What other timeshares (if any) do you own? and (if you want) Why did you buy them? also please state where you DVC resort is include any add on at other DVC resorts.
I currently own at OKW and BWV, 885 points total in 3 contracts plus an add on. I also own 2 summer weeks at Marriott's Grande Ocean and a Labor Day week at Marriott's Harbour Pointe. At this time my only other timeshare is at Paradise Village in Puerto Vallarta, MX. I use DVC and Grande Ocean or rent them when I can't use them. I have recently (2 years) bought PV and plan to use it every three years and rent or exchange about every third year. It works on points so I use 2 years worth of points at one time. I use HP to trade. I also just sold two weeks at La Cabana in Aruba which I owned to trade. I'm about where I want to be right now though I'll probably sell one of my OKW contracts in a year or 2 to pare down somewhat.
I own at BWV with an add on at BCV. I also own 2 weeks at South Seas Plantation on Captiva and 1 week at Hurricane House on Sanibel. I never trade any of these. I also own 2 weeks at Ski View in Gatlinburg which I always trade. I basically just buy to use but I bought preconstruction in Gatlinburg and it went under so they arranged for me to have Ski View. It's just a standard resort with poor reviews but I will say I have gotten good trades with it. Until the last couple of years I have traded into Sanibel with it.
We bought at VWL early last year and added on at BCV at Christmas time. We also bought a week at Vistana (near WDW) because we found such a deal (2 BR, any week, and came with 2 banked weeks!) So far we have used it all ourselves, which was really our plan. Boy, have we had to make a lot of trips lately to use it all -- DH and I alone twice and with kids once, my cousin and me twice (notice how I am in every trip?! LOL) Our plan is to stay at Vistana and DVC at the same time when our children are older and we all need more space. Until then we will either go to FL twice a year, or bank, trade, or let friends use it for the cost of maintenance.
I own at OKW, with add-ons at all 5 other DVC locations. I also own at Casa Ybel and Sanibel Cottages on Sanibel, Seawatch on Ft Myers Beach, the Hyatt in Lake Tahoe, a Marriott in Palm Springs (co-owned by my brother and sister-in-law), and an every-other year week at the Hilton in Honolulu. I bought the Sanibel/Ft Myers locations in 1981, 1982, and 1986. I retired last year, and am really making use of all of them to the max. The DVC's and Sanibel resorts are my favorites.
I first owned 2 weeks (weeks 17&18) at the Towers at Mullet Bay in St. Maarten, this is a 3 bedroom penthouse, this is a fixed week/unit, we never miss that trip (we started 10 years ago with 1 week in a 1 bedroom, and just kept upgrading!). I also own a bi-annual floating week at Vistana (Lakes section) which I have decided to keep and not sell because I finally have figured out how to use it!!! Its a great companion to WDW, because of the Starwood point system, you can use both and really stretch your points. And we own 225 points at VWL! I have only traded my St Maarten timeshare twice, once to Vistana (at that time we had a 1 bedroom and was able to get a 2 bedroom during Easter week at Vistana) and once to Sedona, AZ. Both great trades. I really don't expect to trade anything at this point.
We bought OKW in 1997 and added on in 1999, at OKW. We own two other timeshares, both on points. In 1999 we bought into the Surrey Grand Crowne in Branson, MO to be able to make a trip without worrying about airfare, and we enjoy the Branson area. This timeshare is with II and I plan to try and use it for trading sometimes in the future. They advertise themselves as the only tri-share timeshare with three one bedrooms that combine together to sleep up to 12 people. This was great last year when we took another family with us, total of 10 people, with three bedrooms, three living rooms, three kitchens, and five bathrooms. Sorry, I got off topic for a moment. We bought our third timeshare in 2001 at Big Cedar Wilderness Club, south of Branson and part of the Bluegreen Vacation Club. We stayed at Big Cedar Lodge twice with DVC points and really love the place. When I saw they were starting a timeshare I knew we had to buy. We bought in early and are one of the founding families. I consider it on par with DVC. They have lodge rooms and what we bought for the two bedroom cabins.
Besides OKW we own at Marriott Manor Club in Williamsburg, VA and at Aruba Renaissance Beach Resort. We bought at Marriott Manor Club in Williamsburg, VA because we like the area and love the resort and are relatively close to it. We bought back in 1992 in Aruba and use it primarily as a trader. Bart
