Planning a split stay recommendations.

[WDWFan2018]

This will be our first time staying at a Disney resort and I'm looking for some feedback with regards to split stays. Is this something you would recommend? There will be 2 adults and 2 kids (6 and 4). I'm just wondering if switching hotels, getting the meal plan, booking reservations and FPs; does it all become a PITA if you're doing a split stay? I just thought it would be a good way to see a couple of different resorts but wonder if it's more trouble than it's worth.
Thanks for any advice you could provide.

 

[DarthVader]

Is this something you would recommend?

What's the goal for splitting up the resorts? Just my $.02 but given that you have younger kids, why introduce a level of complexity or disruption to your vacation plans. I've done it before, as many people and its not difficult, but why do something if its not needed?

getting the meal plan

I could be wrong, but your meal plan may be tied to your reservation and so that might need to be considered. I haven't done a meal plan in a long time, so I could be off base on that one.

 

[Master Yoda]

Split stays mess with the DDP big time. If you are using the DDP I would avoid a split stay unless you have no other option.

 

[nickys]

FPs will be OK, you can book all at the 60 day mark of the first stay.

ADRs will have 2 separate 180 day marks. Dining plans can be added for one or both parts, but you have to use up all credits from part 1 before using any from part 2.

If you were planning a package, then both stays will need a minimum no. of days' tickets to qualify. I would stick to 2 x room only bookings, or 2 ticketless packages to add the dining. Add one lot of tickets to cover all days, tickets are cheaper per day the longer you buy them for.

But how long are you going for? I would only do a split stay for at least 3 nights at each resort. To be honest, I wouldn't do it for a first visit. You can always go visit some other resorts while you're there. So, when you're at MK, then take a monorail tour and look at the GF, Poly & Contemporary. And/or a boat across to WL. And when at Epcot, go out the International Gate to the Beach & Yacht Club, and Boardwalk.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I've done a few split stays but only when I absolutely had to. For example, we had a seven night trip booked at Saratoga Springs but flights for the day prior and day after were super cheap after the promotion we were using at SSR was no longer available, so we added a day on the front end at Port Orleans Riverside and a day on the back end at Port Orleans French Quarter. I hated having my reservations all split up and wouldn't do it again unless I were doing something like two full weeks.

 

[21stamps]

No, it will not mess with your plans at all.

Yes, I completely recommend it if you’re having availability issues for one Resort, or even if you just want to try 2.

Kids don’t make a difference at all. You pack, call bell services, they take your bags, you go about your day.. and your bags will arrive to your new resort later on. If you need something in the meantime, just a carry a backpack.

It’s honestly not impactful on dining. The dining plan is Per Night, not Per Day.. so the changeover day you can use whatever left over credits on the first reservation until midnight, OR if you’ve used them all- then you start the new one that same day.. just be sure to check in first.

 

[21stamps]

I need to add -

You book your ticket package on the FIRST reservation, that makes the tickets more cost effective... split stays have 0 impact on fast passes.

 

[21stamps]

If they are using the DDP, which the OP said they were, a split say most certainly causes a problem.

It would require the purchase of seperate tickets for each reservation to use the DDP for the entire say which would tack on a few hundred bucks to the cost.

No it doesn’t. The second hotel would just be a ticketless package.. room and dining plan only.

 

[21stamps]

Example for 7 night split stay-

4 nights at Resort A- DDP + Room charge + 7day tickets.

3 nights at Resort B- DDP + Room charge.

Both are a package.. but you don’t need tickets assigned to each stay.


Here’s my last 3 nights of our split stay trip from 2016- no tickets, Room + DDP Only. The tickets were attached to our first 6 nights at a different resort.

 

[WDWFan2018]

No it doesn’t. The second hotel would just be a ticketless package.. room and dining plan only.

I realized that you can't buy the dining plan without park tickets so I will probably just pick a resort and stick with it for the week. I just thought it would be a good way to stay at a couple of different resorts (one moderate, one deluxe) but we'll probably just pick one.

 

[21stamps]

I realized that you can't buy the dining plan without park tickets so I will probably just pick a resort and stick with it for the week. I just thought it would be a good way to stay at a couple of different resorts (one moderate, one deluxe) but we'll probably just pick one.

No that’s not true!! Please listen to me, I’ve done it.. it’s entirely possible. I included a receipt above. You do NOT need to purchase tickets to get the DDP. I’ve used it with an AP, and with regular tickets, and with no tickets at all attached to a resort reservation. Just look at the screenshot.

The ONLY difference is you have to call in your reservation if you don’t have a travel agent. You can’t book it that way online. But you most definitely can have the dining plan without tickets. I keep reading wrong info about that on this site.. maybe a lot of people just don’t realize it.

 

[WDWFan2018]

No that’s not true!! Please listen to me, I’ve done it.. it’s entirely possible. I included a receipt above. You do NOT need to purchase tickets to get the DDP. I’ve used it with an AP, and with regular tickets, and with no tickets at all attached to a resort reservation. Just look at the screenshot.

And you did this without using the AP? Maybe it's something I can get a travel agent to do? It doesn't even give me the option of the dining plan on the website if I choose "no tickets" as my option.

 

[21stamps]

And you did this without using the AP? Maybe it's something I can get a travel agent to do? It doesn't even give me the option of the dining plan on the website if I choose "no tickets" as my option.

You can do it yourself!!!

All you do is call. It’s called a ticketless package. It’s not difficult at all. Any CM would know about it.

A room only reservation is a “Room Only” a Ticketless Package is Room+Dining. They are different reservation codes.. the ticketless package also includes the booklet of “extras” same as one with tickets. Such as mini golf vouchers etc.

 

[WDWFan2018]

You can do it yourself!!!

All you do is call. It’s called a ticketless package. It’s not difficult at all. Any CM would know about it.

A room only reservation is a “Room Only” a Ticketless Package is Room+Dining. They are different reservation codes.. the ticketless package also includes the booklet of “extras” same as one with tickets. Such as mini golf vouchers etc.

This is fantastic information!!! Thanks so much.

 

[21stamps]

This is fantastic information!!! Thanks so much.

No problem!!! Enjoy!! It’s honestly not a hassle at all.. and I’m saying that as someone who travels alone with a child.. so I do my best to avoid hassles. Lol.

Have a fantastic trip!!

 

[Eyemabee]

This will be our first time staying at a Disney resort and I'm looking for some feedback with regards to split stays. Is this something you would recommend? There will be 2 adults and 2 kids (6 and 4). I'm just wondering if switching hotels, getting the meal plan, booking reservations and FPs; does it all become a PITA if you're doing a split stay? I just thought it would be a good way to see a couple of different resorts but wonder if it's more trouble than it's worth.
Thanks for any advice you could provide.

Just stay away from Coronado Springs Resort until they’re finished construction. The quiet pool is next to the big construction site so it’s like trying to relax on a New York street. It starts as early as 6am. The music from the kid’s pool drowns out the construction. If you want to enjoy the grounds (hammocks, sandy area, lake, benches) you’re out of luck. Management met with construction after many complaints, we didn’t notice it getting any better. But in another year or so, THIS will be the place to stay.

 

[Seeshark]

I’ve done two split stays; once on a three day trip. I find that the meal plan takes a bit of extra planning since you basically have one meal plan for the first resort and a second one for the other. There is a little overlap since the first plan ends at midnight on the day you move and the second begins earlier that day. So you just don’t want to leave anything in the table (no pun intended). I think if you ask they’ll move items left over on the first meal plan to the second. I’m pretty sure they did that for me last time.
You also get two sets of bracelets. At least the first set should work for the entire trip, if not both sets (you can ask), but I usually switch over just to be sure I don’t get to the park and find I’m wearing a bracelet that isn’t working. But I’ve been assured each time that wouldn’t happen.
Anyway, none of this was any kind of issue for me so I find the split stays to be great. I like staying in the Epcot area when I’m going there and HS, and to walk to Epcot for dinner. And I like being near MK when I’m going there (or AKL if you’re going to be there for a few days). Cuts way down on bus travel.
You bring your bags to concierge and they’ll have them delivered to the next resort. Pretty simple. Having said that, you obviously won’t be able to get into the bags and they could show up at the next place pretty late in the day (5-6pm), which could mess with dinner. What I did the second was just take a cab with my luggage - I didn’t have a ton - over to the second place and just left it there for when the room was ready. You could also bring bathing suits with you if you’re having luggage delivered but you want to hit the pool mid-afternoon. By bringing bags over myself they were already there for a park break and a swim.
Both times I did split stays I took a cab to the second resort just to sort of check in on things, see if I could get a room upgrade since it was early or just get into the room earlier, etc. You don’t need to do that - that’s just something I wanted to do.

 

[gmk3855]

We had to do a split reservation 2 years ago because of the when the dining plan was started. It was not done properly and we had to talk to at least 2 people online and 3 people at the resort who all said that everything was taken care of. Unfortunately the day of the second reservation, everything was wrong and not on the magic bands. It was a pain to get everything finally fixed. We started our trip 2 days before the free dining was implemented and had to pay for those 2 days and then switched to the free dining. We had tried to talk to anyone and everyone but they would not give us the free dining for those 2 days since it was before the free dining started, even though we were there 5 days after it started. I wish we could have moved the reservation but we were only able to go for that time and could not move it all for the free dining period. This is another pain that Disney does, you can can extend the free dining past the expiration date of when free dining is offered, but can not have it early if your stay goes into the free dining time. Makes no sense.

 

[phrog]

We just did a split stay with a cruise in the middle. It was great. We packed all of our resort clothes in one suitcase and all of our cruise stuff in another suitcase. The day we were leaving for the ship we just had bell services come get our resort suitcases and they were there waiting on us when we came back from the cruise at the new resort. I never do the dining plan because we don't eat that many TS meals. We usually do one big ticket dinner the whole trip not every day. I have groceries delivered to the room for breakfasts and snacks for when we get back to the room.

 

[nickys]

We had to do a split reservation 2 years ago because of the when the dining plan was started. It was not done properly and we had to talk to at least 2 people online and 3 people at the resort who all said that everything was taken care of. Unfortunately the day of the second reservation, everything was wrong and not on the magic bands. It was a pain to get everything finally fixed. We started our trip 2 days before the free dining was implemented and had to pay for those 2 days and then switched to the free dining. We had tried to talk to anyone and everyone but they would not give us the free dining for those 2 days since it was before the free dining started, even though we were there 5 days after it started. I wish we could have moved the reservation but we were only able to go for that time and could not move it all for the free dining period. This is another pain that Disney does, you can can extend the free dining past the expiration date of when free dining is offered, but can not have it early if your stay goes into the free dining time. Makes no sense.

That had nothing to do with a split stay though. That's just the way the offers work.

You have to start your trip within the dates of the offer. Simple as that. Unlucky but they offer these things for one reason - to encourage people to book at times when there would otherwise be a downturn in bookings.