Interesting comparison with Marriott

[Montana2012]

We are owners at BLT, AKV and Aulani. Went to see the Marriott next door just for fun during our Aulani visit this week. Aulani is 100% better however we did learn with Marriott Vacation Club there is no 50 year ownership. It is forever! Also you can roll you points for one year like Disney but if you still don't use them in year two, you can convert them to Marriott Reward points that never expire! WOW! Two very big things to consider when we go to add points in 2012.

 

[slum808]

I would be vary leery of purchasing Marriott points right now. Marriott has been very unclear about what resale points are able to book. The current word is that points purchased resale can only be used to book rooms 60 days or less. That makes the resale value almost zero. Couple that with the never ending contract and you have a recipe for disaster.

 

[JimMIA]

Even more important, whatever their plan is for using rollover points, that's a "perk" that they could change at any time. Which makes it a foolish thing to consider in any purchase decision.

Like many timeshares, Marriott can be purchased very inexpensively on eBay, but the prudent buyer will do a lot of research and fully understand what they're buying -- something that very few timeshare purchasers (including DVC) really do.

 

[ssawka]

I just wonder how long it will take for that "Forever" membership to change from a benefit into a burden. I mean seriously! We are already going to have this thing until DW and I are 87! Sure, you can give it to your kids, if you have kids, but are you sure they would want it?

 

[jodifla]

I just wonder how long it will take for that "Forever" membership to change from a benefit into a burden. I mean seriously! We are already going to have this thing until DW and I are 87! Sure, you can give it to your kids, if you have kids, but are you sure they would want it?

yes, I think "forever" is actually a burden already, not a benefit. Th 50 years is fine.

 

[Havana]

yes, I think "forever" is actually a burden already, not a benefit. Th 50 years is fine.

I totally agree.

 

[DeeCee735]

I just wonder how long it will take for that "Forever" membership to change from a benefit into a burden. I mean seriously! We are already going to have this thing until DW and I are 87! Sure, you can give it to your kids, if you have kids, but are you sure they would want it?

The concept of leaving a timeshare to ones children is nice on the surface, but one has to consider if they want that timeshare in that home resort, as well as a legacy of the debt of maintenance fees....

 

[Montana2012]

I would not buy resale points. I would buy from Marriott. And yes, just like DVC, perks can change. Its the risk with all time shares. As far as forever being a burden, that makes no sense to me. Most of us will either sell our Disney points when we are done or give to the children. The difference is with Disney points they become less valuable as a resale the closer you get to the 50 years. With forever points this is not an issue. Either way the children can always sell if they don't want them. For someone without children you could always gift your points and take a tax deduction!

 

[thepops]

I would not buy resale points. I would buy from Marriott. And yes, just like DVC, perks can change. Its the risk with all time shares. As far as forever being a burden, that makes no sense to me. If you own a house, its forever and I have never met someone who thinks thats bad! Most of us will either sell our Disney points when we are done or give to the children. The difference is with Disney points they become less valuable as a resale the closer you get to the 50 years. With forever points this is not an issue. Either way the children can always sell if they don't want them. For someone without children you could always gift your points and take a tax deduction!

Yes because when you sell your house the person that buys it can do whatever you were able to do with the house. If your community said that if you sold your house, the person who bought it could only stay in it during the week, or couldn't have anyone over to visit then you would have a hard time getting rid of it. (while your property taxes and maint fees continued to rise). so when timeshare restrict the options that someone buying your timeshare from you that can make it much less valuable.

 

[Montana2012]

Yes because when you sell your house the person that buys it can do whatever you were able to do with the house. If your community said that if you sold your house, the person who bought it could only stay in it during the week, or couldn't have anyone over to visit then you would have a hard time getting rid of it. (while your property taxes and maint fees continued to rise). so when timeshare restrict the options that someone buying your timeshare from you that can make it much less valuable.

I don't understand how this applies to a forever deed vs. a 50 year deed. Let me try to clarify my point. When a 50 year Disney deed is in year 45, it has very little value. The person who buys it has only 5 years of vacations. A forever deed does not have this declining value component. The person who buys it has his or her entire lifetime to vacation. If you feel for some reason that having an asset that disappears in 50 years vs. an asset that never disappears is better for you than there is no need to discuss it further. Its all a matter of personal prefrence!

 

[Deb & Bill]

I don't understand how this applies to a forever deed vs. a 50 year deed. Let me try to clarify my point. When a 50 year Disney deed is in year 45, it has very little value. The person who buys it has only 5 years of vacations. A forever deed does not have this declining value component. The person who buys it has his or her entire lifetime to vacation. If you feel for some reason that having an asset that disappears in 50 years vs. an asset that never disappears is better for you than there is no need to discuss it further. Its all a matter of personal prefrence!

I'm 61. I don't need a never ending or a 50 year time frame. I'm not going to saddle my son with member fees that are outrageous (as they will be when I don't need it any more). DVC works fine for me.

 

[Montana2012]

I'm 61. I don't need a never ending or a 50 year time frame. I'm not going to saddle my son with member fees that are outrageous (as they will be when I don't need it any more). DVC works fine for me.

Sorry you think the member fees are (or will be) outrageous. Perhaps you should sell now if you are unhappy with the fees. There are several good resale brokers around Orlando. Either way if you are 61 and will not saddle your son with the outrageous fees, you will be selling and you will learn about the effect of declining years of vacations on your asset.

 

[Chuck S]

I don't understand how this applies to a forever deed vs. a 50 year deed. Let me try to clarify my point. When a 50 year Disney deed is in year 45, it has very little value. The person who buys it has only 5 years of vacations. A forever deed does not have this declining value component. The person who buys it has his or her entire lifetime to vacation. If you feel for some reason that having an asset that disappears in 50 years vs. an asset that never disappears is better for you than there is no need to discuss it further. Its all a matter of personal prefrence!

But the property will age and become old and likely in need of major rehab or rebuilding within 50 to 60 years. Who pays for that? The forever deeded owners, that's who. Even the best maintained property has a practical useful life. Look on ebay, many "forever" timeshares are selling for pennies on the dollar. Whether the contract ends, like with Disney, or the property is deeded forever, eventually they will be worth next to nothing.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Sorry you think the member fees are (or will be) outrageous. Perhaps you should sell now if you are unhappy with the fees. There are several good resale brokers around Orlando. Either way if you are 61 and will not saddle your son with the outrageous fees, you will be selling and you will learn about the effect of declining years of vacations on your asset.

I've already gotten my money's worth out of my points. I bought in 1997 for $50 a point. Dues around that time were about $3 a point. Now are closer to $6 a point. We'll sell when they get around $9 a point or so. I've already sold two contracts and made more on them than I paid, even after real estate fees.

 

[Montana2012]

FYI... We love DVC! Own in 3 resorts! I AM NOT KNOCKING DVC!!!!!! Just pointing out some differences between DVC and Marriott. I think the lifetime ownership is important. I also think never losing points by having the conversion to MR points is important. If you don't, thats fine but please don't trash my opinion.

 

[Montana2012]

But the property will age and become old and likely in need of major rehab or rebuilding within 50 to 60 years. Who pays for that? The forever deeded owners, that's who. Even the best maintained property has a practical useful life. Look on ebay, many "forever" timeshares are selling for pennies on the dollar. Whether the contract ends, like with Disney, or the property is deeded forever, eventually they will be worth next to nothing.

Wrong. Unlike Disney, Marriott does not have a home resort. They are always building new properties and selling off old ones to keep the dues reasonable. If you have a home resort like DVC, you are saddled with the maintaince and dues on that resort and your are correct, after 50 years its a dump.

 

[Chuck S]

Wrong. Unlike Disney, Marriott does not have a home resort. They are always building new properties and selling off old ones to keep the dues reasonable. If you have a home resort like DVC, you are saddled with the maintaince and dues on that resort and your are correct, after 50 years its a dump.

You have to have some sort of home resort in order to issue a deeded real estate interest for a timeshare.

 

[Lorelei528]

My brother and sister in law looked into DVC years ago and ended up with Marriott.

When we bought into DVC, my brother told me one of the reasons he liked Marriott better was it was forever...

To each his own I guess really. To me, Marriott's are ok, but not all are great and when we visit WDW I would want to stay on property and Marriott doesn't let you do that (obviously)...

I do like the non-expiration of points though! I don't think I knew that!

 

[JimC]

Wrong. Unlike Disney, Marriott does not have a home resort. They are always building new properties and selling off old ones to keep the dues reasonable. If you have a home resort like DVC, you are saddled with the maintaince and dues on that resort and your are correct, after 50 years its a dump.

If you are a weeks Marriott owner you own an interest in a specific property, just as you do with DVC. Only the owners of the trust points have an undifferentiated interest.

Marriott has been scaling back development plans. The market is saturated with inventory, but lacking in buyers, particularly buyers of developer inventory. Some development will occur, but not until demand picks up.

 

[amym2]

You have to have some sort of home resort in order to issue a deeded real estate interest for a timeshare.

This was my understanding. My sister has Marriott and they specifically own at a resort in Myrtle Beach but can trade for other locations when available. I believe they also own a specific week, or a specific time period, or something like that. Definitely not as much flexibility as DVC. We stayed at the JW Marriott with them next to Aulani, and it was fabulous.