Fairfield timeshare vs. DVC. Difference?????

[cokegal19]

I did get on the Yahoo groups page. There is lots of information on there. You guys still didn't answer my question though, unless I just didn't understand. But if you buy your points resale value, is it like you get them and use them and that's it? And if you want more you have to buy more? You said you can use them for a year, if I am correct, and then they are gone? I think what I have, even though it costs alot, is pretty cool because once it's paid off, you don't have to pay anything else but the maintenance fees and what-not, and you've got the same deal for the rest of your life! I like being an acutal "member" instead of just buying the points.

But I still don't really know much about this. It's very hard to understand.

Could you explain a little more about RCI and RCI II, and how fairfield plus owners can use these? What's the difference between RCI and II? I have a book with all these resorts in them, tons more than the fairfield resort book, and I guess I can use them if i pay like $19/night, and like a certain fixed amount for my points. Is that right?

I really like you guys better than on the Yahoo groups page. You guys help me understand better.

 

[cokegal19]

Oh and my home resort where I bought timeshare is Fairfield Resorts at Tamarak in the Wisconsin Dells.

Pretty nice place!

 

[momtofour]

Coke gal,
I am not a Fairfield owner and know nothing about their program other than what is posted here. However, it seems like the best decision for you is to get out of this deal. You have a right to rescind within a certain amount of days. Follow the procedures outlined in your contract very closely. Then start doing tons of research to figure out it this is really right for you. It sounds like you can buy pretty much the same product on the resale market for a ton less. I realize your credit is not good. However, start putting away what your payment would have been if you would have purchased direct through Fairfield. It sounds like in no time at all you will be able to pay CASH for a resale if this is what you really want. Get out of it now if you can!! You can always get back in.

 

[Mush]

Originally posted by cokegal19
I did get on the Yahoo groups page. There is lots of information on there. You guys still didn't answer my question though, unless I just didn't understand. But if you buy your points resale value, is it like you get them and use them and that's it? And if you want more you have to buy more? You said you can use them for a year, if I am correct, and then they are gone? I think what I have, even though it costs alot, is pretty cool because once it's paid off, you don't have to pay anything else but the maintenance fees and what-not, and you've got the same deal for the rest of your life! I like being an acutal "member" instead of just buying the points.

But I still don't really know much about this. It's very hard to understand.

In terms of using points for reservations, the only real difference between resale and developer points (aside from the rather steep price difference) is that resale points do not count towards potential VIP status. Other than that, they serve almost exactly the same function (i.e. you get an allotment of those points every year or every other year, depending on the contract that you purchase). You'll still be a member, with a deed for a Fairfield resort.

As Lisa said in a previous post, resale points typically do not include access to the FairShare Plus and PlusPartners programs, but it's up to you regarding whether you want to join. You can convert a resale contract of points to have access to FairShare Plus and PlusPartners, but it's a rather hefty pricetag to do that.

Could you explain a little more about RCI and RCI II, and how fairfield plus owners can use these? What's the difference between RCI and II? I have a book with all these resorts in them, tons more than the fairfield resort book, and I guess I can use them if i pay like $19/night, and like a certain fixed amount for my points. Is that right?

RCI stands for "Resort Condominium International", while II stands for "Interval International". Both are very similar programs in that they serve as a network of timeshares that allow you to deposit a week from a resort that you own and "exchange" into a week from another resort where someone has deposited a week. The vast majority of FF resorts are part of the RCI network, though there are a few that are II (El Cid in Mexico, Star Island in Kissimmee, for example). Depending on where you own, you are enrolled in either RCI or II. Since you own at the resort up in Wisconsin, you will be part of the RCI network. II seems a little smaller, but the DVC is a part of that network of timeshares.

Now, you may be asking how you can deposit weeks when you have points. I'd recommend going into the Files section of the Yahoo group and looking around in the Worldwide exchange folder...TONS of info there.

When you mentioned something about staying at resorts for points and $19/night, that is one of those PlusPartners perks. If you rescind what you currently have and purchase resale, chaces are you will no longer have this opportunity.

Whether you rescind or not is not a simple "yes/no" answer IMHO. From the limited information that I have gathered from this thread, perhaps you should take the others' advice and opt out of the contract. But there are a couple of caveats to doing this. First, if you really want to become a VIP in the future (300,000 points), then you may want to stick this contract out. If you really want access to FairShare Plus (FSP) and PlusPartners (PP), keep this contract. If the savings that you will obtain by purchasing resale outweigh the loss of the use of FSP and PP, then, by all means, rescind! If you want to use the points primarily for staying at a FF or RCI resort, then resale is likely the way to go.

I really like you guys better than on the Yahoo groups page. You guys help me understand better.

I felt the same way when I first joined the Yahoo group. It's information overload to the nth power. I'm a Ph.D. student as well as a University instructor, so research is in my blood, and I was still extremely overwhelmed with all the discussion there. That's why they try to steer you to the Files section...there are so many facets to ownership that, if we tried to answer every question that every person asked, the discussion board would become pretty much unreadable. That's why we have a lot of info in the Files...to try to get people a basic understanding of how the program works. I've been a part of the group for over 2 years, and I'm still learning stuff about the program. Just be patient, and it'll start making sense.

Hope all this helps,

Chris

 

[cokegal19]

Chris,

Ok, now I think I understand about the points thing. What are the perks of becomming a VIP memeber? What exactly is it? I'm gonna do some research on that too. And as far as the fairshare plus and leisure plan and all of that, I really like that. It's nice to use your points for other things other than the resorts. I think I'll try to just stick it out and see what happens. I've talked to my husbands boss, who has timeshare through Marriott, and I still think that Fairfield is better. I just hope i'm not kicking myself in the butt 5 years from now! Thanks alot, guys!

Oh, and what you said about the Start Island in Kissimmee, I acutally was planning on staying there when we go to disney in 17 days. have you been there? is it nice? it's in our fairfield resort, so I'm sure I can use it. I just hope they will have reservations open. Thanks for the help!

And I also like that I can stay at 1,000's more resorts (the RCI ones) for only 19/night. That's a pretty nice thing! Fairfield has I think 70 resorts that are direct use of your points. The RCI provides tons more choices for such a low rate!

 

[Chuck S]

Cokegal, To help answer your question about point usage...I'm going to assume that DVC and Fairfield are similar for "points alotments" in that you paid for 154K points every other year, so let us assume that you have a full cup of points, and you use some for a stay. You now have less in your cup. You continue to do this until your cup is empty. Every other year your cup is refilled with a fresh allotment of 154K FF points (DVC refills every year).

Whether you purchase resale (similar to buying a used house through a realtor), or directly from the developer your cup of points should refill exactly the same way. Not being a Fairfield owner, it also sounds like there are a few perks available only to those that that purchase directly from the developer, but for most people those perks make little or no difference to how they use their points. With DVC, resale contracts are treated the same way as buying from the developer, no extra perks, so again this is an assumption on my part from reading this thread.

 

[NCRedding]

cokegal: If you are able to get Star Island at 17 days out, please post and let me know--that was my main problem with FF-obtaining bookings, and that was with months of advance planning.

 

[cokegal19]

NCRedding,

I will let you know. I actually have to wait at least another 4 or 5 days before I can even reserve the room, since I just bought FF timeshare on Sunday. I hope they will have something open for me!

 

[JLS]

Good luck to you, Cokegal - you are on the right track gathering information about getting the most out of your Fairfield ownership. Definitely join www.tug2.net (Tug) for more info about RCI and exchanging.

If you decide that your contract is too small and you need more points because you want to stay at Fairfield resorts every year, I strongly urge you to buy resale - you won't regret it. FF points are a wonderful financial deal when purchased resale.

--Jenn

 

[jekjones1558]

Thanks to all on this board for info on FF. I have signed up for the Yahoo group and am on a very steep learning curve to see how the FF system works. I LOVE my DVC but it would be nice to also have affordable options out options outside of the DVC resorts.

 

[cokegal19]

I just thought I would inform all of you about the HUGE problems I've been having with Fairfield. I didn't say anthing before, because I thought it would be taken care of, but obviously it isnt.

I was supposed to pay $1,155 deposit on sunday. The said they can charge me $557 now and $557 in 2 weeks. I said OK. Then I get home and realize that they charged me the full $1155. so when I called them back on Monday, they said they would credit my account. But they said that if there was any way I could cover the charge, they would give me these bonus coupon things. (This is to cover their butts, and to make their life easier the want to reward me). I told them no, and they would have to refund me half of the money.

then on tuesday i realize that my checking accoutn is seriously negative. i call my bank and come to find out, fairfield took out another 2 charges for $557.50, totalling all money taken from my accout to be $2,310!!!! When at first it was only suppose dto be $557!!!! then i called back and they said they only put it through once, and don't know why it wnet through twice. then they said that if i could drive the 3 hours back up there to sign some papers (so they don't have to mail them), that they would give me more bonus weeks. again , i told htem no, and what do i get... nothing!!!! they say taht the credit will take 3-5 days, and in the meantime, i have negative money in my checking account, and have no access to my money!!! and they are very selfish.. the manager repeated over and over how he had to come in on his day off to take care of this.... ijust wan to scream!!!!

I AM TOTALLY DONE WITH FAIRFIELD AND I AM GETTING MY MONEY BACK NO MATTER WHAT I HAVE TO DO!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for all the advice guys!!!! i see my mistake!!!

 

[JLS]

sorry to hear that this happened. I think that if you get out of the contract you purchased, that will be a blessing in disguise for you because, as you know from the previous thread, you really overpaid for what you got from FF.

But don't let this experience dampen you to ever using Fairfield. Mistakes can be made by employees. That could easily happen with DVC, with any credit card company, with your bank, or anywhere. FF is a good product in terms of the resort quality and the flexibility. Buy resale! You will go through a closing agent who will take care of the whole transition for you.

 

[jmminarik]

I agree with JLS' sentiments.

And I'm not trying to lecture (much! ), but I'd be very leery about using a debit card for large purchases or allowing direct withdrawals (aka side drafts) from my checking account unless I've had a good, long standing relationship with that business. A screw-up on a credit card can be fixed much more easily than an over-draft on a debit card that then bounces additional checks.

Good luck in your endeavors.

-Joe

 

[CarolMN]

Originally posted by jmminarik
I agree with JLS' sentiments.

And I'm not trying to lecture (much! ), but I'd be very leery about using a debit card for large purchases or allowing direct withdrawals (aka side drafts) from my checking account unless I've had a good, long standing relationship with that business. A screw-up on a credit card can be fixed much more easily than an over-draft on a debit card that then bounces additional checks.

Good luck in your endeavors.

-Joe

ITA! Our debit card gets used for cash ATM withdrawals only. IMHO, there is way too much hassle just to correct errors like cokegal19 encountered. Most of the places making the errors have no incentive to fix it even half as fast as they broke it (so to speak) and most banks don't do a lot to help you out, either.

And that doesn't even count the problems encountered fixing and explaining bounced checks and getting overdraft fees refunded. Nope, debit cards wee invented to benefit banks and merchants, not consumers!!!


Sorry that happened to you, cokegal19. Hope it gets resolved quickly and doesn't cause you tons of trouble.

 

[jekjones1558]

JLS and Lisa and others,
I have been following this thread as we are considering another timeshare for non-Disney vacations and like the flexibility of a point system. I took advice and signed up for the Yahoo FF group but I haven't been able to find a spot that is like a basic brochure on how the FF point system works. Can anybody here provide a link? I am really starting from square 1 -- no timeshare experience outside of DVC so I need a very beginning introduction. I am a little shy about posting such a simplistic question over on the FF board because I got off to a bad start by not signing my first post with my name and that is a no-no. Anyone out there who can give me a point in the right direction?

 

[Lisa P.]

...the Yahoo FF group but I haven't been able to find a spot that is like a basic brochure on how the FF point system works. Can anybody here provide a link?

Sure. On the FF group, go to "Files" then click on "Fairfield FAQs." Here's a direct link for group members, to the FAQs page.

On the FAQs page, click on "Using FSP for Vacations FAQ.doc" (Using your FSP Points for vacations - the basic info you need to get started). This tells you the basic options for how you may use your FF points.

Other than the reservation and exchange details, it's just like using DVC points. You get an allotment of points every use year at your anniversary date (though you will only get them in either even or odd years). They expire if unused by the end of your use year. Annual maint fees cover operating costs and pay for the reservation system. As an EOY owner, you will likely pay 1/2 per year rather than paying the full amount EOY. To get annual vacations from your ownership, you may deposit a lower points week with RCI which will not expire for 2 years. Use that to secure an exchange week for vacationing in your "off" years. HTH!

 

[jekjones1558]

Thanks, Lisa!
I found that document just after I posted here and have been reading it. DVC seems easy in comparison, although I do remember being a little confused about banking, etc. at first. I followed your post until:

To get annual vacations from your ownership, you may deposit a lower points week with RCI which will not expire for 2 years. Use that to secure an exchange week for vacationing in your "off" years.

If you have points, not weeks, how do you deposit a "lower points week"? But this is far afield for this board. I will keep studying. Thanks for your patience and advice.

 

[jmminarik]

Originally posted by Lisa P.
. You get an allotment of points every use year at your anniversary date (though you will only get them in either even or odd years).

Maybe I missed something in the exchange, but is EOY an option, or is it the only way to get FF points? Well, maybe I was right in another thread and I'm just an idiot.

-Joe

 

[pumpkinboy]

Originally posted by NCRedding
cokegal: If you are able to get Star Island at 17 days out, please post and let me know--that was my main problem with FF-obtaining bookings, and that was with months of advance planning.

Looked on II tonight (I have a week deposited for timeshare in Rhode Island we inherited). Looks like Fairfield Star Island has 1 BR units available for both weeks in mid-May; and that's the ones that sleep 2 as well as the ones that sleep 4. That of course assumes your trading power is equal to mine, which it should (I have a week in November in RI deposited, and Nov is decent but not the nicest time in New England).

I could rent it to CokeGal perhaps, once she gets her $$$ back from Fairfield . Or better yet, it looks like I could get even bigger units at one of the very nice Marriot resorts in that period (Cypress Harbour, Grande Vista or Royal Palms). It seems mid-May is a high availability time thru II in Orlando.

 

[betslinc]

For the last two days, Fairfield's new online booking has been running. Still a few glitches, but it's a really nice option. Hopefully Disney will join the crowd soon. I'm very curiouus about the new member's only site.