Summer bay by Exploria

[Retroecho]

hey! We are staying at Summer bay and wanted to hear some reviews. Also, is anyone an owner there? My parents are considering gifting us their timeshare there and I just want to explore the option. Thanks!

 

[TamaraQT]

hey! We are staying at Summer bay and wanted to hear some reviews. Also, is anyone an owner there? My parents are considering gifting us their timeshare there and I just want to explore the option. Thanks!

I have never stayed there but I will advise you to take a peek on Tripadvisor and see the reviews from people who have stayed there. You can also see recent pictures and get a general idea. It's not far of a drive to the Animal Kingdom park. However, if you have never stayed at a timeshare resort, you may be surprised if your kids would rather be at the resort sometimes instead of going to the parks everyday. Timeshare resorts offer lots of activities. I am sure Summer Bay has some enjoyable options.

****update**** I just looked at Summer Bay on Tripadvisor and I think I would really enjoy staying there. Looks pretty nice to me!!

 

[bearzabout]

There is a really old part that has houses and small one bedroom units. The newer part (at least 10 years old) is nicer. This is the resort that had the building fall into the sinkhole years ago.

It is a choice of last resort for me because it is so much further than other timeshares.

Really consider the cost of owning before you decide to accept all the responsibilities of ownership. I have spent over 90 weeks in timeshares renting to for an average of about $300/week. For savvy travelers, renting is cheaper than owning and paying maintenance fees.

Really spend some time looking into the details. Is it a set week? Are you getting points? What other resorts can you exchange the rental for and at what cost? I hear second owners often get a fraction of the benefits as the original buyer. See if this is the case. It is not just about how nice the resort is, but how you are treated as an owner. It seems to me that we are often treated better as a potential customer than the owners we talk to.

Really do your research first before committing to this lifelong responsibility that will be inherited by your heirs if it isn’t sold.

I hate to sound negative because I love staying at timeshares. If you are at all on a budget, it is cheaper to rent than to own, but only if you travel during non-peak times.

 

[bearzabout]

Make sure to read the reviews on consumeraffairs.com.

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

I have only stayed there as a guest, but we enjoyed our stay. The staff was friendly and attentive, the unit we were in was well-maintained, and there was plenty of convenient parking. DD loved the pool, and they had another recreation area as well. We visited both Universal and Disney that trip, and the drive wasn't terrible to either.

 

[Retroecho]

I have only stayed there as a guest, but we enjoyed our stay. The staff was friendly and attentive, the unit we were in was well-maintained, and there was plenty of convenient parking. DD loved the pool, and they had another recreation area as well. We visited both Universal and Disney that trip, and the drive wasn't terrible to either.

Can you get around the resort without a car?

 

[Retroecho]

There is a really old part that has houses and small one bedroom units. The newer part (at least 10 years old) is nicer. This is the resort that had the building fall into the sinkhole years ago.

It is a choice of last resort for me because it is so much further than other timeshares.

Really consider the cost of owning before you decide to accept all the responsibilities of ownership. I have spent over 90 weeks in timeshares renting to for an average of about $300/week. For savvy travelers, renting is cheaper than owning and paying maintenance fees.

Really spend some time looking into the details. Is it a set week? Are you getting points? What other resorts can you exchange the rental for and at what cost? I hear second owners often get a fraction of the benefits as the original buyer. See if this is the case. It is not just about how nice the resort is, but how you are treated as an owner. It seems to me that we are often treated better as a potential customer than the owners we talk to.

Really do your research first before committing to this lifelong responsibility that will be inherited by your heirs if it isn’t sold.

I hate to sound negative because I love staying at timeshares. If you are at all on a budget, it is cheaper to rent than to own, but only if you travel during non-peak times.

That's exactly what I wanted. Was looking to think things through.

I haven't hammered out the details with my dad yet but I think they have an RCI points contract and that's what I think he is gifting us.

 

[gatormom2tots]

We leave for Summer Bay in about 4 days. The reviews are all over the place. I did find out that many of the reviews are from people that were actually placed in their "hotel" section but have access to use the amenities at Summer Bay. The hotel is called Crowne Club Inn and sounds horrible- they are listed as a 2 star hotel.

The actual houses/ condo units sounds a bit better. We didn't pay a whole lot for it as we snagged it off of priceline for about $100 a night for a one bedroom condo so as long as it has hot water and is clean we should be good.

I have also read that the timeshare sales are very pushy- though I think that is a standard of all timeshares. Thankfully my husband is NOT with me for this trip so they shouldnt bother me without my spouse!

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

Can you get around the resort without a car?

You could from the room I was in. It was very conveniently located to all the public areas (we were right next to the main building). I don't know about the whole thing though - I didn't explore that much.

 

[TamaraQT]

Can you get around the resort without a car?

If you won't have a car I wouldnt recommend staying here as other resorts would be closer. However, I personally would not stay off-site at any resort without a car. Uber is ok, but nothing like the convenience of having your own transportation. Staying off-site is economical, but without a car the savings are far less. For just 2 adults you can rent an economy car and the cost per day would be about the same as 2 uber trips. Then factor in the cost of on-site/off-site dining options. You are just too limited without a car. I'd recommend to look at onsite options if you won't have a car.

 

[Retroecho]

If you won't have a car I wouldnt recommend staying here as other resorts would be closer. However, I personally would not stay off-site at any resort without a car. Uber is ok, but nothing like the convenience of having your own transportation. Staying off-site is economical, but without a car the savings are far less. For just 2 adults you can rent an economy car and the cost per day would be about the same as 2 uber trips. Then factor in the cost of on-site/off-site dining options. You are just too limited without a car. I'd recommend to look at onsite options if you won't have a car.

I've been to Disney over 10 times. I understand all of that. For our family of 6, it's more economical to take an uber. I've crunched the numbers. Renting a minivan for a week is going to be at least 400, plus $20 anytime we go to the park. Plus $20 a day parking fee during the 3 day portion we are staying at a DS hotel. Plus gas. If we didn't use it during our three days at DS we would have the uber to DS, then uber to where we would be renting the van as well.

 

[lindsey]

We stayed at Summer Bay in January. We had a two bedroom unit and enjoyed our time. They did have a shuttle to disney that we used one day. Pools were nice.

 

[TamaraQT]

I've been to Disney over 10 times. I understand all of that. For our family of 6, it's more economical to take an uber. I've crunched the numbers. Renting a minivan for a week is going to be at least 400, plus $20 anytime we go to the park. Plus $20 a day parking fee during the 3 day portion we are staying at a DS hotel. Plus gas. If we didn't use it during our three days at DS we would have the uber to DS, then uber to where we would be renting the van as well.

Then it sounds to me that you would prefer to stay onsite or stay at a DS hotel. You say you've been to Disney over 10 times but how many times have you been to just Orlando? It's not the same thing and timeshare resorts (Summer Bay) aren't for everyone. Considering your parents own time there but you have never been there sounds like its not for you. If your entire vacation is based on Disney then staying off-site and renting a car probably wouldn't feel convenient to you. It's all about how you and your family like to spend your vacation. BTW you wouldn't have to uber to where you are renting the van, if you it pick up and return it at the airport. Yes, it would be $20/day to park, but the savings of eating more meals outside of the parks would make up the difference in my opinion. Timeshare resorts do not charge a daily parking fee. Staying at Summer Bay as a guest of an owner would not have a fee. Some conveniences do outweigh the small costs differentials in my opinion. For example, I would rather pay to rent a car and drive back to Summer Bay and relax in a jacuzzi tub rather than hop on a bus with a bunch of people only to return to a hotel room with a couple of beds and one bathroom. It's my vacation too and it's nice to put kids to bed in their own room. But that's just me. Anyway, I am sure if you take a look around the boards of people who stay off-site, you can gather more info of pros and cons. There are many people who have also taken the time to crunch the numbers and compare on-site and off-site. Also, you may want to take a peek at the transportation boards and gather up some coupon codes for car rentals. So whatever you decide, have a FABULOUS vacation and have fun planning. At the end of the day, its all about the wonderful experiences and the memories!!!

 

[luckycharliegirl]

Can anyone give a recent review for this resort?