A Great Summer Timeshare Vacation - Family Fun in Orlando

There are many wonderful places to visit in Florida, but Orlando is by far the most family friendly place. My family and I have had some of the most memorable experiences visiting Orlando.  Here are some of our personal favorite places to visit in Orlando.

Magic Kingdom – Whatever you do in Orlando, don’t miss the Magic Kingdom.  That’s like going to New York and skipping out on the Statue of Liberty.  My family is full of 7 kids of all ages, and we all had fun riding the rides (especially Pirates of the Caribbean and Splash Mountain). And everyone in our family enjoyed the Wishes Nighttime Spectacular.  It is the biggest spectacular at Magic Kingdom, and includes a firework show like I’ve never seen before.

Epcot Center –The Epcot Center was probably our favorite place to visit as a family.  We don’t often have the opportunity to travel internationally as a family, but walking around the Epcot Center gave us a taste of what it’s like to be in 11 different countries all in one day. Each country in the park has fun bits of history, famous landmarks, and traditional garb from each country represented at the Epcot Center.

There is also an abundance of great international cuisine to try at the Epcot Center, so come with an empty stomach.  My family tried a lot of fun foreign food and we couldn’t help but stop a few times at the French pastry shop.  The pastries were delicious and worth every calorie. Visiting the Epcot center was the perfect way to see which countries sparked our interest the most.  We eventually travelled to Asia as a family later, based on our interest from the Epcot Center.

Universal Studios – Universal Studios is another place you won’t want to miss.  We felt like we were taking part in our favorite shows as we visited Spiderman, the Hulk, the Mummy and the Harry Potter attractions.  Harry Potter is a family favorite of ours, so we were pretty thrilled about the fact that you can explore the halls of Hogwarts, see magical creatures, and that you can even get your own wand.   Whatever you do, don’t miss out on Universal Studios.

NASA – Most places in Orlando celebrate creations of the imagination, but NASA is one place where you learn about spectacular events that are rooted in American history.  NASA is a great place to take the family to learn about various launchings of spacecraft’s and landing on the moon. 

There are great museums and presentations that provide an education unmatched by any book.  After visiting NASA, one of my brothers went on to go to space camp, and is now majoring in Engineering with an Aerospace emphasis.  NASA is a great place to foster family education.

Orlando is the perfect place for a family vacation. You can spend weeks in Orlando and still find other fun places that will help you build wonderful memories with your family. And for a budget-friendly family vacation check out the many Greater Orlando timeshare rentals.

Our guest author, Ashley R. Cummings, is an avid traveler and writer.  She loves going new places and meeting new people.

Photo Credits: familyvacationcritic.com

Four-Generation Disney Family Featured as May “Timeshare Fan of the Month”

The American Resort Development Association (ARDA) is featuring a Disney Vacation Club owner during the month of May as part of the industry’s effort to share the amenities, experiences, and heartfelt memories of timeshare vacations. 

Four generations of the Sayers family have enjoyed their 15 years of ownership at Disney’s Old Key West Resort in Orlando, Florida and they say it’s provided some of the best memories and experiences they have had—and they look forward to making more.

From celebrating Dad’s 74th birthday, to watching the kids’ eyes light up at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, to holding hands in sheer anticipation of their vacation, this family has never looked back.

“We started a family tradition that’s encompassed four generations by becoming Disney Vacation Club Members,” said Donald Sayers of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. “It’s worked out exactly the way we hoped it would.”

Their video is the seventh in a monthly series showcasing the passion of timeshare owners.

With more than 8 million owners, a satisfaction rate of 85 percent, and an occupancy rate that outpaced hotel occupancy by more than 20 percent*, it is clear that this segment of the travel industry is faring well. 

Next month, look for vacation memories from Festiva Hospitality Group owners who are passionate about their timeshare. All timeshare fans are invited to tell their story on ARDA's Vacation Better site. 

Timeshare and vacation ownership are often used as interchangeable terms. Timeshare may be purchased through deeded property ownership, right-to-use, or a points-based program. Owners purchase a villa, usually in one-week increments, within a fixed (same week each year) or “floating” system. Floating time allows the owner to schedule each year’s vacation for the desired week within a specified season. 

Timeshare Travel #TravelTuesday – Virginia Beach

Poseidon watching over the Virginia Beach Strand, Virginia Beach, VA. Submitted by Joe Gosha from North Carolina.

Submit your photo to #TravelTuesday! Just send it via email to us at: learnmore (at) redweek (dot) com. Let us know your name, where you are from, and where the photo was taken.

Appalachian Trail Magic and a Timeshare Vacation

Timeshares plus the Appalachian Trail can equal vacation magic. The Appalachian Trail is an amazing trail that stretches over 2100 miles across 14 eastern U.S. states. It goes from the hot, southern climes of Georgia to the most northern reach of the continental U.S. in Maine.  An unofficial extension continues on into Canada.

The Appalachian Trail offers varied natural beauty as it winds from lowlands in the south up through subalpine regions, and even some true alpine areas where you might find yourself above the timberline.

Out on the trail you have the rare opportunity to encounter any one of 2,000 rare, threatened, or endangered plant and animal species. You’ll also have a chance to see more customary animals such as deer, elk, and moose. Black Bear sightings are especially common in the Shenandoah National Park and the New Jersey sections.

Along the entire length of the Trail, hikers encounter “Trail Magic.” These are the “Appalachian Trail Angels” that volunteer as guardians and good-Samaritans for the hikers and day backpackers. Many do their good deeds anonymously – you might come through a thickly wooded area into a clearing to find coolers alongside the trail, filled with bottles of chilled water and cans of cold beer.

Other Angels offer their version of Trail Magic by inviting hikers to a free barbecue meal at their home. These volunteers can serve up to 2000 meals over the course of a season. And still other Angels will give you a free ride to the trailhead and then back to your timeshare.

The hikers of the Appalachian Trail have created a sub-culture of “thru-hikers” – those who make the entire 2100-mile trek in one season, generally a six-month commitment. Thru-hikers have “hiker handles” – names by which they are known along the Trail, and that become infamous in Appalachian Trail lore. 

If you’d like to hike the Appalachian Trail, but aren't quite ready for the thru-hiker experience, you can easily do day trips by having comfortable accommodations with budget-friendly timeshare rentals as your hub, available in every state that the Trail crosses.

An amazing three to four million people hike some portion of the Appalachian Trail every year. But that number is spread out over 2100 miles, 14 states, and an entire season. This is one activity where you can feel completely alone, enjoy a silent and precious communion with nature, and at the same time know you are not alone if are you’re ever in need of help, or just want to make new friends.

Photo Credit (top): appalachiantrail.com

Photo Credit (center): appalachiantreks.blogspot.com

Timeshare Mother’s Day Idea – Fioli Flower Show

Just thirty miles south of downtown San Francisco is Fioli - one of the finest remaining country estates of the early 20^th century. Rent a San Francisco timeshare and take Mom down to the town of Woodside for a Mother’s Day experience she’ll never forget.

The 654-acre Fioli estate, a historic site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, includes a 36,000 square-foot Georgian country house, and a magnificent 16 acre English Renaissance garden. 

And held every  Mother’s Day weekend, beginning on Thursday, is Fioli’s spectacular Flower Show.

Each year exhibiting professional and amateur floral designers from the greater Bay Area create  floral masterpieces depicting their interpretations of  the theme, which for 2012 is “The Secret Garden, Discover the Magic.”

This floral spectacle is staged throughout the country mansion and around its spectacular gardens. In addition are flower-arranging demonstrations, garden vignettes, horticultural exhibits, music and tours of the beautiful gardens.  

Continue a special day for Mom by taking her to Fioli’s Mother’s Day Champagne Brunch, or  Filoli’s High Tea; both are catered. Additionally, pre-ordered boxed lunches are available on Saturday and Sunday for a lovely picnic out by the gardens.  

Filoli, designed by prominent San Francisco architect Willis Polk, was built in 1915 for Mr. and Mrs. William Bowers Bourn, prominent San Franciscans whose chief source of wealth was the Empire Mine, a hard-rock gold mine in Grass Valley, California.

Landscape designer, painter and sculptor Bruce Porter brought his artistic talents to the plans for the layout of the extensive formal gardens.

Bourn arrived at the unusual name Filoli by combining the first two letters from the key words of his credo: “Fight for a just cause; Love your fellow man; Live a good life.”

“Exquisitely beautiful and ever-changing, the gardens of Filoli offer visitors the chance to learn about the estate's renowned horticulture practices or to simply enjoy the serenity for which they were designed.”

San Francisco timeshare rentals start at an amazingly low $100/night.

Photo Credit (top): fioli.org

Photo Credit (center): home-garden-info.com

How to Be a Responsible Timeshare Guest and Help Save the Environment on Your Travels

Thousands of tons of carbon dioxide are being thrown into the air every second of the day. How long can nature handle such tremendous stress? And what is your role in this scenario as a globe-trotting traveler?

Caused due to the burning of fossil fuels and the carbon dioxide that's released, global warming is a true symptom of travel. Yet in order to halt the march of global warming, we can all do our bit. Here are a few ideas to help you on your way to becoming a more responsibly minded timeshare guest.

Use Public Transport. Whenever you are out away from your timeshare, ensure that you travel by public transportation systems instead of private cars or taxis. This will not only reduce your carbon footprint but also help you learn a lot more about the place you've chosen to holiday in too!

Since using public transport will often involve you having to ask for directions and interact with the locals, you get a richer experience. You can also give preference to electric trains rather than buses or diesel vehicles; or if the place you're going sight-seeing is not that far away, you can always walk too.

Keep Your Energy Expenditure in Your Timeshare to a Minimum. Another important thing you can do to become more eco-conscious is to remember to turn off the power in the rooms of your timeshare when you don't need them. If the temperature is normal and bearable, you do not need to turn on the heater or the air conditioner on either. If the weather is balmy, turn off the air cooler in your room. The environment will thank you for it!

Switch off the lights of the bathroom don't leave your timeshares TV running all night and day long, no matter how good those foreign programs are! Heavy electrical devices like the television consume a lot of energy and let's face it, who goes on a vacation to watch TV anyway? Go for a walk around the neighborhood of your timeshare and get to know the place better instead!

Opt for a Green-Energy Efficient Timeshare. Another way to cut down on your energy use is to select your timeshare carefully. Many options do their bit to help save the environment - you can even find examples with solar energy panels and solar water heating systems too! 

By maintaining cleanliness, limiting your waste and recycling during your stay, you can rest assured that you're really doing your bit to help. It's not too late for you to become the eco-conscious traveler you always wanted to be!

Learn more about which timeshare resorts are going green.

This post was written by Will Peach, editor of the gap year travel site GapDaemon.com and the overland travel magazine DontFlyGo.com.

Image Credit: the3dstudio.com

A Phoenix Timeshare Rental - and The Best Mother’s Day

Greater Phoenix is the place to be on Mother’s Day.  And renting a budget-friendly timeshare is the way to give Mom a special time. Here are 4 top ways to give her a Mother’s Day weekend she’ll always remember.

1. Cowboys and Jazz. What a combination! And one that works when you take Mom to “Whistle A Western Tune – Songs of Cowboys and Jazz.” Renowned cowboy fiddler Ron Privett joins forces with the extraordinary Carolyn Eynon Singers (12 of whom are mothers!) as they celebrate Arizona’s Centennial.

The program has not one but two highlights. The first is the world premier of Michael Frassett’s “To The Grand Canyon.” And the second is a sing-along when all Moms in the audience are invited to raise their voices in tribute to the grand state of Arizona by singing the Arizona State Song! This evening is not to be missed by any Mom and will be held May 12 at the Tempe Center for the Arts.

2. Mother’s Day Tea. Maybe Mom is more the Tea and Crumpets type. Take her for an elegant high tea experience at the Rtiz-Carlton in Phoenix, hosted on both Saturday, May 12, and Sunday, May 13, by Tea Maitre d’ Jeffery Hattrick. Mom will enjoy a variety of teas, as well as tea-infused sandwiches and pastries, and entertainment.

3. At the Improv. For lots of laughs take Mom to a special Mother’s Day event at Jester’Z Improv in Scottsdale. Here local actors, comedians, and stand-up comics will perform improvisational comedy just for Mom, based on suggestions from the audience. These shows are suitable for all ages, so the entire family can join Mom for some good fun. There are two performances each on Friday and Saturday nights.

4. Mother’s Day With Butterflies. If Mom is a nature lover, she’s sure to love the idea of spending Mother’s Day amidst colorful fluttering butterflies. Take her to the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix for the final day of its special Spring 2012 Butterfly exhibit on May 13.  Hundreds of butterflies are housed in the spacious Marshal Butterfly Pavilion – a flight enclosed lush garden that recreates an appealing butterfly habitat.

Your Mother’s Day trip can be budget-friendly and relaxing with Greater Phoenix timeshare rentals that start at just $70/night.

Photo Credit (1): carolynenyonsingers.com

Photo Credit (2): about.com

Photo Credit (3): sixminutes.dlugan.com

Photo Credit (4): rohrer.blogspot.com