Disney in a Minute: What is a Split Stay?

We’re here with a series of quick posts, “Disney in a Minute,” bite-sized nuggets of information that can better help you understand a Disney term or planning topic. Enjoy!

“Split Stay” is the term used in Disney circles to describe staying in more than one hotel during the same vacation. You’re splitting your stay between two forms of accommodations.

There are many reasons why you might include a split stay in your Walt Disney World vacation. Among them:

• You’re arriving at WDW late at night and don’t want to pay big money for a hotel you’ll only sleep at. You’ll then transfer to nicer digs.
• You enjoy the amenities of two different resorts.
• Your preferred accommodations were not available for your entire trip.
• You’re participating in an event (conference, sports competition, etc.) that requires you to stay at a host hotel and then want to continue your stay at WDW when the event ends, but at a different venue.
• You like deluxe accommodations but your budget does not allow for an entirely deluxe stay.
• Your party size is changing for part of the trip.

Split stays are common at Walt Disney World, but some aspects of a split stay can be confusing, particularly issues related to using Disney Dining Plan credits. If you’re planning to use the Dining Plan during a split stay, be sure you understand all the nuances of credit use. You can read about split stays in more detail here: Disney World Split Stay: Add More Magic to Your Vacation.

Have a question about a Disney term that is unfamiliar to you? Suggest it here for an upcoming Disney in a Minute segment.