Where to stay - Timeshare in Orlando

[PrincessBelle39]

Of those that have stayed in timeshare in Orlando, what are your preferred resorts. We are in the process of buying my parents RCI timeshare and wish to use it when we next travel to WDW. I'm a bit disapointed we wont get to stay at Windsor Hills again but I'm sure this will be great too. I was thinking Vistana but after reading a couple of posts I'm not sure. The grounds certainly look beautiful but I haven't really investigated anything else. There seems so many of them. We do want to be relatively close to WDW but will have a car, visit US and IOA and of course plan on doing a bit of shopping. The main purpose of the trip though will be WDW though of course and plan on eating a few meals onsite. We will be staying approx. 3weeks.

 

[Detailor]

For me the top RCI resorts in the area are the Hilton Grand Vacation Club resort - HGVC at SeaWorld and HGVC Interational Drive (there's a new one coming on Palm Parkway) - Vistana Villages, Vistana Resort (several sections of VR are really very nice), Orange Lake Country Club, and Cypress Pointe (assuming that some of those units still trade through RCI). I've heard other rave about Bonnet Creek and the Houses at Summer Bay.

Dick Taylor

 

[PrincessBelle39]

Thanks...thats a good help. I will look at those.

 

[chcmama]

We just got back from two weeks at the Sheraton Vistana Resort and we loved it. There are definatley newer sections but I have heard that most of the other sections will be going through some updating. We were in the palms section, which is somewhat older and we thought it was great. The rooms were large everything worked fine, weather the kitchen counters and cupboards are new and fancy really doesn't matter much to us. There are lots of pools to choose from, lots of activities (although we were too busy to join in any of them) It was close to WDW lots of restaraunts close by. We would definatley stay there again if we went.
Here are some of the pictures I took of the room
This is the living room, the couch pulls out for a bed

Here is the kitchen

This is the 2nd bedroom where my dd's slept, it had two double beds

The kids bathroom

Our bedroom with king size bed

Our jacuzzi tub

The view from our deck

The deck

 

[neonurse]

Sheraton Vistana Villages was nice but the first room they put us in was the farthest from the pool and not big enough to swing a cat!!! I called prior to our ressie and asked to pay extra to be upgraded to a 2 bedroom suite from the 1 bedroom with the pull out couch. They said that wasn't possible. I asked again at check in then we went to our room. My heart sank. I could not stay in a room that small for a week. It makes a hotel room look big!! I called and complained and told them we wouldn't be unpacking and that we would be leaving unless they got us something better...they did....the 2 bedroom suite. Surprize...they had one. I didn't have to pay extra and it was close to the pool. I think RCI get put at the bottum of their list when it comes to room assignments. Hilton resort just around the corner has a 1 bedroom with pull out couch and it is huge. Loved it.
hth

 

[swilshire]

Since you're going to be a timeshare owner, I suggest you join TUG (the Timeshare Users Group) at www.tug2.net . You can read many of their threads without paying anything, but a modest annual fee allows you access to the extensive resort reviews. I don't ever book a resort without checking there first.

There are many terrific resorts in the Orlando area, so it really comes now to which one is best suited for your family and your tastes. I have stayed in a dozen or so of them and would recommend most of them without reservation. None of them has been a bad experience.

Sheila

 

[AMD3]

We returned yesterday from staying 7 days at Wyndham Bonnet Creek. It was great! I don't think I would ever stay anywhere else (except maybe GF or Poly). It is between Caribbean Beach and Typhoon Lagoon. I don't have my pics downloaded yet but you can do a search to see the property. The rooms were great, we had a 2 br suite. It has two pools, one with a slide and one with a lazy river. They had karaoke and movies by the pools about 3 nights a week. They have a playground, putt putt, and beach volleyball on-site. You will not be disappointed!

 

[spiceycat]

hilton grand vacation club - sw or Id
wynham bonnett creek
cypress Harbour (this is a marriott)
sheraton vistana resort or village
cypress pointe
silver lakes
if you have pets there is only one - Celebration World resort - okay 2-but have only seem hotels with this one Driftwood Worldgate resort.

 

[jeff968]

We've stayed at a number of them and like the Marriotts best. The Hiltons are very nice as well. The Vistana Villages was nice but the Vistana resort has some older units. We were in the cascades section which was very nice although I have heard some "not so great" reviews on the older units. I would not recommend Orange Lake. We stayed there a week and didn't like it. Dirty and too big. Good luck.

 

[PrincessBelle39]

Thanks guys. I will take a look at all of these. I also popped into the time share users group to have a peek so will have a closer look at this. I was looking at the RCI resort directory and saw Ginn Reunion Resort. Didn't realise this was timeshare. I thought it was more along the lines of Windsor Hills but more luxurious. Anyone know anything about this?

 

[spiceycat]

no but 6 miles from disney (property line) - would not be close.

Reunion Resort By Ginn (#A414)
7593 Gathering Dr
Reunion, FL 34747
USA
407/662-1000

mapquest is taken you back roads only- almost 12 miles - so with traffic lights and traffic maybe 45 minutes to get to WDW.

that is a little to long for me currently. hey at least they are not saying they are in Celebration instead of Kissimmee...like certain other resorts.


Start out going WEST on GATHERING DR toward REUNION BLVD. 0.1 miMap
2: GATHERING DR becomes REUNION BLVD. 0.1 miMap Avoid
3: Enter next roundabout and take 1st exit onto TRADITION BLVD. 0.2 miMap Avoid
4: Turn RIGHT onto CABANA CT. 0.2 miMap Avoid
5: Turn RIGHT onto SPINE RD. 0.2 miMap Avoid
6: Turn LEFT onto S LAKE WILSON RD/ CR-545. Continue to follow CR-545 N. 4.1 miMap Avoid
7: Turn RIGHT onto W IRLO BRONSON MEMORIAL HWY/ US-192 E/ W VINE ST/ FL-530 E/ W SPACE COAST PKWY. 1.2 miMap Avoid
8: Take the ramp toward DISNEY WORLD. 0.3 miMap Avoid
9: Merge onto WORLD DR. 4.3 miMap Avoid
10: Stay STRAIGHT to go onto N WORLD DR. 0.9 miMap Avoid
11: Turn LEFT onto SEVEN SEAS DR. 0.3 miMap Avoid
12: End at 3111 World Dr Orlando, FL 32830 Map

 

[PrincessBelle39]

Isn't Ginn Renunion sort of behind Windsor Hills. We found it really quick to most of the parks from there. 15minutes at the most to all but Magic Kingdom. I'm certainly happy with that. Is it any further away that the Hilton at Seaworld???

 

[Detailor]

The Ginn Resort entrance is about 5 miles from Windsor Hills. Their website says that it takes about 15 minutes to get to Disney from there so your experience at least matches what they say about themselves.

I'd guess that HGVC SeaWorld is probably about the same timewise depending on traffic.

BTW, if I'm remembering this resort correctly, the resort is multi-purposed with private single home and townhouse ownership in addition to a condo-hotel which is where the timeshare connection comes in. This isn't a traditional timeshare, but there seems to be an arrangement with RCI to allow owners at the condo-hotel to deposit weeks. I'm not sure what stage the sales process is for this property but would guess that the developer would be deposting some weeks in order to get some income until the development is sold out. After that - who knows if anything will actually get deposited?

Dick Taylor

 

[PrincessBelle39]

Thanks for your help guys. I like the look of quite a few of the ones you have mentioned. Now to choose. At least I will have backups if I can't get my first choices.

 

[spiceycat]

no hgvc is only 10 miles away - plus it is generally Interstate - so generally quicker.

remember backroads - you need to go the speed limit - now some of these are 50 - but others are 40.

don't let the occasionally nut that is going 70 on the backroad fool you into thinking you can too.

I stayed at CWR which is much closer - although not as pretty. It would take us about 15 minutes to get to Epcot - mk was at least 20 minutes to the parking lot - not the park - add in the tram, monrail - you are looking at 45 minutes to an hour.

now AK was around 7 minutes. the lines were min at studio so 10 minutes.

going by time to park the car - so waiting in line can be a big part - just depends upon how many lines open and how many cars in front of you.

 

[Brian Noble]

Ginn Reunion Resort. Didn't realise this was timeshare.

As Detailor mentioned this isn't really timeshare---it's whole ownership, but the resort manages the rental program (and I believe to rent weeks at your unit, you must go through the resort.) Owners may be able to deposit weeks for exchange, but they never seem to be available to exchange in to; they are strictly rentals at RCI, as far as anyone can tell.