Favorite Timeshare in Orlando for family?

[JennCa]

I am going to Orlando this summer and we should be able to find most places either on Redweek or TUG or rent VRBO so would like your advice where to rent. We have tried several places and outside all the DVC, which is out of our limit, what are your favorites? We just need a 2 bedroom/2 bath.

We are looking for a warm pool to swim and with a jacuzzi for my 7 year old. We are visiting Universal, Seaworld and Disney so it doens't have to be the closest to Disney.

I will also be going with my baby who should be crawling at that point so hopefully it will be carpeted and clean : )

Jenn

 

[spiceycat]

well Disney is my favorite - especially BLT. there now - watched the fireworks from my room with the music on the TV.

but there are several others

Wyndham bonnett creek
Marriott's Grande Vista (closer to SW)
Marriott's Cypress Harbour
Marriott's Imperial Palms
Marriott's Sabal Palms
Marriott's Royal Palms
Sheraton Vistana Resort
Cypress Pointe
Silver Lake
Hilton Grand Vacation Club (there are 3)

 

[JennCa]

Wow, that is a lot to choose from. Which Marriott or Hilton is your fav then?

Jenn

 

[Catira]

my vote is for wyndham bonnet creek. Love the proximity to downtown disney and the fact that it is located a short distance to disneyworld parks. This resort is actually next to disney's carribean beach.

 

[disneyshakeygirl]

Sheraton Vistana Villages! The staff have always been friendly whenever we've gone, the rooms have always been well-kept and are very nice, the location is great.

 

[Purseval]

HGVC SeaWorld is the resort that is great for children with a covered playground that shades them from the sun, a kiddie pool that is 1 foot deep plus the regular pools. They also have lots of activities for the kids and it is centrally located so you have easy access to all 3 parks. I will be posting a review of the resort with plenty of pictures as soon as we get back home.

 

[colinsdad]

I am going to Orlando this summer and we should be able to find most places either on Redweek or TUG or rent VRBO so would like your advice where to rent. We have tried several places and outside all the DVC, which is out of our limit, what are your favorites? We just need a 2 bedroom/2 bath.

We are looking for a warm pool to swim and with a jacuzzi for my 7 year old. We are visiting Universal, Seaworld and Disney so it doens't have to be the closest to Disney.

I will also be going with my baby who should be crawling at that point so hopefully it will be carpeted and clean : )

Jenn

I've done a lot of timeshares during my Disney visits including two of the Marriotts (Grande Vista, Cypress Harbor), Blue Tree, Sheraton Vistana, and Westgate Lakes . I'm trading a bonus week into Marriott Sabal Palms this August (because I need a 2BR and couldn't get Cypress Harbor, and only could get a 1BR at Grande Vista and Harbour Lake). The other places I've been to before were available, but I trust the Marriott brand in Orlando because they've been the nicest places I've stayed at.

Marriott Cypress Harbor is my favorite to date and it was literally across the street from Seaworld. We loved the spaceousness, and it was very clean.

My ranking would be:
1A. Marriott Cypress Harbor
1B. Marriott Grande Vista
3. Sheraton Vistana (nice and best location in relation to Disney)
4. Westgate Lakes (liked the timeshare, hated the Westgate sales dept. )
5. Blue Tree (stayed here before Westgate bought 1/2 of property, and wasn't impressed then).

You really can't go wrong with Marriott. Grande Vista is pretty close to Seaworld too and although I've never stayed at Marriott's Harbour Lake, it looks great for kids with a pirate waterpark pool (and is across the street from Cypress Harbor).

 

[kathy884]

There are so many great ones. Cypress Pointe, Cypress Pointe Grand Villas, and Sheraton Vistana are all very nice and well located and come up alot on TUG2.net and Redweek.com. These are ones we've rented recently that we were very happy with.

 

[spiceycat]

there are 3 close to WDW - the only timeshare (non-DVC) closer is Wyndham Bonnett Creek

Marriott Imperial Palms- only 3-bedroom
Marriott Sabal Palms
Marriott Royal Palms

they use to get bad reviews - but in the last few years - (about 3 years ago) Marriott rehab all of them.

now it has been a few years - but they should still be in nice shape (not wonderfully but nice)

the cheapest near Disney is probably Cypress pointe (there are 2 of these)

that say another one - not a favorite but very, very nice - too few swimming pools for the amount of guests to be a favorite.
Vacation Villa at Parkway - should also be fairly inexpensive.

the marriott and hilton should be close to Disney in price.

 

[JennCa]

Thank you for the info. Sounds like it may be a matter of price since several of them are realy good choices : )

Jenn

 

[DisneyAndRedSox]

For a 7 year old, I have to say Marriott Harbour Lake (formerly Marriott Horizons). We always used to stay at Marriott Grande Vista, now that DD is old enough to go in the pool we switched. I have also stayed at Sabal Palms and most Westgates. I drove around Cypress Harbour and talked to an employee, he told me with little kids to stick with Harbour Lake for now.

It is a much smaller resort, all buildings a close walk to the pools. There are 2 pool areas, a splash zone, jacuzzi's, a mini golf course and a ton of kids activites.

http://www.marriottvacationclub.com/vacation-resorts/marriott-harbour-lake/amenities.html

Harbour Lake is very close to Sea World, International Drive and Rt 4. You can also take the back way to Palm Parkway and the Crossroads for restaurants, etc.

Buildings 30 and 31 are the newest, they opened around Christmas 2008. I stayed in 30 last week and 31 last year, very clean. The master bedroom doesn't have a whirlpool tub like Grande Vista, but the 2nd bathroom has a tub instead of a walk in shower.

DH saw that DD was having such an amazing time there, he bought an Annual Pass! We actually might go a week in Sept (our preschool starts late) and he absolutely wants to stay there again. Normally DD and I just go with my parents and he comes for a long weekend, this trip last week at Harbour Lake converted him!

 

[HicksWDW]

Speaking of Timeshare, has anyone stayed at Celebration World Resort? We will be staying there for the 1st time and I have read mixed reviews.

 

[LadySiren]

I'm an HGVC owner and have stayed at both their Sea World and I-Drive properties. I've been extremely happy with both. They're nicely furnished and very comfortable. BTW, they also have jacuzzi tubs in the master bathroom.

We're going to take our large family to HGVC on I-Drive in June. I'm SO looking forward to it!

 

[kcc]

I am an HGVC owner too and agree with LadySiren. The properties are great! We've let several friends with small children use our HGVC time in Orlando and they were all very impressed. We've stayed there when our DS was crawling and also when he was just walking and had no problems. I brought along some outlet covers just to be on the safe side (you know little fingers!). The I-Drive location has tile kitchen and bath, but the rest was carpet (at least for the 1 bedroom). And my DS slept on the pull out couch in the living room, so we didn't need a 2 bedroom for the 3 of us. The I-Drive location is perfect for Disney and US/IOA.

Hope you have a great vacation! Feel free to PM me with any questions or HGVC availability.

 

[Kat&Dom]

I have stayed at Sheraton Vistana Resort and Grand Beach Resort. Both had activities for children to do if you were spending a day at the resort. I loved the 3 bed/3 bath at Grand Beach - it was spectacular - 1,520 square feet and very clean. I found the Grand Beach on RedWeek.com. I traded through RCI for Sheraton Vistana.

The Sheraton Vistana was 2 bed/2 bath. The Resorts are across the street from each other and about 10 minute drive to Disney. 15-20 minutes to SeaWorld and Universal. Both Resorts had laundry in-suite which was awesome and I would be happy to go back to either one again.

 

[EpcotBelle]

Speaking of Timeshare, has anyone stayed at Celebration World Resort? We will be staying there for the 1st time and I have read mixed reviews.

We have stayed there 3 times and actually we really like it. It isn't the fanciest of resorts, but the location is good - it's not right in the middle of traffic but close to the Animal Kingdom side of the World. The pool is small but nice, grounds are nice. It's always been clean when we've stayed there.

We have stayed at HGVC SeaWorld twice and really liked it. Very nice rooms, great main pool area. The second time we got a smaller room in need of maintenance and with no view - we think this is because we booked one of those timeshare pitch specials and those packages get the worst rooms.

We tried Vacation Village at Parkway last year - didn't care for it. Nothing there for kids except a tiny playground, room was just ok. I was disappointed because I had read several good reviews. It's all relative on where you have already stayed.

We visited Wyndham Bonnet Creek and toured all of the rooms they have open for the timeshare pitch (but avoided the pitch itself, which was great). It is really fantastic. I wouldn't mind owning there. Rooms are modern, large, and clean, excellent pool w/lazy river, on site restaurant. I really fell in love with this resort. There are good deals running on ebay for this resort all the time if you are comfortable with that.

We also stayed at another Wyndham resort off of 192 (name escapes me) but I would avoid that one - rooms were old and outdated.

We stayed one time at Cypress Pointe Grandvillas. It is very close to WDW, and the 2 bedroom unit looked nice but DONT get the one bedroom!!!!! It's like the size of a matchbox. It would be fine for a couple, but the sleeper sofa is small and right in the mini- kitchen - just didn't work for our family of 4.

My inlaws love Sheraton Vistana but I haven't been.

Hope that helps.