Worldmark Reunion

[kjsgrammy]

I have a 3 bed/3 bath unit on hold with RCI for above resort. We have not stayed here before (reviews are great!), and am wondering how difficult it is to get to the Disney parks (avoiding I-4 at all costs). We have annual passes to Disney, and will be driving to parks.
Also, does anyone have recommendations for what section/unit to request?
THANKS!

 

[Jan M.]

The South Villas are closer to the water park than the North Villas, close enough to walk to the water park. We've stayed at this resort several times and really like the units, especially the big balcony. We found it easy enough to get to the parks from the resort. We live in Florida, go to Orlando 4-6 times a year, there are eight different resorts we've stayed at and we use our GPS. At this moment I can't remember if we took I-4 or not but I'd rather get on I-4 than put up with sitting at traffic lights and the heavy traffic taking other roads means at some times of day.

If you don't have a Sun Pass you should get one. You can do that online or here in Florida at a Walgreens, CVS or Publix grocery store. If you are flying in and renting a car make sure you tell the rental car company that you will be using your own Sun Pass to avoid having them double bill you. If that happens you will have to send them copies of the toll records from your Sun Pass account proving you paid. We have a transponder, lent it to our son to put in the car he rented while he was here. He either forgot to tell them or the person at the rental car company forgot to take care of it. We had to deal with that and it isn't a big deal to take care of if it happens.

Other people have posted that they just bought the sticker and used it on different cars. I'm guessing they mounted the sticker on something that they could put out on the dash of their cars. The stickers are only like $5 and you get a $5 credit on your Sun Pass account when you register the sticker. You just have to remember to go into your Sun Pass account online, whether it's a sticker or a transponder, and change the license plate number of the vehicle you are using it with. And if you are using it with a rental car you would want to do that after turning the car back in to avoid any confusion of being charged with someone else's tolls when car is rented next. That has happened from what other people have posted but we've never had it happen to us.

SunPass is Florida’s Prepaid Toll Program. Many toll roads in Florida are converting to all-electronic, no cash tolling. Driving Florida’s toll roads with a SunPass Transponder means no hassle no matter what toll road you drive.

The Benefits of Being a SunPass Customer

• Customers will always pay the lowest toll amount
• Works on all Florida toll roads (including Florida Express Lanes) and most bridges
• Also works in Georgia and North Carolina with more states coming soon
• Pay for parking at most major airports in Florida and the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, with more coming soon
• Access and manage your account on the free mobile applications for iOS and Android

 

[rhonda]

We stayed there over New Years with a rental car from the airport. We did not use either Toll Roads or I-4. Stuck to surface streets using phone-based GPS instructions for Publix (quite nearby!), Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom. Easy-breezy. Consider reviewing maps tracing Reunion's edge on Old Lake Wilson Rd to 192 to Disney's World Drive.

 

[breezez]

This is a great place... Rooms are spacious and nice. This is my favorite place to score on RCI Points under 10K points.

A bit pricey but the do have a really good breakfast buffet also. I think adults are like $25

You will have a Publix within half mile to entrance of resort.

 

[kjsgrammy]

Thanks for the replies! I'm going to confirm the "hold" today of the unit. If we didn't have another person going with us, I'd have snagged the one bedroom unit at Saratoga Springs at Disney this morning, but I wasn't going to ask my friend to sleep on a fold out couch in that unit (did that with my grown daughter one time and neither of us liked the fact that she didn't have any privacy and also the fold out couch is very uncomfortable she advised). Anyway, the 3 bed/3 bath unit at Reunion is less expensive in the long run as we don't have to pay parking fees (Disney now has those at their resorts) as well as the extra "Disney Fee" of $190 per RCI exchange.
Also going to pick up a Sun Pass as we also have a timeshare in Cocoa Beach that we go to at least once a year, usually twice, that requires us to go thru quite a few toll booths to get to.

 

[Jan M.]

Thanks for the replies! I'm going to confirm the "hold" today of the unit. If we didn't have another person going with us, I'd have snagged the one bedroom unit at Saratoga Springs at Disney this morning, but I wasn't going to ask my friend to sleep on a fold out couch in that unit (did that with my grown daughter one time and neither of us liked the fact that she didn't have any privacy and also the fold out couch is very uncomfortable she advised). Anyway, the 3 bed/3 bath unit at Reunion is less expensive in the long run as we don't have to pay parking fees (Disney now has those at their resorts) as well as the extra "Disney Fee" of $190 per RCI exchange.
Also going to pick up a Sun Pass as we also have a timeshare in Cocoa Beach that we go to at least once a year, usually twice, that requires us to go thru quite a few toll booths to get to.

Keep your eyes open for a two bedroom at Wyndham Bonnet Creek. If it isn't there now it should be back. That resort is really close to the Disney Parks. However Reunion will be closer to restaurants, a Publix and Walmart.

 

[kjsgrammy]

Keep your eyes open for a two bedroom at Wyndham Bonnet Creek. If it isn't there now it should be back. That resort is really close to the Disney Parks. However Reunion will be closer to restaurants, a Publix and Walmart.

They (Bonnet Creek) has "resort fees", whereas Reunion does not. Have stayed at Bonnet Creek before and it is really nice. I think I also read that the main pool/lazy river is closed for maintenance during the time we booked. We now have 4 people going on this trip, so the 3 bed unit at Reunion will work out better for us.

 

[Lisa P]

They (Bonnet Creek) has "resort fees", whereas Reunion does not. Have stayed at Bonnet Creek before and it is really nice. I think I also read that the main pool/lazy river is closed for maintenance during the time we booked. We now have 4 people going on this trip, so the 3 bed unit at Reunion will work out better for us.

At WBC, besides the main pool/lazy river, there is another lazy river among the other pool areas at the resort. There "may" be a housekeeping fee, only for RCI points exchanges - is yours an RCI Points exchange? Otherwise, I'm not aware of a mandatory "resort fee" at any Orlando area Wyndham or WorldMark resorts at this time, like the DVC and HGVC resorts are charging.

Sound like the Reunion resort will work well for your group. Have a great time!

 

[Colt Seavers]

If you don't have a Sun Pass you should get one.

I am curious as to the need for a SunPass, mainly after seeing so many people conned into the full plan on their rental cars when I can tell they will not need it. Over our two trips to Orlando and Disney we paid a total of 1 toll, and that was because we were in a hurry getting out of the airport and the 15 minutes were worth more than the $2.50 for us. The rental companies of course won't explain any details of the toll system but I hope someone can elaborate on when the toll pass would really be a necessity rather than just a convenience.

 

[Jan M.]

I am curious as to the need for a SunPass, mainly after seeing so many people conned into the full plan on their rental cars when I can tell they will not need it. Over our two trips to Orlando and Disney we paid a total of 1 toll, and that was because we were in a hurry getting out of the airport and the 15 minutes were worth more than the $2.50 for us. The rental companies of course won't explain any details of the toll system but I hope someone can elaborate on when the toll pass would really be a necessity rather than just a convenience.

Many of the Florida roads that charge tolls are going cash less and you will be billed by the license plate. Rental car companies charge you more so it saves you money to have your own sticker or transponder. If all you are doing is going from the airport to your timeshare and to the Parks you probably aren't going to be on many toll roads. But if you are driving to Florida or going other places in Florida it will definitely be a challenge to avoid toll roads.

 

[Jan M.]

There "may" be a housekeeping fee, only for RCI points exchanges

I always book a full week with RCI stays and we've never been charged a housekeeping fee. Stays for less than a week do pay the housekeeping fee and it is based on the number of nights you book.

The RCI website seems to have improved in the last year or so. When you click on fees the information is a lot more up to date than it used to be. I know if you book a stay at one of the Disney resorts there is a mandatory $190 fee for the week you pay at check in. Vacation Village at Parkway has a fee of $25 for the week but if you have kids it is well worth it. Free face painting daily I believe, free sno-cones 3 days of the week, the shuttle to the Parks is free. And their shuttle schedule isn't as restrictive as Bonnet Creek's. One of the Orlando resorts I looked at not too long ago has a daily fee that I thought was excessive, Polynesian Isles maybe?

 

[Armada]

There is a better alternative to obtaining a Sunpass. Take a look at the NC Quick Pass https://www.ncquickpass.com/Pages/default.aspx . If you obtain the NC Quick Pass E-ZPass or E-ZPass Flex transponder, it is good for 18 eastern states including Florida. Below is a map of the states where it is accepted.

For those that are interested, Vermont, Michigan, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Kentucky and Mississippi have no toll roads. South Carolina's only toll roads are one expressway on Hilton Head and a small part of I-85 near Greenville. Alabama has its own electronic tolling system.

 

[Armada]

 

[montygz]

They (Bonnet Creek) has "resort fees", whereas Reunion does not. Have stayed at Bonnet Creek before and it is really nice. I think I also read that the main pool/lazy river is closed for maintenance during the time we booked. We now have 4 people going on this trip, so the 3 bed unit at Reunion will work out better for us.

Wyndham Bonnet Creek, the timeshare, has no resort fees. You do have to pay for the shuttle bus to the parks if you want it and you have to pay for some optional activities. The Wyndham Grand Hotel, which is park of the complex, has resort fees.