Anyone ever stay at any of the other non Disney DVC timeshare resorts in Florida?

[danilent1]

Hi Everyone,

Just wondering what info. you would have to share with me. What were the resorts like? Would you stay again? Which ones are your favorites in Florida besides Disney ones?

Thanks!

 

[bwvBound]

We've stayed at a few since entering the timeshare community in 2000. Comments for each one below.

• Summer Bay Resort, WDW area: We've stayed there twice via RCI and were pleased with each visit. The rooms were clean, well maintained and well decorated. Rooms offer a jetted-tub in the 1BR unit as well as the master bath of the 2BR unit. A 3BR room is a 2BR + 1BR with common door between ("lockout" style). Both stays were pretty busy with WDW activities -- so we didn't spend much time exploring the resort's features. Would certainly stay again!
• Canada House Beach Club, Pompano Beach: Split a week August '04 between Canada House and DVC's Vero Beach. Canada House is essentially a converted hotel from some time back (60's?). The rooms were large and quite functional. Quality was "standard" -- but the resort staff were "excellent!" Easy beach access by walking across a bridge spanning the lagoon. Good location for a "spend-all-day-on-the-beach" type of vacation. We had a great ocean-view from our room and would visit again. (Note: we flew cross-country to sit on a FL beach ... instead of walking to one here in San Diego. Hmmm ... )
• Vistana, WDW area: Huge resort property with lots of pools and activities. We had a smallish 1BR unit with jetted tub. Had a bit of trouble with the staff (pushy sales people) but the stay was otherwise ok. Would I revisit? Maybe -- but only after exhausting other resources. (Reading TUG reviews, this property varies widely with regard to unit quality, newness, etc. A bit too risky for my comfort.)
• Westgate Towers, WDW Area: This is a high-rise property lacking a "resort" feeling. Rooms were large, clean and well furnished. The location is great for WDW activities -- but I wouldn't want to spend any time hanging out here. I booked it for price and location for a conference and it served its purpose well. I'd book it again for work-related travel but not for vacation.
• Orange Lake Country Club, WDW area: YUK!!! Hated it and will not revisit. (Having said that I should add: My experience was particularly bad. TUG reviews seem to be love/hate depending on the location and quality of unit you receive. Best thing I can say about the property: they have an onsite RCI office. The darling RCI staff understood my situation and quickly moved my reservation to Summer Bay Resort instead. )
• some resort on Key Largo that is no longer listed with RCI: Sorry, I can't remember the name and it no longer appears in the RCI online directory. The resort had its own yacht club and the units were individually owned and decorated (a bit different?). We enjoyed the bird life and the boating ... but found the unit a bit disappointing.
• Wyndham Palms, WDW area: Perhaps I'd undertand this resort better if I were a golfer. Because the buildings are scattered around the course, many are far from the central activities. The view is pretty (again, golf course views everywhere!) -- but I didn't care much for the rooms or the resort overall. Staff is pushy and check-in process is a real chore. No, I wouldn't return.

Beyond that ... we don't have a specific, non-DVC favorite Florida timeshare resort. But if you are asking about non-DVC non-timeshare ... well then ... AKL has made a huge impression!

Suggestion: The Timeshare User's Group (TUG) includes resort reviews contributed over time. You may want to join/visit at: http://www.tug2.net

 

[amandaC]

I've stayed at Orange Lake three times (my Mom owns there and it's where I stay when I'm out of points). It was nice. It's a little more spacious than BCV or SSR. The themed pool area was nice. The kids like it and it is pretty close to WDW. It just doesn't have the magic for me. I love Disney theming. That said, I don't hesitate to stay there when my Mom invites us.

Amanda

 

[dvc_john]

I've stayed at:
Sheraton Vistana Villages, Orlando
Hilton Grand Vacations Club-Seaworld, Orlando
Hilton Grand Vacations Club-Tuscany, Orlando
Marriott Cypress Harbor, Orlando
Marriott Grande Vista, Orlando
Marriott Horizons, Orlando
Marriott Sabal Palms, Orlando
Marriott BeachPlace Towers, Ft Lauderdale
Marriott Ocean Point, Palm Beach
Hyatt Sunset Harbor, Key West
Hyatt Windward Point, Key West
Hyatt Coconut Plantation, Bonita Springs
Casa Ybel, Sanibel
Sanibel Cottages, Sanibel
Hurricane House, Sanibel
Seawatch on the Beach, Ft Myers Beach
Eagles Nest, Marco Island
Hilton Grand Vacations Club, Miami Beach
Also, all 5 Orlando DVC resorts.

I have nothing but positive things to say about all of them, and stay at about half of them regularly.

 

[BroganMc]

I own at Marriott Grande Vista and Cypress Harbour. I've stayed exclusively at those for the last couple years. Grande Vista reminds me of Saratoga Springs and Cypress Harbour is like Old Key West. Both are very close to Universal Studios and Downtown Disney.

I toured Horizons a couple weeks ago and was just as impressed. Marriott does a great job maintaining their units and meeting guest requests. i adore their free wireless internet as well.

Now that I'm a DVC owner I'll be splitting my two week vacations: one week at Marriott then another week at Disney. Best of both worlds.

 

[PocahontasLookALike]

Stayed at Vistana in a 2 bedroom...the reservation got mixed up and we had this HUGE room for only two of us...it was awesome. Very nice, but I prefer Disney property. So we became DVC owners.

 

[gjw007]

Like the other reponders, I have stayed at and prefer to stay at offsite but I do like to stay at DVC during the Xmas period.

Stayed at:

Orange Lake (OLCC) - this and Vistana Resort seem to garner the love/hate. I own multiple weeks here and stay often
Vistana Resort - stayed at the Fountains II section - I liked it
Florida Vacation Village - okay
Celbration World - okay
Vacation Village at Parkway - not my favorite but its okay if you stay in the 'A' Suite. I also own here but it is my RCI Points resort
HGVC Internat'l Drive - okay

There are 5 or 6 others but I have forgotten the names. I stay at OLCC several times a year and have never had any issues. It is a big resort and some people prefer a smaller resort with everything outside their door. I also stay at other resorts at least once a year.

 

[MaryJ]

We stayed with my sister and her family at the Fairfield Bonnet Creek for two days last April. It was nice, but when you check in the have you go to a separate table where they try to sell you more "time" in the timeshare. My sister said it's a regular part of the check in process. I told her we never do that with DVC. She called me after we were home to tell me that she and her husband had purchased 210 points at SSR!

 

[firkat]

Can you tell me more about Bonnet Creek? What was the transporation system like? Could you walk to Epcot? Did it feel like Disney?

 

[NCRedding]

We stayed at a Fairfield property on 192 in Kissimmee several years ago. I think it was cypress palms (?). it seemed a lot more like an apartment complex than a time share--there was very little theming. At the time, 192 was under construction so getting to WDW was a chore. We liked the extra room (our only other stay prior was at POFQ, and this was a two bedroom place), but didn't care for the feeling of this place.

 

[Mrs Potato Head]

Westgate twice many years ago (92 and 94) as my MIL owns there...very high pressure sales tactics BEFORE we could get a key, (even as owner's children)...I lost it with the "guide" because getting a key to a room should NOT take 2 hours of a presentation. Rooms were ok, but it's tough to be off property...especially with younger children.

Hilton Grand Vacations Club-Seaworld, Orlando - 2004 - great resort, clean, nice room. Small pools for resort size...but the real issue was the lack of attention the folks staying there paid to their children in the pool....and don't you know it, a young child actually drowned in the pool the week we were there....so not so great a trip...but the resort was ok - better than most, and check in was easy.

Vacation Village at Parkway (January 06) - dirty, smelly room...(two bedroom as all were) - old stuff, dark & depressing hallways...all in all, the KICKER for why my DH bought DVC on that trip!

Patty

 

[slk537]

Embassy Grand Beach - we had a 3 br for just us on our honeymoon and felt very decadent. Beautiful property and lovely rooms.

Sheraton Vistana - had a 3 br again but this time we had our DS with (age 1) and we really liked it a lot.

Blue Tree Inn - 2 br here, it's located in Lake Buena Vista near Crossroads. It was okay and we liked the rooms, but decided our next stay would be at Vistana.

Celebrity Suite and Spa - had a huge 3 br here and it was absolutely lovely...however, we never saw the pool and we had traded in to OKW the previous trip and purchased DVC so staying at this resort was actually only killing time until we moved over to VWL and back on property.

We were very pleased with all our accomodations until we stayed on property and got spoiled for all else.

 

[Muushka]

We stayed with my sister and her family at the Fairfield Bonnet Creek for two days last April. It was nice, but when you check in the have you go to a separate table where they try to sell you more "time" in the timeshare. My sister said it's a regular part of the check in process. I told her we never do that with DVC. She called me after we were home to tell me that she and her husband had purchased 210 points at SSR!

Gosh we checked in to Bonnet Creek twice for our last trip to the world (once at the beginning of the trip and then again at the end of the trip) and they did not try to sell us any points, and we do not own there, we rented the room from a FF owner. Strange.

Can you tell me more about Bonnet Creek? What was the transporation system like? Could you walk to Epcot? Did it feel like Disney?

We really liked the resort. The rooms were beautiful, well appointed and large. They had a lazy river and nice pool/Jacuzzi. No, you cannot walk to Epcot from the resort, but they do have transportation. We did not use it though (we always have a car). The one night we would have used it (our guests went to MGM and we stayed at the resort) the bus left before Fantasmic was finished. The other parks had a reasonable 'last pickup' though. The one problem I saw with their transportation was that you had to schedule your ride 24 hours in advance. I don't know about you, but most of the time we don't stick to a schedule when we are on vacation. I may have misunderstood the rules, but that is the way I read the information. Perhaps an owner could verify this.

Did it feel like Disney? Well, no. But there are DVC resorts that do not feel like Disney to me, and Bonnet Creek is more convienent than some. No flames please.

 

[keishashadow]

Glad to hear good reports for Sheraton Vistana.

We accepted a great offer ($49 + tax for 4 nights) w/no TS presentation required (although I'm still going to unplug the telephone - just in case ). Anyone else?

We're splitting stay w/BWV, hope we're not disappointed. Other than HRH, haven't stayed offsite before.

 

[MiaSRN62]

(although I'm still going to unplug the telephone - just in case ). Anyone else?

If you're asking about unplugging the phone, then, YES......do this ! You won't be sorry

We're splitting stay w/BWV, hope we're not disappointed.

Keishashadow,
Alot will depend on which section you're placed in. Vistana has 9 different sections. I own in the FountainsI/Fountains II section. Fountains II, Lakes and Cascades sections will be the most modern. There are some older sections that may appear a bit outdated even though Vistana does a very good job with maintaining the units.
But even if you get the newest Cascades section, I'm sure you will prefer the BWV. It's onsite and I think most any other offsite resort, no matter how nice, will have trouble competing with that. Enjoy your stay.

 

[Sherri]

Hi Everyone,

Just wondering what info. you would have to share with me. What were the resorts like? Would you stay again? Which ones are your favorites in Florida besides Disney ones?

Thanks!

Westgate vacation villas, - We really loved. Lots of pools, so non were too overcrowded. You will have a pool close to you know matter what building you are in. It has a lake that you can use the paddle boats for free and they have basketball courts as well. They have planned activities that you can do such as family night and they had a dinner where they brought out some animals and had music. The resort is clean and the staff is nice.
I really love it there.

Wyndham Palms- We liked the mini golf, but hated how crowded the pool was. Also, they were so pushy about us taking a tour (timeshare presentation). We SO did not want to but agreed to it so the person who showed us our room would leave. We called to cancel and was told that it was a requirment, we said we would be calling II to see why that wasn't printed on the exchange papers. They then backed down.
A simple NO does not do apparently.

 

[keishashadow]

Thanks...I'm hoping (since they're trying to sell us on the resort) that they'll give us a "nice" room.

If we are disappointed, at least it'll make us appreciate DVC even moreso.

If you're asking about unplugging the phone, then, YES......do this ! You won't be sorry


Keishashadow,
Alot will depend on which section you're placed in. Vistana has 9 different sections. I own in the FountainsI/Fountains II section. Fountains II, Lakes and Cascades sections will be the most modern. There are some older sections that may appear a bit outdated even though Vistana does a very good job with maintaining the units.
But even if you get the newest Cascades section, I'm sure you will prefer the BWV. It's onsite and I think most any other offsite resort, no matter how nice, will have trouble competing with that. Enjoy your stay.

 

[ChickieToo]

We got a call from Hilton today, saying they were the resort near downtown Disney and wanted to offer us a vacation ...blah, blah ... DH spoke to them. 3day/4 nights for what turned out to be $166.14 total. DH booked it--we have until November to use it and can use it anytime except major holidays. Must listen to a 2 hour timeshare pitch. I can't believe dh booked this since we aren't in the market for another timeshare (we own dvc) and because we're scheduled for a WDW trip in October. He thought it was another time to use our annual passes on the cheap and get a little R&R after school ends.

Does anyone know anything about this resort? I thought that this Hilton was just a hotel. Did it recently convert to villas? Has anyone listened to their sales pitch? I'm a little nervous now. Last time DH got me to a timeshare pitch we bought DVC!

Thanks in advance.