How & Why To Do A Split Stay - Page 7 - The DVC Boards at MouseOwners.com - the place to talk DVC and Walt Disney World

Boundin' · 10-25-2018, 10:08 AM

I added on a day at Pop! to the beginning of a stay at BLT. I did this in order to do the 24 hour event in MK. So after getting thrown out of MK at 6am, I went back to Pop!, slept about 2 hours, checked out of Pop! and went over to BLT. I arrived at BLT at 12 noon, put my bags in storage, and then went out to the pool and slept on a lounge chair until I got the text that the room was ready. That was the only time I really felt "homeless" in WDW. But it was worth it to me to do the 24 hour thing.

OttawaWendy · 10-25-2018, 10:47 AM

OM and I regularly did split stays until we had kids. We liked the variety. Now we'll come for 14 days and stay in one place.

The packing part is a pain. The being homeless and moving part really needn't be.

Step One: Pack your bags
Step Two: Take your bags to Bell Services and tell them where you are going
Step Three: Go to a Disney Park
Step Four: Return from a Disney Park to a different resort
Step Five: Check in; collect your bags from Bell or have them delivered

With small children who need a nap, this is irritating. For anyone else, it doesn't have to be. I think people often make the mistake of trying to have that day be a down day, but that's a mistake. You don't want a down day when you don't have a room. If you make it a park day, you simply won't notice you don't have a room, because you would not be in it anyway. Who doesn't have a day that they aren't in the room from 10 to 4? And the moving part is simply arriving on one bus/mode of transportation in the morning, and leaving by a different one in the evening.

But the packing .... yeah, I get that.

Jawfish · 01-12-2019, 01:21 AM

We have done one split stay and it was pretty easy. AKV then Poly. I would do it again - if what we wanted to book was not open or if trying to stretch our points. It was much easier than we thought it would be.

Ish6 · 01-17-2019, 07:30 PM

We love doing split stays. The hassle of packing up is worth the benefit of "no bus" transportation (timesaver!!!!). We stay at BWV for 3 to 4 nights for Epcot and HWS, then move to BLT for 2 -3 nights for Magic Kingdom. Occasionally, we have stayed a Saratoga to spend a day or two at DS, before transferring to MK or Epcot resorts. Our luggage has always been transferred with ease. We plan for a day in the parks on our transfer day and ask for earliest possible check-in. That way, we never miss not having a room for several hours as we are busy at the Parks or Disney Springs. We LOVE being able to walk wherever we go...that's the benefit of split stays for us.

cherene · 01-17-2019, 11:36 PM

We love doing split stays. It feels like a different vacation every time we move. I plan are parks out according to the resort we're at.

zafiro · 01-18-2019, 12:36 AM

Love the split stays for all of the reasons mentioned!

Pack lightly, don't unpack the suitcase except to hang anything that might require less wrinkling.
Bring an extra foldable / expandable and lockable duffle bag to transport items that you don't want to lug around during moving day or shoes that you don't feel like fitting back into a suitcase.
Stay the first 3 of 4 nights at an MK resort in a studio, move to a 1 BR Epcot resort to have the washer and dryer that is necessary when you pack lightly. (Oh, if only those Poly studios had a small washer / dryer stack!)

There are variations of this including AKV on the front end and SSR on the backend; it depends on what is available and every time allows a new combination.

There are many new places with adult libations that we use moving day to try them out. We rarely stay more than 3 nights at any one resort. Bell Services is a great perk. We didn't do split stays when the kids were young, but now it's a must.

Simba's Mom · 01-18-2019, 12:06 PM

I do split stays often on solo trips, and I'm planning another next time. But I'll admit, if I had family with me, it would be too much of a hassle. As said in the article, I like to "compartmentalize", going to certain parks depending on which resort I'm at. Also, split stays allow me to "sample" new (to me) resorts, splitting them with resorts I know I'll love. That was I'm not "stuck" at a new resort, and potentially one I'm not fond of for the entire trip. I specifically do the "new" resort first, and then the one I know I like second.

nrspepe · 01-18-2019, 03:47 PM

Did our first split stay this month and did not care for it at all.

We are move-inners...unpack suitcases, stock the kitchen and enjoy. We split BWV and CCV. We were dying to try CCV and though after some time at BWV (Epcot and HS), we would enjoy relaxing in the woods (also MK).

Our CCV room was ready at 7:30 am. So, no homeless period. We ubered to CCV late morning and went right to the room. Bell services handled our luggage.

Have to say...hated packing and unpacking. Frig stuff had no place in a smaller unit and we had to throw a lot out. Took a bit to reorient to new resort (could have been due to first stay at CCV). Spent the first night at CCV getting used to a different bed, pillows, bathroom layout, etc.

We will not do again.

10-25-2018, 10:08 AM	#61
Boundin' Grand Villa Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: NYC Posts: 2,339	I added on a day at Pop! to the beginning of a stay at BLT. I did this in order to do the 24 hour event in MK. So after getting thrown out of MK at 6am, I went back to Pop!, slept about 2 hours, checked out of Pop! and went over to BLT. I arrived at BLT at 12 noon, put my bags in storage, and then went out to the pool and slept on a lounge chair until I got the text that the room was ready. That was the only time I really felt "homeless" in WDW. But it was worth it to me to do the 24 hour thing. __________________ Bippity Boppity Boo Muthafu@$as! My Disney Photography https://www.flickr.com/photos/rt_images/ Trip reports: Turf and Surf and Turf Sun, Sea, and Romance-Once Upon a Fantasy Mickey's Very Merry Galactic Spectacular AND New Year's Eve 2017-18 The Fall of Disney 2017 A Tale of Two Views 2017 Back in the S.S.R. 2017 Universal Hard Rock- MNSSHP - HHN 2016 Spring Surprise 2016 NYE in the World 2015-16 Coming up... 3/2019 AoA The Smithereens Trip*5/2019 BWV-Fantasy-BLT Western Carib7/2019 BWV Merica's Birthday 9/25-10/1/2019 BCV Beer & Wine Festival *12/2019 VGC Home resorts BCV BWV BLT VGC - all the good ones

10-25-2018, 10:47 AM	#62
OttawaWendy DVC Board Guide Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Ottawa - the capital city of Canada. Posts: 11,661	OM and I regularly did split stays until we had kids. We liked the variety. Now we'll come for 14 days and stay in one place. The packing part is a pain. The being homeless and moving part really needn't be. Step One: Pack your bags Step Two: Take your bags to Bell Services and tell them where you are going Step Three: Go to a Disney Park Step Four: Return from a Disney Park to a different resort Step Five: Check in; collect your bags from Bell or have them delivered With small children who need a nap, this is irritating. For anyone else, it doesn't have to be. I think people often make the mistake of trying to have that day be a down day, but that's a mistake. You don't want a down day when you don't have a room. If you make it a park day, you simply won't notice you don't have a room, because you would not be in it anyway. Who doesn't have a day that they aren't in the room from 10 to 4? And the moving part is simply arriving on one bus/mode of transportation in the morning, and leaving by a different one in the evening. But the packing .... yeah, I get that. __________________ Family = me, OttawaMum, OttawaBoy (7 years) and LittleOttawa (4 years) OttawaBoy's birth announcement and hospital support thread - good to read if you need a cry OttawaWendy's views on "buy where you want to stay" versus "buy where it's cheapest" Previous trip reports: December 2009 - AKV and SSR; March 2010 - HHI; December 2010 - Kidani; January 2013 - Boardwalk Villa (OB = 19 months); November 2013 - AKL (OB = 31 months)

01-12-2019, 01:21 AM	#63
Jawfish Studio Join Date: Dec 2018 Location: Texas Posts: 111	We have done one split stay and it was pretty easy. AKV then Poly. I would do it again - if what we wanted to book was not open or if trying to stretch our points. It was much easier than we thought it would be. __________________ DVC Member since 2015 (PVB) 1971 Offsite 1987 Offsite 1995 Offsite 1999 Offsite 2010 Fort Wilderness 2012 Fort Wilderness 2014 DAAR (May) 2015 PVB (Oct - 1st DVC Trip) 2016 PVB (May - Honeymoon) 2017 BLT (May) 2017 AK / PVB (Nov) 2018 PVB (Sep) 2018 Offsite (Dec) 2019 Offsite (May) 2019 PVB (Sep)

01-17-2019, 07:30 PM	#64
Ish6 Waiting to pass ROFR (i.e., n00b) Join Date: Nov 2018 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 3	Split Stay We love doing split stays. The hassle of packing up is worth the benefit of "no bus" transportation (timesaver!!!!). We stay at BWV for 3 to 4 nights for Epcot and HWS, then move to BLT for 2 -3 nights for Magic Kingdom. Occasionally, we have stayed a Saratoga to spend a day or two at DS, before transferring to MK or Epcot resorts. Our luggage has always been transferred with ease. We plan for a day in the parks on our transfer day and ask for earliest possible check-in. That way, we never miss not having a room for several hours as we are busy at the Parks or Disney Springs. We LOVE being able to walk wherever we go...that's the benefit of split stays for us.

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01-17-2019, 11:36 PM	#65
cherene Grand Villa Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 1,448	We love doing split stays. It feels like a different vacation every time we move. I plan are parks out according to the resort we're at.

01-18-2019, 12:36 AM	#66
zafiro Two Bedroom Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Land of the Free, Home of the Brave Posts: 631	Love the split stays for all of the reasons mentioned! Pack lightly, don't unpack the suitcase except to hang anything that might require less wrinkling. Bring an extra foldable / expandable and lockable duffle bag to transport items that you don't want to lug around during moving day or shoes that you don't feel like fitting back into a suitcase. Stay the first 3 of 4 nights at an MK resort in a studio, move to a 1 BR Epcot resort to have the washer and dryer that is necessary when you pack lightly. (Oh, if only those Poly studios had a small washer / dryer stack!) There are variations of this including AKV on the front end and SSR on the backend; it depends on what is available and every time allows a new combination. There are many new places with adult libations that we use moving day to try them out. We rarely stay more than 3 nights at any one resort. Bell Services is a great perk. We didn't do split stays when the kids were young, but now it's a must.

01-18-2019, 12:06 PM	#67
Simba's Mom Grand Villa Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 3,642	I do split stays often on solo trips, and I'm planning another next time. But I'll admit, if I had family with me, it would be too much of a hassle. As said in the article, I like to "compartmentalize", going to certain parks depending on which resort I'm at. Also, split stays allow me to "sample" new (to me) resorts, splitting them with resorts I know I'll love. That was I'm not "stuck" at a new resort, and potentially one I'm not fond of for the entire trip. I specifically do the "new" resort first, and then the one I know I like second.

01-18-2019, 03:47 PM	#68
nrspepe Two Bedroom Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 760	Did our first split stay this month and did not care for it at all. We are move-inners...unpack suitcases, stock the kitchen and enjoy. We split BWV and CCV. We were dying to try CCV and though after some time at BWV (Epcot and HS), we would enjoy relaxing in the woods (also MK). Our CCV room was ready at 7:30 am. So, no homeless period. We ubered to CCV late morning and went right to the room. Bell services handled our luggage. Have to say...hated packing and unpacking. Frig stuff had no place in a smaller unit and we had to throw a lot out. Took a bit to reorient to new resort (could have been due to first stay at CCV). Spent the first night at CCV getting used to a different bed, pillows, bathroom layout, etc. We will not do again.