Part II of a two part series:

Saturday’s The Timeshare Authority blog looked at Disney’s Vacation Club’s expansion at the Disney Tree House Timeshares at Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa Timeshares and at Kidani Village Timeshares at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Today’s blog post focuses on the new Bay Lake Tower timeshares.

Bay Lake Tower Timeshares Overlooking Disney’s Magic Kingdom at the Contemporary Resort

When Disney’s Contemporary Resort hotel opened, it was met with a great deal of excitement surrounding this modernistic resort property, where the monorail runs right through the hotel lobby. Not quite the Jetsons, but certainly futuristic in feel for 1971.

In 2007, Disney began construction on the new Bay Lake Tower Disney timeshare resort that is adjacent to and part of the Contemporary Hotel, now known as the Contemporary Resort.

Offering the most dramatic views of the Magic Kingdom, some Bay Lake Tower timeshare units even have a screen you can pull aside to permit viewing the Disney fireworks while you enjoy a relaxing soak in an oversize bathtub. Another perk of this timeshare resort property is the rooftop lounge that affords some of the best views available anywhere on the Disney World property of the nightly firework displays.

Many people consider the new Disney Bay Lake Tower timeshare to offer the most spectacular timeshare accommodations among all the Disney Vacation Club resorts. With vaulted ceilings in the larger units (and all units offering a very spacious feel), the designers of these Disney timeshares take particular pride in the granite counter tops and other luxury finishes. These special touches can be found in every Bay Lake Tower timeshare unit, whether it is a studio unit (sleeping up to four), or one of the two-story grand villas designed to accommodate up to twelve happy Disney timeshare vacationers.

The Sky Way Bridge is an elevated covered walkway connecting the timeshares of Bay Lake Tower to Disney’s Contemporary Resort and from there, the rest of the park is as close as a monorail ride.

As with all Disney timeshares, one can expect these three new (or newly renovated) Disney Vacation Club resorts to remain popular destinations. Look for affordable Disney timeshare resales and Disney timeshare rental options available through Sell My Timeshare NOW.

Here’s a fun YouTube look at the new Bay Lake Tower timeshares that are part of Disney Vacation Club’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa Timeshares.

More news from The Timeshare Authority on Bay Lake Tower Timeshare:

Part I of a two part series:

Read anything about Disney vacations these days and you will find lots of excitement surrounding Disney Vacation Club’s three new or newly-renovated timeshare properties: The Disney Tree House Timeshares, Kidani Village Timeshares, (which is part of Disney’s Animal Kingdom), and Bay Lake Tower Timeshare Resorts.

All three resort areas offer the amenities and comfort you expect in Disney timeshares at Disney Vacation Club, but with individual new features that give them added personality.

Disney Tree House Timeshares at Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa Timeshares

Talks of renovation at Disney’s famous “tree house” villas (now part of the Disney Vacation Club) stalled for years, as environmental engineers struggled to comply with updated watershed laws. If you remember the look of the original tree houses, the accommodations were built on pedestals in order to provide a tree house-like feel with elevated vistas. A clever new design that reduces the circumference of the pedestal while adding additional support columns has enabled Disney to make the timeshare renovations without increasing the environmental footprint of each unit.

The tree houses, now part of Disney Vacation Club’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa Timeshares, even include four handicap-accessible timeshare units. Rather than incorporating an elevator into selected timeshare units, the architects have used long—long— ramps to allow access to these Disney timeshares that sit some ten feet above the ground.

The Disney Tree House Villas are definitely the Disney timeshare property to choose if you want proximity to all areas of the Walt Disney World Vacation Kingdom, yet serene feelings of seclusion in a wooded glen that will make you swear you are miles away from the energy and excitement of a Disney vacation. The interiors have been updated with a woodsy décor, but don’t expect your Tree House Villas timeshare vacation to feel like camping—instead you’ll find upscale comfort, right down to the Tuscan bronze details in the baths. The frog fountains in and around the newly renovated pool area offer another fun touch at the Disney Tree House Timeshare Villas.

Disney Vacation Club’s Kidani Village Timeshares at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Sometimes bigger is not better. Kidani Village timeshares create an intimate-feeling resort property located in the heart of Animal Kingdom’s savanna, meaning that you can get up-close views of the animals from many of the balconies or timeshare unit windows.

All of the rooms have the fun feel of a Lion King themed décor, with standard amenities, and while they are sufficiently spacious, they are cozier rooms than you find in Jambo House, which is also part of Disney’s Animal Kingdom timeshares. Because the entire back of the Kidani Village timeshare lodge is located directly adjacent to the wild animal savanna, the pool area is in the front of the resort. The Hakuna Matata playground is a 24-hour recreation area located beside the pool, overlooking the flamingo area and the wild animal savanna. Other recreational areas and basketball courts are directly across the street. This layout maximizes the use of the property’s proximity to the animal habitat and allows timeshare owners the best views possible of the animals in a natural environment.

Be sure to check in on Monday’s The Timeshare Authority blog post, where I’ll fill you in on the timeshare resort many feel offers Disney’s most luxurious timeshare accommodations yet.

Follow these links to learn more about the affordable opportunities in Disney timeshare resales and Disney timeshare rentals:

• Disney’s Villas at Wilderness Lodge Timeshare Resales
• Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa Timeshare Resales
• Disney’s Old Key West Resort Timeshare Resales
• Disney’s BoardWalk Villas Timeshare Resales
• Disney’s Beach Club Villas Timeshare Resales

Past Timeshare Authority blog posts related to these Disney timeshare resorts:

• Disney Vacation Club Timeshare Is On Schedule with New Timeshare Addition
• Disney Vacation Club Timeshare to Affiliate with Group RCI

Disney timeshare’s newest accommodations are open at the Disney Animal Kingdom in Orlando, Florida. The new Disney timeshare, the Kidani Village, is an extension of the timeshare lodging already available at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. The timeshare resort’s name comes from the Swahili word for “necklace” and references the physical layout of the resort.

Of the 340 timeshare units that are part of the resort, approximately 60 percent are now in use. The remaining Disney timeshare units (also called Disney Vacation Club) are scheduled to be available by the end of the summer. By converting the existing rooms within the Animal Kingdom Lodge to timeshares, (a project that is already completed) the property will feature nearly 350 timeshare units at build-out.

What to Expect in a Disney Timeshare at Kidani Village

Timeshare resort amenities include a restaurant that serves African cuisine infused with the flavors of India; a water-play area; and the Samawati Springs Pool that features a 128-foot water slide and two whirlpool spas. Other onsite facilities and services include: a pool bar, merchandise shop, room service, fitness center, arcade, community hall, tennis courts, and valet parking.

Timeshare units at Kidani Village Disney timeshare offer: studios; one-bedroom timeshares, two-bedroom lockoff timeshares; two-bedroom timeshare units; and two-story, three-bedroom grand villas. Occupancy ranges from four to twelve adults.

Disney Timeshare Better than Ever with Group RCI, Timeshare Exchange

Remember that Disney timeshare is now part of Group RCI, which gives Disney Vacation Club members access to non-Disney timeshare resorts through timeshare exchange at RCI, as well as allowing owners at other timeshare resorts to exchange their timeshare weeks or timeshare points for a Disney resort.

To learn more about timeshare exchange for Disney timeshare through Group RCI, visit The Timeshare Authority post: Disney Vacation Club Timeshare to Affiliate with Group RCI

And for a YouTube video tour of the new Disney Timeshare Kidani Village, click here:

The Rang Dong Group has announced that Vietnam’s Sea Link Golf and Country Club in Phan Thiet is now part of the RCI timeshare exchange.

Nguyen Van Thieu, vice chairman, Rang Dong Group, says working with RCI timeshare exchange was an easy decision. “RCI is the world’s largest timeshare and vacation exchange company. Gaining access to their 4 million leisure-bound members will be very valuable for our resort. I believe that our professional services as well as the stunning landscape in Phan Thiet will provide unforgettable experiences for guests at Sea Links Golf & Country Club.”

The Sea Links Golf and Country Club timeshare is east of Ho Chi Minh City and overlooks the Phan Thiet Sea at Mui Ne Bay. A five-star golf resort known for its lush foliage and sweeping views, the timeshare also includes a spa and tennis courts.

RCI Timeshare Exchange

Rang Dong Group is a leader in Infrastructure and Construction, and has been the lead on numerous key construction projects in Vietnam. Both RCI timeshare exchange and Rang Dong Group recognize the significance of the relationship. Geoff Ballotti, president and CEO, Group RCI, says, “This relationship is historic for RCI as Sea Links Golf & Country Club is our first affiliate in Vietnam. We are thrilled to welcome this beautiful resort to the collection of top vacation destinations we offer to our RCI Weeks(R) members.”

Group RCI expands with five new timeshare resort affiliations for timeshare exchange.

Group RCI timeshare exchange has expanded their affiliations, adding five new timeshare resorts to the approximately 4,000 locations they already offer their subscribing members.

While four of these timeshare resorts are cool, crisp northern destinations, the first one on the list is located on the warm sunny beaches of Florida’s Miami Beach. The Mimosa in Miami Beach is a Florida timeshare with units from studio timeshares to spacious two-bedroom timeshare condos.

Miami Beach, Florida timeshare vacations mean you have a choice of spending your days lounging poolside or shopping the upscale boutiques of nearby Bal Harbour. Your nights can be spent in the clubs of South Beach, or strolling waterside as the moonlight reflects off the tropical water.

For a totally different experience, the Salmon Falls Resort timeshare in Ketchikan, Alaska offers twenty Alaska timeshare units and an ideal destination for sport fishing, hiking, bear watching in the Tongass National Forest, glacier viewing, and taking in the unique experience of America’s fiftieth state.

The Whitewater Village Resort in Ontario, Canada is another timeshare resort that lets you get back to nature. This “green” destination includes an environmentally friendly building designed and constructed using a fully sustainable development model. The buildings are constructed with Forest Stewardship Council wood, are 40 to 50 percent more energy-efficient than the norm, and have solar water heaters and geothermal heating sources. Brand new, only three cottages are currently complete but this Canada timeshare resort will offer 34 timeshare units at build out.

Gull Lake Residence Club in Nisswa, Minnesota is also an ‘under-development’ timeshare resort with five fractional or timeshare units currently complete. Gull Lake Residence Club’s luxurious three-bedroom, four-bath townhomes are fully furnished and each includes five flat-screen televisions, four fireplaces, and jetted bathtubs.

Last on the list of new Group RCI timeshare exchange properties is the Betsie River Lodge and Club in Traverse City, Michigan. When complete, this under construction resort will include 135 timeshare units that will each sleep up to ten people. A luxury timeshare resort, the Betsie River Lodge and Club will have a Club RCI Gold Crown Resort® ranking.

Timeshare Exchange Companies and Your Options

Timeshare exchange opportunities are one of the favorite features that have attracted many people to timeshare ownership. Generally, a timeshare developer establishes an affiliation by paying a fee to the exchange company. After the initial commitment is established, each timeshare owner who wishes to be part of the exchange company’s programs must then continue to pay annual fees and membership dues in the timeshare exchange company, and/or pay fees at the time of exchange.

Group RCI is the largest timeshare exchange company in the world today, however there are timeshare exchange companies of all sizes and not all require you to pay membership fees. Internal timeshare exchange is also an option when you own timeshare at some resorts. This means, that at some resorts, you can exchange for timeshare at other resorts within a network of properties, typically under the same management or brand.

Women in the Timeshare Industry association will host networking and educational events at the upcoming ARDA Convention.

With the ARDA (American Resort Development Association) Convention upcoming at the end of this month, WIN (Women in the Industry) is planning a special networking event on Tuesday, March 31, at the Orlando World Center Marriott. WIN is an exciting timeshare industry association we have written about before at The Timeshare Authority. According to Cathy Backus of CSA Travel Protection, WIN truly represents, and is represented by, women in all areas of timeshares and resorts. The non-profit organization works as a collective group to foster leadership and create opportunities in the hospitality and the timeshare industries, particularly for women.

Spirit Incentives is a primary sponsor of the networking event, during which WIN will be unveiling their interactive website and kicking off an organizational membership drive.

As part of the ARDA Convention, WIN will also host the “Breakfast of Champions,” featuring Olympic swimmer Janet Evans and sponsored by Hilton Grand Vacations. Additionally, WIN is hosting a special educational session at the ARDA Convention titled, “Not Just the Boys Club Anymore: Welcome to the Girls Club: How the Face of the Workplace Has Changed.”

Women looking to be a part of WIN can follow this link to learn more about Women In the Industry, and the great things they are doing for the timeshare industry and its future.

Corporate Benefactors for WIN include: Marriott Timeshare, Wyndham Worldwide, ICE, Group RCI, Shell Vacations, Bluegreen Corporation, C.A.R.E. and The Trades.

Past blog posts on The Timeshare Authority, profiling WIN:

• Women Changing the Face of Timeshares and Timesharing (Part I)
• Women Carving Out their Future in the Timeshare Industry (Part II)

Point to Point Destinations has just announced five new timeshare resorts added to their RCI Points and RCI Points Home Group. All are California timeshare resorts although several are located in the Lake Tahoe resort area at the California/Nevada border making them convenient to the diverse recreational amenities both areas have to offer.

Point to Point Destinations is a California-registered non-profit mutual benefit corporation, and an association of timeshare members. Purchasers of Point to Point Destinations timeshare offered by West Coast Timeshare Ltd. (Canada) and West Coast Vacations Ltd. (USA) become voting members of Point to Point and can take advantage of all urban timeshares and resort timeshare property registered to Point to Point by either West Coast Timeshare Ltd or West Coast Vacations Ltd. There are 37 timeshare resorts or vacation properties in the Point to Point Destinations Home Group.

New Additions in California Timeshare at Point to Point Destinations Timeshare

Americana Village Resort timeshare and Stardust-Tahoe timeshare are both located in South Lake Tahoe, CA. Both California timeshare resorts are favorite destinations for skiing, enjoying Lake Tahoe’s beaches, or crossing the border into Nevada to enjoying gaming and casinos.

Red Wolf Lakeside Lodge timeshare is in Vista, CA and offers a mountain retreat on the north shore of Lake Tahoe, while as additions to the Point to Point Destinations Home Group, you’ll find the Olympic Village Inn and the Red Wolf Lodge at Squaw Valley USA. Sports buffs recognize the name Squaw Valley USA as the host resort for the VIII Olympic Winter Games in 1960.

To learn more about your opportunity to become a timeshare owner at Red Wolf Lakeside Lodge and other timeshare resales, visit Sell My Timeshare NOW.

As part of our aggressive growth plan, Sell My Timeshare NOW has hired Jay Bade as our new Executive Director of Business Development. Jay comes to Sell My Timeshare NOW as a timeshare industry veteran with 20 years experience in timeshares. Previously he was Vice President, Eastern Region for Trading Places International.

At Trading Places International, a respected timeshare exchange company, Jay was responsible for business development in the eastern US, Mexico, Canada, and the Caribbean. Before working for Trading Places International, Jay was the Director of Club Inventory Development for Bluegreen Resorts.

Starting in Timeshare Sales

Jay began at RCI on the call center sales floor. He advanced to key client management and business development for RCI Resort Services. Jay is an experienced timeshare executive with account management experience in working with resorts, exchange services, owners associations, and inventory acquisitions. He will play a key role in our growth and expansion at Sell My Timeshare NOW. Jay’s also an avid skier and we anticipate finding him on the slopes, when he is not on the job, hard at work.

Sell My Timeshare NOW welcomes Jay Bade!

Follow this link to read Sell Timeshare NOW’s official press announcement of the hiring of Jay Bade.

Until recently, timeshare, in the US, along with other parts of the world, has grown at an excellent rate. After all, the market is global and there are always new timeshare buyers and timeshare renters and new “hot” timeshare destinations.

But when timeshares sales fail to increase by the leaps and bounds the resort industry is accustomed to, (as it has in the US in 2008) we focus on the industry cutbacks and forget that in other parts of the world, the industry is strong. For example, despite the soft economy and recessionary environment in many parts of the world; India timeshare sales are soaring.

According to the Hindu Business Line, Ms Radhika Shastry, Managing Director of RCI India, says “Transactions into India from our international members witnessed 39 per cent growth in November 2008 over the same month last year. For January, we are seeing 51 per cent growth over the same period last year. Timeshare is a family product, offers many holidaying options, gives its patrons flexibility in terms of exchanging destinations for a certain amount, and people are committed to holidays; all these features prevent the industry from getting hit during hard times, which may impact tourism in general.”

While India timeshare developers feared a slowdown in Goa, RCI (Resort Condominium International) reports instead that the region experienced international membership growth from November 2008 until early January 2009 of around 40 percent. Hindu Business Line goes on to quote Ms. Shastry as saying that more than 1400 member families (or roughly 5,000 guests) from South Africa, the US, Australia, and the United Kingdome have visited RCI India timeshare resorts since November.

Good news to hear when after the layoffs and cutbacks in the US!

Popular India Timeshare Destinations:

• Goa Timeshare
• Mumbai Timeshare

I don’t know how many cities Santa Claus covered on Christmas Eve and in the wee hours of Christmas Day, but he’s about the only one who can take in more territory than you can as a timeshare owner with great timeshare exchange privileges.

Timeshare exchange is designed to give you flexibility in vacation destinations, dates, and accommodations. Resort Condominiums International (RCI) and Interval International, (II) are the two largest timeshare exchange companies, but there are dozens of other companies, many of which specialize in regional or other targeted types of travel. You will find the cost to join a timeshare company varies, as will the types of services they offer.

In their book, How to Benefit from Your Timeshare, authors Susan Johnson and Janice Taylor describe the benefits of timeshare exchange like this:

“An Exchange Club is an organization that lists thousands of travel destinations for use by its members. … An Exchange Club take points/weeks that you do not want to use in the current year and allows you to use and select from their huge inventory of locations worldwide. You should receive a directory from the Exchange Club listing all properties available to you within their network.”

Currently there are 4,775 RCI affiliated timeshare resorts and 2,400 resorts affiliated with Interval International.

Follow this link to learn more about the opportunities of timeshare exchange. And to help you get started in planning your vacations, here is a handy timeshare calendar or, you may wish to visit the website for Timeshare Calendar.