I've stayed at Silver Lakes but have only booked through Skyauction. Silver Lake is a timeshare that's affiliated with RCI and Skyauction moves a lot of RCI unsold inventory.
I booked a 1-bdrm Oct 2013 for $269 and a 3-bdrm in Jul 2006 for $566 after taxes and fees. If you book Skyauction, ALWAYS read what the taxes, fees and seasonal surcharge will be. You may win a week for $99 but $299 taxes/service charge, $20 processing fee, and between $125-600 surcharge can blow this up.
You might also find timeshare rentals by owners on TUG ( Timeshare Users Group), eBay or other online rental sites.
They will always TRY to get you to attend but it isn't mandatory. After check in, they may send you to another desk for a "free gift" or discount tickets. Just skip it.
The surcharge is a Holiday/Seasonal add-on. $600 during Xmas high season and less other times of the year. Scroll down to the bottom of the listing and it will be listed.
And like other auctions, like eBay, most of the bidding takes place the last 5 minutes. To avoid overpaying, I recommend doing a low ball test bid to familiarize yourself with the process, then waiting until 5 mins before end to do the real bidding. You can put in an auto bid but all that really does is jack up the price. Its better to auto bid the last few minutes soothers can't react.
Also check to see how many Silver Lake listings are available. If onebid goes too high, wait a few hours for the next listing. You'll be surprised that you can save by just waiting out the competition.
Our Authorized Disney Vacation Planners are here to provide personalized, expert advice, answer every question, and uncover the best discounts.
Let Dreams Unlimited Travel take care of all the details, so you can sit back, relax, and enjoy a stress-free vacation.