Split Stay 3 Resorts??

[DWNewbies]

Hello! So, we are West Coasters, first time DW vacationers. There are 5 of us. 2 adults and kids 14,13 and 8. We don’t know when we would be able to go back so here’s our dilemma.
We want to experience the great resorts as well as the parks but are 3 resorts too many?? We are staying 11 nights and planning 7-8 days in the park. The only thing I have in stone is the poly for the last 3 nights. We need to have a mindful budget yet still want to fit the beach club in. The kids think the pool is insane!
So, how would this look?
Caribbean Beach 6 nights (maybe 5 park days)
Beach club 2 nights (1park day)
Poly 3 nights (1-2 park days)

 

[PalmettoPath]

It's really a question of whether or not you mind all of the moving (and waiting around lobbies with luggage etc.). I'm guessing you don't, because you planned this We hate moving even once, but that's just us. Otherwise, this is a good cross-section of resort areas to experience.

 

[DWNewbies]

It's really a question of whether or not you mind all of the moving (and waiting around lobbies with luggage etc.). I'm guessing you don't, because you planned this We hate moving even once, but that's just us. Otherwise, this is a good cross-section of resort areas to experience.

Ya, I figure packing will be a bummer but not too bad. Do you, by chance, know how long it can take in the lobbies to request bell service to transfer luggage etc? I figure I’ll check in/out virtually to make that part easy. And then prob off to the parks as to not notice the hours where we are hotel-less.

 

[PalmettoPath]

Ya, I figure packing will be a bummer but not too bad. Do you, by chance, know how long it can take in the lobbies to request bell service to transfer luggage etc? I figure I’ll check in/out virtually to make that part easy. And then prob off to the parks as to not notice the hours where we are hotel-less.

It's very resort dependent (how busy it is, how many bell personnel are available and so on). We haven't personally had any excessive waits for bell service, but we have had extra long waits for a room on the very few times we have had two resorts in one week (checking out by 11:00 a.m. and then having had to wait well past 5:00 p.m. for a room to be ready). It has been a bit worse since covid hit, but hopefully with more cast members coming on board now, things will get better.

 

[SleeplessInTO]

Sounds fabulous to me! We did a 3 resort split stay last March, between Poly, Beach Club, and Grand Floridian. Spent 3 nights at each and enjoyed them all.

 

[starry_solo]

For 11 nights, 3 resorts seems too many. When I go that many days, I do 2 resorts, both deluxe, one EPCOT central, one MK central.

14 nights, I've done 3 resorts.

 

[Kingdome8]

It's really a question of whether or not you mind all of the moving (and waiting around lobbies with luggage etc.). I'm guessing you don't, because you planned this We hate moving even once, but that's just us. Otherwise, this is a good cross-section of resort areas to experience.

Why would you wait in lobbies ? The hotels will send your luggage to next place and you can go to parks or enjoy hotel pool. Split stays are fun. We just did a split with the Grand and riviera. Was fun seeing 2 different hotels. Hotels are half the fun of disney.

 

[DVCjj]

Right before Covid we did a 5 way split for an 11 day stay. Ha. DH even thought it was fun. (it was) He said it felt like 5 different Vacations,
BCV, Poly, Riviera, Copper Creek and BLT.
We went home with a boatload of lotions. The TSA guy was laughing.

But we had no littles and happened to have a car that trip.

 

[PalmettoPath]

Why would you wait in lobbies ? The hotels will send your luggage to next place and you can go to parks or enjoy hotel pool. Split stays are fun. We just did a split with the Grand and riviera. Was fun seeing 2 different hotels. Hotels are half the fun of disney.

To each their own. We hate them. Most recently we checked out. Went to a park for seven hours. Came back, wanted to relax in a room. Nope, five hours waiting around in a lobby. Definitely not for us. The only time we ever do a split stay is if we book late and cannot get a full week at our desired resort. It's a once every four or five years thing for us that that happens. Every time we hate it. But to each their own. We like to get settled in a room and not move around. That's no vacay for us. We visit three weeks each year, so no need to split to see different hotels. But I can understand that angle to it if you are not a frequent visitor and want to experience different properties.

 

[tinabina919]

I think your plan sounds great. We love split stays and all the WDW resorts. Even for our upcoming 3 night trip we are doing 2 GF and 1 YC.
You just bring your luggage to bell services and they will transfer them to the next resort. Or you can Uber to the next resort and bring your bags with you.

 

[nyy]

I think you need to be very organized, but with 3 kids you already know that!
It is not something we would do, but I think it is just personal preference. It certainly can be done!

I would just make sure that you are aware of how spread out the resorts can be from one another, or parks, because you are probably used to DL. Transportation matters so much more at WDW.
CB Skyliner will be great for HS and EPCOT.
Poly obviously great for monorail or boat to MK.
Beach Club (or Yacht Club, which is connected and shares the same pool complex) are excellent for walking to EPCOT and a little further of a walk to HS - or take the boat.
I am sure you looked at the rooms online, but CB will be the smallest and it is your longest stay. It will be tight with 5. With our kids, we found those fold-flat packing cubes to be very helpful.

I hope that you and your family have an awesome trip!

 

[kanerf]

I do a split stay with 3 resorts every time. I am used to packing up and moving every few days anyway as I travel for work. It is not as big a deal as people make it out to be. The bell services will come by and pick up your bags and transfer them to the next resort. I bring a backpack cooler to pack up my cold foods and leave for the new resort after the bags have been picked up. Here is the only issue since you have to go to one of the parks or Disney Springs to get a resort bus to the new resort. You have to plan that one out. Sometimes of course you can walk, depending on where you are staying and where you are going. When I get to the new resort I open my backpack and give the cold stuff to bell services and give them the backpack as well. Now when I come back to check in I can either pick that stuff up separately or have bell services deliver everything at once. I have never had a problem with them doing that. Make sure to give a generous tip. For just me, I always give them $5, for a bigger group perhaps $10-$20 depending on how many bags it is.

 

[DWNewbies]

I do a split stay with 3 resorts every time. I am used to packing up and moving every few days anyway as I travel for work. It is not as big a deal as people make it out to be. The bell services will come by and pick up your bags and transfer them to the next resort. I bring a backpack cooler to pack up my cold foods and leave for the new resort after the bags have been picked up. Here is the only issue since you have to go to one of the parks or Disney Springs to get a resort bus to the new resort. You have to plan that one out. Sometimes of course you can walk, depending on where you are staying and where you are going. When I get to the new resort I open my backpack and give the cold stuff to bell services and give them the backpack as well. Now when I come back to check in I can either pick that stuff up separately or have bell services deliver everything at once. I have never had a problem with them doing that. Make sure to give a generous tip. For just me, I always give them $5, for a bigger group perhaps $10-$20 depending on how many bags it is.

Sounds great! And good tip re the transportation. I would think we would plan a park day on the hotel transfer day but if not, would we be able to ride the skyline from Caribbean Beach to Epcot and then walk to Beach Club? Or would we have to be visiting Epcot and have a park reservation for Epcot that day?

 

[DWNewbies]

I think you need to be very organized, but with 3 kids you already know that!
It is not something we would do, but I think it is just personal preference. It certainly can be done!

I would just make sure that you are aware of how spread out the resorts can be from one another, or parks, because you are probably used to DL. Transportation matters so much more at WDW.
CB Skyliner will be great for HS and EPCOT.
Poly obviously great for monorail or boat to MK.
Beach Club (or Yacht Club, which is connected and shares the same pool complex) are excellent for walking to EPCOT and a little further of a walk to HS - or take the boat.
I am sure you looked at the rooms online, but CB will be the smallest and it is your longest stay. It will be tight with 5. With our kids, we found those fold-flat packing cubes to be very helpful.

I hope that you and your family have an awesome trip!

Ya, idk that I’d try it w young ones but my teenagers are strong young men and great helpers Whenever we travel they insist to carry their load and mine! Gentlemen for sure
It’s funny you mention Disneyland and it’s size. So many of us near Disneyland all say the same thing. We don’t even want to attempt Disney World because it’s so big, complicated and intimidating! Disneyland and California adventure are so easy to navigate wo much forethought. Hotels even outside of the park are w in walking distance! Yet, we want to make this happen at least once for our kiddos before they’re out of the house
Caribbean beach will be tight. All will be tight really but I have to be mindful of our budget
Question-w each resort’s transportation offerings(all w more than bus options thankfully What parks would you visit at each hotel? Seems a given to visit MK when at the Poly. HS and EPCOT should be fairly easy to get to from Beach club or Caribbean Beach. Not sure which resort would be best to bus to AK. Any ideas?

 

[Miffy]

Yes, you can take the Skyliner from CBR to Epcot, as it stops at the International Gateway, outside Epcot. But be aware that you cannot take your luggage with you on the Skyliner. You'd have to have that moved seprately.

As for your 3-resort split stay, as long as you're aware that the 2 days you change resorts, you will probably be without a resort for for part of the day. This is one of the reasons I don't like a split stay since I often want to go back to the room midday and take a break. Of course, your room could be ready, but maybe it won't be.

One other thought--is there any way you can take one of the CBR nights and put it on one of your other resorts? I realize that your budget is a huge consideration, but there's a huge gap between CBR and your other 2 resorts.

I also want to mention that since you've never been to WDW before, keep in mind that the 4 theme parks are large--i.e., there's a ton of walking involved and it takes time and a bus, Skyliner, rideshare, taxi, or car to get from one park to another, although you can walk from DHS to Epcot--to the International Gateway of Epcot, not the front entrance. This is not like going to Disneyland and DCA. And although the monorail goes to both MK and Epcot, if you're traveling between the 2 parks, you have to change monorails.

Finally, be aware that you must reserve all your parks in advance. If you have park hoppers--which I consider a necessity, but other people here on the DIS disagree!--you can't hop to another park until you have (a) tapped in to your reserved park and (b) it's 2 p.m. or later. I realize you don't have your entire trip planned, but I thought I should say something since you aren't sure how many park days you're going to have--and these days it's not something you can fool around with since parks sometimes have zero reservations available.

 

[kanerf]

Sounds great! And good tip re the transportation. I would think we would plan a park day on the hotel transfer day but if not, would we be able to ride the skyline from Caribbean Beach to Epcot and then walk to Beach Club? Or would we have to be visiting Epcot and have a park reservation for Epcot that day?

Sure you can do that. They don't check your reservation status until you get to the park.

 

[NJlauren]

Im going 5 night 3 hotels… so you know I don’t think this is so bad!

 

[DWNewbies]

Yes, you can take the Skyliner from CBR to Epcot, as it stops at the International Gateway, outside Epcot. But be aware that you cannot take your luggage with you on the Skyliner. You'd have to have that moved seprately.

As for your 3-resort split stay, as long as you're aware that the 2 days you change resorts, you will probably be without a resort for for part of the day. This is one of the reasons I don't like a split stay since I often want to go back to the room midday and take a break. Of course, your room could be ready, but maybe it won't be.

One other thought--is there any way you can take one of the CBR nights and put it on one of your other resorts? I realize that your budget is a huge consideration, but there's a huge gap between CBR and your other 2 resorts.

I also want to mention that since you've never been to WDW before, keep in mind that the 4 theme parks are large--i.e., there's a ton of walking involved and it takes time and a bus, Skyliner, rideshare, taxi, or car to get from one park to another, although you can walk from DHS to Epcot--to the International Gateway of Epcot, not the front entrance. This is not like going to Disneyland and DCA. And although the monorail goes to both MK and Epcot, if you're traveling between the 2 parks, you have to change monorails.

Finally, be aware that you must reserve all your parks in advance. If you have park hoppers--which I consider a necessity, but other people here on the DIS disagree!--you can't hop to another park until you have (a) tapped in to your reserved park and (b) it's 2 p.m. or later. I realize you don't have your entire trip planned, but I thought I should say something since you aren't sure how many park days you're going to have--and these days it's not something you can fool around with since parks sometimes have zero reservations available.

Great tips, ty!
Re park hoppers. I’m still on the fence. Since there are restriction re hopping and the size of WDW and the transportation necessary to get from one place to the other. Idk that I can navigate that efficiently being a newbie and all, lol.
Why do you love it? Also, when u tap into your reserved park reservation, do you have to be in that Park to tap in? And do you have to have a reservation for the park you’re hopping to?

 

[Kingdome8]

To each their own. We hate them. Most recently we checked out. Went to a park for seven hours. Came back, wanted to relax in a room. Nope, five hours waiting around in a lobby. Definitely not for us. The only time we ever do a split stay is if we book late and cannot get a full week at our desired resort. It's a once every four or five years thing for us that that happens. Every time we hate it. But to each their own. We like to get settled in a room and not move around. That's no vacay for us. We visit three weeks each year, so no need to split to see different hotels. But I can understand that angle to it if you are not a frequent visitor and want to experience different properties.

Wow. What time did you check out.

 

[PalmettoPath]

Wow. What time did you check out.

Checked out early to hit parks (7:00 a.m.) -- had to drop bags then get to park for early dining res). Got back to Poly around 2:00 p.m. Got into our bungalow at 7:00 p.m. Obviously a worst case scenario, but that's our luck with split stays. We're just a family who likes to unpack and relax for the whole stay, not have to pack up and move in the middle. It's a disruption we have no interest in, but that's just us.