It’s no secret that traveling globally gives you the greatest, most authentic cultural experiences. When we travel abroad, we learn new things and interact with a completely different world. While you may have been told to “travel while you’re young’ and “before you have kids,” more of today’s parents are taking their children with them instead. In fact, 32% of vacation owners are planning on traveling with children under the age of 18. Why wouldn’t you want to experience the greatest wonders of the world with the people you love the most?
What holds back most parents from going on international family vacations is the cost associated with worldwide travel. You might be worried about the accommodations abroad, or where to start. With vacation ownership, owners have the opportunity to save money on a lifetime of trips with the guarantee of excellent amenities.
If you are looking for the best ways to go on cheap international family vacations with comfort and excitement, you need to learn more about the benefits of timeshares.
Benefits of Timeshare for Wanderlust Families
| wan·der·lust /ˈwändərˌləst/ noun a strong desire to travel, seek adventure, explore the world and experience every cultural possibility. |
Purchasing vacation ownership can grant you and your family travel opportunities for a lifetime, locked in at today’s prices. With vacation clubs, members or owners can use their weeks or points at any resort within their brand’s family of locations. Not only that, but top developers also have affiliated resorts scattered across the globe so that their owners can live their fullest vacation dreams.
Rather than reserving an expensive hotel that has cramped accommodations and half the same amenities of a club resort, parents looking to travel globally with their kids should look into vacation ownership opportunities. It helps save money (and stress!) in the long run. The benefits of timeshare don’t stop there, either.
Let’s say as a timeshare owner, the club brand or resort that you belong to doesn’t have any properties in your desired destination. Exchange programs like Resort Condominium International (RCI) and Interval International (II) were started to resolve this need for timeshare owners. Instead of being locked into the same resort, at the same time every year or within the developer’s brand, RCI and II membership allows vacation owners to trade their weeks or points for any affiliated hotel or resort in the global network.
You may be looking at the upfront price of a timeshare or vacation ownership club and be thinking “no way!” but consider this. 47% of owners spent under $10,000 on their timeshare property. And resale properties like the ones we list on Fidelity Resales come in at a fraction of the cost. Compared to a lifetime of vacationing, the savings for a four-person family can amount to almost $20,000!
With popular points-based membership, the benefit of timeshare now is that you don’t have to exclusively stay at your “home” resort. As a member or owner with developers like Disney Vacation Club, Club Wyndham, Hilton Grand Vacations, etc, you can spend points on the vacation exchange marketplace or within the brand you own with.
Best International Family Vacations
DVC International Resorts
One of the most popular vacation ownership brands, Disney Vacation Club, is the pinnacle for family vacationing. Their family-friendly resorts are built around creating a magical experience for children, but also keep the parents happy too. Spacious suites and villas include multiple bedrooms, kitchenettes or kitchens and a washer/dryer. Outside of the accommodating rooms, DVC resorts themselves are complete with unique themes to capture the Disney aesthetic. Luxury pools, water play, full spas and fitness centers are typical and common with most DVC resorts as well, so you will never be disappointed with a lack of amenities.
Along the shores of southern China sits the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel. This familiar looking resort (similar to the Grand Floridian) brings a homelike feeling to foreign guests. The garden maze shaped like Mickey Mouse, live music in the lobby and pool on-site will satisfy everyone in your travel party.
Disney Vacation Club is also affiliated with RCI, so owners can exchange their points for thousands of other resorts worldwide.
Adventures by Disney is a great program exclusively offered to DVC members. Guided vacation tours bring groups and families to almost every continent on the globe. Additionally, Disney Resort Hotels can also be found in international countries for vacationing families. France, Japan or Hong Kong each have their own Disney resort hotels, complete with special themes and within a close distance to international Disney parks.
Stay with Wyndham Abroad
Wyndham is a monstrosity of a hospitality brand that many families enjoy owning properties with. Club Wyndham resorts are scattered in North and South America, Australia and New Zealand. One of their most popular destinations: Wyndham Margaritaville St. Thomas. “It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere” perfectly captures the vibes of this resort. Live the island lifestyle like Jimmy Buffet on this waterfront resort. Tropical rainbow colors are plastered in every area of the property, keeping guests in happy spirits. Although the resort caters to adults, it is also entirely family-friendly with a private beach on St. Thomas shores, an outdoor swimming pool with a view and restaurants on-site.
Club Wyndham
Like DVC, Club Wyndham also has its own Adventures program that offers fully guided group travel. A small group of fellow owners and knowledgeable tour guides will take you to awesome international destinations in Club Wyndham Plus resorts or affiliated Wyndham resorts.
Another benefit of owning with Wyndham is that they are associated with both RCI and II, making every corner of the world accessible for members.
If Margaritaville in the Virgin Islands doesn’t turn your head, one of the best international family vacations brings Wyndham owners to Australia. Wyndham Vacation Resorts Asia Pacific Surfers Paradise is an associate resort of Wyndham. Sitting on the Gold Coast, Surfers Paradise offers a vibrant alternative to normal beach vacations.
Head to Tuscany with HGVC
Take a trip to Italy with the kids at Hilton Grand Vacations Club (HGVC) at Borgo Alle Vigne. Anything but boring for the whole family, this Tuscan resort has its own swimming pool. Complete with large villas overlooking the rolling hills of the Italian countryside. Accommodations here include one, two and three bedroom suites, each complete with balconies and marble finishes.
HGVC offers some of the best flexibility with their points-based membership. Timeshare opportunities in the most sought-after vacation destinations in the world allow owners to escape the routine of traditional hotel rooms. Besides Italy, HGVC can take you and your family to other remarkable places like Mexico or Japan.
