Anyone here own other timeshare besides DVC?

[Debbie & Bill]

We own the Marriott Vacation Club our home resorts is Ko Olina Hawaii and Branson Misouri. We're long time Hawaii love's for 30 years, we bought because DVC was so slow in coming to Hawaii. But to the good, we're thrilled with MVCI it's a great club with 50 worldwide desinations. The difference Marriott gives you a great room, DVC gives you a experance. Owning MVCI & DVC is the best of both worlds.

 

[Debbie & Bill]

We are only DVC members but our children are older now so i am going to inquire about Marriott timeshares. Is anyone familiar with that.

We own mvci and love it, mvci just switched to a point system that has it's share of positives, but expencive. A resale with a home resort you'd like is a good idea, it trades thru Interval International.

 

[Dean]

Why do some of you own other timeshare when DVC can use RCI? The reason i'm asking is I'm interested in the Hilton Timeshare, but not sure if it's wise to own another since I already have DVC.

Mainly it's about options and leverage. DVC is a horrible option for exchanging for many reasons. I've looked at Eagle's Nest and I wouldn't buy there for several reasons unless I wanted to use it routinely. The reasons are it's not a core Hilton resort (affiliate I think they call them) and that they seem to have low fees but then have a Special Assessment to totally redo each room about every 4 years if I understood them correctly.

Crystal Shores? Yes, very nice and very expensive if you buy direct. I see rental available there for over $500 a night for seven nights. We thought about buying at The Charter Club, but decided just to rent reservations if we wanted to stay there. We do like Marco, though.

CS is Marriott and IF they ever finish it, it will be very nice. If they don't the high fees will be even higher.

We own a Platinum Contract with Bluegreen, several Marriott weeks (some to use and some to trade), DVC and a MX week at a single resort that works on points. I've enrolled my Marriott weeks in points to give me more options and to be cheaper over the long run.

 

[Debbie & Bill]

Timeshare has it's share of positives, it come's down to homework understanding the programs and most important...have your home resort we're you'd like to use it if you can't get the trade you'd like. For us it's Hawaii and Disney is a perfect world. Why own 52 weeks at a second home, when all you might need is a slice of time you can move around.

 

[phyllisnnj]

cheezNE1,

Also, I agree with the others that you should only consider buying a Marco Island week if you intent to use it mainly for stays at your home resort.

Here's a link to the HGVC affiliate resorts on Marco Island.

1. The Charter Club of Marco Beach, Marco Island - http://thecharterclub.hgvc.com/
2. Club Regency of Marco Island, Marco Island - http://www.hgvc.com/clubregency/pages/News.html
3. Eagle’s Nest Beach Resort, Marco Island - http://www.eaglesnestmarco.com/
4. The Surf Club Resort, Marco Island - http://www.surfclub.hgvc.com/index.html

Here are the 2011 maintenance fees that I found posted on their websites.

Resort Name, Operating Fee, Capital Reserve, Painting Reserve, Miscellaneous [if applicable], and TOTAL (excluding taxes, HGVC club dues $114 and ARDA $3)
The Charter Club, $669.35, $204.64, $27.76, $901.74
Club Regency of Marco Island, $638.68, $181.75, $7.16, $827.59
Eagle Nest Marco, $625.00. $261.15, $28.85, $300.00 [Special Assessment], $1214.99
The Surf Club, $712.91, $191.38, $20.30, $924.59

Good Luck

 

[cheezNE1]

I only own DVC, but have been looking to add on another TS somewhere in the near future. I have tossed around more DVC points and non DVC points. Just not sure what I want or where I want it. I enjoy reading posts like this.

I was thinking the samething... I thought about adding more DVC points, but then, since I already have DVC, why locked into even more DVC. Instead, use the money and get other timeshare.

 

[cheezNE1]

...

And, in order to purchase resale, you have to go to school to learn what you are buying and objectively consider whether it would be good for your family. So instead of being intentionally misled, you become a prudent consumer. For most timeshare systems, buying resale is the only way to go and it's a win-win for the buyer.

That's why this board is great...

 

[js]

That's why this board is great...

How this board is great for Disney, there is a wonderful board for Timeshares, just like the dis where you can get fully educated.
I belong, and there is a fee, but it is minimal and VERY worth it.

It is called tug2.net

I'm surprised it hasn't been mentioned on here yet since there are some on this thread that are frequent posters there too.

 

[cheezNE1]

How this board is great for Disney, there is a wonderful board for Timeshares, just like the dis where you can get fully educated.
I belong, and there is a fee, but it is minimal and VERY worth it.

It is called tug2.net

I'm surprised it hasn't been mentioned on here yet since there are some on this thread that are frequent posters there too.

Actually, somebody did mention that and I did check it out. But just didn't fully navigate thru it yet. Didn't want to be all over the place in forums at work. Thanks

 

[littlestar]

Actually, somebody did mention that and I did check it out. But just didn't fully navigate thru it yet. Didn't want to be all over the place in forums at work. Thanks

Another good one for general timesharing is www.timeshareforums.com

 

[Lost boy]

We own a timeshare thru the royal resorts, the royal sea aquarium in curacoa, we love it there. It's a small place, only about 36 villas right on the water. We go for two weeks every other year and Dis on the odd years. When we don't go there we trade it for one of the royals in cancun, which my kids prefer because of all the activites.

 

[BUDDYBEAR]

we have hilton vac club but like disney best

 

[skreger]

My advice for "timeshare novices" is to *ignore* RCI and II (and, really, any external exchange option) *completely*. Buy something you would be happy to use yourself.

Sounds like good advise, to buy where you want to stay, but to ignore RCI and II, would be to give up the best reason to join them. Taking advantage of the last-call type of vacations is a reasonable priced way to take a vacation. We've spent less than $300 for a weeks stay in 2 bedrooms units at several resorts that were just beautiful. That alone would be the best reason to have a timeshare, just to be able to join RCI or II and take advantage of the great pricing.

 

[Dean]

Sounds like good advise, to buy where you want to stay, but to ignore RCI and II, would be to give up the best reason to join them. Taking advantage of the last-call type of vacations is a reasonable priced way to take a vacation. We've spent less than $300 for a weeks stay in 2 bedrooms units at several resorts that were just beautiful. That alone would be the best reason to have a timeshare, just to be able to join RCI or II and take advantage of the great pricing.

For DVC I'd agree with ignoring the exchange company, possibly with some of the other mini systems as well, esp Diamond, Bluegreen, Wyndham and the like depending on how they fit for a given person. However, for most timeshare buyers (DVC an exception), exchanging is a large piece of the puzzle and therefore must be considered in the decision making process.

 

[Dean]

we have hilton vac club but like disney best

Would you feel the same for non WDW trips? IMO, for non WDW trips, HGVC is far better than DVC and the reverse true for WDW trips.

 

[lawflyfish]

We seriously considered Marriott but then backed out for several reasons. If you want (or NEED) to sell that vacation club you are restricted on your resale and you basically don't get anything out of it. At least with Disney you can sell your ownership for whatever the market will bear. Disney is more of an honest product, in our estimation.

 

[Debbie & Bill]

We bought Marriott Branson - Silver week & a lock off we'll never stay there in January or Febuary in it's season, but it was a good value for $6800 bought direct from mvci, fee's are $810 and we got enough Marriott Reward points for a trip to Hawaii, so it was a good deal and all the talk of resale was over. We bought this "tarnished" peice because in Interval MVCI owners, in order a pecking order will get first claim within MVCI before...say a DVC wanting to stay at a MVCI resort. So for us wanting saturated market's like Orlando we'll alway's get something in a Marriott, Marco will be harder, but the shoulder season a better shot. It all come's down to homework and knowing really what do you want to do, for us a "tarnished" silver week was a nice fit, next we'll check into something else.

 

[Debbie & Bill]

We seriously considered Marriott but then backed out for several reasons. If you want (or NEED) to sell that vacation club you are restricted on your resale and you basically don't get anything out of it. At least with Disney you can sell your ownership for whatever the market will bear. Disney is more of an honest product, in our estimation.

Agree, MVCI claims there holding up the value....that's BS....because there sales people slam resales saying your going to be treated different and scare people. I wrote to Mr. Marriott and got his letter of reply, the only thing you don't get is the ability to depost the unit for Marriott Reward point's and that's not worth much any way. My next purchase will be a MVCI resale at home resort I'd like to stay.

 

[Dean]

Agree, MVCI claims there holding up the value....that's BS....because there sales people slam resales saying your going to be treated different and scare people. I wrote to Mr. Marriott and got his letter of reply, the only thing you don't get is the ability to depost the unit for Marriott Reward point's and that's not worth much any way. My next purchase will be a MVCI resale at home resort I'd like to stay.

even resale buyers got that option if they enroll in the new program, albeit at a higher price if ANY of the weeks they convert are resale even if part are retail.

Also, let me add additional info to what you posted regarding the II internal trading preference. Traditionally many have understood that if II had it and a Marriott owner wanted it (and there was not another MVCI owner with higher preference ahead of them); that a Marriott owner was assured of getting the week on deposit with II. This is incorrect because trade power also comes into to play. One must have BOTH sufficient trade power and the internal trading preference to get the trade. It's common that a Marriott owner with a lowly week will be searching for another Marriott, the very thing they're searching for gets deposited and II passes them over due to lack of sufficient trade power and the week goes to a non Marriott owner. Once you get to 60 days out, this tends to go away.

 

[culli]

I was thinking the samething... I thought about adding more DVC points, but then, since I already have DVC, why locked into even more DVC. Instead, use the money and get other timeshare.

DVC is great for staying at a DVC resort, IMO anything else is way too expensive much much much more cost effective ways to stay elsewhere. I own about 651k Wyn points and a fixed week 26 TS I use to strictly trade. I figured out how to use Wyndham and the more I know the more I love it. I'm actually almost out of point for 2011 already while I banked about 75% of my 2010 DVC pts. Bought resale and saved about $60-70k (or more?) depending on what the going developer cost is at the time. Jim brought up some good items on Wyn and if you do a search on these boards there was a very long informative Wyn vs DVC conversation. TUG has a Wyn among other TS (such as Marriott) specific forums with VERY knowledgeable people.

Brian only brought up to ignore RCI/II at first to get your feet wet and use a mini system as a starting point. Trading and doing it successfully can be difficult as the rules can and will change. Now I don't pretend to get the cheapest possible deals or trades out there but I do get what I feel is very fair cost wise and much cheaper than doing anything retail. Also to be a successful trader it has to become a hobby you enjoy, you have to research and be patient. I personally enjoy it and I'm able to get great vacations for my family and friends plus for me it a great deal of fun.

If you want to be safe buy where you want to stay is a great starting strategy as most TS are not as easy to unload as DVC. If you are just looking for an occasional non WDW vacation and you are not big into research or want to "mess with it" kind of person - I would suggest checking out renting from an owner of the place you want to stay.

If you find DVC confusing, unfair and takes too much time to understand do yourself a big favor and stay far far away from any other TS system. DVC is about as Keep it Simple Stupid (KISS principle) as any TS can possibly get.

Good luck and to really get a feel, research TUG it is one of the best sites out there and you don't have to be a member (although it is appreciated to keep the site going at $15 a year). It can take awhile to navigate but your time will pay off.