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Is there any good reason to purchase 2 BR or 3 BR Platinum deed in Orlando?

Nowaker

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ClubPoints booking of a 3 BR for the spring break appears impossible in any HGVC resort in Orlando. 2 BR is somewhat easy in Las Palmeras, but rather hard for others.

Theoretically, 2 BR / 3 BR Platinum deed in Orlando would be very useful to secure a spring break with home week reservation.

However, the real question is whether purchasing a timeshare in Orlando area makes sense, given an extremely competitive rates on non-timeshare market (think hotels.com or direct resort bookings).

While HGVC offers almost unbeatable 4-star accommodations in Vegas (and even 5-star at Trump), and in several other locations, Orlando is full of 4-star timeshares.

Therefore, is there a reason to fork out around $5k on acquiring a platinum deed, and then around $1.5k each year, when you can book something comparable for the same price on free market or timeshare exchange?

For example, Summer Bay Orlando By Exploria Resorts appears equal to HGVC Orlando resorts (correct me if I'm wrong!) and 2 BR can be booked today for the spring break for $1348 (villa, 1000 sqft) or $1465 (condo, 1300 sqft). With free cancelation until March, 9th. And with hotels.com reward program, it's effectively 8% cashback, and even 16% if you have their credit card (I do).

Or an RCI exchange to the above would be 4800 pts + $239, and with cheap Vegas points, the total cost is around $900-$1100, depending on what deed one has. And it's only two months until the spring break. Dates further out, like Thanksgiving or the summer, have even more options in RCI. (in fact, I have a booking for Thanksgiving in 2 BR Sheraton Vistana Resort, which also appears very nice)

On the other hand, 3 BR is a different topic, and this size of accommodation doesn't appear very ppopular on free market or RCI, and that's where HGVC 3 BR could be valuable. But only when hottest season is involved - spring break and, I guess Thanksgiving and Christmas (no data at this moment for me to validate these two). The summer, not so much, since 3 BR is available at SeaWorld almost all summer no problem.

So, to the best of my understanding and research:

1. It doesn't make any sense to buy 2 BR Platinum Orlando HGVC.
2. It doesn't make much sense to buy 3 BR Platinum Orlando HGVC when targeting for the summer.
3. It makes sense to buy 3 BR Platinum Orlando HGVC if targeting for the spring break, or the summer in Parc Soleil or Tuscany.
4. HGVC, while being top notch and hard to match in other locations, is matched by many other resorts in Orlando area. (Still luxury but ubiquitous, so to speak)

Please share your thoughts. If I'm completely wrong, please let me know. I want to learn and see all points of view. I'm sceptically contemplating acquiring a 3 BR Platinum at Parc Soleil so I would really want to know.
 

Nowaker

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CC @PigsDad because you own 3 BR in Orlando, and I'm really curious of your opinion. Thanks in advance.
 

GT75

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ClubPoints booking of a 3 BR for the spring break appears impossible in any HGVC resort in Orlando. 2 BR is somewhat easy in Las Palmeras, but rather hard for others.

Theoretically, 2 BR / 3 BR Platinum deed in Orlando would be very useful to secure a spring break with home week reservation.
Have you tried booking when the club season window opens? It sounds like you are trying to book for this upcoming spring break.
 

elaine

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Imho Summer Bay and hgvc are not comparable. If it were a hgvc rental or Marriott, then no need to purchase. I don’t recall 2 br hgvc right at 9 months during spring being difficult to book. Also, you might try looking on Rci to use hgvc to get a 3 br when hgvc bulk deposits into Rci. We’ve gotten 3 br for Easter week using another Rci deposit, but I’d assume you could reverse engineer with a hgvc deposit into Rci as well.
 

HuskerATL

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We have owned at Tuscany a long time and have never had issues getting a place in Orlando. If Tuscany is full, we have stayed at Seaworld. Summer Bay is not nice. We stayed there last summer, just to burn some RCI points, and were not impressed. It isn't in Orlando, it is west of Orlando but does have shuttles that will take you to parks. I wouldn't buy there since the MF are higher. You just need points to reserve a place. We have owned there since 2003 and have never book a home week....so ownership there hasn't mattered.
 

ljmiii

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So, to the best of my understanding and research:

1. It doesn't make any sense to buy 2 BR Platinum Orlando HGVC.
2. It doesn't make much sense to buy 3 BR Platinum Orlando HGVC when targeting for the summer.
3. It makes sense to buy 3 BR Platinum Orlando HGVC if targeting for the spring break, or the summer in Parc Soleil or Tuscany.
4. HGVC, while being top notch and hard to match in other locations, is matched by many other resorts in Orlando area. (Still luxury but ubiquitous, so to speak)

Please share your thoughts. If I'm completely wrong, please let me know. I want to learn and see all points of view. I'm skeptically contemplating acquiring a 3 BR Platinum at Parc Soleil so I would really want to know.
I don't *really* know, but your analysis seems spot on. What I do know...

2BRs in Orlando are a dime a dozen to rent or buy. And easy to book in HGVC and MVC.

I've been able to book at Marriott's Imperial Palms (a 3BR only resort) at 9:00AM sharp 13 months out (the opening of MVC's booking window) during primetime...but availability swiftly disappears thereafter.

Tuscany is a reasonably nice resort...I've never stayed at Parc Soleil.

I wouldn't buy a timeshare to use for a year or two. But if you 'know' you want to be in a 3BR during spring break in Orlando for at least five years, it seems like a reasonable purchase. That's how we got into HGVC in the first place - EOY President's Week at the Lagoon Tower for the then foreseeable future.
 

PigsDad

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Yes, I own a 3BR Platinum deed at Seaworld, but I have never used it for a Home Week reservation as I have never had a problem booking what I want in Orlando. This was my first purchase (resale, thanks to TUGers!) but if I were to do it over again, I would have purchased in LV for slightly less MFs (the MF gap was much less back in 2006). If you need a 3BR week during Spring Break every year and you have seen it is difficult to book at 9 months out, then that would be a case to buy there, if the price was right.

Kurt
 

Nowaker

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Imho Summer Bay and hgvc are not comparable.

Orlando. If Tuscany is full, we have stayed at Seaworld. Summer Bay is not nice. We stayed there last summer, just to burn some RCI points, and were not impressed.

Gotcha. What exactly about Summer Bay that wasn't up to par with HGVC Seaworld / Parc Soleil / Tuscany? (Apart from the location, which isn't a concern for me, as we always have a car)

How about Sheraton Vistana Resort? Does it match HGVC?

Any examples of other timeshare-or-not resorts plenty available on Redweek that do match HGVC?

Trying to see if HGVC is top-notch & mostly uncontested, or it's top-notch & ubiquitous, and see how rental rates of HGVC-like resorts on Redweek compare to yearly MFs.

Have you tried booking when the club season window opens? It sounds like you are trying to book for this upcoming spring break.

Yes. No.

Yes - I was able to book 2 BR Las Palmeras for the spring break late November. It was the only 2 BR left. And Las Palmeras is the worst of the four (so I heard).

No - not trying to book anything for 2022, but I'm considering 3 BR Parc Soleil for 2023 spring break. I'm just working with whatever data I have (current availability & historical availability since November when I started tracking it).

Input on how easy or hard it is to book 3 BR Parc Soleil would be appreciated. If anyone tried.

I guess running a reservation would work - start a week ahead of the spring break, and move it every day until I get what I want... But looking at Maui, some weeks are fully booked even during the home week. So that's why I'm analyzing whether I should simply purchase a 3 BR deed at Parc Soleil.
 

jabberwocky

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Spring break in Orlando shouldn't be too difficult. Keep in mind that there are a lot of points sitting in HGVC accounts that owners have not been able to use as much over the past two years. Availability will probably be tight everywhere.

I also own at Sheraton Vistana Resort in addition to HGVC, and I would put it on the same level in terms of quality as HGVC, but my experience with HGVC in Orlando has been limited. SVR is generally more spread out and feels less "hotel" like IMO since a lot of the buildings are only 3 stories.
 

HuskerATL

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What exactly about Summer Bay that wasn't up to par with HGVC Seaworld / Parc Soleil / Tuscany?

When we researched a place to stay it looked decent on RCI but when we arrived, it is dated. The units aren't as nice, the pools are small and outdated, and the whole complex just feels aged. It is a relatively easy drive into Orlando though and easy to drive to the west coast if you want to hit beaches that directly. The lake is a joke and very dirty. My wife wouldn't touch it so the jet ski option was out. They do have tennis courts and a climbing course so that is nice but the facilities just do not compare to Tuscany. Tuscany just looks and feels more upscale plus the rooms are much nicer. That is true when you compare Tuscany to Seaworld also but Seaworld is nicer than Summer Bay. I have only visited Parc Soleil and not stayed there but after visiting, I think Tuscany has a better layout.

One thing that Summer Bay has that is nice, are individual cottages but you have to be a member to rent them. They aren't even an option on the RCI website. Each has their own lanai with a pool plus grill. Now that wouldn't be a bad place to stay and then either take the shuttle or drive to the parks.

There are probably many that are as nice but I don't have experience with those. When we go there, we have only stayed at Tuscany, Seaworld, and then Summer Bay other than hotel stays. I would stay in HGVC if possible but, if they are full, and you go the RCI route, then just read plenty of reviews. I typically look at them in the RCI website but then read reviews on TripAdvisor.
 

elaine

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Summer Bay: The 3 BR pool villas are nice, but the rest off the property doesn’t feel as nice as hgvc imho. I’d be fine at hgvc sw or Tuscany 3br if I couldn’t get parc. Very nice spacious units. Maybe parc had fewer 3br?
We’ve stayed at many other timeshares Over the past 15 years-orange lakes, vistana, cypress something, star island, etc. We’re gotten picky and It’s now only stay at dvc, hgvc, Marriott.
 

frank808

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We’re gotten picky and It’s now only stay at dvc, hgvc, Marriott.

We are the same way also. We like to stay at the big 3.

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk
 

Nowaker

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Thank you @elaine and @frank808. It sounds like while there's a lot of very good accommodations in Orlando, HGVC is still top-notch and there's no other contenders (except for MVC and DVC). Which justifies its price - yearly MF slightly than 7 day booking on free market.
 

audirt

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Yes - I was able to book 2 BR Las Palmeras for the spring break late November. It was the only 2 BR left. And Las Palmeras is the worst of the four (so I heard).

Kind of off-topic, but Las Palmeras probably is the least desirable of the HGVC properties in Orlando. BUT... it is still a really nice resort. It compares nicely to the other Orlando HGVC properties except for:

* pool area (a little small)
* bathtubs (not available AFAIK)
* in-room washer/dryer (not available)
* Mini-mart/convenience store on property (not available)

Otherwise Las Palmeras compares really nicely with the other Orlando resorts. And it does have a water slide, something that Sea World and Tuscany are lacking. It's the bottom of our list but we don't have any concerns booking there if that's what is available.
 

Nowaker

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BUT... it is still a really nice resort
Oh, no questions about it. It's still up to HGVC standards.

And it does have a water slide, something that Sea World and Tuscany are lacking.
Yeah, but that slide is off-pool so it doesn't fully count. We have 2 BR booked for the spring break in Las Palmeras, and I'm sure my kids will enjoy it anyway!
 

Blues

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But looking at Maui, some weeks are fully booked even during the home week. So that's why I'm analyzing whether I should simply purchase a 3 BR deed at Parc Soleil.

Maui is not a good comparison. Last I heard (via reports on this site), only one residence building plus the checkin/administrative building are open. Everything else is still under construction. It's little wonder that it's hard to book right now. But I'll be able to report first-hand on the progress in another month :whooopie:
 
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