celbrity resorts kissimmee

[pstam]

Hi

Just bought into resort, unit 624 week 35. Could other owner give me your HONEST opinions about the pro's/con's of this resort---finding not many have "visited" since celebrity took over----who was previous management company??? What have you found with Celebrity at the helm???
Any "non-marketing" pic available on the web????

Thanks
Pat

 

[rickandcindy23]

I think Celebrity is out of there soon.

We stayed there last year and heard that Celebrity was out of there.

The resort is very nice, thanks to all of the owners that came up with their hard-earned dollars and paid huge assessments to get the resort back in top condition.

Our first Orlando stay in 1991 was at this resort, so we were pleased to see that the owners updated before our next stay of last February, a year ago. Nice job. Nice bed and whirlpool bathtub. Good kitchen too. Clean unit.

 

[EileenSRN]

Orlando Spas

Pat,
We visited the resort in July 2005 and stopped in briefly yesterday, since we're down. The unit I own, a 3 bedroom l/o 656/16, was already refurbished and looks beautiful. Very nice counter tops, all new furniture, some new appliances - but they will be replacing them soon. Outside still need help. We had occasion to visit the Corporate office because of a problem with our Celebrity Plus program. We spoke to Jeff Ingram, Director of Member Services/Rental Program. He says there are 48 units at the Spas left to refurbish. The exterior will be started shortly. He suggested we visit the Lake Buena Vista property to see what the exteriors will be like. He talked frankly about how the properties went down hill under Leisure Resorts. It started as Preferred Equities under the name Ramada Vacation Suites, then Leisure took it over and, IMHO, sucked all the $ out and ran. He said Jared Meyers (Pres/CEO) and his brother (CFO/Opperations) are comitted to bringing the resorts back up to par. They have purchased a few other resorts to add to their portfolio. Their new website is scheduled to debut in March. They plan to have the ability for owners to reserve on line, but are having software conflict problems. Their rental program at the Spas is on hold until all the units are finished. A word about internal exchanges: When I called to do an internal exchange of my Easter week for a summer Waikiki week, the reservations person said that I couldn't do that. She said that there are no internal exchanges during the summer for the Orlando, Waikiki and Brigantine Beach properties. Now, I happen to own a Summer Brigantine Beach as well as the Orlando unit. That was one reason we went to see Corporate. We spent the extra $ on Celebrity Plus so we'd have a little edge on getting a trade into Waikiki. What Jeff said is that it is a very difficuly trade. Very little Developer's units (in HI) and not many people bank their weeks in those 3 places. We must be in the minority, since we've never stayed at Brigantine during our fixed week. That LgStudio sleeps 4 got me the 3 bedroom L/O at HGVC that I'm sitting in now. If Orlando trades as well, I'll be in Heaven! Who knows about the future? I got the impression they were in for the long haul....but their job is to inspire confidence. I'd love to hear from other owners who HAVE stayed in the last year.
Eileen

 

[Judy]

Pat,
We're original owners at Resort World of Orlando since 1984, now known as Celebrity Resorts Orlando. The Resort was to have been turned over to an owner controlled HOA as soon as enough units had been sold, but that never happened. Instead, the developer kept adding on more resorts, the Spas, the Villas, Lake Buena Vista, Star Island. Several years ago Clarion Suites took over the management. Then Star Island was seperated from the other resorts and the management taken over by Celebrity. All of this happened without any input from the owners.
In all of my years as an owner there, I have never before heard anything about Ramada Vacation Suites or Leisure Resorts managing the Orlando properties. It could be that Jeff Ingram was referring to other Celebrity Resorts.
Since Celebrity took over the Orlando resorts, they've made some changes, again without any input from the owners. They require MF to be paid before depositing. They decided on a refurbishment with large special assessments to the owners. They made a policy that if the owners didn't inform them in advance that they would be using their units, the weeks would automatically be placed into Celebrity's exchange program. I haven't had much success in getting Celebrity management to answer my questions. IMHO their customer service and communication needs improvement.
It seems to me that instead of customer service, they've been focusing on two things to make money for themselves: 1. Selling their Celebrity Plus exchange program; 2. Selling RCI Points.

 

[AwayWeGo]

No Tour Included With Sales Presentation.

No need to read too much into it, but when were there in January 2006 on a sales presentation (maily for the freebies), they didn't even show us the resort -- not the pool, not the amenities, not even a timeshare condo unit. Nothing.

They just talked to us right there in the upstairs sales room about the benefits of their (RCI) points system, & tantalized us by repeatedly upping the number of free cruises they would throw in if we bought.

I actually would have liked seeing their model units, but the sales presentation took so long that I was ready to cash out at the freebies window without stringing out the experience any longer than it already had gone. So I didn't even ask.

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

 

[pstam]

Tell me more? Whose taking over?
Can you describe resort for me- bought sight unseen

Thanks
Pat

 

[EileenSRN]

Resort confusion

Judy,
You're so right. I had my Resorts mixed up. Ramada did have one in Orlando on Westwood? Vineland? My Brigantine was a Ramada/Leisure/Celebrity. I heartily agree that they have a communications problem. My husband had called "up the chain" about the problem we were having. He was bound to see the Pres while down here. We didn't know where the Corporate office was, so went to the Spas to ask where Jarred Meyers office was. The 2 girls at the desk asked if he was an owner! Not a good sign. Have you tried talking to Jeff about your concerns? Sounds like there's a lot wrong there. Wow, to be able to bank before paying MF's? We own with 2 other programs and have to pay before banking, so I never thought twice about that. I had to bank my week this year, and was surprised that II gave me an AC for it.
Pat - Have you looked at Celebrityresorts.com? They have the floor plan on the website. Which section did you buy into? If we have time, I can see about going back over and taking some pictures - at least in the Spas sction. I am sorry about the confusion I caused.
Eilen

 

[Judy]

Judy,
Have you tried talking to Jeff about your concerns? Sounds like there's a lot wrong there.

No, I gave up in frustration. Decided just to wait and see how everything shakes out. We live an hour and a half from Orlando now, so we no longer need to stay at the resort. As long as I can keep getting good exchanges through II and DAE, I'll put up with Celebrity's nonsense. But if I had the skills to investigate them, (if I were an attorney) I might pursue my grievances further.