Should we buy a Timeshare from Marriott at Lakeshore Reserve?
If you love the whole Grande Lakes Resort in Orlando -- with its Ritz Carlton, JW Marriott, golf course, recreational facilities, and hotel restaurants -- and if you would like to vacation there year after year, then the answer could be
yes. Marriott's Lakeshore Reserve is arguably the most deluxe timeshare resort in the whole Orlando area. You can't buy anything that's quite like it as a resale. (Lakeshore Reserve itself is too new to be readily available as a resale.)
The distance to WDW is longer than from other Marriott timeshares in Orlando and, of course, much longer than from DVC resorts. But if WDW is only an occasional destination, then that's not a big deal.
However, if you would also be happy with other Orlando timeshare resorts, you would save a lot of money by buying a resale. The supply is huge, and, given the current economic situation, you should be able to negotiate a much lower price than buying at Lakeshore Reserve.
With a Marriott resale through a third party, you won't have the option to turn in your week for Marriott Rewards points. Most of us on this board think the financial math works out poorly when turning in a week for points -- and the points program can and does change.