Theme Park Timeshare Resorts
If you have ever visited a theme park like Six Flags, Universal Studios, or Disneyland, then you know the key to having good accommodations is a room that is in close proximity to the action. Timeshare units are no different: The most popular ones tend to be in the resorts that allow families the most time on the rides and attractions. Nobody wants to spend half their vacation time commuting to and from the roller coasters. Everybody wants to stay at the theme park until the minute it closes, and then have a short ride home to shower up before dinner.
When buying a theme-park timeshare unit, look for amenities including reduced-rate theme park admissions, extra theme-park usage hours, and complimentary transportation to and from the parks. Perhaps more so than any other types of timeshare, theme-park units tend to be most valuable when their usage time coincides with school vacations — a factor to consider if you are purchasing a fixed week.
FAST FACT
As you might imagine, Disney dominates the timeshare scene in places like Orlando, Florida, where it has its well-known cartoon characters wandering the timeshare grounds and adding to the magic of the vacation experience. For families, extra touches like this are of course hot selling points — ones that will make your timeshare unit all the more valuable during the long run.
Disney's Beach Club Villas
This timeshare resort is in Orlando, Florida, but it is designed to look like a (rather large) mid-Atlantic seaside home. It is within walking distance of Epcot and a boat ride away from Disney-MGM Studios. Your timeshare-unit purchase includes the same benefits that you would receive if you stayed at a Disney hotel, including extra hours at a different Disney theme park every day, a complimentary shuttle to and from Orlando International Airport, and complimentary transportation to and from the Disney theme parks, including the Magic Kingdom.
A nice thing about this resort is that since families with smaller children are the typical guests it offers many children's services on site and close by. These include a boardwalk-style game area, water slides, a game room, a playground, a supervised children's area for kids ages four through twelve (where Disney movies are shown, among other things), and a drawing room where you can sit with your kids while they color quietly during some much-needed downtime.
Hilton Grand Vacations Club at SeaWorld International Center
Located in the heart of the theme-park universe that is otherwise known as Orlando, Florida, this timeshare resort has earned the Gold Crown distinction from Resort Condominiums International. It was built to look like a seaside village in Bermuda, with timeshare units that overlook a private four-and-a-half-acre lake.
As with all good theme-park timeshare resorts, this one has many on-site activities and amenities that are designed to keep the entire family happy. There are two children's swimming pools in addition to several adult swimming pools, along with a game room and a playground. Organized activities are also provided for adults and children alike.
Sheraton Vistana Villages
Situated on International Drive in the heart of the theme park universe in Orlando, Florida, this ninety-five-acre Starwood Vacation Ownership timeshare resort is scheduled to complete construction on new one- and two-bedroom villas in early 2006. The resort offers discount tickets, not vouchers, to many of the local theme parks, meaning you can save a few bucks and also avoid the long lines at the admission areas.
The resort itself is well-suited for families, including separate adults' and children's swimming pools, barbecue grills, picnic tables, videotape rentals, a game room, a children's playground, and an interactive children's fountain. There is also an activity center on site that offers a host of organized children's activities.
