Florida Timeshare

Were you among the millions who watched the Colts beat the Bears in Super Bowl XLI?

It is hard to say how many of the estimated 90 million viewers were there for the game, and how many watched for the halftime entertainment and the famed (or notorious?) commercials.

Either way, you perhaps saw Kevin Federline (ex-husband to Britney Spears) in an ad for Nationwide Insurance that promotes their current corporate message, “life comes at you fast.” In case you missed it, the commercial began with Kevin Federline in his rap-star glory and quickly segued to Kevin Federline, dishing out French fries at a non-descript fast food restaurant. Cute, and a surprise to many, that he agreed to the do the ad, which in many ways poked fun at his own media image.

~K-Fed’s Super Bowl ad~

But what I found most interesting from the much-publicized details of Federline’s stay in Miami is—of course—not his TV commercial, but his choice of accommodations. It seems that he began his Miami Beach stay at the Catalina Hotel and Beach Club. The Catalina is a South Beach classic that boasts a minimalist décor and describes their guest rooms as “glazed in white with popping hints of red”. Apparently, the rooms just weren’t popping enough for the ex-Mr. Britney Spears, because according to the “Celebrity News,” section of US Magazine online, Federline relocated.

On Wednesday, before the game on Sunday night, Kevin Federline, and presumably his entourage, moved into the penthouse at the Chesterfield Hotel Suites & Day Spa. The Chesterfield is a small boutique hotel, with 48 rooms and a prime location on Collins Avenue in South Beach. There is no report of whether or not the new accommodations proved satisfactory to Mr. Federline.

So for all of you who want to stay at a Miami hotel that boasts, “Kevin Federline slept here,” you now know where to book your next South Beach vacation. On the other hand, if you don’t want to use the former husband of Britney Spears as your guide for what to look for in great lodging and accommodations, you might consider a Miami Beach timeshare resale. In South Beach, vacation ownership options include the Westgate South Beach, the Crescent Resort & Spa, and the Hilton Grande Vacation Club. Other Miami Beach timeshare vacation resorts are the: the Clarion Suites Crystal Beach and Health Club; the Sagamore Suites Hotel; the Wyndham, the Signum Resort; the Simone Palace of Shushan, the Golden Strand Ocean Villas and the Sovereign Hotel.

You can enjoy timeshare vacations whether you own the unit or rent it directly from the present timeshare owner. They are incredibly easy to book, spacious, almost always include kitchen and dining areas, and are usually located conveniently close to everything you want to see and enjoy. And who knows? You might even find one that includes “popping hints of red” in the room décor.

Just though I’d mention – we do have a few Miami timeshare resales and rentals available.

The Wyndham Palms Resort and Country Club in Orlando, Florida now has a new identity as the Mystic Dunes Resort and Golf Club. If that name already sounds familiar, it may be because Tempus Resorts International is simply renaming their flagship Orlando property to carry the name of their well-known golf course.

Roger Farwell, president and CEO of Tempus Resorts International Limited, says, “Our new brand is a perfect fit for our resort as it reflects the unique beauty and topography of our property and the quality vacation experience that we currently provide to our owners and guests, while lending opportunity to expand our property and services even further.”

When Farwell speaks of unique topography, he is talking about the fact that the Mystic Dunes golf course, and much of the overall property of the resort, has been built on some of the highest elevations in Florida. Where once two prehistoric oceans lapped at the sandbar that is now the Florida peninsula, the high sand ridge left behind in the center of the state represents the apex of the ancient beach. Perfect for golf, this land offers natural elevation changes not found in most other areas of the state. Likewise, because the soil is so high in sand content, when the semi-tropical rains fall during hurricane season (late May to mid-November) the high percolation rate of the sandy soil means the greens and fairways drain and dry quickly. Golf courses built along this ancient sand ridge are rarely unplayable because of standing water. No wonder people often liken Mystic Dunes to the sandy links land that buffers the fairways of so many famous British golf courses.

Along with the Gary Koch-designed golf course, the resort offers timeshare vacation owners at Mystic Dunes beautiful vistas of rolling hills, orange groves and native vegetation surrounding each timeshare condo. With the new identity, the timeshare company is expanding accommodations from 652 one, two, and three-bedroom timeshare condos to 717, as well as adding high speed internet access, DVD players and video-on-demand to every timeshare unit.

In the Central Florida Orlando-Kissimmee vacation destination area, Mystic Dunes offers a chance to savor the peace and quietude of the great outdoors, with the convenience of being less than three miles from the Walt Disney property.

Tempus ranks as one of Central Florida’s top 100 privately held companies according to the Golden 100 Rankings established by the Orlando Business Journal 2006. The resort itself has maintained a “5-Star Resort” ranking from Interval International since opening in 1998.

Starwood Vacation Ownership, a Florida timeshare company, has announced plans to build a multi-million dollar timeshare project in Palm Desert, California.

Starwood Vacation Ownership timeshares (a division of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.) has purchased 28-plus acres of land from the Intrawest Company. Intrawest is a Canadian-based vacation ownership club, (a timeshare company) and already owns the 88-unit Club Intrawest timeshare condos at Palm Desert’s renowned Desert Willow Golf Course.

At the time the property was acquired in June 2006, Intrawest had requested and received government approval to develop 215 timeshare units there. Starwood timeshare seeks to increase the number of units to approximately 300, but must first obtain approval from the Palm Desert Architectural Review Committee, who will look at the issue of density as well as the aesthetic elements of the timeshare company’s overall plan.

Construction for the project is scheduled to begin in 2007 or early 2008. All timelines are tentative, based on obtaining the necessary permits and approvals. The proposed Desert Willow timeshare project will be Starwood Vacation Ownership’s second timeshare condo property in the Coachella Valley. It is part of the plan announced this past July by Starwood Resorts Worldwide to continue development and construction on projects throughout the US, Mexico and the Caribbean.

Raymond L. “Rip” Gellein, Jr., chief executive officer of Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc. says, “Starwood Vacation Ownership continues its robust growth under our Sheraton, Westin, and St. Regis brands, driving our aggressive expansion plans in new and existing domestic and international markets.”

The Desert Willow timeshare promotion will be branded as a Westin vacation ownership resort.

The rumor mill about new projects at Disney is always churning. But it probably doesn’t require inside connections or a crystal ball to predict that the next new development in Orlando will involve the vacant land on the west side of the theme park property.

In the Orlando-Kissimmee vacation destination of central Florida, the Disney folks have already given us the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney MGM Studios, Animal Kingdom and a host of other entertainment venues including Downtown Disney, Blizzard Beach, Typhoon Lagoon and Pleasure Island. All of this fun and activity is surrounded by Disney’s themed hotels and the vacation villas (Disney timeshare) of the Disney Yacht and Beach Club, Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa, the Disney Beach Club Villas, the Villas at Wilderness Lodge, the Old Key West Resort, and the 450-plus new Disney World timeshare villas already under development at Animal Kingdom. But as we all know, enough is never enough at the “Happiest Place on Earth,” and no one really thought that Disney would sit on those hundreds and hundreds of acres of undeveloped land it currently owns.

So while there’s nothing official yet, we’ll take it as a big clue that the Walt Disney corporation was not likely to build a highway to nowhere. With traffic now moving on the four-lane road known as the Western Way, (which Disney kindly shouldered much of the bill to construct) many believe that new Disney development is imminent.

To put the location in perspective, the Walt Disney parks are situated south and west of the city of Orlando and the Orlando International Airport. They are west of the smaller city of Kissimmee. Everything around the parks and to the north or east toward Orlando and the airport is high-dollar real estate. While there is some budget-friendly lodging scattered throughout this area, most tourists looking for a Disney vacation without the big price tag currently head south and southwest of the parks. Along Highway 192, one can find a motel, hotel, timeshare deal or timeshare promotion. Vacation accommodations and fast food restaurants abound in a high-traffic triangle created by the Disney parks, Kissimmee and State Road 27.

Some forecasters say that Disney will construct a new theme park in this area and more accommodations in keeping with their other properties and Disney timeshare. Other sources speculate that they will go head to head with the budget properties that already surround the area, and build Disney timeshare units, economy hotel rooms, quick-serve restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores and budget-conscious retailers.

Either way, here’s my prediction: whatever the people behind the Mouse decide, it will include more Disney timeshare resorts and Disney World timeshare vacation villas. Central Florida is consistently a top family-favorite vacation destination. With more timeshare units and timeshare promotion in Orlando than anywhere else in the world, vacation ownership in Central Florida is a proven triumph. Whether Disney goes upscale or budget-friendly, you can bet on the fact that future development in Orlando will prominently feature Disney World timeshare.