Timeshare Vacations and confirmed exchanges

[JWC Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close JWC]

April 2010 - 1 week at Kona Coast Resort II and 1 week at Wyndham Waikiki Beachwalk
August 2010 - 1 week at HGVC West 57th Street - New York City

April 2011 - 1 week at Wyndham Waikiki Beachwalk.
June 2011 - 1 week at Hilton Club - New York City.

All exchanges were through SFX.

We also have done several non-timeshare vacations as usual.

We just got back from New York last night. We just love it there. We have stayed there 3 times in the last 4 years. In 2008 we stayed a week at the Manhattan Club plus 5 extra days at the upscale Michelangelo Hotel in mid-Manhattan. We will definitely be going back next year.

[bezerk Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close bezerk]

I love timesharing and am so happy I am traveling again...

Here are my plans for 2011 & 2012

Jan 2011..4 days Paradise Village Nuevo Vallarta ( owned) and I week Mayan Palace Puerto Vallarta Mexico

Feb 2011...2 weeks Velas Vallarta Puerto Vallarta ( own)

May 2011...I week Acapulco at Grand Mayan and i week Ixtapa at Pacifica Aqua ( one week was exchange Mayan and one week owned Pacifica)

July ...5 nights Paradise Village Nuevo Vallarta ( owned but a trade with II due to banked from illness) and 9 nights at Grand Velas in Nuevo Vallarta ( internal exchange with Velas Resorts)

Aug 2011...6 nights at Casa Velas Puerto Vallarta

Sept. 2011 ...2 weeks in Boston Mass.

October 2011...not confirmed but 1-2 weeks in Mazatlan Royal Villas ( owned)

Nov 2011....1 week at Bouganvillas ( exchange thru RCI), and not confirmed maybe 4 nights Casa Velas Puerto Vallarta

Jan 2012...I week Velas Vallarta ( owned) and ??? few days at Casa Velas Puerto Vallarta

Feb2012...Not confirmed but likely 1-2 weeks in Vallarta area ( owned units..Velas and Palace Resorts)

May 2012 I week Ixtapa Pacifica aqua ( owned ) and need to book 1 week Acapulco

Lots more planning to do for 2012....

[Larry Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Larry]

just added two more weeks. Not as exciting as some of our other exchanges but close to home with lots to do in both locations. Not sure if we will be staying for the entire week but since they are within driving distance of NY can come home at any time with no airline flights to deal with.

1)Week starting July 29th- Oak and Spruce Resort- Berkshires. MA. Always
wanted to visit this area for all of the cultural attractions like, Boston Pops
Symphany, Theater, Museums and visit several quaint New England towns.

Taking friends along who are not staying for the whole week so if my wife
needs to leave early she can ride back with them as she may need to get
back to work.

2) September 2 includes labor day weekend at Flagship resort Atlantic City. Hope to see some shows, gamble a little, walk the boardwalk and probably spend a day visiting Cape May.

Again if my wife can't stay entire week I can drive her home late Monday night and hopefully avoid labor day traffic. Stay home overnight and go back to AC on Tuesday morning for rest of week, unless I have lost all of my gambling money.

Looks like I'm done for planning any more 2011 vacations so here is what I have for 2012.

1) Two weeks in January 2012 at LaCabana plus I got two free nights at Hyatt Regency Aruba by getting a Chase Hyatt card last year for $75, I already saved about $50 in free foreign currency transaction fees during my trip to Israel and my room at the Hyatt has a rack rate of $450 per night. Best deal so far on any CC that I have gotten!!!!

2) Two weeks in April 2012 for annual family vacation for Spring break Passover/Easter weeks at Vacation Village at Weston.

3) Las Vegas at Planet Hollywood by Westgate for September starting on Friday before Labor Day. I will stay entire week not sure if wife can get time off past labor day from work.

4) Cancun for Thanksgiving week at Westin Langunmar resort.

5) Probably going to use our Playa Linda week 51 this year but will wait and see.

Retirement is a wonderful thing !!!!!!!!

[jlwquilter Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close jlwquilter]

I've liked reading all the different places everyone goes to and where they stay - it's great info to use for future planning!

For 2011:
March Spring Break: Orange Lake West Village, Orlando (RCI)
June:
Jamaican on the Gulf, Treasure Island, FL Gulf (RCI)
Silver Lake, Orlando (RCI) plus 2 extra days at beginning thru cheap TUG rental at Star Island. DH had to go back to work but DD and I hung out the whole time. Also invited a friend and her DD (girls are friends) to join us for a few days. Worked great.
July:
Glacier Wilderness Resort, Glacier National Park (RCI). Then drove to
Banff Gate Mountain Resort (RCI) for Canadian Rockies
September: Mondi Holiday Mitterfels. Booked 5 units thru RCI EVs. Work trip for DH (and his office). DD and I are tagging along. After all, I did all the bookings and saved the company big $$ over hotels for everyone. We are also staying a week in Lyon France on this trip and a day in Munich for Oktoberfest.
October: Galleon. Direct swap with an owner.
Thanksgiving: Umbrella Beach, Anna Maria Island, FL Gulf. Our own week.

We've gone to Orlando the past few years in December around DH's b-day but I don't think we'll do that this year as DD will already miss 2 weeks of school due to Europe trip.

2012 so far:
March Spring Break: Holiday Beach Resort, Destin FL (RCI Points)
June:
Connemara Cottages, Galway Ireland (RCI)
Barnsdale Country Club, south of Englad (1 hr. outside London by train) (RCI)
I hope to pick up a week in Dublin before the Galway exchange starts. Have ongoing search in. We will also stay with friends in the north of England (Newcastle) for a week and visit Scotland on day trips. DH will not be able to stay all of what will probably be a month total in GB.
October: Galleon one way or the other for DH. Have ongoing search in.
Thanksgiving: More than likely Umbrella Beach as we do usually use our week there.

2013:
July: Lake Condominimums at Big Sky (RCI). Trying to get a 2nd week for Yellowstone. REALLY need to get that ongoing search started!

Timesharing is great! LOVE IT! But it's not cheap taking all these vacations either.

[joycapecod Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close joycapecod]

August 2011 Sedona
October 2011 Orlando (Disney Food and Wine Festival)

March 2012 Morritt's Tortuga, Grand Cayman
May 2012 Orlando (son's B'day...he lives nearby)
June 2012 Tuscany and then a few days in Rome
September 2012 a few weeks in Greece at friend's apartment
October 2012 Orlando (Disney Food and Wine Festival)


That's it so far......

Joy

OK, some things changed. I didn't go to Ireland as planned, but I am going to Windjammer through Platinum.

March 2012 Morritt's Tortuga, Grand Cayman
May 2012 Orlando (son's B'day...he lives nearby)
Early June Santa Fe through Platinum
June 2012 Tuscany and then a few days in Rome and maybe on toi vistit family in Athens
July 2012 Cape Cod
August 2012 Cape Cod
September 2012 a few weeks in Greece at friend's apartment
October 2012 Orlando (Disney Food and Wine Festival)
November 2012 Windjammer Resort and Spa, St Lucia

I am unsure of what I am going to do for 2013, but will add on when and where. I do have a search on for Crane in Barbados for 2013.

I have a Venice week and Rome week for April 2013 in my RCI account, uncertain about either or both.

Joy

[Lisa P Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Lisa P]

2011-2013 Timeshare Vacationing

jlwquilter and Joy, I love your combinations of Florida weeks with European destinations. What fun trips you have planned! We really enjoy the closeness, variety and (usually) sunshine in Florida. Here are ours:

2011
----- Daytona Beach, FL in Winter - Wyndham OceanWalk, 2 2BRs, RCI week - w/daughter, sons, friends
----- Home in Spring - we didn't travel, needed time off for wedding planning and recovery
----- (DD & DSIL's honeymoon, 1BR RCI wks - Wyn Ocean Ridge II, Edisto Island, SC & Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas - loved both!)
----- Edisto Island, SC in Summer - Wyndham Ocean Ridge II, 2BR SkyAuction rental wk - w/sons, friends
----- New Bern, NC in Fall - Wyndham Harbour, Wyn pts, 4 nights - just us

2012
----- Daytona Beach, FL in Winter - Wyndham OceanWalk, 2BR RCI and 1BR Wyn pts weeks - w/sons, friends
----- N Myrtle Beach, SC in Spring - Wyndham Towers on the Grove, 3BR, Wyn pts week - w/sons, friends
----- Germany in Summer - Ferienclub Oberstaufen, 1BR RCI week, plus B&Bs in Munich and Rothenburg - 25th Anniversary
----- Still deciding on Fall short stay - Wyn pts - just us

2013
----- Kissimmee, FL in Winter - Holiday Inn VC East Village 3BR, Kissimmee, FL, RCI - w/sons, friends
----- Thinking about DVC in Spring - 1BR RCI - just us.

This is as far ahead as we can try to plan. We're hoping to have our house ready to sell and move locally in 2012 or 2013. Simpler vacations with family are the priority for our timeshares, for the most part. They do exactly what we want them to do... help us take restful breaks from our routine and busy scramble. I so look forward to each one!

[SoccerMom Member Find all posts View Profile Close SoccerMom]

I love reading about everyone's vacations. We've usually take one vacation a year, however, now that I bought a timeshare I hope to take three weeks next year. Still deciding where to go.

[autocatabolism Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close autocatabolism]

Any ideas on where I can go next?

I see that many of you really make good use of your timeshares. I wish I had more time to better use our time:

2010:
I don't remember anything prior to this...
November- Atlantic City NJ (Atlantic Palace)
December- Berkshires MA (Vacation Village)
2011:
June - Iguazu Falls Argentina (Pirayu Lodge) - II
June - Rio de Janeiro Brazil (Marina Palace)- RCI
July- Toronto Canada (Westin)- RCI points
December X-mas week- New York (Manhattan Club)- RCI points
New Years week- Orlando (Vacation Village) RCI
2012:
Not sure of anything yet...

[Larry Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Larry]

Looks like I'm done for planning any more 2011 vacations so here is what I have for 2012.

1) Two weeks in January 2012 at LaCabana plus I got two free nights at Hyatt Regency Aruba by getting a Chase Hyatt card last year for $75, I already saved about $50 in free foreign currency transaction fees during my trip to Israel and my room at the Hyatt has a rack rate of $450 per night. Best deal so far on any CC that I have gotten!!!!

2) Two weeks in April 2012 for annual family vacation for Spring break Passover/Easter weeks at Vacation Village at Weston.

3) Las Vegas at Planet Hollywood by Westgate for September starting on Friday before Labor Day. I will stay entire week not sure if wife can get time off past labor day from work.

4) Cancun for Thanksgiving week at Westin Langunmar resort.

5) Probably going to use our Playa Linda week 51 this year but will wait and see.

Retirement is a wonderful thing !!!!!!!!

I just added two more exchanges.

1) 1BR for June 30 2012 at the St. George's Club Bermuda and confirmed without even talking to my wife. This week includes July 4th so I can't believe it was just sitting there.

2) Malaga Spain 2BR starting May 26, 2013 which includes Memorial day.

[Jeanne Sz Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jeanne Sz]

Staying close to home

Boy, I read your plans and hope to win the lottery!
So far, my 2012 plans are to keep hubby happy, with 2 weeks close to home next summer so he can relax and do some fishing. Both RCI exchanges.
June: Breezy Point Resort
August: North Beach Resort

Still watching for a nice use of our SFX deposit, maybe next fall or winter. As usual, more wishes than money or available vacation from work.

[LynnW Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close LynnW]

Feb 2011 1 week at Pueblo Bonita Emerald Bay Mazatlan
Feb 2011 10 days at El Cid at the Marina Mazatlan both from RCI
Mar 2011 1 week at Palm Springs Tennis Club Platinum Interchange
Apr 2011 1 week at Desert Breezes Palm Desert SFX
Apr 2011 1 week at Villas on the Green at Lawrence Welk RCI
June 2011 1 week at Meadow Lake Home Resort
Oct 2011 1 week at Casitas Del Monte Palm Springs RCI
Nov 2011 2 weeks at Scottsdale Camelback both RCI
Jan/Feb 2012 Tug Cruise, 1 week at Pacific Palms Resort Australia SFX, 1 week at Taupo Ika Nui New Zealand DAE along with several nights in hotels. Will be away for just over 5 weeks.
June 2012 Meadow Lake again.

Lynn