Much that is positive, exciting, and invigorating for the timeshare industry has been discussed these last two days at the VOIC Shared Ownership Investment Conference in Orlando, Florida, which is hosted by Interval International. And frank talk has gone on about all the challenges of the industry, the economy, and the ways (both good and bad) that the industry has engaged with consumers in the past.

But some of the most interesting insights about timeshare and fractionals comes from a simple look at the numbers. Very often in business, the numbers speak louder than the words.

Here is a look at some recent research about Interval International member/owners:

• US resident members of II own approximately 1.9 weeks of shared ownership vacation time or its equivalent and travel an estimated 22 nights per year solely for leisure purposes.
• They report household income of approximately $121,175 per year.
• Twenty percent expect to buy additional vacation time in the future.
• Timeshare owners are attracted to warm-weather locations (Florida, California, Hawaii, Arizona, South Carolina timeshares and Caribbean timeshares) and family-style accommodations.
• Most are interested in, or have a preference for, two-bedroom timeshare units. Just under ten percent prefer three-bedroom timeshares.

And this may be the most industry-relevant factor of all: 83 percent of Interval International’s US members say they are satisfied with their timeshare ownership.

As David Gilbert, Interval International, executive vice president of resort sales and marketing, says, “Even in challenging economic times, it is very encouraging to see that the appeal of vacation ownership remains strong among our members.”

Welk Resorts San Diego is opening its doors for you to jog through the resort. On October 15, Welk Resorts timeshare will host the Run 4 Safety 5K Run & 1-Mile Walk Benefitting Deer Springs Fire District.

This is your chance to get an up-close look at the popular Welk Resort, part of the resort company developed by television star and musician, the late, Lawrence Welk. In the process, you will be helping to raise money for the Deer Springs Fire District, which will host its 2nd Annual Safetyfest and Deer Springs Fire District Open House.

The 5K run, (or to make it sound easier, the 3.2 mile run) begins at 7:30 AM and will lead you through the rolling hills of Fountains Golf Course and then throughout the scenic resort property. If you had rather walk not run, there’s a great option for you too. A 1-mile run/walk starts at 8:30 AM and follows the paved roadways within the resort.

At the finish line, enjoy food, folk art, safety demonstrations, children’s activities , a bike safety clinic and more. To find out more or to register to be part of this fun run, go to: Run 4 Safety

Lawrence Welk Timeshare Resorts San Diego

What a great way to spend a Saturday morning, help the local community, and see for yourself all that Welk Resorts and Welk Resorts timeshare resales have to offer. Learn more about the excellent opportunities in Welk Resorts Timeshare Resales at:  Lawrence Welk Villas on the Greens, Lawrence Welk Resort Villas and the Lawrence Welk Resorts Mountain Villas.

You know Disney … they would never settle for just celebrating Halloween one day a year. At the Anaheim, California, Disneyland Resort, the Halloween celebration starts today and runs through October 31.

For California timeshare families vacationing at Disney this time of year means the opportunity for a Halloween that is safe, outrageously fun and that will linger in your children’s memories for a lifetime. Of course, the park is decorated for the occasion with autumn leaves and smiling pumpkins at every turn.

Here’s more about the Disneyland fun and festivities you can expect when you vacation with Mickey during the boo-tiful Halloween season:

• In Disney’s own words, “All systems are GHOST for a spine-tingling journey through a haunted quadrant of the cosmos on Space Mountain: Ghost Galaxy!
• The Haunted Mansion has had an “ex-scream” makeover just in time for your Halloween vacation.
• The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is positively dying for you to drop in.
• The Disney characters are out and about for Meet ‘n Greets that include favorite Disney villains.
• And on select nights, and with purchase of an additional event admission ticket, you can be part of the extra special fun at Mickey’s Halloween Party.

California Timeshare Vacations All Year Long

California is a great state for a timeshare vacation whether you vacation in a San Diego timeshare, a San Francisco timeshare or perhaps head for Pebble Beach, the Baja or to ski the slopes in northern California. With California timeshare, you have so many options, that there’s bound to be a choice that is ideal for the way you and your family like to vacation, as well as many great resorts to enjoy during your Halloween holiday at Disneyland.

Happy Labor Day Weekend! The Timeshare Authority blog hopes you are enjoying a “labor-free” Labor Day holiday.

Writing today’s blog post was a bit like writing a back-to-school essay titled, “What I Did on My Summer Vacation,” except, we’d have to call this, “What Everyone Did on Their Vacation.”

Last week we published the new Hot 100 Timeshare Resales report and the Hot 100 Timeshare Rentals report.

These reports list for you the top 100 timeshare resales and the top 100 timeshare rentals to receive offers to buy or rent at Sell My Timeshare NOW and Timeshare Broker Services. The lists provide you a true overview of how consumers are allocating their vacation accommodations dollars.

Download these two free reports and study them for yourself. Among the trends and vacations patterns you will observe is this information about the top 20 most in-demand timeshare rentals:

1. Included in the top 20 timeshare rentals are 8 Marriott Vacation Club International resorts: Marriott’s Aruba Surf Club; Marriott’s Ko Olina Beach Club; Marriott’s Newport Coast Villas; Marriott’s Maui Ocean Club; Marriott’s OceanWatch Villas at Grande Dunes; Marriott’s Waiohai Beach Club; Marriott’s Aruba Ocean Club; and Marriott’s Grande Vista
2. In addition to the three Marriott Hawaii timeshares listed above, two other Hawaii timeshares ranked among the top 20 rental destinations: Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resort Villas and Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resort Villas North
3. Holiday Inn Club Vacations at Orange Lake’s West Village; Disney’s Beach Club Villas and Wyndham Bonnet Creek Resort are the three Orlando timeshares on the hot properties rental list.
4. Three Mexico timeshares made the list of most in-demand timeshare rentals: Grand Mayan Nuevo Vallarta; Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach and Palace Resorts at Moon Palace Golf and Spa
5. The remaining four timeshare resorts among the top 20 are the Manhattan Club; the Ocean Beach Club – Virginia Beach and Harborside Resort at Atlantis along Harborside Resort at Atlantis II

Find out more here:

Timeshare Resales http://www.sellmytimesharenow.com/media/pdf/HOT-TIMESHARE-RESALES-2011.pdf

Timeshare Rentals http://www.sellmytimesharenow.com/media/pdf/HOT-TIMESHARE-RENTALS-2011.pdf

On Monday, Claire Bilby was officially announced as the new senior vice president in charge of Disney Vacation Club. Bilby is a veteran sales executive who has been responsible for company sales programs in Orlando, Paris and Hong Kong during her 23-year career with Disney.

According to the Orlando Sentinel, Karl Holz, president of New Vacation Operations and Disney Cruise Line, wrote, in a memo to Disney Vacation Club employees, “Claire brings to Disney Vacation Club an impressive track record in global sales, as well as an inspirational leadership style and innovative thinking. Her many accomplishments include helping to launch several Disney theme parks around the world and serving as a key leader in the successful 50th anniversary celebration for Disneyland Resort.”

Disney Vacation Club presently includes more than 475,000 individual owners and 4,000 employees, with annual timeshare sales in the range of $190 million. Currently under development for Disney timeshare is Disney’s first Hawaii resort, Aulani, which is planned for 460 timeshare units and 359 hotel rooms along with a planned addition to Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.

Disney timeshare units are also still available through Disney Vacation Club at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas and Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa. Other Disney timeshares can be purchased as timeshare resales or enjoyed as Disney timeshare rentals.

There are timeshare brand names everyone knows, and timeshare brand names with which people may not be as familiar. Often, the lesser known brands are either not affiliated with a hotel chain and therefore don’t benefit from hospitality brand recognition or they are regional resort destinations, and as such, may be well known in some parts of the country while not a recognized name in other areas.

If you know the name Welk Resort timeshares, it is likely to be because:

1. You live in southern California; Branson, Missouri; or Cabo, Mexico where all of the beautiful Welk timeshare resorts are located.
2. You remember big band leader Lawrence Welk, who founded the brand, and whose family continues to manage the resorts.
3. You are already a happy Welk Resorts owner or have enjoyed vacationing in a Welk Resort timeshare rental.

Vacationers, who come to know the Welk Resort brand, quickly recognize that these are high quality resorts with an emphasis on family vacation experiences. At Welk Resort timeshares you will find sparkling pools, great golf, and on-property theaters.

Here’s a closer look at the Welk Resorts located in the US:

• Lawrence Welk’s Desert Oasis is located in Cathedral City, California, in the heart of the Coachella Valley. In addition to on-property amenities, you will find nearby shopping, championship golf courses and casino entertainment.
• Lawrence Welk Resorts Mountain Villas Timeshare; Lawrence Welk Resort Villas; Lawrence Welk’s Villas On The Greens. The three Escondido, California Welk Resorts are nearby the popular tourist attractions of San Diego including LEGOLAND California; SeaWorld San Diego; the San Diego Zoo, the Wild Animal Park, the Sea Life Aquarium, and the beautiful California coastline. They are also ideal destinations for enjoying professional sports events, on-property or nearby golf, tours of Temecula Valley wine country, or the Actors’ Equity theatre Welk Resort San Diego, with its quality, Broadway-style plays and musicals.
• Lawrence Welk’s Timber Ridge Lodge is a favorite Branson Missouri timeshare destination. In addition to all the family-friendly entertainment and fun of Branson, The Lodges at Timber Ridge offers tasteful, upscale accommodations, an indoor Splash-A-Torium and a game room.

Follow this link to learn more about the popular Welk Resorts. And watch the video below from AskMandoTV to find out what Welk Resorts is doing to keep its timeshare owners happy.

For many people, a Disney park vacation always means magic. Our love affair with all things Disney is spurred by both the fact that Disney continually brings new and different attractions to their parks and yet we can always count on being able to enjoy timeless experiences we have loved since childhood.

The Disney Vacation Club, which is points based Disney timeshare, is an ideal way to visit the theme parks. You are staying on property, transportation around the parks is easy (and free), and because you have a home away from home there at the resort, you can always head back to your timeshare to pick up a different camera, change your shoes, or just rest for a while before continuing your day (and night) at the park.

And one of the best benefits for guests on property at Disney resorts is the opportunity to enjoy “Extra Magic Hours.” These are additional hours in the Disney parks available only to guests at select Disney resorts. Follow this link to learn more about Extra Magic Hours at Disney.

Disney Park Special Attractions to See During Your Disney Timeshare Vacation

Advance tickets are now available for many of these special events.

Are you spending Father’s Day watching the U.S. Open, being played this year at Congressional, in Bethesda, Maryland?

The tournament’s opening rounds left golf fans with more questions than answers about how the weekend would play out. Would Rory McIlroy continue to play like he did in his scorching hot opening rounds of 65 and 66, and if he did find himself contending on Sunday afternoon, would he handle it, or would we see a repeat of what happened at the Masters and last year’s British Open? Would Sergio “El Nino” Garcia put together four consistently strong rounds? And which Phil Mickelson would actually show up to play?

That’s the fun of being a golf fan because every course and every round brings surprises both for the fans and even for the pros who know the game so well. And although Congressional Country Club is a members only course, there are other US Open courses that are available to the public to play and some that are even ideal for playing during your timeshare vacation.

US Open Golf Courses and Your Timeshare Vacation

Bethpage in Farmingdale, New York, is an outstanding public golf course and often remembered by golfers as the location where, in 2002, Tiger Woods won his second US Open. New York timeshare has a lot to offer, from the bright lights, big city of the Big Apple and timeshares such as the Manhattan Club and the Hilton New York City to retreats in the Catskill Mountains.

For a west coast timeshare vacation, consider playing Torrey Pines, home to both the 2008 US Open and a regular season PGA Tour event. San Diego timeshare resales and rentals are your ideal choice for this golf outing. Torrey Pines, with its dramatic canyons and bluffs and seaside views of the Pacific Ocean, is one of the greatest public golf courses ever built.

Or schedule a golfing vacation classic and play at North Carolina’s beautiful Pinehurst, where the US Open is scheduled to return in 2014. North Carolina timeshares offer you many options from Foxfire timeshare, located some 10 minutes from Pinehurst, to other area timeshares, many with great golf courses of their own.

…and to all the dads, from Sell My Timeshare NOW and the Timeshare Authority blog, we wish you happy vacationing, great golfing, and a wonderful Father’s Day.

Last month, Jonathan M. Tisch, CEO of Loews Hotels, delivered the opening address at NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference. In his speech, to a crowd of some 1800, Tisch made some eye-opening points about the condition of American’s aging transport infrastructure. He touched on issues that get right to the heart of tourism, the economy, and even safety.

Here is a summary of some of the unsettling points he raised, calling this the “next great challenge facing the travel industry”:

1. Although investing in the travel infrastructure –roads, bridges, airports, air traffic control, trains, tunnels, and all forms of public transportation— is costly, failing to invest is even more costly.
2. As the US economy slowly recovers, Americans return to both more recreational travel and more business travel. However, “…over the next decade, an estimated two billion people will be able to afford international travel – most of them from the rising economies of China, India, Brazil and Russia.” If you think US airports are slow and crowded now, what will they be like when facing such a surge of international travelers?
3. Remember when it was fun to fly? With today’s crowded flights, congested airports, security demands, and safety concerns, air travel in the US is far from fun. Now add the deficits in public transportation and you have travel that Tisch describes as, “more stressful, less convenient, and more nerve-racking.” Clearly, this is a problem for hotels, timeshares, and everyone who makes their living in tourism and travel. As Tisch points out, it really doesn’t matter how appealing your accommodations are or how soft the sheets, if the traveler arrives thoroughly frustrated and exhausted from trying to reach his destination.
4. Travel delays are more than inconvenient and annoying. According to a study by the Partnership for New York City, travel delays cost the New York regional economy more than $2.6 billion in 2008 and will total $79 billion by 2025.
5. Just as travel woes hurt not only the hotel and timeshare industries, but all segments of the economy, travel improvements bring an amazing boost to economies. A report recently released by the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation estimates that investing in LAX alone would create nearly 40,000 jobs and generate $7 billion for the local economy.

I have only touched on a fraction of the insights that Jonathan Tisch shared in his address. I urge you to follow this link to read his speech in its entirety. You will find it at Hotels Online.

At one time, the “hottest” central Florida theme park destination was Cypress Gardens. Opened in 1936, in Winter Haven, just west of Orlando, Cypress Gardens was known for its ski shows, Southern Belles in vintage dresses, and well… its cypress gardens, those manicured grounds of beautifully landscaped floral gardens and stately cypress trees.

In 2010, Cypress Gardens closed its doors for the last time, overshadowed and overwhelmed by the Disney, Sea World and Universal Studios parks in Orlando and Busch Gardens in Tampa. But you just can’t keep a good theme park destination down for long, because before 2011 is over, the 150-acres of the former Cypress Gardens will be reborn as Legoland Florida.

Plan Your Next Florida Timeshare Vacation and Catch the Opening of Legoland

Last week, Legoland officials announced that the park—planned as the world’s largest Legoland park, will officially open on October 15, 2011. Built to cater to children ages 2 through 12, Legoland Florida will offer over fifty rides, including roller coasters and race cars.

Legoland Florida sales manager Todd Andrus says, “Guests (callers) have been all but begging to know the date, so they can book their flights and accommodations, and purchase admission tickets.”

And with its plan for family-friendly shows and attractions, there is no reason to think that Legoland Florida won’t be at least as successful as the Legoland parks in Denmark; Windsor; England, Germany; and Carlsbad, California. And just like a Grand Pacific Palisades California timeshare offers you the ideal venue for your trip to Legoland California, you can count on an Orlando timeshare resale or Orlando timeshare rental vacation making it fun, affordable, and easy to enjoy your trip to Legoland Florida.

Click here to learn more about Legoland Florida.

And follow this link to get started planning your Orlando timeshare vacation.

More about timeshares and a visit to Legoland: Hawaii Timeshare in Maui, California Timeshare Near the Beach, and Desert Beauty in a Las Vegas Timeshare Resort