Split Stay Touring Recommendation

[kendie_mac]

Hi! My family is planning a split stay next summer. Group of 5 including a just turned 2year old. I'm looking for recommendations for what to do on the day we change resorts-- checking into the Beach Club Villas that day. I know it will be a long day as we won't be able to check in until 4-5pm. Would it be better to plan our transition days to be one of our lighter touring days (Epcot) or a busier day (HS)? I can see pros & cons to both. I guess I lean towards a busier day, but is it really stressful to get bags handed off to bell services (at Poly) and make it to the park fairly close to open? TIA

 

[larryz]

Will you have a car? If so, just load up your stuff and check in at BCV, then waltz into Epcot. You can always move your bags later in the day and save DHS for the next day.

If you don't have a car, same plan. Just be advised that you might not get your "room ready" text -- we didn't, and had to go to the desk to find out our room numbers.

 

[epcotisbest]

Hi! My family is planning a split stay next summer. Group of 5 including a just turned 2year old. I'm looking for recommendations for what to do on the day we change resorts-- checking into the Beach Club Villas that day. I know it will be a long day as we won't be able to check in until 4-5pm. Would it be better to plan our transition days to be one of our lighter touring days (Epcot) or a busier day (HS)? I can see pros & cons to both. I guess I lean towards a busier day, but is it really stressful to get bags handed off to bell services (at Poly) and make it to the park fairly close to open? TIA

You could always make it a pool day. You can just about get there whenever you want (same day) and can use the pools until your room is ready. With one of the best pool onsite, they can activate your magic bands at the check-in desk to allow you entrance to Stormalong Bay and you can enjoy it until the room is ready. So you can check in early and use the facilites then they will text you when the room is ready.

 

[JIMINYCR]

I wouldnt let changing over stop me from enjoying a full day. The bags can be moved easily and checked in at Bell services. When you are done at the parks call for them to be delivered to you room. Depending on the time you call, there may be a delay of them being delivered. Unpacking and reorganizing to a new room wont take long. As Larryz says, dont count on getting a room ready text, they dont always come through.

 

[DISR]

I just went from POFQ to AKL. Left the room at 7:55 am and contacted Uber. I was at AKL around 7:25 am. Dropped the bags at bell services and was in the AK park well before 8:00. Uber was between $7-8 before tip. I carried swim trunks in my bag and hung at the pool after the park until the room was ready. Forget the Disney bag transfers and buses. Splurge on the small Uber cost for simplicity. Do whatever you want after that.

 

[Weather_Lady]

When we did our switcheroo (from Beach Club to Poly), we simply dropped our bags with Bell Services for the transfer, spent the day at the Magic Kingdom, and then headed straight to our resort after the 3pm parade (so we were arriving right at check-in time). Our bags had arrived long before and we just had to call Bell Services from our room to bring them to us. (We tried to stop at Poly Bell Services and pick them up, but they refused to give them to us (!??!) and insisted that we call from the room. Little did they know, the reason we tried to do it ourselves was that we realized we had no cash on hand to tip them...)

If you're headed to the Beach Club, I suggest you drop your bags for transfer in the morning and head to Epcot for the day (perhaps with a table service lunch reservation to give the family a mid-day rest). If you think there's no way the 2-year-old is going to last until check-in time, you can always check into the Beach Club right after lunch (even if your room isn't ready yet), so you'll all have access to the amenities, and grab some lounge chairs by the pool (or if you're staying in a DVC accommodation, the DVC building has a quiet little lounge called the "Drawing Room" on the ground floor just off of the foyer, which has sofas and chairs, a TV and a pool table) until your room is ready. The Beach Club is an easy 5-10 minute walk from Epcot's World Showcase.

 

[nickys]

When we did our switcheroo (from Beach Club to Poly), we simply dropped our bags with Bell Services for the transfer, spent the day at the Magic Kingdom, and then headed straight to our resort after the 3pm parade (so we were arriving right at check-in time). Our bags had arrived long before and we just had to call Bell Services from our room to bring them to us. (We tried to stop at Poly Bell Services and pick them up, but they refused to give them to us (!??!) and insisted that we call from the room. Little did they know, the reason we tried to do it ourselves was that we realized we had no cash on hand to tip them...)

If you're headed to the Beach Club, I suggest you drop your bags for transfer in the morning and head to Epcot for the day (perhaps with a table service lunch reservation to give the family a mid-day rest). If you think there's no way the 2-year-old is going to last until check-in time, you can always check into the Beach Club right after lunch (even if your room isn't ready yet), so you'll all have access to the amenities, and grab some lounge chairs by the pool (or if you're staying in a DVC accommodation, the DVC building has a quiet little lounge called the "Drawing Room" on the ground floor just off of the foyer, which has sofas and chairs, a TV and a pool table) until your room is ready. The Beach Club is an easy 5-10 minute walk from Epcot's World Showcase.

Another peaceful place at the Beach Club is the Solarium, opposite one of the entrances to the shop (the other is off the lobby).