Hi Jackie,
Welcome to planDisney. It’s so exciting that you’re visiting from Australia and staying in a
Disney Resorts Collection hotel room for your upcoming holiday. You’re going to love the perks that come with staying on property, from being right in the middle of the magic to enjoying extra time in the parks each day. My family tried a split stay for the first time a couple of years ago, and now we can’t imagine vacationing any other way. With so many wonderful resorts to experience, why settle for just one?
One of my favorite conveniences of a split stay is using Bell Services to transfer luggage from one Disney Resort to another. I always suggest making the move on a park day since your bags may not arrive at your next resort until the afternoon. It works perfectly to drop them off on your way to rope drop, keep any medications or swimsuits in your park bag, enjoy a full day of attractions, and then check in to your new home away from home that evening.
As for your
Lightning Lane question, the
Walt Disney World website notes that you must be physically in the United States to make those selections. As I have only been booking Lightning Lanes from the States, I suggest doing some additional research and logging in right at that booking window to see for yourself. Since you are doing a split stay, once you become eligible to book, you can reserve Lightning Lanes for both parts of your trip at the same time, covering up to 14 days. This applies to both Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Lightning Lane Single Pass.
I hope this helps as you finalize your plans, Jackie. You’re in for an unforgettable start to the year!
Cheers,
Brent