# Massanutten is an awesome value and best kept secret on east coast



## Railman83 (Apr 1, 2022)

Clean, affordable, and a million things to do.

anyone disagree?


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## CPNY (Apr 1, 2022)

Railman83 said:


> Clean, affordable, and a million things to do.
> 
> anyone disagree?


Agreed! I own a unit there and love it….


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## GoodTimes (Apr 1, 2022)

I totally agree and has plenty of availability.  My family does seem to have a preference for Marriott/Vistana....(lifestyle creep?)


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## CPNY (Apr 1, 2022)

GoodTimes said:


> I totally agree and has plenty of availability.  My family does seem to have a preference for Marriott/Vistana....(lifestyle creep?)


I own Vistana and Regal Vista. I get amazing usage from my points from regal vista. I think I get extra vacation certificates to go back to RV…..I’d like to try it


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## pedro47 (Apr 2, 2022)

Awesome resort, I just dislike all the extra fees for amenities.


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## BobDE (Apr 2, 2022)

I have owned there since 1991. I have seen a lot of changes both on and off of the resort. All for the good!


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## callwill (Apr 2, 2022)

I was there for what seemed like a year one week (probably 20yrs ago) bored out of my mind.


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## escanoe (Apr 5, 2022)

I have gotten more value out of my 137,000 RCI Points Woodstone Week 29 4BR lockout timeshare than any I have purchased. I would not mind spending more time there in summer, but winter ski weekends are awesome for me.


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## tonyg (Apr 7, 2022)

Never been there, never found a reason to go there. Spent many weeks in Williamsburg that I enjoyed.


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## owen1521 (Apr 7, 2022)

Great resort!! We would go on the NY Feb school break for a ski week with 15 families. Always got Last call rooms 2 or 4 BRs and never paid more than $299 Rooms were so cheap we would actually book a separate room as a Party Room where we would make dinner and party all night. Always stayed in Woodstone. Unfortunately after 12 straight years, the kids outgrew the mountain and now we go elsewhere but those memories will live forever.


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## rickandcindy23 (Apr 7, 2022)

I remember one TUG member, Charles, long since gone from thyroid cancer, saying, "Mass-nothing," because he stayed once.  He owned at Marriott's Ford's Colony and loved Williamsburg.  

I am trying to remember his TUG name, but he was a Foxrun owner and was in my old Yahoo group, now defunct.


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## tschwa2 (Apr 7, 2022)

My kids grew out of it too, but my husband grew into it.  He belongs to 2 of the area wine clubs Cross Keys and Prince Michele (a little further away) so he likes to go at least twice a year to do tastings and pick up his boxes of wine.  My brother's family has two children right in the Massanutten sweet spot ages 11 and 13 and they decided as a family last year that if I couldn't find anything ocean side in ocean city, MD (east of coastal highway) they would rather go to Massanutten and this summer they told me not to bother looking for OC just get a big unit so they could bring friends and go to Massanutten.


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## A.Win (Apr 7, 2022)

An East Coast beach week in the summer will cost 5X a week at Massanutten. So I agree that Massanutten is a great value. I visit frequently, staying at Summit, Woodstone, and Regal Vistas. Now that Summit and Woodstone are remodeled, I personally don't think the extra cost of Regal Vistas is worth it.


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## The Colorado Kid (Apr 7, 2022)

A.Win said:


> An East Coast beach week in the summer will cost 5X a week at Massanutten. So I agree that Massanutten is a great value. I visit frequently, staying at Summit, Woodstone, and Regal Vistas. Now that Summit and Woodstone are remodeled, I personally don't think the extra cost of Regal Vistas is worth it.


Nice to hear the remodeling is happening...do you have feedback on the Eagle Trace units?


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## Big Matt (Apr 8, 2022)

rickandcindy23 said:


> I remember one TUG member, Charles, long since gone from thyroid cancer, saying, "Mass-nothing," because he stayed once.  He owned at Marriott's Ford's Colony and loved Williamsburg.
> 
> I am trying to remember his TUG name, but he was a Foxrun owner and was in my old Yahoo group, now defunct.


His handle was CMF (Charles M. Fernandez).  He actually had a rare form of stomach cancer.  When he found out about it, he only had a couple of months to live.  I actually was asked to help his wife how to figure out what to do with the timeshares.  For those of us who remember him, he came on to TUG as a green newbie and then went wild buying properties and immersing himself. That was a long time ago.

*****I edited this post to replace I with He.  He had cancer, not me (thank goodness)


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## Big Matt (Apr 8, 2022)

In terms of skiing, people from Virginia call it Mass of Nuttin (nothing)


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## keno999 (Apr 8, 2022)

tschwa2 said:


> He belongs to 2 of the area wine clubs Cross Keys and Prince Michele (a little further away) so he likes to go at least twice a year to do tastings and pick up his boxes of wine.


Cross Keys is great!  We go there a couple times of year and they have a nice restaurant.


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## pedro47 (Apr 8, 2022)

The one thing I disliked about Massanutten is the lack of street light at night.


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## rickandcindy23 (Apr 8, 2022)

Big Matt said:


> His handle was CMF (Charles M. Fernandez).  I actually had a rare form of stomach cancer.  When he found out about it, he only had a couple of months to live.  I actually was asked to help his wife how to figure out what to do with the timeshares.  For those of us who remember him, he came on to TUG as a green newbie and then went wild buying properties and immersing himself. That was a long time ago.


Stomach cancer.  He is missed here on TUG.  I remember he was so crazy for his Marriott in Williamsburg.  He loved it.


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## rickandcindy23 (Apr 8, 2022)

I personally think the best kept secret is Presidential Villas at Plantation Resort in Myrtle Beach, AKA Grand Palms by Wyndham after the takeover.  The fees are low, and it's Myrtle Beach, not right on the ocean, but the units are very large and lockoff into two sides.  But RCI ruined the trading power.  Still, it's very good for rental purposes.  We have RCI Points, so I book my home resort reservations that way and then rent my weeks.  But it's never a guarantee I can get a good price for the week.  I still add the insurance to get my points back, in the event I cannot rent the weeks.  But there is no exchange fee, so the insurance is well worth it.


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## Tijoli (May 27, 2022)

Railman83 said:


> Clean, affordable, and a million things to do.
> 
> anyone disagree?


Can you tell me how much you pay for taxes and resort upkeep fees each year?  We are considering purchasing a week as we have loved trading into Mountain Side Villas but don’t want to move forward without some idea.  Thanks for your help!!


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## carl2591 (May 27, 2022)

having several times I've heard to called... Mass O' Nutten.  there is lot to do around the area especially is you golf, swim, tennis, hike, ride the gokarts etc.  winters we would ski, tube and hang.. 

have sorta stopped going as exchange due to the re dick u lous amenity fees.. seems to be a cancer that has affected most of the resorts now.. seem like more of a theft of money for no real purpose other than to enrich the developers more. 

since we have been full time rv'ing since june 2020 we seldom now use the timeshares it more the adult kids..  We did manage to include a week at Fairfield Glade last sept and the weather was nice.. they have a nice place to park the RV for the week which was nice as many do not.. 

We stayed in the  Summit unit off litten lane,, on garmisch circle  when the were brand new and the some were still under construction.  thought about buying but opted for Sudula lodge and the 10 yrs RCI membership deals.  (dem was da days)

And RIck is right about the now Grand Palms resort in Surfside beach// the do a good job and keep fee down.. the past two years have been quite the deal with trying to rent the unit out and having to rebank with RCI and all that.. wowo..


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## callwill (May 27, 2022)

pedro47 said:


> The one thing I disliked about Massanutten is the lack of street light at night.


Is there anything to go out for at night there?


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## tschwa2 (May 27, 2022)

pedro47 said:


> The one thing I disliked about Massanutten is the lack of street light at night.


Here now and my husband was just complaining about the same thing.  I forgot olive oil so although I had brought down a box of food to cook we had to go out for dinner.  We ate at the Italian place near the Food Lion in Elkton.  The pizza onsite isn't bad but a plain cheese was $15 and at the place in Elkton the Large Margherita was $15.50 and better.  We did a little shopping at Food Lion and then grabbed a quick pint at the Elkton Brewery before heading back to the resort.  It's misting and DH complained the whole way back (11 minutes) that he wished they had more street lights.


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## escanoe (May 27, 2022)

Here now as well. First time staying in Mountainside Villas. Guess I am in the minority. I prefer darker to street lights.


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## Big Matt (May 28, 2022)

carl2591 said:


> having several times I've heard to called... Mass O' Nutten.  there is lot to do around the area especially is you golf, swim, tennis, hike, ride the gokarts etc.  winters we would ski, tube and hang..


Mass O' Nutten only refers to the ski slopes.  Lot's to do when its warm there.


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## glickfamily (May 28, 2022)

Tijoli said:


> Can you tell me how much you pay for taxes and resort upkeep fees each year?  We are considering purchasing a week as we have loved trading into Mountain Side Villas but don’t want to move forward without some idea.  Thanks for your help!!


We own at Mountainside Villas ..and our maintenance fees are under $600 a year.


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## rickandcindy23 (May 28, 2022)

Maybe we will trade into those villas sometime.  When is the best time to go when weather is mild and not hot and humid.  What about early May?

What would we do there?  I am a major history buff.


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## Dbostron (May 28, 2022)

rickandcindy23 said:


> Maybe we will trade into those villas sometime.  When is the best time to go when weather is mild and not hot and humid.  What about early May?
> 
> What would we do there?  I am a major history buff.


We have owned at Massanutten  since 1980. We've upgraded over the years.

I think from mid April would be nice. One spring visit in SNP, we participated in a ranger talk and activity about the wild spring flowers, We always spend multiple days in SNP (Shenandoah National Park) for hikes and ranger programs. In early years, we went to the various Civil War sites nearby and caverns. Long time ago, many of the kids' activities and crafts were free. We never had a bad vacation. This year taking the next generation (grandchildren).


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## bbhunnicutt (May 28, 2022)

Massanutten is a very good resort!


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## JudyH (May 29, 2022)

rickandcindy23 said:


> I personally think the best kept secret is Presidential Villas at Plantation Resort in Myrtle Beach, AKA Grand Palms by Wyndham after the takeover.  The fees are low, and it's Myrtle Beach, not right on the ocean, but the units are very large and lockoff into two sides.  But RCI ruined the trading power.



Yes.. we have owned there since 1997. Never stayed there. Traded all over the world. Still holding on to it and getting decent trades here in Florida. My kids never want to use the TPUs or stay there.


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## tschwa2 (May 29, 2022)

rickandcindy23 said:


> Maybe we will trade into those villas sometime.  When is the best time to go when weather is mild and not hot and humid.  What about early May?
> 
> What would we do there?  I am a major history buff.


You can also do a day trip to Monticello.  Its a little over 50 miles and takes about an hour and 10 min.  I remember it was fairly expensive but it included more than we were doing because the my children didn't have the patience to make it an all day thing but if you do all of the included programs it is probably more than worth it.


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## kckaren21 (May 29, 2022)

callwill said:


> I was there for what seemed like a year one week (probably 20yrs ago) bored out of my mind.



I remember the same feeling on vacation with my family in Cambria, CA, when I was a teenager! I would probably enjoy the slower pace now,  lolz


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## bluehende (Jun 2, 2022)

Not sure this is the crowd but Massanothing is one of the best places we have mountain biked on the east coast.  Lot of variety and this year you can get a shuttle to avoid a lot of climbing.  If anyone wants any advice on rides let me know.


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## pedro47 (Jun 2, 2022)

On our last visit in November 2021. We stayed in a Woodstones villas  A&B.
The A side did not have a full kitchen. Both the A &B villas are very large unit, nice size living room areas and master bedrooms. Both had nice balcony overlooking the mountains. As exchangers into this resort. Their resort fees can be a deal breaker. IMHO.


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## mbinpa (Jun 3, 2022)

I have to agree with liking the darkness.  There are units in Eagle Trace where you can sit on your balcony at night and actually be able to see stars.  I also think it is really cool that the timeshare resorts have their own actual police department.  I really like Massanutten!


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## tschwa2 (Jun 3, 2022)

mbinpa said:


> I have to agree with liking the darkness.  There are units in Eagle Trace where you can sit on your balcony at night and actually be able to see stars.  I also think it is really cool that the timeshare resorts have their own actual police department.  I really like Massanutten!


the police dept was disbanded about a year and a half ago; maybe even before covid.  No more gated entrance up the mountain.


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## pedro47 (Jun 3, 2022)

tschwa2 said:


> the police dept was disbanded about a year and a half ago; maybe even before covid.  No more gated entrance up the mountain.


Did the HOA reduce maintenance fees for not having a full time security force onsite


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## escanoe (Jun 3, 2022)

pedro47 said:


> Did the HOA reduce maintenance fees for not having a full time security force onsite



I never saw much police presence other than in the shack before going up on the Mountain. I believe the “police force” was disbanded when Woodstone and Regal Vistas quit paying money toward the MPOA security that really did nothing for them.

I am sure it is saving the HOAs some money, but enough to counterbalance other rising costs …. probably not.

I believe the divisions on the mountain are still stuck paying the fees to MPOA.


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## noreenkate (Jun 4, 2022)

tschwa2 said:


> You can also do a day trip to Monticello.  Its a little over 50 miles and takes about an hour and 10 min.  I remember it was fairly expensive but it included more than we were doing because the my children didn't have the patience to make it an all day thing but if you do all of the included programs it is probably more than worth it.


oh I have always wanted to see the gardens there


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## dannybaker (Jun 4, 2022)

We stayed in one of the homes or villas with a garage, we put it in our top five favorite places. I believe it has a 1 in 4 policy.


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## silentg (Jun 4, 2022)

tschwa2 said:


> Here now and my husband was just complaining about the same thing.  I forgot olive oil so although I had brought down a box of food to cook we had to go out for dinner.  We ate at the Italian place near the Food Lion in Elkton.  The pizza onsite isn't bad but a plain cheese was $15 and at the place in Elkton the Large Margherita was $15.50 and better.  We did a little shopping at Food Lion and then grabbed a quick pint at the Elkton Brewery before heading back to the resort.  It's misting and DH complained the whole way back (11 minutes) that he wished they had more street lights.


Why didn’t you buy olive oil at Food Lion?


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## tschwa2 (Jun 4, 2022)

silentg said:


> Why didn’t you buy olive oil at Food Lion?


Was going to but they didn't have a small si,e and I just bought zesty Italian dressing.


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## rapmarks (Jun 5, 2022)

rickandcindy23 said:


> Maybe we will trade into those villas sometime.  When is the best time to go when weather is mild and not hot and humid.  What about early May?
> 
> What would we do there?  I am a major history buff.


We went to so many historical sites when we stayed there did day trips every day. Went to the pool once and found it crowded with cold water.


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## madex (Jun 20, 2022)

escanoe said:


> Here now as well. First time staying in Mountainside Villas. Guess I am in the minority. I prefer darker to street lights.


We used to have a house nearby, but moved away a couple of years ago.  The most beautiful starry skies at night! The light pollution would ruin it.
Unfortunately, we moved on, kids too, so we put our Woodstone units for sale.  It was fun, and great memories with the family. We have an annual fixed week in the Summer, so no juggling around with uncertainty.


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## philemer (Jul 14, 2022)

Thinking of buying a fixed or floating week here to deposit with Trading Places International. Is the management company easy to deal with as far as reserving my week and then depositing it with an Exchange Co, like TPI?  Not interested in Points.


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## legalfee (Jul 17, 2022)

We've been using Trading Places since it was VRIety. Great company to deal with. And as far as east coast hidden gems VRI's Foxrun at Lake Lure is great with the amenities of Rumbling Bald with Chimney Rock and Ashville nearby.


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## callwill (Jul 17, 2022)

rickandcindy23 said:


> I remember one TUG member, Charles, long since gone from thyroid cancer, saying, "Mass-nothing," because he stayed once.  He owned at Marriott's Ford's Colony and loved Williamsburg.
> 
> I am trying to remember his TUG name, but he was a Foxrun owner and was in my old Yahoo group, now defunct.


Im with that guy.  I want to be near somewhere(i dont think williamsburgh is worth my time either), the resort is not my destination...it id where i want to go after my day of destination touring.


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## philemer (Jul 17, 2022)

Does one management company handle all the Massanutten resorts? Anyone know their name & number?
Is it the MPOA?


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## tschwa2 (Jul 17, 2022)

Great Eastern is the developer and controls all of the HOA's with the exception of Mountainside Villas which has an independent HOA and has hired Good Management to manage.   I think you would contact Great Eastern if you want to put in a bid to supply toilet paper or want information about one of their job fairs either as a timeshare sales person or maid/groundskeeper, or to work at with the ski patrol or as a lifeguard or golf pro.   If you want general info you call the front desk.


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## dstacy969 (Jul 18, 2022)

callwill said:


> Is there anything to go out for at night there?



Probably a good view of the stars, due to lack of streetlights.  


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Jan M. (Jul 18, 2022)

philemer said:


> Does one management company handle all the Massanutten resorts? Anyone know their name & number?
> Is it the MPOA?



540-289-9441

In April here on TUG in the forum for Free Timeshare Giveaways and Bargain Deals I found a week at Summit and a week at Woodstone. Thank you Eric and Tim! We used LT Transfers and in later May we became the new owners.

Our Summit week is the second week of June and the Woodstone week is the week of Columbus Day so both are great weeks and both are 4 bedroom lock offs. I wanted them to use as PICs for our Wyndham ownership to give us more Wyndham developer points. You have to set that up at least 9 months in advance so for this year I deposited the lower partial kitchen unit for the June Summit week and the October Woodstone week and we used/will use the other two bedroom side.  We stayed at Summit in June and as of now plan to go back in October to stay at Woodstone. If we change our minds I can still deposit the other part of the Woodstone week and get RCI TPU's (Trading Power Units) for it too.

Woodstone maintenance fees $959 are a little less than Summit $989. Massanutten has a mandatory amenities fee when you stay there and it is $4.25 per bedroom per day for owners. So $59.50 for the week for a two bedroom.

We drove around to look at where we'll be for our week at Woodstone in October and also drove through Regal Vistas. We lucked out at Summit and had a fairly nice view out of the bedroom windows. The deck is off the master bedroom. It looks like we will have somewhat of a view from the unit we'll be in at Woodstone in October. Hopefully from the living room this time. Woodstone is close to the rec center so that's a plus. If we had wanted to own at Massanutten to stay there on regular basis we would want to own at Regal Vista. Not all of the duplex type units have an amazing view but I'd estimate that two thirds of them do. The Regal Vista units also have a one car attached garage and more and bigger windows in the living room to enjoy the amazing view.


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## philemer (Jul 19, 2022)

Jan M. said:


> 540-289-9441
> ...



Thx for the #.


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## OLDWESTBUFF (Jul 20, 2022)

anyone tell me how Massanutten Regal Vistas are for trading?  I would go there but also would want to trade into other locations?  Is ski season the "red" season there or...?  Newbie here


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## OLDWESTBUFF (Jul 20, 2022)

legalfee said:


> We've been using Trading Places since it was VRIety. Great company to deal with. And as far as east coast hidden gems VRI's Foxrun at Lake Lure is great with the amenities of Rumbling Bald with Chimney Rock and Ashville nearby.


How is Fox Run for trading?  Summer high season there or...?


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## escanoe (Jul 22, 2022)

Excellent trader (one of absolute best) if you have a prime summer week enrolled in RCI Points.

What I would describe as a fairly good trader in RCI weeks.

There may be a couple of peak value red weeks at Christmas and New Year’s. But Summer is what I would rather own. You will not have a hard time booking a winter ski week if you own in the summer. 




OLDWESTBUFF said:


> anyone tell me how Massanutten Regal Vistas are for trading?  I would go there but also would want to trade into other locations?  Is ski season the "red" season there or...?  Newbie here


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## legalfee (Jul 22, 2022)

OLDWESTBUFF said:


> How is Fox Run for trading?  Summer high season there or...?


We've only traded through VRIety and Trading Places but I've heard from other owners it's a great trader with RCI. Yes summer is high season winter most everything is closed.


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## Jan M. (Jul 24, 2022)

legalfee said:


> We've only traded through VRIety and Trading Places but I've heard from other owners it's a great trader with RCI. Yes summer is high season winter most everything is closed.



Massanutten has a big winter ski season. I didn't check all the resorts by this is the weeks chart for Regal Vistas, Summit and Woodstone.


Season information​ Blue - medium demandDecember 03, 2022December 17, 2022
Red - High demandJanuary 01, 2022March 12, 2022
Red - High demandApril 30, 2022November 19, 2022
Red - High demandDecember 17, 2022December 31, 2022
White - low demandMarch 12, 2022April 30, 2022
White - low demandNovember 19, 2022December 03, 2022


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## tschwa2 (Jul 24, 2022)

Ski and snowboarding is open in the winter and there are other winter activities (ice skating, tubing, water park, etc) BUT its just such a large resort that it's still more than half empty during the winter weekdays.  Without local VA, PA, MD, WV schools out there just isn't enough local population to keep the resort anywhere close to capacity.


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## escanoe (Jul 24, 2022)

if you are buying as an RCI Points or weeks trader, don’t assume all red weeks are the same. Check the most recent points chart or TPU calculator before purchasing.


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## escanoe (Jul 24, 2022)

I was there mid-January for a couple of weeks this January. I don’t think there is any way Massanutten overall was more than 30% full during the week. I did not check out Regal Vistas then … but I think being up on the Mountain (Summit and Mountainside) is more attractive to many in ski season.


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## ThatGuyOverThere (Aug 10, 2022)

rickandcindy23 said:


> I personally think the best kept secret is Presidential Villas at Plantation Resort in Myrtle Beach, AKA Grand Palms by Wyndham after the takeover.  The fees are low, and it's Myrtle Beach, not right on the ocean, but the units are very large and lockoff into two sides.  But RCI ruined the trading power.  Still, it's very good for rental purposes.  We have RCI Points, so I book my home resort reservations that way and then rent my weeks.  But it's never a guarantee I can get a good price for the week.  I still add the insurance to get my points back, in the event I cannot rent the weeks.  But there is no exchange fee, so the insurance is well worth it.



Funny seeing this posted here. I was searching for some info on the resort to see if there had been anytging posted and I'd agree with you Plantation / Grand Palms is a nice little place. I actually ended up receiving one free on here thanks to the TUG Community. Great little spot.

I also own in Massanutten at The Summit and have enjoyed it as a trader. Usually split the 4 bed into the two units as a trader and then combine if we need to and get about 40 - 42 TPUs overall for a high week in RCI. We use the points as well from Grand Palms in combo with this and have enjoyed some pretty great flexibility in trading.


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