Woodstone Meadows vs. Casa de Campo

georgek74 wrote:

We cooked the majority of our meals but leaving the resort driving towards Harrisonburg you will come across many restaurants and shopping centers as well as food stores. Absolutely no problem finding what you want.

sl44 wrote:

Thank you! What, if any would be good restaurants close (within 10-12 miles)?

There is a surprisingly good barbecue restaurant quite near the resort entrance on Route 33. I was very skeptical, but we were actually really pleased and delighted by the atmosphere, wine selection and tasty food. They have a website that lists the menu:

http://www.hankssmokehouse.com/smokehouse.cfm

Other than that, you pretty much have to drive to Harrisonburg for the basic chain restaurants (Chili's, Applebee's). The service desk in the Woodstone community center gave us a printed listing of area restaurants with descriptions and directions.

We have several Massanutten timeshares and also own a year-round home on the resort property (very close to the ski slopes). Hanks Smokehouse is very good, but if you want a very reasonably priced meal AND good food I'd suggest LogCabin Restaurant (turn left @ Rt. 33, Log Cabin is on your immediate right). Another good option that's close - Thunderbird Diner has very good breakfast food and there's an Italian restaurant next to this diner (can't remember the name right now). Of course there is Fairways right on the resort property (their early bird menu is very good/reasonable priced). And don't forget .. Dominoes Pizza in Elkton delivers to the timeshare condos.

Any other questions, feel free to ask.

bman2p wrote:

sl44 wrote:

Thank you! What, if any would be good restaurants close (within 10-12 miles)?

There is a surprisingly good barbecue restaurant quite near the resort entrance on Route 33. I was very skeptical, but we were actually really pleased and delighted by the atmosphere, wine selection and tasty food. They have a website that lists the menu:

http://www.hankssmokehouse.com/smokehouse.cfm

Other than that, you pretty much have to drive to Harrisonburg for the basic chain restaurants (Chili's, Applebee's). The service desk in the Woodstone community center gave us a printed listing of area restaurants with descriptions and directions.

That's good to know. Never sure when to try a restaurant. Thanks!

schultzie6 wrote:

We have several Massanutten timeshares and also own a year-round home on the resort property (very close to the ski slopes). Hanks Smokehouse is very good, but if you want a very reasonably priced meal AND good food I'd suggest LogCabin Restaurant (turn left @ Rt. 33, Log Cabin is on your immediate right). Another good option that's close - Thunderbird Diner has very good breakfast food and there's an Italian restaurant next to this diner (can't remember the name right now). Of course there is Fairways right on the resort property (their early bird menu is very good/reasonable priced). And don't forget .. Dominoes Pizza in Elkton delivers to the timeshare condos.

Any other questions, feel free to ask.

Thanks for all your help with those restaurants!

Oooh, I forgot to mention 'Jess' Lunch' on Route 33 in Harrisonburg (near 'Pier 1' & 'Function 4 Sports'). This is a diner style eatery ... very good ... the hamburgers are huge ... the milkshakes are awesome ... the prices can't be beat. 'Jess' Lunch' has been in Harrisonburg for a very long time, a favorite with the locals. We usually eat there on our way home, before getting on Interstate 81.

My wife and I will be taking our 11-year-old grandson with us to stay at Woodstone in an RCI exchange the week of September 12-19, 2010. We definitely plan to go to D.C. for a couple of days, and spend the rest of the time in an/or within an hour or so of the resort.

We'd love to hear recommendations from previous guests and current owners on where to go, how best to get there, best activities, etc.

Thanks!

Yes, Woodstone and Casa de Campo are the same thing. Woodstone has two kinds of units, multiple bedroom units and single bedroom "Casa de Campo' units. The newer buildings house pairs of one bedroom lockout suites called "Casa de Campo units, which may be exchanged into individually. One side of a Casa has a full kitchen, a whirlpool tub, and is more spacious. The other side has a partial kitchen, ordinary tub, and is smaller. You can see quite a bit about Woodstone Casas in the owner's section of the resort website. The units must be bought as a pair. The Woodstone policy is no exchanges into the resort oftener than every 4th year unless you are an owner. I hope this helps. - Marcia Geyer

My husband and I are trying to plan a weekend getaway without the kids. We have booked one of the Casa de Campo units. My only concern is that I keep hearing about the noise level. Are the walls really that thin? We were hoping for a quiet romantic getaway to ourselves not shared with the neighbors. Any info about Casa de Campo or Massanutten would be greatly appreciated.

marciag46 wrote:

Yes, Woodstone and Casa de Campo are the same thing. Woodstone has two kinds of units, multiple bedroom units and single bedroom "Casa de Campo' units. The newer buildings house pairs of one bedroom lockout suites called "Casa de Campo units, which may be exchanged into individually. One side of a Casa has a full kitchen, a whirlpool tub, and is more spacious. The other side has a partial kitchen, ordinary tub, and is smaller. You can see quite a bit about Woodstone Casas in the owner's section of the resort website. The units must be bought as a pair. The Woodstone policy is no exchanges into the resort oftener than every 4th year unless you are an owner. I hope this helps. - Marcia Geyer

If Massanutten had a shuttle, or on-site taxi, I would have purchased additional weeks. We book our Woodstone units early each year so we can be close to the main pool and general store. You can use the pool and recreation center before check in.

Note: There is no shuttle at Smugglers Notch in the off season.

Woodstone Meadows has a better location than Casa de Campo.

We stayed off season at Smugglers Notch and there was very little to do and no shuttle available.

Both are excellent resorts.

bman2p wrote:

schultzie6 wrote:

I always become perplexed by the complaint of being charged a fee for Massanutten amenities. When you go to Busch Gardens, Disney, Myrtle Beach or the OBX ... do you not pay for mini-golf? go-carting? waterparks? evening entertainment? Do you not drive to these activities? Do you not wait in long lines at a waterpark?

There are plenty of *free* things to do at Massanutten - 2 playgrounds, hiking trails, 4 indoor/outdoor swimming pools, softball tournaments, horse shoe tournaments, family scavenger hunts, use of the indoor sports complexes (pools, racquetball courts, ping-pong, gymnasium for volleyball & basketball, weight room), use of the *dozens* of outdoor basketball, tennis & volleyball courts and trout-stocked ponds.

I cannot speak for the Casa de Campo condos - I have heard that the quality of these units are not good -- but I cannot understand the complaint of 'driving' around the resort because if you vacationed at ANY of the locations mentioned above ... you would have to 'drive' to most family activities. Most people love the fact that you don't have to leave the resort property all week to find something to do -- yes, mini-golf is $5 -- that's what it costs when I am at home too -- yes, go-carting is $6 but when I went to Disney it was $8 --- yes, the magic show is $10 but when I went to the beach last summer I paid $20; if price is a concern you could attend Massanutten's family movie night on Tuesday evenings. The price is $1.

I completely agree that Massanutten should build another pool but I really just don't understand why people complain about *paying* for activities at Massanutten & don't complain about it when they go to the beach or Disney.

By the way, I own a year-round vacation house at Massanutten. If you have a question, feel free to ask.

I guess we are spoiled becasue we own at Smuggler's Notch, Vermont. We don't pay extra for these things. The nightly entertainment is included (with the exception of paying for a Bingo card at Bingo, but you also have the option of playing for candy for free). We don't pay for mini golf. There are no go-carts (thank goodness!) There are 5 pools, one of which is like a water park - we don't pay to use those either. The kids' camp activities are included with our ownership.

We were particularly frustrated with the fact that we traded for Woodstone - within walking distance of the pool and activity center. We did this specifically so that our (teen) kids could go on their own to activities. Instead, we were put in Casa de Campo (Casa de Cheapo), a mile away. Yes, the kids can walk a mile -- but there is no sidewalk; you eiither walk on the road where cars speed, or have to walk through the golf course, which they know better than to do.

And no, we don't have to drive to things at Smuggs either. Our car stays parked unless we leave the resort to go sightseeing. The kids can walk to everything, or call for a free shuttle.

Clearly, our expectations were too high. Beyond these things, it was the general policies of the resort that we found aggravating. Thirty minute line to check in. Classes for the week already filled on the day we checked in so that we couldn't even taken advantage of the $100 activity card we paid for. Having to arrive 1 1/2 hours in advance for the evening entertainment in order to get a seat. Inconsistent policies regarding showing ID cards at facilities. Overcrowded everything. Things like that.

I'm happy you're happy with Massanutten - we weren't, and we won't be back.