Bonnet Creek Update

[laceemouse]

We own another TS which trades through RCI. On the RCI website I just discovered that they have the Fairfield Bonnet Creek resort listed in their directory. The pictures are just artists renderings, of course, and the map they show looks like it is right by EPCOT. Has anyone been down lately and payed attention to the construction of this? Where exactly is it? We are going down next week for our first DVC trip to BCV and want to check this out. No one else in our family is DVC, but if we could all trade into Bonnet Creek sometime that would be great!!!! Any info would be appreciated, the Fairfield site has nothing about it.

 

[janiejo]

The Bonnett Creek property, owned by Fairfield, is right next to the Carribbean Beach Resort on Disney property. I know it is scheduled to open sometime this summer. Hope this helps!

 

[Doug Wolfe]

I know we can trade into other Fairfield properties through II.

But I wonder if DVC will allow trading into this property since it is right on Disney's doorstep and is obviously competition for DVC?

I am not sure this would be to DVC's benefit to even allow it.

 

[RweTHEREyet]

I know where the construction site is for this property and it is a wonderful location for timeshare owners. I cannot find it in the RCI directory on-line though, can you share with me the resort ID as I would like to check it out?

We were just at WDW last week and they were working on the entry way into the resort from Buena Vista Blvd., I think it is. You cannot see the resort from Buena Vista Blvd, but you could see the construction going on when we stayed at Caribbean Beach last Fall.

It wil be interesting to see just how much traffic this site adds to Buena Vista Blvd when it opens.

 

[Doug Wolfe]

You could probably contact Fairfield for additional information. But a little warning. Previous posts on this board have indicated these guys are really high pressure/hard sell. Those posts also indicated that people were being told they would have the same benefits as DVC members, which they won't.

A June 2002 article in the Orlando Business Journal indicates Fairfield bought 46 acres for this project, with an option on an additional 12-acres. The management of Fairfield indicated at the time that they anticipated 55,000 families would stay at this resort each year.

 

[RweTHEREyet]

I am not looking for information to possibly purchase. I own timeshare outside of DVC that I could potentially use to trade into Fairfield. Granted it would be hard to do, but not impossible. I was more looking for pictures of the resorts, etc. Not looking to talk to a salesperson for any reason whatsoever.

 

[CaptainMidnight]

I think there are some maps at:
http://disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=324609&highlight=+Bonnet++Creek

 

[laceemouse]

RweTHEREyet, I am in the same boat as you. We own at Powhatan Plantation in Williamsburg, Va. (we are going there this June!!!) and we enjoy trading through RCI. We have stayed at other Fairfield's in Branson, etc. Go to the RCI resort directory online and it is resort number 6369. I guess if you called to make reservations they would tell you when it is opening. I would not sit through one of their sales pitches either, but I would think we could trade in during the early days because it will take them a little while at least to sell the place out. I love DVC, but we only bought enough points to go every other year or so. This Bonnet Creek location seems like the next best thing to staying onsite. I can't see how they could promise DVC perks though, hope they don't try to confuse people into thinking this is part of Disney. We know the truth, and like I said would just enjoy using our Virginia TS, which by the way is VERY nice, to trade in here for a family get together!!! Lacee

 

[RweTHEREyet]

Thanks laceemouse, I am going to go check it out now. I wouldn't expect ANY Disney perks of any kind, but to be that close to everything and have a Fairfield resort to stay in would be wonderful.

We own at the Links in Myrtle Beach, and have a potential buyer. If it sells great, if it doesn't I will try and trade into the new Fairfield resort.

Thans for the resort no.

 

[Lisa P.]

Leaving the Epcot parking lot, you would travel south on Epcot Center Drive. An exit would bring you to a traffic light on Buena Vista Drive. If you went straight through this light, you'd enter the Bonnet Creek development. If you turned right/west at this light onto Buena Vista Dr., you'd pass the Caribbean Beach Resort on your left. If you turned left/east on Buena Vista Dr., you'd pass OKW on your left and TL on your right.

When we were in the area in late February, we drove into the Bonnet Creek development to take a look. The entry road is rather long and very attractively landscaped. Curving around to the left, set back as far as the center buildings of the CBR, the main Fairfield reception/recreation building and one 7-story condo building both appeared to be nearly completed. Other spots were cleared for more construction. I'd expect the first phase to be ready on time with occupancy in June as reserved. The buildings are not visible from Buena Vista Dr. but they are visible from the parts of the driveway surrounding the CBR, due to their size.

The entire parcel is much larger than I'd originally envisioned. The new golf course will be straight back, south of the entry. We drove all the way back to the end of the cul-de-sac, where a couple of the hotels will eventually be built.

Between the Fairfield/golf area of the development and the back hotels, there's a long straight road through undeveloped wetlands. They've put in a sidewalk and street lamps - nice for strolling. We saw a lot of birds in there, among the moss-draped trees.

I would not expect DVC perks but they are planning to arrange some kind of park transportation contract (perhaps like the DD hotels). The other Fairfield Orlando resorts have a few perks like free use of pool toys, free computer usage for internet/email access, free coffee/latte/cappucino, discounts on activities and on their limited shuttles to WDW TTC, Universal & Sea World. I would expect those kinds of things at this one too.

This Fairfield resort will only trade via RCI, not II. Very few Fairfields trade via II.

Historically, the hardest Fairfields to trade into have only been available via RCI in the year that a new phase opened or in the offseason. When they do one of those bulk deposits of weeks, it's a good time to confirm several exchanges at the same time for a large group gathering. Ongoing search requests are usually needed as this kind of thing books rather quickly. Other times of the year, the more popular Fairfield resorts tend to be booked by owners within the system. So there may more availability for RCI trades into Bonnet Creek in the next year or two than thereafter. JMHO - HTH.

 

[jmatias]

Thanks LisaP for the information. I was just going to ask if it will trade in II as well as RCI and you answered my question.

 

[laceemouse]

Lisa, thanks for the info. We will check in out when we are at BCV next week, then may talk with my brother and sister about when we all might want to TRY to get into Bonnet Creek. Just for everyone's info, RCI and Fairfield are both owned by the same company, Cendant, which also owns a lot of hotels, etc... II is now supposed to have a better reputation than RCI, but we have had pretty good success trading through RCI and getting what we want, and we always travel when school is out. Happy travels to all of you!!!!! Lacee

 

[Caskbill]

I would not expect DVC perks but they are planning to arrange some kind of park transportation contract (perhaps like the DD hotels).

Not sure where you heard that. When we were there in January we went to the Fairfield sales office out on Hwy192 to get some basic information. Wound up getting almost a full sales pitch. Typical TS pitch. They wouldn't give us any literature to take and keep, things like point charts, maintenance fees schedules, etc. You get all that information AFTER you purchase. And the typical TODAY ONLY incentives that you won't get if you come back the next day.

As for transportation, I asked if they were going to have busses going to the parks. He said they were going to have a shuttle service to take people from the resort to the front entrance at Buena Vista drive and from there you could take Disney busses. Yeah, sure! That's a major intersection. Does anyone believe Disney busses are going to stop at an intersection to get passengers.?

Reminder, if you drive to the resorts, you won't get free parking like regular WDW resort guests receive.

And to clarify, it is NOT located on Disney property. It is on their own property which is surrounded by Disney property on 3-sides and I-4 on the back side, which means it's land locked and that's why Disney had to give them access via Disney's front entrance and Buena Vista Drive.

Pricing wise, they said the Bonnet Creek resort is the most expensive of all Fairfield properties to purchase. For trading purposes, other Fairfield owners will get first shot, then followed by RCI requests. He also stated he didn't expect a lot of Bonnet Creek owners to be trading out a lot. (this is probably a true statement since they would have had the highest initial cost and highest maintenance fees of any of the other Fairfield owners.)Although after awhile there'll probably be more trades out for places like Hawaii, etc.

Like Disney, it's a point type system. But very large numbers, something like 9000 points a night if I recall, so you purchase contracts like 150,000 points. They showed us a point chart but wouldn't let us have a copy. Imagine someone showing you, as a new buyer, Disney's point chart for the first time, but not letting you keep a copy so you could decide what size contract would be best for you.

As I recall, besides annual maintenance fees, there were other fees also, but I don't recall since they wouldn't give me any real information to keep, and I didn't keep any notes.

Too bad they don't market like Disney does and be totally up front. Just MHO.

 

[Lisa P.]

Just reporting what I've seen and read on the FF Yahoo Group (1,994 members including 1,345 FF points owners). Caskbill, you seem to have been given quite a bit of faulty info. It's a shame you wasted your valuable vacation time with that FF rep!

I posted previously: I would not expect DVC perks but they are planning to arrange some kind of park transportation contract (perhaps like the DD hotels).

Caskbill's response:
Not sure where you heard that. When we were there in January...

I've heard it repeatedly from Bonnet Creek owners as well as FF member services. It's never been represented to me as a sure thing, only something they will be negotiating and seeking before opening. Your post indicated you were told they would try to access Disney-run buses. However, others have just said "shuttle service." Another FF in Kissimmee has shuttle services (directly from inside the resort), albeit on a more limited schedule. So plans for some kind of shuttle service are not surprising. We'll have to wait to see what really happens. It may change further when more hotels are eventually built in the same development.

Pricing wise, they said the Bonnet Creek resort is the most expensive of all Fairfield properties to purchase.

The points charts for the newest FF resorts do require more points for the same size units than their older resorts. DVC has varied charts too. Comparing the FF Bonnet Creek with other newer FF's (Alexandria, Destin-Majestic Sun, Daytona, Kona Hawaiian Village, Royal Vista), the prime season is a little higher and the offseason is a little lower. They're fairly comparable, IMHO.

FF has a per-point price which is the same for all new developer points, regardless of home resort. It's no higher for Bonnet Creek than for any other FF resort.

...highest maintenance fees of any of the other Fairfield owners.

Hm. Maint fees at Bonnet Creek are $2.92/1,000 pts + property taxes (which are billed separately for most FL timeshares). This compares favorably with all other FF resorts in FL ($3.12-$3.88 + property taxes). The taxes will likely be high but the difference in maint fees ought to be significant enough to handle that.

The full range of FF maint fees run from $2.70-$4.90/1,000 pts (both of those do include property taxes - they're in HI and SC, respectively). I would disagree that FF Bonnet Creek will have the highest maint fees in the FF system.

Like so many timeshares, FF still has a long way to go when it comes to keeping their sales pitch consistently accurate. When we've gone to member updates with salespeople, we've been fortunate to have been given much, much better info than you've reported on your January visit. That's really a shame.

 

[Caskbill]

Lisa, thanks for the clarifications. I figured a lot of what they were saying was wrong. Especially the part about transferring to Disney busses.

Regards pricing and maintenance fees, he got into that when I inquired about what if buying somewhere else and then trading in. His response was to show the 'higher value' of the Bonnet creek resort in that it's price was higher and therefore it would be harder to trade into as owners there would tend to want to stay there. Probably true. I think when he talked about the fees we were including the property taxes. I remember he broke it down, but I just kind of remember the final figure as being higher.

Doing some basic math, I think it came out cheaper to purchase there and stay there based on initial cost and points/fees than at DVC, but it wasn't totally clear because there were a lot of point incentives thrown in that would only last the first year or so.

Again, don't know why they just won't make a good information packet available that you can take with you that has all the costs, point requirements (charts), and fees, so you can make an intelligent decision on whether it's a good deal or not. Being retired with lots of time, and having PAP's for park tickets, we might have actually been really interested, but this guy was like one of those computer salesmen you see on a TV shopping network......"This computer comes with $5,000 of 'free' software....etc. He was pushing a lot of fluff without giving any real concrete information about the program. I'd ask a concrete question and get a half-concrete answer, followed by a lot more fluff.

One thing interesting was that the purchase price per point was cheaper when you bought more points. Oh, and the buyer had to pay the closing costs.

BTW, the resort looks great.

It's a shame you wasted your valuable vacation time with that FF rep!

Thanks. But that vacation lasted 50 days, so it wasn't that high of a percentage of our 'valuable vacation time."

 

[dianeschlicht]

ACtually, I suspect their comment about transfering to Disney buses may have been their way of saying all pass holders have access to Disney Transportation. Once FF would get you to a park, you would have Disney transportation for the entire system.