Someone Please Explain These "Vacation Clubs"

[MississippiMom]

I've noticed that on many of these threads, people will recommend a particular "vacation club." (like, Hilton, for instance) Do those properties, in Orlando, allow anyone to book a room? I was under the impression that "vacation clubs" were only for owners.

Thank you for the enlightenment.

 

[Detailor]

You're asking about timeshare resort and timesharing.
In general, a resort developer like a Hilton Grand Vacation Club, a Marriott Vacation Club, a Starwood (Sheraton), or any number of other companies builds and sells ownership in weekly stays at a particular unit, or points that can be converted to a period of time. Owners can either stay in a villa at their home resort or exchange into another resort within common ownership of the 'club' or exchange their time through whichever exchange organization - like RCI or II - to get access to other resort stays. Oftentimes a developer or the resort owners' association will own unsold villas that are made available on a rental basis and some of these organizations will rent units owned or reserved by owners who are not planning to use their time. Owners may also choose to rent their weeks. Companies like redweek.com facilitate such rentals for owners.

If you're interested in looking into rentals you might look into the public rental classifieds at www.tug2.net, the Timeshare Users Group site or go to www.redweek.com. Or just Google the term timeshare rental or Orlando timeshare rental and you'll probably come up with hundreds of thousands of options to investigate. eBay can be a source too. Or, if cost isn't much of an issue, you can always go to one or more of the major timeshare companies' related hotel reservation sites - they'll usually have some availability for timeshare resort properties through their regular reservation systems.

Dick Taylor

 

[TinkerbellNYC]

If you like Windsor Hills, there is a Windsor Hills Club at http://www.windsorhillsclub.com which is simply a sign-up (it is free) where they will email you special rates for the week like $199 at a 3 bedroom condo. This is NOT a timeshare, the Windsor Hills Club are Windsor Hills condos that offer their condos at lower prices, they explain why at their website. It is free to sign up and every so often they send out emails telling you about price specials at Windsor Hills, and updating you on Windsor Hills and their Condos there. We stayed at one of the condos last year and will again.

 

[MississippiMom]

Thank you for the informational replies.

If we attempt to go this route, will we be expected to attend one of those timeshare presentations? (There is NO way my DH would agree to that on his vacation time.)

 

[mdinme]

Your DH is a wise man... There's little in life worse than a 2 hour sales pitch.

 

[sjanus]

We ended up attending one in Aruba, wasted an afternoon, and could've cost us a lot of of money! My husband had to talk sense into me not to buy one...but we did get a wonderful dinner, t-shirts, and a lunch out of it. Certainly, now that I think of it, a little older and a little wiser, not worthy of our afternoon on vacation...never again!

Sandy

 

[Bay Hill]

Thank you for the link for Windsor Hills

 

[Janet Hill]

If we attempt to go this route, will we be expected to attend one of those timeshare presentations?

No, if you rent from an owner you will not have to attend the presentation. Of course at check in they will offer you a gift to attend, but you are not obligated.

In a previous post Detailor links to some of the places you can look for rentals. Lots of people on these boards rent at Bonnet Creek.

 

[Detailor]

If we attempt to go this route, will we be expected to attend one of those timeshare presentations? (There is NO way my DH would agree to that on his vacation time.)

If you reserve through a hotel's reservation site, no you won't have to attend a presentation.
If you rent from an owner, no you won't have to attend a presentation.
I believe that even the offer that's at the top of the Orlando Hotels and Attractions page for Vistana through Dreams Unlimited doesn't require attendance at a presentation.
However, in both of these cases, after you check in you'll probably be directed to a ticket desk or to a 'concierge' desk if you want to buy attraction tickets. This can be a rather thin disguise to get you to agree to attend a presentation by giving you a ticket offer at a discounted rate or even free. I think that the best bet is to just tell them that you already have your theme park tickets and everything else you need for your vacation and thank them anyway. Depending upon the resort, you may also receive calls from the resort's sales department. (We don't answer the phone in the villa unless we've initiated a call because of a problem with the villa. In fact we usually just unplug the phones when we arrive.)
The only time that you have to attend a presentation is if you agree to one of the low-cost offers that the resort make for three or four day stays which are specifically designed to include a presentation/tour.
I agree wholeheartedly with your husband. This is your vacation. Agreeing to a timeshare presentation would be like willingly spending half a day with a high-pressure car salesperson at a car dealership instead of enjoying yourself at a spa. Our first, and last, timeshare presentation was in Orlando in 1997 - never again.

Dick Taylor

 

[stefanospops]

Don't forget about the Disney Vacation Club! We went to a presentation during out trip and they picked us up from Animal Kingdom and dropped us off at the Contemporary.We also got a bunch of immediate fast passes and free ice cream. The salesperson was zero pressure and the product makes sense if you are likely to go twice every three years and want to stay at the nicer resorts. Lots of information on the Disney Vacation CLub thread too!

 

[pocohontas2004]

Does anyone know where I can find a list of the vacation clubs in the Disney area? I would prefer one that would allow me to earn points for staying, while still giving me a 2-bedroom suite/condo for the family.

I know about Orange Lake Resort (Holiday Inn)
Vistana & Villages (Sheraton)

Thanks.

 

[Detailor]

The list of timeshares in the area is long. Here are some...

American Vacation Resorts at the Villas Kissimmee
Barefoot'n in the Keys at Old Town Kissimmee
Blue Tree Resort at Lake Buena Vista LBV
Bryan's Spanish Cove Orlando
Calypso Cay Vacation Villas Kissimmee
Celebration World Resort Kissimmee
Celebrity Resorts Lake Buena Vista LBV
Celebrity Resorts Orlando Kissimmee
Celebrity Resorts Orlando - Oaks Kissimmee
Celebrity Resorts Orlando - Spas Kissimmee
Club Orlando Orlando
Club Sevilla Kissimmee
Crowne Plaza Holiday Network Orlando
Cypress Pointe Grande Villas LBV
Cypress Pointe Resort LBV
Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas LBV
Disney's Beach Club Villas LBV
Disney's BoardWalk Villas LBV
Disney's Old Key West Resort LBV
Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort LBV
Driftwood Worldgate Resort Kissimmee
FantasyWorld Club Villas Kissimmee
Florida Vacation Villas Kissimmee
Florida Vacation Villas Club I Kissimmee
Floridays Orlando Resort Orlando
The Fountains Orlando
The Gardens Orlando
GEVC @ Fantasy World Club Villas Kissimmee
Grand Beach Orlando
Grand Lake Resort Kissimmee
High Point World Resort Kissimmee
Hilton Grand Vacations Club Orlando
- at SeaWorld International
- on International Drive
- Parc Soleil
Holiday Inn Club Vacations Kissimmee
- Orange Lake Resort East
- Orange Lake Resort North
- Orange Lake Resort River Island
- Orange Lake Resort West
Holiday Villas Vacation Club Kissimmee
The Houses at Summer Bay Kissimmee
Kingstown Reef Orlando
Lago Vista at Buenaventura Lakes Kissimmee
Lake Marion Resort Community Kissimmee
Legacy Grand Black Lake Kissimmee
Legacy Grand Eastgate Kissimmee
Legacy Grand Maingate West Kissimmee
Lifetime of Vacations at Grand Lake Kissimmee
Lighthouse Key Resort Kissimmee
Liki Tiki Village Kissimmee
Magic Tree Resort Kissimmee
Marriott's Cypress Harbour Orlando
Marriott's Grande Vista Orlando
Marriott's Harbour Lake Orlando
Marriott's Imperial Palms Villas Orlando
Marriott's Royal Palms Orlando
Marriott's Sabal Palms Orlando
Mystic Dunes Resort Kissimmee
Oak Plantation Vacation Ownership Kissimmee
Oasis Lakes at the Fountains Orlando
Orbit One Vacation Villas Kissimmee
Orlando International Resort Club Orlando
Orlando's Sunshine Resort Orlando
Orlando's Sunshine Resort II Orlando
Parkway International Resort Kissimmee
Polynesian Isles Kissimmee
The Reserve at Westgate Lakes Orlando
The Seasons Resort Orlando
Sheraton Vistana Resort Orlando
Sheraton Vistana Villages Orlando
Silver Lake Resort Kissimmee
South Beach Orlando Luxury Suites Kissimmee
Star Island Resort Kissimmee
Star Island Resort and Club Kissimmee
Summer Bay Resort Kissimmee
Summerfield Condo Resort Kissimmee
Tropical Palms Fun Resort Kissimmee
Vacation Villas at FantasyWorld I Kissimmee
Vacation Villas at FantasyWorld II Kissimmee
Vacation Villas at Parkway Kissimmee
The Villages at Mango Key Kissimmee
The Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge LBV
Villas at Fortune Place Kissimmee
Villas at Regal Palms Davenport
Villas at Summer Bay Resort Kissimmee
Westgate Blue Tree Resort LBV
Westgate Lakes Resort Orlando
Westgate Leisure Orlando Orlando
Westgate Maingate Kissimmee
Westgate Palace Orlando
Westgate Towers Kissimmee
Westgate Town Center Kissimmee
Westgate Vacation Villas Kissimmee
WorldMark Orlando Orlando
Wyndham Bonnet Creek Resort LBV
Wyndham Cypress Palms Kissimmee
Wyndham Vista Royale Kissimmee

and more being built, such as Disney's Bay Towers resort and Marriott's Lakeshore Reserve.

Dick Taylor

 

[pocohontas2004]

Thank you Detailor!
We don't want to do a timeshare presentation, we just like the space and the chance to earn some points while we stay.

 

[Louiepipbgeeco]

Does anyone know where I can find a list of the vacation clubs in the Disney area? I would prefer one that would allow me to earn points for staying, while still giving me a 2-bedroom suite/condo for the family.

I know about Orange Lake Resort (Holiday Inn)
Vistana & Villages (Sheraton)

Thanks.

I know that you can book Hilton Grand Vacation Club on the Hilton website. You still earn points for staying. It is an awesome resort -- We stayed at Int. Drive location

 

[TinkerbellNYC]

Bay Hill, did you join Windsor Hills Club? Just got another email from them yesterday about a week that just opened up at Windsor Hills.



Wish I could use it, but we are not coming back until November!

 

[redrosesix]

Many resorts rent units directly to the public if they still own some of the units ie. they're not sold out. But you can usually get a better deal by renting directly from the owners.

Check out the Timeshare Users Group forums (TUG) and their marketplace (members post available rentals here) at this link:
http://tug2.com/timesharemarketplace/

 

[jeff968]

We don't want to do a timeshare presentation, we just like the space and the chance to earn some points while we stay.

You may not want to do the presentations but why not? They'll make it worth your while. My wife and I have done probably 15 of these and said "No" everytime. We schedule the earliest appointment, and for our 90 minutes of time we get breakfast, 15,000 marriott points, $200, 2 disney tickets, all kinds of great stuff. Just listen, don't be taken in by the "fuzzy" math, and just say NO! Then leave with your gift and enjoy the rest of the day. Timeshares are the best to stay at with a family! We'll never go back to a hotel until it is just the 2 of us again.