Ugggh!! In-Laws bought Time Share but not DVC!

[jakeybake]

Just found out today that my in-laws who send our family to WDW each year (for the kids of course!) bought a time share at the Marriott Royal Palms.

I know it sounds selfish but I'm not happy about it. The best part of our stay each year is the resort we stay in (Beach Club) and we have never dreamed of staying anywhere off site. Now I feel like we will have to stay at Royal Palms each trip and the resort is everything to us. I know nothing about the resort except that they paid $15,000 for it.

It's eating my wife and I up that they could of spent a bit more and bought into the DVC.

Anyone know anything about staying off-site or more specifically about the Royal Palms? Any info appreciated!

Please help talk me off of the ledge!!

Jay

[TheRustyScupper]

1) It is their buy so let it alone.
2) Besides, some don't want All-Disney-All-The-Time for vacations.
3) After even only a few years, Disney can wear thin.
4) Besides, Disney DVC's don't have a lot going, other than being at WDW.
5) On either sunny or rainy days, the list of activities at the resorts are slim.

NOTE: We still have some OKW points, but we moved all of our other timeshare weeks to Orange Lake Country Club in Kissimmee. If we wish, we don't even have to leave the timeshare resort. They have 99-holes of golf, an 80-acre lake, several pools, two water parks, Putt-Putt, boating, sailing, ski-doos, nightly adult and family parties, several eateries, daily bingo, scheduled activities from 9:00am thru 7:00pm.

[MidnTPK]

I sort-of know where you're coming from, but can't help on your specific questions.

My in-laws are mostly are not Disney-philes. In the past few years, my MIL has planned two family vacations to Europe. Having visited several times, and being in an industry where I'll occasionally have to travel to Europe, I really had/have no interest in going on the trips. Add in that the first one stressed my generally good relationship with my BILs and SILs, and I really did not want to go on the second (which stressed our good relationship again).

The issue I have is that I basically feel like I did them favors by going on the trips. But they have no sense of this feeling because it would be very upsetting to my MIL if I ever brought this up. But it is so grating to me when she talks about trips she wants to go on, but is so completely dismissive of the vacations that me, her daughter, and granddaughter go on once or twice a year (to places like WDW or Atlantis in the Bahamas). She has no idea that it is so upsetting to me.

So we're in the same boat: our in-laws think they are doing us a favor, but we don't see it that way.

My solution with my wife has been that I will not go on one of her trips again....none are planned at the moment, but my wife and daughter may go if one does, but not me. I pay for my trips that I want to take myself. You might have to as well.

If you think staying on-site is that important (I do), make clear that you'll all be together for the trip, just not stay at the same place.

[gerald72]

You could just pay for your own vacation.

[MidnTPK]

You could just pay for your own vacation.

I'm sure that only part of the issue.

But the fact is that the poster spent his vacation time with his/her in-laws, and they either ignored his opinion on this matter, don't understand him, didn't ask for his opinion, or went ahead with the purchase anyway despite the concerns....none of which is good for the relationship.

And paying your own way is one solution, but the in-laws will likely be offended. And son-in-law will look (and probably feel) like an ingrate when he does this.

If the in-laws wanted their children's families to be part of these future vacations, they should have initiated a discussion, not just went ahead with it because they wanted to and/or assumed that the children would do what their parents told them to.

As you can see, this discussion is hitting close to home for me. I hope hearing someone else in a similar situation will help him feel better.

[MickeyMousse]

If this is the one that I am thinking of, it is not too far from the WDW gates. It is located over by the outlets. My DH and I toured it while we were living in Orlando...we saw a beautiful golf course and pool and the rooms were very nice. They were doing alot of construction of a new phase when we were there (1/06). I know you are disappointed that it's not DVC, but you're not too far away from the magic.

I have stayed primarily at DVC's since we bought in 2002. However, I have also used it for my family members at The Saratoga in Lk George, The Mandarin Oriental in Washington DC and The Keystone Resort in Colorado and enjoy the choice of staying somewhere other than Disney when need be. Maybe that's what your in laws wanted.

Take a deep breath, you'll be fine! Now, back away from the ledge....

[SBETigg]

I think your in-laws were probably trying to do a nice thing for everyone, and it could still work out. I've seen trip reports from people staying there and the reviews were glowing. Maybe you could do a split stay, the timeshare to please your in-laws and a week on your own to enjoy the Beach Club?

In-Laws are under no obligation to consider your opinion in the matter of how they spend their vacation dollars, of course, but it is unfortunate for you to feel that you're losing out on the Beach Club.

[5fromabove]

I think the idea of a split stay is a great idea. You may find that you enjoy some time with just your immediate family. The IL's can have some of the "family time" they have come to enjoy (and perhaps expect) and you can also go where you want to go and do what you want to do. While they are entitled to buy where they want, you are entitled to spend your vacation doing/staying where you like. Hope it works out for you. I'm sure you feel stuck in the middle.

[JMTStone]

My inlaws have also planned and paid for 2 family vacations. Both of them were not really "for us". My kids had little or nothing to do. On one of them, every night a 3 hour 6-course dinner for a 4 year old? Needless to say I also felt like it was a chore rather than a vacation.

Step away from the ledge. At least you're CLOSE to the magic. You could be in some hoity-toity place for adults trying to ask your 4 year old to be patient for the millionth time.

I think some long weekends on your own INSIDE THE MAGIC are in order.

[jakeybake]

Don't get me wrong, my in-laws are wonderful people and only had our best interests in mind. My only issue is that they are a bit clueless on all things WDW (I do all the planning for our yearly trips) and I wish they had asked me before jumping in.

They are doing this for my children which is great. I have resisted their offers of WDW trips in the past because they are just too good to us and spending upwards of $6k on a trip just seems excessive to me but as my wife says, "they do it because they want to and they can" so I do cave every now and then for the good of the family.

I love my in-laws, just not crazy about the decision they made!

Jay

[faline]

To be honest, if someone treated me to a Disney World vacation on a regular basis, I'd be ecstatic - regardless of where I was staying!

[Gator]

You don't have to spend every waking moment with the in-laws, and your mad? That would have made one of my recent vacations a lot better.

[KineGirl]

Blasphemy! LOL but seriously..

you could always buy into DVC yourself You might be surprised how reasonable some of the resales (especially at OKW) are. My first timeshare was DVC and I love it the most but a few years and a couple of trips to Mexico, Bahamas & such we bought into another timeshare as well due to its flexibility of travel options (and no exp. dates) & because we really enjoy resort vacays. Maybe thats what your inlaws were thinking - Disney+everywhere else... for you and them. I dont know how much they travel but maybe they want to go other places than Disney sometimes. I know its frustrating but try to remember that they had everyones best interest in mind.

[SBETigg]

I love my in-laws, just not crazy about the decision they made!

I defintely understand your frustration. You're the Disney expert, and it's a big purchase that could have been even better for everyone had they consulted you on it. It's a shame they didn't ask your opinion first.

[Medland]

My inlaws recently took us to Vegas with a trial-period non-disney timeshare...not sure if I can flame it by name on these boards, so PM me if you want the name.
While the in-laws experiences in Gatlinburg and Orlando were positive with the outfit...the Vegas location was dingy, dirty, and recently bought out by one of the bigger Vegas chains so demolition on neighboring buildings had already started. We were next to a fenced off empty lot and had to enter the buildings from a poorly lit alley 2 blocks from the strip and did not feel safe. We ended up moving to the Embassy Suites Vegas across from Hard Rock and had a very nice stay there. The "new" location that the property was moving to was an obviously old hotel that was being "refurbished" by spackling the massively cracked stucco and had not been painted yet so we could see things were not going to get much better. They will not be rebuying into the timeshare outfit. I hope that if they repeat their experience they will go with Marriott or DVC or some other recognizable name that can be trusted for quality.

[PetefromRI]

One of my younger brothers has a timeshare at the Marriott Grande Vista in Orlando and let me tell you that it's awesome.We went last year for our first off grounds Disney trip and realized that there's a little town called Orlando right near Disney World that has a lot of things to do and some great restaurant choices.We will deffinately go back to the Marriott again and checking the prices,I could get a 3 bedroom villa for less than a room at the Poly.Don't write it off yet,you may be very surprised at how nice these timeshares are!

[gerald72]

To be honest, if someone treated me to a Disney World vacation on a regular basis, I'd be ecstatic - regardless of where I was staying!

There's always the option of staying home.
I think whoever pays for it, calls the shots.

[merlinmagic4]

To be honest, if someone treated me to a Disney World vacation on a regular basis, I'd be ecstatic - regardless of where I was staying!

I'd be grateful.

[JoDisney]

I am sure they picked a place they preferred. It is their money. They earned their money and are entitled to choose where they would want to spend their money. If you think about it, if you were in the same position you would choose where you would want to spend your money. If it is that much of a disappointment after all these years at Disney on their tab, pay for your own vacation at Disney and then you will be at the place you want to be and they will still have their resort of choice. Be happy and excited for them. They deserve it.

[Gottaluvgoof]

I hate to say it, but you seem a little spoiled to me. I wish my in-laws would take me on ANY vacation. I've always had to pay for my own. I don't think I would complain, no matter where we were going, if I didn't have to pay.