Orange Lake - How far and reviews....

emmalgin

Mouseketeer
Joined
Feb 1, 2002
from Sea World and Universal? Am booked on impulse buy (auction). Worried that it is a trek to I-Drive....

Are there shuttles to Disney?

Comments appreciated.
 
You will love OLCC! One of the best timeshares in Orlando. As long as you booked anything but a studio, you'll be very happy! The resort is very close to the Disney, and probably 8 mls from Univesal. I'm sure there are shuttles, but for more info, go to www.orangelake.com.

Enjoy!

Dann

In addition, here are just a few of the reviews from tug (Timeshare Users Group):

Our members say:

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12/29/01 Owner: No We just returned from our second trip to OLCC and believe that this is one of the best T/S properties in Florida! As recommended in previous postings, we requested a unit in the new Tennis Villa's and really enjoyed our close proximity to the pools, beach and recreation center. I'm including two digital pictures with a view from our 3rd floor balcony and from the boat rental docks along the adjacent lake. The only downside to our T/S exchange was the 7 am (CST) wake-up call from the sales office offering a "VIP breakfast" the morning after we arrived in Orlando! Submitted by: Ken Rempert
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12/28/01 Owner: No We went to Florida for New Year's week. Originally we were assigned a unit backing up to 192. I called and requested a tennis villa and was changed with no problem. The tennis villas are nice because they are so convenient to everything, I could let the kids(10 and 12) roam a little. There were a lot of planned activities but we did not participate in them. They even had their own New Year's party with a special kids pj party until 1am. We missed this as we brought the New Year in at Universal.

There was only one luggage cart for our entire building, so we ended up taking multiple trips up and down to the 5th floor after we checked in. The elevator was a little slow, but it did work all week. The unit had a nice view. Lots of plates, cups, etc. We ran into a few problems. The previous user had not washed the coffee cups and they all had crud around them that we used the provided brillo pad to get off. Our master bath sink drain would not stay closed (a problem only to contact wearers) and the shower head needed replacement. Water only came out of about 1/2 of it. Also the blankets on the beds were full of holes and one had blood on it.

We found the staff to be very pleasant and helpful. Along with Universal tickets we bought tickets to Sleuth (mystery dinner) and all four of us enjoyed it. In fact my daughter even bought a "home mystery" to do for her birthday party. We also enjoyed the family putt-putt golf pass and the kids definitely got their money's worth. Afternoon bingo was great, especially with cash prizes. One game prize was $182. Of course, we never won, but it sure was fun trying. Pools were used a little, but it cooled down considerably while we were there so we didn't get to use them once. The olympic pool is still the home to many various wildlife birds.

Traffic was not bad except early morning on 4. 192 was great, no construction or back-up. It was also very convenient to have Publix and Walgreens right at the edge of the property. Overall we enjoyed our visit. Submitted by: Gail Paulus
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12/1/01 Owner: No We were assigned to the 5700 building in the Tennis Villas. We had a 2 bdrm/2 bath unit on the 4th floor with a great view of the lake from our screened patio. The 5700 building is next door to the clubhouse, so it was in a great location. We stayed at OLCC a few years ago in the older section of the resort, which is okay, nothing great. The Tennis Villas are much nicer than the older units. They are building another new section at OLCC which is called the East Village. The construction is similar to the Tennis Villas with 4 or 5 levels.

We found staff to be very accommodating, with one exception. We contacted reservations two weeks prior to our visit to request the Tennis Villas or North Village. The first lady I talked with, said she would not accommodate any request for the Tennis Villas or North Village, and wasn't’ exactly pleasant in her response to my request. I called a couple days later, and talked to a man who was very happy to put in our request for the Tennis Villas. I also called a week before we arrived, and talked with a lady who was also very friendly and noted our records as confirmed’ into a specific unit at the Tennis Villas.

The only complaints we had: pillows weren't’ very comfortable, toaster only toasted on one side; and there weren't’ any shelves in the shower, so you had to put shampoo, conditioner etc., on the shower floor.

They supply a few coffee filters, dishwashing soap and laundry soap. They do not supply coffee, salt or pepper. There was plenty of storage in the kitchen and the bathroom. We did not find the elevators to be slow, as noted in other reviews. However, I work in a 10 story state office building, with low bid elevators, so I am used to very slow elevators! Submitted by: Patti Campbell
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11/11/2001 Owner: No Orange Lake is so well known that I hesitated to add another review to the pile – so this will be short.

Overall, we would give Orange Lake an A and rate it about a 9. We were in one of the older single story golf villas -- the unit was fine (but not outstanding), well maintained, and reasonably close to the main activity center. So much is written here about getting the Tennis Villas, but I think that most people will be very happy with these units.

The grounds and common facilities are outstanding. A very good range of activities is available, and a great vacation can be had without leaving the resort. There were no traffic problems with 192; recent construction is done. We would certainly take a trade into Orange Lake again. Submitted by: J Wayne Steifle
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Sept 8, 2001 Owner: No We just returned home from a week at Disney World with our 3 grandsons and we stayed at Orange Lake. This was our first time and we were very impressed. Check-in took about 10 min. Took longer to find our unit. It was a 2 bedroom, backing up to one of the golf courses in Legends Walk. The children¹s pool was just 2 buildings down from us which was convenient. The Furnishings were very nice and appeared to be fairly new. Our kitchen was great with microwave, dishwasher, coffee pot etc. Service for 8 of tableware. Plenty of cooking utensils and pots and pans, washer and dryer were in the hall between the bedrooms. We were supplied with soap for 3 loads of clothes, and dishes. The unit was very comfortable and spacious. Had a screened-in patio with table and chairs. Had a king size bed in one bedroom with a very large bathroom adjoining that included a jacuzzi tub as well as a shower.

The 2nd bedroom had 2 full size beds. The bathroom was adjacent. The staff were very helpful and 2 nites we ordered pizza from the pizza resturaunt in the resort and it was excellent and did not take long to get. We had a family get together with 14 of us there and had more than enough room to visit without feeling crowded. There were a lot of activities that we were unable to take part in as we were either busy at Disney or watching the terrorist attack on TV. The weather was not the best so only used the pool one day. I would rate this resort a 9. And would go back again with no problem. Because of the tragedy in New York and Wash. and the uncertainty of being able to fly out, the resort offered us an extension at a very reasonable cost if we needed it. Which was a great relief to me with 3 little kids to worry about if we needed to stay. Submitted by: Patricia Nikolas
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8/11/01-8/25/01 Owner: No We arrived early on the day of check-in (Sunday) at the Club since we just arrived by plane from the west coast. We were allowed to register, but not yet check in until the 4:00PM check in time. At registration they let me know that we had been assigned to one of the older cottages. I asked if it could be changed and we were directed to someone who could supposedly help. (By the way, a few days before arriving, I had asked if the unit had been assigned and they said no but I did request a unit by the tennis courts or newly refurbished unit.) The individual that was to help us was embroiled in an issue with another person just ahead of us that took an hour to resolve. (They should have more problem solvers on regular check in dates). When the individual was ready for us, she was pleasant and looked up a possible change in our accommodation. She did find a possible unit, however, at 2:00PM the individuals checking out had not been verified as leaving yet. Since the "new" unit was a newer one by the tennis courts we agreed to wait upon the check-out and the clean-up required even though it might be longer than 4:00PM We were staying two weeks and I wanted my family to have a very positive experience. Once we were able to actually check-in about 5:30PM, we loved the unit. It was on the fourth floor and there was a slow elevator, but the wait was worth it. The kitchen was immaculate, the master bedroom had a jacuzzi tub in it,(which was much used after all the hard long walks during the day at the Parks), and the washer dryers were full size.

The facilities and setting is fabulous in spite of the heat. One could actually enjoy taking a vacation on-site without doing all of the regular Disney or Universal Studio vacationing. We did not get to do the golfing or many other provided activities since we were off- site quite a bit. I would rate the facility a 9 Submitted by: Paul Schneider
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Hey Snowboarder!

No problemo, glad to help. You will love the resort, I'm sure, just don't let this influence you into buying a t/s from the developer! If you do want to buy one, OLCC units go for as little as 3-4K on the resale market vs. 8-20K from the resort!

Dann
 


Dann:

As a member of Tug I don't think you should be copying the reviews from Tug and posting them on another board. Members pay to belong and one of the perks of being a member is the review board. JMHO.
 
mrsstats,

Posted before thinking....not uncommon for me:) You're entirely correct. I've been a member so long that I forgot it was password protected. My bad.

Folks, if you want access to similar reviews for timeshares around the world, particularly Orland, ante up a measly $15 and join TUG! www.tug2.net. The reviews are only a small part of whats offered with membership. By far the most informative site for timesharing available on the net.

Dann
 
WOW..lots of stuff about O Lake..to get to I drive and Universal go east on 192 to I-4 east Orlando and take it to the last of the I drive exits...will say Universal on the sign...easy drive on 192 and I-4, about 15 minutes.....enjoy...Ted
 


I'm still a little confussed about the units at OLCC. We are going with a 3 year old, and a 2 year old. What is the difference between the North Village, and the Tennis village. We will be sharing a car with grandparents while at the resort, and plan to spend days at the pools with our kids while my parents go off site to do shopping and etc. I hear that the North village is next to the kiddi pools. I though these units in the North village were the new units. Would we be better off staying at the Tennis villas. Are they newer and closer to everything? Please help!!

Laurie
 
Hi....Olake is HUGE...we stayed in the north addition and still drove over to the new pool in the North end...there is another very large pool area near registration...but the fancy new pools are in the north end...they do have a shuttle that runs all the time....again I couldn't believe how big this place is...but we really liked it...FYI they have fun miniature golf for 24 dollars for the family for a week....enjoy...Ted
 
My DH and I have been owners in Orange Lake since 1992 - we bought a villa on our honeymoon! We have used it every year since then with the exception of a trip out to the West in 1999. Orange Lake is a huge complex, but easy to navigate around. The only difference I can make between the Tennis Villas and the North Village is that the Tennis Villas were built in the mid-1990's and the North Villages were recently completed (later 90's). Tennis Villas are closer to 192 and the main clubhouse area where all the shops, restaurants, guest services, lake and sandy beach are. There is an olympic size pool here, a heated pool (reg. size), a free form pool with lots of huge umbrellas to put your lounge chairs under and a kiddie pool with one of those mushroom waterfalls. There are bathrooms and a snack bar and tiki bar here. This is where most of the games and activities take place. (Reggae music by the pool Friday/Sat. night?; country & western night; luau night; bingo; kids games).

The North Village has a snack bar, tiki bar, a zero depth entry pool (nice for the little ones), and a pool that has a small water slide - my 8 yr. old daughter loved this. The newer units (North and Tennis) are beautifully decorated and clean. We like to drive up to this area because it is the newest of the pools and the landscaping is beautiful. Towels are provided at all the pool areas.

We own a golf villa, which is one of the older units and has been recently renovated. We always find it spotless. As for getting to the parks, since the construction has been completed on 192, it is now a breeze compared to the slow traffic that was occuring for a couple of years. I believe there is a quicker way to get to the Animal Kingdom from OLCC. OLCC has also built a Publix with a few convenience stores (haircuts, liquor, T-shirts) nearby with another gated entrance into the complex which will bring you by The North Village. There is also a brand new Walgreens across the street from the main entrance.

You can also check out what the villas look like along with floor plans and an activity schedule
on their website - www.orangelake.com

We are heading down May 2nd for our week (May 3-10)- Autotrain from VA this time instead of driving from Northeastern, MA (Methuen).

I hope you enjoy Orange Lake as much as we do!
 
My DH and I have been owners in Orange Lake since 1992 - we bought a villa on our honeymoon! We have used it every year since then with the exception of a trip out to the West in 1999. Orange Lake is a huge complex, but easy to navigate around. The only difference I can make between the Tennis Villas and the North Village is that the Tennis Villas were built in the mid-1990's and the North Villages were recently completed (later 90's). Tennis Villas are closer to 192 and the main clubhouse area where all the shops, restaurants, guest services, lake and sandy beach are. There is an olympic size pool here, a heated pool (reg. size), a free form pool with lots of huge umbrellas to put your lounge chairs under and a kiddie pool with one of those mushroom waterfalls. There are bathrooms and a snack bar and tiki bar here. This is where most of the games and activities take place. (Reggae music by the pool Friday/Sat. night?; country & western night; luau night; bingo; kids games).

The North Village has a snack bar, tiki bar, a zero depth entry pool (nice for the little ones), and a pool that has a small water slide - my 8 yr. old daughter loved this. The newer units (North and Tennis) are beautifully decorated and clean. We like to drive up to this area because it is the newest of the pools and the landscaping is beautiful. Towels are provided at all the pool areas.

We own a golf villa, which is one of the older units and has been recently renovated. We always find it spotless. As for getting to the parks, since the construction has been completed on 192, it is now a breeze compared to the slow traffic that was occuring for a couple of years. I believe there is a quicker way to get to the Animal Kingdom from OLCC. OLCC has also built a Publix with a few convenience stores (haircuts, liquor, T-shirts) nearby with another gated entrance into the complex which will bring you by The North Village. There is also a brand new Walgreens across the street from the main entrance.

You can also check out what the villas look like along with floor plans and an activity schedule
on their website - www.orangelake.com

We are heading down May 2nd for our week (May 3-10)- Autotrain from VA this time instead of driving from Northeastern, MA (Methuen).

I hope you enjoy Orange Lake as much as we do!
 
That is a great discription. Thanks so much. We will just miss you. We will be arriving on May 10th til the 19th. We live so close, we are from Plymouth, MA. We have never heard of the Auto Train out of VA. How does that work? Your car goes right on the train? How long does it take you to get there? Do you find it cheaper than flying?

Laurie
 
Hi - In regards to the Autotrain - it is a matter of preference - we have driven and flown. We decided to do the Autotrain because we weren't going to drive at all this year and were originally taking the Amtrak out of South Station through New York's Penn Station and connecting to the train to Florida. That takes approximately the same amount as driving (a day and a half). We would then have to rent a car and the price was coming out about the same. We are comparing all train/ rental car (12 days) or drive to VA with our car. The drive is 477 miles (8 hours or so) to the Autotrain. We will leave Thursday, May 2nd around 5 AM. You need to be in Lorton, VA before 3:00 pm to load the car. We are paying (2 of us with car and a sleeping compartment (only for the way down)) about 886.00. It was pricing out for 2 of us, all reserved coach, all train r/t at 650.00 then add the rental car on top of that. The Autotrain is nonstop and leaves VA at 4:00 pm and arrives in Orlando at 8:30 the next morning. You can check out the Amtrak website at www.amtrak.com and look for the link for Autotrain. It allows you to price out an itinerary and compare different accomodations on the train. I believe it also includes dinner and breakfast.

61 days and counting!!!
 

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