Moving between Disney resorts - luggage transfer questions

[Bellasmummy]

Hi all,

We have a spilt stay this summer and I’m currently looking at our plans to sort out any ADRs etc.

We have a car and will move from Boardwalk Villas to Bay Lake Tower.

Due to the time of check out/in I’m wondering if we should get bell services to move our luggage for us so that we don’t leave it in the car or have to return to collect to load the car.

Does anybody know how long it takes to get them to move the luggage for us? I haven’t managed to find this info online.

Current thinking is that dh and dd would go to Epcot while I pack and get bell services to take the bags. We’re going to book a late lunch at Beaches and Cream before heading to Bay Lake.

Ideally I’d like to unpack straight away after getting in the room so that we can then head out to MK.

However, if it takes ages to get the luggage transferred we’d be better all staying together and heading to Epcot after moving our luggage to the car or bell services for collection later so that I don’t have to move the luggage on my own. This would obviously affect timings of fp+ bookings so it would be good to get an idea of how this would work before booking date.

I’d be interesting in hearing peoples experiences of getting Disney to transfer luggage.

[BevS97]

I would take it myself and leave it with Bell Services.

We have used them to move luggage and it’s been hit and miss with how long it took and bits going missing(always turned up eventually).
I would use it if we had no car. But I prefer to just take it and know it’s there.

We would go over first thing and check in and drop off the luggage then go out for the day and come back later to get to the room.

[Bellasmummy]

Originally Posted by BevS97

I would take it myself and leave it with Bell Services.

We have used them to move luggage and it’s been hit and miss with how long it took and bits going missing(always turned up eventually).
I would use it if we had no car. But I prefer to just take it and know it’s there.

We would go over first thing and check in and drop off the luggage then go out for the day and come back later to get to the room.

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Thanks.

I wonder if it might be better for us to get bell services to collect from the room and hold it for us until we leave for BLT. That way dh and dd can head out whilst I pack in peace (if packing is ever peaceful!) but I won’t need to lug the cases about on my own.

I don’t fancy things going missing so will definitely not get then to transfer for us.

[Guest]

If I had a car, I would definitely move it myself. We moved twice on last trip and it took about five hours each time (which wasn’t a problem for us). However they ruined a brand new hard suit case, which was a problem.

[YorkshireT]

I had a car this split stay and moved it myself from Beach Club to Bay Lake. I had seen too many reports of it not turning up until late. Easier to load the car, go to the new resort and try and bag a good room early, and leave your stuff with bell services there and do what you want to do, and then when room is ready bring it straight up so you can unpack and get on with the holiday.
I would not do what your plan is (Beaches and Cream etc). Exactly as Bev says, I would get to Bay Lake early- and bag the good room, then sit around the pool at Bay Lake etc. Do what we did and rent a boat ($65 an hour on DVC discount) and drive it around By Lake, and Seven Seas Lagoon, go in MK, or go in the pools and explore Contemporary etc. The quick serve at Contempo Cafe is pretty good, the Smokehouse Burger there is very good.
Or keep a small bag with your essentials or 1 case, send your husband off to Bay Lake first thing with all the cases and to check in and bag the best room, then come back. It only takes about 15 mins to drive between the two.
By turning up at Bay Lake and checking in early, I did manage to get a lake view looking at MK. That turned out not so good in the end for other reasons, but it still meant I bagged the best room. The only person in Bay Lake reception early was a guy booking a cash room en spec (on Boxing Day he turned up asking for a cash room- he got one as well) so I got good check in service, room selection etc. At 3- 4 it was chaos. A criticism of Bay Lake I do have is front desk is not well resourced.
Your final option is to just leave it with bell services at Beach Club, then get it from them when you go to Bay Lake- if your car fits your luggage and everyone in.

[BevS97]

I wouldn’t hang around the resort all day though. I would plan a longish park day. There is nothing worse than sitting waiting for the room. Much better to be busy and then just go to the hotel when you are done.

[missdopey]

We used bell services to transfer our luggage last April, we had fridge stuff we needed kept cool so we let them move everything between copper creek and old key west. They told us they don’t start moving stuff until early afternoon so not to expect it to arrive for a good few hours. We left it around 10.30am at CC and it arrived at OKW before 2pm (it was there when we checked). We’d do it again as we went off to a park until we got the text to say our room was ready so we didn’t have the cases left in the car or have to go to our new resort to drop them off.

[Bellasmummy]

Thanks all, sounds like a change of plan might be in order.

YT - I didn’t realise that the time you arrive would affect what room you get. Good too about it being busy later though.

I like the idea of renting a boat, we’ve talked about doing that before but not had the chance.

[YorkshireT]

Originally Posted by Bellasmummy

Thanks all, sounds like a change of plan might be in order.

YT - I didn’t realise that the time you arrive would affect what room you get. Good too about it being busy later though.

I like the idea of renting a boat, we’ve talked about doing that before but not had the chance.

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The boat was one of the best things we did, it was great- you can sail it right in front of the Magic Kingdom (watch out for the ferries) and the Grand Floridian. It is quite a fancy thing with padded seats and good stereo system. Everyone is looking at you from the Disney transport boats though! Give them all a wave, they think you are a VIP. I was surprised to be only charged $65 for a full hour. You rent it next to BLT directly behind Contemporary.
I thought Magic Kingdom was left from Contemporary at first, and went off limits- the patrol boats were all over me. I then went back the other way near Wilderness Lodge, and though the small canal (the patrol boats were watching me very closely at this point!) then into 7 Seas Lagoon- it is quite an experience and good value. First time I had ever driven a motor boat- quite refreshing they allow an idiot like me onto 7 Seas Lagoon with it I have to say.
It was a tip I got on here from Tom re early check in- if you are there early it gives you a lot more wriggle room- they are less busy and they can change the room allocations about.

[CheshireCaty]

We’ve always had Disney transfer some/ all of our luggage when we’ve done split stays. I don’t know if we just hit a patch of bad luck in December or maybe we’ve always been lucky previously, but they temporarily lost our luggage when moving to BLT (finally reunited at around 7pm) and even when we then moved to BWV, the luggage didn’t arrive until after 5.30pm. Maybe this is the norm, but previously we’ve never had to wait beyond 4pm for our luggage.