One of the reasons people are attracted to timeshare vacations is that timeshare vacation planning is streamlined. Easy to plan, easy to enjoy, and especially easy if you are scheduling a South Dakota timeshare vacation.

That’s because, there is only one timeshare resort in South Dakota … Barefoot Resort Timeshare in the old gold mining town of Lead.

South Dakota Timeshare Resales and Timeshare Rentals

If you are hoping to capture the rustic feel of a western ranch, with plenty of modern comforts and amenities, then Barefoot Resort timeshare is perfect for you. Located in the southwestern corner of the state, not far from the Wyoming state line and the city of Cheyenne, Barefoot Resort offers quiet relaxation and excellent proximity to Terry Peak Ski resort.

Averaging 150 inches of snow annually, Barefoot Resort attracts skiers, snowmobilers, and winter sports enthusiasts. Summers mean hiking, horseback riding, and enjoying the outdoor pools, hot tubs, and saunas. You are also only a short drive from Mount Rushmore, Presidents Park, Deadwood, Crazy Horse, Wind Cave, Spearfish Canyon, Jewel Cave, Custer State Park, and Devils Tower.

Trading Places International recently has been awarded the Barefoot Resort timeshare management contract and will service all timeshare reservations, timeshare exchanges, and financial services of the resort. Perspective Magazine quotes Douglas L. Wilcox, vice president of Resort Management as saying. “This new vacation destination will be a wonderful addition to Trading Places’ growing mid-west family of resorts.”

There are 44 one, two, and three-bedroom timeshare units at Barefoot Resort timeshares. You can learn more about the opportunities in Barefoot Resort timeshare resales and timeshare rentals at Sell My Timeshare NOW.

Cry wolf enough times and people start to ignore you. Let’s hope that’s not what is happening with regard to the new US passport laws. For several years now, the US government has been saying that American travelers to Mexico, Canada, or the Caribbean will need valid passports to re-enter the country. They have set deadlines, only to delay their enforcement repeatedly because they could not handle the processing overload the new laws created. But June 1, 2009 looks like the ‘real’ deadline.

Unless the rules are delayed yet again (which does not seem likely), beginning next month, US citizens will not be allowed to leave the country without a valid US passport to use when they re-enter the country. So just because your timeshare ownership gives you great exchange privileges at a Mexico timeshare, a Canada timeshare ski resort, or a Caribbean timeshare for sun and surf, doesn’t mean you can take advantage of this unless you have a passport. And the rules apply whether you walk across the border, arrive by plane, or via cruise ship.

Marriott Timeshare Alerting Timeshare Vacationers

Marriott timeshare officials (as well as other timeshare resorts, cruise lines, and hoteliers) have been trying to alert their timeshare owners and timeshare renters, reminding them of the new passport laws.

In an interview with NYDailyNews.com Ed Kinney, vice president at Marriott Vacation Club International, said, “Our Aruba properties are visited by timeshare owners who are typically avid world travelers and who already have their passports. However, we also open our properties to non-owners interested in staying at one of our timeshare properties instead of booking a traditional hotel. When these less-savvy travelers make their reservations, we’ve been alerting them of the new passport regulations to avoid any last-minute problems.”

Kinney adds that he does not anticipate that the new laws will have too much impact on Marriott timeshare owners, explaining, “The people who will be impacted the most are US citizens who don’t currently have a valid passport and who will need to acquire one prior to their next trip. The new rules will help bring consistency and less confusion to international travel.”

Your Mexico Timeshare, Caribbean Timeshare, or Canada Timeshare Vacation

With all the excellent opportunities in timeshare resales and timeshare rentals in Mexico, the Caribbean and Canada, don’t be caught off guard over this new passport law. Remember that the price of applying for a US passport also increases on June 1, so if you plan to travel outside the US, now is the time to get your application submitted. And if you get caught in a bind, or find that Caribbean timeshare rental or maybe Mexico timeshare resale that you just can’t resist, there are companies that, for an additional fee, will speed the processing of your passport documents.

In a recently published online article, BabyBoomer-Magazine.com says for seniors who like to travel, a timeshare may be a better option than an expensive hotel room. And just in case that sounds to you like old people on the road, remember that baby boomers include anyone born between 1964 and 1946, and that the typical adventure traveler in the US today is a 47-year-old female.

And here are some of the reasons BabyBoomer-Magazine.com recommends timeshare resorts:

• Timeshares offer worldwide locations.
• Membership (or timeshare exchange company membership) allows access to many different resorts.
• Timeshares give you the flexibility to choose the size unit that fits your needs.
• Variety, variety, variety. As the article says, “There are condominiums on the beach, upscale suites overlooking an award winning golf course, villas secluded by tropical foliage, or a home next to a private lagoon, complete with a private boat dock and swimming beach.”
• Costs are more reasonable for a timeshare (especially if you buy on the timeshare resale market or rent timeshare) than staying in a hotel, and it becomes more cost efficient the longer you stay.
• Timeshare resort tours offer you a great low-cost way to check out the property before you buy.

Timeshare Vacations a Multi-Generational Solution

You’ve read these same facts here on The Timeshare Authority blog many times before, and with the growth of ‘multi-generational’ travel, timeshares seem a better choice than ever. The Family Travel Forum explains that the advent of the sandwich generation (all those families who are caring for aging parents and growing children simultaneously) is one of the factors giving rise to the rapid increases in multi-generational travel.

In 1999, 21 percent of all travel involved grandparents, but that included trips made to visit the grandparents. By 2005, more than 35 percent of all grandparents were taking at least one annual trip that included their grandchildren. And as Tourism ROI tells us, by November 2008, 50 percent of all baby boomers traveling, were traveling with a grandchild.

Multi-generational travel can also ease the cost of the family vacation. When more adults are vacationing together, often the cost per person is reduced as both the parents and the grandparents may be contributing.

Timeshare resales and timeshare rentals have always been a good deal in vacation travel, but consider the possibilities if you share the cost between the parents and the grandparents. It’s another way to keep family vacations affordable and may be the perfect idea if you are already planning to vacation together anyway.

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: