A Disney vacation is such a thrill and getting started with your planning begins with the resort hotel you select for your stay. But what if you can’t decide on just one resort? Don’t worry; you aren’t alone! Many families are torn between two or more resorts for their trip. Fortunately for you, there is an option that will allow you to try multiple resorts— a Disney split stay!

What is a split stay? A split stay is a change from one resort to another during the course of your uninterrupted trip. Want that amazing pool at Disney’s Beach Club resort, but also would love to give your child the experience of a room overlooking the African animals at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge? What about the ease of the monorail access at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, but also wanting the theming of a Cars suite at the Art of Animation resort? Then a split stay with a few nights at each resort might be the right decision for your family!

During my family’s latest trip this summer we did a split stay- starting at Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter resort then switching over to Disney’s Art of Animation family suites after a few days. We loved getting to experience the ambiance and amenities of both resorts!

On the day we switched resorts, Disney made our transition so easy! We simply went to the Bell Services desk at our resort and asked for our bags to be sent to our next room. Each of our bags was individually tagged and we were given a claim ticket to take with us. Bell Services made us aware that it could take up to four hours for our bags to arrive at our next resort, but since we were spending our day in the Magic Kingdom, that worked out perfectly!

One unique circumstance for us was my daughter’s prescription medication needing to stay refrigerated. I was a little anxious about keeping the medicine chilled so it would still be effective. Though the luggage that is transferred does sit in a van for a while, Bell Services was nice enough to make sure her medicine stayed chilled as a special request. Once our bags were ready to be loaded onto the van, they packed the medicine in an insulated lunchbox I had brought from home along with ice packs they were nice enough to freeze for me! This was a huge weight off my shoulders, and I was able to enjoy our park time knowing I didn’t have to worry about our bags or my daughter’s medicine staying cool!

After we were done in the Magic Kingdom, we took the bus directly from the park to our new resort. Once we checked in, we used the Bell Services button on our in-room phone to call for our bags; they were delivered right to our room!

One important thing to note is that if you have the dining plan on your first reservation or both reservations, you will need to make sure you check in to your second resort after you’ve used all of your dining credits from your first reservation. If you still have snack credits remaining, head to your resort’s quick-service restaurant or sundries shop to redeem those snack credits for pre-packaged snacks, such as crackers, gummies, trail mix, etc. If the dining plan is on your second reservation only, you may start using your dining plan as soon as you check in to your second resort; your credits will not expire until midnight on the day you check out from that resort.

You will also get a new refillable mug for the second reservation. If you prefer not to get new refillable mugs, that’s okay; the mugs and Magic Bands from your first reservation will still work during your second reservation provided that you’re not more than 14 days from your original check-in date.

Of course, your Me and The Mouse Travel Specialist will be happy to assist you with recommending resorts that would best suit your family preferences and budget. Just remember that if you can’t decide between all of the great choices out there, you have another option— a Disney split stay!