Split stay - one set of tickets

Walt Disney World Accommodations
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Hi all, I’ve been reading the forum for awhile, but this is finally my first post! My husband and I are planning our first Disney vacation… I’ve been there several times before, but not in many years and I’ve never been responsible for doing the planning so I have a LOT to learn!

I’m looking into what I think is probably a relatively unusual arrangement for our November 2015 trip. I’d like to do a split-stay with Friday and Saturday at a moderate resort, room only reservation, and (hopefully) take advantage of the room discount. We’d probably use Friday night and Saturday to check out Downtown Disney or just enjoy the resort after traveling. Then I’d like to move to the a different resort on Sunday with the full package and ideally use free dining for the week (if the dates line up the way they did in years past). From what I’ve read, most split stays involve using the same tickets over both stays, but since I wouldn’t start using them until Sunday, I’m not sure what my options are with the new Magic Bands.

Is there any way to activate the bands at the previous resort so we can head right to the parks Sunday morning, or do we need to activate them at the new hotel? I’d love to get to a Sunday morning rope drop but I’m not sure if that would be possible if I have to check in to the second hotel first. If anyone has any insight, I’d appreciate it.

Thanks!!

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Welcome! If you have tickets and dining on the second stay, you will need to check in at the resort before you head to the parks. Your dining will not work without check in. You can check in as early as 6am though, so can still make rope drop. We did this in April and it worked great. It does require you to have a car or to take a taxi. Check in early in the morning is quick and easy but definitely adds a time and travel component. Split stays are a great way to stay at multiple resorts, but when one part is a package it is more complicated.

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You do not even have to bring your luggage to the second hotel. You can have bell services from your first hotel transport it to the second one, or you can bring it with you in the cab/car and check it for the day. I would do online checkin and note you will be there at 6:00 or 7:00 so your packet will be ready.

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Thanks for the info! Everything is so much different from my last trip (2005) and I went with a group from school so everything was planned for me. It feels like a first trip because of all the planning. I didn’t even think about the transportation, but I suppose a taxi shouldn’t be too difficult or expensive. Thanks again.