And why is there no comment on the fact that the ToW was similarly split up in NES Zelda?
Thanatos-Zero outright ignored this question when you first posted it, then responded in the context of Wind Waker and not NES, and that's what's causing the confusion. Your take on the NES Zelda is correct, but I don't see how it's relevant to the discussion.
IMHO there is no greater exercise in futility than trying to make sense of the Zelda timeline. Zelda games are generally built as adventures in themselves with their continuity addressed as an afterthought (case in point: Twilight Princess was originally supposed to be a Wind Waker sequel, then they decided Phantom Hourglass worked better). Even when they do make an effort to establish some connection, they don't hesitate to brush over minor details (characteristics of the Sages).
There is little doubt in my mind that the split-continuity stemming from OoT was not established officially until they wrote TP out of the Wind Waker timeline during development. Before that, there was no definite statement that the adult Link timeline from a game released eight years ago had been preserved. And given the fact that the two periods remained linked, as presented in the Kakariko windmill scenario, arguing that they fork away from each other wouldn't have been easy.
The answers given in this thread are merely what is derived after the point. Before the release of TP, it would have been an entirely different matter, especially when it comes to the status of the Triforce of Courage. All that's out the window now, but I still have one problem with this timeline fork:
Why is it that Link, the Hero of Time, is the *ONLY* thing to not coexist in both time forks? Zelda does, Ganon does, all Triforce parts do, and the Master Sword does.
I don't expect Nintendo to ever answer that one. They might, but they probably won't.
Let`s make it short:
Link got back in time by Zelda, however this was only a stopover in his timetravel, because his and Zelda´s actions where still in effect, as we can see that the DoT is open alongside with the Sacret Stones on the altar.
Zelda from the AT has activated the other Door of Time which is the entrance from the outside. When Link goes through it, he was no longer bond with the AT and this starts the Child Timeline. This has closed the roads between the times.
Link lacks now the Sacret Stone of the Kokiri and the Ocarina of Time, which he gave Zelda in the AT, also he will meet for the first time Talon and Malon.
Since Link has no longer the Ocarina of Time, it confirms timetravel to the point before the first meeting has occured, that he got it from the Zelda of the CT, as we can see it in the Majora´s Mask Fashback Szene. [/I]
First of all your URL is broken.
Zelda having the Ocarina of Time during the Majora's Mask flashback is no greater evidence of Link traveling to before their first meeting than Link having the Hylian Shield and Epona are of him going back to after said meeting. What happened between Link meeting Zelda in OoT's ending and his departure in the Majora's Mask flashback is a complete mystery, besides that it spans multiple days.
How/where the Ocarina reappeared in child Link's time and when the OoT ending meetup with Zelda occurs isn't made clear. You'd have better luck arguing on the grounds that it must be, at least, before Ganondorf makes his move on the Sacred Realm, since according to TP he is discovered and captured.