Disney’s Old Key West Resort in Florida, Lake Buena Vista

Disney’s Old Key West Resort is a 761-room Resort that conjures up the leisurely romance of the Florida Keys. Nestled among swaying palm trees, shimmering waterways and the lush golf fairways of the Lake Buena Vista Golf Course, the Resort’s Guest rooms include studio, one-bedroom, 2-bedroom and 3-bedroom Villas.

The unites are equipped with a full-size kitchen, king-size bed and whirlpool tub in the master suite, queen sleeper sofa in the living area, TV with DVD player, washer/dryer, and a private porch or balcony.

Two bedroom vacation homes offer two queen beds and private bath in the second bedroom; three bedroom homes offer two queen-size beds and private bathroom in each of the additional two bedrooms.

Also available are studio suites equipped with a kitchenette with microwave, mini-refrigerator, wet bar and coffee maker, two queen-size beds, TV, and private porch or balcony. The central building, named the Hospitality House, has 2 restaurants, along with a lounge, store, arcade and more.

Adjacent to the Hospitality House is the “Recreation, Exercise, Swimming and Tennis” complex—a great place to work out on state-of-the-art exercise equipment, relax in the sauna or rejuvenate with a healing massage. The guests can enjoy the four heated pools, the children’s pool and the spa.

For meals, the resort has available Olivia’s Café, a restaurant with simple breakfast, lunch and dinner menu, with a few Key West touches. Also Good’s Food To Go is a counter service restaurant, located near the Hospitality House pool perfect for simple meals. Alternatively, you can try Turtle Shack at the village pool on Old Turtle Pond Road.

Take advantage of the free bus and boat service from Disney’s Old Key West Resort to the Disney theme parks, water parks, and more. You can walk or jog around Disney’s Old Key West Resort on a 1.37-mile trail, complete with views of shimmering waterways and lush green golf fairways.  Also, there’s the possibility of watching Disney movies under the stars at select Walt Disney World Resorts.

Holiday Inn Club Vacations at Orange Lake Resort, West Village in Florida, Kissimmee

If Florida is your pick for your vacation resort, than Orange Lake’s West Village should be your perfect choice. Orange Lake offers one-, two-, and three-bedroom villas, as well as studios and suites

One-bedroom villas sleep four and feature a king-size bed and sleeper sofa. Two-bedroom villas sleep eight and feature a king-size bed in the master bedroom, two queen-size beds in the guest bedroom, and a queen sleeper sofa in the living area.

Three-bedroom villas sleep 12 and feature a king-size bed in the master bedroom, queen bed in the second bedroom, two queen-size beds in the third bedroom, and two sleeper sofas. All villas are equipped with a full-size kitchen, TVs in living room and bedroom(s), washer/dryer, and more.

Every corner of the resort has treasures to discover. From River Island, the 12-acre pool complex that includes a 1,200 foot lazy river, restaurants, bars, shops and more, to the Water’s Edge Beach Club with daily activities, mini golf and a fantastic view of the 80-acre lake and watersport activities.

From the Splash Lagoon Pool Complex, offering a zero-entry pool, waterslide, multi-level pool decks and lush landscaping, to The Legends Clubhouse and pool overlooking one of our four signature golf courses.

Everything at Orange Lake West Village is waiting to offer you your dream vacation. River Island spans 12 acres of lush, tropical scenery with many unique water features.

The centerpiece of River Island is a 1,200-foot lazy river-style pool that winds through tropical scenery and a spectacular waterfall. It’s also home to the Fun Zone, which features miniature golf, sand volleyball and the HIPP, a 168-foot-long waterslide.

When you want to get out of the sun for a while, you can visit The River Island Exchange—spanning 30,000 square feet—where you’ll discover an exciting array of activities and amenities to further enhance your vacation experience.

You’ll enjoy a very convenient location that’s just minutes from theme parks and other major attractions, plus great shops and restaurants, too.

Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge in Florida, Lake Buena Vista

The Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is a full-service Disney Deluxe Villa Resort housed in a 5-story tower adjacent to the main lobby at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. This architecturally grand Resort celebrates the majesty of the unspoiled wilderness with features that include a stunning 7-story lobby—built from 85 loads of Lodgepole Pine—and an 82-foot-tall lobby fireplace.

Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge features studio, one- and two-bedroom timeshare accommodations. Studios offer a queen bed, double-size sleeper sofa, kitchenette with microwave, mini-refrigerator, wet bar, coffee maker, and private porch or balcony.

One- and two- bedroom vacation homes feature a master suite with king-size bed and whirlpool tub, queen sleeper sofa in the living area, fully equipped kitchen, TV and DVD player, washer/dryer and private porch or balcony.

Two bedroom homes have a second bedroom with private bathroom and either one queen bed and double-size sleeper sofa or two queen beds.

In addition to a pool with a water slide, watercraft and bike rentals, a high-tech game room, fishing and a 24-hour playground, children and the whole family can enjoy Chip ‘n Dale’s Campfire Sing-a-longat the Fort Wilderness Campground area.

The grown-ups can relax by one of the 2 pools or on a white-sand beach. Treat yourself to a whole lot of fun and all-you-can-eat at Whispering Canyon Café, a family-style barbeque restaurant.

Enjoy specialties from the Pacific Northwest and an award-winning wine list at the rustically elegant Artist Point. And for guests who want to keep up their fitness routine, the latest in exercise equipment is available at the Sturdy Branches Health Club.

You can soak up the sun on the white-sand beach of Bay Lake or rent a bike and enjoy the three-quarter mile path to The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness and The Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness.

Also, the game room located in the area next to Wilderness Lodge Mercantile offers a variety of video and pinball games and at the campfire at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort you can gather with your nutty pals for songs and fun, then watch a classic Disney movie under the stars.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas, Jambo House in Florida, Lake Buena Vista

Enjoy the wild African atmosphere, while relaxing with luxurious amenities at the Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas. The Jambo House, part of the complex along with the Kidani Village, is located in the Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park area and is set amidst four African-style wildlife savannas.

Jambo House features deluxe studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom accommodations, and has also the option of the one-storage grand villa that can receive up until 12 guests. The views from each room are spectacular, the visitors being able to observe free-roaming animals and the savannas from their own balcony.

The building is made in African-inspired architecture and has thatched ceilings, large beams and genuine African artifacts. The Jambo House has four restaurants, three of them being African-themed and one serving American cuisine, and the guests can also enjoy themed pools, relaxing spas, fitness centers and the supervised children’s activity center Simba’s Cubhouse, where parents can leave their children aged 3-12 starting 4.30 p.m. until midnight to have a night out.

Also, the villas offer the option of in-room babysitting or having a childcare specialist to go with you and your family during your visits to the parks, providing a helping hand where needed.

Transportation throughout the resort, including Disney Theme Parks and Disney Water Parks, are available by bus. The four savannas – Sunset Savanna, Arusha Savanna, Uzima Savanna and Pembe Savanna  -have each a unique atmosphere and are home to different exotic animals like giraffes, gazelles, marabou storks, zebras, wildebeests, ostriches .

Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park is full of attractions, adventures and entertainment that for sure won’t let you get bored. Home to more than 1,700 animals from 250 species and sprawling across 500 acres of lush landscape, Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park is the largest animal-themed park in the world.

Disney’s BoardWalk Villas in Florida, Lake Buena Vista

A short walk from Epcot’s International Gateway, Disney’s BoardWalk Villas lies just across Crescent Lake from Disney’s Yacht Club Resort and Disney’s Beach Club Resort.

You can enjoy the delights of the 25-acre Crescent Lake, where fishing, walking or just lying under the sun is possible. Watercraft rentals are available and if this is not enough you can always have some fun at the pool, Luna Park, that has a 200-foot-long Keister Coaster water slide and a giant clown water slide.

Of course, more “quiet” pools are part of the resort, where you can relax without the presence of roller coasters. The Muscles & Bustles Health Club is the perfect place to keep you fit, with a fitness room, sauna and massage at your disposal.

Only a boat trip away, you can find Epcot theme park, one of the four Theme Parks at Walt Disney World Resort, and Disney MGM Studios.

The Boardwalk is the place to be after the night falls, with restaurants, clubs, midway games and great view. The illuminated Boardwalk has perfect places for dining, drinking and socializing.

Disney Boardwalk Villas offer one-, two- or three-bedroom vacation homes, and also studios for accommodation, all fully equipped.

The studios are 359 square feet and come with one queen bed, a double sleeper sofa, bathroom and a private balcony or patio. The average one-bedroom villa is 712 square feet and has one bedroom with a king-sized bed, plus a living room with queen-sized sleeper sofa and dining area.

The unit also has a fully equipped kitchen and bathroom. The average two-bedroom villa is 1,071 square feet, representing a studio and a one-bedroom villa that are connected with a communicating door. The average Grand Villa is 2,142 square feet.

This is a three bedroom, three-bath villa, that has a master bedroom which includes a king-sized bed and private whirlpool tub, two other bedrooms which each include two queen-sized beds and a private bathroom, a living room area that has a queen-sized sleeper sofa, fully equipped kitchen, dining room and a private balcony.

Marriott’s Crystal Shores in Florida, Marco Island

Marriott’s Crystal Shores Vacation Club resort offers luxurious two-and three-bedroom beachfront villas in Marco Island, Florida.

Originally named San Marco Island by Spanish explorers, Marco Island is the largest barrier island within Southwest Florida’s Ten Thousand Islands area extending southerly to Cape Sable. The climate is subtropical with distinct wet and dry seasons, with most of the rainfall falling between the months of June and October.

Marco Island has retained much of the natural beauty of its beginning when the Calusa Indians inhabited the island over 5,000 years ago. Lush tropical foliage and over 200 species of birds including the American Bald Eagle are found here.

The azure waters of the Gulf invite boaters to spend endless hours in the sun, whether to fish or just relax! In addition to boating and fishing, there is shelling snorkeling, windsurfing, biking, golfing, tennis, ecotours and shopping. A variety of shops and restaurants are located throughout the island. Practically, something for everyone!

Marriott’s Crystal Shores Vacation Club resort offers two-bedroom villas that can accommodate up to eight guests and three-bedroom villas that can accommodate up ten guests.

The rooms have separate living and dining areas and are equipped with full kitchens. The master bedrooms and baths with modern amenities, as well as the views over the Gulf Coast make the villas in Marco Island a very good choice.

The guests have premium access to the beach as well as to the two heated pools, a whirlpool and Grotto pool with a waterslide.

The guests can take a guided ecotour of the mangrove jungles of the Ten Thousands Islands or head to Tigertail Beach Park for a picnic, building sand castles or just lying under the sun. Also, they can enjoy a day of fun wildlife shows or a boat ride through the islands of monkeys at the Naples Zoo.

For shopping lovers, the villas are just minutes away from Naples, shopping at Fifth Avenue, Corkscrew Sanctuary Wildlife Trail, Everglades National Park and much more.

Choosing a Timeshare: The Most Popular Locations

If you are just first looking around for a timeshare, then you can feel a bit overwhelmed by the vast selection that is offered online. Therefore, if you are a newbie, it might be a good idea to narrow down your timeshare choices so it will be more manageable for you to make a selection.

After all, you can spend hours at a time online trying to make a decision. At least, when you know what timeshares people choose again and again, you can make a more informed decision.

You may even find you like a timeshare property that isn’t located at one of the more popular timeshare locations. Regardless, it’s good to know what places are preferred so you can see how they stack up against some of your selections.

One of the places where timeshare developers like to build properties and owners like to buy is India, especially Goa, India. Goa is the smallest state in India, and not as populated as other regions in the country. As a result, people are drawn to this part of the Asian continent  as it has a variety of flora and fauna and and breathtaking scenery.

Many timeshare owners like Nassau in the Bahamas. With its contemporary, top-rated hotels and sunny beaches, you can knock away the doldrums quite easily. You can also say the same thing for Florida. Of course, there are an abundance of resorts in the state in which to choose. However, if you believe you’d like to vacation most of the time in the “Sunshine State,” then you’ll make your search for a timeshare just that much easier by cutting the choice down to one state.

Mexico is another popular timeshare destination. The country has a number of cities that feature resort properties. Therefore, you can choose to vacation in any of one or more Mexican cites, such as Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas, Acapulco, Cancun, Cozumel, or Matzatlan. It is a country with spicy cuisine and friendly people, a place that attracts travelers from a diverse range of backgrounds to visit its resorts.

Timeshare vacationers also like Hawaii, an arechipelago where one can choose from resorts on the main isle as well as the lesser islands too. The Virgin Islands,too, is another popular destination  for timeshare vacations. World-weary travelers appreciate the the balmy temperatures and relaxing milieu.

In Europe, people favor the Canary Islands and the southern shores of Spain. The islands, located close to northwest Africa, were once noted for the large number of dogs living there, thus the name Insula Canaria (Island of the Dogs), from which “Canary” is derived. They weren’t named after the canary bird as some believe.

Of course, as stated, there are numerous timeshares. Hopefully, the above information will help you in paring down your choices.

Top Timeshares in Florida

The Sunshine State is known as a top family destination. Orlando specifically is known as the hub for tourism. It’s no wonder Orlando timeshares account for approximately 50 percent of Florida timeshare sales.

It’s true that Orlando is known as a tourist hot spot, but with so many options, even we locals can enjoy getaways, without getting too far away. The great thing about vacationing in Florida is there are so many different options.

Whether you’re traveling with that someone special, the whole family or friends, you’re sure to find the perfect destination for a memorable vacation.

Here are some of the top over all selling timeshares in Florida

  1. Sheraton’s Vistana Orlando.
  2. Holiday Inn Club
  3. Hilton Grand Vacation Club (SeaWorld)
  4. Marriot Cypress Harbor
  5. Marriot Grande Vista
  6. Westgate Vacation Villas
  7. Sheraton’s Vistana Villages
  8. Wyndham Cypress Palms
  9. Fantasy World Vacation Villas
  10. Cypress Pointe Resort

These timeshares appeal to just about anyone. Most of these timeshares offer activities and amenities for people of all ages. Being the top names in travel, they strive to ensure you the best possible vacation experience.

These are the top rated timeshare destinations in Florida rated by timeshare holders

  1. Disney Beach Club Villas (Lake Buena Vista)
  2. Marriott’s Crystal Shores (Marco Island)
  3. Disney’s  Boardwalk Villas (Lake Buena Vista)
  4. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas Jambo House (Lake Buena Vista)
  5. Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Villas (Lake Buena Vista)
  6. Orange Lake Resort East Village Holiday Inn Club Vacations (Kissimmee)
  7. Disney’s Old Key West Resort (Lake Buena Vista)

Disney is without a doubt the top Family vacation choice. Even within the Disney world, there are so many options for your family. Disney has worked hard to take family vacationing to a whole new level.

Finding your Place in the Sun: Caloosa Cove in the Florida Keys

Play Tennis, Sail, Snorkel or Fish

One of the nicest resort places to land is in the Florida Keys, particularly the Caloosa Cove Resort property. It is located in Islamorada Florida, south of Key Largo, in the lower Matecumbe Key. The timeshare vacation suites number 30 and all provide oceanfront views.

The facility also offers a heated swimming pool, two lighted tennis courts, a basketball court, shuffleboard, a place to barbeque, and full-service restaurant. Visit the marina where you can find the resources needed to boat, snorkel and fish. You can even bicycle if you wish and explore the island’s 10 acres of tropical plants and trees.

The Matecumbe Key

To give you a little bit of an idea about Islamorada itself, it once was home to Native Americans, who lived in the area about 4,000 years ago. The Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon, who visited the Keys in 1513, called the the islands Los Martires. At that time, the Matecumbe key was listed as Guarugumbe. In due time, the Native American name, Guarugumbe, was changed to Matecumbe as a result of the Spanish corruption of saying the Native American name.

San Pedro

A hurricane hit Islamorada during the time the Spanish were exploring the Keys, and the remains of a Spanish Fleet can now be seen on the sandbars of Islamorada. One of the reamins was  a ship by the name of San Pedro, now a designated underwater Florida park.

A Real Estate Bargain

The island was first established in the late 19th century. The permanent residents came from the Bahamas – three families which farmed on the island in upper Matecumbe. The island was literally a steal, as the settlers only obtained the small land mass for twenty dollars, which was actually the fee assessed for recording the grants.

Islamorada – Then and Now

Inhabitants tried to make “tracks” toward progress, when Henry M. Flagler, built a railroad in 1903. The construction was quite a chore, especially after hurricanes destroyed tracks a number of times.

In addition, a September storm, many years later, again damaged the railroad as well as most of the surrounding area of Islamorada. Fortunately, nowadays, the area is defined by marinas, restaurants, resort accommodations, dive shops, yachts, and a serene and tropical landscape.

Other Islamorada Resorts

Other featured resorts in the Islamorada area include:

  • The Caribbean Resort
  • Casa Morada
  • Cheeca Lodge & Spa
  • Chesapeake Beach Resort

For a thoroughly enjoyable vacation, every week is a red week in Islamorada in the Florida Keys.