Orange Lake West Village????

[splashmountainromano]

Hi I Am Going To Disney In April And I Was Wondering If Any One Has Stayed At The Orange Lakes West Village. And Just Maybe Some Tips Or What I Should Know About The Place. Thanx A Bunch

And By The Way Fishing For Bass??? Without A Charter Where 2 Go?

 

[katz]

Orange Lake Resort is my all time favorite, I have stayed three times and hope to go back soon. The latest visit was in October 07 and did stay in the West Village. It is a huge resort but very easy to get around. The pools are great and there are many including the Lazy River. This last visit we had a condo with 2 bedrooms, livingroom and full kitchen. There is a washer and dryer in each unit, very handy. They have a new icecream shop and deli as well as full service resturants and a fast food counter at the Lazy River as well as gift shops, all very nice. I have also stayed in a bungalow in the West Village with the same # of rooms but is smaller, also very nice. The units are very clean as well as the grounds, the staff is very friendly and helpful. Lots of gold courses and putting greens but also plenty of space to walk.

 

[Shellandscott]

We stayed at Orange Lake in Feb 2004 in a 2 bedroom unit. I do not know what development it was, it was down the road from the main part. It was nice, clean and large. There is a Publix just outside the one gate with was easy and quick to get to. I also noticed that they now have a road that leads from that area directly into Disney. So you can avoid having to go out onto the main road (192) and then up I4. In the rear of the complex you can take Harzog Rd to Western Way that turns into W Buena Visa Drive. If I did not own DVC I would stay there again in a heartbeat.

 

[MousekaMaddi]

we have a spot at O Lakes and love it! Huge tvs love the washer dryer scene lots to love about it!!

 

[iHEARTflorida]

we stay at OLCC too, we will be back there in august! can't wait!!! it's so much better that hotels with just one room, you have a whole villa/apartment, no living on top of each other. the bed in the main bedroom is huge. washer & dryer is great too also the TVs in each bedroom and living room.

they also give you a starter pack with laundry stuff, and kitchen stuff, to get you going you do need to buy your own laundry/kitchen stuff, some people do think OL supply it to you, no its self catering.

some people also mood the resort is too big, its a complex resort really, i'm guessing you have a car its the easiest way to get around, they also have a shuttle bus system to get around the resort

another great thing is publix is just outside the resort, so when you have been at the theme parks all day, its not a chore to get the food in, its on your way.

the new pool area river island is amazing we love it there we could have just lazied around all week, there's also a starbucks i loved going to get the big huge cookies there haded. alos river island has a really great arcade the kids will love, bettter than the other arcades in the other villages.

we love it, cant wait to be back there

 

[splashmountainromano]

is there any fisherman here that go to kissimmie not just for disney but also for big bass?? any special ponds or lakes we shouldnt miss out on

 

[iHEARTflorida]

is there any fisherman here that go to kissimmie not just for disney but also for big bass?? any special ponds or lakes we shouldnt miss out on

sorry i dont know anything about fishing

 

[LawyerLady]

We are owners of several timeshares and exchanged into Orange Lake through RCI. The website shows a lovely 2-BDR condo and lists all amenities and we thought we'd get a condo like the one on the website, especially since we were told that when we booked. However, we were stuck in an old single-story unit with a rotten view, moldy smell, old furniture, a toaster that caught fire (replaced with two different toasters), mold on the shower curtains, dead bugs, and a decade-old VHS. Oddly, the resort rents DVDs, but not VHS! Nowhere in Kissimmee are VHS tapes available. The manager, when I called, told me that our TV couldn't handle a DVD player! (obviously, the manager was an idiot and by the 2nd to last day, they replaced the VHS with a DVD player)

Moreover, we were offered the "timeshare tour" and two gifts for our two qualified buyers by the marketing dept in mid-week. However, the tour salesperson -- Greg -- was beyond rude, was extremely evasive regarding timeshare fees, and never provided us with a price for the timeshare! The condo we were shown on tour was the one on the website and when I said this was the condo we should have received, he insisted that we were located in an older unit because they reserve the good condos "only for OUR owners and you're just an exhange." Apparently, he indicated, folks who aren't owners anywhere are treated with even less respect! (hard to believe) This salesperson didn't even know that the "cinema" in the West Village was gone or that a couple pools were closed! He also demonstrated a remarkable lack of knowledge about wildlife and the Florida environment. Finally, the sales staff insisted only one gift could be given because the marketing dept had only forwarded one name! They refused to contact the marketing department to straighten this out. Talk about "bait and switch." I'm also sending detailed info to the FL Attorney General's office. Do NOT visit this resort!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Snoella]

Do NOT visit this resort!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When were you at this resort?? Was this recently. If so, which units were you in?

We are booked here for May, also in the West Village. It is too late to change now, so any info you have would be appreciated.

 

[splashmountainromano]

is the west village units comfortable living??

 

[katz]

I do not know when or where LawyerLady stayed at Orange Lake CC but I have stayed 3 times and never had any of those problems. I have always found the units to be clean, plenty of room-think apartment size- and the staff to be very friendly and helpful. I have been called for a timeshare tour but they take no for an answer without problem. I love the resort and would go back again and again and recommend it for a nice quiet stay. Two of my stays have been in the West Village but never in a studio, once in a villa and once in a condo. Hope you will have a great stay.

 

[knkosanke]

Thanks Katz. I just booked for Orange Lake's West Village through my RCI time share. They gave me a 2 bedroom although I only exchange one of my rooms and still kept a week for later. The RCI rep said this is one of the most sought after places and you can only stay 1x every 3 years. But then of course I read what LawyerLady and wondered if I should make sure to call back before midnight and change it. For every time share I look up, I find at least one bad review. I'm hoping this was just a bad employee. Just to confirm, Katz, you don't own at this location, correct? Of course you want to keep owners happy, but uh, who is going to want to buy more time share if they get lousy service? the people who are exchanging have already bought into the timeshare life, so they're more likely to buy more if they have good service. Well, no matter what they offer as a gift, I'll make sure to decline the tour. Glad you said that they take no pretty easily. I'll just remind them I have an 18month old with me. I'd just love to hear another good remark about this place because I don't want to have to change. Thanks!! Kim

 

[Snoella]

Two of my stays have been in the West Village but never in a studio, once in a villa and once in a condo.

We are staying the West Village for two weeks. Guest services said to call before we go and request the same unit, so we will not have to move mid-stay. When I call, is there a certain section that you would recommend in the West Village? We have a two-bedroom unit. Any info you have would be great.
Thanks.

 

[katz]

Hi folks! Knoksanke-no I do not own a timeshare and have never been treated rudly because of it altho I do not recommemd answering the phone in the early am-that is usually atimeshare call!!! Our last visit was in October 2007 and we were in a condo on Springer Circle-great location, short walk to the pool, 4th floor and from our porch we could watch the golfers on the greens. We had one problem with the dishwasher, called and within an hour we had it fixed. Our other stay in the West Village was in a villa which is a little smaller but still very nice. Every unit was clean, quiet, close to pools and had two bedrooms, full kitchen and washer and dryer. I have never stayed in a studio but they were being redone the last time I was there, as far as I know they are much smaller and not as nice. This is my favorite off-site resort and I will be going back-hopefully in December. Have a great stay, I don't think you have anything to worry about, if you have a problem call and you will be taken care of. Oh, by the way they have some very nice shops as well!!!

 

[katz]

Hi Knkosanke and Snoells-I just found the updated info I was looking for-the building we stayed in is #55 and the new name of the cirlcle is Tennis Villa Circle. The new Marketplace is right across from the parking area-opened the day we left!!! We also stayed in a condo in the North Village, the same colors and room layout which is just like in the pictures. On the otherside of the resort at the East Gate there is a mini mall with a nice Publix for grocery shopping. I wish I was going to be there for two weeks, I would not want to come home!! Have fun

 

[Hasil72]

We are owners of several timeshares and exchanged into Orange Lake through RCI. The website shows a lovely 2-BDR condo and lists all amenities and we thought we'd get a condo like the one on the website, especially since we were told that when we booked. However, we were stuck in an old single-story unit with a rotten view, moldy smell, old furniture, a toaster that caught fire (replaced with two different toasters), mold on the shower curtains, dead bugs, and a decade-old VHS. Oddly, the resort rents DVDs, but not VHS!

That was our experience as well (minus the toaster incident). We went as an exchange with RCI through my husband's family and were placed in the West Village. It was a huge disappointment when we were expecting the newer units that are shown on the website. But it was still better than our exchange experience with Westgate. I wwould just call and ask to be placed in a newer section. Just not the "villas" (single story townhouse appearing area) that are on your right as you enter the complex through the main gate. Have a great trip!

 

[Snoella]

?Hasil72--How long ago were you there? I was just curious if this was recently. On the phone, they told me all the units in the West Village had been renovated. If your trip was recent, this obviously isn't the case.

 

[Hasil72]

Snoella, they may have been. We were there back in 2006. That would explain why there are so many conflicting reports floating around. A lot can happen in 18 months.

 

[spiceycat]

stayed there a couple of years in a West Village,.

they are the single story units.

my only complaint no hot tub in the master bath.

the rooms was nice and had just had a rehab.

I would think by now all of the West Village has been rehab.

the units it self was very nice - new carpert - new just about everything.

both of the bathrooms - were on the small size.

this part of OL is the oldest. one of the originally timeshares in Orlando. So it is old.

we had a nice time. West Village is on the golf course.

my other problem - big one - not enough pools for the amount of condos.
plus the 2 pools I visited - are like the pools at disney's value resort - not deep enough. Plus I hate to have to drive to visit the resort swimming pool.

now if you are golfer you will love this place. If you are not - you will find you have to drive to most places. they do have a bus - but it is slow.

plus I really, really hated the traffic light that lets you out on US 192 - one Sunday morning (6:30 am) going to visit my cat (FW kennel hours were 7am to 8pm then) - we sat at that traffic light for 12 very long minutes. Nothing on us 192 and mean nothing - the light did not change for 12 minutes. To me that was at least 11 minutes longer than necessary. That was and is my BIG complaint about this resort.

you definitely and mean definitely need a car for this resort. Don't even think about staying here without one.

 

[Snoella]

Thanks for the info.
We are renting a car. Apparently, the pool in the West Village has also be renovated into a zero-entry pool (not sure if it is completed yet). Hopefully, the villas too.

I will post when we get back about any improvements etc.
Thanks again.