Vacation Village at Parkway

[chach]

I just booked 2 weeks in August through RCI at
Vacation Village at Parkway. I am looking for as much information as I can get on the resort? There are 4 of us,
2 adults, 16 year old girl and a 13 year old boy. We are
in a unit labeled 8/8 (think it means sleeps 8 privately).

Best room location?
Free Internet?
Location to parks?
Activities at the resort?
Tell me about the pools?
What are the units like?
Onsite places to eat?
Tennis courts? Basketball? ect?

Thanks.....

 

[DawnM]

We have stayed there 3 times. The units are very nice and new. There is no high speed internet in the units. There is a computer lab with 2 computers for high speed but there is a 15 min. limit if there are people waiting. You can go online with the local phone service for free.

Dawn

 

[FlFairygirl32405]

We stayed at Vacation Village at Parkway last May. The units were clean and well maintained. There was new construction going on at the time and they gave us a unit directly facing the construction site but I didn't complain about it. We had a Two bedroom unit which was actually a two bedroom lock off. They do not have the typical two bedroom apartment style units. If you booked a one bedroom, make sure that you request the unit with the full kitchen and not the kitchenette. The rooms we had looked exactly as the pictures on the website. Often times, this has not been the case with other resorts. They will post pictures of newer rooms on the website and then assign the RCI guests the older rooms.
I didn't visit the pool area but my kids didn't complain about the size. They provided an activity schedule for the week and unlike a lot of the resorts, their activities were free. I don't believe they have any on site dining because during our timeshare presentation, they took us off site and provided us with a free lunch. The Arabian Knights dinner show is within walking distance of the resort.
I would say that Disney is about 8 miles away, maybe closer now that they've extended I-4. Universal Studios and Wet-N-Wild will be about 13 miles. This atmosphere of the resort was very quiet and laid back which was surprising because it was Memorial Day weekend. Many of the guest seemed to be retirees. I would definately book this resort through RCI again.
Hope this helps.

 

[chach]

I heard there is a computer room. If I bring my laptop
is there any areas at the resort that I can pick up
free wireless?

 

[spiceycat]

liked the older rooms better - they are bigger.

with 8/8 - you have a two bedroom and like FlFairygirl32405 these are not typical.

you find your room number then open one door and then you are facing two more door - one side is the bigger one bedroom and the other side is the smaller one bedroom - but each side has it own door.

some people will just leave the first door open - others will open each area and leave them open.

when someone that am sharing with tries to leave the first door open will close it.

sometimes the unit door themselves have problems closing - so may sure your unit door is closed completely especially if you leave the main door open.

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

We own there-we have two 2 bedroom lockout units.

As far as net goes, wi-fi is available, but not in the room. Each building has a certain floor where the common area has wi-fi. They have tables and chairs set up and although not very big, it does the job. Usually the area is as soon as you get off the elevator on that particular floor.

Sounds like you have the full two bedroom lockout. They are very nice. You can keep the main door shut, but the two doors to the adjoining units open if you want to have one large space to go in and out of. Housekeeping comes on Wednesdays. We've stayed in both the old and new buildings and we see no huge difference, although I guess I could whip out a tape measure on the next trip, but anyway, it does the job for our family. The kids take the smaller unit and we occupy the larger one.

The only location we really don't care for is the ground floor. On occasion the pool view rooms can be noisy with people in the courtyard, but predominantly that is not a problem.

The pools are very nice and each couple of buildings has their own so you never get any major crowds. Upon check in they will give you an activities listing. On every trip we have always encountered some kind of BBQ out at the pool with hot dogs and hamburgers and such. There is no on-site restaurants, but you are right on 192 where the dining options are endless. I'm assuming you'll have a car-if so, then you'll be just fine.

I'll upload pics of the units and the resort itself...I have to scour my computer files for them.

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

The first pictures are of the larger unit (A unit), this has a balcony that is accessible from the bedroom and from the living room via sliding glass doors. The master has a jacuzzi tub in the bedroom, the bathroom is larger (dual vanity) and stall shower and the kitchen is much bigger than the B unit.

This is the living room

Another living room shot

Kitchen

Dining area

View from dining area looking toward living room and doorway to bedroom

Bedroom

Jacuzzi tub in bedroom and then doorway to bathroom

Bathroom

Another shot of the bathroom

Another view of the dining area

Now...onto the smaller unit:

Dining area

Kitchen

Bathroom

Living room

Bedroom

Another view of the bedroom

Obviously unit b is quite a bit smaller, but still nice. We love it because everybody has their own space to retreat to and the kids even have their own kitchen, so we're all happy. Both couches in both units pull out to beds too. The smaller unit also has a smaller balcony that is accessible via the living room door.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask. We've owned here for 10 years now and stay several times a year. We love it. Also...takes 6 minutes by car from there to MK. Yes, we timed it.

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

Here are photos of another A & B unit in a different building (they really do not vary much at all) and some shots of the outside common areas:

Smaller Unit:

dining area

Living area

Bedroom

Kitchen

Bathroom

Larger Unit:

Dining area

Another dining view

Living area

Another living area view

Kitchen

Another Kitchen view

Bedroom

Bedroom

Washer/Dryer

Balcony

View of pool area from our balcony

Jacuzzi

Outdoor area

 

[chach]

Thanks for the great pictures and info.

Can you tell me about the pools?
Could you give me some details about the activities?
Is there a cost for the cookout and when is it usually held?

Thanks....

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

Thanks for the great pictures and info.

Can you tell me about the pools?
Could you give me some details about the activities?
Is there a cost for the cookout and when is it usually held?

Thanks....

I really can't say much about the activities because we don't normally hang at the resort, we're normally out at the parks during the day. On a rare occasion we will come back early for a swim and they will have the BBQ (which is free) out by the pool (I believe they do this once a week) or they will be playing volleyball or bingo. Anything more than that and I'd really have to say I'm not sure. You will get a schedule of activities upon check in and the list will also be posted on the first floor by the elevator in each building. There is a gym on site at the main building. I think there are also computers up at the check in building, but as someone else said, there is a time limit on them if folks are waiting. I always have my laptop and take advantage of the wi-fi-running to the main building seems like such a nuisance for us. There is also a playground outside in the courtyard area for smaller kids if that is of concern. As far as the pools, what you see is what you get. There are no themed pools or anything like that, just the main pool, kiddie pool (with the raining umbrella) and the jacuzzi. It's basic, but all we've ever needed. Hope I answered your questions...anything else, feel free to ask away!

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

Here is the activities listing from when we were there two weeks ago:

 

[PirateMel]

Thanks for the information as well.
I own here but have never stayed here.

In the two bedroom unites, are there only one bed in each of the bedrooms?

Thank you,
Melanie

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

Thanks for the information as well.
I own here but have never stayed here.

In the two bedroom unites, are there only one bed in each of the bedrooms?

Thank you,
Melanie

There is one actual bedroom in the A unit and then one in the B unit-one queen bed in each. Both units also have the pullout sleeper sofa too in the living rooms.

Just of note: Room amenities DO vary by building. Older buildings still do not have washer/dryers in the units (we have been told that they mostly put non-owners, those paying cash for their stay or those renting from owners in the old buildings), Building 12 only has ONE sink in the master bath-not the TWO sinks that the other buildings have in the master (we found this out on our most recent trip), Building 12 does have plasma screen tv's, where none of the other buildings do and buildings 8 & 9 have multiple floors with a wi-fi lounge.