Has anyone stay @ .....

[jeanyusjean]

We (Me, DH & DD4) will be using my uncle's timeshare thru RCI in OCT and I can't decide which resort to pick. Has anyone stayed at any of these resorts recently? Any reviews or suggestions would greatly be appreciated.

Here's they are:

Westgate Vacation Villas
ORBIT ONE VACATION VILLAS

 

[gjw007]

I've stayed at Vacation Village at Parkway. Good location, not a lot of onsite activities. Has a pool.

 

[SammieG]

we stayed at Summer Bay..
the resort was ok.. didnt like the main pool area at all...
the apartment was brand new and very nice, but NONE of the porches are screened, so insects galore get into your bedroom at night through the cracks in the door.
The resort - although not far from Disney was in the middle of roadworks, and it took us 40 mins to get to Disney some days..


Personally I couldnt wait to leave - and we certainly wouldnt go back there.

 

[alisonbestford]

We stayed at Bryan's Spanish Cove 2 years ago.

A little 'dated' at the side of some other timeshares but the setting, backing onto woodland (?) was fantastic - good for raccoons but not so good for wasps ;-)

We also had an infestation of sugar ants in the corner of the living room but this was dealt with as soon as we reported it.

Pool was okay but nothing special.

We're staying at Fortune Villas next year - is that the same as Vacation Village?

 

[gjw007]

We're staying at Fortune Villas next year - is that the same as Vacation Village?

No. They are seperate. It gets even more interesting as there are other resorts that use vacation in their title. Some of these include: Florida Vacation Club, American Vacation Resort at Florida Vacation Villas, Lifetime of Vacations at Grand Lake Resort, and Orbit One Vacation Villas. There may be others as well that I haven't listed. Vacation Village at Parkway is rated as a Gold Crown by RCI. The rooms are nice but it is a highrise complex with a lot of rooms in the building.

 

[alisonbestford]

Thanks.
We're doing an RCI exchange but don't know anything about the villas besides the name

 

[jeanyusjean]

Even though there's only 3 of us we really wanna get a two bedroom for privacy from DD4. Plus we stayed in a hotel a couple months ago and she refused to sleep in the sleeper sofa and crawled in bed w/ us. So all of these resorts are offering 2 BR, full kitchen, and washer and dryer. I guess I'd also like to know which one is closest to the park and less travel time. From what I research it's a toss up btwn Westgate Vacation Villas and Vacation Village @ Parkway.

 

[L107ANGEL]

I thought I read somewhere that the Westgate is a pushy timeshare. Anyone else recall that?

 

[DianeV]

My choice as far as resort would be Summer Bay. We stayed in a house there recently but used the pools etc. There is a really neat pool for your little one with water squirts etc and its not deep. I know its a bit further out of a drive and that is a pain sometimes but overall I think this is the nicest of the ones you have listed...Vac. Village at Parkway is supposed to be nice too

 

[jeanyusjean]

I've been warned from tripadvisor that each resort will ask you to attend a "maintence inventory" and not to go b/c it will end up being a 4 hr presentation on timeshares. Considering the times well be out at the parks I'm hoping they won't be able to hunt us down.

 

[spiceycat]

don't go to Westgate

I have heard good things about Summer Bay I haven't stayed there. but my sister in law and her kids has - they loved it.

this like all the timeshares you mention have some great rooms and some not so great.

and I am pretty sure that Summer Bay is honest. they still call a sales meeting - what it is.

don't do Westgate - first you are a step below RCI exchanges - which are several steps below II.

secondly, for you to want to go to this "maintence meeting" there has to be something wrong with your unit. Otherwise who would go to one.

Westgate also lies - BIG TIME - you will be told that you HAVE to come this maintence fee or they won't let you check off.

and this is just the first of their lies.

Westgate has the worst reputation of any of the timeshares in Orlando. It is not worth going to even in a free situation.

 

[gjw007]

Even though there's only 3 of us we really wanna get a two bedroom for privacy from DD4. Plus we stayed in a hotel a couple months ago and she refused to sleep in the sleeper sofa and crawled in bed w/ us. So all of these resorts are offering 2 BR, full kitchen, and washer and dryer. I guess I'd also like to know which one is closest to the park and less travel time. From what I research it's a toss up btwn Westgate Vacation Villas and Vacation Village @ Parkway.

No tossup, go to Vacation Village @ Parkway. I've heard many negative things about Westgate. Vacation Village is very close to the entrance of Disney (maybe a mile or so) and is nice. It just doesn't have a lot of activities on the resort.

 

[jeanyusjean]

Is Westgate Vacation Villas really that bad? I've read mixed reviews on tripadvisor too but it I'm also considering ORBIT ONE VACATION VILLAS &
BAREFOOT'N IN THE KEYS AT OLD TOWN. VACATION VILLAGE AT PARKWAY & Summer Bay is only offering a one bedroom and I'm sure if DD will be comfortable on the sleeper sofa

 

[crjack]

We stayed in a 2-bdrm villa at Summer Bay a few weeks ago. We liked it there but it's definitely not the closest resort to WDW. We had a car and it was fine for us (we'd rather extra space as a trade-off)

We won it through Skyauction and did NOT attend any presentation. If you could get any two bedroom (villa or condo) you would have plenty of space and nice ammenities. The villas do not have balcony's and maybe that was a plus because we did not have a single bug issue the whole week.

We thought the main pool area was pretty typical of most resorts....large, built in pool. It had a small tiki bar and convenience store and snacks there too. They had lots of pools and a mini water-park playground for younger children that looked great.

Good luck with your stay.

 

[gjw007]

I've been warned from tripadvisor that each resort will ask you to attend a "maintence inventory" and not to go b/c it will end up being a 4 hr presentation on timeshares. Considering the times well be out at the parks I'm hoping they won't be able to hunt us down.

Just tell them that you're not interested. Most will not bother you beyond that initial call. Spicy can tell you stories about Westgate.

 

[Lisa P.]

If you are going to exchange into timeshare resorts, JOIN TUG!!! (see my sig) It has timeshare resort reviews and ratings for TONS of timeshares and you'll see for yourself why people liked or didn't like them. People who exchange into timeshares for full weeks have different expectations than people who rent them nightly (like the reviews you'll read on TripAdvisor). I've found the $15 fee to join (1st year) to be well worth the headaches saved by knowing what to expect and make the best choices for our family. There are certainly a lot of people here who use them. If you're going to use a timeshare more than once in the coming year or two, it's really worthwhile to join, IMHO.

Alisonbestford, Villas at Fortune Place (RCI #3654) is a basic, spacious, somewhat older place, probably similar to Bryan's Spanish Cove. But it's about 16 miles from DTD, east in Kissimmee, easily a half hour drive from WDW! If you're not going until next year (especially if it's not Christmas or Easter week), you may want to look and see what else is available for exchange. TUG can give you ideas, so you can make requests for the more desirable locations. HTH.

 

[spiceycat]

you have to remember that anyone can put in a review on tripadvisor.

Westgate has a TON of salespeople - they can put in a good review. Unless you can trace each of the good one to a REAL person. Don't believe it. Especially if everyone happened to live in Florida.

the resort is nice. but being hassle to dead on MY vacation is not worth it!!!

would you believe someone from Westgate actually called me at home - because of my saying these things on the internet!!!!

they tried to intimidate - those that doesn't work for they try money....

II says it give Westgate a 5 star - it doesn't except on paper. My Westgate trades horrible. It is a 2-bedroom - it should be trading for other 2-bedroom or a 3-bedroom. It is trading for efficiencies when it does trade at all.this is not a 5 star resort.

Because of the internet, people who have really been there can tell of their experiences with Westgate. Do you really want them to call you until you agreed to their sales pitch????

my calls were the worst -he called every morning at 7 am - this was MY vacation.

no, stay anywhere but Westgate please. It is not worth the hassle.

most companies learn from their mistakes and try to improve - Disney definitely does. but Westgate believe it is correct and to heck with the rest of the world.

you do realize that Westgate was going to buy property in other states and got stopped by that state's attorney general. Does that tell you the business standards of this company? Now I don't know that for a fact - but someone on tug say it. I can definitely believe it. Some states protect their consumers better than others do.

RCI has a bunch of Westgate - so they are trying to convience people to trade with them. It is a great resort - but being bothered by salespeople the entire time - sorry it isn't worth it, in my opinion.

Westgate villa can trade with either RCI or II - I am pretty sure when their trading power decreased with II some of the Westgaters owners started to trade again with RCI.

both RCI and II have excess inventory of Westgate - another sign that they treat their owners badly. Sorry!!!!

now Westgate use to be a great trader - but that changed BIG time a few years ago.

oh by the way I own at Westgate. i got a buyer last year, but Westgate gave me so much difficult that the contract would not go through. So after my visit this year I am giving it away to a charity.

I pay $7,000 for this every odd year. don't make the mistake that I did. That is where the internet is such a great tool. We can tell others of our mistakes so they won't make them too.