6-Hour Timeshare Limbo.

[AwayWeGo]

( Note: 6-hour Limbo is not a dance. )​

We had a great time this year, as usual, at Orlando & Kissimmee timeshares, although the covid-19 public health situation made us delay our planned January Florida trip till the end of February & the beginning of March.

We stayed in Florida 2 weeks plus part of a 3rd, but it was at at 2 different timeshare resorts plus 1 hotel -- meaning we had to fill 6-hour gaps between 10AM check-out & 4PM check-in on the Saturday when our 1st timeshare week ended & our 2nd timeshare week started, & again before check-in at our hotel after 10AM check-out from our 2nd timeshare week.

The problem was not so much what to do with the people as what to do with our stuff.

One Saturday we took the kids to see a new Disney-Pixar movie at Disney Springs (formerly Downtown Disney). After the show, we picked up a big bag of McDonald's chicken nuggets & French fries & had a poolside picnic at the timeshare resort where we were about to check in for our 2nd timeshare week. After lunch, the front desk let us check in even though our unit was not ready yet. The kids changed into their swimsuits in the pool restroom & enjoyed the pool all afternoon. By the time they were ready to dry off & change clothes, our units were ready & we had picked up our key cards.

Main problem was jamming all our stuff, plus 4 kids, plus the kids' stuff, into our compact station wagon. (We managed, but it was tight.)

Another problem was keeping refrigerated stuff from overheating & preventing frozen stuff from thawing.

We handled that by consuming all the frozen stuff before packing up & checking out. (Ice cream for breakfast is underrated.)

We didn't think of it till our 2nd timeshare week, but we made our own freeze-packs for keeping refrigerated stuff chilled by filling empty 2-liter soda bottles with water & freezing those solid in the freezer section of the timeshare fridge.

The simplest & easiest solution to the problem of the 6-hour gap would be staying 2 or 3 weeks in the same unit at the same timeshare resort (i.e., eliminating the need to check out & check in again). We've been able to do that in the past, sometimes, but arranging it is tricky because we usually limit ourselves to Last Call & Bonus Week reservation possibilities rather than using the full calendar of straight-points full-freight reservations.

PS: Semi-detailed accounts of our March 2021 Kissimmee FL timeshare stays (Vacation Villas at FantasyWorld & Vacation Village At Parkway) are now shown in the TUG Resort Reviews section.

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

 

[rickandcindy23]

Yep, you do what you gotta do to use up those six hours and keep the cold stuff cold. Rick likes an overlap day, but sometimes it doesn't work.

 

[dioxide45]

Main problem was jamming all our stuff, plus 4 kids, plus the kids' stuff, into our compact station wagon. (We managed, but it was tight.)

People still drive station wagons?

 

[melissy123]

I’ve had a hard time moving from one unit to another at the same resort. Even with an overlap day. And that’s without kids.
to the OP: great job in not having any mayhem committed.

 

[AwayWeGo]

People still drive station wagons?

The car industry got people driving station wagons again by renaming them SUVs.

Brilliant.

Full Disclosure: Our compact station wagon is a 2012 Toyota Prius V. I don't know whether the company calls it a station wagon, but it's a station wagon.

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

 

[geist1223]

We have found that many timeshares have Rooms in which you can store stuff. Some even have spare Frigs. When we have had to change Rooms at the same Resort they have had us pack our suitcases/Bags and leave near the door. As for Kitchen stuff they have had us pack our dry and non-cold stuff but leave the stuff in the Frig/Freezer. Then they move it for us during the cleaning. So when we get back in the Evening all our stuff was waiting for us in our new Unit.

Now this was all precovid.

 

[Talent312]

We drove ~three of the 6-hour gap between two TS's.
We filled the extra time with stops to sightsee & dine.
We put leftovers in a cooler refilled with ice at a Walmart.
.

 

[TheHolleys87]

We’re spoiled! The Disney resorts (DVC as well as non-DVC) have bell services that will store luggage and also refrigerate and freeze items that need it. And the Disney resorts also allow use of the pools and associated shower facilities all day on checkin and checkout days. I think other resorts do too - at least I think I remember Silver Lake and WBC telling us we could use the pool when we checked in before our room was ready.

 

[vacationtime1]

We’re spoiled! The Disney resorts (DVC as well as non-DVC) have bell services that will store luggage and also refrigerate and freeze items that need it. And the Disney resorts also allow use of the pools and associated shower facilities all day on checkin and checkout days. I think other resorts do too - at least I think I remember Silver Lake and WBC telling us we could use the pool when we checked in before our room was ready.

Ditto Westin. Or at least WKORV.

 

[tschwa2]

Hotel limbo is so much better than timeshare limbo. Hotels have check out times of 11 or 12 and are much more liberal at allowing late check outs and are more likely to allow early check ins if at all possible.

 

[escanoe]

In January (low demand season) when staying two week at Massanutten with the first week at Regal Vistas and the second at Woodstone it was a pleasant surprise when they let us move into our second unit at checkout time for the first unit. I realize I will usually not be so lucky.

 

[tschwa2]

In January (low demand season) when staying two week at Massanutten with the first week at Regal Vistas and the second at Woodstone it was a pleasant surprise when they let us move into our second unit at checkout time for the first unit. I realize I will usually not be so lucky.

Even in the summer in Massanutten, when changing between sections instead of the possible 7 hr (10am to 5pm) they reduce it down to 3-4 hrs.

 

[Synergy]

The car industry got people driving station wagons again by renaming them SUVs.

Brilliant.

Full Disclosure: Our compact station wagon is a 2012 Toyota Prius V. I don't know whether the company calls it a station wagon, but it's a station wagon.

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

I also drive a 2012 Prius V. I don't think there's a better MPG : cubic foot of useful cargo space available. When she gives up the ghost I'll have to buy whatever the last year they made them was.

We deal with a similar issue to OP when we stay not-quite-locally. We don't want to buy things just for the trip when we have them at home, or throw things away before coming back, so we just bring a cooler and use similarly home-crafted ice bricks. The cooler frequently comes in handy on the trip, and an inexpensive getaway stays inexpensive.

 

[echino]

We checked out after Christmas week at the Westin Resort and Spa Cancun at 10 am and moved over to spend the New Year's week at Westin Lagunamar, expecting to wait until 4 pm check in, but we were given the room right away, at about 10:30 am!

 

[Sugarcubesea]

I’m so excited this December I will have two glorious weeks in Naples, at Vanderbilt Beach and Harbor Club in the same unit. I’m so looking forward to relaxing and enjoying the unit

 

[Dori]

Several years ago, we stayed at a Kissimmee timeshare with our daughter and 18 month old granddaughter. On checkout day, the baby developed a high fever and was obviously not well. I approached the front desk and asked if we could extend our checkout by a few hours, as we were moving to another resort the same day. They would not/could not grant our request. When we arrived at the next resort, about a half hour drive away, I explained our situation to the front desk. They immediately brought out the manager, who told the lady at the desk to find us a unit of the same size we had booked. ASAP! Within 10 minutes, we were in our 2-bedroom unit! The next morning, they called to inquire how the baby was feeling. We were so grateful!

I did talk to the manager of the first resort a few days later. He was appalled that his staff could not do something for us. When we returned home from our vacation, there was a lovely apology letter from him, along with a $50 restaurant gift card.

Dori

 

[geist1223]

How did y'll fit in one T-SHIRT. It must have been snug. Don't you love autocorrect?

 

[dioxide45]

How did y'll fit in one T-SHIRT. It must have been snug. Don't you love autocorrect?

I can't even figure out what that words is supposed to be.

 

[tschwa2]

How did y'll fit in one T-SHIRT. It must have been snug. Don't you love autocorrect?

Timeshare maybe it was T-share

 

[Dori]

Thanks for spotting this! Autocorrect sure does change the message!

Dori

 

[PcflEZFlng]

I can't even figure out what that words is supposed to be.

It's a new hotel chain with different experiences. T-SHIRT is their budget brand (2-star). Their upscale 4- and 5-star properties are known as TUXEDO.

 

[chapjim]

It's a new hotel chain with different experiences. T-SHIRT is their budget brand (2-star). Their upscale 4- and 5-star properties are known as TUXEDO.

Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner!

 

[Miss Marty]

Alan how was your trip to and from Orlando Florida in your 2012 Toyota Prius V
Where did you stop and spend the night (I-95) Was everything open and clean?

 

[AwayWeGo]

Alan how was your trip to and from Orlando Florida in your 2012 Toyota Prius V
Where did you stop and spend the night (I-95) Was everything open and clean?

We left on a Friday morning, stayed overnight in Jacksonville FL, drove Saturday morning to Rockledge FL to pickup 2 granddaughters + 2 neighborhood friends (1 each), then drove to Kissimmee FL with the kids to check in at FantasyWorld Saturday afternoon.

Everything that we went to was open (also clean), although the kids' favorite McDonald's (with play place on site) was operating for drive-through & carry-out only.

People mostly wore face masks in public, either because it's still required or maybe just to be courteous, I don't know.

When we were ready to go home after 2 timeshare weeks & 3 hotel nights, we checked out & hit the road early -- about 5AM. We drove straight through with minimal stops, & got home about 8PM -- no problems with the car, no trouble with the traffic.

By now we are too old to keep driving straight-through to Florida, but our experience this year showed we can still do it. One reason we drove was to transport a carload of heavy stuff to our son & daughter-in-law in Florida. Another was reluctance to subject ourselves to close quarters with a crowd of strangers on an airliner (even though The Chief Of Staff & I both completed Dose 1 & Dose 2 of the Moderna vaccine 2 weeks before our trip).

We expect to keep taking 2-3 Florida winter timeshare weeks for the next few years at least. But at our advanced age we're taking nothing for granted -- health, eyesight, physical-mental abilities, etc. That's just being realistic. Old age is a gift that comes with no guarantees. We're grateful for it for however long we have it.

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

 

[chapjim]

We left on a Friday morning, stayed overnight in Jacksonville FL, drove Saturday morning to Rockledge FL to pickup 2 granddaughters + 2 neighborhood friends (1 each), then drove to Kissimmee FL with the kids to check in at FantasyWorld Saturday afternoon.

Everything that we went to was open (also clean), although the kids' favorite McDonald's (with play place on site) was operating for drive-through & carry-out only.

People mostly wore face masks in public, either because it's still required or maybe just to be courteous, I don't know.

When we were ready to go home after 2 timeshare weeks & 3 hotel nights, we checked out & hit the road early -- about 5AM. We drove straight through with minimal stops, & got home about 8PM -- no problems with the car, no trouble with the traffic.

By now we are too old to keep driving straight-through to Florida, but our experience this year showed we can still do it. One reason we drove was to transport a carload of heavy stuff to our son & daughter-in-law in Florida. Another was reluctance to subject ourselves to close quarters with a crowd of strangers on an airliner (even though The Chief Of Staff & I both completed Dose 1 & Dose 2 of the Moderna vaccine 2 weeks before our trip).

We expect to keep taking 2-3 Florida winter timeshare weeks for the next few years at least. But at our advanced age we're taking nothing for granted -- health, eyesight, physical-mental abilities, etc. That's just being realistic. Old age is a gift that comes with no guarantees. We're grateful for it for however long we have it.

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

Alan,

I'm sure you're aware of some alternatives to driving straight through to Florida, namely the AutoTrain and, since we are Wyndham owners, Wyndham Lake Marion in Santee, SC.

My wife doesn't like the train because of the side-to-side motion. I like it because if you nod off on the train, you don't end up in a field. We carry way too much stuff to fly plus I'd rather drive my own car instead of something I don't know how it reacts and don't know where the switches and knobs are.

We seem to be chemically incapable of leaving home in the morning so driving straight through southbound isn't a good option. I don't mind driving for thirteen hours but not when the last six hours are after dark. We can usually make the 2:30 PM show time at the train station in Lorton although we did miss it once. (I did drive straight through after we missed the train because we were all packed and could leave earlier than usual.)

Since check-out is 10 AM in most resorts, I can get home same day.

We have found Wyndham Lake Marion to be a good stop although a hotel there or in Florence would do the same thing. It's maybe 7½ hours from Fairfax County, about as close to halfway as you can get. Only problem is they have a two night minimum, but an off day in between days of driving isn't a bad thing.

I've also found that getting to the Panhandle (Destin or PCB) via Santee is quicker than going through Eastern Tennessee. It's longer but quicker because there's way more interstate than going through Tennessee.