DVC & Marriott

[Dano1182]

Anyone own both DVC and Marriott Vacation club?
We love DVC but are thinkong of expanding to Marriott.

Any imput ?
Best home resort etc?

 

[Dano1182]

sorry about typing that should be thinking

 

[Lisa P.]

If you are contemplating a timeshare purchase, your best resource is probably going to be TUG - Timeshare Users Group. There, you'll find "Advice" articles and very active forums like this one. There's even a "Marriott" forum with many owners who post regularly.

If you decide to join TUG (for access to resort reviews and ratings and a few other benefits), please consider using my name (Lisa Potter) as a referral. Two referrals extends my annual membership for free. Even if you don't join, you'll find very useful info there, to help you make informed decisions about buying, exchanging and making the most of your timeshare. HTH!

 

[Mitch and Jeff]

Dano-

Ask away as we own both DVC (OKW) as well as Marriott Hilton Head. Both systems are quite good in their own way, and can be rather complimentary. The best advice about Marriott is to:

1-buy where you want to stay. Don't buy just for trading as Marriott can be as expensive as DVC.[

2- Check out TUG for information about the Marriott resorts...(www.tug2.net).. If you choose to join, you can peruse the database and see what people have reported to have paid for some of their Marriott weeks.
3- Just because a resort has the Marriott name, don't expect that it will always be a Marriott. In the past two years, two resorts have dropped Marriott as their management company (Paradise Island, Nassau and one on the west coast of Florida, and Marriott has dropped a number of older acquired resorts on Hilton Head. I expect them ( Just my personal opinion) to drop more resorts that don't meet their mega-resort current model.

Please feel free to email with specific questions that you might have.

Mitch

QUOTE]Originally posted by Dano1182
Anyone own both DVC and Marriott Vacation club?
We love DVC but are thinkong of expanding to Marriott.

Any imput ?
Best home resort etc? [/QUOTE]

 

[Dean]

There are a number of us that own both DVC and Marriott as well as other timeshares. I think Marriott and DVC complement each other nicely. They are however a very different world. Marriott is about full weeks, fixed units (or seasons), usually 2 BR and the like. Though there are some resorts that give more flexibility than others, the flexibility is far less than with DVC. The cost is much less though for a full week in a 2 BR and for exchanging. I would second Lisa's recommendation of TUG so you can start your real timeshare education. You must forget most of what you know about DVC to understand what's out there in the world of timesharing.

 

[disneycrazed139]

You must forget most of what you know about DVC to understand what's out there in the world of timesharing.

Can you explain this further? What would be the main or most important differences between DVC and the other world of timesharing?

 

[Dano1182]

Thanks
Which is favorite near disney?

Nicest pool etc.

 

[Cruelladeville]

From my experience, the big difference between DVC and Marriott is the cost once you own. I was shocked to find that to stay at a Marriott across the street from my home resort requires a fee, just as a transfer to any other Marriott resort requires a fee. You also stay a week at a time, and reserve that up to a year in advance. You don't just say I'll check in on Wednesday--I don't think you can even do that! DVC is much more versatile when you want just a few days, like a mini vacation. But resales of Marriott can be up to 1/2 of the initial cost, which is cheap, and they trade very well. I bought in Orlando just because it was cheap, and I have been able to trade pretty much any place I want to go.

 

[Niagara2]

We own both and happy. When at Disney it is DVC, We use Marriott to travel the world in beautiful accomodations. I agree with above - read Tug - it is a wealth of information. Marriott timeshare resales are a bargain but you lose some perks to bank marriott points. We have enough to go to Disneyland in Paris and stay next door in a Marriott two bedroom and on to a 10 day Mediterean cruise. They add up!

 

[mickeyc]

We own both DVC & Marriott. Marriott system is not as flexible as DVC and when you need to modify a reservation after 24 hours they will charge you a fee. Both offer great accomdations and Marriott is world wide.

I am also a tug member and the recommendations to join is worth the price membership. I think the fee now is $15 for one year. Tug has a board devoted to specfic Marriott questions. Also, you may want to consider purchasing a resale you will save thousands; however, it will not come with Marriott points. The issue to buy a Marriott that permitt conversion to the points vs. non points is another debate. You can check out the tug archives for alot of information concerning this issue.

Another good source for timesharing is Timesharing Today. I thinkd their website is www.timesharingtoday.com.

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by disneycrazed139
Can you explain this further? What would be the main or most important differences between DVC and the other world of timesharing?

It's a little hard to explain. Bacially nothing works like DVC and DVC is like nothing else. Marritot is a regular timeshare. Here are some of the issues.

1. Most units will be 2 BR
2. Most are not lockoff but a few are.
3. You are locked in to a full week though you could arrive late and/or leave early. You would have still paid for the full week.
4. Many are fixed week meaning you own a specific week every year.
5. The ones that are floating, only float within a season, say summer or winter.
6. Most start on Saturday with floating resorts usually haveing the choice of Fri, Sat or Sun. There are a couple that are a little different.
7. Maint fees are usually lower than DVC but will vary dramatically from one resort to another
8. There are additional fees for things like locking off the units that have this option, changing your reservation and the like.
9. You can’t bank or borrow your time other than what Interval International allows you to do.
10. You must join II at an additional yearly cost to use that option.
    [/list=1]
    
    Timeshare trading is an entirely additional issue.
    
    1. As noted, must join II separately.
    2. Yearly fee $74
    3. Exchange fees around $120 for domestic and $140 for international
    4. While there are limited banking options, there are no borrowing options.
    5. There are MANY rules that govern exchanging and II keeps most of them secret. It suffices to say that they may have what you want and still not give it to you even if you’re the only one currently asking for it.
    6. With DVC you get no bonus weeks, can’t trade up in units size and don’t have access to rentals.
    7. You must plan at least a year in advance consistently.
       [/list=1]
       
       
       I’m sure there’s a lot more. It’s just totally different and there is almost no overlap in how things or done or you have have to think or plan about things.

 

[KANSAS]

dean

your comparison with DVC and Marriott, was very interesting.
Thank you so much!!!

 

[KANSAS]

DEAN PLEASE EXPLAIN IN DETAIL your statement

II has many rules governing exchanges and they keep them secret.
what experiences can you share??

 

[LisaR]

Originally posted by Dean
The cost is much less though for a full week in a 2 BR and for exchanging.

Let me start by saying I have never looked into Marriott so I am very uninformed. However, I have read many times about Marriott being much less expensive then DVC. I have always questioned this but this is the first time I have posted about it.

About 2 1/2-3 years ago, my sons preschool teacher was all excited because she bought a week at a Marriott in Orlando. Not sure which one but it was closer to Universal and it was brand new. I remember her telling me what she paid at that time for one week and I was astonished. It was around what we paid for our DVC points which gets us almost 3 weeks in a 2 bedroom (low season, which is when we travel). Did she get a bad deal or maybe we just got lucky on our resale? Or am I not really comparing apples to apples?

Lisa

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by LisaR
Let me start by saying I have never looked into Marriott so I am very uninformed. However, I have read many times about Marriott being much less expensive then DVC. I have always questioned this but this is the first time I have posted about it.

About 2 1/2-3 years ago, my sons preschool teacher was all excited because she bought a week at a Marriott in Orlando. Not sure which one but it was closer to Universal and it was brand new. I remember her telling me what she paid at that time for one week and I was astonished. It was around what we paid for our DVC points which gets us almost 3 weeks in a 2 bedroom (low season, which is when we travel). Did she get a bad deal or maybe we just got lucky on our resale? Or am I not really comparing apples to apples?

Lisa

Lisa, prices vary dramatically by property and unit view. Most Marriott's are in seasonal locations as are VB and HH for DVC, so I'll really only talk about peak times which I think is the best comparison. Marriott can be as or more expensive than DVC and certainly is still one of the more expensive timeshare out there. But like DVC, the expense varies with the usage plan and situation. If one buys from Marriott directly, the upfront cost is comparable. A 2 BR at Myrtle Beach will run between $18,000 to $30,000. The lower is a garden view unit and the latter an oceanfront with 2 options in between. Yearly fees around $650-700 per year. By comparison DVC would be $27650 for 350 points which will give a 2 BR for a week every year during Magic season for BCV, VWL and BWV with a yearly fee around $1400. So in this example, the upfront price is comparable but the yearly fees are significantly different. Grande Ocean and Barony would be comparable in terms of price and fees (just slightly higher for both).

Another angle is this. Say one bought resale. Yearly fees are the same. Upfront costs for DVC still around $24500 while Marriott drops to more like $17-25K (oceanside vs oceanfront).

Still another angle for Marriott is to buy a lower rated property at maybe Harbour Pointe ($7K, fees $555) and use it to trade into the places you want to go. I used my HP week this past year to get a third (own two) week at Grande Ocean for 4th July, the top week there. You must join II and then pay the $79 exchange fee. Marriott also has lockoff’s which may give you two for one trade in many situations.

Of course with DVC you may not need a 2 BR for a full week every year so one may not need 350 points, 150 may do just fine while another may need 1000 pts.

I hope this helps with your question.

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by KANSAS
DEAN PLEASE EXPLAIN IN DETAIL your statement

II has many rules governing exchanges and they keep them secret.
what experiences can you share??

Since II doesn't give out the exact details, take this with a grain of salt but I think you'll get the picture. Put yourself in II's position. They must assign each and every deposit a unique trade power. Imagine an algebraic formula that incorporates the unit size, rating of the resort, demand for the week in question, how far out it is deposited and any home resort priority. Imagine a number between 0 and 100 (for sake of discussion). You might deposit Marriott's Beachplace Towers week 15 8 months before the dates with a trade value of 90 and I might deposit 4th of July Grande Ocean with a trade value of 98. In that situation, I will come ahead of you in any search, even if you had your request in for months before I did, I would move ahead of you in line. RCI does essentailly the same thing.

II goes a step further. Since they are so hung up on "like for like" in exchanging, they might limit you to weeks rated between 85 & 95. That means you would not be able to get my Grande ocean deposit (in this example) but I could get your Beach Place towers unit. Further complicate this issue with ratings of the resorts themselves where II also limits how far up or down you can reach in exchanging based on resort quality.

Remember this is just an example to communicate the basic process that II (and RCI) go through. Both companies feel this information is proprietary and important to keep secret. They will not discuss trade power with you with any specifics at all. This makes for an interesting game of cat and mouse when it comes to both buying units to exchange and the actual exchange/request process itself. Furthermore, II will not tell you that you have no chance at a specific request. Say you have a low rated week at a low rated resort and ask for DVC xmas. II will not tell you that you do not have enough trade power for this trade and will never get it. They will also not tell you that DVC does not even deposit this week though I don't know if they have free access to this information or not. They may suggest alternatives and hint at it but they almost never come out and say it. That's partly because they are dishonest and partly because the variables of area, resort, specific week all are in a constant state of flux and if one variable changes you may get somerhing you would never have known about last week.

 

[lat]

I quickly glanced Dean's comments, did not have much time to read everything right now.

I just bought Marriott's BeachPlace and just exchanged my 1-br for 2004's week 15 (Easter week) into Marriott's Grand Ocean for 2004's Labor Day week. I put in the request this morning and within hours, the trade was confirmed.

I also traded the efficiency (studio) portion for Marriott's Custom House for next July. It was done right on the phone without any wait.

I bought this one via resale and paid $11,000 this July for the platinum season. I could not have possibly used my DVC pts to get this type of trades.

I don't know if I am just lucky this time or the BeachPlace just has great trading power. But so far, I love my Marriott for its many locations and love my DVC for being right on site and its flexibilities.

 

[KANSAS]

LAT
when you traded your 1 bedroom and studio separately thru II.


did you get back a 1 bedroom and a studio in trade, or something actually larger??

 

[lat]

KANSAS,

I traded the 1-br for a 2-br at Grand Ocean and the studio for a 1-br.

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by KANSAS
LAT
when you traded your 1 bedroom and studio separately thru II.


did you get back a 1 bedroom and a studio in trade, or something actually larger??

Grande ocean only has 2 BR units and Custom House only has 1 BR units. This is one of the tricks of getting size upgrades, only asking for resorts that have the larger units and not the smaller ones. That's one of the problems I have with DVC and II trading, no way to get season or size upgrades that would be available otherwise. It puts one in a position of either getting a downtrade or in some case, paying for a larger unit when it's not needed.