How Easy is it to "Hop" hotels?

[kadiehl]

One more question and then I will wait for replies to both of my posts but I was wondering how easy it has been for some of you to "hop" hotels. What I mean by "hop" is this...you stay in one for most of your trip and then stay in another for just a couple nights. I was thinking of booking our typical value resort hotel since we love it there but surprising my husband and son in particular with a couple nights at Animal Kingdom Lodge. My son wants to be a Zoologist and had a HUGE interest in the animals so I thought about trying to get one of the top of the line rooms there for a night or two so we could get the view and hope to see animals when we wake up and all that. Plus, after my husband being gone for a year and living overseas, I thought a little luxury treat may be a nice welcome home present for him as well. Please share your thoughts and let me know if you think I am insane!:D

[rm3]

you are not insane at all, that sounds like such a great idea! i don't know how much help i can be, seeing as i've never done it, but disney is so wonderful with all of these things, that i'm sure it will not be a hassle. they'll hold your bags for you between check-out and check-in times, and it will probably be a matter of simply taking an extra bus ride back to your old resort and then to your new resort ... i hope it all works out! :)

[Drince88]

Make sure you do the AKL at the END after being in the Value resort! No matter what pair of resorts you're dealing with - you want to 'move up'!

Magical Express did have some issues when I switched hotels, but that may have been because the last hotel was just for one night. Easily dealt with issue, though. (We'll see if that's a problem on my next trip, where I'll be at the second resort for 3 nights of the 5 night trip)

[bradk]

they will actually transfer your luggage for you between resorts free of charge

[Cheshire Figment]

There are a few items involved.

1a. One is the move between hotels themselves. That is very easy. In the morning you pack your bags and either have bell services pick them up in your room or take them to bell services, whichever is more convenient for you. Tell them which hotel you are moving to.

1b. Leave for the parks.

1c. Afterwards go to the new resort and check in. Your bags will be waiting for you at bell services in the new resort, where you can either ask they be delivered to your room or take them yourself.

2. If you have been using your room key for charging, once you have checked out of the first resort it will no longer be valid for charging.

3a. If you have been using DDP your room key will still be valid until 11:59pm the day of check out for use of dining credits.

3b. If you have DDP at the new resort your new credits will be available as soon as you check in to the new resort.

4. If you have had park admission on your room key the tickets will remain valid until used up or 14 days from first use (unless you have the no expire option or Disney changes the rules).

5. If you have used ME be sure to let them know that you will be departing from a different resort than where you arrived.

5.

[Mickeymac]

Just a quick addition to Cheshire's excellent tips - you can still continue to use your room key on the day of check-out for charging privileges. The resort will make a second charge of the purchase you make that day. This is useful when switching resorts and you don't have access to the new room key yet if you've not checked in.

Also, I'm not sure what you mean by top of the line at AKL (to me, that means concierge) but I would stop at the standard savannah view rooms; if you book one of the deluxe savannah rooms, you'll be up on the fifth floor, and further away from the animals. This is one resort where the lower floors tend to be popular.

finally, be sure to check on the offerings for activities at that resort (you will get a list at check-in) The Junior Researcher information the kids provide during those activities are used by the handlers to check the health and sanity of the animals. It's really neat.

[kadiehl]

Thanks again for the help! We may do this or we may not. We will be going in August '07 now instead of June meaning my daughter will be 6 by then. Therefore, we may go to Discovery Cove for a day instead of upgrading hotels our last nights there. We want our kids to be able to see the dolphins up close and all that. I didn't think Disney had any sort of program like this, do they?:confused:

[Macelyn]

The last trip we stayed off property for the first half and then at the Grand Floridian consierge level for the last two days. It was wonderful! We could never have afforded GF for the entire time, but what a luxury to end the trip!

They do have a program where you actually get in the water with the dolphins out of Epcot. I'm not sure how old you have to be to get in on this, I know it's younger than 14, which is the age you have to be to get in the tank with scuba gear and Dive with all the animals. My hubby did this last trip and was hoping my elder boy would be able to go with him this time, but he's only 11 & can't go yet.

[bradk]

i believe the diving with dolphins tour has an age minimum of 13. although in that same breath, i'd advise going to discovery cove over the epcot tour. while they're both reportedly great experiences, it's pretty much just standing with some minor interaction at epcot. at discovery cove, it's more akin to actually swimming with them.

a far less mild and expensive route is just to go to sea world orlando where you can hand feed dolphins for the price of a tray of fish. although if you're going to do this, you need to do it early as the place can become a mob scene quick and unlike the san diego park, there's no reserved area for feeders. all guests fend for themselves.

[Klutch]

i believe the diving with dolphins tour has an age minimum of 13. although in that same breath, i'd advise going to discovery cove over the epcot tour. while they're both reportedly great experiences, it's pretty much just standing with some minor interaction at epcot. at discovery cove, it's more akin to actually swimming with them.

a far less mild and expensive route is just to go to sea world orlando where you can hand feed dolphins for the price of a tray of fish. although if you're going to do this, you need to do it early as the place can become a mob scene quick and unlike the san diego park, there's no reserved area for feeders. all guests fend for themselves.

Sounds like a real "feeding frenzy"! ;)

[kadiehl]

i believe the diving with dolphins tour has an age minimum of 13. although in that same breath, i'd advise going to discovery cove over the epcot tour. while they're both reportedly great experiences, it's pretty much just standing with some minor interaction at epcot. at discovery cove, it's more akin to actually swimming with them.

a far less mild and expensive route is just to go to sea world orlando where you can hand feed dolphins for the price of a tray of fish. although if you're going to do this, you need to do it early as the place can become a mob scene quick and unlike the san diego park, there's no reserved area for feeders. all guests fend for themselves.

Thank you for the advice! We are definitely doing the Discovery Cove so that we can not only swim with the dolphins but so that we can also snorkel with the other tropical fish and get in the water with some rays. My daughter will be 6 years old next July 1st (5 this weekend :) ) so we are going to take advantage of all Discovery Cove has to offer that we can do as a family except that I know I will not be able to have her snorkel. I am hoping to find some lessons for my son and I to take in our area.

Thanks again for the advice!

[Drince88]

I am hoping to find some lessons for my son and I to take in our area.
I'd check with the dive shops in the area -- even if it's not something they 'normally' offer, I bet there'd be a way to get that - and it should only take an hour or so for you to get comfortable with the snorkle and fins (if that) - if you're comfortable in the water already.

[kadiehl]

I'd check with the dive shops in the area -- even if it's not something they 'normally' offer, I bet there'd be a way to get that - and it should only take an hour or so for you to get comfortable with the snorkle and fins (if that) - if you're comfortable in the water already.

Thank you! Thank you! I just put an email out to an author friend of mine and his wife who are avid divers. I figured they may know of a good dive shop remotely in our area that will offer this service. It not, I may ask at our local college that offers swim lessons for the kids. They have diving classes and that too for college kids. Maybe they do snorkeling? My 6 year old will just be swimming so I don't know if she could get the jist of it but at least my son and I could. My husband has been able to do it since his Coast Guard, Rescue Swimmer Days.:)