Split stay question...

[LandFan]

Hello!
I have a question I was hoping you could help me with... I am booked for Pop in November but I would like to stay at Pop for the first 3 days, then switch to the Swan for 3 days, then switch back to pop or to an all-star. This would enable us to use Magical Express incoming and outgoing. We like trying new resorts as much as the restaurants and parks! I also am a teacher so I am looking at the Swan discount!

My question: I've heard that bell services seem to transfer luggage pretty easily between Disney resorts. Will they have a problem switching it to the Swan and from the Swan back? Or should I take a taxi...

Thanks!!

[faline]

Luggage transfer between Disney resorts does not include transfers to the Swan and/or Dolphin which are not Disney resorts. I think you'll need to plan to use a taxi.

[BronxTigger]

That is a lot of switching just to use Magical Express. Is ME you sole reason for all that switching, or do you also want to try those different resorts?

[LandFan]

We'd like to try some other resorts and it just makes sense to put disney resorts on both sides to take advantage of ME. It will be an 11 day stay so there is time. It's just me and DH so we are fairly mobile. I'm still thinking about it all... I might just do Pop and Coronado Springs instead.

[DizneyRox]

I"ve heard of people transferring FROM Swan/Dolphin to Disney, but not the other way around. Disney doesn't like you to leave their control.

It does seem like a lot of work to take advantage of ME though. You're "wasting" a lot of time packing/unpacking for the service.

[CleveRocks]

It does seem like a lot of work to take advantage of ME though. You're "wasting" a lot of time packing/unpacking for the service.
The way I read it, the OP wants to do this much switching around. Putting WDW owned-and-operated resorts on the begininng and ending legs is just a matter of the order. It doesn't sound like the OP is going back to a WDW purely for the use of DME. In other words, the OP could do Pop --> Swan --> All-Star, or could do Pop --> All-Star --> Swan. All else bring equal, the OP seems to say that the first one makes the most sense.

[DizneyRox]

The way I read it, the OP wants to do this much switching around. Putting WDW owned-and-operated resorts on the begininng and ending legs is just a matter of the order. It doesn't sound like the OP is going back to a WDW purely for the use of DME. In other words, the OP could do Pop --> Swan --> All-Star, or could do Pop --> All-Star --> Swan. All else bring equal, the OP seems to say that the first one makes the most sense.

I see the part about liking to try resorts, and that's fine, however the OP also states that they like the discount at Swan, and would be able to use DME incoming and outgoing if they stay at POP or All Stars. So, using DME IS important enough to mention. There are also no questions about the order of the stay either. The question is, Do they transfer luggage or is a taxi necessary.

To the Swan you will need a taxi, FROM the Swan, you MAY be able to get the Swan to transfer, but be prepared for having to use a taxi.

[mickeys_princess]

Ok first of all just to let you know - you can have your luggage transferred free of charge, no problems at all from the POP to the Swan. We did it this past June with absolutely no problem. They came and picked it up from our room and delivered to the front desk at the Swan who then had bell services bring it to our room. We took the bus to MGM and then hopped the boat to the Swan when we were done at the park. When we checked out of Swan we asked about getting back to the airport and were told by the front desk that we had 2 options - walk with our luggage to the Boardwalk and catch ME for free or pay for Mears. We paid for Mears and I believe it was like $20. Just didnt feel like hauling luggage.

The hardest part of your situation is going to be going back to All Stars after being at Swan. No way I could leave those beds!

[CleveRocks]

When we checked out of Swan we asked about getting back to the airport and were told by the front desk that we had 2 options - walk with our luggage to the Boardwalk and catch ME for free or pay for Mears. We paid for Mears and I believe it was like $20. Just didnt feel like hauling luggage.Just for everyone else's benefit ...

That Swan front desk clerk was wrong about Swan guests beng able to walk over to Boardwalk and catch DME for free. Several reasons:
reservations are required. Walk-ups will be denied boarding.
DME reservations are tied into resort reservations. Disney guests are entitled to a DME ride from airport to resort on day of check-in, and from resort to airport on day of check-out. A reservation can't be made unless you meet those criteria. So in other words, someone who is checking-out from the Swan is not eligible to use DME on the way home.
Even a Disney resort guest traveling on check-out day MUST get on the bus at the resort where they have checked-out from. In other words, you can't check-out of Animal Kingdom Lodge, go to Chef Mickey's for your last Disney meal and then hop on a DME bus from Contemporary to the airport.
A voucher is also required to board the bus. People who lost the vouchers that were mailed to them can very easily get them replaced by their resort's front desk, but a voucher IS required to board. Mears, the subcontractor who supplies the buses and drivers, is very serious about scanning/collecting those vouchers -- they get paid by Disney on a per-passenger basis, and the only way they can prove how many passengers they're hauling is by those vouchers.

I'm just trying to explain why you're lucky you didn't take that clerk's first suggestion, and I'm hoping that others don't try it and get disappointed, either. It's not surprising that a Swan employee wouldn't know the intricacies of a Disney service, since he/she doesn't work for Disney.

[LandFan]

Thanks everyone. This info will be tucked into my brain... I'm still mulling things over!

[mickeys_princess]

Just for everyone else's benefit ...

That Swan front desk clerk was wrong about Swan guests beng able to walk over to Boardwalk and catch DME for free. Several reasons:
reservations are required. Walk-ups will be denied boarding.
DME reservations are tied into resort reservations. Disney guests are entitled to a DME ride from airport to resort on day of check-in, and from resort to airport on day of check-out. A reservation can't be made unless you meet those criteria. So in other words, someone who is checking-out from the Swan is not eligible to use DME on the way home.
Even a Disney resort guest traveling on check-out day MUST get on the bus at the resort where they have checked-out from. In other words, you can't check-out of Animal Kingdom Lodge, go to Chef Mickey's for your last Disney meal and then hop on a DME bus from Contemporary to the airport.
A voucher is also required to board the bus. People who lost the vouchers that were mailed to them can very easily get them replaced by their resort's front desk, but a voucher IS required to board. Mears, the subcontractor who supplies the buses and drivers, is very serious about scanning/collecting those vouchers -- they get paid by Disney on a per-passenger basis, and the only way they can prove how many passengers they're hauling is by those vouchers.

I'm just trying to explain why you're lucky you didn't take that clerk's first suggestion, and I'm hoping that others don't try it and get disappointed, either. It's not surprising that a Swan employee wouldn't know the intricacies of a Disney service, since he/she doesn't work for Disney.

That was also one of the reasons we didnt do it - just didnt sound right. Just wanted to mention it in case you wanted to check it out before you go. But the luggage transfer thing to the Swan was a breeze.