Silver Lake?

[Keacc]

The wife and I recently booked Silver Lake for a week in November. The reviews we read were good, but a recent review (March 2012) said that everything looks worn. Did we make a bad choice?

 

[bankr63]

The wife and I recently booked Silver Lake for a week in November. The reviews we read were good, but a recent review (March 2012) said that everything looks worn. Did we make a bad choice?

I've been watching to see if a recent visitor would chime in, but don't want it to go unanswered.

I don't think it's a bad choice at all.

We own a week at SL, but to honest we also own at Vistana and tend to use our week there because we like it better, and trade our SL. That said, I do stay up on all of the owner newsletters, and know that the resort has been refurbishing heavily lately, so it is mostly in very good shape. Most recent reports on Tripadvisor and here on DIS have been pretty good, but you will ALWAYS find reports that are less than flattering, no matter how good the resort. The older section of the resort did drop down to Silver on RCI (timeshare trading site) a while back, and thus the effort to regain Gold standing. Vistana Resort had the same thing happen a while back and has recently returned to Gold after an extensive refurb.

The newer buildings (900 or higher) are still in pretty good kit. The lower numbers are generally mostly renovated, and have the advantage of larger units. If you are in one of the older (lower number) buildings, be sure to ask for a renovated unit. From the recent reports, most units are done.

The resort itself has a GREAT location. It has great access to the parks - just minutes away from AK. Take the back entrance onto Sherbeth Road and you're at the park. A quick right onto Osceola Pkwy and you are on your way to the other parks. The pools and other amenities are all pretty good.

 

[PrepandLanding]

It really depends which part of Silver Lake you booked in to. There are two sides Silver Lake (gold crown rated) & Silver Lake(silver crown rated). We stayed there a couple years ago -never again. The customer service was awful. We paid for the gold crown side but they gave us silver. We didn't realize this until I called the front desk about "extra guests" in our room, & she laughed & said they sometimes downgrade guests. The extra guests were hundreds of ants marching out of the socket on the kitchen counter. I called to the front desk & was given the "this is Florida" line, & they would send someone over to exterminate. I was concerned about the chemicals, & just generally disgusted, so I insisted we move condos. Well we went to the gold rated side which was a major improvement. Although still "well used", it was 100% better- with no ants. I contacted the management the next day & they didn't care. Another manager said he would leave vouchers for our groceries that were thrown out, but when I went to get them, he hadn't bothered. I left a written comment card & also never heard back.
Check out the massive thread on Wyndham Bonnet Creek. We've stayed there & its awesome, the service, location, pools, & maintainance -all infinately better.
Hope you have a great trip!

 

[bankr63]

Hey Keacc, you're already booked, I wouldn't let a bad review here and there bother you. It is a nice resort, and you will find more good reviews than bad. Don't let one or two bad experiences of others put you off. There are bad reports on WBC and most other resorts here and on Tripadvisor as well. If there is one thing to take from Prep, it is that if you are not happy with your first placement, ask to be changed. Any resort in Orlando depends on its reputation to keep going, so they always do their best to satisfy you.

I read all the reviews on SL and Vistana because we own at both. On average the reviews are very positive, but there will always be some with bad experiences. Keep your humor if it happens to you, and make sure that whatever resort you are staying in does right by you.

 

[Darkside]

We stayed at Silver lake 18 years ago when it opened. It was great, but is was new. The rule of "You get what you pay for" definitely apples to Orlando area timeshares, I would even extend this to area hotels.