Split Stays - Disney First?

[suecee]

Looking to do a split stay - a week at the Swan & Dolphin and a week on International Drive/Lake Buena Vista.

I can't decide which to do first (assuming there's no price difference) so looking for pros & cons.

We are 2 adults, we won't be driving. Our Disney week will focus on Epcot & Hollywood Studios. Our second week will be for shopping & relaxing.

My main concerns are jet lag & maybe feeling disappointed going to a cheaper hotel after the Swan.

Please let me have your thoughts especially if you've done a split stay.

I'd also be interested in views on choosing International Drive or LBV.

Finally, what are peoples recommendations on places to eat or avoid near the Swan.

Tia

[Dr.JumbaJookiba]

Originally Posted by suecee

Looking to do a split stay - a week at the Swan & Dolphin and a week on International Drive/Lake Buena Vista.

I can't decide which to do first (assuming there's no price difference) so looking for pros & cons.

We are 2 adults, we won't be driving. Our Disney week will focus on Epcot & Hollywood Studios. Our second week will be for shopping & relaxing.

My main concerns are jet lag & maybe feeling disappointed going to a cheaper hotel after the Swan.

Please let me have your thoughts especially if you've done a split stay.

I'd also be interested in views on choosing International Drive or LBV.

Finally, what are peoples recommendations on places to eat or avoid near the Swan.

Tia

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I'd save the best 'till last and finish at the Swan, but you'd be doing your shopping and relaxing in the first week.

Food questions are more my thing, you are ideally placed for some of my favourite places :-

Shula's
BlueZoo
Yachtsman
Trattoria al Forno
Flying Fish
Ale & Compass

All feature in my food reports below

[DonkeyCentreArf]

We are looking for a 5/9 day split stay next year and my plan is to start at Universal and then move to Disney.

My reasoning is, we spend less time in Universal so, with the early access passes we would get if we stay onsite, we will use these for the first couple of days when we will be up at silly o'clock to get the most out of these.

However, if your plan is to chill and shop the second week, then it would make sense to stay in WDW first. For shopping etc, there are some nice places just off I-drive - you could even get a nice suite - and you have the advantage of using I-Ride to get around as non-drivers.

[JamesL]

We've done it both ways round with Disney. Staying at Disney first meant that it was really easy to take advantage of EMH in the morning, but leaving and going to a LBV hotel was really difficult. When we did it the other way we seemed to spend the first week wishing it would go quickly so we could get to the Disney Hotel! If we were to do it again, i'm not sure which we would do - sorry, i'm not much help.

[POR34]

We always leave Disney till the end no matter where we stay first be it Universal or on a cruise.

The Swan is a great hotel and we love Il Mulino which is actually in the Swan! There are also some great counter service places to eat in the area such as the Boardwalk Bakery and you can nip over to the Dolphin too. They have a place called Picabu which is open 24 hours a day.

[Donaldfan]

I'm doing a split stay next year - Universal then Disney. I'm doing it this way round so I get the Magical Express back to the airport. I'm happy to get an Uber from the airport to Universal but prefer ME for the return journey.

[Guest]

It is nice to end on the better hotel. But I would be more inclined to do theme parks at the beginning and the more relaxing activities at the end. So I would do Swan & Dolphin first.

Last time I did a split stay it was a Universal / WDW stay with Disney last and I wish I had done it first.

[Lostbrain]

I've done both. Advantage of Disney last is that you're over jet lag and can stay out later and enjoy evening meals without being dog-tired, generally be more with it. Advantage of Disney first is that you are waking up super early so it's easy to get to the parks first thing, take advantage of extra magic hours - we have done a couple of trips where we go to Chef Mickey's for breakfast first thing and you can watch the sun come up over MK which is pretty special.

We are doing Disney first on our next stay (hopefully - everything crossed for it) but we are doing one night off site before going to our Disney accommodation to try to get rid of the worst of the jet lag and avoid getting to Disney very late because the plane has some issue and is delayed (which has happened to us 3 times on trips to the US - we don't even go that often).

[Tigger71]

Last year we had a 3-split stay with 2 days RPR for Universal, 6 nights YachtClub and then 13 nights at Sheraton Vistana Villages on I-drive. If I was doing only a 2 stay split I would do Disney first to make use of early morning access - also to get that feeling that you are on Disney/Orlando holiday. If I did it the other way around I wouldnt feel my holiday had really started. After a week of Disney I am. ormally exhausted and Disney-ed out and its nice then to relax for the second part of the holiday and not feel you have to get up early ”to make the most if it”.

[Donaldfan]

I never wake up at stupid o' clock at the beginning of the holiday. I can never sleep the first night so my first full day is always quiet - Typhoon Lagoon till early afternoon then back to the hotel to get changed to do something else. In 2018 I went to the early showing of the luau at the Poly. Last year I spent mooching around DS and had an early dinner. Then back to the hotel for an early night. I manage to sleep fine and am then on Orlando time by my second fulll day. Next year I'm starting off at Universal so will go to Volcano Bay for my first full day.