Sooo…we have an amazing opportunity to share some DVC points from a friend. We currently have a reservation at BCV for 14 nights, and plan to do the beach for 3 nights before or after WDW.
As I was looking I split stays, I found we have enough points to do 4 nights at Vero Beach, 3 nights at Poly, 5 nights at Beach Club and finish off with 4 nights in a 1 bedroom Savannah view at AKV. Is this crazy?? We feel like this is probably out only chance to ever stay in a deluxe resort, so think we want to try all our favorites. But, realistically…will too much moving around make it too stressful?
We have 3 kids (14, 10, 8) who can manage packing up their own stuff, but there’s the bathroom stuff, snacks and all the extra things I think we need…and I am totally an over-packer. I have great intentions of keeping it simple this trip, but I think I have said that every time we go! HA!
In the past we have stayed one night off property on our arrival and/or departure days, plus we move again for a couple nights at the beach, so we have moved, but once we are at WDW, we unpack and settle in, so this will be way different. Any thoughts would be great. Thanks!!
I’m doing 4 resorts in May! Loew’s Royal Pacific for 2 nights, BCV for 4, GFV for 4 and AKL for 4 with my four kids (10, 8, 6 and 4) in tow. I’ll let you know how it goes! I’m pretty pumped about it! Packing cubes save the day here. If you don’t already use them they are packing lifesavers.
I think you’ll get answers all over the board here.
I don’t like doing split stays with kids period. I just did it with only 1 of my kids and in the post trip discussion with DH about what did and didn’t work for us, we mutually agreed no more split stays going forward.
For us, it’s not possible to do the “leave bags with bell services to transfer and go to a park or DS until evening, then go to new resort.” We need to have that room available as a place of retreat if needed, and just too many variables to make it realistic.
You might not need that, though. You know your kids best!
Like you said, the kids being old enough to manage their own stuff will help, and you’re staying at least 3 nights in each place. If you’re organized and can have a “moving day” bag for swim suits, change of clothes and essentials. You can plan your parks and dining around where you’ll be.
I’m a solo traveler and the idea of a split stay gives me hives. I do not want to spend my vacation packing and unpacking. Get there, unpack once, and pack to go home.
I would consider the time lost on your transition days. It takes time to pack, time to get bags to bell services, unpack, etc. And with DVC my experience has been that rooms are rarely ready early. But with a longer trip, you may not care.
For a trip that long, I would totally try this. You’ve got a good number of nights at each resort. Personally, I think I’d get bored with 14 nights at the same resort.
Are you driving? That would make it a lot easier. If you can pack ahead with stuff for each leg of the trip, you don’t have to pack and unpack everything for each stay - leaving some stuff in the car and just taking out what you need.
If you are driving and pack strategically you could save time between moves? i.e. pack by segments but if you have laundry in room you can pack light too. I’ve done road trips where we stop at a different place every other day and we manage. A few years back I planned a spring break road trip to show my DS (then 12) old Florida. It was soooo much fun and the only time we stayed more than one night at a place was WDW-CSR. Enjoy! Have fun!
I have done a 3 way split with kids much younger (3&5, 4&6) than yours 2 times before. First split (Shades of Green, off-site condo, WL) was more of a challenge since I had a little one really needing a nap still. Had to really plan the switch over days well, mostly skipped nap and left park early those days. The second split (Bonnet creek, off site condo, Shades of green) was easier since the youngest wasn’t napping every day anymore. That probably isn’t an issue with kids the ages of yours.
I have also done off site condo, Royal Caribbean, off site condo, Disney cruise over 10 days with a 5, 11, and 12 year old.
Pack smartly- if you have things that can wait to unpack until a second or third hotel put those in one suitcase. The first few trips with the little kids I have their outfits planned by days in ziploc bags. Super easy to only put what was needed for each part in different suitcases. For our Universal/cruise trip I had a suitcase that was only to be opened once we were on the cruise (pirate costumes, dress clothes for dinner, etc). We also packed 1 suitcase after we finished Universal that included things we didn’t need on the cruise (hogwarts robes, winter clothes) that we left in our car during the cruise. This helped us have fewer bags overall and made the transitions easier. We have always had a car we could stash things we didn’t need for that leg in on our trips and only took out what we did need for each part of the stay.
We don’t always have split stays but we have learned to pack smart and put up with the split stays because some of these days have been free due to work conferences paying for a few days or family gifting us time share points. I will put up with lots of splits if the price makes it worth it.
Agree! We “put up” with splits for pricing and to navigate free dining dates and fitting in the beach! But to INTENTIONALLY plan them… I keep wondering if I’m sabotaging my own trip!
These comments and stories are just what I was looking for! A little encouragement, a little reality…
The first time we drove down (36 hours straight with our kids 8, 4 & 2), everyone thought we were crazy, but we had a small trailer for our stuff and stow and go seats with a mattress for the back of the van for the kids to sleep at night and us to take turn sleeping during the day. We planned it out and pitched it as a great adventure, and it was awesome! Our kids still love the overnight road trip!
We’re thinking of this that way too…it will be an adventure! I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t so busy swooning over the deluxe resorts that I had lost total sight of the reality of moving rooms…which maybe I have…
I’m trying to think how we could do a practice run… maybe for one of our dance trips this spring, we stay in a diff hotel each night and see how that goes! That sounds horrible! HA!
I’m planning 3 resorts (hoping for 4…I’m looking at you Star Wars Hotel!!) for March 2022 with my 4 kiddos (10, 7, 4, 1). Poly 3 nights, AKL 6 nights, SW 2 nights (if available), BC 4 - 6 nights. And now I’m toying with adding 2 nights at LegoLand at the beginning. I think the keys are strategic packing and kids that don’t need a mid-day break.
Your trip sounds so fun!! I’m actually looking at it as more relaxing but who knows. We’ve never take a resort day, ever. We’re always in the parks everyday. But this trip we have 3 days of touring followed by a no park day (which are our resort transfer days). Plus we have 10 day tickets which by itself lends to more leisurely touring. It also helps that two of our transfer days are in and out of BC and there’s SAB to tide us over until rooms are ready. The other day is DS and late brunch. In my head it’ll be restful…we’ll see if that pans out!
If you have enough down time planned to actually enjoy/explore each hotel/resort, then I don’t think it’s a big deal. Be organized with your packing (pack by day/hotel, not by person) to minimize repacking, and it’s not a huge deal.
It’s so hard for me to plan resort days! Even if it’s just for 2 rides and some fireworks, I can’t stay away from the parks!! I’m hoping the cabanas at SAB will help
I’m pretty pumped about it! Packing cubes save the day here. If you don’t already use them they are packing lifesavers.
