Summer Bay Resort ??

[Paxtrist]

Hi everyone,

I just booked a 2 bedroom condo at Summer Bay and was wondering if anyone has stayed there and if they enjoyed it. I'm a little nervous as we have always stayed at the Hilton Grand Vacation Club. My husband wanted a change and I let him pick the condo this time. I guess I'm just a little nervous and wanted some positive feedback from ya'll.

 

[swilshire]

You'll like Summer Bay. We've stayed at the HGVC also and I don't recall there being any significant difference in our experience between the two. Summer Bay has lots of activities. We were in a pool house last October. Those are great if you can get them.

The drive out 192 can seem slow sometimes, but so can the interstate to HGVC. I prefer the locations of Vistana and Wyndham Palms more, but all of the resorts are very nice.

Enjoy.

Sheila

 

[HappyLawyer]

i was at summber bay in 04 through skyauction, it was nice, you will like it.

 

[lizziepooh]

We took the timeshare tour there a couple years ago. We didn't buy but everything we saw looked very nice.

 

[mum4jenn]

We stayed there from Skyauction and were required to take the timeshare. We really enjoyed our stay. We were even very interested in buying but decided not to.


You will like it quite a bit.!!!!!!!

 

[bctripp]

We stayed there a few years ago, and enjoyed it. It was quiet. We got a jet ski rental while we were there, that was fun. There were a lot of activities and the pools were nice, with a pool bar by one of them. I'd go back. Allow a little extra time for travel to the theme parks.

 

[klynn]

We've stayed at Summer Bay multiple times. It's a great resort!

 

[KLAIT]

Can you tell me how long of a drive it is to MK and if anyone has any pictures I would be interested in seeing them. We are considering this place on our upcoming trip as well.

Also, how were the pools? I know there are some resorts that have tiny pools that are overcrowded.

Thanks

 

[dsanner106]

I have stayed there 2-3 times now, and enjoyed it very much. My teens have requested we stay there every time we go to orlando. Multiple pools, activities, etc. It is about 10-12 minutes from Disney World, directly off 27. We were near restaurants and grocery stores.

Drew in Ga

 

[magiroux]

Can you tell me how long of a drive it is to MK and if anyone has any pictures I would be interested in seeing them. We are considering this place on our upcoming trip as well.

Also, how were the pools? I know there are some resorts that have tiny pools that are overcrowded.

Thanks

We stayed there in the summertime. We always were at the parks for rope drop and it took no longer than 15 minutes, parking lot-to-parking lot for each park (AK was less). Take the Sherbeth RD shortcut to shave off a few minutes.

I never found the main pool to be overly crowded during the day or night. You could always find a lounge chair and did not have to wait long at the bar for a drink. They also have a lake with a small beach.

I also enjoyed this resort very much. In a few weeks I am going back to the "Houses" for a two week stay . Last time we had a two beroom condo and it was very nice.

 

[Paxtrist]

Thanks so much for the replies. I got a little nervous after reading some negative feedback on Tripadvisor. But you guys just put my mind at ease. Thanks again for the feedback.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Thanks so much for the replies. I got a little nervous after reading some negative feedback on Tripadvisor. But you guys just put my mind at ease. Thanks again for the feedback.

we bought a week there and used it for the 1st time in May. DH and kids loved it. It's a little further down 192 than what we're used to. ie: Rolling Hills and Windsor Palms pool homes but they just (spring 06) created a new road to Disney that's probably not even on Mapquest yet. It's Rt. 429 and no even knows it's there! It's $1.00 toll for being on there for 1/2 mile but it's so worth taking the shortcut.
The pool was heavenly. We always used the one at the clubhouse since it was closest to our unit. We had a 2 br for the 4 of us and felt we had so much wasted space. (Someday they will want to bring friends/cousins.)
The kids "interactive" water playground is cute but the water isn't heated so after leaving the pool to go there my kids wanted the main pool back. We rented a "water mouse" these cute little boats that even I felt comfortable driving. The water trampoline was a big hit too.
We bought this second-hand, sight-unseen online, not from Summer Bay directly, based on reviews from past visitors at RCI.com, the timeshare trading company. We were a little leary about the whole thing but once we saw the place, we were so relieved. I think the reviews from tripadvisor.com are more neg. b/c many of these people weren't aware it was a timeshare and had to see a presentation, etc. If it's not part of the condition of your price, you don't have to attend anything. Go and have a blast!
That's funny, we'll be getting an extra week from RCI at Hilton Grand Vac. Club @ Sea World in Sept. and I was hoping it would be as nice as Summer Bay!

 

[magiroux]

Also, I wonder if some of the reviews confuse Summer Bay "Resort" with the "Villas" of Summer Bay which, from what I understand, is an older, less appealing resort across the street that shares amenities instead of having their own.

ruadisneyfan2, can you ellaborate on the toll road that just opened up? Is it's entrance ramp close to Summer Bay and where does it dump you on WDW property? TIA

 

[crjack]

Also, I wonder if some of the reviews confuse Summer Bay "Resort" with the "Villas" of Summer Bay which, from what I understand, is an older, less appealing resort across the street that shares amenities instead of having their own.

ruadisneyfan2, can you ellaborate on the toll road that just opened up? Is it's entrance ramp close to Summer Bay and where does it dump you on WDW property? TIA

Actually the "villas" are just smaller versions of the condos (without balconies) that are mixed in right along with the resort. We stayed in a 2-bdrm villa last July and the only way to tell a villa from a condo building was a balcony.

There is a Holiday Inn Express right at the resort entrance and a Summer Bay motel/hotel type of building right across the street. I think many people who respond to timeshare offers for this resort are placed at the small hotel across the street during their stay and that leads to a lot of negative reports....at least from what I read on trip advisor last year before our trip. Most people referred to the time share presentation and other aspects of it not being what they expected.

I was a little worried about what to expect since it was also our first time using Skyauction but we were placed in a very nice unit that was exactly the same as the description from our auction (2 bdrm - 2 bath) I had specifically asked Skyauction when I called if we needed to attend a presentation and they said no. I think staying there without being tied to a timeshare offer is nicer in my opinion. The resort was clean and well kept and the staff was always friendly. It is a little further down 192 for us as well so the new road sounds great. We used the Black Lake/Sherbeth Rd route on days we went to Disney and it worked well.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Rt 429 aka "Western Way" is about 3 miles east of Summer Bay. Stay in the left lane on Rt. 192 and look for the signs for 429 North. You only stay on about 1/2 mile and take the 1st exit. It takes you in past Coronado Springs resort to Buena Vista Dr. (?I think that's the name.) where it just ends with no signs leading you to WDW parks, maybe there are more placed there now. If there are no signs, make a left at the end of Western Way. (We guessed the 1st time and made a right turn and it led to the All Star resorts.) Once you make the left off of Western Way, the signs will lead you to each park.
We wanted to try the Sherbeth Rd. shortcut but I wasn't sure of myself and had my parents following in the car behind me. We just wanted a simple way w/o getting lost.
When we were there also they were just beginning to make rt.429 continue further south of 192, cutting right through the front area of the Windsor Palms homes. I felt so bad for those homeowners, now they have a freeway in their back yard!