Lifestyle Visit
 

Could anyone tell me if it's true Thee Villages stopped giving the "extras" with the Lifestyle Visit?

Yes, it is true.

Extras
 

What were the Extras ? Never did the Lifestyle visit.

I'm curious too. I did the lifestyle visit and, other than the golf cart and the resident card, there were no "extras" to speak of.

Don't know what the extras were.........but we were pleasantly surprised by the lovely home we got at Creekside Landing.......oversized everything.
Golf cart and bicycles in the garage. A few restaurant vouchers.
Two tickets to the Savannah Center........however it was for the same evening we had just arrived and after traveling all day, just too exhausted to use them.

Just had a lifestyle visit in Jan for 7 days. We had a large Creekside Cabana Villa- 3 bedrooms/ 2 baths. It came with a very slow golf cart and 2 bikes with helmets. We also had our dog with us. The ID card we received would have allowed for a free movie each, golf and tennis and a discount for the Banner Mercantile store.

According to what I've read on this forum the lifestyle visit perks have changed over time. Some early residents talk about being picked up in a limosine at the airport.

Just five years ago we had several free meals with any choices at restaurants owned by the developer and a very nice home, beautifully decorated for a reasonable amount.

Many people said they took this "mini vacation" several times.:wave:

Now it is very difficult to book the lifestyle visit in the peak times here.:oops:

It is, and always has been the second best marketing tool the the developers have. The people who live here are the first best.

They no longer need to advertise on any golf programs, in fact they no longer need to advertise.

And so...things change.

It isn't needed to give things away so why do it?

That is just business.

Gracie, the apologist.

I feel the need to defend this premise because some people accuse the developer of greed when it is JUST BUSINESS.

Good morning everyone. It is one danged cold morning and if it keeps up, I am going to ask Gary Morse for my money back.;)

Five years ago we got free golf, free meals, free movie theater tickets and a reasonable stay in a lovely home. We were told at that time you could only do it once so we came down other times but paid to stay in hotels to visit here. We heard that other people got more perks than we did through the years. Times do change. Don't they? I guess we just have to go with the flow. We knew when we could retire from working and planned all along on living here when we were ready.

Lifestyle Visits
 

We had our first LS Visit about 9 years ago. It was in February, we were put into one of the fabulous villas surrounding SS. We paid $1,000 for the visit and were given $700 back in village money - and we were treated like royalty.

We came back to buy the following year and our real estate agent got us another LS Visit, this time in a beautiful 3/2 patio villa right at Nancy Lopez Country Club and we got the same deal with the cost and money back.

We do know a couple who used the LS visits as their annual winter vacation for several years until they were "persuaded" to purchase a home.

We had two lifestyle visits. The first we were picked up in a limo at the airport and provided a bottle of wine on the trip. We had lots of perks - country club meals, golf, movie tickets. The second visit we were just intent on finding a house although I believe we had two or three meals. As Gracie says the place sells itself.

WOW. Times have really changed!!:22yikes:

The lifestyle preview plan is an unbelievably priced offer, and so I would not complain about the elimination of country club restaurant meals like we had a few years ago.

To get a 3 BR and 2bath fully furnished/decorated home with free golf cart and 2 bicycles and 2 rounds of golf (and more) for $150 per night taxes included, while a Hampton Inn room STARTS at $135 this month.....well it's a darn good deal.

In May the lifestyle preview rates drop to $75 per night. Where else would a person find such a good deal in being able to actually try out and live the lifestyle they're considering buying??

I had my LSV in May 2012 and stayed at a lovely home in Creekside Landing. I believe those model homes have now been sold. It was 100 per night and included a (very slow) golf cart, 2 bicycles with helmets and some coupons for the Banner Mercantile and the movie theaters. No meals included, nor coupons given for restaurants. But it was a wonderful visit, I met loads of people, and purchased a lot! As Gracie stated, why give away what sells itself? However, it did include a guest ID which allowed for entry to the golf courses and rec centers. So one would be able to use the pools, play golf, tennis, pickle ball, bocce, etc etc etc plus check out clubs and various other activities. So in essence you really do reap a nice benefit!:wave:

I'm not trying to be scarcastic but I just wanted to say the accomodations alone far exceed staying at a hotel and you get a feel for living in TV.

I can't really say what perks are offered but when you book, they will let you know and then you can decide for yourself.

Be prepared to be blown away by the beauty of TV. :smiley:

BTW - Did anybody mention to bring your checkbook. :D

Our first visit came with a villa, golf at four championship courses, dinner at katie bells, (lobster and steak appitizer desert) dinner at palmer (lobster and kobe steak) dinner at lopez (what every we wanted) breakfast at two places tennis, classes, four movie tickets, $20 to spend at banner for each person all for $65 a night

We have our second LSP set for March - $150 a night (Hampton is cheaper) and a golf cart is now extra.

"Second" LSP is why the cart and perks are not included this time around. There are thousands of new customers out there who want to try out the lifestyle for the first time, and the preview accommodations are probably booked solid thru April at this point.

And yes, Hampton Inn is cheaper, since it provides one hotel room and not an entire, freestanding home with 2-3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, lanai and garage as the lifestyle preview homes provide.

It is the second visit because we are coming to buy, and the sales rep is aware of that. I was told that a cart is no longer part of the LSP, no matter how many visits.

Yes, I get a bigger house for a few days, but what use is that to me? I am coming back because I have seen the value of TV, I am paying the upcharge because I want to be on the grounds. What about the first timer?

In the past, there was no second time. Only one was allowed.

The first-timer still gets a good price ($150) - don't forget they are getting a full kitchen, a lanai on which to read the morning paper, or relax on after a full day of golf or househunting, with a glass of wine or whatever.

Also, am sure they can still bring another couple, or a friend, not sure if it's an upcharge for more than 2 people, but still . . .

We were not able to book a lifestyle back in 2006 with only 3 mos notice - full-up, so please, no complaining here.

golf?
 

By the way, does this mean they are no longer blocking off tee times on exec. courses for lifestyle visitors? Good news for residents, at least. The visitors can still get a great winter Florida golf rate on the championships. Try to golf somewhere in South Florida in winter!

We had a seven day LSV the last week of April 2011. We stayed at 1025 Cottage Drive, that's the designer/cottages community at the foot of the Morse Bridge just east of the Lake Sumter Sales Office. Very nice place, however we were somewhat disappointed because we were interested in buying a CYV and a $400,000 home with Southern Lifestyles furnishings was no match.

We got movie passes, which we used at Spanish Springs to see 'Source Code' with Jake Gyllenhaal. I played free a 9 hole round at the executive course 'Heron' and a 18 hole round at the championship course 'Cane Garden'. My salesman Tony Trussler took care of the teetimes. The one thing I did was leave the free slow as heck white golf cart at the home and drove my car to the courses and got a free slightly faster rental cart at the course.

We had a few food coupons, which weren't much better than what you could find in the newspaper. We attempted to use our 15% off at Johnny Rockets and they wouldn't honor it because they said our meals were on sale. Whatever that means, but I've only eaten there once since and it's nothing great, especially when you have a superior Steak & Shake not that far away.

We took the Autotrain back to Maryland, actually it drops you off in Lorton, Virginia. I think it was $900 for two adults and one over-sized vehicle. Train starts in Sanford, Florida, which is about an hour and half east of TV. When we got home we listed our home and sold it in one day. The manager of the new Wegman's they built across the street bought our home.

We ended up buying a new CYV off the TV website sight-unseen. We closed on July 5, 2011 and we're very happy with our decision. We got a great price since Southern Star Villas was down to the last five units out of eighty and they were changing the name of the masonry CYV's from Savannah Series to Bungalow series. Our CYV was known as a Woodlawn and is now called a Durham with very little changes.

My sister came for a 2nd Life Style Visit in Jan., with little notice. She was placed down by Brownwood with no golf cart, but I believe that was due to calling only a few weeks prior to her visit. She was disappointed at first, but then realized she was pretty far from the action & was glad she had a car rental, which is what she used for transportation.

We have friends coming in April (into May) & they will stay in Creekside Landing for their first LSV. I believe they will get a golf cart, because that feature is still advertised by TV. I think having a cart is one of the best ways to promote the lifestyle.

Hope you find something in March!

P.S. It was $150.00/nite for this April & $100.00/night for May.

Lifestyle Preview
 

[QUOTE=coconutmama;622922]My sister came for a 2nd Life Style Visit in Jan., with little notice. She was placed down by Brownwood with no golf cart, but I believe that was due to calling only a few weeks prior to her visit. She was disappointed at first, but then realized she was pretty far from the action & was glad she had a car rental, which is what she used for transportation.

We have friends coming in April (into May) & they will stay in Creekside Landing for their first LSV. I believe they will get a golf cart, because that feature is still advertised by TV. I think having a cart is one of the best ways to promote the lifestyle.

Hope you find something in March!


The Lifestyle Preview pkgs are now booking out into April. There are 300 villa type homes used for these and all are booked until then. TV only books out about 4 months at a time. The rentals 4-7 nights are $150/night and include a golf cart, 1 movie voucher (good for all the people in rental party), 2 rounds of golf (for # of people in rental party) at your choice of 9 or 18 courses, 2 bicycles and headgear. If you fly into Orlando you either have to rent a car or purchase a roundtrip ticket on The Villages shuttle which runs 14/times daily. The ticket is $60pp.

We decided to rent a villa for 1 month instead of doing the Lifestyle route as paying for an entire month was a much better deal and we got to really check out The Villages over the course of 30 days and not feel rushed in 4-7 days. The peak rental period Jan-March and into April is costly and crowded, however, other months are not. A lot of the rental homes come w/golf carts, etc., etc. We did take the "trolley" tour of The Villages which was and probably still is free so you can do that no matter what. The $50 ammenities fee (for 2) allows you golf at any of the courses plus other things. Obviously, if you aren't already retired and have 30 days to check it all out then the Lifestyle Plan is for you.

We will be renting for the 3rd year in a row this Fall. We started out with 1 month and now rent for 2 months. We've thought about buying but just aren't ready to go that route yet.