Frank Talk About Orange Lake

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

Just how "HUGE" is this place anyway?

I believe it is either 3 to 5 square miles if not larger.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

I am an owner at OLCC and I don't care about the stratification. In fact, I like it. The more programs and rules they put in place, the more opportunities I have to arbitrage its weaknesses. It's fun. It's a game. They are trying to see how much they can profit. I am trying to see how many loopholes I can exploit.

THERE IS ALWAYS A LOOPHOLE and a way to beat the system. That's why they keep changing the rules. It's up to us to tell everyone about them. It makes for great info to discuss on a BBS.

You can't possibly mean what you typed. If any of my resorts switched horses mid-stream and told me my prime season week was no longer exactly what I bought unless I ponyed up I'd be outraged. It remains to be seen how things will play out and what percentage of owner's and exchanger's will actually be helped by our little corner of the universe.

Incidentally I noticed your post OY and am surprised that your request for open honest communication about this change was not honored or responded to.

I also don't think lawqs need be the whipping boy for opening that thread. The owners themselves are only getting snippets and partial information. Why shouldn't they ask on a forum that is knowledgable for clarification of information that they were given by their resport? The vickie ( who I now picture as the babysitter in the Fairly Odd Parents ) isn't being very forthcoming either.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

Just how "HUGE" is this place anyway? I've never been there, but I did look at their website and I can't get an idea of how big it is. Is it huge in terms of number of units?

When I did a search for Orange Lake on Yahoo, I typed "OLCC" and got "Oregon Liquor Control Commission" and "Our Lady of Corpus Christie Church". I guess not everybody is thinking "timeshare"!

I've heard the number of 100,000 owners bantied about. It is the largest single campus timeshare resort in the world.
http://olcc.com/about_orange_lake/why_orange_lake.html

[lawgs Member Find all posts View Profile Close lawgs]

looks like all is not LOST

just looking at tripadvisor ....this is one POST ( partial copy ) ....late june stay

Just got back from a week at O.L. We were put in a 2 bedroom Villa in the West Village but quickly walked over and asked to be put in the New River Island area. At 1st they told us their was no way, that it was booked solid but when she plugged something in the computer, surprisingly a room became available. We think the place was actually half empty as this is where they take the timeshare tours. The pool/lazy river wasn't that crowded at all, not like some of the reviews made it out to be.

We were put on the 7th floor directly above the lazy river. The condo was very nice!!! Clean and plenty of room for the 7 of us, with a screened in porch, so no bugs! Also could see the fireworks from Disney every night

albeit, further in the review they "mention" they are OWNERS ( not sure from the post if that means OLCC or just timeshare owners ) doing a trade


another review from a person who stayed in May

We stayed at the new River Island complex. Our unit over looked the new River Island water park which was amazing. There was so much to do and the way the park was set up was incredibly kid/toddler friendly yet enjoyable for adults as well.


had this lil piece of advice at the bottom of their review

Our family will definetly stay here again - for anyone looking to stay here - when you check in and they assign you a room - go across the hall to the reservations desk and ask to be reassigned to the River Island Complex - they will do it with no hassle and your family will LOVE it!



Looks like if you know whose chain to pull, can make a difference with your placement ( do not know if this was an exchange or NOT )

another OL potential MYTH bites the dust ....

[lawgs Member Find all posts View Profile Close lawgs]

Oh Oh ....there might be a river Island closure...tongue in cheek

in the same posting from above another concern was .....

Oh yeah, the only other problem we couldn't believe we had to deal with was the number of times they closed the lazy river for an hour in the middle of the HOT afternoon for cleaning. It seems they have ALOT of accidents with "LOGS IN THE POOL" 3 times on 3 different afternoons, someone [--] in the pool and they had to close it for cleaning. Never in my life have I been to a resort where this has happened, much less 3 TIMES! I asked the waitress about it and she said you'd be surprised how often it does happen. The 1st day it happened we just heard through the grapevine and could hardly believe it but when it happened 2 days later, I asked one of the lifegaurds why they were closing the pool again and he's the one that said "LOGS in the pool, you know, kids!" I couldn't believe it! Then on the day we were leaving we heard it happeded again! That was our biggest complaint about Orange Lake. It was kinda the standing joke of the week, wondering if the pool would be closed again due to "LOGS"

they might shut down the "complex" when "LAWGS ( is ) in the pool"


smilawgs

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

You can't possibly mean what you typed. If any of my resorts switched horses mid-stream and told me my prime season week was no longer exactly what I bought unless I ponyed up I'd be outraged. It remains to be seen how things will play out and what percentage of owner's and exchanger's will actually be helped by our little corner of the universe.

Incidentally I noticed your post OY and am surprised that your request for open honest communication about this change was not honored or responded to.

I also don't think lawqs need be the whipping boy for opening that thread. The owners themselves are only getting snippets and partial information. Why shouldn't they ask on a forum that is knowledgable for clarification of information that they were given by their resport? The vickie ( who I now picture as the babysitter in the Fairly Odd Parents ) isn't being very forthcoming either.

Yeah, if you read further down the thread, I changed my mind and posted the following:

I guess my post made it sound like that. Let me back up and rethink this for a moment.

I don't know if I support the program or not because I don't what what "IT" is. Once I find out what "IT" really is, I can render a better assessment.

I think what I was really trying to say is that I really like OLCC and it doesn't really bother me if they implement new programs or not. Because if they do, I'll find a way to make it work for me. I think that better states what I really think about the "Go Global" program.

I admire what LAWGS did over there. What a great expose.

[tonyg Goomba & Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tonyg]

Orange Lake is so large I got lost trying to leave after taking a tour there last year. I see no one mentioned the account on tripadvisor where someone staying there had to be taken to the hospital for a reaction to bedbug bites. I'll bet they weren't LOLs.

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

Every time I read the title for this thread I keep thinking "why does JLB want Frank to talk about Orange Lake" ......

[Sydney Contributor - Bronze Find all posts View Profile Close Sydney]

Orange Lake is so large I got lost trying to leave after taking a tour there last year. I see no one mentioned the account on tripadvisor where someone staying there had to be taken to the hospital for a reaction to bedbug bites. I'll bet they weren't LOLs.

Arghhh! Bad memories!

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

Every time I read the title for this thread I keep thinking "why does JLB want Frank to talk about Orange Lake" ......

Because he likes hearing how much I like the place.

BTW Cousin is there now and loves the place to. They stole some rafts and were able to play in River Island for free.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Many towns are smaller, much smaller, much, much smaller.

I once posted on another timeshare forum that when fully developed OL will be hosted 20,000 guests a week. Then a discussion of how many they turn over per week now followed. We never did decide whether the figures I was given by Guest Services was per day (F-S-S) or per week, but I believe we were in the vicinity of 2000 units per week.

Since the least occupancy is 4 and the highest 12, that would be an occupancy limit of between 8000 and 24000 per week now.

Is that big?

Just how "HUGE" is this place anyway? I've never been there, but I did look at their website and I can't get an idea of how big it is. Is it huge in terms of number of units?

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

I knew that some people liked OLCC and that some people didn't, but until I read this thread, I really didn't know many of the details.

I had been considering staying at OLCC for a trip this fall, but now I'm wondering if that's a good idea. Just how bad are the units that they give exchangers? And are bedbugs a common problem, or was there just one case?

As for "logs in the pool," either that was just bad luck that it happened 3 times, or they don't have a rule requiring swim diapers. Either way, yuck!

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Yes, you did, email me.

Ok, here we go again.

1. As you know, I have stated a gazillion times that my family enjoys the accomodations offered at OL. Other than a very snotty sales wench and my nephew getting ripped off at the golf course, we have never had a bad experience, first-hand. It's not the funnest place we go, or the most friendly and accomodating, but it's OK. It is what it is, an Orlando vacation mill.

We have witnessed some bad experiences being had by both owners and exchangers, and reported them on an internet forum, which gave me an equivalent connotation as those who were having the bad experiences. I have not been able to shake that unfair label. There are other labels on that forum I have been able to shake either. So be it.

2. Also, again, my complaint, my fixation, is with the way a very, very few represent OL on an internet forum, and the way they berate and belittle others, people I have grown to know and respect on the Internet. If that would stop, I bet our fixation would stop.

3. OL is the easiest trade in Orlando, perhaps in all of timesharing.

4. I, like all of us, enjoy impressing my extended family, and taking them to OL is a realtively cheap way to do that. But after our last stay, the experience with the snotty sales wench, and the way OL ripped off my nephew golf-wise, I don't gain much by taking them there any more. Maybe this Christmas will be the last time. Maybe now is when this will all go to heck in a handbag.

5. We know where the hot tubs are and when to go to them. We especially like the East Village one in the evening, 7 and 9 o'clock, because we can normally see fireworks from there.

6. We can go a week without BBQ, knowing the following week we will have all the gas Webers we need, to do burgers and shrimp on the barbee. I can pretty much guess our OL dinners. Pizza Hut, Shells, chicken from Supercenter, Shells, girls pick a new restaurant, one dinner in, Shells.

7. We do not go down the road just because some snobbish people suggest we do. We go down the road to get away from our neighbors!

FWIW, I have not mentioned BBQ or Hot Tubs on that forum probably in more than a year, because hot items are not wise on the thin ice of Orange Lake. But to show you how labels stick, look how those keep coming up and how they get attributed to me.

Jim I DO have a question for you though. The place does not have BBQ grills or enough hot tubs, I notice Sandpiper does and congrats on that exchange BTW, so why DO you go back again and again? I know it can't be $700/week cabanas.

Now does nosey little ol me e-mail Jim or not?

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

I knew that some people liked OLCC and that some people didn't, but until I read this thread, I really didn't know many of the details.

I had been considering staying at OLCC for a trip this fall, but now I'm wondering if that's a good idea. Just how bad are the units that they give exchangers? And are bedbugs a common problem, or was there just one case?

As for "logs in the pool," either that was just bad luck that it happened 3 times, or they don't have a rule requiring swim diapers. Either way, yuck!

Judy,

You need to check it out for yourself and render your own judgement. I go to OLCC all the time and I always get Golf Villas. I like them because they are like standalone houses. You'll either love it or hate it. Come back and let us know where you stand.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

OL Pedo Contest

Before long it will be time to ramp up the next Ol Pedo Contest, and establish a new legacy in our group.