Renovation of the Kid’s Club at the Viva Wyndham Maya Resort and Viva Vacation Club at Viva Wyndham Maya is now complete and ready to make your family’s Mexico timeshare vacation even more memorable.

Starting with the newly repainted Kid’s Club exterior, the amenity also has new signage, a private pool for kids and a fenced outdoor play yard. Inside, young vacationers will find new kid friendly bathrooms, new décor and kid friendly furnishing, an updated kitchen, lockers and updated technology including a 50-inch flat screen TV and a DVD player. There’s even a nap area with tiny beds, perfect for anyone 3 feet tall or shorter.

The Viva Wyndham Kid’s Club is now open daily from 7 AM to 10 PM, making it easier for parents to enjoy sightseeing, a grown-up dinner, or other activities that are geared more for their interests than for those of their children. While family vacations are all about ‘family’ it can still be nice for many moms and dads to work in a little time that allows them a vacation from the family vacation. Knowing that children are safe, well supervised and having fun in a Wyndham Kid’s Club also allows parents to enjoy activities with older children or teens, which might be inappropriate or uninteresting to the little ones. Young vacationers, ages 4 -12 can take part in games, activities, talent shows, organized sports, even quite time like painting and sandcastle building. Wyndham Resorts and Wyndham timeshare consider their Kid’s Club facilities to be one of the ways the company demonstrates its commitment to unforgettable family vacation experiences.

The Viva Wyndham Maya Resort is a popular all-inclusive destination located in Playa del Carmen, a small beach town opposite the coast of Cozumel, Mexico. The resort is known for sailing, snorkeling, windsurfing, and its luxurious Renova Spa.

Once again, the Disney Moms are back with last week’s release of the forty new members of the 2011 Walt Disney World Moms Panel. The Walt Disney World Moms Panel is actually an online forum designed to give mom-to-mom tips and advice to anyone planning a Disney World Vacation or Disney Vacation Club timeshare stay with their family.

This year’s panel includes Moms, an Aunt, and a few Dads from the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. The Mom’s website and forum is so popular that many of the alumni mom panelists, including honorary member and mom, celebrity Geena Davis, continue to be involved, helping families as they plan their visits to the Walt Disney World parks maximize their vacation experience.

Disney Moms provide insights on the Orlando Walt Disney World theme parks, the new Adventures by Disney, Disney Vacation Club and Disney Cruise Line. As self-professed Disney fans themselves, the carefully selected panel of Moms help families planning a vacation with questions such as age appropriate experiences, dining, accommodations and Disney timeshare, how to cover a large park with small children, and ways to save money during your visit.

Meg Crofton, president of Walt Disney World Resort, says, “This year’s Moms Panel search generated the most applications we have ever received. The Moms Panel has become an integral part of the Disney vacation planning process.”
To learn more about the expertise from Disney Moms, visit: www.disneyworldmoms.com

And click this link to learn more about the opportunities in Disney timeshare in Disney Vacation Club Resales and Rentals.

Wyndham Vacation Ownership (Wyndham timeshare) has announced its new affiliation in an exclusive sales and marketing agreement with Smugglers’ Notch Management Company, Ltd. Plans at this time call for all of the unsold interests in Smugglers’ Notch timeshare to become part of CLUB WYNDHAM Plus ®.

Franz Hanning, president and chief executive officer, Wyndham Vacation Ownership, says, “This is another significant step in executing our fee-for-service timeshare sales model while bringing a truly premier destination into our world-class portfolio of resorts. Smugglers’ Notch has a proud history of providing family-friendly vacations, which aligns with our business model of providing memorable vacation experiences for families. The affiliation with Smugglers’ Notch facilitates our expansion in New England and is also a win-win for two great brands.”

Sales are expected to begin in Spring 2011, with the property to be operated as a Wyndham Vacation Ownership affiliated resorts. Structured within CLUB WYNDHAM Plus ®, Wyndham’s points based internal timeshare exchange program, the new affiliation will make Smuggler’s Notch part of a network of over 70 resorts and tours. The sale of residential homes and the leasing of vacation rentals at Smuggler’s Notch will continue to be managed by Smugglers’ Notch Management Company, Ltd.

Other resorts that are part of an exclusive sales and marketing fee-for-service agreement with Wyndham include the 137 condominium-style units at the re-branded Wyndham Vacation Resorts Towers on the Grove at North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and 256 condominium-style units of vacation ownership at the rebranded Wyndham Vacation Resorts Reunion in Orlando, Florida.

With the coming of a new year, prognosticators seem to pop up everywhere and the timeshare sales and timeshare resale industries are no exception.

Here’s a look at a few of the vacation and travel trends the visionaries tell us to expect; sources include Lonely Planet, the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau, PricewaterhouseCoopers and others.

Timeshare and Vacation Trends for 2011

Vacationers continue to seek to heal their spirits and restore their psyches. Look for popular vacations to include timeshare resorts with well established spas, destinations that market their tranquility factor, and anywhere that is known for its ‘healing’ environment, such as New Mexico, resorts that offer hot springs or mineral springs spas, and of course… eat, pray, love, and visit India to reclaim your serenity.

US timeshare resale and timeshare rental suggestions to help you relax and restore:

• Doral Villas Timeshare Rentals and the famous Doral Spa
• Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa timeshare resales
• Westgate Park City Resort and Spa timeshare resales
• Marriott Desert Springs Villa timeshare rental

Because some smaller or less frequented destinations have poured a good deal of money into tourism marketing this past year, many of them will see gains in the number of visitors for 2011. Marketing the uniqueness of their particular destination will attract vacationers who seek ‘something different,’ often hoping that taking the less traveled path will also yield savings and discounts over vacationing in busier markets.

Alternative destinations for enjoying a timeshare resale or timeshare rental include:

• Sanibel Island timeshare resales and rentals
• Fort Myers Beach timeshare resales and Fort Myers timeshare rentals
• Oklahoma Timeshare resales and rentals
• Montana timeshare resales and rentals
• Indiana timeshare resales

And of course, as everyone continues to cut corners and look for savings, look for increase popularity in timeshare rentals and resales simply because most afford vacationers the opportunity to eat-in and cut the expense of restaurant dining during travel.

Vibes Interactive, has selected Lennon Communications Group, Inc. to guide public relations efforts for its Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform, Vacation Storebuilder (VSB). Vibes Interactive is a Chicago-based company known for providing an advanced e-commerce platform for vacation rental, timeshare prospect generation, short-term membership marketing, timeshare resales and an Interactive Sales System for timeshare sales within the timeshare industry and to vacation rental companies.

President and founder of Vibes Interactive, Sunil Aluvila says, “With over three decades of experience as a leading publicist for the timeshare industry, Marge is uniquely qualified to communicate our messages to businesses within our market. We are delighted to have her aligned with us to drive our public relations and media efforts in the vacation ownership industry.”

Sunil adds, “Marge is right about technology being a significant agent of change in the timeshare industry. Technology that is based on a sound business strategy has become the cornerstone of everything our generation has accomplished and is now creating a fundamental shift in how we market, sell and rent vacation products. Vacation Storebuilder will solve the e-commerce puzzle by bringing together all the tools marketing teams need to quickly deploy websites, generate prospects, increase online rental bookings and drive revenue.”

Lennon Communications, Inc, is a Florida-based public relations, marketing and advertising firm with nearly 33 years of service as a publicist for the timeshare and hospitality industry. Among the company’s many clients is Sell My Timeshare NOW. Marge Lennon is also a frequent contributor to ARDA’s Development’s Magazine, Resort Management & Operations, and other industry publications.

Related timeshare news: Sell My Timeshare NOW and Lennon Communications Team Up

The Wall Street Journal community section recently looked at the question of assuming a timeshare loan, reporting that currently, only WorldMark the Club by Wyndham offers an assumable mortgage option.

Assumable mortgages, whether in residential property or in timeshare vacation ownership, historically have been considered an advantage for a property owner as they may make a property easier for a buyer to purchase and therefore more attractive to buyers in the marketplace. But assumable mortgages, in any venue, have become increasingly rare and they don’t necessarily represent a good deal for a buyer, especially in today’s changing real estate market.

First be aware that there are both qualifying and non-qualifying assumable mortgages. In the case of a qualifying assumable mortgage, the buyer has to meet standards of creditworthiness and ability to pay, just as if he or she was initiating a new mortgage that did not involve the seller. Also, the interest rate on an assumable mortgage could easily be higher than the interest rate for which a buyer in today’s banking market would qualify. Moreover, the property owner in a typical sales scenario will want to be compensated in some form for the equity the owner has in the property, meaning a cash payment to the owner will be necessary in addition to assuming the balance of the owner’s existing mortgage.

However, since most mortgages are structured to be front-end loaded on interest, the longer the mortgage has been in existence, the more the loan’s interest balance has been paid down. This means that a buyer, assuming a loan, could be jumping into payments that will eat away at the principle due in big, hearty bites.

Sellers, with an assumable mortgage should always receive a release of liability on the loan as part of the real estate transaction. If no document is in place, and the new buyer defaults on the loan, the original borrower is likely to become responsible for the debt. And although the property would return to the original borrower, taking possession of that property could take years if the matter became tied up in court.

Where Do Timeshares Fit into this Real Estate Picture?

As a timeshare buyer, you may be able to find an assumable loan from an existing owner of WorldMark the Club by Wyndham timeshare real estate. Depending upon the timeshare seller’s motivation, he or she may or may not require you to make a cash equity payment directly to the current owner in addition to assuming the balance of the upcoming timeshare debt.

Yet as you shop for a timeshare resale, do not expect to find many assumable loans, and remember that the loan’s terms, although assumable, may not be the best way to borrow money. A few lenders offer timeshare financing for a timeshare resale. Most often, the purchase of a timeshare resale is made through a personal line of credit or from the buyer’s savings. Although harder to come by than they used to be, sometimes a home equity line of credit is still the best way to purchase a timeshare resale.

Marriott Timeshare has announced that it is expanding its timeshare points based program, Marriott Vacation Club Destinations, to its timeshare owners in Mexico and in Central and South America. Countries participating include Argentina, Barbados, Bermuda, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Curacao, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Trinidad/Tobago and Venezuela.

Lee Cunningham, the executive vice president and chief operating officer for Marriott Vacation Club, North America and the Caribbean, says, “This program was built upon a tradition of owner involvement and reflects a broad variety of vacationing options and added flexibility that makes it very appealing.”

Under the program, members of Club Destinations receive an allocation of timeshare points to redeem for “customized getaway experiences” These points can be transferred, banked, borrowed against, or augmented with purchased points.

Marriott Vacation Club Destinations is the timeshare points program that Marriott launched in 2010 that was met with mixed reviews by Marriott timeshare owners and owners groups. According to Marriott Vacation Club, the intention of the program is increase flexibility, personalization and experience opportunities for its member/owners.

Marriott timeshare is approaching the expansion of their timeshare points program with enthusiasm. As Cunningham explains, “We’re excited to expand this offering to our current and future Owners in Mexico, Central and South America. We’ve already seen an exceptional response over the past six months with our North American launch.”

More on Marriott timeshare points:

Timeshare Points at Marriott Vacation Club are Changing – Timeshare Owners Still Have Questions

More Details on New Marriott Vacation Club Destinations Timeshare Points

Before you know it, the WIN (Women in the Industry) Orlando Conference will be here.

Scheduled for January 28-29, 2011, the educational and networking opportunity begins with an evening reception at The Fountains. On Saturday morning, the conference sessions run from 9AM to 2PM at The Marriott Learning Center also in Orlando. This conference marks WIN’s second Orlando event, with the first having been in Orlando last January.

WIN reminds everyone in the timeshare industry that although its purpose is to advance the opportunities for women in the timeshare and vacation ownership industry, its membership is open to men and women, corporations and individuals. WIN works to foster the growth of women in timeshare, offering networking, mentoring, and charity, business and educational opportunities.

Benefactors of WIN include: Group RCI, Marriott Vacation Clubs International, CARE, ICE, Wyndham Worldwide, and Shell Vacations. Others in the timeshare industry support WIN as event sponsors or as patrons.

More Information on the Timeshare Industry’s WIN, Women in the Industry

To learn more about the Orlando WIN Timeshare Conference or how you can be part of WIN, visit the organization’s website at: www.womenintheindustry.org

You can also email them at: info@womenintheindustry.org or call (561) 912-8031.
For specifics on the Orlando WIN event, contact: Ellen Devine

If you are like millions of other people, the start of a new year means a resolution to exercise more and eat better—perhaps even eat less.

Sticking to that resolution gets a little easier as the holiday season passes. You will likely have fewer parties and family dinners to tempt you, fewer encounters with eggnog, chocolate fudge and pecan pie. But as anyone who ever made this resolution before knows, anything that takes you outside your normal routine can challenge your resolve to stay on that healthful diet.

Here’s the good news: your timeshare vacation doesn’t have to be one of your diet challenges! With a timeshare resale or timeshare rental, you can go on vacation and stick to your new diet plan because typically, your timeshare will include a full and functional kitchen; no more trying to find low fat or low carb solutions on a restaurant menu.

Timeshare Kitchens and Eat-In Dining Make a Healthful Diet Plan Easier

A timeshare vacation gives you the option to plan your meals in the same way you would at home. Shop at a grocery or market after you arrive. In top tourism destination Orlando, for example, you will find both Whole Foods Markets and Chamberlin’s markets offering organic fare and conveniently located near the attractions and Orlando timeshares.

If you are concerned about whether your timeshare resale or timeshare rental will include a specific cooking tool, contact the resort before you travel for a detailed list of kitchen items. That way, if you feel you must have a steamer, colander or other designated cooking implement that your timeshare does not include, you can plan either to bring one with you or to purchase one at a nearby store after you arrive.

Not only does a timeshare vacation make it easier to stick to your new year’s diet plan, but the enticing opportunities for fresh air and exercise could make it a vacation in which you actually lose weight instead of gain.

I hope your New Year’s resolutions include a purposeful intent to bring more happiness into your own life and the lives of those around you. This comes in many forms, including reaching personal goals, sharing with or giving to others, and quality time spent in the pursuit of relaxation and fun.

So it seems appropriate when looking at ways to create more happiness in 2011, to look at the “Happiest Place on Earth” (a.k.a any Disney park or resort) where there are many changes and surprises in store for visitors, including these:

Disney timeshares (or many other Orlando timeshares) put you in a great location to experience an African trek … in Florida, with an adventure that begins later this month. Launching on the January 16, you can make reservations to explore ‘untracked terrain’ Disney-style on the Wild Africa Trek. This three-hour, guide-led experience is designed to immerse small groups in a firsthand, front row encounter with African wildlife.

Both California timeshare vacationers and Disney timeshare Florida vacationers have a special treat in store for them at Disney’s new Star Tours Adventures. This experience is designed to take guests at the Disneyland Park in California or the Florida Hollywood Studios to “Coruscant” and other destinations in the Stars Wars galaxy. Disney describes the experience as a “breathtaking immersion of 3-D.”

And of course Disney Vacation Club timeshare is, for the first time, taking Disney magic to Hawaii. In a mixed-use property that includes both traditional hotel rooms and Disney vacation Club villas, the new Aulani Disney Resort & Spa at Ko Olina (scheduled to open in August of this year) offers guests the chance to relax on 21 acres of oceanfront, mountain-view, beautiful Hawaiian island.

For 2011, whether it’s visiting a theme park, a National Park, a timeshare resort, or simply planning a cook-out in your own backyard, we hope your resolutions include more time for fun, family, and purposeful relaxation. Happy New Year from Sell My Timeshare and The Timeshare Authority.