Orange Lake

[spiceycat]

the Marriott are nice - but try the Hilton Grand Vacation Club - they can even beat the Marriott (my opinion). the problem is that they aren't expanding into the different areas that Marriott is in and continues to do.

 

[jeff968]

the Marriott are nice - but try the Hilton Grand Vacation Club

See my Sig, we have visited the Hilton!!! We stayed at the HGVC Seaworld and it was very nice but we like the setup of MCH resort better and they have more activities but I would stay at HGVC again.

 

[mcefalo]

Anyone ever stay in a 3 bedroom? If so which area would you request?
Thanks - have two teens and 4 adults - would like a balcony versus first floor

 

[shoney]

We are going in august with 2 small boys (4 and 6) and grandparents. Any suggestions for getting the best 2 bedroom condo available. We are booked for a 8/6 in an RCI trade (from another gold crown resort) so I would like to at least request the best this place has to offer. Your suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[Conor's Mom]

We bought into the Hilton Club, that means now we must stay at Hilton family proprty or RCI properties. We have a reservation for Orange Lake Counrty Club & resort Dec. 3-10th 2005. This is our first experience with RCI and I have tried to research the resort. I am a little frightened over some of the reviews as to the snakes, large spiders,cockroaches, ants bed bugs, and such found in dirty sounding rooms. Also seem to think that the newer buildings in North and east villages are okay, most people complain about the West village area. We have a 1 bedroom suite for my husband and myself and 2 yr old son. Plenty of room for us probably as long as it is fairly clean with no bugs!! They will tell me nothing other than I have a 1 bedroom suite. Can you request an area to have or if not happy (reasonably) could you change rooms? I tried to get the Sheraton Visitana, but RCI at the Hilton club said they have poor experiences with thier members getting poorest accomodations here and pushed me into the Orange Lake instead. Does any one have any experiences with RCI and Orange Lake in particular? We are so new to this and have already been disapointed by where Hilton Club sent us this February in Boca Raton. Please help me! Thank you Conor's Mom

 

[VinnyNYC]

OLCC is good resort. Stayed in a nice and roomy 2 Bedroom in the North Village last summer. Nice pool area (Splash Lagoon). I thought the clubhouse was outdated. Great golf. Resort is too big. You need a car for everything you do there. I like the Vistana Resort and Vistana Villages a lot better. Better location. A lot of traffic on 192.

 

[Conor's Mom]

Hi Vinny! So you did not experience any insect problems in your room at Orange Lake? Hopefully it was just exagerations that I read about in other reviews. Do you think they'd put me in a different room if we had a problem? Thanks, Conor's Mom

 

[VinnyNYC]

My 2 bedroom in the North Village was very clean. A lot of room in the living room and kitchen. Very open floor plan. No bugs of any kind, nice condo. Any other questions about OLCC let me know. Good restaurant by the golf course in the East Village. Nobody ever goes there for some reason. It's a little out of the way. I got coffee there every morning, you buy a mug for $5 or so and coffee refills are free the rest of your stay. Stay away from the clubhouse. I found it to be very outdated, flies everywhere and the pool looked like a public pool, not a resort pool.

 

[shoney]

I found the same with rci...they steered me away from Vistana Resort. The rep said she hated it. Then I called back again to see what else was available and the rep (a different one) pushed me into Orange Lake. She talked it up stating that everyone who goes down there from her office always stays at OLCC. It wasn't there an hour before as an option so I jumped on it. I only did this a few weeks ago for summer travel. I am not used to planning that far in advance. I am new to rci as well and now know that I should be already thinking about summer '06.
Anyway, since booking it, I am nervous. I wanted a resort nice enough to stay out during some much needed down time. I don't want to go to parks everyday. It is too exhausting!

 

[jeff968]

I've stayed at both of these resorts and thought the Vistana Resort was much nicer. Now, granted, we stayed in the new Cascades section but the pools were nicer, you can walk, rather then drive, around to the various activities at the resort and the location in Orlando is much better.

 

[spiceycat]

the Sheraton Vistana has lately also gone with II, too.

I think some RCI people are trying to get back at Sheraton Vistana.....

I looks like the II exchangers get the new part of the resort. RCI get the old.

however we were in an old section - Springs and I loved it!!! For my mother, 82, at the time - it was wonderful - 6 steps (yes steps) to the front door of the unit from the car - no where have we stayed have the units been so close.

Mother loved it!!!

the carpet needed to be redone - so do some other things - but for us it was GREAT. in 4 years will definitely stay here again. Of course using my II exchange I might be there in 2007. (can't next year - my nephew gets it)....

 

[KerriMc]

We were at OLCC in February of 2004 in a two bedroom in the East Village and we LOVED it!! I did email ahead to see if there were non-smoking villas as we have allergies to smoke, and there weren't, but they said they would make sure our villa would have an extra thorough cleaning. I'm not sure if this is why we were put in the East Village or not (seeing as they were new). We went for the timeshare presentation ... and we were so close ... but then logic set in, but we did get talked into purchasing a latitude package so we could return for another week to "try it out" and have another presentation. This past year we did the pool home rental thing, and really liked having a pool all to ourselves, so we will definitely not be purchasing a timeshare (can't afford one anyways!), but we will still enjoy our week non the less.

My dad went golfing a few times and talked to many older fellows that have been part of OLCC since the near beginning. Boy the prices these guys paid!!! Unbelievable! These guys love it and have never had any problems. There is bound to be the odd thing happen, but hopefully they are flukes. I had heard they were refurbishing West Village villas as well as some North Village. They do it in a cycle apparently. Anyways ... if it is not up to your standards when you arrive I would sure let them know. I would never stay anywhere that was dirty or had bugs. They would definitely know I was not happy about it and something better be done. Everyone was very friendly and accomodating, so I would think you will be just fine!

Have a wonderul holiday! We are going to OLCC in March 2006!

Kerri

p.s When I was going to OL in 2004 I searched for every review I could find and I found such a mix. You either love it or not. I was so worried about what we would find, but was very happy once we were there!

 

[The House of Mouse]

We just spent the week before Easter at Orange Lake in the north village. The kids loved Splash Lagoon, loved all the activities, loved the spacious 2 bedroom. We were with RCI owners who had got it last minute, great deal. We did the presentation and bought the Latitudes package, so we will be going back for another week. It was a nice close drive to Disney once we found the back entrance. Our villa was clean and comfortable, would definitely recommend it.

OT- Our first week was at RCI Celebration World, which we liked also. We are thinking about joining the timeshare crowd, but would like to see a few more resorts to compare before. Any recommendations for places to go when we use our package next year?

 

[spiceycat]

don't buy in Orlando - timeshares are all overpriced and maintence fees are high.

I love Orlando - but I learned the hard way - don't buy there.

buy some place else and then exchange into Orlando - much, much cheaper.

plus if you get a place that you like - sometimes the resort will allow you to visit and use their stuff. just make sure it is close.

go join
www.tug2.net

you can post without joining - but to get the insider stuff - you need to join - purchase price - maintence fees - that kind of stuff.

You can learn alot with tug.

if you can pick any timeshare with RCI - I would go with the HGVC at SW or I-Drive. It is definitely one of the best.

 

[Tiger Fan]

We've traded into OLCC and Sheraton Vistana Resort and loved them both. We were in the Springs section at SV and had a large 2 bedroom unit that was only about 30 feet to a very nice small pool that was never crowded during the summer. At OLCC we were in the North Village I think it was called and loved it. The unit seemed brand new and was very plush. We toured later in the week and saw some of the older buildings and they were very nice as well. OLCC is very large and we drove our car most of the time, but that didn't bother us. The location is a little better in my opinion from OLCC to WDW, but still not a bad drive from SV. Good luck in deciding, we'd go back to either place with no worries.
Lisa
Tiger Fan

 

[KIRSTIN'S MOMMY]

For those just back from Orange Lake, a friend of mine owns there and is headed back in July. How far along are they on the new pool area? She wants to plan a pool day if it's finished.

 

[gjw007]

I also own at Orange Lake and I like it. I have stayed at the Vistana Resort Fountains II area (I'm told its one of the newer areas). While the Vistana was okay, it really is a much smaller resort and they had only one parking space per unit (at least at the unit I was at) so if you have anybody joining you, it could be an issue. The West area of Orange Lake is undergoing fairly major overhauls (replacing kitchen applicances, etc.) while the North area of Orange Lake is undergoing minor overhauls (cushions, chairs, etc). I have stayed in all three areas without any complaints. I do agree that the clubhouse is in need of an overhaul but I think Orange Lake is planning on moving many of the functions to the new River Island area at which time they can do the maintanence without affecting the guests.

I like the fact that the resort is large but if you have small children and wish to go to the pools, the best area is the North Village as the pools are designed more for children. The Olympic size pool at the West Village is great for older children and adults. Where I was there is December, they expected River Island to be completed during the third quarter. They said that the hurricanes put construction behind especially with the community's need for the supplies. I'm hoping the 12 acre pool area will be open in late August/ early September when I am there.

 

[The House of Mouse]

For those just back from Orange Lake, a friend of mine owns there and is headed back in July. How far along are they on the new pool area? She wants to plan a pool day if it's finished.

To quote my husband "Not even close".

We wonder if it could possibly be finished by the end of 2005. Hope it's finished before our next trip.

 

[shoney]

I called Orange Lake and they said they don't expect it to be completed until 2006. I was hoping in would be ready in August also.

 

[gjw007]

the Sheraton Vistana has lately also gone with II, too.

I think some RCI people are trying to get back at Sheraton Vistana.....

I looks like the II exchangers get the new part of the resort. RCI get the old.

When I stayed at the Vistana about 1 1/2 years ago, I took their timeshare presentation. They told me that they were going to leave RCI in about 2 years when the contract expires. I was told that they were building resorts in a number of places that its customer prefer and would have no need for an exchange service since all the places could be covered internally (I was told all the larger companies were building resorts at prime locations so that they wouldn't need the exchange service - who knows if its true as only time will tell). They did state that they would have to take of those who already owned but were not in the Sheraton point system. For those who own there, it may get interesting and confusing.