April 2017 Florida Timeshare Recommendations

[pnjsmom]

Hi all. I am planning a trip from NY to Florida in April 2017. We will be driving, so I am trying to keep distance at around 18 hours- bring me to Orlando area.
I am looking for a resort that has amenities for my children ages 13, 11, 6. We may do a day or 2 at the parks, but I would really like a resort that we can spend time in. A lazy river, water slide, poolside activities would be great!
Any suggestions to add to my list:
Bonnet Creek
Orange Lake
Cocoa Beach (I think this is a Holiday Inn resort)

Thanks for your help!
Ali

 

[tschwa2]

Are you looking for the week before or after Easter and are you looking to exchange through RCI or are you looking to rent?

There are several Marriott's that would fit the bill but they exchange through II.

 

[pnjsmom]

I have 28 points left in my bank in RCI. I would like to use those. In the past we have stayed at Marriots and have been very happy. I can use my 2018 points for trading into II as well.
I am looking to check in the weekend of 4/7 (I believe this is the week before Easter)

 

[tschwa2]

I don't think that will be enough for the resorts you are looking at. A while back I looked at the Hilton bulk bank and other weeks in April were in the mid to upper 20's but the week before and after Easter were in the upper 30's-mid 40's. Because the tpu's are so high there may be some more deposits.

Through II, you would want to start an OGS asap. I grabbed a 3 br M Grande Vista for that week right at the 12 month mark using a Marriott one bedroom. I see very few 2 br units for that week at this point, mostly 1 br's and studios.

Currently all of the 2 br's for that week at the Sheratons and Orange Lake are in the low 40's. To keep it to 28 or under you may have to go down to 3rd tier resorts.

 

[pnjsmom]

Thank you for the information. My mother has points available through II. I was thinking about putting a request in at Lakeshore for a 2 bedroom at that time. Do you know the point value? Is this on the same property as Great Lakes?

 

[tschwa2]

Lakeshore Reserves is probably the hardest Marriott to book. Without Marriott preference (using a Marriott to request the trade) for Easter I don't think you will have much luck. As I said it is a little late to be requesting any of the top 3-4 Marriott Orlando 2 br units but I certainly wouldn't limit it to that single property. The number of points would depend on what type of points she is using with Interval. There are club interval gold, Hyatt, Worldmark, DRI and others and they each use different number of points. Usually there is a grid. Easter week is going to have a 140 or 150 tdi so it is going to take the most points that a 2 br in the II system requires. She would want to put in the request asap and include as many resorts as possible to give you the best chance.

 

[Dean]

Hi all. I am planning a trip from NY to Florida in April 2017. We will be driving, so I am trying to keep distance at around 18 hours- bring me to Orlando area.
I am looking for a resort that has amenities for my children ages 13, 11, 6. We may do a day or 2 at the parks, but I would really like a resort that we can spend time in. A lazy river, water slide, poolside activities would be great!
Any suggestions to add to my list:
Bonnet Creek
Orange Lake
Cocoa Beach (I think this is a Holiday Inn resort)

Thanks for your help!
Ali

There are a number I'd add and I'd likely take HI Orange Lake off my top tier, IMO it's a second tier resort. And since you have both II and RCI options, I'll ignore which are in each and both other than to say that the Marriott's that are in RCI don't list the word Marriott in their title. I don't know the Cocoa Beach or Tampa area resorts well enough to speak to those in this situation but none of the Daytona resorts meet this bill that I am aware of. Some in RCI will be way over the value you currently have but at least you'll have the info.

• Marriott's (Harbour Lake, Grande Vista and Cypress Harbour (CH is also in RCI). I would say no to Lakeshore with this group and stated plan. It's a smaller resort and not overly Kid friendly comparatively speaking.
• DVC resorts though it's dramatically unlikely one will get anything here because they are not currently depositing 2 BR routinely and may not be depositing any.
• The Fountains (Bluegreen). Oasis Lakes at the Fountains is the same resort but separate code.
• The Hilton resorts including Parc Soleil
• WBC which you have listed.
• Vistana Villages from a quality standpoint though I am unsure the extent of their pool amenities.

There are quite a few resorts worth staying at but lower than the ones I listed IMO. If you list the ones above you really should get something. If not, you can always add to your list later to improve your chances of matching.

• Orange Lake, esp River Island (RI is the one one I'd think about for tier 1)
• Vistana, esp the Fountains section and I might even put this section in the first tier but not the entire resort.
• Liki Tiki
• Summer Bay (might put the Reserve at SB & the Houses at SB in tier 1).
• Vacation Villages at Parkway.
• Marriott's on World Center Property, 2 are in RCI as well.
• Silver Lakes
• maybe Westgate lakes, esp if you needed more than a 2 BR.

I wouldn't personally list any of the other Westgate properties but some might. Some of these are listed with both RCI & II. There are a few that I simply don't know enough to say. There is one alternate lifestyle resort if that's important to you. Make sure you list all codes where there are more than 1.

For me personally with this group it'd be the Fountains, Marriott's CH/GV as my top choices for the stated plan. If the kids were younger I'd probably put Harbour Lakes at the top.

 

[BocaBoy]

If you are looking at Marriott resorts, you should not overlook the three Palms resorts on the Marriott World Center property. Sabal Palms has the best location of any Orlando Marriott and Imperial Palms is all 3BR units. None are lockoffs.

 

[staceyeileen]

I think Wyndham Reunion would fit the bill as well, although I have no idea how many points it'd be in RCI. All 3BR units with water park access included.

 

[brownhaired_girl]

I think Wyndham Reunion would fit the bill as well, although I have no idea how many points it'd be in RCI. All 3BR units with water park access included.[/QUOTE

I went to the Sightings board and searched Reunion. I wasn't able to see any April units in the search for the last 2 years, but it was surprising how few tpu it was for the quality of the units. I would definitely put it on the list if I was doing an ongoing search.

 

[chapjim]

Sent you a PM.