Can someone suggest a good timeshare near WDW?

[cgcruz]

I like DVC, but I'd like something permanent. I'm not looking for anything too expensive or overly luxurious. Something close to WDW would be nice. As things are right now, I wouldnt need anything more than a 1 bedroom timeshare. We'd prefer something around Early March. Any suggestions as to a resort that would match my expectation? Am I looking into speding as much as DVC ($15,000) for decent accomidations?

[cgcruz]

I was looking at the timeshare store website. They have a listing at Vistana Resort in Lake Buena Vista in the Falls Section. A 2 bed 2 bath for $2,600 red season, fixed week 6. Does that sound good? Anyone know anything about Vistana Resort? What is Red Season? Are they lifetime ownership?

[poohbear200202]

Vistana is a great resort. We stayed there last year with a friend's timeshare and loved it. 7 pools onsite, minature golf, kids activities and the list goes on. We liked it so much we are going back this year even though we are not going to disney. So I think we are going to look at buying a timeshare there. The room we had last year was in the Lakes. 2br/2ba. Very spacious and clean. This year we are staying in the CAscades section(which is the newer section of the resort). Let you know after Sept how that was.

[luvdisney14]

What is the timeshare website you are looking at. Last year stayed at vistana and loved it.

[cgcruz]

www.timeshareresale.com They are sponsors on Disboards.

[utahkennedys]

Check out www.tug2.net in their classifieds section. I see very inexpensive Orlando timeshares there all of the time. I have heard good things about Orange Lake and Vistana (but be careful which sections of Vistana, some are old, some are new), and also Vistana Villages. Also, I see Marriott Cypress Harbour deals for around $7k. You can also watch eBay. However, having said that, we got a great deal at Old Key West DVC and absolutely love it...you don't have to pay $16k to buy DVC. If you go to the DVC boards on this site, at the top is the sponsor DVC reseller and they are great.

[spiceycat]

the difference between DVC and other timeshares is staying on property not off.

I don't know if I would recommend any timeshares in Orlando. there are so many of them that they don't trade as well as cheaper timeshares elsewhere.

where do you live? certain timeshares will allow you visiting rights. another words you don't have to stay there to use their facilities & amenities - just be an owner.

any beach timeshares will out trade most of the timeshares in Orlando. (not DVC, HGVC or Marriott - but most of the others yes)

so if you live near a beach - near to me is 6 hours or less. then I start looking there.

you should be able to get a good timeshares in Orlando for $4,000 or less.

to get one elsewhere $2,500 or less - plus generally maintence fees are less outside of Orlando.

tug is a good place to start looking and ask questions. Some of the tuggers will know your part of the country better and might have much better suggestion.

a big hint - always and I mean always check the maintence price with what you can rent the unit you are looking for at the time you want it.

some places it is actually less money to rent than to own. DVC will never do this. but most places don't have the CRO to rent them out....

Westgate is a bad example of this - that is one reason why Westgate is so under the market. they rent (BIG time) for less than you can own with them.

so definitely mark Westgate off your list.

one of the closest is to WDW is Cypress Pointe - it gets good reviews - but the rental rate is close to the maintence fees. It is less than a mile (might be a little more) from OKW.

be carefully!

also look at

http://www.timeshareforums.com/
http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/index.php
http://www.timesharegateway.com/forums/

after you decide what you want to buy look
www.myresortnetwork.com

[spiceycat]

oh if you want to trade into DVC possible (but not with an Orlando timeshares) - then make sure the timeshare is with II (interval international) not RCI (the other big exchange company).

[MiaSRN62]

I agree with everything Spicey said. Particularily if you are looking to trade out frequently, Orlando timeshares do not do that well. Maintenance costs seem higher for Orlando timeshares as well.
As for Vistana. We own there in the Fountains I/II section. The Falls section is one of the oldest section (2nd oldest actually). They are the only section that does not have 2 double beds in the second bedroom-----they have 2 singles. They will not appear as modern/updated as the newer sections (especially the Lakes and Cascades). They are a life time deed. Week 6 is fixed and it means you would have to vacation that week all the time. I believe this is around the 2nd week of Feb ? Don't have a calendar handy. I also don't believe it's Pres Week ? The price sounds good.....but just check the maintenance fees and make sure you're prepared to vacation in Feb every year and might have some trouble trading out for certain seasons/resorts.

[swilshire]

If you want early March, you don't want a fixed week 6.

We love our floating Vistana week because we have used it most years. I agree that maintenance costs are relatively high in Florida, but if you will using your own week each year, it is worth it to avoid exchange fees.

If you don't want to travel at peak times like Spring break and Christmas, you can also buy somewhere else with lower fees and consistently exchange into resorts in Orlando, particularly the smaller 1br units. That lets you try various resorts.

Also, in the off season it is probably cheaper to rent units than to own and pay the maintenance fees.

I would only recommend buying Orlando to those that really want to go there most of the time and are restrained by schedules to peak seasons.

Sheila

[MiaSRN62]

I would only recommend buying Orlando to those that really want to go there most of the time and are restrained by schedules to peak seasons.
I agree.....for us, it works. We vacation primarily in FL. We also have several family members living in the state and our timeshare is no more than 90 min from any of them. We've only traded out once in 12 years of ownership---to Williamsburg, VA. But I have heard of people having trouble getting trades into very popular areas like Hawaii. But even DVC doesn't always trade so well there.

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

My parents own at Marriott. They have, I believe, six resorts in the WDW area. They're also part of the Interval network. We've stayed there with them many times, and they're really beautiful places.

[spiceycat]

marriott has 6 in orlando - they are still building grande vista - but I would pick Cypress Harbour (better management)

Imperial Palms
sabal Palms
royal Palms
Grande Vista
Cypress Harbour
Horizons

Hilton Grand Vacation Club has 2 - International Drive and across from Seaworld.

you know about Disney.

[JudyS]

I agree with what SpiceyCat and Sheila said. For most people, owning a timeshare in Orlando doesn't make sense. There are so many timeshares in Orlando that they often trade poorly, and at least one of the two main exchange companies doesn't allow Orlando timeshares to trade into other Orlando timeshares. This prevents Orlando timeshares from trading into the DVC. Also, in the long run, the annual fees (for management, upkeep, utilities, taxes, etc) are generally more important than the purchase price of the timeshare, and annual fees tend to be quite high in Orlando.

Owning in Orlando only makes sense in a few circumstances -- if you buy at the DVC, for example, or if you want to go at Christmas and buy a fixed Christmas week (week 52.)

I was looking at the timeshare store website. They have a listing at Vistana Resort in Lake Buena Vista in the Falls Section. A 2 bed 2 bath for $2,600 red season, fixed week 6. Does that sound good? Anyone know anything about Vistana Resort? What is Red Season? Are they lifetime ownership?I don't know all the answers here, but I will tell you what I know!

The Sheraton Vistana Resort is the world's largest timeshare, with 2,000 units. Most of it is very nice but there are some older sections that are not as nice. (These might be getting renovated -- not sure.)

Red season is the term that timeshare exchange companies use to indicate that a week falls in a tourist season, as opposed to shoulder season or offseason. (An example of a location with distinct tourist, shoulder, and off-seasons would be Cape Cod -- many tourists go there in summer but few in winter.) However, Orlando is considered red all year around, because the theme parks are open all year. Therefore, all Orlando weeks are considered red, regardless of whether they fall into a busy time such as Spring break or a slow time such as September.

Timesharing can be a way to get great vacations very inexpensively! I've used my timeshares to trade into Orlando four times in the past year and a half. I stayed at the DVC three times, and I also got a 3 bedroom Cypress Pointe for Christmas week. Timeshares can be complicated, though. I will PM you with more timeshare information.

[mickeymousemom]

We are members of BlueGreen and they have a couple of places in Orlando...the Sunshine Resort(closer to US/IoA) and the Fountains(They also have places all over the country and we are deeded in Virginia, but have never used our points anywhere but Florida). The Fountains is beautiful..we've already stayed there twice this year, just got back a couple weeks ago. I'm not sure what exactly you're looking for and I can be a little clueless on how timeshares can work, but we have been really happy with what we've bought thru BlueGreen. I don't feel they are high pressure when it comes to buying and we have points that we use all over the place. We really love to stay on WDW property at least once a year, but having the timeshare allows us to go down to Orlando on a whim. We also have unlimited bonus time thru them so if we don't want to use points we can stay at any of the condos for $59 a night. The Fountains is very close to WDW property and is fairly new...they still have a couple more buildings to go up. The pool is nice and in the future they'll have a small waterpark for the residents. Not sure if I've helped or not, but at any rate, good luck in finding something! :goodvibes

[Lisa P.]

Do look at TUG (see my sig below) and consider joining so that you will have access to the timeshare reviews there. It will greatly help you to narrow your field to the resorts that most closely fit your preferences.

If you plan to use it yourself most years, I think it's great to own at the resort of your choosing so you don't have to worry about trade power, trade fees (always rising) and whether you will get your preferred resort. Another option is to buy points within a points system (like Bluegreen, mentioned above, or Fairfield or Worldmark) that has resorts you like but at a home resort with lower fees than most Orlando properties. They usually allow you to reserve at other resorts within their system without an additional exchange fee - I know that Fairfield allows this. Make sure that anything you buy is annual, not EOY (every-other-year). Also, FL properties don't normally include properties taxes in their maint fees so you are billed separately (usually combined in other states). When comparing costs between resorts, factor in both (maint & taxes).

To give you an idea of cost... most of Fairfield's resorts in the Orlando area are listed as "prime" season in early March. To reserve a 1BR Deluxe condo at FF Bonnet Creek (next door to Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort), it's 166,000 points. A 1BR Deluxe at FF Star Island or FF Cypress Palms is 128,000 points. A 1BR Suite (no jacuzzi, much smaller rooms) at either of the latter two resorts is 94,500 points.

It's possible to buy FF points resale through reputable brokers for ~3¢/pt or ~$5,000 purchase for the 166K. Look for a package with maint fees ~$3-$4/1,000 pts or ~$500-$675/year maint & taxes. This is probably cheaper than buying points to stay in a 1BR at DVC every year. In years when you want to stretch your points, it's easy to deposit an offseason 1BR (63K) or a high season studio (70K) and trade up to what you want in Orlando. Then you use the rest of your points to reserve another vacation, trade another week, add extra days at a resort to lengthen your stay in Orlando or even at the beach in FL (FF has resorts in Daytona, Ft. Lauderdale & Destin) or along the drive home in SC (Myrtle Beach or Edisto). This kind of trading is possible with both II and RCI so whichever is the exchange company for your home resort doesn't matter so much - though we personally prefer RCI for it's destinations, variety and more FF Gold Crown properties.

Bottom line: learn more about resale timeshares on TUG; see what appeals to you; choose the option that you think best fits you; don't pay more than $6,000 for a prime week with maint fees that you can afford. And yes, most timeshares are for life and may be willed to heirs - if you want that (we did), get it. :)

[gjw007]

The Sheraton Vistana Resort is the world's largest timeshare, with 2,000 units. Most of it is very nice but there are some older sections that are not as nice. (These might be getting renovated -- not sure.)
Not attempting to get nitpicky, but this isn't quite correct. Vistana Resort is a nice resort and it is on 135 acres. As you mentioned, it has roughly 2000 units (I had heard 1,700 but I'm not going to say my information was correct). Orange Lake currently has over 2,500 units with plans to expand up to 4,500 units. It also is on over 1200 acres with over 100,000 owners. Some people like the larger resorts because they offer so much more activities on property but some people don't like them.

For the OP, I've never been a fan of the mantra of buying someplace else just to trade into Orlando. It is true that many of them have lower maintenance costs, at least until some special assessment is charged, but you are no longer guaranteed access to a resort that you like (many of them have a restriction to a 1-in-3/4 rule where you can only trade into the resort once every fourth year) but if you don't mind (forced) to go to different resorts every year, it is workable. You need to review what you are looking for and why. If you plan to use it to go to Orlando, then look at the type of resort that you would like to stay at, and consider owning. If you are looking for maximum trading power with only occassional uses in Orlando, it makes sense to look at resorts with maximum trading power if you can accurately determine what that is. RCI and IIs guide don't really provide a comparison as as all red weeks are not the same. Example, you can go to www.rci.com (http://www.rci.com), look up a resort such as Vacation Village at Parkway (Sheraton's Vistana will also work) and check out the points totals for each week. Even though every week is a red week, you will see that there are different points totals for different weeks. Oh, I think week 7 is President's week (also Daytona week).

It would be wise to use a resource like www.tug2.net (http://www.tug2.net) to learn about timesharing and make up a decision on your own. There are many surprises that could disappoint you if you are unaware. As an example, the points-based resort may promise you the ability to check in at any time and for any length of stay but some still force you to check in on a Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and use a week of points. Others may let you stay 1 or 2 nights but there is a cleaning charge that is applied for stays under 5 days. It is best to learn these type of things before purchasing rather than after. Good luck on your decision.

[JudyS]

Not attempting to get nitpicky, but this isn't quite correct. Vistana Resort is a nice resort and it is on 135 acres. As you mentioned, it has roughly 2000 units (I had heard 1,700 but I'm not going to say my information was correct). Orange Lake currently has over 2,500 units with plans to expand up to 4,500 units. It also is on over 1200 acres with over 100,000 owners. Some people like the larger resorts because they offer so much more activities on property but some people don't like them.

For the OP, I've never been a fan of the mantra of buying someplace else just to trade into Orlando. It is true that many of them have lower maintenance costs, at least until some special assessment is charged, but you are no longer guaranteed access to a resort that you like (many of them have a restriction to a 1-in-3/4 rule where you can only trade into the resort once every fourth year) but if you don't mind (forced) to go to different resorts every year, it is workable.....By "largest timeshare", I meant number of units. When it comes to acreage, I would guess that one of the ski resorts has the most acreage. I stayed at Boyne Mountain in Michigan last week, and that resort is 5000 acres.

I hadn't realized that Orange Lake Country Club has that many units -- were some of them built recently? So, OK, then Orange Lake Country Club is probably the world's largest timeshare, in terms of how many units it has. The fact that these two enormous timeshares are in Orlando points out just how much timeshare availability the Orlando area has!

If a person really likes one particular timeshare, and would rather stay there than at any other timeshare in the area, then that would be a good reason to buy at that resort rather than trying to trade in. However, that didn't seem to be the situation that the Original Poster was talking about. (And even when you own at a resort, you still have to worry about booking in advance to get the week that you want, unless you own a fixed week.)

As for maintenance fees and special assessments, there's no reason to think that resorts in Orlando will be less likely to have a special assessment than a resort anywhere else. I say that one of the main reasons for the high annual fees in Orlando is the taxes. My DVC contract (barely enough points for a one bedroom) costs about $150 a year in real estate taxes. I have a 2 bedroom in another state that costs only $10 a year in real estate taxes!

I don't worry at all about 1-in-4 rules. (For those new to timesharing, a 1-in-4 rule is a rule that some resorts have, that says you are only allowed to exchange into that resort once every four years. Sometimes the time limit is actually once in 3 years or once in 5 years.) I don't run into problems with this rule because only RCI allows resorts to have 1-in-4 rules. And, for that matter, 1-in-4 rules are currently enforced only in RCI's Weeks program, not RCI's Points program. Interval International doesn't have any 1-in-4 rules, and neither do any of the independent exchange companies. I'm a member of 5 exchange programs -- RCI Weeks, RCI Points, Interval International, San Francisco Exchange, and Dial-an-Exchange (these last two are independent exchange companies) and I would say that Interval is generally the best exchange company for exchanging into Orlando. Most Marriott weeks and virtually all DVC weeks exchange through Interval. The RCI Points system is also good for Orlando, if you want a last-minute week at a nice resort like a Hilton or Sheraton (but not DVC and generally not Marriott). RCI Weeks would be my last choice for exchanging into Orlando. So, I never run into the 1-in-4 rule because I don't use RCI Weeks for my Orlando trades.

About Fairfield and Bluegreen, which several people have mentioned on this thread, these are both fairly large points-based timeshare systems that have several resorts in the Orlando area. I've looked into both of them, and have come pretty close to buying points in each of them at various times. What has stopped me is two factors. One is initial purchase price -- even on the resale market, Bluegreen and Fairfield cost more than most other non-hotel-based timeshares. The other factor is how these systems work their "VIP" or "Preferred Member" benefits. Both systems want you to buy a ton of points; if you own only enough points for one week's usage a year, then you miss out on their VIP or Preferred Member benefits, which can include big discounts and first crack at all the really desirable reservations. And, Fairfield only gives their VIP benefits to people who buy at least some points at high prices directly at Fairfield. Bluegreen hasn't started denying Preferred Member benefits to resale buyers, but they keep saying that they will. (I was just on a Bluegreen sales tour last week.) Also, both systems, especially Fairfield's, are quite complicated. (I don't what to have to deal with housekeeping credits!) Still, I know some very satisfied owners at both systems, and it's quite possible that I'll buy points in either Fairfield or Bluegreen in the future. Bluegreen is more likely than Fairfield, because Fairfield's system is quite similar to RCI Points, which I already have. (Fairfield is owned by the same company as RCI.)

Worldmark is another good system that has many satisfied owners, but their resale purchase price is even higher than Fairfield's and Bluegreen's, and they currently are having a conflict with some of their members over the fact that Worldmark is "diluting" the value of Worldmark points by adding cheap timeshares in out-of-the-way places such as as Galena, Illinois. Plus, Worldmark generally also makes you keep track of housekeeping credits.

OK, can you tell that I am obsessed with timeshares! :rotfl:

(edited to add Worldmark info)

[Lisa P.]

If a person really likes one particular timeshare, and would rather stay there than at any other timeshare in the area, then that would be a good reason to buy at that resort rather than trying to trade in. However, that didn't seem to be the situation that the Original Poster was talking about. (And even when you own at a resort, you still have to worry about booking in advance to get the week that you want, unless you own a fixed week.)
This is true. Though I do think the OP alluded to wanting a comfortable home base resort for their Orlando vacations and some predictability may be desirable.

This poses the classic fixed-vs.-floating or weeks-vs.-points argument. Fixed weeks afford predictability and assurance of a preferred week's vacation. Floating time or points afford flexibility but they require the owner to plan ahead and reserve early when they want to vacation during the most popular times for a given resort or destination.

Points and floating weeks are usually not a problem in most programs if one is not seeking the very most popular times. In a mega-resort or a system with multiple resorts in an area, it's really not much of an issue. The OP mentioned early March: This is a fairly popular time but it's not Easter week so probably not an issue for points or floating weeks, IMHO.

I say that one of the main reasons for the high annual fees in Orlando is the taxes. My DVC contract (barely enough points for a one bedroom) costs about $150 a year in real estate taxes.
Is your home resort one of the Epcot resorts? They seem to have higher taxes compared to other area properties (DVC & others), IIRC, though I agree that taxes in the greater Orlando area are clearly higher than in many other, non-urban locations. Resort labor there is also rather expensive due to the heavy tourism industry needs. Insurance is very high throughout FL.

I don't worry at all about 1-in-4 rules.
I don't either. We trade through RCI and there are so many beautiful resorts in the area that's it's a non-issue for us. Plus, when trading back into a Fairfield (home resort or home system for us), the 1-in-4 rules don't apply.

About Fairfield and Bluegreen... how these systems work their "VIP" or "Preferred Member" benefits.
We are not VIP w/FF and it doesn't bother me at all. The only reservations that I may find difficult to obtain would be July in Myrtle Beach or Destin and perhaps any time in St. Thomas (limited availability). FF has the "Rotating Priority List" for an early reservation request to help with this, if I wanted. So even that is possible. DVCers have a similar problem if they want July at the HHI resort. Home resort owners get first chance to reserve and it's usually booked before other owners get their chance. But w/FF & DVC, most people are still able to get what they want for most times of the year when they call early in their respective open reservation windows.

Also, both systems, especially Fairfield's, are quite complicated. (I don't what to have to deal with housekeeping credits!)
Very true. Again, it's a trade-off, this time with simplicity of points usage vs. cost of annual fees. With DVC, it simple to use but you pay higher annual maintenance to manage a program and resorts where all (reservation management and housekeeping) costs are rolled together and divided among the members in higher per-point annual fees. With FF, it's more complicated as they've allocated a certain amount of services per owner (according to the # of points owned), and owners who use more services (more frequent shorts stays w/more frequent reservations made and housekeeping services required) run out of their allotment and need to then pay for the extra services rendered in a year's time (a la carte fees, if you will). Again, it hasn't been a problem for us, even w/multiple vacations and w/o VIP. But FF certainly is complicated for new owners to learn!!!

[Lisa P.]

I'm not looking for anything too expensive or overly luxurious. Something close to WDW would be nice. As things are right now, I wouldnt need anything more than a 1 bedroom timeshare. We'd prefer something around Early March. Any suggestions...?

Week 10 would provide you with early March (sometimes the first week, sometimes second week of March, depending on the year). A fixed week could be a good option if you prefer a particular resort. Perhaps you could narrow your choices after reading reviews of the most highly rated resorts (good management & upkeep). Then, on your next Orlando trip, you might consider setting aside a day or two to drive around and visit several to look for yourself. You may or may not be given access to a condo unit to see but certainly, you could see the main recreation/pool area and chat with guests, see how the staff treats you at check-in.

You said you're not looking for something overly luxurious - is that due to the perceived cost or because you prefer simpler and quieter? The costs may not be as different as you'd think, especially in a sold-out resort.

For a quieter, peaceful resort w/in a 10 min. drive to WDW, look for a smaller place or one that's set back from busier areas. Go with a resale! Some good ones that come to mind are:

Marriott Royal Palms (only have 2BRs)
Marriott Sabal Palms (only 2BRs)
Marriott Imperial Palms (only 3BRs)
These Marriotts (above) are on shared property w/MOWC hotel but set back. The location is close to WDW.
HGVC at Int'l Dr. (studios to 3BRs)
Sheraton Vistana Villages (1BRs & 2BRs)
Fairfield points to use at Bonnet Creek (1BRs to 4BRs)
These above options may be a bit on the higher price side but they are very, very nice resorts and close by. The latter 3 are still growing, so may not remain quite as quiet in the long term.

Others that may cost less, but are also nice, well-maintained in general, peaceful and w/in ~10 min. drive to WDW may include:
Vacation Village at Parkway (1BRs & 2BRs)
Orbit One (1BRs & 2BRs, I think)
Cypress Point (studios to 3BRs)
Silver Lake (1BRs & 2BRs) - also growing

Within 10-20 min. drive to WDW, consider also:
Marriott Grand Vista (studios to 3BRs)
Hilton GVC at Sea World (studios to 3BRs, I think)
Sheraton Vistana Villages (1BRs & 2BRs)
These brands above may be on the higher price side.

Others that may cost less, are quiet, well-maintained within 10-20 min. drive to WDW may include:
FF Cypress Palms (1BRs & 2BRs, weeks or points - a favorite resort of ours)
The Fountains (1BRs to 3BRs, weeks or points)
Sunterra Polynesian Isles (1BRs & 2BRs)
These all have some amenities and resort things to do but not as much as the bigger places. People often comment that they've appreciated the peacefulness and good upkeep at these resorts so they may be just what you are looking for.

For more activity at the resort, consider Orange Lake, Sheraton Vistana Resort, Marriott Cypress Harbour or Horizons (especially w/young kids). HTH! Visit TUG! :)

[JudyS]

Lisa, very interesting information on the Fairfield system; thanks!

...Points and floating weeks are usually not a problem in most programs if one is not seeking the very most popular times. In a mega-resort or a system with multiple resorts in an area, it's really not much of an issue. The OP mentioned early March: This is a fairly popular time but it's not Easter week so probably not an issue for points or floating weeks, IMHO....Most of the complaints I've heard about inability to get reservations are from Marriott owners. The problem seems to be that Marriott will sell many weeks in its highest category of floating time (Platinum), even though only a few of those weeks are really peak season. Then, they get a whole bunch of Platinum owners chasing a small number of truly peak weeks. But you are probably right that the OP won't be facing this problem.


Is your home resort one of the Epcot resorts? They seem to have higher taxes compared to other area properties (DVC & others), IIRC, though I agree that taxes in the greater Orlando area are clearly higher than in many other, non-urban locations. Resort labor there is also rather expensive due to the heavy tourism industry needs. Insurance is very high throughout FL.....Yes, my DVC home resort is Boardwalk. Still, I think we agree on the basic point, which is that annual fees tend to be higher in Orlando than in many other places.


....Again, it's a trade-off, this time with simplicity of points usage vs. cost of annual fees. With DVC, it simple to use but you pay higher annual maintenance to manage a program and resorts where all (reservation management and housekeeping) costs are rolled together and divided among the members in higher per-point annual fees. With FF, it's more complicated as they've allocated a certain amount of services per owner ....I agree that the DVC charges higher annual fees in order to avoid charging owners for individual services (housekeeping on short stays, making multiple reservations, cancelations, etc.) I like the simplicity, though. (I've also been able to trade into the DVC with other timeshares, so I don't need to own too many points.)


To the Original Poster -- are you still here? I hope we haven't scared you off with all this complicated discussion of different timesharing systems! You certainly don't have to learn all of them -- you just need to find one resort or system that works well for you.

[gjw007]

As for maintenance fees and special assessments, there's no reason to think that resorts in Orlando will be less likely to have a special assessment than a resort anywhere else. I say that one of the main reasons for the high annual fees in Orlando is the taxes. My DVC contract (barely enough points for a one bedroom) costs about $150 a year in real estate taxes. I have a 2 bedroom in another state that costs only $10 a year in real estate taxes!

I don't worry at all about 1-in-4 rules. (For those new to timesharing, a 1-in-4 rule is a rule that some resorts have, that says you are only allowed to exchange into that resort once every four years. Sometimes the time limit is actually once in 3 years or once in 5 years.) I don't run into problems with this rule because only RCI allows resorts to have 1-in-4 rules. And, for that matter, 1-in-4 rules are currently enforced only in RCI's Weeks program, not RCI's Points program. Interval International doesn't have any 1-in-4 rules, and neither do any of the independent exchange companies. I'm a member of 5 exchange programs -- RCI Weeks, RCI Points, Interval International, San Francisco Exchange, and Dial-an-Exchange (these last two are independent exchange companies) and I would say that Interval is generally the best exchange company for exchanging into Orlando. Most Marriott weeks and virtually all DVC weeks exchange through Interval. The RCI Points system is also good for Orlando, if you want a last-minute week at a nice resort like a Hilton or Sheraton (but not DVC and generally not Marriott). RCI Weeks would be my last choice for exchanging into Orlando. So, I never run into the 1-in-4 rule because I don't use RCI Weeks for my Orlando trades.

OK, can you tell that I am obsessed with timeshares! :rotfl:

(edited to add Worldmark info)
You have been able to get past the 1-in-4 rule with RCI Points? I have RCI Points and I have stayed at Vistana Resort (RCI Points resort) in 2004 and RCI will not let me stay there again until 2008 and this is on RCI Points. RCI Points has not let me get past the 1-in-4 rule. In some cases, this only matters if you go to an area several times a year. A person can go to Orlando once-a-year and stay at different resorts without feeling the rule but if you go multiple times, it may appear. RCI Points is great if you can make last minute reservations (within 45 days) at RCI Weeks resorts as the points cost is low (under 9000).

While its true that Orlando is not immune to special assessments, especially if a hurricane or some natural disaster occurs, most timeshares that have had special assessments have low maintenance fees which are usually not enough to provide the proper maintenance necessary. While there may be resorts that don't have enough maintenance fees to cover these expenses, I haven't read about any having problems like some resorts in Minnesota, Pennsylvannia, and the Ft Lauderdale area has after the hurricanes. I own at Alhambra Villas, just outside Kissimmee, and after the hurricanes, it had to completely replace the roof and redo most of the rooms but there was no special assessment. Likewise Vacation Village at Parkway had water damage and had to replace a section of roofing (not sure what they actually did) and redo some rooms due to water damage. Again, no special assessment. In the case of the Minnesota resort (Detroit Lakes), the management company just left the resort to the owners who fixed it up and manage it themselves. In Pennslyvannia, a resort that I read had a management change which quickly did an assessment of what needed to be done and hit the owners with a special assessment charge to get the unit back up to standard. While high maintenance fees doesn't guarantee that the proper maintenance is being done, low maintenance fees should be a flag that something may not be covered. Personally, I don't think the resorts give the owners enough information.

I have enough points at DVC for a 1-bedroom in three of the seasons and DVC is an example of a high maintenace resort. I pay almost as much in maintenace fees for the ability to get a 1-bedroom at DVC than I do for two 2-bedroom units at OLCC (about $620 per unit per year including taxes) with one of them being Xmas week at OLCC. Most of the resorts in Orlando are much higher than this with Vistana Resort around $800 -$900 or so and the same with HGVC depending on the number of points that you own. One of the advantages of larger resorts is the ability to spread the costs amoung the owners resulting in some lower costs while a smaller resort has less people to spread the cost around.

[Tigger7570]

A little off track, but we just had friends that bought at Vacation Village at Parkway and they said that they were able to barter about the price. They didn't say what they paid, but said that the saleman keep knocking the price down and that they have no maintenance fees for 2006 and I think 2007. I don't know a thing about this timeshare and wondered if anyone else owned or knows about it. Our friends said that they will have no problems booking or making exchanges. I hope this is true and was thinking this may be a good timeshare to check out. Any thoughts or comments would be great.

[gjw007]

A little off track, but we just had friends that bought at Vacation Village at Parkway and they said that they were able to barter about the price. They didn't say what they paid, but said that the saleman keep knocking the price down and that they have no maintenance fees for 2006 and I think 2007. I don't know a thing about this timeshare and wondered if anyone else owned or knows about it. Our friends said that they will have no problems booking or making exchanges. I hope this is true and was thinking this may be a good timeshare to check out. Any thoughts or comments would be great.
I've heard similar comments about Vacation Village at Parkway (VVP) using a ladder scheme where they keep coming down until they reach a price that you think you can afford. Usually they start with bi-annual (they are the only place that I know of that has tri-annual offers) rather than annual usage. I've heard they've even offered weeks rather than points accounts, so you never know. Westgate also has this unsavory reputation. Your friends though might wish to look at resale as they can get the same amount of points at a much lower cost.

Ebay has these ads for VVP.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Bankruptcy-Sale-Vacation-Village-in-Kissimmee-FL_W0QQitemZ150013766093QQihZ005QQcategoryZ15897QQ ssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

In my opinion, this unit is too high with too many uncertainties but it gives an idea of the value on the resale market.

[JudyS]

A little off track, but we just had friends that bought at Vacation Village at Parkway and they said that they were able to barter about the price. They didn't say what they paid, but said that the saleman keep knocking the price down and that they have no maintenance fees for 2006 and I think 2007. I don't know a thing about this timeshare and wondered if anyone else owned or knows about it. Our friends said that they will have no problems booking or making exchanges. I hope this is true and was thinking this may be a good timeshare to check out. Any thoughts or comments would be great.Many timeshare salespeople will reduce the price if you bargain with them. This is especially true with timeshares that are not affiliated with hotels. However, the price of buying from the developer is still generally much higher than buying the same resort as a resale, even after bargain with the developer and holding out for a better price.

Tigger7570, I've had a hard time figuring out what the deal is with Vacation Village at Parkway. On the one hand, the resort seems fine as far as I can tell. On the other hand, it often seems to be one of the very last timeshares in Orlando to book up -- and considering that Orlando has something like 60 timeshares, that's really saying something. I don't know why Vacation Village at Parkway is one of the less popular resorts. In fact, I've been meaning to start a thread on www.tug2.net asking about this.


You have been able to get past the 1-in-4 rule with RCI Points? I have RCI Points and I have stayed at Vistana Resort (RCI Points resort) in 2004 and RCI will not let me stay there again until 2008 and this is on RCI Points. RCI Points has not let me get past the 1-in-4 rule. In some cases, this only matters if you go to an area several times a year. A person can go to Orlando once-a-year and stay at different resorts without feeling the rule but if you go multiple times, it may appear. RCI Points is great if you can make last minute reservations (within 45 days) at RCI Weeks resorts as the points cost is low (under 9000).

While its true that Orlando is not immune to special assessments, especially if a hurricane or some natural disaster occurs, most timeshares that have had special assessments have low maintenance fees which are usually not enough to provide the proper maintenance necessary. .... While high maintenance fees doesn't guarantee that the proper maintenance is being done, low maintenance fees should be a flag that something may not be covered. Personally, I don't think the resorts give the owners enough information.
Gary, I agree that low maintenance fees should be a red flag. However, one has to bear in mind that maintenance fees will vary based on the area of the country where the resort is located. Things such as taxes, heating/cooling costs (Orlando requires a lot of air conditioning), labor costs and insurance will vary from place to place. Orlando tends to be rather high on these things.

I own five timeshares in rural mountain areas with mild climates, and costs are just lower in these places than in Orlando. One of my timeshares did have a special assessment once -- in fact, it announced the special assessment just days after I bought there -- but the total cost of annual fees plus the special assessment was still under $500 for a 2 bedroom unit. Few timeshares in Orlando have annual fees below $500 for a 2 bedroom. Without special assessments, I am paying fees as low as $360 for a three-bedroom. Other than my DVC contract, I own at resorts that have owner-controlled boards of directors and good management companies, so I'm not too concerned that the resorts will hit owners with unreasonable fees.

About the 1-in-4 rules -- I usually use Interval International for Orlando trades, so no, I've never tried to get around RCI's 1-in-4 rule. When I said the rule didn't apply in RCI Points, I was relying on statements by Madge, RCI's official representative to TUG. However, she has recently clarified how the 1-in-4 rules works regarding RCI Points; she said that resorts which participate in RCI Points don't have the rule, but trading into an RCI Weeks resort using RCI Points can still trigger the rule. (This is different from what she had said previously.) Her comments are here: http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24014

On another thread, she says that 1-in-4 is tracked by RCI account. (See the thread here: http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16810 )
This makes me wonder if maybe it's possible to stay at a 1-in-4 resort a second time by trading in once with your Points account and once with your Weeks account.

[cgcruz]

Wow, there is so much to learn to buy a timeshare. I understand DVC very well, but there is tons of other stuff with other timeshare. I checked out the main webpage of TUG, but it is so cluttered and confusing.

So my main requirement would be close to disney, at least 1 bedroom, lifetime ownership at a cost of less than $4,000 with reasonable Annual dues. Is this an unreasonable expection for Orlando?

As to buying somewhere else and trading to Orlando, I definately want to buy where I want to go and I know that is Orlando to me.

[cgcruz]

Just outta curiosoty, how much is it to buy at Vistana Resort directly through the resort management?

[TotoToo]

Wow, there is so much to learn to buy a timeshare. I understand DVC very well, but there is tons of other stuff with other timeshare. I checked out the main webpage of TUG, but it is so cluttered and confusing.

So my main requirement would be close to disney, at least 1 bedroom, lifetime ownership at a cost of less than $4,000 with reasonable Annual dues. Is this an unreasonable expection for Orlando?

As to buying somewhere else and trading to Orlando, I definately want to buy where I want to go and I know that is Orlando to me.

Great approach to timeshare ownership. Buy the resort and area you want to use.

I would suggest looking at Cypress Pointe Resort. The location can't be beat. The resort is owner controlled, well maintained, smaller than the mega resorts which allows easy access to services without long drives and has a long term plan to remain a top resort in Orlando. Diamond time, which allows you to choose any time of the year each year, sells for around $4000-$5000 per week with a deeded three bedroom unit. The week can be used as a 3 bedroom or 1 week in a 1 bedroom - 1 in a 2 bedroom if you wish. All time floats at the resort so you have a chance every year to pick the dates that work best for you rather than being locked in to a particular use period. Fees are currently $685/year including taxes. The resort is sold out but there are some owners that occasionally offer a week for sale.

DISCLAIMER: We own at Cypress Pointe. It was our first timeshare and still our favorite of 7 we now own. We also own at Westgate and wouldn't recommend purchase there if it was the only resort in Orlando. The management, control and vision for a timeshare resort are very important to the satisfaction level of it's owners.

[JudyS]

....I would suggest looking at Cypress Pointe Resort. The location can't be beat. The resort is owner controlled, well maintained, smaller than the mega resorts ....Cypress Pointe is a nice resort. I received two spacebanked weeks from the management there (long story), and used one to trade back into Cypress Pointe. The pool was cooler than we liked (this was Christmas week), but it was otherwise great. We had a three bedroom -- nicely decorated, big, and quite clean.

Cypress Pointe is managed by VRI (http://www.vrivacations.com), which is a good company. The only thing I don't like about VRI is how much they charge ($2500) to people who want to "convert" a week to RCI Points. However, if you don't plan to trade your week, then RCI Points is irrelevant.

If you are considering buying Cypress Pointe, you could try staying there first to see how you like it. You could get a room through www.hotelkingdom.com SkyAuction also sometimes has Cypress Pointe units in the offseason.

...As to buying somewhere else and trading to Orlando, I definately want to buy where I want to go and I know that is Orlando to me.May I ask what you don't like about the idea of trading in? Is it that it's too complicated, or that you like the idea of being guaranteed the same resort each year, or some other factor?

[cgcruz]

May I ask what you don't like about the idea of trading in? Is it that it's too complicated, or that you like the idea of being guaranteed the same resort each year, or some other factor?

I dunno, it seems more of a hassle than its worth if I really plan on just going to Orlando anyways. We tend to do more than just WDW when we go down there anyways (although WDW will always be #1!)

[swilshire]

You have been able to get past the 1-in-4 rule with RCI Points?

I've never tested it, but the 1-in-4 rule is not supposed to apply to Standard Reservations in RCI Points (ie: reservations into a Points resort). It does apply to reservations pulled from the Weeks system.

It's possible the VC made a mistake. I would suggest emailing feedback@rci.com . They are very good at clearing up questions and problems.

Sheila

[Tigger7570]

Thanks for the feedback. Another friend is ready to run right down and buy at Vacation Villas and said to me "There's is better than yours" to which I replied, you have to be kidding. The wife of the friends who bought actually said as an aside to me that Vacation Villas were nice, but not as nice as DVC. They haven't tried to book anything yet so I'll wait and see how it goes for them. It just sounded a little too good to be true. They're under the impression that they will just pick up the phone and pick any place that is listed, tell them when they want to go, and VOILA!, it's all booked and they're going. I didn't say a word because I haven't done an exchange with our DVC and also didn't want to be negative, but again, that just sounded too good to be true.

[Zoemakes5]

I like the Fairfield resorts. I like that you buy points, not weeks.

[spiceycat]

Thanks for the feedback. Another friend is ready to run right down and buy at Vacation Villas and said to me "There's is better than yours" to which I replied, you have to be kidding. The wife of the friends who bought actually said as an aside to me that Vacation Villas were nice, but not as nice as DVC. They haven't tried to book anything yet so I'll wait and see how it goes for them. It just sounded a little too good to be true. They're under the impression that they will just pick up the phone and pick any place that is listed, tell them when they want to go, and VOILA!, it's all booked and they're going. I didn't say a word because I haven't done an exchange with our DVC and also didn't want to be negative, but again, that just sounded too good to be true.

It is definitely too good to be true. either RCI or II can't them what they don't have. some of the indemand times and areas - well the owners of these timeshares know they can rent them. why trade when you can rent and then you can definitely get the area and time you want.

trading is always a gamble.

one lady a couple of years ago complainted about a II in Ten that she used her DVC points for - boy she was mad. but hey that is what tug is for - great the reviews know what you are getting - don't EVER believe what is in II or RCI book or what the sales people tell you.

OP - if you love Orlando that much - then I really think in the long run you will be better off buying DVC points. Yes I know they are expensive. but lots of other disers though they would be better off buying somewhere else.... guess what alot know own at DVC.

it is your decision - but DVC is very flexibility. I can stay for one day (and I do) - with most timeshares this would be impossible.

now some will break into 3days and 4 days - but then you are charged for this....

Fairfield has a bunch of extra charges, so does Marriott.

DVC is hard to trade in when Disney knows they can rent the unused portion - so you won't see any Holidays - hardily any in the summer or spring break.

you can trade for offseason Jan, part of Feb & april, May, Sept, parts of Oct/Nov/Dec.

also some of the newer timeshares are still overpriced even in the resale market - one of my favorite Celebration World resort is so overpriced that I am not buying until those people really lower their prices...

also remember that during busy times (which I hope to see in the next few years) Disney can and does close to offsite people. (the parking lot is full). Onsite can still enter the parks until the parks are at capcaity.

when will this happen - well a good sign (for me) would be that Disney start back on the part of Pop century that has been unfinished since the early 01's.

then the economy for disney will be finally back up in the late 1990's.

now I do have 2 timeshares offsite that I am kepting - selling Westgate....

one is in PCB, FL and gets me wonderful trades with II.
the other is in south africia - yet I can't believe it either - gets great trades with RCI....

the PCB I will use at times - it is a beautiful place and much closer to me than Disney.

now I have consider trading to other places and occasionally do it. but I really love Disney and I have an annual pass..... :moped:

[JudyS]

I dunno, it seems more of a hassle than its worth if I really plan on just going to Orlando anyways. We tend to do more than just WDW when we go down there anyways (although WDW will always be #1!)Ok, thanks for the info!


....The wife of the friends who bought actually said as an aside to me that Vacation Villas were nice, but not as nice as DVC. They haven't tried to book anything yet so I'll wait and see how it goes for them. It just sounded a little too good to be true. They're under the impression that they will just pick up the phone and pick any place that is listed, tell them when they want to go, and VOILA!, it's all booked and they're going. I didn't say a word because I haven't done an exchange with our DVC and also didn't want to be negative, but again, that just sounded too good to be true.Oh, my! Do you mean that you friend thinks she'll be able to go anywhere in that big book of RCI resorts? If she does, she will be very disapointed. I am not sure what you can get in exchange for Vacation Village at Parkway, but I'm sure it's not much. Basically, if a resort is available on SkyAuction and the check-in date is more than a couple of weeks away, that means RCI has extra weeks of that resort (at least during the dates that resort is available on SkyAuction), and really doesn't want any more weeks from there. Vacation Village at Parkway is almost always available on SkyAuction, so RCI already has many more weeks there than they can use, which means they won't offer much in exchange for it.

Probably, the salespeople at the resort lied to your friend and misrepresented how RCI works. Your friend will still have a few options, however. She can try booking a strong week (like Christmas or Sping Break) and then asking if SFX (an independent trading compnay) will take it -- they are at http://www.sfx-resorts.com. If that doesn't work, she could try a different independent exchange company. Vacation Village at Parkway may try to "convert" her membership to RCI Points, and she could do that, but they will charge her more money -- maybe as much as it would cost to just buy a RCI Points contract on the resale market.

As for trading your DVC week, that is a different story. DVC weeks trade very well. However, they are so valuable that it often makes more sense to rent out unused DVC points than to trade them.

[Tigger7570]

Again, thanks for the great feedback. I agree, I think they are going to be surprised when they try to do a trade.
Also, I agree with Spiceycat. We have owned at OKW since 93 and it is truly the best thing we have ever done. We had another set of friends who had a timeshare in Aruba and it was very nice and they liked it very much, had owned it well before we bought at DVC and then they stayed with us at OKW and they were in total awe. If your true love is Orlando, then give strong consideration to DVC.

[TotoToo]

OP - if you love Orlando that much - then I really think in the long run you will be better off buying DVC points. Yes I know they are expensive. but lots of other disers though they would be better off buying somewhere else.... guess what alot know own at DVC.

it is your decision - but DVC is very flexibility. I can stay for one day (and I do) - with most timeshares this would be impossible.

now some will break into 3days and 4 days - but then you are charged for this....

One of the items the original post asked for was lifetime of ownership. DVC is not ownership but an RTU - basically an extended lease. The fees for DVC, despite the fact that you do not own those units, are the highest in an already pricey area (Orlando). DVC is certainly a nice resort group but doesn't seem to fit what this poster was asking for.

As for 3/4 day use and different sized units Cypress Pointe offers that along with a fully float time use all without the extra cost of a points program. I happen to like points as well but if you plan to use the resort most years a purchase at a resort you like is the best way to make sure you get what you want without the hassles of outside groups.


Fairfield has a bunch of extra charges, so does Marriott.


As a FF owner I have never paid an extra fee except to rent extra points (a voluntary fee). FF is a great bargain on resale if a buyer wants a resort group but again this post didn't seem to be asking for that type of ownership.

[spiceycat]

As a FF owner I have never paid an extra fee except to rent extra points (a voluntary fee). FF is a great bargain on resale if a buyer wants a resort group but again this post didn't seem to be asking for that type of ownership.

I was told to do what I wanted - split the week - it would be an extra charge.

since a sale person told me - I though it was true. they generally try to make the timeshares you are looking at the best in the world - not tell you about extra charges.