# Gatlinburg: Town Square Info



## jmd42 (May 29, 2009)

Just traded for 1-bedroom 4/4 full kitchen at resort. Was hoping for some info on resort.as in: units to ask for or stay away from (if possible). lay-out of unit.This is a fri. check-in. Any info on any subject is appreciated. Thanx all.     p.s. Will be there 6/10/09


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## dougp26364 (May 29, 2009)

If you're in a one bedroom, you should be in phase 2 in the master suite of a two bedroom LO. We were in phase 2 a couple of years ago in the full two bedroom unit. I have a Webshots photo album of our unit and the resort grounds. Click on the picture below and it should take you directly to the GTS photo album. If not, you can click the link in my signature below and it will take you to all our photo albums. If you do that, you'll have to search through our albums to find GTS. I believe it's about halfway down on the right of the first page. 

Here's the link:


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## rachel1998 (May 29, 2009)

I am checking in next Friday.6/5 and the photos were very helpful. Thank you


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## ajdon (May 29, 2009)

Doug,
Thanks for posting the shots!  I'm an owner there (purchased a 2/2 in the new area, got Christmas week this year) on Ebay CHEAP and haven't yet seen the place. You made me feel much more comfortable about my purchase!


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## dougp26364 (May 29, 2009)

GTS is a nice resort, comfortable with adaquate amenities but, IMO, it's best assest is it's location. It's one of the closest resorts to The Great Smokey Mountain National Park, there's a trolley stop a few steps away and, if you enjoy walking, it's within walking distance of the major tourist shopping street.

IMO the units could be a little larger (wider) but, after a day or so they begin to feel comfortable. The kitchen counters aren't granit like in the fancier timeshares and the bathroom definately was very swanky but, it was functional. The grounds we well maintained and sitting on the balcony looking over the courtyard area was pleasant in the morning and evenings. The kitchen was adaquately supplied.

It's a nice timeshare but, it's not a Hilton, Marriott, DVC or Westin quality resort. It really just depends on what you're looking for. High class accomadations with MF's that match or a comfortable place to stay with a great location. Owning a week at GTS wouldn't bother me in the least. It should trade very well and, it's a nice place to stay when you want to go to the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area.


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## 1950bing (May 30, 2009)

GTS is old and it shows its age. The funny thing you check in up the street from GTS. Parking is really tight, expect door damage there. DO NOT get booked on the bottom in the back. Way too small! Lifts are very slow and sometimes it will get loud when kids are playing b-ball. Only the location speaks well for this place.


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## dougp26364 (May 30, 2009)

1950bing said:


> GTS is old and it shows its age. The funny thing you check in up the street from GTS. Parking is really tight, expect door damage there. DO NOT get booked on the bottom in the back. Way too small! Lifts are very slow and sometimes it will get loud when kids are playing b-ball. Only the location speaks well for this place.




We were just there in 2007. The pictures of our stay there are above in this thread. Perhaps they've renovated the units since you were there? Perhaps the resort was still under Sunterra management when you were there and, IMHO, Sunterra never did a very good job of keeping resorts up to standards. GTS is no longer managed by Sunterra but it managed by, I think, Southwind. 

GTS is part of two or three different resorts. Check in is confined to one of those resorts. I had forgotten that we checked in up the street but, that's really not an issue IMHO. Once you check in, there's little need for the front desk other than when you check out.


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## AwayWeGo (May 30, 2009)

*Not That There's Anything Wrong With That.*




dougp26364 said:


> GTS is no longer managed by Sunterra but it managed by, I think, Southwind.


When we were there in 2007 it was a Summer Bay timeshare. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## dougp26364 (May 31, 2009)

AwayWeGo said:


> When we were there in 2007 it was a Summer Bay timeshare.
> 
> -- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​



That's right, Summer Bay now manages this resort. There's just to many management companies for me to keep them all straight.


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## tombo (Jun 1, 2009)

1950bing said:


> GTS is old and it shows its age. The funny thing you check in up the street from GTS. Parking is really tight, expect door damage there. DO NOT get booked on the bottom in the back. Way too small! Lifts are very slow and sometimes it will get loud when kids are playing b-ball. Only the location speaks well for this place.



The parking is tight, but I have stayed at GTS more than 10 times and I never had door damage. The rooms have been updated recently and now have granite countertops. There is always more upgrading that could be done but other than Crown Park next door there is nowhere else I would want to stay in Gatlinburg, and I have stayed in many different resorts in the Gatlinburg area over the years. Besides the ideal location the resort is built out of concrete so I have never heard any noise from any neighbors above me or beside me. The indoor pool is large and never crowded. I do wish that GTS had a better workout facility. I only stay in 2 bed room units which have plenty of room but I would feel very cramped to spend a week in a studio side of the lock-off.

I disagree that the location is the only reason to stay here. I like GTS for many reasons in addition to it's great location.  The resort is nice and constantly being upgraded, the rooms are quiet and clean, and there are a lot of amenities and activities at the resort (indoor pool, outdoor pool, basketball, ping pong, shuffleboard, the wooded picnic grilling area in the woods overlooking a babbling brook,free underground parking, etc). The resort is not Marriott luxury but it is a very nice resort in the best location of any timeshare in the Smokies IMO.


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## Tom52 (Jun 2, 2009)

tombo said:


> The parking is tight, but I have stayed at GTS more than 10 times and I never had door damage. The rooms have been updated recently and now have granite countertops. There is always more upgrading that could be done but other than Crown Park next door there is nowhere else I would want to stay in Gatlinburg, and I have stayed in many different resorts in the Gatlinburg area over the years. Besides the ideal location the resort is built out of concrete so I have never heard any noise from any neighbors above me or beside me. The indoor pool is large and never crowded. I wish GTS had a better workout facility. I only stay in 2 bed room units which have plenty of room but I would feel very cramped to spend a week in a studio side of the lock-off.
> 
> I disagree that the location is the only reason to stay here. I like GTS for many reasons in addition to it's great location.  The resort is nice and constantly being upgraded, the rooms are quiet and clean, and there are a lot of amenities and activities at the resort (indoor pool, outdoor pool, basketball, ping pong, shuffleboard, the wooded picnic grilling area in the woods overlooking a babbling brook,free underground parking, etc). The resort is not Marriott luxury but it is a very nice resort in the best location of any timeshare in the Smokies IMO.



As a fellow owner of GTS I agree with you 100%.  The yearly maintenance fees are reasonable as well.


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## jmd42 (Jun 2, 2009)

*Thanx all*

I was hoping if someone could tell me what a 4/4 with full kitchen is a studio side or the bigger side of a lock-out-they will not assign me a number as yet.


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## dougp26364 (Jun 3, 2009)

jmd42 said:


> I was hoping if someone could tell me what a 4/4 with full kitchen is a studio side or the bigger side of a lock-out-they will not assign me a number as yet.



If it has a full kitchen, it should be the 1 bedroom side of the 2 bedroom unit. If you confirmation lists a washer/dryer in the room as one of the amenities, or a full size refrigerator or a stove (not just a cooktop), then your in a 1 bedroom unit and not a studio.


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## jmd42 (Jun 9, 2009)

*Trolley Passes*

Was reading on a gatlinburg page that you can get a 1-day trolley pass for $2.00, was wandering if you can get a weeks-pass


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## tombo (Jun 10, 2009)

jmd42 said:


> Was reading on a gatlinburg page that you can get a 1-day trolley pass for $2.00, was wandering if you can get a weeks-pass



I can't help you on that one. We always have our car with us so I walk everywhere downtown and drive to Pigeon Forge. I personally hate sitting on benches waiting for trams or busses so I have never used them once. The wait might not be long and I might should use them in the future. If you use them let me know if you like it and how long you usually had to wait for rides.

Thanks,

Tom


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## dougp26364 (Jun 10, 2009)

jmd42 said:


> Was reading on a gatlinburg page that you can get a 1-day trolley pass for $2.00, was wandering if you can get a weeks-pass




I'm not certain what page your reading but I didn't find that information on the Trolley routes and fares page at http://www.ci.gatlinburg.tn.us/transit/trolley.htm .

Most routes are 50 cents with exact change required. What we found was that if we wanted to go any distance, we often had to change trolley's once or twice, so there wasn't much that worked out to be only 50 cents for us. 

IMO, since they require exact change, it would be better if they sold daily, weekly or even monthly passes for the trolley. By doing this they could make it a cash free system and make it more convenient for passengers and drivers at the same time. It would also encourage people to ride the trolley's more and take personal vehicles less. Part of the reason we didn't use the trolley was the inconvenience of always having to have a pocket full of $1 bills to always pay the fare. The other part was as mentioned above. They run every 20 minutes and it seemed that we were always spending a lot of time sitting or standing waiting on the next trolley to come along.


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## KCI (Jun 12, 2009)

We are going to Gatlinburg Town Square the end of July.  Our confirmation says 2BD Prem....anyone have any idea what that is?


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## Tom52 (Jun 13, 2009)

KCI said:


> We are going to Gatlinburg Town Square the end of July.  Our confirmation says 2BD Prem....anyone have any idea what that is?



Does your confirmation say sleep 6 or 8?  I am looking at my confirmation at GTS this fall for Phase II and it says 1 Bedroom, Studio and then there is a red stamp beside those words that says "2 BEDROOM".  No mention of Premium.  I am an owner and I know this means a 2 bedroom lock out in phase II which are sleep 8.

I have only heard of the designations of Premium and Deluxe in reference to the older Phase I units.  In Phase I the Premium means there is a fireplace and balcony, Deluxe means no fireplace and balcony.  I am reading this information about Premium and Deluxe right from my copy of the GTS rate sheet.

It is only my guess but if you have a 2 bedroom sleep 6 Premium unit you are in phase I, your unit will be somewhere on floors 2 thru 5, your unit will have a fireplace and you will have a balcony.  These are nice units in phase I with a king in the master and 2 twins in the second bedroom.


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## rachel1998 (Jun 13, 2009)

We just returned from the resort yesterday. We were supposed to have had a regular 2 bedroom. I called and requested a lower floor because we had a little one with us and it makes me nervous with the balcony. Anyway they gave me a 2 bedroom lockout when I arrived. It was great. We had a washing machine and dryer. We had a great time and I loved the resort. The parking is a little tight since we have a mini-van.


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## Dave M (Jun 13, 2009)

jmd42 said:


> Was reading on a gatlinburg page that you can get a 1-day trolley pass for $2.00, was wandering if you can get a weeks-pass


Yes, you can get a $2 all-day pass, but there is no weekly rate.

The day pass is a six-month trial program, including all summer this year. You can buy a pass at any of the three Welcome centers, at City Hall or at the Mass Transit Center. The Pink (Dollywood) and Tan (National Park) routes are not included in the pass.


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## KCI (Jun 13, 2009)

My confirmation from II says 2 bedroom, 2 bath, sleeps 6 but the reservation confirmation from Suumer Bay Resorts say 2 bdrm Prem.  Thanks for all the info.  Linda


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## Tom52 (Jun 13, 2009)

KCI said:


> My confirmation from II says 2 bedroom, 2 bath, sleeps 6 but the reservation confirmation from Suumer Bay Resorts say 2 bdrm Prem.  Thanks for all the info.  Linda



Sounds like you will be in Phase I.


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