Do you own Wyndham timeshare points?

[BeerMe]

The LAST place you want to buy points is directly through Wyndham! They will charge you hundreds of times more than you can buy them elsewhere.

You can go to WBC and request a tour with a sales pitch if you'd like Wyndhams POV. I'd not recommend that though. The sales staff is very, very shady. We are RCI owners and went to one of those "seminars" last February at WBC when we were staying and I nearly had to threaten physical violence to get away. It's just not worth it. Plus they wanted to charge $20,000 for something I could buy on ebay for less than $500.

Tread carefully. Very carefully. BTW we love the timeshares, just not the sales tactics. It's not for everyone though.

 

[JimMIA]

I have never stayed at OKW (although I have really wanted to. We eat there a lot and it is my fav resort on property) So I don't know how the quality of the rooms compares to the Wyndham resorts...but you have to get a one bedroom there to have a full kitchen and the points for a one bedroom are double what it costs for a studio. From what I see in the Wyndham directory the one bedroom deluxe rooms have a full kitchen and it is still much cheaper per night.

Both resort's 1 BR's have a full bedroom, living room/dining area, full kitchen, and washer/dryer. I would rate the WBC 1 BR as a little better any DVC 1 BRs I've stayed in with the exception of OKW. The kitchens at WBC (and most Wyndham resorts) are somewhat better equipped than DVC kitchens.

OKW 1 BRs are substantially larger, laid out better, and the balcony is bigger than WBC. (For comparison, the OKW 1 BR is 1005 square feet, the WBC 1 BRs range from 812-902 sq ft, and most other WDW DVC 1 BRs range from about 700 - 800 sq ft.) Not that it matters, but the OKW washer and dryer are full-sized stand alone models; WBC and the other DVC resorts have stacked.

Downside with OKW is that with the exception of a few buildings, there are no elevators. So if you are on the second or third floor, you will have to lug your luggage up and down the stairs -- or pay to have someone do it for you.

 

[MinnieLovesMickey12]

I think you have underestimated the fees involved. For example, the 2012 annual fees at Bonnet Creek are $1,521 for 300K points. This is according to the fee calculator at http://forums.atozed.com/index.php

In addition, Wyndham has other fees you may run into including housekeeping, reservation, credit pool, etc.

Anyhow, there is a ton of material about timeshares out there and all that info can be daunting. Perhaps there is a secret formula to doing it cheaper than renting, but I haven't found it.

I have read up on most of the fees. Fees for making a reservation, fees for transferring points to RCI, etc.

And the maintenance fees for all the different resorts are different.

In some of the listing there might be a 300,000 point contract with monthly maintenance fees of $165 but a contract I found with 250,000 had maintenance fees of only $90 a month.

But the ones with low maintenance fees are selling for more money up front.

 

[MinnieLovesMickey12]

The LAST place you want to buy points is directly through Wyndham! They will charge you hundreds of times more than you can buy them elsewhere.

You can go to WBC and request a tour with a sales pitch if you'd like Wyndhams POV. I'd not recommend that though. The sales staff is very, very shady. We are RCI owners and went to one of those "seminars" last February at WBC when we were staying and I nearly had to threaten physical violence to get away. It's just not worth it. Plus they wanted to charge $20,000 for something I could buy on ebay for less than $500.

Tread carefully. Very carefully. BTW we love the timeshares, just not the sales tactics. It's not for everyone though.

I'm not looking to buy directly through Wyndham. I am looking at buying resale through either a broker or through Ebay.

 

[lilpooh108]

Just so you know, some of the info in the Wyndham Primer on Tug is outdated. Not all of it, but some of the specifics. If you have questions you should ask on Tug. I recently started going there for Wyndham info (I'm a new owner) and the Bonnet Creek questions come up every other week.

 

[lilpooh108]

But the ones with low maintenance fees are selling for more money up front.

I've been following ebay sales since January and I doubt you can get 300K points with low maintenance fees for under $500. Prices have been going up.

 

[JimMIA]

Just so you know, some of the info in the Wyndham Primer on Tug is outdated. Not all of it, but some of the specifics.

YES! Especially the info about RCI exchanges. There are also a couple of newer programs that you will hear about (especially from timeshare sales weasels) that are not mentioned either.

 

[JimMIA]

I have read up on most of the fees. Fees for making a reservation, fees for transferring points to RCI, etc.

I think most of those fees get more mention than they really deserve. For example, you get reservation transactions and housekeeping credits each year. In 2 1/2 years, we've done about 10 stays and never had to pay for reservations or housekeeping, despite several very short trips. We also have not had to pay for guest confirmations. We've given two short trips to friends, but used our one free GC for those.

We did pay a small fee for credit pooling, but doing so extends the use of the points to three years from the date of the pooling, so I thought that was a great bargain.

We have also done one RCI exchange (2 units for a week on Cape Cod). We were very happy with that exchange because it was only 3 miles from relatives we were visiting. We currently have an ongoing request for an exchange into DVC, but I don't think we are going to get it. If not, we may just extend those points for a year and go next spring. The $199 RCI exchange fee is not cheap, but you only pay it if you actually get the exchange, and we only put points into RCI as a last resort.

 

[staceyeileen]

The Biennial contracts can also get you on the MF's since your program membership fee (basically your annual Wyndham Membership cost) is charged every year based off your total contract value..... IE, for a 150,000 Biennial contract, Your contract may show as getting 75,000 annually, but you'll be charged your program few for 150,000 annually.

This isn't really true anymore. I think at one time it was true, but currently a 150k biennial contract is equivalent to a 75k annual contract with regards to fees.

I'm a happy Wyndham owner. Glad to see some other Tuggers have already directed you that way. Over the past year I've purchased 245k points for $1500 total (including fees/closing costs) and I got about a full years points included with the MF already pre-paid. My husband says we now have a moratorium on Wyndham points....

As far as remaining 2013 points, are you sure you won't be able to book a last minute getaway? Wyndham always has specials where the points needed for a stay get reduced up to 30-40% when you are booking something within about 60 days. Availability isn't usually too much of a problem for most of the resorts. You'd be surprised at what you can get!

 

[JimMIA]

I have read up on most of the fees. ... fees for transferring points to RCI, etc.

One other minor clarification -- there is no fee for depositing points into RCI. An RCI deposit uses one "reservation transaction," but there is no cost unless you have used all of that year's RTs (which I've never come close to doing).

Once you deposit points to RCI, there is a fee for either booking an exchange or for starting an ongoing search. That fee is $199 online, $209 if you do it by phone. However, if you don't get an exchange, that fee is fully refundable.

 

[MinnieLovesMickey12]

This isn't really true anymore. I think at one time it was true, but currently a 150k biennial contract is equivalent to a 75k annual contract with regards to fees.

I'm a happy Wyndham owner. Glad to see some other Tuggers have already directed you that way. Over the past year I've purchased 245k points for $1500 total (including fees/closing costs) and I got about a full years points included with the MF already pre-paid. My husband says we now have a moratorium on Wyndham points....

As far as remaining 2013 points, are you sure you won't be able to book a last minute getaway? Wyndham always has specials where the points needed for a stay get reduced up to 30-40% when you are booking something within about 60 days. Availability isn't usually too much of a problem for most of the resorts. You'd be surprised at what you can get!

The contract I am looking at right now just got it's points deposited in it on July 1st of this year so the points are actually good until next July. I just wish I had gotten to the contract before July so those points could be pooled.

The 2 other contracts have all of the 2013 points on them and we will probably try to get a trip in to Disney between now and the end of the year but not one that will use up 233,000 points. So I guess we will deposit what is left over at the end of the year into RCI so we don't lose them.

Am I to understand that you have to pay the $198 fee to RCI to start an ongoing search looking for an exchange? So you may have two hundred dollars tied up looking for a reservation and not even end up getting it through RCI?

I have asked a few questions over on TUG and found a guy who is very helpful. At first nobody seemed to want to answer a question and basically told me to go search for the answers myself. But eventually a guy came along and has been very helpful.

I have been reading on TUG and on the WYndham owners forum.
I have been reading the directory and researching completed sales on Ebay.

I have been trying to figure out how much we want to spend.

 

[staceyeileen]

The 2 other contracts have all of the 2013 points on them and we will probably try to get a trip in to Disney between now and the end of the year but not one that will use up 233,000 points. So I guess we will deposit what is left over at the end of the year into RCI so we don't lose them.

Yep, that's your best bet. Don't worry, you can still get some great deals trading through RCI especially DVC even after you factor in the $199 fee.

Am I to understand that you have to pay the $198 fee to RCI to start an ongoing search looking for an exchange? So you may have two hundred dollars tied up looking for a reservation and not even end up getting it through RCI?

Yes, to start an ongoing search you do need to pre-pay the booking fee. If your search does not get a match, you get your money back. An ongoing search is good if you have a specific time period at a specific resort you are looking for. However, ongoing searches are not the only way to trade through RCI. You can just log in anytime and browse what is available. If you see something you want, you book it and pay the fee at that time. On TUG there is a "sightings" board where people post especially desirable resorts when they pop up as available on RCI. I've never started an ongoing search but have still seen DVC availability TONS of times that I could have booked had I had the points available.

 

[MinnieLovesMickey12]

Yep, that's your best bet. Don't worry, you can still get some great deals trading through RCI especially DVC even after you factor in the $199 fee.



Yes, to start an ongoing search you do need to pre-pay the booking fee. If your search does not get a match, you get your money back. An ongoing search is good if you have a specific time period at a specific resort you are looking for. However, ongoing searches are not the only way to trade through RCI. You can just log in anytime and browse what is available. If you see something you want, you book it and pay the fee at that time. On TUG there is a "sightings" board where people post especially desirable resorts when they pop up as available on RCI. I've never started an ongoing search but have still seen DVC availability TONS of times that I could have booked had I had the points available.

Good deal. Glad to know that.

 

[icydog]

Sorry to open up an old thread but I have no experience with Wyndham. My neighbor wants to give me 154,000 points-- maintenance fees are $850. Can I use those points to book a week in a two bedroom Disney Vacation Club resort? Maybe you can explain how it's done? Do I deposit the points into RCI and are they worth what a two bedroom say, Disney's Old Key West would be? Thanks

BTW, If you have any Disney Vacation Club or Marriott Vacation Club questions, those I can answer. I just don't have much knowledge when it comes to Wyndham and RCI. The $199 fee is the exchange fee and then Disney charges another $95, right?

 

[Upatnoon]

Sorry to open up an old thread but I have no experience with Wyndham. My neighbor wants to give me 154,000 points-- maintenance fees are $850. Can I use those points to book a week in a two bedroom Disney Vacation Club resort? Maybe you can explain how it's done? Do I deposit the points into RCI and are they worth what a two bedroom say, Disney's Old Key West would be? Thanks

BTW, If you have any Disney Vacation Club or Marriott Vacation Club questions, those I can answer. I just don't have much knowledge when it comes to Wyndham and RCI. The $199 fee is the exchange fee and then Disney charges another $95, right?

That would be enough points for a week during value season for a 2BR at Wyndham Bonnet Creek.

The rub is that you could probably rent the same week on ebay for around $700.

You are on the right track about depositing the points into RCI if you want to trade into DVC. (and pay those extra fees) There are lots of experts about this over at tugbbs.com that would know more.

 

[littlestar]

Those maintenance fees are higher than my 154,000 Smoky Mountain contract. I pay $700 a year in maintenance fees on my Smoky contract with an $84.70 program fee (program fee varies by how many total points you own). Maintenance fees include an RCI account, though, which is nice.

Trading Wyndham points with RCI involves a grid with varying point requirements depending on time of year and size of unit. Look on Page 237 of the member directory for the grid. Sometimes they reduce the points slightly.


http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/wyndham/memberdirectory11-12/

I wouldn't specifically buy/obtain Wyndham points for trading in RCI for DVC, but if you want access to the Wyndham system for their stable of resorts then that's different. We recently downsized our Wyndham points and bought more resale DVC points at SSR.

 

[JimMIA]

Can I use those points to book a week in a two bedroom Disney Vacation Club resort?

Yes, with some planning and a little luck. As you might guess, 2 BRs are harder to get than 1 BRs, but not impossible at all. This past December, we got an OKW 2 br, Dec 14-21, for 126,000 Wyndham points.

Like littlestar, we own at Wyndham Smoky Mountains and our MFs are about $1 per thousand less than yours (we have a 501K contract, so some economy of scale there). Our cost for the week, including the MFs on the points, the $200 RCI fee and the $95 DVC fee, was a little under $860. Using your figures, I get a little less than $1,000 for the week, provided you get it for 126K points.

You can do your own math comparing the costs between your DVC points and Wyndham including the $300 or so in fees. I know my cost was WAY lower via Wyndham/RCI than using my OKW points would have been.

Maybe you can explain how it's done?

The best chance is to set up an ongoing search in RCI. DVC seems to do most of their deposits about 7 months out. If you put in a search 10-12 months out for a one bedroom, your chances are quite good. A 2 BR would be more difficult, but I've seen a lot of 2 BR success reported on TUG.

You can increase your chances of getting a match if you have flexibility in resorts and dates. I used a fairly wide range of dates, but limited my search to an OKW 2 BR -- nothing else. I put mine in at the last minute -- right at 7 months. I matched almost immediately, but when I checked the dates before confirming, I had a conflict. A couple of weeks later, I got the 12/14-21 match.

The $199 fee is the exchange fee and then Disney charges another $95, right?

I think the RCI fee has now gone up to $209 online/$219 by phone. DVC will tell you the $95 fee is for transportation etc, but you're a savvy DVCer and you know better than that. It's just a "because-we-can fee."

 

[skylizard]

For those that own points and have set up an ongoing search, did you have to pay a fee? I'm an owner myself and called RCI to ask about and set up an ongoing search. The rep on the phone told me it was a $200 fee to set up the search (refundable once you book something). Does that sound right?
And do you have better success with the ongoing search than with checking the site throughout the day?

 

[monagh10]

To do an ongoing search with RCI you have to have a week or points deposited. I am not super familiar with how the points work but we have a week timeshare that when you want to deposit that week & exchange it for something besides your home resort requires the $209 exchange fee. The fee is only refundable if you don't find something through the search, if you find an option that you reserve they keep the $209 fee

 

[skylizard]

To do an ongoing search with RCI you have to have a week or points deposited. I am not super familiar with how the points work but we have a week timeshare that when you want to deposit that week & exchange it for something besides your home resort requires the $209 exchange fee. The fee is only refundable if you don't find something through the search, if you find an option that you reserve they keep the $209 fee

Thanks! The rep was wrong and I'm glad I didn't pay her ahead of time to set up the search. I was able to set up a search on my own and now I'm just keeping my fingers crossed!