skyauction - certificates

[spiceycat]

there are some right now for March and Feb - would do Wynham Cypress

 

[madge]

there are some right now for March and Feb - would do Wynham Cypress

oooh ... one of those Cypress Palms week is Spring Break for us ... is the $199 deal still going on?

 

[DalGal]

I think the last blowout sale ended Friday at 3pm but they've been having them pretty frequently here lately.

 

[momto4obkids]

I just got an email from them about another blowout sale. It ends 7/31 this time.

http://www.skyauction.com/anyoffer/75104?adref=EM072808CERT

Amanda

 

[melafive]

I am new here and to skyauction. The $199 deal sounds good but I am hoping someone can answer a question for me. I checked the rci site and there really is nothing I can use that is available for the time we want to go. Do I have a chance at more places opening up? We wanted something around December 13th but we have a family of five so that limits us too.

 

[lap1031]

Another question about certificates - I know you can check availability before you buy one, but is there more of a selection after you purchase and enter your code?

 

[spiceycat]

I am new here and to skyauction. The $199 deal sounds good but I am hoping someone can answer a question for me. I checked the rci site and there really is nothing I can use that is available for the time we want to go. Do I have a chance at more places opening up? We wanted something around December 13th but we have a family of five so that limits us too.

since these are left over from RCI - there is no way to tell.

so don't know - if you have to have the 13th and need a 2-bedroom - don't think would go with the certificates.

just looked on RCI site for getaways - and they have Bryan's Spanish cove there - that is generally in the certificates for check in on the 13th.

so just don't know.

 

[spiceycat]

Another question about certificates - I know you can check availability before you buy one, but is there more of a selection after you purchase and enter your code?

i haven't notice a difference - but others have.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

If you plan on travel for peak season, do not purchase with the hopes of something coming up. Seems inventory is not the way it use to be and there are less units coming up. I know I have had a hard time trying to get something that would work for me this summer.
As a matter of fact, I was just going to post an update on what was going on with me trying to get a unit. I finally gave up. I went on Priceline and got the Clarion Uninversal Orlando for $35 per night. I am going to Universal Aug 8th and the only thing coming up was Celebration World which is 15 miles away. With the price of gas, it is not worth it. I would not be able to take a mid day break from the parks. I did a unit that was far from Universal in June and it did not work out. It cost me over $25 every 3 days in gas just to and from the park once a day.
I have two certificates left. I am going to keep one since it is activated and use it in Sept (will have to play with my days at work). There are lots of units then. The other certificate, I am going to get a refund on. I work for the school district and cannot ask for an entire week off during the school year. All my long school breaks are during peak season & it just doesn't work for me.
Like I said, if you have to travel peak season, do not get it with the hopes something will open up. However, if you can go off season, these are a great deal.

 

[BonnieA]

I've gotten 6 of the certificates, some for $199 and some with the Home and away deals. I have cashed them all in for future travel to WDW. In Nov I got Cypress Palms Grand Villa 3 bedroom, for Jan I got 2 2 bedroom units for 2 weeks at Orbit One and next May I got a 3 bedroom at Grand Lakes. All at off times. I don't think I would depend on the certificates for a busy time of year.

 

[lawgs]

I've gotten 6 of the certificates, some for $199 and some with the Home and away deals. I have cashed them all in for future travel to WDW. In Nov I got Cypress Palms Grand Villa 3 bedroom, for Jan I got 2 2 bedroom units for 2 weeks at Orbit One and next May I got a 3 bedroom at Grand Lakes. All at off times. I don't think I would depend on the certificates for a busy time of year.

do you mean Cypress Pointe Grand Villas????

do not think cypress palms ( wyndham ) has grand villas

 

[BonnieA]

do you mean Cypress Pointe Grand Villas????

do not think cypress palms ( wyndham ) has grand villas

Yes you are correct, it is cypress pointe grand villas. I stayed at Cypress Palms last year and got the names confused.

 

[spiceycat]

celebration world resort is pretty close to WDW - but not to US/IOA.

would never use these certificates for us/IOA - first there are very few places on skyauction for us/ioa - and they are certainly not up there with the best.

now they are okay but I think there are only two of them close to US/IOA.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

celebration world resort is pretty close to WDW - but not to US/IOA.

would never use these certificates for us/IOA - first there are very few places on skyauction for us/ioa - and they are certainly not up there with the best.

now they are okay but I think there are only two of them close to US/IOA.

When I purchased my cert's I had a Disney pass.. I could not find anything over Easter week for then near when I went to Disney.. so I used Hotwire....
I did not think much of it then. When I booked in June, I grabbed the first two bedroom that I saw..and that was a hike to even Disney at that time. It was off Hogan & 192, Oak Plantation, they had next to nothing coming up.

There are serveral that come up that are not as far for Universal such as, Fountians, Cypress Pointe, Celebritey Resorts-Lake BV, Bryan's Spanish Cove, Embasy Grand Beach, WestGate Leisure Resort & the other WestGate on Turkey Lake (the name is slipping my mind), while not next to Universal, they are an easier commute & a heck of a lot closer than 15 miles (unlike Celebration World)..and there are others that I am forgetting too... and
Orlando International Resort Club is right there.. there is also another one right there but the name is slipping my mind.... Sunshine I think...
So yes, you can still use them for Universal..

 

[Andrea from PA]

celebration world resort is pretty close to WDW - but not to US/IOA.

would never use these certificates for us/IOA - first there are very few places on skyauction for us/ioa - and they are certainly not up there with the best.

now they are okay but I think there are only two of them close to US/IOA.

I am using the ceritficate in October (10/11 - 10/18 - Columbus day is in there) for US/IOA. Am I going to be kicking myself?

Mapquest had the distance just over 12 miles.

We are spending 1 of our 7 nights at Hard Rock, so only 5 or 6 days will we be commuting.

Unlike Mickeyfan, $50 for gas for a week is a bargain to me. Btw DH & I we spend $150-200/week on gas for work (mini-van and a pick-up)

 

[spiceycat]

as say just go like to Wdw

turn right out of CWR - then turn left into Westgate - then turn right (Entry Pointe) - go straight thru the traffic light - Sherberth road - at the traffic light turn right - now you are on Osecola - get on I4 (not at the first one) - but before you get to Gaylord hotel. - got to US/ioa in around 12 to 15 minutes this way. My nephew was impressed - his father was going the recommend route that way you don't even get on I4 in 15 minutes.

this place is hardly ever busy and a faster way to get on I4 - than the ones recommended.

if you notice that I4 is too busy - then just kept going turn left in front of Gaylord hotel.(international drive south) - once past holiday inn (nick hotel) - turn left (Continential gtway) - then turn right (536 - world center) - then left (second traffic light) at 535 (S apopka-vineland rd) - now once pass I4 - the next right turn should be Palm Parkway - this will become Turkey Lake Rd -(cr-439) - now mostly I4 will be the better route.

you would have been better off with CYpress Pointe which is near the other way.

or the 2 near US/IOA - that I can't remember their names

 

[Andrea from PA]

Cypress Palms hasn't had anything for family of 5.

And we are going over Columbus Day so I panicked & picked any 2 bedroom I could find.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I am using the ceritficate in October (10/11 - 10/18 - Columbus day is in there) for US/IOA. Am I going to be kicking myself?

Mapquest had the distance just over 12 miles.

We are spending 1 of our 7 nights at Hard Rock, so only 5 or 6 days will we be commuting.

Unlike Mickeyfan, $50 for gas for a week is a bargain to me. Btw DH & I we spend $150-200/week on gas for work (mini-van and a pick-up)

If you do not mind sitting in traffic and spending the extra money on gas then you will not mind staying further away from US/IOA. I happen to mind. To me, $25 for just 3 trips, not the entire week to US/IOA and no place else was a bit much. I drive a small SUV (I usually spend $45 every 2 weeks for work). It took me 25-35 minutes each way, depending on the traffic. That is not my idea of "close". When I go, I want to be 10-15 minutes away.

I go to Orlando about every 6 weeks or so. There are times that I-4 is a stand still near Disney. I hate traffic. I am not one that can sit there and be ok with it. Most of the time, I will take the back roads just not to sit in traffic. I am going up next Friday, Aug 8th. I will be staying at the Clarion Universal. It is on Universal Drive, 1/4 of a mile from the park While it is not a condo like I really wanted, I don't plan on staying in the room that much. It is close enough for me to take a mid-day break to swim, then back over to the park for the night without spending a fortune on gas nor wasting my time sitting in traffic. I had to weigh what I really wanted. Did I want to have a larger unit or sit in traffic & spend more on gas... to me, the answer was easy. To others, they may want something different.

 

[Andrea from PA]

Thanks for the reply.

I can deal with a 25 minute commute & gas. Overall the condo was a steal for us & so we can deal with it if it means a week trip to Orlando! Traveling w/ 5 in the party can get costly, so we've learned to have trade offs.

We got a great car rental rate ($130/week), so the extra money in gas will just come from our allotment for car rental.

Also, the Parks close early in October so we wouldn't be coming & going mid-day even if we stayed close.

Live & Learn -- I think the ShyAuction deals are good for my family for non-Orlando, but since we'll be traveling to Orlando over school holidays, etc, I won't plan on using them for Orlando in the future.