Best Family Resort For NON Park Vacation.

[FayeW]

I currently am planning a trip to an all inclusive resort in Jamaica for next March Break (hotel booked at a huge discount) but since I have only given a deposit, and have until the end of Jan to pay in full, I am looking for some other less expensive options "just in case".

If push came to shove and we wanted to cut costs but still take a vacation, we could always drive 22 hurs to Florida if we had to. Which "condo" style resort would you recommend that has a great waterslide/waterpark area?

We have stayed at Windsor Hills, Cypress Point Grand Villas, Orbit One and Bryans Spanish Cove. Loved the pool area at WH and CPGV, but since this trip would replace a resort in Jamaica (with full water park, teen club, games room, etc) it is going to have to have some WOW factor.

I see that Bonnet Creek has mini golf, a lazy river and water slide, and I know that Horizons has a good pool area. What other resorts could you recommend for people who would be looking to mostly hang around the resort/pool for a week? Children would be 15 and 13 at time of travel.

 

[sympatico]

Ginn Reunion Resort is nice with a waterpark, lazy river etc. There are over 7 pools in the resort as well as lots of golf, a spa, fitness room, horseback riding etc. You can rent condos, townhouses and pool homes from the resort which are expensive or rent directly from private owners on vrbo or other listing sites:
http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals/usa/florida/central-disney-orlando/kissimmee#a5859
website for Reunion is: www.reunionresort.com
I stayed there for a week earlier this month with another family and the kids loved the water park and there were also planned activities.

 

[FayeW]

Thanks for the links, it looks very nice! No way I am paying $399 per night for a 2 bdrm, though. How do you get a deal over there?

 

[sympatico]

Thanks for the links, it looks very nice! No way I am paying $399 per night for a 2 bdrm, though. How do you get a deal over there?

You rent from an owner on the vrbo link. Examples:
http://www.vrbo.com/219623
http://www.vrbo.com/195259
http://www.vrbo.com/218496
http://www.vrbo.com/232140
Just make sure the rate includes use of the resort amenities.

 

[FayeW]

Wow! Thanks for the links. The resort certainly does look beautiful! The decor and furnishings looks alot like Bonnet Creek.

 

[spiceycat]

how much do you want to pay?

disney's BCV - has access to SALB - storm a long bay. It is a very nice water area.

assuming your kids are great swimmers - right - because this thing is big and needs 7 lifeguards to kept it safe.

there is also Liki Tiki Village.

you could just go with a regular condo or timeshares - and visit a water park. wetnwild has a nice sale

http://www.wetnwildorlando.com/tickets.html

 

[Detailor]

I see that Bonnet Creek has mini golf, a lazy river and water slide, and I know that Horizons has a good pool area. What other resorts could you recommend for people who would be looking to mostly hang around the resort/pool for a week? Children would be 15 and 13 at time of travel.

You might also think about Marriott's Cypress Harbour or Grande Vista - activities/amenities may be more age appropriate than Harbour Lake (formerly Horizons). Orange Lake Country Club resort is also fairly impressive with multiple large pool areas and the new River Island water park area and lots of activities and features. http://orangelake.com

Dick Taylor

 

[MiaSRN62]

Please don't take this the wrong way. But you are driving 22 hours and not going to WDW ? Particularily with the kids (13 and 15). Bonnet Creek is smack dab practically on WDW property. You know your kids better than anyone, but I'm just thinking to a young teen, being at Bonnet Creek which is so close to everything disney, is gonna be a bit of a torture ? Perhaps go with one of the other suggestions as they are a bit more off disney property. Unless your kids don't care for disney and it won't matter being steps away from things ? Respectfully, I just want you to consider the proximity to the parks with Bonnet Creek....signage, disney busses, etc. As long as your kids would be cool with this, it's a resort that gets wonderful reviews for sure.

Maria

 

[FayeW]

I see what you are saying Maria, and that is partly why Orlando is my "plan B" destination. We have 1 day left on our park hoppers, and 3-4 plus features so we could do Disney Quest and both waterparks, and take a day to try to hit the favourites at 2-3 of the parks. Basically it would be a race to Studios first thing to ride ToT and RnR, over to Epcot for Soarin and a stroll around World Showcase, and maybe MK in the evening for POTC, maybe a mountain or two, Spectro and fireworks.

We prefer US/IOA so if we actually go to Orlando we would go to IOA for a day to see the new Harry Potter attractions. I think they will be open by then.

 

[FayeW]

how much do you want to pay?

disney's BCV - has access to SALB - storm a long bay. It is a very nice water area.

assuming your kids are great swimmers - right - because this thing is big and needs 7 lifeguards to kept it safe.

there is also Liki Tiki Village.

you could just go with a regular condo or timeshares - and visit a water park. wetnwild has a nice sale

http://www.wetnwildorlando.com/tickets.html

I am considering renting points for a Sun-Thurs stay at BCV, specifically because of SAB (and we've never stayed onsite before). I am having a hard time wrapping my brain around paying the same $$$ for 4 people to sleep in one room as I can pay for a 3 bdrm condo, though.

We have plus features left on our tickets so we would be doing both Disney waterparks if we go.

 

[spiceycat]

I am considering renting points for a Sun-Thurs stay at BCV, specifically because of SAB (and we've never stayed onsite before). I am having a hard time wrapping my brain around paying the same $$$ for 4 people to sleep in one room as I can pay for a 3 bdrm condo, though.

We have plus features left on our tickets so we would be doing both Disney waterparks if we go.

believe me know the problem - which is why I brought DVC - it is cheaper to own DVC than to rent it.

if you are going to the Disney water parks - then your hotel/condo/house pool can be just a pool. It does not have to be anything fancy.

 

[FayeW]

believe me know the problem - which is why I brought DVC - it is cheaper to own DVC than to rent it.

if you are going to the Disney water parks - then your hotel/condo/house pool can be just a pool. It does not have to be anything fancy.

Well, if it is replacing an all inclusive Jamaica resort that has a huge waterpark, it kind of does. Two waterparks and Disney Quest takes up a 2.5 days. We want to enjoy the other 4.5 days with nice resort amenities.

 

[spiceycat]

Well, if it is replacing an all inclusive Jamaica resort that has a huge waterpark, it kind of does. Two waterparks and Disney Quest takes up a 2.5 days. We want to enjoy the other 4.5 days with nice resort amenities.

Sheraton Vistana resort and Hilton Grand Vacation CLub - do not have great pools - but they both have great activities.

there is plenty to do at both resorts. just depends upon what you want.

 

[FayeW]

You rent from an owner on the vrbo link. Examples:
http://www.vrbo.com/219623
http://www.vrbo.com/195259
http://www.vrbo.com/218496
http://www.vrbo.com/232140
Just make sure the rate includes use of the resort amenities.

Thanks again for the links to Ginn Reunion. I have been reading the awesome reviews on trip advisor and I think that if we do go to Orlando instead of Jamaica (sob) Ginn and Bonnet Creek will be the front runners.

Detailor, I checked out Orange Lake and it looks really nice, but some of the reviews are horrible. The lack of internet access in the unit would be a deal breaker for me.

 

[MiaSRN62]

I am considering renting points for a Sun-Thurs stay at BCV, specifically because of SAB (and we've never stayed onsite before). I am having a hard time wrapping my brain around paying the same $$$ for 4 people to sleep in one room as I can pay for a 3 bdrm condo, though.

We have plus features left on our tickets so we would be doing both Disney waterparks if we go.

I'm glad you understand where I'm coming with FayeW. I honestly wasn't trying to burst your bubble. And while BCV is an awesome resort (I've stayed at the BC, not the Villas), your kids will really have WDW right in their face. I mean you can practically see Epcot---it's a 10 min walk there. They'll see people walking back and forth to Epcot and the Studios from this location. Some rooms at BCV actually face Epcot and you can see Spaceship Earth and all---though to my understanding there are not many of these rooms. But still. They'll see/hear the Illuminations fireworks show. If your children are ok about being mere steps from Epcot and not being able to go in, then BCV would be an option, because as Pat mentioned, the pool is really nice. It's the nicest on WDW property. There is also Liki Tiki that Pat mentioned. I think being further from the disney parks might be better for the kids. And the photos of the pool I've seen there is really nice.

Good luck with your difficult planning. I really hope you'll be able to swing the Jamaica trip. Sounds awesome.

take care,
Maria

 

[Brian Noble]

Interestingly enough, I'm thinking about doing something similar at Bonnet Creek---No WDW theme parks. It's not quite as in-your-face as BCV would be, but you can see Epcot easily from much of the resort.

I'm thinking about it not so much because of money-budget, but because of time-budget. Every year, we go and have a long laundry list of things we can't get to because there's already so much to do in the theme parks.

So, I'm trying to put together a "non-theme park" trip. Water parks, DisneyQuest, an afternoon at Ft. Wilderness, an airboat ride, a fishing trip, etc. In all honesty, it will probably end up costing more than the MYW+hoppers that we normally buy, but it will be very very different from "the usual."

And, frankly, "the usual" is getting a little "tired." We try to do new things each visit, but they're starting to run together a little bit.

We haven't run this by the kids yet, but we're thinking that, with some preparation, it will be okay. Especially because we were just there in February for a "theme park trip", and we'll be back in Feb 2010, when we can go back to the theme parks if that's what we decide to do.

Edited to add: in response to the original question, the two resorts that come to mind for me are Orange Lake and Summer Bay. My uncle owns a couple March weeks at Orange Lake, and he has been taking his kids (and their kids) down for decades. They rarely leave the resort, and don't have to---it's full of stuff to do. Summer Bay doesn't have the water slides, etc. (and I'm not sure what OL has, either, beyond the lazy river at RI), but it's definitely "a resort", not just "a place to sleep between theme park visits."

Bonnet Creek has a tiny lazy river, and a smallish water slide but I think doesn't quite measure up as well as OL and SB would if you want to spend days at the resort.

 

[FayeW]

I'm glad you understand where I'm coming with FayeW. I honestly wasn't trying to burst your bubble. And while BCV is an awesome resort (I've stayed at the BC, not the Villas), your kids will really have WDW right in their face. I mean you can practically see Epcot---it's a 10 min walk there. They'll see people walking back and forth to Epcot and the Studios from this location. Some rooms at BCV actually face Epcot and you can see Spaceship Earth and all---though to my understanding there are not many of these rooms. But still. They'll see/hear the Illuminations fireworks show. If your children are ok about being mere steps from Epcot and not being able to go in, then BCV would be an option, because as Pat mentioned, the pool is really nice. It's the nicest on WDW property. There is also Liki Tiki that Pat mentioned. I think being further from the disney parks might be better for the kids. And the photos of the pool I've seen there is really nice.

Good luck with your difficult planning. I really hope you'll be able to swing the Jamaica trip. Sounds awesome.

take care,
Maria

It really wouldn't be a big deal to the kids. We like Disney well enough, and we do have a day left on our hopper passes so we could do one theme park day and hit our favourites at a couple of the parks.

We could go to IOA one day for Harry Potter, a day each for the water parks, an after noon at DQ, and have one WDW park day. The only thing that would cost extra would be the IOA tickets so if we drive, it could be a pretty cheap vacation.

I have sent inquiries to a couple of Bonnet Creek owners on RedWeek.com. If they don't want a ridiculous amount of money I may let the Jamaica dream die. I really only booked it because it was on sale and it is nearly impossible for me to pass up a deal. We always joke that "we are going broke saving money" and "it's costing us money not to have that" (because we are losing the opportunity to "save" all that money. It really is a joke, though)

 

[Kinjan]

Well I didn't have any plans for vacation this year. But this resort made me to think about it now. Thanks for the links it tempted me and I am planning my vacation.