Choosing a timeshare to exhange into ?s

[Goofygirl17]

We're planning on going to Disney next April and have a long list of resorts we can exchange into. I would love any opinions/info on the following resorts (sorry, a long list).

Bryan's Spanish Cove

Cypress Pointe Grande villas

Cypress Pointe Resort

Grand Beach I

Grand Beach II

High Point World

Hilton Grand Vacation Club International Drive

Orange Lake-
East Village 2BR
North Village 1BR or 2BR
West Village 1 BR or 2BR

RCI/High Point World Resort
1 BR

Sheraton Vistana Resort

Silver Lake

Silverleaf Orlando Breeze

Summer Bay

Vacation Villages (stayed here last year)

Villas at Summer Bay

Westgate Vacation Villages

There are so many to choose from it's confusing. We've stayed at Orange Lake and Vacation Villages before. We have two DDs 9 and 6. We have an ongoing search to exchange for DVC but I don't think that's going to happen.

Thanks!!
Goofygirl

 

[shoney]

We have stayed at HGVC Seaworld and loved it....unit was nicely decorated...granite and dark wood. It was a very large 3 bedroom. The property was small so it was easy to get around. They had a nice bar/restaurant by the pool. It was convenient for the day or 2 we weren't at the parks. They had a nice pool and playground area. Several kids events including dive-in movie. We are staying at the HGVC I-drive location in may and I know someone who went there last year and she said we should like this location even more.

Well you've been to Orange Lake, so you know what to expect, we didn't care for it. My husband and father have actually vowed to never return.

We really liked Summer Bay. I know it gets mixed reviews. Our unit was recently refurbished. The boys were about 4 and 6 when we went there and they loved the sprinkler park. The main pool was nice with a little tiki bar.
There were activities for the kids. Each block of building had it's own neighborhood pool. It was a little quieter there. It is very close to Orange Lake...a few lights further on 192.

We did stay at Silver Lake. It was nice. Our unit was clean but very outdated. Pool was area was nice, but it was very cold....January 2004. It was closer to Disney.

My vote would be for HGVC. It is further from Disney, but for me the quality is worth the extra drive.

 

[Brian Noble]

Assuming these are all 2BRs or larger---

If you want overall resort quality: HGVC
Self-contained resort-o-fun: Orange Lake North Village (West has variable unit quality, East can be far from amenities.)
Location: Silver Lake (Westgate VV is almost as close, and has nicer units but worse staff)

If you can get the 3BRs at Grand Beach, those are supposed to be quite nice. The Cypress Pointes have their fans as well. Vistana would be wonderful, unless you end up in a non-refurbished unit (and there may still be some such units in April 2010.)

Edited to add: it will be worth joining TUG (if you haven't already) and reading the reviews there.

 

[Goofygirl17]

Thanks Brian and Shoney.

We actually liked Orange Lake but it was a pain to get to the pool and lazy river etc. We didn't do any of the activities just pretty much used the unit to cook/sleep. The north village is where the pool/river is right?

We can get a 3br at Grand Beach I but only a 1br at Grand Beach II.

Cypress Point we can only get a 1 bedroom. It would be nice if the kids weren't sleeping on a pull-out couch.

Thanks again!
Goofygirl

I doublechecked for Wyndham Bonnet creek and it comes up only with dates through December. Maybe they're not booking past then yet?

 

[spiceycat]

would not stay in Cypress Pointe in a 1-bedroom.

if you can get the 3-bedroom Grand Beach is okay. Now it does not have a theme pool like OR or even CP - but it is nice.


what is the unit size at HGVC? - ID is to me not as nice as SW location. the Hilton Grand Vacation CLub on ID is in front/behind - the Premium Outlet Mall. So if you love to shop - this is the place. It is across the street from a Publix and MacDonald's.

here is the premium outlet
http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/outlet.asp?id=17

 

[shoney]

would not stay in Cypress Pointe in a 1-bedroom.

if you can get the 3-bedroom Grand Beach is okay. Now it does not have a theme pool like OR or even CP - but it is nice.


what is the unit size at HGVC? - ID is to me not as nice as SW location. the Hilton Grand Vacation CLub on ID is in front/behind - the Premium Outlet Mall. So if you love to shop - this is the place. It is across the street from a Publix and MacDonald's.

Where exactly is it on I-drive? My mom goes to Orlando on business quite often and was wondering what it is near. She wasn't familiar with the outlet mall...because she is there on business and works in the food industry she is more familar with the restaurants! Do you know of any markers like TuTu Tango or Seasons 52, etc..?

Thanks so much! We check in on 5/22!

 

[Brian Noble]

The north village is where the pool/river is right?

The lazy river is at River Island. North has a nice free-form pool though, and I think the units are a little less spread out---I think. I haven't stayed there yet.

I would not take a 1BR anywhere. You have plenty of nice 2BR choices. I hate having to cede the living room/kitchen after the kids go to bed.

 

[Goofygirl17]

Thanks SpiceyCat. We can get a 2 BR at HGVC on I-drive. The one by SW is also available- is it much farther to drive to Disney from there?

Goofygirl

Thanks again Brian. We're defnitely looking at 2 to 3 bedrooms. Vacation villages was nice but it's a pain to have the couch pulled out and have to go to bed when the kids do. Since it's a lock-out (is that the right term?) I know the kids wouldn't have wanted to sleep in the other section even with the door open. Also, if we have 3 br we might see if friends would like to come too.

 

[spiceycat]

Where exactly is it on I-drive? My mom goes to Orlando on business quite often and was wondering what it is near. She wasn't familiar with the outlet mall...because she is there on business and works in the food industry she is more familar with the restaurants! Do you know of any markers like TuTu Tango or Seasons 52, etc..?

Thanks so much! We check in on 5/22!

think she is talking about something closer to US/IOA

this is just about inbetween Seaworld and Disney. not that close to Universal - HGVC @ sw is closer to Universal than this one is located.

here is a map of HGVC @ id
http://www.mapquest.com/maps?name=H...gitude=-81.488024&geocode=ADDRESS&id=22209433

here is one of Seasons 52
http://www.seasons52.com/locations/orlando.asp

 

[Detailor]

Where exactly is it on I-drive? My mom goes to Orlando on business quite often and was wondering what it is near. She wasn't familiar with the outlet mall...because she is there on business and works in the food industry she is more familar with the restaurants! Do you know of any markers like TuTu Tango or Seasons 52, etc..?

Thanks so much! We check in on 5/22!

HGVC I-Drive is five or six miles south of Tu Tu Tango on International Drive (which is near Pointe Orlando a bit north of the Convention Center). The resort is on the far less busy end of I-Drive - a very nice location for getting to the Disney parks.

Dick Taylor

 

[shoney]

Thanks so much for all of the info....

 

[wdwislife]

When I go to WDW I almost am always at Orange Lake.
My family owns 2 units there for the same week.
I like it, except for the fact that the property is so large.
They've really expanded it in recent years.
To go between our 2 units we have to drive for a bit on the winding roads. =/
I'm not sure which village I stay in, but I know it's fairly close to the main entrance.

 

[mickeymommy3]

We stayed at Summer Bay in Oct 07. We had a 3 bedroom unit, which actually is the 2 bedroom lock off. It was wonderful. Very clean, no high pressure sales pitch. We were only called once right after we checked in, we declined the tour, and that was it. The pool, and nice. We never used it, but did enjoy the small waterpark on site. A couple interactive water slides and such. Would of booked again there this year if it wasn't for the 4 in one rule.

 

[dryvithome]

We've stayed at the Silverleaf Orlando Breeze before and it wasn't bad. Some kind of construction has happened since our last stay and are headed there next month. We'll take some photos of the resort and rooms and try to post them as well. The only downside that I can remember is that it was a longer drive than I cared for because traffic was bad getting out of the parks. I can't recall what month it was though, and that was about 1-2 years ago as well. It wasn't so bad that I wouldn't give it another shot apparently.

I'm sure there are some better ones out there as other posters have mentioned, but I actually own at a Silverleaf resort so it's easy for me to trade for the Orlando Breeze one. But, if DVC was the option, that's what I'd go for as well.

 

[spiceycat]

I'm sure there are some better ones out there as other posters have mentioned, but I actually own at a Silverleaf resort so it's easy for me to trade for the Orlando Breeze one. But, if DVC was the option, that's what I'd go for as well.

if you trade thru RCI you have a shot at a DVC.

so try for one. want one for Dec - probably will not get it - awfully trader - but hey nothing says you can't try for it.

 

[swilshire]

spiceycat,

I'm seeing December DVC weeks through 12/12 - 12/19. I was tempted to grab that one this morning, but the kids have school through 12/18.

Sheila

 

[spiceycat]

Sheila

would love it - but awfully trader so not expecting it. It is for 2010 - so have time to wait.

 

[disnee4mygirls]

We have stayed at Summer Bay and Silver Lake. We like them both but prefer Summer Bay (have stayed here twice and Silver Lake twice)! The Two bedroom ones were huge as far as living space and the master bedroom/and bathroom. The room we had at Silver Lake with a 2 bdrm was small and cramped for my parents and our family to share (with the two kids sleeping on the sofa bed) On such short notice we couldn't get a three bedroom. (we own at Silver Lake) We prefer Summer Bay but plan to try out some other places we haven't been before. Our next trip we are staying at OKW Resort through our RCI exchange so we can't wait to stay Disney all the way!!!