Zen is often touted as the way to inner peace. We have done some reading and studying about the “Zen Way” to a stress-free life.  We also love to timeshare and take about 15 to 20 weeks of timeshare vacations every year.  We think that our timeshare vacations can help lead all of us to a more “Zen- filled” life.

We brainstormed a list of some ways to practice the Zen philosophy on our vacations. There is some overlap, but here are some ideas to work on so you can experience some great timeshare vacations:

1.  Keep it simple. It seems like the more complicated things are, the greater the stress.  We like to use the KISS principle, which is “Keep It Simple Stupid”. We think that you need to plan less, so you can take time to enjoy your vacations. You do not need to see everything or get to every store, climb every mountain, and on and on.  Also keep it simple in what you take, cut back on the amount of clothes and extra stuff that is just creating more than you need to deal with.

2. Be in the moment. Sometimes when we go on vacation, we engage in many job- related activities like email, texting, phone calls, etc.   Granted, sometimes this is necessary, but try to limit it to maybe an hour a day.  Then, forget it all!  We also worry about things on the home front. This is harder, emotionally, to distance yourself from, but try to put things into perspective, and do the phoning, emailing and communicating once a day.  Then, try to put yourself into the vacation, enjoy the timeshare you are staying in, enjoy the people you are with, enjoy the activities, the area around you, etc.   Focus!  You are lots of miles away from home, and many things that we worry about never transpire.

3. Learn stuff. On a recent trip to Florida we found bananas growing on a tree at the resort. The entire family, from a 3 year old to an 88- old senior, was astonished by it!  (We do not have banana trees in Michigan!)  We had to take pictures, and get back to our unit so we could look up and read all about bananas on the internet. We are never too old to acquire new knowledge.  When you are on your timeshare vacation it is an excellent opportunity to do just that. Plan on learning about the area in which you are staying. Explore museums, local attractions, new activities, art galleries, etc. It is amazing the amount that we and our families have learned on our timeshare vacations.

4.  Enjoy and appreciate the beauty around you. So often we never take the time to look at and enjoy our surroundings.  We are often shocked at how the locals act toward the awesome scenery that we are seeing for the first time—and of course, they see it every day.  Look about you and take in the splendor of what you see.  We often pack a lunch and head out to climb a mountain or sit along a quiet stream—it can be most therapeutic.

5.  Participate in activities. If you can, get involved in the activities that are offered at your resort.  They offer occasions to learn new things, meet people, and get in touch with your own being.  Try yoga, a massage, playing a new game, making a new craft, zip-lining, horseback riding, whatever! Also, it could be a good chance for you to exercise.  Most timeshares have an exercise room, or offer walking and hiking opportunities.  I first tried bead jewelry-making at Wyndham Smoky Mountains, and now I do it on a regular basis. Never in a million years did I think I’d enjoy whitewater rafting, but I won a trip at Treetops, and we had a great time. You can gain a lot of insight into your own sense of self as you explore the many activities that are available to you on your vacation.

6. Relax. One of the main reasons people take a vacation is to get away from the hustle and bustle of the usual routine and mellow out.  Be sure to build in time to sit on your deck or by the pool and chill. Also, it is an excellent time to relax with a good book. Too often we think we need to fill every minute of our vacation with doing stuff– don’t get caught up in that syndrome.

7. Unplug.  We too often see folks with the TV on for the evening when there are some really neat activities happening at the resort. We’re not big TV watchers at any time, but it especially seems like when you are on a vacation, watching television would be way down on the list.  Also, try to unplug from work- related activities. Turn off your cell phone when you go on a walk or hike.  Turn off the computer and get out and enjoy yourself!

8.  Indulge in culinary pleasure. The timeshare experience lends itself to having some excellent meals. Most timeshares come with a full kitchen, so take advantage of them.   You have a chance to put together some special meals with each other, family or friends in a pleasant setting.  Check out our timeshare cooking posts on this site for many excellent timeshare cooking ideas.  You can also take the opportunity to go out on the town for that special dinner.  Slow down, and take the time to enjoy your food and the people you are with.  Too many times we inhale our food because of limited time, or just out of habit—break that cycle, savor each bite, and enjoy your surroundings.

9.  Experience culture. So often when people go on vacation they stay in their own little world.  They do not get out in and dig into the culture of the area in which they are visiting.  For example, we know people who go to Las Vegas and never leave the closest casino.  That’s sad, because there are so many amazing sights there, as well as a beautiful desert to explore. These posts will help you find them. Another example is Hawaii.  At the Wyndham Kona Hawaiian Village, we went on a nature walk with Joy, the Activities Director, and learned many interesting things about the native plants and history of the region.  That inspired us, on our own, to seek out fascinating places like the Painted Church and the Polynesian Cultural Center. Visiting Hawaii was not just visiting another state—it was visiting a fascinating place deeply rooted in Hawaiian culture and history.  Learning about their culture helped us to better understand the Hawaiian people of today.

10.  Meet people. Along with learning about the culture, the timeshare experience encourages getting out and meeting people.  We have enjoyed some excellent friendships over the years with folks we have met on our timeshare vacations.  Participate in the activities and introduce yourself to other folks. Talk to them about their vacations, what they have done in the area, where they have eaten, and share your experiences; it is amazing what you can learn.  Also, get out and meet the local people in the area you are visiting, by going to places where you might find them. It might be a farmers market, or the local store or a bare bones restaurant with a long line out front, but make the effort.

Hopefully we have given you some ideas to get in touch with your inner self and have a Zen timeshare vacation.  Tell us some of your Zen ideas, and happy timesharing!

One of the greatest advantages to timesharing is the availability of activities at most resorts. When you compare your “downtime” at a motel to your “downtime” at a timeshare resort, there is simply no comparison—the timeshare wins, hands down, because of the organized, family-friendly activities that are offered. In fact, many families plan their sightseeing around the activities at the resort, because they are so appealing.

Most timeshare resorts have an Activities Director, and some larger resorts will also employ an Activities Staff.  One of the criterion that RCI uses to rate resorts is whether or not activities are offered. Your Gold and Silver Crown Resorts will almost always have them.  If they don’t, it’s probably because they rate so highly in other areas that those areas offset the lack of activities.

Sometimes the location of a resort will determine whether or not there are many organized events for guests.  In some cases, if there is a lot to do in the area, or lots to see, the resort almost uses it as an excuse not to have many activities.  For example, we recently visited 2 different Wyndham resorts in Washington DC—Alexandria, and National Harbor. Both are great resorts, but National Harbor definitely catered more to families, had more kid-friendly amenities, and lots of activities for all ages. Alexandria offered very little, supposedly because of the abundance of things to see in the Capitol City, and the easier access to the Metro System. We’re not finding fault with this—actually, maybe their owners prefer it this way—but the comparison points out that reading reviews before you book a resort can let you know what to expect.

Most of the larger resort companies like Hilton, Disney, Wyndham, etc. usually have good activity programs, making exceptions for some individual resorts within those systems.  If you own Wyndham you can go to the member home page, bring up the different resorts, and click on Activities.  Most staffs will also willingly share information over the phone.

Occasionally we have visited a resort that is fantastic in every way, but cries out for a lack of activities. Obviously, we don’t know the budget constraints or the inclinations of the owners, but we do fill out survey forms and RCI rating forms to make suggestions.  If it is actually YOUR resort, then your written wishes probably have a lot more clout, and you can possibly be instrumental in changing the situation.  Chatting with the resort director is probably a good idea, too.

In our 14 years of timesharing, we have stayed at close to 80 resorts.  Some, we have stayed at several times.  The following 2 lists are subjective, as they are our opinion, only. Of course, if you have any questions, or would like to add to these lists, please feel free to email us.

SOME RESORTS THAT HAVE OUTSTANDING ACTIVITIES (in no particular order)

Wyndham Branson at the Meadows

Wyndham Nashville

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Village

Disney’s Old Key West Resort (probably all the Disney resorts are great–we’ve just stayed at two of them)

Wyndham Kona Hawaiian Village

Wyndham Grand Desert

The Rushes

Massanutten Resorts (somewhat costly–see our previous post)

Eagle’s Nest (Marco Island)

RESORTS THAT HAVE SOME UNIQUE ACTIVITIES

Treetops, Gatlinburg, TN—Potluck dinner and country band

Wyndham Kona Hawaiian Village, Kailua-Kona, HI—Nature walk, lei-making, ukulele lessons, Hawaiian h’ors d’oeuvre party, other cultural activities

Surf Club, Marco Island, FL—potluck wine and cheese appetizer party

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Village, Buena Vista, FL—African restaurant tour, with samples, Fireside storytelling, African craft-making, many cultural activities, especially for kids

Disney’s Old Key West Resort, Buena Vista, FL—Name That Tune in the Pool, Downtown Disney cruise, many crafts for kids

Wyndham Ocean Blvd., Myrtle Beach, SC—Pottery making, Murder Mystery Snack Party

Ram’s Horn, Estes Park, CO—welcome heavy appetizer party the first night, nature trip to see elk-mating

Wyndham Branson, Branson, MO—Simple, inexpensive meals with local entertainment

Wyndham Nashville, Nashville, TN—Free concert by Joanne Cash Yates (sister of Johnny Cash).  She and her husband are also Wyndham owners.

Pinestead Reef, Traverse City, MI—Free Hamburg/hot dog cookout in the summer, pizza party in the winter

Many resorts vary their activities periodically or seasonally, so the ones that we’ve mentioned might not always be happening.  Also, these are just some that we, personally, have found to be enjoyable.  We would be interested in hearing from you if you would like to share some of YOUR favorites!

Recently we posted an article about how to take timeshare vacations for under $700 per week. An excellent way to keep your food costs down while you are on vacation is to cook in your timeshare unit.  Not only is this easy to do, as most timeshares have well-stocked kitchens that are set up for this, but it can also be fun, challenging, and can even promote the “family togetherness” that is so important on a vacation. Most resorts also provide grills, and if they are of the gas variety, that makes it even easier, yet.

Usually, cooking in the condo doesn’t take any more time than what it takes to travel to and from a restaurant, wait for your food to be prepared, and eat it.  In fact, if you plan ahead and make large meals so that you have leftovers, it may take even less time!  Your meals will consist of healthier food options (hopefully) and, of course, the financial savings will be significant!

On a personal note, because we tend to enjoy eating out, we often consume too many burgers and too much fried food.  On longer trips, we’ve actually gotten tired of this type of food, and welcome a quiet night at “home.”  If we’re staying in a timeshare with an ocean or mountainview, and the weather is good, why go anywhere else—we have fantastic scenery that adds to our dining pleasure!

No matter what your reasons are for wanting to “cook in your condo,” there are several recipes on this website that may help you with your meal prep.  We try to follow the basic rules of timeshare cooking—the recipe should be quick, easy, taste good, and use few ingredients. Check out the category, Timeshare Cooking, and try your hand at these new dishes:

Lattice Chicken Pie

1 16-oz. bag frozen California Vegetables, thawed

2 C. cubed, cooked chicken (fresh or canned, whatever you have)

1 Cream soup, undiluted

1 C. milk

½-1 C. shredded cheddar cheese

½ tsp. Lawry’s Salt (or regular)

½ C. French-fried onions

1 tube crescent rolls

In a bowl, combine everything but the rolls.  Put in a greased 9 x 13 pan and bake, uncovered at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Separate crescent rolls into 2 long rectangles and cut into 8 strips.  Use strips to form a lattice crust over the mixture and bake 15 minutes longer.  Makes 6 large servings.

Easy Quesadillas

½ C. salsa

2 T. mayo

½ tsp. chili powder

8 flour tortillas (6-in., or cut larger ones in half)

3 cooked, cubed chicken breasts (or use 2-3 cans of chicken)

1 C. shredded cheese

Combine salsa, mayo and chili powder.  Spread onto bottom halves of tortillas.  Top with some chicken and cheese.  Fold tortillas in half.  Cook in a skillet sprayed with cooking spray for 4-5 minutes on each side.  Makes 3-4 servings.

Cheddar Bruschetta

This recipe is from Quick Cooking Magazine (May, 2005).

½ loaf Vienna bread slices, cut in half

2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped

2/3 C. shredded cheddar cheese

¼ C. grated Parmesan

1/3 C. mayo

1 tsp. oregano

½ tsp. basil

½ tsp. pepper

Place bread slices on ungreased baking sheet, and bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes on each side.  Meanwhile, combine other ingredients in bowl.  Spread over toasted bread.  Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees.   Makes several appetizers.

We are often asked how we can afford to timeshare travel so often. We do own 14 timeshares, and usually vacation 18 weeks a year using those timeshare weeks.  We thought it might be helpful to go through some of the math on what it costs us for a timeshare vacation. Obviously, each and every timeshare vacation will come up with different costs, but we think it’s important to look at those costs and plan how to get the most vacation for your hard-earned dollars.

photo credit: TruffShuff

Many of the costs of a timeshare vacation are also costs that you have at home, so this makes doing the math a little more complicated.  For example, you need to pay for food, gas, heat, electricity, etc. at home that you would not be using while you are on your vacation. You also go out to eat at home; you spend money on some entertainment, and other activities.  This kind of trade-off makes it hard to figure what a timeshare vacation might cost, but we are going to give it a try, and we challenge you to do the same for your vacations.

First, let’s take a look at the initial cost of the timeshare. As we have indicated in numerous posts on this site, we have purchased all of our timeshares resale and have paid cash for them.  It should be clear that we have paid no interest for our timeshares and have received, we think, good value for our money.  We also feel that if we were to sell any of our timeshares, we could probably get close to what we paid for them because we bought resale. With this being said, we do not figure into our vacations the costs of the initial purchase of our timeshare weeks, as that money could be recouped if need be.

Next, we will look at the cost of maintenance fees as a part of the overall costs of a timeshare vacation.  We have written a couple of posts about maintenance fees that you might be interested in. (1) Those Malicious Maintenance Fees and (2) Timeshare-Maintenance Fees.  We can take a look at maintenance fees from three different angles. The first way is to take a given vacation, and to calculate the maintenance fee for a trip.  This would be the  actual fees you paid to your home resort.   Example (1) below illustrates this:

(1) We plan a trip to Pinestead Reef, a resort that we own in Michigan.  Our maintenance fees for the year are $411.00.  We decide to rent out a weekend night, thus getting 65% of the rental fee, which is around $80.00.  This would drop our costs for a six-day trip to $331.00 for maintenance fees. We have no booking fees, as we own at this resort

The second way would be to come up with the fees you paid at your home resort for the trade you made.  Example (2) illustrates the second approach:

(2)  We have a two-week trip planned for this spring to Myrtle Beach.  We were able to trade some of our Wyndham points for a three bedroom for the two weeks.  We used two 28,000 deposits to trade those two weeks.  For 28,000 points, we pay $142.00 in maintenance fees. In addition, we needed to pay an RCI booking fee of $189.00 per week, bringing the cost for each week to $331.00 for a three bedroom on the ocean.

The third way would be to take  the total maintenance fees we pay for the year and divide them by the number of weeks of timeshare vacation we take each year.  Doing the math this way, we find that our maintenance fee cost per week is about $350.00, so for figuring purposes, we will use this amount.

Along with maintenance fees are the booking fees, and annual dues to RCI. In some cases, it might cost a small fee of $25.00 or $50.00 to book in your resort system, but there is usually no fee if you are booking at your home resort.  As I am sure you are aware, if you book through RCI you pay a fee of $194.00 for your exchange. It is a little cheaper if you can do it online.   Because of the high exchange fees, we are finding that we are booking more trips through our home resorts, or through our timeshare systems, like Hilton or Wyndham.  For the last year, doing the math, we paid $97.00 on average for the 18 weeks of timesharing vacations for booking and dues.

Transportation:  Another cost that you need to consider is gas, if traveling by car. If we travel around 600 miles to get to our vacation spot and another 600 to get home, we travel about 1200 miles. (This would probably be an average mileage for one of our trips.)   We again do the math, using an average of 28 mpg and the cost of around $3.00 per gallon.  We come up with $64.00 for gas for getting to and back from our destination.

We usually figure that the gas we use during the week of vacation, once we get there, is about the same that we would use if we were at home, and shouldn’t be figured into the cost of the vacation. If you fly and get a rental car, that, of course, boosts the price of that vacation. We usually take only one or two flying timeshare vacations each year.  The costs vary a lot because of air fares and rental cars, so we are not including those into our costs.  Make sure you check out our post on how to get a good deal on a rental car.

The next area to take a look at is food costs. We always say that you have to eat, whether you’re on vacation or at home.  Some people say that you should not figure any food costs into your total vacation costs. Read one of our top ten secrets of timesharing about making use of the facilities of the timeshare. We suggest that you fix breakfasts in the unit and pack some lunches to keep costs down.  We also fix one or two dinners in the unit.

Probably, we should figure about $25.00 extra for food purchases and about $50.00 extra for eating out. These figures are in addition to what we would normally spend at home for food and restaurant meals.  Some people decide that when they go on a vacation they are going to eat out for every meal, and go to expensive places and have a couple of drinks, and maybe dessert.  If this is your pattern, that’s fine, but you need to realize that it’s going to up your costs.  We’ve always felt that we’d rather spend less, and go more often.  Then again, if you only take one or two vacations a year, why not splurge?!

Another area to consider is the costs for attractions and entertainment. Again, as with food, we suggest you read one of our top ten secrets of timesharing where we talk about the activities and the amenities at many of the timeshares.  We look over the list of activities at the resort and select ones we are interested in. We have had a great time with many of the resort activities.  The pool, mini golf, kids’ crafts, etc. have always been a big hit and usually cost very little, if at all. The resort also frequently has special prices to area attractions that you should check out. All of these help keep entertainment costs down.

The location frequently dictates what we end up doing. If we are at the ocean, we spend much of our time at no cost enjoying the sun, sand and surf.  On the other hand, if we are in an area of national parks, we use our Golden Age Pass and spend time enjoying the park with hiking, picnics, auto tours, etc.  In certain locations, like Myrtle Beach, Branson, Gatlinburg, etc., we see some shows.  On average, we probably spend around $100.00 on attractions and entertainment per trip.

The last area we want to take a look at is shopping. It costs nothing to look and we frequently check out the local shops, malls and outlets in the area.   And, of course, we buy our fair share!   It’s hard to come up with a cost for this category, as we buy clothes, gifts, etc. at home, too.  So we will list $0.00 in this area.

Overview of Costs: (average for a one week timeshare vacation)

Maintenance fees:   $350.00

Booking fees and RCI dues that are not included in maintenance fees.  $97.00

Transportation:  $64.00

Food:  $75.00

Attractions and entertainment $100.00

Shopping-$0.00

TOTAL $686.00

What we feel is most important, is that you figure out what your vacations cost, and look at ways to reduce those costs. We think timesharing is a good way to travel and we would much rather keep our costs down, and go on more trips.  Enjoy your trips– we do!

What makes a good timeshare? If you had to isolate one criterion that would be the most important thing to have, or not have, in a timeshare, what would it be?

Yes, it’s hard to choose only one thing, but probably many of you would say “cleanliness,” or a spectacular view.  Some may answer in a more down-to-earth way and cite firm mattresses, large closets and storage space, or big screen TV’s.  For us, the answer comes to mind almost immediately when asked that question, and there is absolutely no hesitation:  NOISE.  Or, I should say more correctly, LACK OF NOISE.

photo credit: woodleywonderworks

Maybe it’s just that we need our space?  I always used to think that I didn’t care how noisy other guests were during the day as long as things were quiet at night.  Well, the family up above us at Treetops in Gatlinburg last year proved me wrong!  Now, we were teachers, and are used to kids making noise—but this was constant running and jumping from 8 in the morning until about 9 at night.  Not that we spent all day in the condo—we’d be in a mental hospital by now if we had!

In checking with the office, we found out that the people were owners, and yes, they were staying all week and had another family (to include kids) with them.  In 10 years of staying at Treetops, we had never encountered noise this bad.  Moving was out of the question, as there were no other units available, so we tried to keep the same hours that they did and be gone as much as possible.  At least the nights were quiet, as the little guys were probably exhausted from all that running!

Night time noise is really a different issue, and I am a firm believer that every guest has a right to a decent night’s sleep.  Many resorts enforce “quiet hours” from something like midnight to 8 a.m.  In our 14 or so years of timesharing, I think we have only called security twice.  Usually the problem is kids, whose parents have stepped out for a few hours.  Security acted quickly, and the noise issues were resolved.

I am fairly certain that most “offenders” create their noise inadvertently.  We’ve stayed in a few timeshares where kitchen or dining room chairs scraped across the ceramic tile floors above us over and over again.  Now during daytime hours, this is no big deal, but at 2:00 a.m.?  Maybe they were playing a really active card game?

So what can you do to solve, or at least alleviate, the noise problem? First of all, we have gotten into the habit of calling the resort a week or so before our arrival to check on our reservation and to request a top floor.  That eliminates potential noise from above, where most of the noise originates.  Many timeshares are constructed to condominium standards, and so the soundproofing between floors and between units is pretty good, at least compared to hotels.  Our requests have been honored probably about 75% of the time.  Many people request ground floors due to physical and age-related issues, so your chances of getting a higher unit are pretty good.

Another tactic that has worked for us is to travel with a “noise machine.”  (My term—not sure what they’re really called).  You plug it in and set the sound for white noise, ocean waves, rainforest sounds, birds chirping, etc.  We’ve used one ever since the kids were teenagers so we couldn’t hear when they came home at night—that way we didn’t worry as much (yeah, right!).  The machine doesn’t totally block all noise, but it does help.  Many stores, like Kohl’s or Brookstone carry these machines, and I’m sure you can buy them online.

Hallway, or lock-off noise can be alleviated somewhat by stuffing used bath towels in the crack under the door.

If  those measures are not successful, you may have no choice but to call security, explain the problem, and hope that they do something about it.   Chances are, if the noise is irritating you, it is probably bothering others, also.  But try to be reasonable when you complain.  For example, a loud party at 9:30 p.m. is maybe okay, but at 11:30 p.m. it’s a real nuisance.  In other words, choose your battles so you have a good chance of getting what you want.

Sometimes, no matter what you try, the noise is still horrible beyond belief!  That’s when you ask for a room change, citing examples and times of disturbances, if possible.  We did this on 2 occasions, and the resorts were very accommodating.

Timesharing is a great way to travel, but it’s not perfect, by a long shot.  We all need to try to be more considerate of others’ needs and preferences, but we also are entitled to pleasant, restful vacations.   Don’t let noise ruin your timeshare experiences.

Recently I came across a quote that I hadn’t previously seen that had an impact on me.  It reads like this:  “travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” Since I was an English major in college, I was kind of surprised that I hadn’t ever heard this before, because Mark Twain is the author. But then, I never did like American Lit too much—in my opinion, it never got interesting until the 1800’s, which is neither here nor there!

photo credit: Spirit-Fire

But the quote got me to thinking.  I have always loved to travel, although as a child I was travel-starved.  We always went to the same resort in Canada every year, from the time I was nine until . . . ? See the posts “Travel to the Same Place Every Year” and Part II of the same title, if you are really interested.  Now, this was not a terrible thing—in fact, it’s a wonderful resort, and the memories I have of it and the fun times are priceless. But because we spent our vacation there every year, we never went anywhere else, or got to see all the fantastic sights in the United States. (We did stop in Niagara Falls twice).  Compare that to my husband, who, when I met him, had actually been in 49 of the 50 states!

So, my husband sort of took it upon himself (bless him) to make sure that I got to go places and see things.  Even when the kids were little, we ran off on weekends to Michigan towns that were within a few hundred miles—Grand Rapids, Lansing, Holland, Detroit, Jackson, Three Rivers. We went wherever there was a Holidome with an indoor pool, and saw whatever there was to see.

Later, we ventured out further to Chicago, Traverse City, Indianapolis, Sandusky and Wisconsin. Occasionally, the kids complained because they missed their friends—but interestingly enough, the friends begged us to take THEM along, which we sometimes did.  (Postscript:  both kids now love to travel and wish they could do more).

Eventually, we somehow became parents to 14 timeshares, and since retiring, travel 18-20 weeks out of the year. We keep reminding the kids that they will inherit them, and they better start staking their claims for the ones they like the best.  (They both have a tendency to prefer the beach ones!)

When I think about all I’ve learned from my travels, I am amazed and grateful that we can do this at this time in our lives. And when I think about the wisdom of that quote, written so many years ago, I wish that everyone could travel like we do, and gain better understanding of other cultures, races, religions, foods, music, etc. Yes, you can achieve this without actually experiencing it firsthand, but how much more meaningful it is when you are right there, submerged in that environment.

Somehow, sitting with a person of different race or religion, knowing his name, and sharing common interests, breaks down any barriers that might have existed to begin with. For example, learning the chaotic history of Hawaii makes it so much easier to understand why the Hawaiian people revere their homeland and want to stay immersed in their culture.

I now have come to regard travel as a necessary part of my life, and I think I would experience a great emptiness if I didn’t have it. I often think of the 5th grade class that went to a local mall to sing at Christmas.  The music teacher related afterward that some of the kids were amazed by the escalator, and had never seen one.  As hard as this was for most of us to grasp, all I could think was that if something like an escalator was so foreign to them, how would they ever understand or respect cultures so different from theirs?

Yes, travel truly is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and we should do it as much as possible.

Cooking while on vacation can be a pleasant sideline, or a drag, depending on where you are, how many people you’re feeding, and how many places you have to see while on your trip. About once a month, we’ve included recipes on this site for “easy timeshare cooking.” These recipes take a minimum amount of time to concoct, taste good, and are fairly simple to make.  But now, we’re down to the nitty gritty, and we’re going to explore some even easier recipes—well, actually, I guess you wouldn’t even call them “recipes,” which is why this post is titled Timeshare Cooking Cheaters!

These so-called recipes may be a bit more expensive than cooking from scratch, but nowhere near what you would pay in a restaurant. Therefore, we feel they have earned a valid place in the timeshare kitchen.  Here are some of those super-simple, easy menus:

Manwich sloppy joes, pasta salad from the deli, green salad from a bag. The most effort you have to expend is browning the ground meat in the microwave, and mixing it with the Manwich sauce.  Put on buns and serve.

Baked tilapia, Ready Rice in the microwave, fruit salad (Make your own, or buy at the store).  To make the tilapia, put pieces in a glass or metal pan, dump some margarine or butter on top and season with salt and pepper.  Or, you can put some cherry sauce, jelly, whatever on top.  Bake at 425 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

Make chicken (or ham, or tuna) potpie. Buy a Pillsbury Ready Crust in the refrigerated section, put one crust in bottom of pie pan.  Throw in a 16-oz package of frozen veggies, 2 cans of cream soups (undiluted), and some leftover or canned chicken.  Put other crust on top and bake about 1 hour at 350 degrees, or until golden brown.  Let set about 15 minutes before eating—Yumm!  For as easy as this is, it tastes great—a real winner!  This serves 4-6 people.

Some friends recently invited us to a timeshare meal of roasted chicken, pasta and salad. They bought the chicken already prepared at the grocery store (about $5.00?), fixed cheddar and broccoli pasta (Knorr, I think) and a quick green salad.  There was enough chicken left over to make chicken salad for lunch the next day.

Here is one of our recent cheating dinners:

Stouffer’s Lasagna with Meat Sauce (Thank heaven for Stouffer’s!)  The box says that it serves 12, but we fed 6 adults and 1 child ( everyone had seconds except the child) and had a huge piece left over.  It has to bake about an hour and a half, or you can partially thaw and lessen your baking time.  We baked 2 tubes of crescent rolls and put out some leftover fruit salad. We also bought a large bag of romaine salad mix, and a bottle of ranch dressing from the dollar store.  Everyone was stuffed and declared it a really good meal.  Our approximate costs were:

Lasagna                     $11.99
Crescent rolls            4.00
Dressing                         1.00
Bagged salad               2.50
Leftover fruit            3.00
Total Cost              $22.49

If we divide the total cost by 7 people, it works out to about $3.21 a person, and that includes an extra salad.  Compare this to prices at Fazoli’s, the fast-food Italian restaurant:

Lasagna                   $5.99
Salad & dressing    1.79
Breadsticks                    0  (Free with entrée)
Total                         $7.78 per person)

Total Cost          $54.46

Doing the math, the Fazoli’s meal for 7 people would total $54.46—more than twice what the Stouffer’s meal cost.  So even if it seems expensive to use convenience foods, making cheater meals in your timeshare is still a good idea.

I can’t overemphasize the value of items like Hamburger Helper, hot dogs, bagged salad, rice mixes and Chunky soups!  With very little effort, and a few additional ingredients, you can throw a meal together in minutes. Gourmet cooking it’s not, but if you’re feeding 4 or more people you can really save a lot of money by using your timeshare kitchen wisely!

Congratulations to us on our one-year anniversary of Timeshare Tidbits!  The year has gone so fast, and it’s hard to believe that we have accumulated almost 70 posts!  We have enjoyed hearing from so many of you, especially those of you that we have actually met at some of the timeshares where we have stayed.  Please keep your comments coming, and your ideas for new posts.  Hopefully our site has been helpful to you, or at the very least, enjoyable to read.

What’s not to like about the Wyndham Glacier Canyon in the Wisconsin Dells? After a 4-night visit with our entire family, including one 87-year old and 2 grandkids, we can answer that question with a resounding, “Not a thing—it was FANTASTIC!!!”

Now, if you’re not excited about waterparks, you might not be as impressed as we were, but you would still enjoy it. The Dells area is beautiful and woodsy, and there are many things to enjoy other than the waterparks. It’s just that we did 7 waterparks in 4 days, and thus did not have time to do any of the other things! Luckily, we had done some of those things on previous trips.

The really neat thing about this resort is that the waterparks are right there. There are 4 indoor and 4 outdoor parks, and admission is free with your stay. The resort is huge, part of the Wilderness Resort, and pretty much a nirvana for kids. However, the thirty-somethings also enjoyed it immensely, as did the sixty-somethings. So not only do you get a rustic unit with beautiful furnishings, you get free entertainment, besides. As far as family value, we think this Wyndham has all the others beat, except for possibly the new one (also with a waterpark) in Sevierville, Tennessee.

Speaking of paradise for kids, they also have 3 arcades with games. The kids earn tickets which they can redeem for prizes—SO COOL! Mini-golf, ziplining and go-karts are also available at the resort. And, of course, this resort would be ideal for winter getaways, as you can get to the indoor waterparks without going outside. Most of them are about a 15-minute walk from the units, but shuttles run all the time.

We had a 2-BR and a 3-BR and had more room than we knew what to do with. The kitchens were well-stocked, the ceilings were high, the fireplace was gorgeous, the beds were comfortable. The furnishings seemed new and we had nice balconies overlooking a grassy area. The large, flat panel TV’s in all the bedrooms and the living room were a nice addition.

There was a small store off the lobby area which was nice for picking up incidentals, small grocery items and lattes. The staff was friendly and helpful when we asked for directions. There are some restaurants on site, but we didn’t eat at any of them, so really can’t comment on those.

And what are those other kid and adult things to do, besides the waterparks?
You can experience the true beauty and uniqueness of the Dells when you embark on one of the amphibious “Ducks,” that travel on land or water. There are Upper Dell and Lower Dell tours, the Upper being the most popular and more interesting. You can also visit the summer home of the Ringling Bros. Circus, where they actually stage small circus shows with live animals, clowns, etc. The Circus World museum is fascinating, and home to many rare circus wagons. A short drive to Baraboo will bring you to the International Crane Foundation, where you can see the 15 different fascinating species of cranes from all over the world.

Downtown Dells has many souvenir stores that are kind of kitschy, but there is a wonderful covered, outdoor outlet mall that has all your major outlet stores. There is an excellent cheese store (this IS Wisconsin!) very close to the resort with free tasting and very reasonable prices. (Where else can you buy blueberry cheddar???) And has anyone ever heard of Tommy Bartlett? A Dells visit isn’t complete without attending one of his amazing water ski shows or the Exploratory, with over 150 interactive science and technology displays. There is also a very nice casino, the Ho-Chunk, for the adults in your party.

And about an hour away is the town of Spring Green, home to Taliesen, Frank Lloyd Wright’s summer home and school. And very close to that is The House on the Rock, which can’t even be explained in print—you have to see it!

So if you’ve never been to Wisconsin, or even if you have, don’t bypass Wisconsin Dells, because it truly is a vacation wonderland! And check out the Wyndham Glacier Canyon Resort, because it is, without a doubt, one of the best! By the way, if there aren’t enough waterparks for you at Glacier Canyon, there are about 25 other ones close by–that’s why the Wisconsin Dells earned the title, “Waterpark Capital of the World!”

As always, the answer to that question depends on circumstances, and your particular vacation needs.  We own 5 weeks in Traverse City at Pinestead Reef, an RCI Resort.  It is approximately a 3-hour car drive from our home, right on the beach of Lake Michigan.  Because it is so close, and 4 of our 5 weeks are Flex Weeks, we can break it up into 1-6 day intervals if we don’t care to stay an entire week.  Often it can be fairly last minute.

This is an older, Silver Crown resort, built in the 1980’s, that has an excellent manager.  There are 46 units that are re-furnished every 5 years, and while it is not elegant, it is homelike and cozy. Traverse City is a thriving area with great restaurants, good shopping, 2 casinos, many wineries, and close access to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park, Sault St. Marie, Mackinac Island, and other tourist destinations.  Since it was sold out long ago, only resales are available.  The prices are amazingly low, compared to our other timeshare purchases, and it trades very well.

So for us, this was a no-brainer.  We deposit our red January week into RCI Points, use our fixed early September week, use our 2 June weeks when the weather is great, and use our early May week as flex. If we have extra days when we can’t be there, we rent them through the resort and use the money for maintenance fees. Also, if you are interested in being on the Board of Directors for your timeshare, living close by would make it easier to attend meetings. So our reasons for buying a timeshare close to home include:

• Short travel times
• Quick getaways
• Love of the area
• Reasonable cost of ownership
• No expensive airfare needed

Here are some other scenarios that illustrate how buying a timeshare close to home might work for you:

Let’s say you live in Knoxville, and own a timeshare in Gatlinburg (about a 40 minute drive).  Your middle school daughter wants a sleepover birthday party, but wishes it could be more special than the usual.  So you use your points, or rent, 2 very large units that maybe sleep 6- 8 people, making sure you have at least one adult sleeping in each unit, of course! The kids can use the pool and sports facilities at the resort, and you can order pizza for dinner.  You can use your timeshare kitchens to make breakfast (maybe, Baggie Omelets?)  Buy a cake, see some of the sights, and you have a party!  And, you save wear and tear on your own home!

Similar scenario:  You live in Las Vegas, and egad! Guess who’s in charge of the 5-year Family Reunion this year??? Use your points, or better yet, rent units and charge everyone!  With resort activities, pools, saunas and fitness rooms, you have lots of built-in entertainment for everyone (and you don’t have to clean your house before they come!)  Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have all those casinos around, either.

Last one:  You’ve just found out that Uncle Harvey and Aunt Nadine are coming to visit for the weekend.  But your house is a dusty mess because you’re remodeling the kitchen, and right now you can’t even cook in it.  If you live close to your timeshare, why not put them up in it for the weekend? You might even have a more enjoyable visit, because everyone will have more privacy.

Of course, buying a timeshare close to where you live might not even be an option for you in certain parts of the country, because there might not be any nearby!  But if you are committed to timeshare travel, you might want to consider this option. We know of several people (besides us) who have done it!

It seems that the timeshare world is surrounded by negativity. Recently, USA Today did an extensive article that pretty much dumped on timesharing.  A financial “guru” that writes a column that runs in our local newspaper has also warned of the dangers of timesharing.  Even some of our close friends question the wisdom of our timeshare purchases based on what they have heard, rather than their own actual experience.  The following cartoon, courtesy of GoComics, says it all:

The Flying McCoys by Glenn and Gary McCoy

When we talk to people that we meet while timesharing, this negativity does not seem to be present. Yes, there is sometimes frustration and confusion surrounding the usage of their timeshares, but overall they are happy with the vacations that owning timeshares provides. So, we decided to accentuate the positive aspects of timesharing  in this post. Here are 21 reasons why we like timesharing:

1. Timeshares allow you the flexibility to travel all over the world.

2. Timeshares force you to take vacations yearly.

3. Timesharing is cheaper per night compared to most motels.

4. Timeshares provide deluxe accommodations.  Staying in a timeshare unit is like a home away from home.

5. Timeshares provide plenty of room so that you can invite family and friends.  Most timeshares sleep at least 4.  Some can sleep as many as 12, depending on the size of the unit.

6. Timeshares are good for your health.  See our previous post—–

7. Timeshares have cooking facilities so that you can save money by not eating out as often.

8. Timeshares allow you weekly stays which give you more time to explore an area.

9. Timeshares allow you partial week stays if that is your desire.

10. Some timeshares allow you nightly stays.  This comes in handy if you are traveling or need a “tweener.”  A tweener is a night in between—for example, if your timeshare accommodation ends on a Friday and your next timeshare week doesn’t begin until Saturday.

11. Timeshare resorts generally have more amenities than motels.  Most have pools, hot tubs, playgrounds and exercise rooms.  Some have basketball and tennis courts, mini-golf, etc.

12. Most timeshare resorts employ an Activities Director, who organizes games, crafts and social opportunities for kids, teens and adults.

13. Because of all the social opportunities and activities, it is easier to meet people at a timeshare resort.  This allows for sharing travel experiences and information about the area.

14. Timesharing allows you to plan ahead.  (Not everyone would see that as a positive thing, but it works for us!)

15. Owning a timeshare is much easier than owning a vacation home.  Someone else has to do all the maintenance work, yard work and upkeep.

16. Timesharing allows you to vacation in numerous, different locations, rather than returning to the same vacation home again and again.

17. If you buy resale, timesharing is a lower cost investment than buying a second home.

18. Timesharing wins over RVs—see our post —

19. Most timeshare resorts offer informative talks about the area—what to see and do.  They often provide discounts to area attractions.

20. Most timeshares consist of deeded property that can be passed down to family or friends.

21. Timeshare resorts lend themselves to special events like birthday celebrations, reunions, etc.  They provide a comfortable, home-like and fun atmosphere for extended family or friends.

As you can see, we are positive about timesharing, and hope that you are, too.  These are just some of the reasons that we love traveling this way—probably you can come up with others that we haven’t mentioned.  What do ‘ya say? Should we design a bumper sticker that says “HONK IF YOU LOVE TIMESHARING!!?