If you are planning an Orlando timeshare vacation between now and Halloween, here’s a partial list of activities you will want to check out:

Universal Studios celebrates Halloween Horror Nights on select evenings, starting Sept 23 through October 31. Now an Orlando tradition for twenty-one years, Halloween Horror Nights is not for the faint at heart. Expect, a labyrinth of bloodcurdling chills in haunted house, scare zones and live shows, designed to haunt your long after Halloween is past.

Should your family prefer a tamer taste of Halloween fun, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween party is celebrated on select nights between September 13 and November 1. The “not-so-scary” festivities include Mickey’s “Boo-to-You” Halloween Parade and the bewitching Happy HalloWishes fireworks show.

The Central Florida Zoo is offering the Zoo Boo Bash on October 22, 23, 29, and 30. Zoo visitors are invited to come in costume or get your face painted at the park. The Zoo Boo Bash is another family-friendly way to enjoy your Orlando timeshare vacation, without missing out on the season fun of Halloween.

And of course, for Halloween, even Shamu gets in the act. Every weekend in October children at SeaWorld can enjoy the underwater “fantasea” which includes trick-or-treat, both silly and spooky shows, sea-themed arts and crafts, or dance with whimsical sea creatures.

A lot has changed in the 40 years since Disney first launched its Disney World theme park in Orlando. In October of 1971, Disney World opened for business with only 26 attractions and one park, the Magic Kingdom.

Back then, there were two Disney hotel properties and of course, no Disney Vacation Club for Disney timeshare. Disney moved into timeshares with the 1991 opening of its Old Key West Resort.

Today the Walt Disney World Resort features Epcot (added in 1982) and Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom (both added in 1989). Other popular attractions at Disney World include Typhoon Lagoon; Blizzard Beach; Downtown Disney; Disney’s BoardWalk; Disney’s Wedding Pavilion; the ESPN Wide World of Sports; and the Walt Disney World Speedway, not to mention the excitement surrounding Disney’s recent announcement of the addition of an attraction based on the movie, “Avatar”.

There are also more than thirty resorts located on the Disney property, with some 27,000 hotel rooms. Disney’s newest major hotel, the Art of Animation Resort, is currently under construction and scheduled to open in 2012.

As one of the most visited vacation destinations in North America, millions of people have a special Disney World memory they recall, whether it’s from a family vacation, class trip, honeymoon or anniversary celebration. This year, as Disney World turns 40, isn’t it time you and your family experienced Disney magic all over again, enjoying a new adventure and making new memories?

Learn more about the opportunities in Orlando timeshare resales and rentals.

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.

One of the many benefits of vacationing in a spacious timeshare rather than in a cramped hotel room is the kitchen and dining area many timeshares include.

Having a kitchen in your timeshare, (typically a full kitchen, stocked with cookware and dinnerware) makes it easy for you to accommodate special dietary needs, cook for picky eaters or even raid the fridge in the middle of the night should the notion strike you.

But for most of us, vacation fun also includes at least a little restaurant dining.
For the health conscious eater, here are some suggestions on where to dine during an Orlando Disney World vacation.

When Your Orlando Timeshare Vacation Includes Disney World

When at Walt Disney World, consider planning your daily schedule so that you can eat your meals at Epcot. Although there is healthful fare available at all of the Disney World parks, Epcot affords you perhaps the most choices for eating smart.

For sit-down dining, try the Restaurant Marrakesh in the Morocco area of the World Showcase where it easy to accommodate your low-fat or vegan food choices. Nine Dragons in the China area as well as the San Angel Inn in the Mexico section both offer vegetarian meal choices, too. If you are seeking gluten free options, ask to skip the Chinese noodles or, for Mexican dining, replace the flour tortillas with tortillas made from corn.

For café style dining in Epcot, you may want to consider the Yakitori House in the Japan section where you can enjoy veggie sushi rolls and veggie noodle bowls

For a more all-American menu, try The Garden Grill in the Land Pavilion. There you can choose from greenhouse fresh selections that include salads, veggies and a popular rice pilaf.

And since Disney is known for covering all the bases, they also provide you a helpful Dining Reservation Center where a Cast Member can answer all your menu related questions and assist you with special menu items. To contact the Dining Reservation Center call 1-407-WDW-DINE (that’s 1-407-939-3463).

For help in planning a timeshare resale or timeshare rental vacation at the Disney Vacation Club or in other Orlando timeshare resorts, call 1-877-815-4227

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

(Please check Saturday’s The Timeshare Authority blog post for more: Disney’s First Hawaii Timeshare Welcomes Guests.)

The Aulani Resort, Disney’s new hotel and timeshare on the island of Oahu, set out to honor the Hawaiian heritage from its inception, drawing from the Hawaiian culture and tradition. Many of the individuals who worked on the development of this resort were local architects, historians and artisans. At every turn, you will find the Aulani resort rich with materials, imagery and symbols that pay tribute to the people of Hawaii and their way of life.

But you will also find all the convenience and luxury of a Disney resort. Aulani includes two main restaurants, two cafes, two lounges, an adults-only spa, a spa and hangout for tweens and teens, a family fitness center, conference rooms, a fire pit for storytelling and an amazing kids club known as Aunty’s Beach House.

Entertainment for the Youngest Timeshare Guests

In traditional Hawaii culture, children call many older adult women by the term, “Aunty” and at Aulani, Aunty’s Beach House is sure to be a popular spot.

While Aunty’s Beach House looks like a traditional Hawaiian home, right down to its décor, which includes ‘family’ photos, old trophies, and a garage filled with tools, it is actually at 5200-square-foot entertainment paradise for children. In a supervised setting, children can enjoy arts and crafts; treasure hunts; hula lessons; Wii™ video games; Sony PlayStation® video games and, of course, Disney movies.

The windows and skylights at Aunty’s Beach House are in fact digital screens depicting scenes of Hawaii and magical changing details. Aunty’s side of the house targets younger guests, children ages 3 to 7, and includes the enchanted fireplace and age-appropriate experiences. Uncle’s side of the house is for older children. In includes the workshops, games, a garden area and a rain room theater.

Poolside at the Disney Vacation Club Resort Aulani Hawaii Timeshare

The massive pool area at Aulani is practically a water park. There is an 8,200-square-foot pool, a 950-foot-long lazy river where tubing takes you through forests and caverns, a private saltwater snorkel lagoon filled with tropical fish, a conservation pool for getting close to the stingrays, starfish and anemones, a rock formation with lava tube slides and an aquatic jungle gym called Menehune Bridge. (The Menehune are a mystical, magical ‘little people’ of Hawaiian lore).

Activities at the resort include movie nights, fireside storytelling, hula dancing, Hawaiian sunset ceremonies, cooking classes, surf lessons and, of course, Mickey and company to meet, greet, and charm, typically in Hawaiian shirts and grass skirts.

Disney Expects Aulani Timeshare Owners from Around the World

While Disney anticipates many guests and Disney Vacation Club members at Aulani from the US and Canada, they also expect to attract many visitors from Asia. To ensure that all their guests enjoy the comforts of home, the Aulani suites and timeshare villas include the extra-deep hot baths, preferred by the Japanese; in-room rice cookers; tea service as well as coffee; and chopsticks as well as knives and forks as standard issue.

The Disney Vacation Club Villas at Aulani include 460 studio, one-and two-bedroom timeshare villas and 21 Grand Villas, which sleep up to 12 happy vacationers.

Click here to learn more about the Disney Vacation Club Aulani Resort.

And here to learn more about the opportunities in Disney Vacation Club timeshare resales.

This past week, Aulani, Disney’s only property in Hawaii, opened its doors and welcomed guests and timeshare owners for the first time.

Aulani is about an hour’s drive from Waikiki, on the west side of the island of Oahu. Throughout the development of the resort, Disney has worked to maintain the spirit of Hawaii in all details of the property. The word, Aulani means “a messenger of a chief – one who delivers a message from a higher authority.” Joe Rohde, senior vice president, Creative for Walt Disney Imagineering, explains, “The name Aulani was chosen to position the resort as a messenger of the “higher authority” that is Hawaii, its spirit and its culture.”

Tom Staggs, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts and the company’s former chief financial officer, says Aulani “… captures the very best of the rich Hawaiian storytelling and culture with a touch of Disney.”

Disney Vacation Club and Disney Timeshare

Aulani Disney Resort & Spa is the first property Disney has built in Hawaii and is the eleventh Disney Vacation Club Villas resort (timeshare) for Disney. With 481 Vacation Club timeshare villas and 359 traditional hotel rooms, Aulani is the first hotel/timeshare combo Disney has launched that was not in close to proximity to one of its theme parks. Disney Vacation Club does offer two resorts not at parks, Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort timeshare in Hilton Head, Georgia and Disney Vero Beach Resort timeshare in Vero Beach, Florida, but neither of these properties provides hotel accommodations.

Take a few moments and watch this video that tours the Aulani Resort, just before its opening, and then check back in tomorrow at The Timeshare Authority blog where we take a closer look at the amenities you will find there. Many, like the in-room rice cookers, may surprise you!

Find Hurricane Irene updates here: National Hurricane Center

In a summer marked by economic ups and downs, getting away on vacation this year hasn’t been easy for many people. So if your vacation included this week or this weekend in the Caribbean or along the eastern seaboard, you are no doubt concerned (or maybe backing out all together) because of Hurricane Irene.

Will Hurricane Irene Change Your Timeshare Vacation Plans?

As much as we all look forward to vacation time, don’t put your own or your family’s safety at risk. If you are told to evacuate an area, or even just urged to evacuate, do it. Hurricanes are fraught with uncertainties, and your interests are always best served by erring on the side of conservative action.

Your Timeshare, After the Storm

If you have a timeshare vacation scheduled in the days or weeks after an area has been hit by a hurricane, don’t assume that because the storm is gone, everything is back to normal. Call before you make your trip.

Even if your property is safe, inconveniences such as downed power lines, lack of safe drinking water, or closed roads in the area of your timeshare can make your trip unpleasant. Also, some properties may be accessed for local use as an emergency shelter and not available to timeshare guests and timeshare owners. Two phone calls on your part can answer a lot of questions; make one call to your resort and one call to the area Chamber of Commerce, Red Cross, or even the local Sheriff’s Department. Ask if roads are open and travel is safe.

Timeshare Hurricane Policies

Hurricane policies vary from one timeshare resort to another and may even vary somewhat based on individual circumstances. Check with your timeshare management company or the resort itself to answer any questions you may have about changes to your timeshare vacation plans because of a natural disaster.

Most timeshare resorts work hard to accommodate their member/owners during and after a weather disaster. Resorts will typically help you in all the ways they can. Assume that if the resort could possibly be open, it would be. After all, they want you to get your vacation time in as much as you do. But remember, inasmuch as the storm is not your fault, it is not the fault of the timeshare resort either. Don’t expect the resort to cover your out of pocket expenses for air travel and other related vacation costs, that is what travel and vacation insurance is for.

Below is an example of one timeshare company’s hurricane policy: the Disney Vacation Club.

Disney Vacation Club Hurricane Policy Statement

From June 1 to November 30, 2011, in the event a hurricane warning is issued by the National Hurricane Center for the Orlando area, Vero Beach area, Hilton Head Island or for the Member’s place of residence within 7 days before the scheduled arrival date, the Member may call Member Services prior to check-in to cancel or reschedule, based upon availability, their Disney Vacation Club Resort reservation without any cancellation or modification penalty.

Note: This policy pertains to hurricane warnings only. Other weather advisory levels are handled on a case-by-case basis and Members should contact Member Services.

Q  & A about Disney Timeshare Hurricane Policy

Q. When does this temporary policy become effective?

A. The temporary policy is effective in the event a hurricane warning is issued by the National Hurricane Center no more than 7 days before your scheduled arrival date for the Orlando area, Vero Beach area, Hilton Head Island or for the Member’s place of residence.

Q. What can I do if a hurricane warning is issued?

A. If a hurricane warning is issued by the National Hurricane Center for the Orlando area, Vero Beach area, Hilton Head Island or for the Member’s place of residence no more than 7 days before your scheduled arrival date, you may call Member Services in advance to modify, based on availability, or cancel your Disney Vacation Club Resort reservation without any cancellation or modification penalty.

If you are to be staying on a Member Getaway and a hurricane warning is issued for that destination, please contact Member Services.

Q. Will I be responsible for any cancellation or modification penalties or other amounts?

A. If you have products and services provided by third party suppliers that were not obtained through Member Services, such as airlines, hotels, car rental agencies or vacation insurance companies, you will continue to be responsible for any non-refundable payments, as well as cancellation penalties or change fees assessed by those suppliers. The policy does not apply to certain special events or dining experiences (e.g. Member cruise).

Q. What if I prefer to reschedule my vacation to a different date because of a hurricane warning? Will I be able to get my same accommodations?

A. If you are scheduled to arrive within seven (7) days of the hurricane warning, you may call Member Services prior to check-in to reschedule, based upon availability, without penalty. We cannot guarantee availability of similar accommodations for the new travel dates. The policy does not apply to certain special events and dining experiences.

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.

In today’s business economy, it is especially gratifying to post positive news. Today we just released news that Sell My Timeshare NOW has posted 27.5 percent increase in broker assisted timeshare sales, year-over-year, through the end of the second quarter of this year.

These numbers focus on our timeshare brokerage business, Timeshare Broker Services, though, which we offer full-service timeshare resale brokerage. And in the month of July alone, we saw a 109 percent increase in timeshare broker assisted sales month-over-month, as compared to July last year.

Why Are Timeshare Sales through Timeshare Broker Services So Strong?

We see several factors feeding into the strength of broker-assisted timeshare resales, and it is interesting to note that these strong sales are both in the branded hospitality providers such as Disney Vacation Club, Starwood timeshare, Hilton timeshare, Hyatt Vacation Club and others but just as much in independent timeshare brands –names you may or may not know as well.

First, demand for timeshare on the secondary market is strong. At Sell My Timeshare NOW, we have committed to offering clients the services they really want and value. That’s why we provide both by-owner timeshare resale advertising and a full-service timeshare brokerage.

With the leadership of Jerome Bocquet, vice president of our brokerage division, Timeshare Broker Services, we have focused on in-depth broker training and expanded services.

We’ve also launched a major redesign of our main website, www.sellmytimesharenow.com. We’ve made it easier and more intuitive for prospective buyers and renters to search for timeshare resales and rentals.

There’s a lot going on at Sell My Timeshare NOW and Timeshare Broker Services and we’ll continue to share it with you here on The Timeshare Authority blog.

Follow this link to read our full media release, Sell My Timeshare NOW Posts Substantial Gains in Quarterly Sales through Timeshare Brokerage.