There's no magic at other timeshares....

[jodifla]

We are staying at one of the other big timeshares in Orlando right now.

The grounds have nice landscaping and the main pool is lovely, but there's just nothing else all thaIt great about it.

It's a totally forgettable place. I am surprised they can get anybody to buy in to these generic places that are basically just an apartment.

Give me DVC any day.

 

[Cabius]

I stayed at Sheraton Vistana Villas once, and it was... nice. It was fine! For the price, it was great.

But we are privileged to own points at PVB (and I do recognize that it is an immense privilege), and it really can't compare.

 

[Brian Noble]

I'm reminded of the "Spite Billboard" that DVC put up right at the entrance to the complex that includes Club Wyndham Bonnet Creek, positioned in such a way that anyone waiting at the light to turn onto Buena Vista had to stare right at it. [Image from the Yesterland article on Bonnet: https://yesterland.com/bonnet.html]

In case you can't make out the script: "Discover the Best Kept Disney Secret...Vacation Ownership with True Character."

I chuckle every time I see it.

In fairness, I am not so sure what's so magical about some of the DVC resorts themselves--even some of the "big deals" (I'm looking at you, BCV) are kind of meh in the unit taken by itself. But, it is sitting right next to Epcot, so it gets a halo effect.

 

[jodifla]

The 1 bedroom unit we are in has a sleeper sofa but no chairs. It is not very conducive to hanging out.

Zero counter space. The kitchen is too small to cook a meal in. 2 burner stove.

The resort doesn't have a real restaurant, just a counter service thing.

I mean.... what's to love here. The bed is nice, I will give them that.

 

[DanCali]

I mean.... what's to love here.

Perhaps also the cost?

I don't disagree that some of the DVC resorts have a lot more character than the Marriott or Sheratons which are, as you say, not very memorable. The Savanna View at AKV, the Theme Park view at BLT or the Treehouse Villas are indeed more memorable, as is the 5-10 minute walk to the park gate from some of the resorts. We definitely enjoy the studios and 1BRs ay DVC more than the 2BR and 3BR units at Marriott and Sheraton.

On the other hand, we're holding a 3BR at one of the Marriotts for later this year to stay there if we happen to get lucky with the general registration for MM. The total cash cost including taxes is $299 (I get a 35% Marriott owner discount) and it has a 3-day cancel policy which works with the MM general registration timing. If I wanted to rent a 1-night DVC stay from an owner for $300, that's about 15-16 points, which would maybe cover a 350 sq ft studio. I'm fine with "not memorable" if I get there at midnight and check out at 8am... - at least I get 1600 sq ft with 3 bathrooms, and everyone can have their space. Now I just need to get that MM reservation!

 

[Brian Noble]

The 1 bedroom unit we are in has a sleeper sofa but no chairs. It is not very conducive to hanging out.

Zero counter space. The kitchen is too small to cook a meal in. 2 burner stove.

I confess I've never been in a 1BR in Orlando that looked like that, and I've been in a fair few. I suppose in a 2BR lockout that splits into a larger 1BR and a smaller 1BR that the smaller side might, but that's the unit at most timeshares that would be a studio at DVC. Where are you staying?

The resort doesn't have a real restaurant, just a counter service thing.

This is, sadly, more common at even the better Orlando timeshares (and many others elsewhere). For example, Marriott's Cypress Harbor has a sort-of restaurant by the main pool, but it's kind of like SSR's Paddock Pool, where you order at a window and they bring it to you, though the menu at the Marriott is deeper. I think. I never ate there, and this is from memory. This is one of the areas where Bonnet Creek really shines, because it is connected to the hotel in the same complex.

 

[Nabas]

When we need space and don’t want to spend a lot of points, we go with Wyndham Bonnet Creek. Its location essentially is on property and WBC rooms can be found for cheap on eBay.

But we are annual pass holders so theme park parking is included and we have a car.

It’s a lot more difficult to stay offsite if you don’t have a car. If a resort has bus service, it’s usually spotty, and the price of a ride share can add up.

Staying at a Disney Value Resort usually is a better deal if you don’t have a car.

 

[Bearval]

We are staying at one of the other big timeshares in Orlando right now.

The grounds have nice landscaping and the main pool is lovely, but there's just nothing else all thaIt great about it.

It's a totally forgettable place. I am surprised they can get anybody to buy in to these generic places that are basically just an apartment.

Give me DVC any day.

DVC is slowly but surely killing the magic.

 

[Brian Noble]

Staying at a Disney Value Resort usually is a better deal if you don’t have a car.

True. But that's a (small) hotel room*, not a 2BR condo. In general, the cost of an offsite 2BR condo plus a rental car and theme park parking is usually in the neighborhood of a single Disney Moderate room at whatever the prevailing discounted rate Disney happens to be offering. That's been pretty consistent for the entire time I've been visiting WDW, which is coming up on 20 years now. And, it's why I often give posters on the offsite board the following advice when they ask where they should stay:

For any WDW trip, there are three things one might want:

• To have a reasonable amount of space
• To spend a reasonable amount of money
• To be onsite

For most families, and for most definitions of "reasonable", you can have two of those three things. So, the first thing to figure out is which of those three is the most important. Once you've figured that out, you can decide which of the remaining two you can live without.

For my family, "reasonable space" was the can't-live-without-it one. After that, it was just how much we wanted to spend. In the early days--single income, a new mortgage, plus a second "mortgage payment" in the form of paying off med school loans--the answer to that was "as little as possible." As our financial picture changed, so did our lodging.

-------
*: I will say that the new Value design with the table that folds down to a bed is a very clever use of the space, and a significant improvement.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

DVC is slowly but surely killing the magic.

Respectfully disagree. DVC is the reason we could enjoy the magic as much as we have over the past decades. It's still the reason we will enjoy the magic for many more years to come. I'm not saying it's not without issues. I'm also not saying it's far superior to any other timeshare. But I am saying the magic is still there for me and my family, and is one of the best investments we ever made.....

 

[TheDailyMoo]

For most families, and for most definitions of "reasonable", you can have two of those three things. So, the first thing to figure out is which of those three is the most important. Once you've figured that out, you can decide which of the remaining two you can live without.

Sorry off topic but I chuckled at this remembering the similar mantra for college life...you can party, sleep, and get good grades but only 2 of the three can be done successfully. One of the three you have to do without!

 

[Brian Noble]

And as someone who teaches at a University, I can tell you that you can only go so long without sleep before you also start going without good grades.

 

[heynowirv]

I'm reminded of the "Spite Billboard" that DVC put up right at the entrance to the complex that includes Club Wyndham Bonnet Creek, positioned in such a way that anyone waiting at the light to turn onto Buena Vista had to stare right at it. [Image from the Yesterland article on Bonnet: https://yesterland.com/bonnet.html]

In case you can't make out the script: "Discover the Best Kept Disney Secret...Vacation Ownership with True Character."

I chuckle every time I see it.

In fairness, I am not so sure what's so magical about some of the DVC resorts themselves--even some of the "big deals" (I'm looking at you, BCV) are kind of meh in the unit taken by itself. But, it is sitting right next to Epcot, so it gets a halo effect.

View attachment 833719

Brian TMI,,,,,,,,, But it's a good read. Thank you.

 

[TheDailyMoo]

And as someone who teaches at a University, I can tell you that you can only go so long without sleep before you also start going without good grades.

I'll never forget passing out during one of my finals only to have my professor wake me up towards the end with an admonishing look. I started sleeping before finals after that lol

 

[Brian Noble]

I'm reminded of my Least Responsible Final Exam story, but I don't think this is the place in which to share it.

 

[DisTravels]

The 1 bedroom unit we are in has a sleeper sofa but no chairs. It is not very conducive to hanging out.

Zero counter space. The kitchen is too small to cook a meal in. 2 burner stove.

The resort doesn't have a real restaurant, just a counter service thing.

I mean.... what's to love here. The bed is nice, I will give them that.

I confess I've never been in a 1BR in Orlando that looked like that, and I've been in a fair few. I suppose in a 2BR lockout that splits into a larger 1BR and a smaller 1BR that the smaller side might, but that's the unit at most timeshares that would be a studio at DVC. Where are you staying?

As @Brian Noble pointed out, you may be in a smaller 1br of a 2br/2ba where both lockoffs are considered a 1br. I recall at Marriott Lakeshore Reserve (which I think is a very nice resort, pool, activities, gym, staff, etc), the smaller 1br/studio side of the lockoff fits that description, while the larger 1br side has a full kitchen table, chairs, etc. The room descriptions Marriott provides details what is included in the villas.

 

[bwvBound]

Sorry off topic but I chuckled at this remembering the similar mantra for college life...you can party, sleep, and get good grades but only 2 of the three can be done successfully. One of the three you have to do without!

Or an old mantra I learned concerning software development: Good, Fast, Cheap. Pick 2.

 

[jodifla]

I stayed at Sheraton Vistana Villas once, and it was... nice. It was fine! For the price, it was great.

But we are privileged to own points at PVB (and I do recognize that it is an immense privilege), and it really can't compare.

Yes this is where we are staying.

I will say the timeshare presentation was pretty good. But we never buy on the spot. Disney let us come back after touring more properties, and that is when we bought.

 

[Brian Noble]

Makes sense. In most of the phases there, the 2BR-LOs split into a "large" 1BR and a "small" 1BR. The small side is technically a 1BR (there is door to the sleeping area) but it's otherwise much closer to a studio. Most of the Sheraton/Westin resorts have a layout like this.

 

[DisTravels]

Makes sense. In most of the phases there, the 2BR-LOs split into a "large" 1BR and a "small" 1BR. The small side is technically a 1BR (there is door to the sleeping area) but it's otherwise much closer to a studio. Most of the Sheraton/Westin resorts have a layout like this.

The small 1br does give private sleeping for each bed (and TV), but beyond that, it is mostly a studio+door.