here is what we are thinking of doing:
Thursday 18th - All Star Resort (will check to see if Movies is available)
Friday 19th - Floridian
Saturday 20th - Floridian
Sunday 21st - All Star Resort
Monday 22d - All Star Resort

I guess I have a few questions I'm hopeful some might help me with.

1. Are we nuts for trying this? Price is a factor. We don't want to pay $300.00 for a hotel at the Flordian when we are going to be doing the parks with the kids for the most part and just want to sleep in the hotel.

2. Where do you think we should store all of our luggage during the moves between the resorts? The problem is check in at the resort we are moving to is after check-out at the previous resort. I'm thinking we just ask for either hotel to keep it until we are able to check in at the other. Anyone had any experience with this?

3. Which of the All Stars would you suggest? From scanning the board here I'd think Movies first perhaps.

Thanks in advance for any tips you all can provide us.

Todd

 

[The Mom]

Either hotel will hold your luggage...which one is a personal choice. You could do an early check-out/ check-in at the "new" place early in the morning before going to the parks (not my first choice) or check out and have the "old" hotel hold it in storage until later in the day...then swing by after spending a few hours in one park, pick up your luggage, check in to the "new" hotel, then go out to a park that has late hours for dinner, fireworks, etc.

They might even move it for you, but I don't really know about that.

 

[DisneyPhD]

Originally posted by The Mom

They might even move it for you, but I don't really know about that.

We had our luggage moved from Dixie to PO without incident but they were right next to each other. I'm not sure about transfers between resorts that are farther apart. You can always ask Central Reservations when you set up your AS reservations.

 

[Dwarful]

When we went in 2000 we had to shuttle between hotels and they did a great job for us. even put them right in our rooms so when we got back to our room after the day in the park it was all right there for us. its no problem. we have stayed in Sports and Music..Movies in May this year! Both were nice..the kids liked the Sports over the Music but we didn't really spend much time at the resorts. have fun

 

[2much2do]

The All Star Movies is wonderful, but here is a piece of advice:
Since the Movies is the new one, it often fills up sooner, is more crowded and costs more. Yep. It costs more. Here is why. Since they don't have any trouble filling the rooms, they do not extend many discounts. I have found several codes that provide discounts for Music and Sports (mostly Music) and none for Movies. You could save some $$$ by staying at Music (which is really nice and fun as well). Also, since you are booking close to your arrival date, you may end up with no choice. I'd say, call them and see what is available, but be flexiable about which All Star you stay at. They are all great IMO. Also, be sure to go to Mousesavers.com to check out some current codes.

HAVE FUN!!!!!!

 

[Lance]

1. No, your not nuts, I'm kind of an economical Disney Guest.
That's a good idea, I see where your coming from.

3. I've never stayed at any of the All-stars, I've only seen the Music and Sports ones(I didn't like them, but who cares it's someplace to stay), so I will say try Movies, see if they finally got it right!

....and I don't think you can but if you could I would get the three days at the All-Stars before the two at the Floridian??? It will be painful going from the Floridian to the All-Star Movies.

 

[tinkrbel]

does anyone know if you can do the "resort hopping" with a package. I have heard of so many people that stay at 2 different resorts, like staying a couple of nights at the poly and then going over to one of the all stars, but can you do this if you want to buy a package like Resort Magic?

 

[2much2do]

I believe you would have to buy two seperate packages for, say, three days each. I am not 100% sure though. We did that once and had to make two reservations.

 

[tinkrbel]

Originally posted by 2much2do
I believe you would have to buy two seperate packages for, say, three days each. I am not 100% sure though. We did that once and had to make two reservations.

guess I will just setting for one resort a year someday I will do them all!!!!!!! hey 2much2do will you miss staying at the resorts when you move down there ..or will you still go for a night or two :sohappy:

 

[2much2do]

You betcha!!!!!! We thought about that already, Tink! I will most definitely stay at the resorts from time to time as well. First of all, since I will be living there, I won't need to stay for 12 days like we usually do. This is one of the main reasons why we have never stayed at a deluxe resort. We cannot afford 12 days at $200 or more a night. For two rooms. But, we can afford two nights. Or three. Also, we will have annual passes. Florida resident passes actually. And Florida residents get discounts on rooms from time to time. I will be trying to take advantage of these in order to fulfill my dream of staying at every Disney resort!

I cannot wait!!!!!

We are also hoping to go on a Disney Cruise!

 

[tinkrbel]

Originally posted by 2much2do
You betcha!!!!!! We thought about that already, Tink! I will most definitely stay at the resorts from time to time as well. First of all, since I will be living there, I won't need to stay for 12 days like we usually do. This is one of the main reasons why we have never stayed at a deluxe resort. We cannot afford 12 days at $200 or more a night. For two rooms. But, we can afford two nights. Or three. Also, we will have annual passes. Florida resident passes actually. And Florida residents get discounts on rooms from time to time. I will be trying to take advantage of these in order to fulfill my dream of staying at every Disney resort!

I cannot wait!!!!!

We are also hoping to go on a Disney Cruise!

Now you have done it ..I am in tears we cant stay 12 days because of the girls and school and your bragging about 12 days and florida residents discounts ( which also makes me sooo jealous) But some day ..... I do want to be able to say I have stayed in every resort on Property !! back on topic .. One year we did ask about moving from Dixie Landings to Port Orleans and they said they would be happy to move us ..but we decided to stay put ..so it does seem that once your there you might be able to move between resorts with out much trouble ..of course those were both "moderate" resorts and no price difference

 

[2much2do]

School? Pull those girls outta school, Tink! They can go to school any ole time, but Disney World!!

Just kidding. I know most people don't like to keep their kids out of school for a vacation. Fortunately, we homeschool, so we will be staying for a while. Sorry Tink, didn't mean to brag Whenever I felt bad about others being able to stay longer (I hear there is a guy who goes to Disney every year and stays for two MONTHS!!!!) I try to remember how lucky I am I get to go at all. There are people (poor souls) who have to scrimp and save for years to go to Disney for a week one time during their kids childhoods. The first time I went to WDW I was 19! We were very poor growing up and my parents are immigrants who didn't really know how to navigate travel agencies and save $$$ and get deals and things. I remember when I got my first job. My goal was to get us all (the whole family) to Disney. And I did. And we have been going back as often as possible ever since.

 

[tinkrbel]

when the girls were younger it wasnt a problem taking them out of school, but the older they get the more important test there are at the end of the year so its hard ..we did stay for 2 weeks back when they were babies and I sure miss those 2 weeks. We had time to enjoy the little things at the resorts we love so much ..now we have to cram it all in to 6 days so I thought resort hopping might be fun if it wasnt too much trouble (trying to stay on topic here)

 

[Smee]

We jump resorts every trip, usually stay at 3 different every trip. They make it very easy. When you check out inthe morning, tell the bell man to have your bags transfered to the next hotel and store for claim later. They probably won't get there until mid afternoon but your at the park so who cares.

Or, if you have a car, take it over and store the bags at the next resort, check in early morning and request your bags to be put in the room when it is ready. All will be waiting for you when you return and the early check in may enable you to get the room choice you want. Leave the car and go.

We have resort jumped for years, it sounds like a pain but Disney makes it easy. This way we have stayed at almost all the resorts. Our problem is we love W-Lodge and that is usually always one of them. And you always fall in love with another place and want to go back to it as well.

 

[Married@WDW]

Transferring luggage

Disney is AWESOME at transferring luggage. When we got married at WDW, here's the list of where we stayed:
1st 2 nights: I was at All-Star Sports, hubby to be was at Old Key West
2nd night: Wilderness Lodge Vice Presidential Suite
3rd-5th nights: Wilderness Lodge Honeymoon Suite
6th-8th nights: Beach Club regular room
9th-12th nights: Disney cruise
12th-13th nights: Contemporary

Now, I know this sounds crazy, but it really made sense. We couldn't get a bus from the Wilderness Lodge to the cruise, but really wanted to have our first few nights of marriage at the lodge and we also couldn't get the Honeymoon Suite in our cruise package, so we had to move. The Beach Club is where we got engaged, so that was our natural choice. We got a cast member rate at the Contemporary for after the cruise, the only deluxe it was available at, for the last two nights, so we couldn't pass that up either. We were very nervous about our luggage, especially given how much of it we had for the wedding.

Disney transferred all of the luggage for us everywhere we moved -- we didn't have a rental car -- and even held my extra suitcase at the Beach Club during our cruise and it was waiting at the Contemporary when we got back. They were awesome.

We've stayed at every resort on property except the Grand Floridian, the Boardwalk and the treehouses (I'm just not fond of the Grand Floridian's style and every time I try to stay at the Boardwalk there are no rooms!) and I think the bell staff are usually the most knowledgable, helpful staff at any of the hotels!

Have a great trip!

 

[ToddS]

Thank you.

My family and I very much appreicate the great information. We have booked for the Music All-Star for the 18th, then go to the Floridian for the 19th and 20th then back to the Sports All-Star for the 21st and 22d.

Now to line up transportation. I have Happy Limo and Tiffany Towncars to look at. Both are about $85.00 (plus tip) round trip and will allow us to stop at the grocery store briefly on the way in to pick up a few things. Thats just a bit more then Meer's shuttle so we are going to go with that. Anyone have any experience with either or have a different suggest?

Again thank you very much for your help.

 

[tinkrbel]

Re: Thank you.

Originally posted by ToddS
Thats just a bit more then Meer's shuttle so we are going to go with that. Anyone have any experience with either or have a different suggest?

Again thank you very much for your help.

we have use both tiffany and mears .. mears does do a lot of dropping off ..usually they pick you up in a bus when they take you back to the airport. We have never really had a complaint about mears ..for the most the drivers are friendly and sometimes even fun like disney bus drivers. I would use Mears if I were flying .. but we dont fly any more it got easier to drive when the girls got older.

 

[donaldfan]

Nevermind. . .