Trying to wrap my head around recent experience with density at a couple resorts

[silentg]

When our kids were babies, we went to Vermont in the summer 4th of July. When they were elementary school we took vacations around school schedules. We went to Boone, NC one year, not crowded in summer nice resort Willow Tree. Another year we went to The Poconos not too crowded either. We stayed at our home resort half the time. We didn’t have a lot of timeshares (only one) for many years. Then we bought South Africa and traded for New England Cape Cod etc. Now the kids are grown and just us two go to our 5 timeshare weeks. We stay at most and exchange too. We have gone shoulder seasons as well as During Thanksgiving or New Years. Much easier to travel now that we are flexible and not on school schedule, just have to adjust for DH work schedule!
Silentg

 

[heathpack]

Our travel times are driven by weather patterns, not the school calendar. When planning for 4-8 weeks during the winter there's just no way to avoid the overlap with several peak weeks. We've tried Aruba, St. Kitts and St. Thomas. For different reasons, be it air travel or the island itself, these don't appeal to us.

Got to find a way to share the warmth and avoid the chaos.

Ah, I did not realize that you were looking at 4-8 weeks of travel. That makes it harder for sure.

It’s also just a different perspective when you live in SoCal. You pay attention to season when making travel plans but you never really need to escape weather. We used to live in Maine, though, so I get it.

 

[Quilter]

The question I feel needs to be asked, is "Are you surprised?"
Dave

Oddly enough I was surprised. We’ve been going to OP for 18 years. This year struck me as the busiest we’ve seen.

18 years ago we began our OP stays during school breaks (president’s week). My daughter would prefer finding a lounge by the more crowded Sailfish pool while we frequented the Cobia pool. This year there was no noticeable difference between the pools. Maybe because the Sailfish pool was closed a couple times to be shocked.

When you think how the ages of owners have changed in 18 years it makes sense. The toddlers of 1999 are now 19-22. The 8 yos. of 1999 are bringing babies of their own. Parents of 2 children in 1999 May now be hosting 2 families of 4+.

 

[sea&ski]

quoting Quilter: "When you think how the ages of owners have changed in 18 years it makes sense. The toddlers of 1999 are now 19-22. The 8 yos. of 1999 are bringing babies of their own. Parents of 2 children in 1999 May now be hosting 2 families of 4+."

Gee this really puts it into perspective. If many of us purchased at our resorts when they were first available, we fall into this metric. We all bought because we were young families and wanted to travel comfortably. Now our young families have young families, or at least significant others, of their own - making timeshare family trees which still fit into the unit, but occupy more ground at the amenities. The last few years I noticed large family groups around the pools at NCV and I have asked (politely, and if it comes up) about their relationship to the timeshare. 9 out of 10 have a grandparent or parent who owns at the resort.

 

[Steve Fatula]

The question I feel needs to be asked, is "Are you surprised?" If you own at a nice, large (mega?) resort, and every unit is filled, the resort is going to be (mega?) crowded. All those people, regardless of personal space bubble, have to be somewhere. If they're on property, the pools and recreational areas are naturally going to fill up with all those people who are trying to enjoy the same vacation you are. If the best time for you to vacation coincides with times kids are out of school, and families are traveling, you have no choice but to deal with crowds. It's all about the math, and I don't know of anything to change that.

Dave

This is not the case at all full resorts. Desert Springs is quiet, and mostly seems non full (though it is) many times during red season, esp in Feb. 99% of the travelers are seniors or so. So, while it may be full, it seems somewhat half full or even empty at times. That's one reason we love it so much. We've gone there for 20 years now during February,and some of January, and it's never felt different during late winter at least. Nor does most of the area feel super crowded, depending on the event I suppose, always an event that is crowded somewhere in the area. It's a great option for a red season that is not like the summer beach resorts. The weather is great. One time in 20 years it was "cold, I think it was in the 40's one day out of 200 or so days we've spent there. Mostly 65-80 in Feb Or, like this year, some 90 degree days but rarely.

 

[heathpack]

Interesting article that I came across today on this exact subject.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/trav...family-travel-crowded-destinations/516528002/

 

[jimf41]

Oddly enough I was surprised. We’ve been going to OP for 18 years. This year struck me as the busiest we’ve seen.

I think this year was an anomaly because of the hurricane activity in the gulf and especially the Caribbean. There were an awful lot of resorts that were temporarily out of service that forced people to go to places other than what they had planned. I would expect more of the same next year until the Caribbean is fully back online.

 

[alwysonvac]

Families will travel when the kids are out of school so avoid staying during those peak times:

• Presidents' week in February
• Mid March through Late April ("Spring Break") especially the week before and after Easter
• Memorial Day weekend
• Mid June through Labor Day
• Thanksgiving Day and weekend
• Christmas week through New Year's Day

When we’re not traveling with nieces and nephews, we like late April thru early June and September thru November (of course avoiding the holiday dates).
Less crowds = cheaper airfare & rental car rates.

 

[Quilter]

I think this year was an anomaly because of the hurricane activity in the gulf and especially the Caribbean. There were an awful lot of resorts that were temporarily out of service that forced people to go to places other than what they had planned. I would expect more of the same next year until the Caribbean is fully back online.

We have a lineup of reservations for next winter. None of us know how online any of the islands or beach coasts will be until we see the damage from 2018 hurricane season.