Split Resort Stays and Dining Packages

[UPbeekeeper]

I'm planning an 8 night stay. My dream is to stay at the Contemporary or Polynesian, but my finances say the best I can do is CBR. It seems like an incredible place and I know I would enjoy it, but after crunching some numbers I was surprised to discover that for basically the same price as I would pay for 8 nights at CBR, I could split my stay 4 days at Contemporary & 4 days at Pop.

My question concerns the dining packages. If I was to do the split stay and I am lucky enough to get a free dining package, would I get the basic quick service plan because I'm staying at a Value or would I get the basic quick service plan for half the stay and the upgraded package for the time I am at the Deluxe?

It looks like the free dining package is only offered for 5 night minimum stays(?). Would Disney consider my plan as 2 separate 4 night vacations, so I wouldn't even be eligible?

Any thoughts on a strategy on how to make this work, or do I just forget about the dining packages altogether and have an opportunity to stay at a deluxe resort I have always dreamed about since I was a child?

 

[Monty]

Each resort stay is treated as a separate reservation. So 4 nights at each would not be eligible for a free dining plan that requires a 5-night stay.

You could stay 5 nights at one and three at the other to get free dining for part of your stay. :shrug: One thing to note is the credits start the day you check in and expire at Midnight after checking out. Since you'd be on two distinct reservations, the credits would have to be used only during the 5-night stay, so do that part first for maximum credit usage.

Depending on when you're going and how many are in your party, you might want to consider getting a room-only stay at Contemporary with an AP discount and get the TiW card to have the discount on your meals, it might be cheaper if there are only one or two going. When my son and I went one trip we stayed at Beach Club for 8 nights. I got an AP, bought him a 9-day hopper and paid for all our meals and snacks for the whole trip out of the discount savings on the room. Worth considering...

 

[DisneyJoe]

Free dining only requires a 3-night minimum stay with 2 day ticket purchase.