Own Disney World
Jan 23 '00
For about 8 years, Disney World has been selling time shares in resorts on its properties.
For large groups, families who love to spread out, and absolutely anyone who enjoys taking frequent trips to Disney World -- at least once every two years, the time shares are an excellent value.
Unlike many other time share programs, Disney's time shares are flexible. You can stay for two nights in a studio in, say, January, and then stay in a two-bedroom for a few nights in March and a three-bedroom in July. You make reservations pretty much as you would at a hotel. You are not locked into a particular week or into a particular size unit.
In 1993, we bought 240 points for about $12,000. Annual dues, which do go up a little bit each year, are now about $700 a year. For that number of points, you could stay for about a month in January (low season) in a studio unit (the smallest). That number of points would buy only a few nights in a large unit during a holiday week (the highest season).
There are two Disney time shares on the grounds of Disney World. They are the original time share community, Old Key West, and Boardwalk, which was completed several years ago.
Old Key West is the best deal, by far. A stay requires fewer points and the community has a number of attractive pools and is built around a golf course. The time share units themselves are large and gorgeous.
Boardwalk's units are smaller, but the resort is well located, just a short stroll from Epcot and right on a short boardwalk that is home to an ESPN sports club and a number of good restaurants, including the attractive Flying Fish.
Boardwalk is also directly across the lagoon from Disney's Yacht and Beach Club resorts, the most attractive hotels in the complex, and the site of what is undoubtedly one of the world's best swimming pools.
One good feature of the Disney time shares is that members can use any pool in Disney World, even the elite Yacht and Beach club complex, with its pirate ship, slides, whirlpools, sink holes, rock grotto hot tubs and sandy beaches.
Points in a Disney time share can be used at any of the company's time share communities, that now include Vero Beach, Florida and Hilton Head, South Carolina as well as at a number of vacation condos, bed and breakfasts and hotels around the world; they are also good at many of Disney's resort hotels. However, it takes a huge number of points to stay at many of these places.
A big drawback to Disney time shares is their popularity. Early on, it was never a problem to get a reservation, even at the last minute. Now, however, it is sometimes impossible to get anything at all even more than a month ahead of time. This makes the time shares a better deal for people who are able to plan way ahead.
Another drawback is that the time shares are sold a as "free" lifetime (less than 50 years, actually) vacation. But,while annual fees are reasonable, they are not free. And, of course, there are the expenses of getting to and from the resort and money spent there, which can be a huge amount of money if everyone wants to go to the resorts every day.
We are thoroughly sick of the resorts, and spend our time playing tennis (lots of excellent courts), biking, swimming and wandering around. Our children and nieces and nephew enjoy the "natural grass" miniature golf courses and the water parks.
All in all, we have found the the time share to be a good value.
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