Well, the answer to that question can be compared to many other things:  Do you shop for your clothes at more than one store?  Do you watch more than one TV program?  Do you go to several different restaurants when you eat out?  Do you go to more than one casino in Las Vegas?  (Well, some might never get out of one casino, but that’s the exception—it’s probably the same person who thinks that Orlando  is synonymous with Disney!)

The answer is YES, there is PLENTY to do in Orlando besides Disney!!!  In fact, you could probably vacation there for at least a month and never go to Disney World because there are so many other things to do!  We are not necessarily advocating this approach, especially for a family that includes young children.  However, every time we end up in Orlando, we discover more and more options, many that are much cheaper than a day in the Disney Parks.  (A family of 4 can easily drop $500-600 a day there, to include tickets, parking, food and souvenirs.)

So, when planning your vacation, make sure that you look into the non-Disneyfied activities that are available and choose wisely, depending on the ages of people in your party, their mobility and your budget.  And, it goes without saying that you need to consider everyone’s interests as well.

One of our last Orlando trips included John and myself, our children (all 30-something), grandkids and my 88-year old mother.  Obviously, we had a wide range of ages and interests.  We planned 2 days for the grandkids at the parks (ages 3 and 7) under the supervision of various adults.  We stayed at Disney’s Old Key West Resort and took advantage of numerous amenities and activities right onsite.  We only stayed for 7 days, but had so much to do that we would have been hard-pressed to add another Disney day. Our off site activities included seeing Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba, visiting Downtown Disney and the outlet malls.  You can read about our trip in more detail here, if you wish.

So, what else can you do in Orlando besides Disney?  Take a look at these lists—and this is just a sampling and is by no means all-inclusive.

IF YOU ENJOY SHOPPING:

Millenium Mall

Old Town

Florida Mall

Downtown Disney

Premium Outlet

Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores

IF YOU ENJOY THEME PARKS:

Universal Studios (same price range as Disney)

Sea World

Wet & Wild

Old Town Amusement Park

IF YOU ENJOY HISTORICAL/CULTURAL THINGS:

Orlando Science Center

Kennedy Space Center

The Titanic Experience

Harry P.Leu Gardens

Jurassic Park Discovery Center

Cirque du Soleil La Nouba

Fort Christmas Historical Park

Mennello Museumof American Folk Art

Orange County Historical Museum

National Vietnam War Museum

Motor Sports Museum

The Holy Land Experience

IF YOU ENJOY ANIMALS AND THEIR HABITATS:

Gatorland

Discovery Cove

Florida Dolphin Tours

Manatee Tours(Crystal River, FL)

Amazing Exotics

Orlando Zoo Adventure

Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens

AND IF YOU ENJOY JUST PLAIN FUN:

Ripley’s Believe It or Not

Sak Comedy Lab

Disney Quest

Haunted Grimm House

Medieval Times (dinner show)

Arabian Nights (dinner show)

Sleuths Mystery Dinner Theater

Orlando Ghost Tours

Hot Air Balloon Rides

There are always special events happening in Orlando, so be sure to check local listings as well.  Depending on your time frame, there could be any number of plays, guest entertainer appearances, exhibitions, dance performances, etc. etc.

If you are into sports, you may want to check the home schedules of all those Florida teams—the Miami Marlins and Tampa Bay Rays (baseball), the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic (basketball), the Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (football), the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning (ice hockey) and the Jacksonville Sharks, Orlando Predators and Tampa Bay Storm (arena football). Florida is also home to many major league baseball teams during spring training season.  Check here for a listing.

And, of course, there are over 25 golf courses in the Orlando area as well as numerous parks and spas.  And don’t forget the famous Florida beaches, on both the gulf and the Atlantic coasts. One of the closest is about an hour from Orlando) and is also a favorite: Cocoa Beach.

Should you want to venture a bit farther, the Tampa area would be excellent for a day trip.  The area offers many options, including the famous Busch Gardens Theme Park. Sarasota is also a great place for a day trip, where you will find over 35 miles of beautiful beaches and the Ringling Museum of Art (free on Mondays).

So, tuck your mouse ears away, at least for a day or two, and experience some of the other wonderful and fun activities that the Orlando area offers—you just might save some money, and you’ll have a great time, too!

Well, it’s just about Thanksgiving time, and maybe you’ve made the decision to be somewhere other than home right now—perhaps on a vacation and staying in a timeshare.  We discovered a long time ago that we really don’t like to be far away from family and friends at holiday time—like the Thanksgiving we spent in Waikiki.

Or, maybe your family and friends have accompanied you on vacation, which makes for some special “togetherness” at holiday time—that is, until you think about having to feed them!  And so, the rule then is “everyone pitches in.”  One resort, Rams Horn in Estes Park, Colorado, has a unique way of handling this by staging a Thanksgiving Potluck. Check out this post for our timeshare holiday adventures:  “Timeshare Travel on a Holiday-Yes or No?“.

So, if you are snugly tucked in your condo, with or without guests, here are some recipes to see you through.  They may not be gourmet, or even full-scale holiday meals, but they are easy, taste good, and use few ingredients.

TURKEY AND SWEETIE TATERS

4 turkey breast tenderloins (about 8 oz. ea.)

2 T. margarine

2 cans (2.5 lb. ea.) sweet potatoes, drained

2/3 C. dried cranberries

2/3 C. maple syrup

½ C. orange juice

½ tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. cornstarch

2 T. cold water

In large skillet or frying pan, brown turkey in margarine.  Arrange sweet potatoes around turkey.  Combine the cranberries, maple syrup, juice and cinnamon, pouring it over the turkey and sweet potatoes.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Place turkey and sweet potatoes on serving platter.  Combine cornstarch and water until smooth, then add to pan.  Bring to boil, then cook and stir 1 minute until thickened.  Serve with turkey and sweet potatoes.  (Serves 8—can be halved).  Modified, Nov. 2008, Simple & Delicious

Or, maybe you prefer pork?  If so, here’s an easy one:

PORK CHOP/CRANBERRY COMFORT FOOD

6-8 pork chops

1 T. cooking oil

½-1 C. flour

2C. fresh or frozen cranberries

¾-1 C. sugar

1/2 tsp. grated orange peel

½ C. water

Dredge pork chops in flour, then brown in cooking oil.  Place in a 7 x 11 or 9 x 13 pan.

Mix cranberries, sugar, water and orange peel.  Pour over chops.

Cover pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Uncover, and bake another 25-35 minutes.  Makes 6-8 servings.  (Modified, The New Cooking With 4 Ingredients)

And, for the ground meat enthusiasts--

NOODLE STROGANOFF

3 C. uncooked noodles

1 lb. ground beef

1/3 C. chopped onion

1 8-oz. can mushroom stems and pieces

1-1/4 C. water

2 envelopes brown gravy mix

2 C. sour cream

Cook noodles according to directions and set aside.  In large frying pan, cook beef and onion over medium heat until beef is done.  Drain.  Stir in water and gravy mix and bring to a boil.  Add mushrooms.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in sour cream.  Serve over noodles.  Makes 4 -5 servings.  (Modified, Simple & Delicious, Jan./Feb. 2009)

And, let’s not forget dessert!  This is a spinoff of the ever-popular Eagle Brand 7-layer bars:

CRANBERRY OR CHERRY COCONUT DREAMS

1-1/2 C. graham cracker crumbs (about 24)

½ C. melted margarine

1-1/2 C. vanilla chips

1-1/2 C. dried cranberries or cherries

1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)

1 C. flaked coconut

1 C. pecans or walnuts

Combine graham cracker crumbs and margarine and press into a 9 x 13 pan for form a crust.  In bowl, mix remaining ingredients.  Spread this mixture over the crust.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until edges are golden.  Cool and cut into bars.  Makes 3 dozen, or 2 dozen, depending on how large you cut them!  I like to leave out the nuts and just add more vanilla chips and cranberries.

Happy holiday cooking and baking from Timeshare Tidbits!

The third week of our Western trip was spent in the Canadian town of Whistler.  Whistler is truly a great place to visit if you like winter sports, such as skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, etc.  It is also a great place to visit if you like summer sports, especially mountain biking, ziplining, trail hiking and ATV-ing.  And if you happen to be in the 18-35 age range, and you embrace any of the aforementioned sports, then you will think you have found Nirvana!

Now, if you happen to be middle-aged or a senior, and not particularly athletically inclined, then you can enjoy the gorgeous mountain scenery, shop, and eat in expensive restaurants.  That pretty much sums it up.  For us, this means that we can visit for about 4 days, and not be bored.  Am I being sarcastic?  Well, okay—maybe 5 days. Unfortunately, we also encountered icky, rainy weather, and so our sightseeing options were kind of limited, even though the scenery there is phenomenal.

We arrived in Whistler late on a rainy Sunday afternoon, after driving the spectacular “Sea to Sky” highway. The scenery alone was worth the 2-hour trip from Vancouver, as the views continually amazed us all the way north.  We checked into our Whiski Jack North Star at a central check-in location, where they really didn’t give us very good directions or instructions about the parking garage.  The garage is spooky, dirty, dark and difficult to navigate with a mini-van, which we happened to have on this trip (long story).  We climbed up, and then up again to our townhouse, and were pleasantly surprised to see how nice it was.

Our townhouse building (one of several), had about 4-6 units in it, and we quickly discovered (especially during a 6:15 a.m. fire alarm on Tuesday morning) that we were the only ones in it. Probably about half of the resort is privately owned, and this, of course, was the off-season.  Everything outside was well-kept, except that when workers trimmed trees and bushes, they left everything in the middle of the walkways for a few days!

When we walked into the unit, there was a small entryway with a bench (nice for taking off boots and raingear) and wooden hooks.  The kitchen/dining/living room area was small, but adequate.  We used the gas fireplace frequently because of the chilly, damp weather. The flat screen TV was mounted over the fireplace.  Sliding glass doors led to a nice balcony that housed our private gas grill. There was a full bath on this floor, complete with washer and dryer.

Upstairs were 2 bedrooms and a large bath with a Jacuzzi.  The master bedroom had a king bed, large closet, dresser, chair and TV.  The guest bedroom had twin beds, closet and TV.

A central pool and hot tub, which we did not use, seemed to be the only other amenities. There were no activities or central meeting place.  During the day, there are some staff people in the office, but if you needed security at night, there was a number to call.  Although the accommodations were nice, we felt like we were at a nice, cozy hotel—not a timeshare.

The village of Whistler is charming and quaint—most of the buildings and shops seem to be reminiscent of Austrian ski villages with their chalet-style architecture.  No cars are allowed on the village walkways, but there is a lot of pedestrian and dog traffic, even in the off-season.  The beautiful Blackcomb and Whistler Mountains form a backdrop, making this whole scene quite picturesque.

The main draw in the village is the Olympic Rings, Pavilion, and Paralympic symbols, where the skiing medals were awarded during the 2010 Olympic Games.  EVERYONE poses for pictures here.  There are numerous shopping opportunities in the village, especially if you like ski shops.  Hotels and timeshares are abundant (lots of different Whiski Jacks), and, of course, restaurants.

Since we were in Whistler from late Sunday until Friday, we did not get to ride the famous Peak to Peak Gondola, open only on weekends at this time of the year.  This gondola has the distinction of being the longest and highest in the world. As Barb always hated to even ride the cable cars at Cedar Point (those from Ohio know what we’re talking about), she was jumping for joy that it was closed during the week!

Other gondolas were operating, however, and those took bikers up Whistler Mountain so that they could ride down. It was fun to watch the young 30-something (mostly) males, in their crazy helmets, careening down the mountain over and over again.  We kept wondering if they had some kind of gainful employment at night, as they did the biking thing all day.  Someone told us that they often work for 6 months, and then bike for 6 months—guess that’s a good plan if you don’t have a wife and kids.

We visited the Aboriginal Museum on Monday, which was a “get in free with a donation” day.  It was quite informative, and we enjoyed some impromptu music and a film.  The regular price of $18 a person seems a bit steep, though.

On Thursday, the weather decided to get better, and so we went on a Jeep Tour into the mountains.  We went 6000 feet up, and yes, there was LOTS of snow there—after all, it had been raining down in the village all week! Even the 95-year old lady from Australia insisted on getting out of the jeep to feel the snow on her feet!  (Most 95-year old Michigan ladies know enough to stay inside when it snows!)

Anyway, we experienced gorgeous, drop-dead mountain vistas, a deer, a bear and a Whiski Jack, that ate out of our guide’s hand.  If you’re wondering what a Whiski jack is, it’s a bird, similar to a blue jay, but bigger, and not blue.  Since our resort is named Whiski Jack, and there are several others with that name, we wondered what that term meant.  Our guess of an off-brand kind of whiskey was obviously incorrect!

The rest of our sightseeing included driving to a few nearby lakes and towns and viewing the impressive mountain scenery.  The Olympic Village was closed until sometime in November, so we couldn’t see that.  We were kind of disappointed–I guess we expected something more like an Olympic Museum like the one in Park City, Utah.  Maybe, eventually, they will have one in Whistler.

And so, our Western trip came to an end.  We were kind of ready to go home, as we missed our family and communicating was difficult.  To use our cell phones in Canada would have cost a fortune, and Skype was somewhat limiting.  Whistler was unique and lovely, but the weather was yucky and there wasn’t quite enough to keep us occupied—in fact, we even did a TIMESHARE PRESENTATION while we were there. Stay tuned for THAT one!!!

Hopefully you are enjoying our current trip report of our three week trip out to the northwestern area of the country. We have written two posts about our Alaskan cruise and one post about our second week in Washington State. We are continuing that second week in this post. We will talk about some of the things we did in the State of Washington, and cover our one day trip into Seattle.

Washington is a beautiful state with lots of water, trees and mountains. It is nicknamed the “ Evergreen State” and we could see why when we did some driving around the state. We saw many picturesque towns with charming stores, restaurants, and businesses. The town of Lynden is patterned after a Dutch community because many Dutch had settled in the area. They even have a large windmill surrounded by a number of quaint shops.

The town of Bellingham is along the ocean, complete with lots of shops and a town square. Twice a week there is a farmers market and craft show. This is also the location where you can catch the ferry if you want to go over to Victoria in British Columbia. We had stopped there on our Alaskan cruise, so we decided not to take the trip from the state of Washington. We did talk to a couple from the resort that did the trip and had a great time and spent a couple of nights on the island. It is a beautiful city, which we enjoyed and well worth the short trip.

Another small town close to the resort, on the ocean, is Blaine. In its day, it was a fishing village. They still have a Salmon factory which you can tour. It is also the location of the border crossing into Canada. They have a beautiful park named the “ Peace Arch Park.” There is a large Peace Arch which is a symbol of the peaceful cooperation between our two countries. Even at this time of year the flowers were gorgeous.

We also took an afternoon and drove up into the Baker Mountain area. It was a beautiful trip with great views, mountain streams, several outstanding waterfalls and a view of the mountain and glacier. This mountain is in the Guinness Book of World Records as experiencing more snowfall in one season than any other place in North America, some 1,140 inches. The area is part of the North Cascades National Park and offers lots of camping and hiking. There is also an excellent ski area on the mountain.

There are many casinos in the state, and we passed several on our drive from Seattle up to our resort in Birch Bay. There was one located about 15 minutes fromour condo. We visited on a couple of occasions and had fun as well as a free meal for joining the slot club.

We took another day and drove back to Seattle to see the sights. The Space needle is a towering structure that offers spectacular views of the city, both during the day as well as at night. They also have a restaurant at the top. It was a bit pricey to go up, and as we generally don’t like heights, we took a pass on it this trip.

We took a walk around Pike Place Market in downtown Seattle. This is complete with farmers market, retail center, artisan shops and all kinds of dining options from casual to gourmet. It was fun to see all the fresh fish, flowers, fruits and vegetables on display in the open. It was quite crowded, with a lot of locals buying dinner and a great place to people watch.

Pioneer Square, which is also in the downtown area, is another great place to visit. This area marks the first permanent settlement back in 1855. It is full of history, galleries, restaurants and lots of shopping. There are three historic museums in the area as well as a waterfall garden park right in the middle of the city.

While in the Pioneer Square area we took an excellent Underground Tour. This was a humorous tour through the subterranean areas of Seattle. The underground area was created when the city was rebuilt on top of itself after the Great Fire of 1889. We went down below on three occasions during the two-hour tour and found it fascinating. You could see much of the old city as it once stood, although not in very good shape. Our guide told many scandalous stories about Seattle pioneers, and the tour ended in their museum where we viewed, among other relics, an original Thomas Crapper toilet! Without a doubt, there have to be ghosts down there!

We ended our trip to Seattle with a good meal and headed back to our condo. We had a good week in Washington state, and look forward to returning in the near future to continue our adventures.

We are continuing a trip report of our recent three-week trip to the Northwest section of the country.  We have already posted two articles about the first week of the trip, which was an Alaskan cruise:  “Timeshares Rock, Cruises Rock (The Boat)” and “ Cruising Vs. Timesharing—Can You Really Compare?”  In this article we will get into our second week, where we stayed in a timeshare in the little town of Birch Bay, Washington called Raintree’s Sandcastle at Birch Bay.  We will also include a couple of side trips that we took in the area.

Let’s take a look at the resort itself.  It is one of some 17 timeshares that are in the Raintree system.  Most are out West in ski areas and in British Columbia, Canada.  They are point-based, and trade in the RCI system.  We booked the resort using RCI points in a two-bedroom for a week.  They have one, two or three bedroom condos at this resort, and it is fairly small in size with only 48 units.  All units have a balcony with an ocean view or a golf course view.

The units themselves are large, spacious and nicely decorated. The living room has a gas fireplace and a balcony overlooking the pool and the ocean.  The master bedroom has a king bed with it own bath, but no Jacuzzi.  The rest of the unit is pretty standard with another bath, bedroom, nice kitchen, and a washer and dryer.

The resort has a restaurant attached.  We heard good reports from other folks, but we did not eat there.  They have a nice heated outdoor pool with a hot tub.  The activities were fairly limited, to include a nice wine and cheese gathering the first night, a couple of movies in the evening, and some yoga classes that you had to pay for.  They  have a nice club house and terrace on the top floor with a beautiful view of the ocean– great for sunset photos over the water. There are also gas grills for guests to use on the terrace.

The resort sits on the Pacific Ocean in a quiet bay. It is great for walking along the beach and watching the birds come in when the tides go out.  You can go on a sailing expedition or fishing trip.  We took one day and went into Canada—the border is only 12 miles. We continued across the border and up to Vancouver, British Columbia which was a short 30-mile drive.

Vancouver is blessed with numerous parks, and we visited a few. The biggest and the best in our opinion was Stanley Park.  It is very large (over a 1000 acres) and has beautiful gardens, a Totem Pole Collection, outstanding views of trees, forests, the city and, of course, water. You can take horse drawn tours, harbor tours, or just spend time relaxing in the beautiful settings. There is a twelve-mile drive around the island as well as a walking boardwalk.  We found numerous statues, picnic tables and benches for folks to enjoy.  They also had an aquarium located on the grounds.

We drove around the city and found Chinatown, the business district, Robson Street ( which is home to numerous ethnic shops and restaurants), and the quaint older section of town called Gastown.  It was where the city got its start, courtesy of a gentleman called Gassy Jack and his saloon in Gastown. Of course, we had to take a picture of his statue. There are numerous shops, restaurants, and bars/nightclubs that we enjoyed walking around and visiting.

We also visited the Granville Island Market, which is a large complex of art studios, shops and open air markets that sell everything you can think of.  We enjoyed walking among all the booths crammed with meats, fish, fresh vegetable, fruits and flowers.

We also stopped at Metrotown Mall, the largest in western Canada. It contains over 450 stores and businesses on some four floors.  They have a lot of the usual mall stores, but also have two super markets, dentist offices, lawyers, insurance companies, etc., which made for an interesting complex.  I think we still like our state side malls better.

We finished our day with a nice meal at the Old Spaghetti Factory and headed back to Birch Bay and our condo.  Look for Part II to read about our second week, as we explore many little towns in Washington State and take a day to visit Seattle.

If you read our last post, “Timeshares Rock, Cruises Rock (the Boat!),” you may have gotten the idea that we didn’t enjoy our trip too much because of the weather.  Actually, that’s not true—we enjoyed it very much, in spite of the weather.  It’s one of those trips that we’ll look back on and mostly remember just the good stuff–the stress and harried times will become just a blip in our memories.

Probably what this trip did was force us to look at cruising and compare it to timesharing—except that we’ve reached the conclusion that you really can’t.  Granted, they are both methods or “styles” of vacationing, but that’s pretty much where the similarities end.  Ever since doing 2 Disney cruises with the kids back in the late eighties, we’ve always maintained that people who can and like to travel should do at least one cruise in their lifetime. Whether they choose to do more would be a matter of personal taste (and availability of funds!)

That being said, we’ve put together some comparisons, which are really more like lists.  These are purely our opinions, and subject to debate.  We’re attempting to analyze our cruise experiences in conjunction with the timeshare ones.

These are some things that we like about cruising:

–Food is abundant, very good, and it is prepared for you.  There are elegant entrees, beautiful desserts, and you can pretty much each all day long, if you want to.

–There are many activities offered on board, some of which are somewhat unique (towel-folded animals, cooking classes, professional-quality shows, etc.)

–Many amenities are available, such as spas, salons, fitness centers, basketball court, pools, casinos, theaters, gift shops, etc.

–Cruising usually takes you to exotic places, some of which may not be accessible by car.  For example, the only way to really see Glacier Bay and the inside passage in Alaska is to go by boat.  Usually your visits to ports are limited in time, giving  birds-eye views rather than ones of more depth.

–It is easy to meet people, as the shipboard community is like a village.

–Very little planning is required for sightseeing, as the ship’s itinerary is pre-determined.

–A cruise is all-inclusive—you pay an upfront fee that includes meals, cabin service, tipping, shows,  some activities and amenities.

Some things that we dislike about cruising:

–That all-inclusive fee really isn’t—it does not include salon and spa services, liquor, excursions, tours of the ship, photos taken by the ship photographer, etc.

–While not claustrophobic by any means, we found being on a ship at sea for 2 or 3 days at a time to be somewhat stifling.  We found plenty to do early in the cruise, but toward the end we grew tired of it.

–The excursions offered by the ship were very expensive.

–Planning a trip (where you’re going, what you’re going to see and do, where you’re going to eat, etc.) is half the fun of it.  When you cruise, there are few decisions to be made, thus eliminating  some of the “fun.”  Some may actually enjoy the fact that they don’t have to do any research or planning, but we love to do it!

–Cruising is expensive.

–As mentioned earlier,  the time constraints of cruising do not allow in-depth exposure to an area.

–The accommodations are adequate, but similar to a small hotel room (unless you can afford the deluxe staterooms!)

Some things that we like about timesharing:

–It is a fairly economical way to vacation, especially if you buy resale.

–You can set your own time parameters, deciding how long you want to stay in each place.

–You are not confined for days at a time.

–Most timeshares have many amenities and activities.

–Timeshares offer a home-like setting, to include living areas, bathrooms, kitchen and one or more separate bedrooms.  Some have decks, washer/dryer facilities, fireplaces, Jacuzzis and more.

–You can plan your sightseeing activities based on what you want to do, not following a pre-determined schedule.

–It is usually easy to meet people at organized activities, or just in passing.  Most timeshare owners enjoy discussing their common interest—timesharing!

Some things that we dislike about timesharing:

–Bookings usually have to be made well in advance of a vacation—sometimes a year or even more.

–Some locations are very hard to get into—for example, Door County in the summer, Maui, anytime—unless you own there.

–Point systems, and booking systems in general, can be complicated and confusing.

–Maintenance fees and/or special assessments can sometimes get out of hand.

–Making last-minute changes can be difficult, if not impossible.

These lists are by no means complete, and we’re sure that our readers can come up with many more likes and dislikes for both cruising and timesharing.  So where does that leave us?  Which is better?

Neither is really better, although for us, timesharing is preferable and the benefits far outweigh those of cruising. Our choice is based on financial considerations (we would be hard-strapped to do a cruise more than once every few years!), but also the fact that we enjoy planning and researching our vacations on our own, and having the freedom to hop in the car and do our sightseeing where, when, and how long we want to do it.  Plus, we like the “hominess” and spaciousness of a timeshare, and having all those conveniences that we’re used to.

That is not to say that we didn’t enjoy our cruise, the wonderful meals, and the pampering. As we stated earlier, everyone should do at least one cruise, just for the experience—more if you can afford it.  Cruising is a special way of traveling, and the memories created can be just as wonderful as your timeshare memories—so why not do both???

How can you verbally describe a phenomenal trip?  You really can’t, but in these next few posts, that’s exactly what we’re going to attempt to do.  Our last 3 weeks have been spent at sea, Alaska, Washington State, and Canada.  It wasn’t all fun, and there were some inconveniences, but it was mostly enjoyable and memorable—one of those lifetime experiences you never forget!

The trip was conceived about a year and a half ago, as we watched the beautiful scenery of Whistler and Vancouver unfold during the Olympic coverage on TV.  We decided that we wanted to see the gorgeous, towering mountains up close, and we booked a week at Whiski Jack North Star in Whistler. Then, a few months later, we found the Raintree Sandcastle Resort in Birch Bay, Washington. This was one of the states that I had not been to, yet, and so that seemed a good choice for a second week.

The Alaskan cruise was something that we had been thinking about for a few years, and thought might be a good idea for our 40^th anniversary.  (It’s actually in December, and the Alaskan cruises only run from May to September.)  So we zeroed in on summer of 2012 to do that.  At some point we realized that we were paying around $800 to fly to Seattle for our September, 2011 Whistler/Birch Bay trip.  Maybe we could add on the cruise to this trip rather than pay another $800 to fly out and do the cruise in the summer of 2012?

We did our research, and ended up booking the last Alaskan cruise of the season with Holland America. It was a 7-night cruise that actually turned out to be the first week of our 3-week trip.  So we drove to Chicago, flew to Seattle, and boarded the Oosterdam on a rainy Sunday.

Our stateroom was on the 8^th floor, or the Navigation Deck, which was the highest floor containing passenger cabins.  We had opted for a cabin with a balcony, so that we could view Glacier Bay easily.  It worked out well for us, because it was convenient to stay warm and go in and out of our cabin in the pouring rain. It was an amazing day, and the ship picked up some park rangers who filled us in on glacier facts and folklore.

Besides Glacier Bay, we visited Juneau and Ketchikan, Alaska, and Victoria, Canada. In Juneau, we bought an excursion to the Mendehall Glacier. They took us by bus, and we had an excellent guide who filled us in on the Tlinglit culture and told some interesting family stories.  We visited the public library and caught up on eMail and family phone calls (We had been on the ship for 2.5 days with no communications;  internet was $.75 a minute and we had no cell phone reception.)  And, we shopped at all the touristy stores.  It rained almost constantly.

It was not raining for most of our time in Ketchikan, but was cloudy and overcast.  This is an old fishing town, complete with salmon hatcheries.  We took numerous pictures of totem poles, and followed Creek Street, which housed all the dwellings of ill repute.  During Prohibition times, liquor was not allowed on land, so all the houses were built up off of the land so that liquor could be brought in off the boats through the bottoms of the houses.

We were originally scheduled to visit the port of Sitka, but since it sits directly on the ocean and a storm was brewing, we bypassed it and headed to Victoria, Canada.  It did not rain that day, and, in fact, the sun appeared a few times.  The city is charming.  We visited the world-famous Empress Hotel and took a city tour that took us up on a mountain for a great view.  We saw the Parliament building and Craigdarroch Castle, although we didn’t go inside.  It was just so nice to be in the sun again.  We wanted to see Buchart Gardens, but felt that we might run short on time.  We’ll save that for next time.

As you have probably deduced from reading thus far, the weather was not great on this trip.  We knew that the best times to visit Alaska were in July and August, and even then, they get a lot of rain.  Actually, the rain didn’t bother us—it was the storms.  It was amazing to us that a huge ship, carrying 2004 passengers and a crew of 800, could rock and sway so much.  Neither of us is prone to seasickness, luckily, but at times the rocking was almost violent in nature. It seemed that we would just be done with one storm, and another would begin.  As mentioned, our itinerary was changed once, and we didn’t get to visit Sitka.

The lurching of the ship and the sounds of the storm at night kept us awake 6 out of the 7 nights.  I kept thinking about the Titanic, and I wondered how long you could survive in a life jacket in those cold, cold waters.  Overdramatic?  Maybe.  But then I began to wonder how often this bad weather occurs on the last cruise in September?  Probably Holland America knows the answer to this.  Obviously, they can’t control the weather, but they can control whether or not their ships sail that week.  Then, I multiplied 2004 paying customers by the amount that we paid for our cruise—hmm—food for thought.

So, for the last few days of the cruise, we began making some comparisons between cruising and timesharing.  We’ll deal with that in a future post.

Changing gears, the food on the ship was outstanding!  We sat in the formal dining room with two other couples (you can choose how many are at your table) and every evening we could choose from 4 or 5 different appetizers, 4 or 5 salads, 4 or 5 entrees, etc., etc.  Our waitstaff was efficient and friendly. We had 2 formal nights, and the other evenings were designated as “smart/casual.”

One evening, we didn’t care to go to the formal dining room, as we’d been out shopping in the rain and got back kind of late.  So we had dinner on the Lido Deck, where you can wear jeans, or whatever.  The food here was also excellent, and by no means consisted of sandwiches or snack food, although those were available, too.  In fact, there were many more choices than in the formal dining room, but it was buffet style.  In both dining areas, there were a lot of seafood offerings, especially salmon fixed many ways.  There was also some sort of steak or beef on the menu every night.  On the Lido Deck, there were Mexican, Asian and Italian stations—really similar to a Las Vegas buffet.  We also ate breakfast (heavy on the made-to-order omelets) and lunch here.

The housekeeping staff was friendly and very attentive.  Davis, our cabin steward, excelled in making animal towel arrangements—he even demo-ed some for the whole ship.  Speaking of talent, the Filipino staff put on an entire variety show for the guests.  The evenings featured professional shows done by singers, dancers and magicians.  There was also a small casino.  The entire waitstaff performed at dinner on the last night of the cruise.

And, of course, there were all the other amenities and activities that you find on a cruise ship—pools, spas, gift shops, bars, lounges, ping pong, etc., etc.  As of this writing, Holland America is the only (I think) cruise ship that has a Catholic priest on board, who says Mass every day.  There is a Friends of Bill W. meeting every day, and I believe there are also Singles and  Gay/Lesbian group gatherings.

The Oosterdam offered numerous offshore excursions in each port.  Generally, they were very expensive, and I’ve read that the cruise line gets a kickback from every one that is booked.  Usually, you could buy the same excursions at kiosks that were stationed at each pier, for about half the price of the ship excursions.  One of the drawbacks with these is that if you get into heavy traffic, or your transportation breaks down, then you may miss the boat when it sails.  If this happens, you have to fly to the next port at your own expense—not a good situation.  We did two excursions this way, and just made sure that we had plenty of time to get back to the ship, even if we had to walk!

What really makes for a memorable cruise is the people you meet-and we met some of the nicest.  When you’re on a ship for a period of time, it’s kind of like a village.  You think that you’ll probably know these people forever, yet you know that’s not true.  Then you think, “well, maybe we’ll keep in touch.”  So far, that hasn’t happened.  Once you get home, you’re swamped with work, paying bills, catching up with errands, friends, relatives, and you’re back to “normal” life.  So, if you’re reading this Kathy & Ron from Texas, Joe and Joan from Georgia, Julie and Ian from Australia, Tita and Ronnie from Indiana—know that we treasure the memories of our time with you and we miss you—still hope to hear from you.

And so, our cruise came to an end.  Would we do it again—you bet!  But probably not the last cruise in September to Alaska!

P. S. Stay tuned for our post on cruising vs. timesharing!

One of the truly wonderful things about owning a timeshare, is that YES, you can take a vacation and spend very little money—that is, if you spend that money wisely.  If you bought your timeshare from the developer, that is probably one of the selling points that the salesperson used to try to convince you—and he or she was correct.  Now, of course, buying the timeshare from the developer didn’t really save you anything, because you could have purchased the timeshare much more cheaply on the resale market. But hopefully, you know that now, and will not fall prey to that a second time.

So regardless of whether you bought from the developer or bought resale, we are starting here with a clean slate.  For our purposes, this post will deal with what happens AFTER you acquire the timeshare.  And yes, you can operate on a shoestring budget if you follow these guidelines:

1. NEVER FLY IF YOU CAN DRIVE.

This one is tough, because so often those airfare sales look so appealing.  However, we have invariably found that cost-wise, a driving trip beats a flying trip every time. Along with the cost of airfare, you must also figure in the cost of a rental car—and the longer the vacation, the higher the price of that car.

Also, you need to figure in the cost of parking your car at the airport or rental lot—again, the longer, the pricier. And, don’t forget to calculate the miles and cost of driving to and from the airport.  If we leave from Kalamazoo, where we live, it’s no big deal.  But sometimes, to get better rates, we fly out of Chicago or South Bend. You also cannot take as much “stuff” with you—i.e. food and prep materials. Some airlines even charge $40 per bag, or $80 round trip. This can add up pretty quickly.

Granted, if you drive, and you are traveling a long distance, you also have to figure in motels for overnight stays. You should also add in wear and tear on your vehicle, toll costs, and gas. Costs for meals are probably a wash—either way, it’s expensive to eat on the road or on the plane.

The statement, “never fly if you can drive,” is a debatable one.  If you hate driving, and it truly would spoil your vacation to spend 4 days in a car on the highway, then don’t do it.  Some people have medical conditions that would prevent them from driving on long trips. Or, maybe you only get a week’s vacation—then, you surely don’t want to spend half of it in the car.  If you’re headed for Hawaii, you can’t drive. Maybe you have 3 young children who would just not tolerate 16 hours in the car. (Not to mention their parents!) What you ultimately need to decide is what’s best for you.  If this particular cost-cutting measure creates more stress than it’s worth, then don’t do it.

If you want to do a quick, ball-park comparison, click on this Fly-or-Drive Calculator. I was amazingly surprised when I charted a trip from Kalamazoo, Mi. to Orlando, Fl.  I knew that driving would be cheaper, but no way did I think that flying would cost 6 times more!

2.  PLAN TO COOK IN YOUR TIMESHARE KITCHEN INSTEAD OF EATING OUT FOR EVERY MEAL.

This is a pretty common theme inherent in many of our posts, so if you’re a regular reader of our site, you’re probably tired of hearing about it.  But it just really makes so much sense!  If you eat in restaurants 3 times a day, times the number of people in your party, you’re going to spend mega-dollars on your vacation. For that matter, who wants to be running to restaurants 3 times a day when they are so many other things to do on vacation?????  And you have a bonus amenity right at your fingertips—your own timeshare kitchen.

Actually, for a good part of the time, you don’t really even have to “cook.” If you’re like us, breakfast is usually super simple and consists of stuff that you have to unwrap, pour, slice, toast, nuke and/or stir.  I’m speaking of things like muffins, yogurt, fruit, bagels, cereal, even scrambled eggs cooked in the microwave.  It’s probably a good idea to have whatever you usually have at home, and keep it simple.

Lunch is probably even easier. Deli meat + bread = sandwich. Or, you can p, b and j it.  Add potato chips or fruit for a side.  If you want something healthier, buy a bag of salad greens and add dressing.  The problem with lunch is, you may already be out sightseeing or at the beach, and when you get hungry, you may settle for fast-food or even pricier fare.  So, its good to plan ahead for lunch, and maybe take along some nutritious snacks or even pack your lunch, if it’s practical.

So that leaves the big meal, the really expensive one—dinner. If you’ve eaten in for breakfasts and lunches, why not treat yourself to dinner out?  But, if you’re on a shoestring budget, you may not want to do this every night.  Even take-out becomes expensive.  So our solution is to click on some of our Timeshare Cooking recipes, and head to the store for the few ingredients you will need to create simple meals that taste good.  Trust me, the worst part is cleaning up afterward, which you can certainly delegate, since you did the “cooking.”

If you really hate spending time in the kitchen, we suggest reading Timeshare Cooking Cheaters—ideas for meals that are a bit pricier, but still cheaper than going out. Often you can throw things together before you head out for the day, or when everyone is relaxing in the evening.  We probably average 2 meals “at home,” in the timeshare, for every 7 days on vacation, but experiment with what works for your guests or gang and you WILL save money! See some of the amazing comparisons in this post: Part 3: The Top Ten Timeshare Mistakes. (Look at #8)

3.  MAKE GOOD USE OF THE RESORT AMENITIES, BUT NOT NECESSARILY THE ACTIVITIES.

This statement seems a bit contradictory, but you will soon see that we are talking about two different things. When we refer to “amenities,” we are talking about physical offerings of the resort, such as basketball courts, pools, hot tubs, pool tables, shuffleboard courts, etc.  The term “activities,” refers to events organized by the resort staff that may include additional costs.  Let’s look at this more closely.

Most resorts offer free use of their amenities.  You paid a fee to buy your timeshare, and you also pay maintenance fees for the upkeep on these amenities, so they are not really “free,” but they go along with the territory. It is very rare to be charged a fee for using amenities, unless it is something very unique.

For example, Massanutten Resort in Virginia has a waterpark on the property, which requires a separate admission charge for guests. Occasionally, there may be something like a bike or watercraft rental.  However, there are also resorts that provide some of these amenities free to their guests:  specifically, Wyndham Resorts at Glacier Canyon and Wyndham Resorts Great Smokies Lodge both have waterparks that are free to guests.

So, usually, the amenities come with no extra charge, so why not make use of them?  As mentioned in a previous post, when we stayed at Disney’s Old Key West Resort, our grandkids had so much fun there that they hardly missed the parks—we only went 2 days out of 7.  If you have a medium-to-large family or group, and you want to save money, this is the route to go.

Most timeshare resorts have a full-time Activities Staff that offer many opportunities for having fun.  Often, there are many free things to do like ping pong tournaments, swim parties, toddler games, karaoke, welcome parties, WII tournaments, etc.  They may also offer some activities that have a nominal cost, such as ice cream sundae parties, wine & cheese gatherings, bingo, crafts, etc.  Usually most families can afford these activities, although I would rather buy a half gallon of ice cream for the condo and make my own sundaes!

Medium-priced activities might include some form of local entertainment and/or a meal at a fairly reasonable price. Some of the Wyndhams in Branson, Nashville, and the Gatlinburg area offer these kinds of events, and they are usually very well done.  The costs can add up, but are usually under $10 a person.  That seems like a lot, but compared to a professional theater show and restaurant dinner, it’s an economical alternative.

The greater expense lies in the “tours” that are often listed in the activity brochure.  This is where things can get pricey, because usually transportation is provided on a per person basis.  Even a small amount like $10 adds up when you apply it to a family of 5.  You can almost always do these tours by yourselves if you have a map and a car, thus saving quite a bit.

That doesn’t mean you would never want to do a tour. It depends on where you are, and what all there is to see.  If you’ve never been to the area before, it actually might be a good idea, so you can get the lay of the land. But at times, we’ve been to an orientation and felt pressured to do a tour because it was implied that we just couldn’t see it all on our own, we wouldn’t know where to go, the guides know all the special, secret places, etc. We went by ourselves, anyway, and had a great time exploring.  And, if you miss some things—well, you can always go back!

So, these are the 3 biggies to keep in mind when attempting to enjoy your timeshare on a shoestring budget. Obviously, there are other things that you can do also, like trying to limit your use of RCI, and thus save the exchange fees.  You can invite more guests to share expenses.  You can try to stay away from weekends when you book your trip, thus using fewer points.  You can rejoice in the fact that timeshares are so much more economical than staying in hotels.  The list goes on and on, but the really neat thing is that there are all kinds of ways to cut corners when you own a timeshare, and yet you still have a wonderful, home-like place to stay, with lots of fun activities and amenities to enjoy!

Well, it’s that time of year again when the pigskin flies through the air and frenetic fans are hovered around the TV on Sunday afternoon or Monday evening. I guess if you’re into college football, it would actually be on Saturday (you can probably tell that I’m not really into this stuff!)

At any rate, when you’re staying in a timeshare, football celebrations are really not too different than when you’re at home.  The only difference might be that you can party with a bigger group of fans, and sometimes the resort activities’ staff even organizes a gathering. And when this happens, the call usually goes out for snacks and sandwiches to help sustain everyone through the highs and lows of their favorite team’s performance.

Now, you can run to the grocery store and buy an appetizer or hors d’oeuvres tray for anywhere from $10-50.  But why not make your own tasty treats? Most timeshare kitchens are well-equipped, and making your own will save you money.  Plus, everyone will think you are a culinary god or goddess, and ask you for the recipes! Here are some ideas to get you started:

SWEET AND SAVORY SPREAD

2 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese

3 T. apricot or peach preserves

2 green onions, chopped

3 T. crumbled cooked bacon

1 tsp. minced garlic

Soften cream cheese, and beat with preserves until blended.  Stir in onions, bacon and garlic.  Refrigerate, and serve with crackers or tortilla chips.  Makes 2 and ¼ cups.  (Modified, Simple & Delicious, Jan./Feb. 2006)

TWISTY DOGS

1 tube (11 ½ oz.) refrigerated corn bread twists or breadsticks

8 hot dogs

1 T. butter, melted

1 T. grated Parmesan

Wrap one breadstick or corn bread twist around each hot dog.  Brush with butter and sprinkle with cheese.  Bake at 375 degrees on a greased baking sheet for 11-13 minutes.  Makes 8 twisty dogs.  (Simple & Delicious, Mar./Apr. 2006)

CHICKEN CHILI SANDWICHES

1 pkg. 8-oz cream cheese

2 C. cubed, cooked chicken

1 ½ C. shredded cheddar cheese

1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilies

2 tsp. minced onion

½ tsp. chili powder

4 hard rolls

Beat cream cheese in bowl until fluffy.  Stir in chicken, cheese, chilis, onions and chili powder.  Cut top fourths off of rolls, and hollow out bottoms.  Fill bottoms with chicken mixture.  Replace tops, and bake on cookie sheet at 375 degrees for 5-7 minutes.  Makes 4 servings. (Modified, Taste of Home, Jan./Feb. 2009)

You can add extra chili powder if you like more heat!

PEANUT BARBECUE

1/3 C. any kind barbecue sauce

2 T. melted butter

1 tsp. garlic powder

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

1 (16 oz.) jar dry roasted peanuts

Combine all in large bowl, stirring until evenly coated.  Transfer to 9 x 13 greased baking pan.  Bake uncovered at 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes, stirring about every 10 minutes.  Spread on wax paper to cool.  Store in airtight container.  Makes about 3 cups.  (Simple & Delicious, Jan/Feb. 2006)

TURKEY DINNER SANDWICH   (This works well for after-the-game, or maybe a late-night supper)

1 pkg. (6 oz.) chicken or turkey stuffing mix

4 slices bread, toasted

1 lb. thin-sliced deli turkey

1 C. turkey gravy

Prepare stuffing mix according to directions on package.  Place toast in large microwave-safe pan; top each with turkey, stuffing and gravy.  Microwave uncovered on high for 30-40 seconds.  Makes 4 servings—yummy, easy comfort food!

If you enjoy these recipes, check out our Timeshare Cooking Category for more quick, simple and tasty timeshare goodies!

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!