An Amazing Alternative to Purchasing more DVC Points

[cbyrne1174]

Indeed, as a non-DVC owner, I appreciate you and I’ll have to take your word on the “It's the Wyndham equivolent of using Vero Beach points to stay at SSR.” Thank you! You are all the experts on DVC and I’m here to observe! As I do not travel solely to WDW and prefer to vacation elsewhere and especially internationally (mainly due to my military service), I find that having direct access to 96+ resorts without having to always exchange into RCI and II, works for me. I was also able to purchase my club Wyndham and Holiday Inn Club Vacation contracts as military discounted contracts and was also offered a Direct VGF discounted military DVC contract which I terminated at this time! Notwithstanding, thank you for your awesome response and now I’ll see myself out!

You don't need Club Wyndham Access points to book at those 96 locations at the 10 month mark. Unless you are booking inventory that is only available 13 months out, Access points are more expensive. I pay $5.78 for the same thing you pay $7.57 for. There is no difference in points at the 10 month mark where 95% of the inventory is still available.

 

[BaybeeYoda]

Maybe I am misunderstanding but we have access to the Getaways as PART of our DVC - it’s under Interval International and they paid for the Gold Level membership for all DVC members. So, we have access to it without any additional dues or commitments. Its already a loaded benefit for us. I think that was her initial intent. To explain something we have access to that not many of us knew how to utilize.

I think where it all got muddled is the further explanations of how to buy Marriott and Wyndham. If you stop just at the how to use our II Getaway benefit than that is all the info I needed.

Haven’t read the rest of the thread after the post but …. We get access to the getaways pricing??? I’m wondering how and I don’t need to deposit points???

 

[momof2gr8kids]

Haven’t read the rest of the thread after the post but …. We get access to the getaways pricing??? I’m wondering how and I don’t need to deposit points???

Yes. On the DVC site go to Destinations - it's under the world collection. You'll see interval international there. Click through to the getaways section.

 

[MICKIMINI]

Haven’t read the rest of the thread after the post but …. We get access to the getaways pricing??? I’m wondering how and I don’t need to deposit points???

Yesterday, I picked up a week in a 2 BR at Marriott's Grande Vista in November $456 including tax. As mentioned, go on DVC then go to Interval International. It was cash, no points!!

 

[MICKIMINI]

Call me crazy, and I don't like sprinkles on ice cream, however from Halloween 2021 through end of November 2022 this is what we've managed with DVC and now WBC (waiting on points to drop).

DH and I:
DVC Bay Lake Towers 2 BR Theme Park View
DVC Old Key West 2 BR
DVC Boardwalk 1 BR
DVC Jambo House Studio
DVC Jambo House Studio
DVC Kidani Savannah Studio
Marriott's Grande Vista 2 BR (through DVC/II)
WBC 1 BR
TOTAL 7 WEEKS (3 TRIPS)

GIFTS:
DVC Old Key West Studio (son & DIL)
DVC Aulani Garden View Studio (son & DIL)
DVC Boardwalk Studio (son & DIL)
WBC 2 BR (son & DIL, DIL's parents)
TOTAL 5 WEEKS (4 TRIPS)

We are not loaded, nor overly educated (though our kids are) but we downsized a few years ago and are mortgage free. Being creative has allowed us to travel more often and in nicer accommodations. We're able to give our son and DIL the gift of travel while we are still around to enjoy some of it with them. This thread just confirms travel options are out there if you take the time and effort to go find them. Life is good!

 

[Huskerpaul]

Thanks to the OP for this thread. Got me interested in checking other alternatives for additional vacation time since I already made the jump into timeshares when I bought my DVC contract.

Found Worldmark by Wyndham that works well for West Coast folks with lots of resorts in the west. So we are in the process of buying a resale contract good for the equivilant of two weeks on the Oregon coast in a two bedroom every year. Worldmark contracts have some resale value so you are never stuck with one and can just hand it back if you don't want to mess with selling it.

 

[Dizzydizney]

Call me crazy, and I don't like sprinkles on ice cream, however from Halloween 2021 through end of November 2022 this is what we've managed with DVC and now WBC (waiting on points to drop).

DH and I:
DVC Bay Lake Towers 2 BR Theme Park View
DVC Old Key West 2 BR
DVC Boardwalk 1 BR
DVC Jambo House Studio
DVC Jambo House Studio
DVC Kidani Savannah Studio
Marriott's Grande Vista 2 BR (through DVC/II)
WBC 1 BR
TOTAL 7 WEEKS (3 TRIPS)

GIFTS:
DVC Old Key West Studio (son & DIL)
DVC Aulani Garden View Studio (son & DIL)
DVC Boardwalk Studio (son & DIL)
WBC 2 BR (son & DIL, DIL's parents)
TOTAL 5 WEEKS (4 TRIPS)

We are not loaded, nor overly educated (though our kids are) but we downsized a few years ago and are mortgage free. Being creative has allowed us to travel more often and in nicer accommodations. We're able to give our son and DIL the gift of travel while we are still around to enjoy some of it with them. This thread just confirms travel options are out there if you take the time and effort to go find them. Life is good!

I don’t think you’re crazy.....just enjoying life! That’s great. Out of curiosity how many total DVC points do you have? Can you share what your total annual dues are?
Did you purchase WBC resale? Is it point based? What are your dues there? Curious as WBC does interest me.

I checked out the Getaways as soon as I received the announcement from DVC. There are international ones as well. I like the idea of using cash instead of trading points....I never have any leftover anyway.

 

[Dizzydizney]

Thanks to the OP for this thread. Got me interested in checking other alternatives for additional vacation time since I already made the jump into timeshares when I bought my DVC contract.

Found Worldmark by Wyndham that works well for West Coast folks with lots of resorts in the west. So we are in the process of buying a resale contract good for the equivilant of two weeks on the Oregon coast in a two bedroom every year. Worldmark contracts have some resale value so you are never stuck with one and can just hand it back if you don't want to mess with selling it.

Do you have to stay at the same place all the time or can you “change resorts” like you can with DVC at 7 months? What are your annual dues like?

 

[dioxide45]

Do you have to stay at the same place all the time or can you “change resorts” like you can with DVC at 7 months? What are your annual dues like?

Worldmark has more than 60 resorts. I don't think there is a home resort priority with Worldmark like you have with DVC. My only issue with Worldmark, and perhaps it is a misunderstanding, is that the properties aren't "resort like". They have standard amenities, but nothing like you would find at a DVC property.

 

[MICKIMINI]

I don’t think you’re crazy.....just enjoying life! That’s great. Out of curiosity how many total DVC points do you have? Can you share what your total annual dues are?
Did you purchase WBC resale? Is it point based? What are your dues there? Curious as WBC does interest me.

I checked out the Getaways as soon as I received the announcement from DVC. There are international ones as well. I like the idea of using cash instead of trading points....I never have any leftover anyway.

We own a blue card direct DVC and multiple resales. We are around 500 points right now having sold several small contracts this year that we stripped. We bought three contracts this year and rented points expiring before we could use them on which the seller paid MF's. MF's average $4500+ on 500. I'm guessing we used at least 1000 points this year and last. We need 1000 points but don't want to spend an additional 50-75K so we'll hold our current DVC contracts and take advantage of II through DVC (cash getaways) and WBC which cost all of $200 net.

DH suggested I look into other brands. After about 10 bids, I got a WBC for $1400 which included 2022 MF's ($1200). Dues are about $1200+ for 2 weeks in a 1 BR. I bid on another resale two days ago no word yet. There is another suitable contract out there I'll bid on today if I can't get an answer on the other.

Credit goes to cbyrne1174 for starting this thread! There has been plenty of negative comments which is why I've been chiming in on our positive experience which is happening in real time. Vacation on!

 

[DVCBeachBum]

We own a blue card direct DVC and multiple resales. We are around 500 points right now having sold several small contracts this year that we stripped. We bought three contracts this year and rented points expiring before we could use them on which the seller paid MF's. MF's average $4500+ on 500. I'm guessing we used at least 1000 points this year and last. We need 1000 points but don't want to spend an additional 50-75K so we'll hold our current DVC contracts and take advantage of II through DVC (cash getaways) and WBC which cost all of $200 net.

DH suggested I look into other brands. After about 10 bids, I got a WBC for $1400 which included 2022 MF's ($1200). Dues are about $1200+ for 2 weeks in a 1 BR. I bid on another resale two days ago no word yet. There is another suitable contract out there I'll bid on today if I can't get an answer on the other.

Credit goes to cbyrne1174 for starting this thread! There has been plenty of negative comments which is why I've been chiming in on our positive experience which is happening in real time. Vacation on!

I was very sad that she got such negative feedback. I wouldn’t likely buy another timeshare property because it just doesn’t work with our life but just the II Getaways info in itself was such a fantastic nugget of gold.

 

[Huskerpaul]

Do you have to stay at the same place all the time or can you “change resorts” like you can with DVC at 7 months? What are your annual dues like?

Worldmark is a points system. In fact they invented the point system. It is not a property deed. It is a perpetual contract you buy for access to all resorts. No home resort priority. You can book stays of 7+ days at any resort at 13 months. Shorter stays can be booked starting 10 months. You can borrow next year points and unused points automatically rollover to the next use year.

 

[Huskerpaul]

Worldmark has more than 60 resorts. I don't think there is a home resort priority with Worldmark like you have with DVC. My only issue with Worldmark, and perhaps it is a misunderstanding, is that the properties aren't "resort like". They have standard amenities, but nothing like you would find at a DVC property.

You are correct they are not Deluxe level. But those don’t really exist on the Oregon coast anyways. The accommodations are nice for the coast and the $1700 dues cover two weeks stay. We were paying almost twice that when we rented or stayed at a similar resort.

 

[Mickey’s my Spirit Animal]

You don't need Club Wyndham Access points to book at those 96 locations at the 10 month mark. Unless you are booking inventory that is only available 13 months out, Access points are more expensive. I pay $5.78 for the same thing you pay $7.57 for. There is no difference in points at the 10 month mark where 95% of the inventory is still available.

Yes, the inventory I require is at the 13 month priority booking window! As military, I must always plan in strategic ways! Notwithstanding, I appreciate you!

 

[Dizzydizney]

@MICKIMINI thank you for the info. Very helpful. Agree there is a lot of info from the OP, but people really need to understand the dangers and pitfalls of timeshares. They really need to do their digging and research (good luck with the WBC contracts). It is very easy to get sucked into something. You sure did a lot of trips with your 500 points! We only had to cancel one trip during the closure so we did not have a large glut of points to use up. I had been hoarding points for a big family trip that thankfully worked out as scheduled. I have about 300 more points than you and my dues are maybe $5,500. Thank goodness for monthly direct debit! No regrets at all.

@Huskerpaul thank you for your answer. Very informative. Enjoy your purchase!

 

[MICKIMINI]

@MICKIMINI thank you for the info. Very helpful. Agree there is a lot of info from the OP, but people really need to understand the dangers and pitfalls of timeshares. They really need to do their digging and research (good luck with the WBC contracts). It is very easy to get sucked into something. You sure did a lot of trips with your 500 points! We only had to cancel one trip during the closure so we did not have a large glut of points to use up. I had been hoarding points for a big family trip that thankfully worked out as scheduled. I have about 300 more points than you and my dues are maybe $5,500. Thank goodness for monthly direct debit! No regrets at all.

Good for you for getting in a big family trip!!

Just for clarity, we sold off four DVC contracts in 2022 (one went u/a last week) that we stripped, so we had way more than 500 points to work with. Additionally, we bought several contracts in 2022 which added hundreds more points to our bucket which is how we did it. We are now settled around 500 DVC. We are looking forward to longer trips (II and WBC) and also special stays in cabins, bungalows and the treehouse which will use lots of points. There are a few more DVC resorts on our bucket list.

Living our best life!