Owner rentals are an economical way to stay at a timeshare and not be required to attend a presentation. Owner rentals are for a week and are typically available if you have a Friday to Friday, Saturday to Saturday, or Sunday to Sunday stay. I often use TUG2.net and Redweek.com for owner rentals. For a non timeshare condo, VRBO or a place that does rentals at someplace like Windsor Hills would work (nice for sure, but I think the timeshare resorts are nicer typically (nicer than the places at Windsor Hills with really great reviews, etc.) - love the resort feel of the timeshare resorts - great landscaping, amenities, consistent nice furnishings -- just in general I have been happier with these than VRBO rentals (no problems with VRBO, etc., but just not as nice usually as the timeshares). An advantage of these non timeshare rentals over the timeshares is that usually you can do the rental for any period and any starting of ending date you want, so if for example, you are arriving on a Wednesday and staying 15 days, no problem. Often you have a cancelation timeframe too if plans changes. If I was looking for an economical nice condo for a period that the timeshare rentals didn't work for that was more than four nights, I would seriously consider going that route. If I have a really large group and we all want to stay together, houses in these communities are a great option too. It's easy to find a five or six bedroom place with lots of bathrooms, private pool, and usage of community pool and tennis courts for a party of 10 or 12 that wants some privacy. If I need more than three bedrooms and three bathrooms, that's an easy way go.
Something that hasn't been mentioned that is also a possibility if you have a stay that is other than Fri-Fri, Sat-Sat, Sun-Sun is that you can also do a retail rental of a timeshare resort. In fact I just booked a retail stay in a timeshare in the Orlando area for next Feb. (staying in the Orlando area for two nights) and doing a day at the Magic Kingdom before doing a week long cruise on RCCL (Harmony of the Seas - one of those gigantic ships) from Port Canaveral. I wanted a three bedroom, three bath condo for our group and did a retail rental from the Diamond Resorts of the Grand Beach Phase 1 timeshare resort. I will probably be asked upon check in if I want to do a resort tour and will just say no. I am under no obligation as I am paying a retail rate, not a special promotion that includes an obligation to attend a presentation. There aren't as many timeshares with the three bedroom/three bath option as two bedroom/ two bath, so I was more limited. I picked this resort as my husband and my dad will be hanging out at the resort for the day and will appreciate the balcony or patio for sitting out a reading on, might like sitting out by the pool, might like the little walking path by the lake and hanging out in the hammock when my 23 year old and I go to the Magic Kingdom. (It's just nicer in terms on amenities and grounds than the hotels that I was looking at and less expensive too as I would have needed two rooms at the hotels, due to the desire our party has to have separate bedrooms and two bathrooms with an extended family group) I was looking at hotels like the Embassy Suites, Hampton Inn, and Marriott Residence Inn), and my three bedroom condo even at the expensive retail rate will actually still save me money over those other options. Also, the common area will be nice as DS and I will only be the MK from opening till about 4 p.m. and then have my nephew who lives in Orlando come over to the condo (we will order in pizza and salad, hang out and visit, and maybe hang out after that too in the large hot tub at the resort). Here, FYI, is the site that I booked from.
https://www.diamondresortsandhotels.com/Resorts/Grand-Beach?mkc=GOOGLEUS. You can book on Booking.com, Expedia, etc. too for the same resort and same price. I just tend to book direct a lot.
Please note that there are substantial savings over retail when doing an owner rental or a VRBO rental. But I was this time booked a fully refundable retail rate in case plans change and/or we decide we want to stay somewhere else. The retail prices are similar to the price of a hotel and the three bedroom/three bath unit, with balcony, common area, kitchen, is about the same price as two hotel rooms.
One timeshare I stayed at super close to Universal is the Sunshine resort. It didn't have as extensive grounds as many and no lazy river. It was updated and lovely though, and the balcony was huge (fabulous I though). The pool and hot tub area were cute and we enjoyed that.
https://www.choicehotels.com/florida/orlando/ascend-hotels/flc55?source=gyxt
