Marriott Vacation Club

[aubreysmom09]

We are preparing to buy with MVC. We travel to many different locations, but normally go to Orlando once a year. We plan on going beginning of December 2013 for our DD's 4th Birthday. We are planning a few days at Disney, and at least one day at Seaworld. Since my husband is begging probably Legoland. It will be 4 adults and the one 4 year old. We will be staying in a 2 bedroom. I don't know which resort to stay at Grande Vista, Harbour Lake, or Cypress Harbour. We will have a car. Any suggestions I am trying to show my parents when they are here next week for DD birthday and Christmas.

 

[KingofSwing3000]

I used to sell timeshare in Florida for a very reputable company.

The good news is MVC is a good Club. Pricey, but a good Club. The thing is, DVC, HGVC, Holiday Inn, Diamond all have their pros/cons.

The not-so-good-news is that you can use FlipKey, HomeAway, SellMyTimeShareNow, RedWeek, ExtraHolidays, and sites like that and get the same benefits of timeshare but with no maintenance fees, no up-front cost, no valueless deed, etc. And actually, you get a lot more.

For example, my fam is doing a 4br/3b in January 5 minutes away from Disney for $62 a night total. We just did a 2/2 in Feb at a Diamond Resort for $69 a night total.

Heck, you can stay just about anywhere in the world for less than $100 a nite; go to Europe and it's about $50.

 

[swilshire]

What the PP said is true if you can travel off-seaon and/or on short notice. For those of us locked into peak seasons because of school schedules and other obligations, not so much. We take many nice timeshare vacations at well under any rates we could find ahead of time on the rental market. If we could hold out for last minute opportunities, we could lower our costs, but might not get our preferred locations.

We already have Sedona booked for March, Nantucket for late June, and two weeks in Maui for late July/early August. All are at decent total costs. None of them are bargain basement, but at least I know where I'll be and when.

Overbuilt areas like Orlando are easier to find cheap and last minute deals for, but not every place has the tremendous number of properties that the Orlando area does. Even there, you'll have trouble getting the best properties the week between Christmas and New Years or Spring break. Even Columbus Day week can be tough.

Sheila

 

[KingofSwing3000]

None of our trips have been short notice. I start booking 6 mos out on average. And while yes, the price will be slightly higher during busier season, it's not by much especially with so many options. If we wanted to stay at the same locations we have but during peak season/summer we would have paid just about $30 more a night. And so that means a 4/3 during Christmas in 2013 for less than $100 a night. But just like timeshare it can have its pros/cons.

I love timeshare. Love it. But, as someone who sold for the world's largest timeshare in Florida, I personally would not buy just because, for my lifestyle, I can stay in the same exact accommodations, types of accommodations, or similar locations found in RCI/II (not to mention a million more choices) but for a fraction of the cost and with no long-term commitment, high buy-in, buying future points, trading woes, etc.

Each Club has its pros/cons.

 

[aubreysmom09]

It just appeals to me, because I can use the points at Marriott hotels. I travel a lot to my home town of Chicago, and they don't have a vacation club there yet. I can stay at one of the hotels. I have spent probably $5000 this year alone on hotels/condos/townhomes, and fees. I can also go to Branson, and it's not to far for my family to drive to either. We normally go during off season, and I can't see myself going during a peak time. Our timeshare purchase has little to do with Orlando. Its a place we visit on occasion while our child is young, but it's a once a year or every other year type thing. Good luck finding a hotel in downtown Chicago that is decent for under $200/night. The last time I stayed at a marriott in Downtown during an off season I paid $350/night. It's not hard finding a cheap price in Orlando, but it is in other cities.

 

[dis-happy]

It just appeals to me, because I can use the points at Marriott hotels. I travel a lot to my home town of Chicago, and they don't have a vacation club there yet. I can stay at one of the hotels. I have spent probably $5000 this year alone on hotels/condos/townhomes, and fees. I can also go to Branson, and it's not to far for my family to drive to either. We normally go during off season, and I can't see myself going during a peak time. Our timeshare purchase has little to do with Orlando. Its a place we visit on occasion while our child is young, but it's a once a year or every other year type thing. Good luck finding a hotel in downtown Chicago that is decent for under $200/night. The last time I stayed at a marriott in Downtown during an off season I paid $350/night. It's not hard finding a cheap price in Orlando, but it is in other cities.

Make sure yiu check out the tug website before you buy. There is a board dedicated to Marriott that talks about the good and the bad. You don't have to join to read the general threads.

http://tugbbs.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=29

 

[KingofSwing3000]

Just be sure the points for hotels are a good value for you.

The reason I say that is every timeshare that is on points (DVC, MVC, HICV, HGVC, etc.) the sales agent is supposed to say something like this during a presentation: "While you may use your points for things like airfare, hotels and cars, the single best use of your points are for accommodations."

What typically happens is that if you use your points for a hotel stay and do the math for that hotel stay, you will find that it comes out too much more (considering what the buy-in/fees/maintenance for a timeshare is) than what it would have been had you just paid for the hotel yourself.

The main goal of points in timeshare is to be used for accommodations (read:villa) only. That is the greatest value.

 

[GusGusGirl]

Aubreysmom09, to answer your original question, we've stayed at both Harbour Lake and Grande Vista and like both. We prefer Harbour Lake slightly, mostly because our nephew (6yo) likes the pool. We're traveling to Orlando with family in June and we're booked for a stay at Grande Vista primarily because we wanted a 3-bedroom villa.

 

[aubreysmom09]

Aubreysmom09, to answer your original question, we've stayed at both Harbour Lake and Grande Vista and like both. We prefer Harbour Lake slightly, mostly because our nephew (6yo) likes the pool. We're traveling to Orlando with family in June and we're booked for a stay at Grande Vista primarily because we wanted a 3-bedroom villa.

Thanks. I was wondering about the pool for the DD. Are their any restaurants at Harbour Lake??

 

[GusGusGirl]

There's a place near the pool but we've never eaten there. There are lots of restaurants nearby, though.

 

[spiceycat]

It will be 4 adults and the one 4 year old. We will be staying in a 2 bedroom. I don't know which resort to stay at Grande Vista, Harbour Lake, or Cypress Harbour. We will have a car. Any suggestions I am trying to show my parents when they are here next week for DD birthday and Christmas.

with your choices would go with Cypress Harbour - then Harbour Lake - finally Grande Vista

that say Royal Palms and Sabal Palms are closer to WDW.

the 3 you listed are closer to Seaworld.

since you need the hotel points then you can't buy resale where you can save a ton of money.

own at 2 timeshares one got resale beach resort in panama city beach, fl - the other one is DVC.

BLT - since I love standard view north side with view of MK. that say with standard view not theme park view....

 

[spiceycat]

I used to sell timeshare in Florida for a very reputable company.

The good news is MVC is a good Club. Pricey, but a good Club. The thing is, DVC, HGVC, Holiday Inn, Diamond all have their pros/cons.

since you did not mention them- it might have been Wyndham or Westgate - both of which are know for their hard sell.....

love Marriott would have brought them back in the 90's if I could afford it - but decided to go with DVC.

could only afford one expensive timeshares - with DVC got more than my money worth.

a reputable timeshares would never make your maintence fees be more than what they would charge anyone for a week at your resort.

you might be surprised at how many timeshares do this to their owners....
one I looked at the price was nice - but when looked online for the price the resort itself was charging for that week - it was several hundred dollar less than their maintence fees - walk away time.

DVC does not - don't think Marriott does - now II and RCI do - except with DVC - for some reason they charged more (in some cases more than Disney charged) for DVC than their other timeshares.

so don't always count on RCI or II for the lowest price.

 

[JimMIA]

With any prospective timeshare purchase, I would certainly recommend checking the pros and cons of purchasing resale, rather from the developer. And get your information from an independent source, not a timeshare salesman.

You can often save big bucks buying resale, and in some cases can buy very good timeshare contracts on eBay literally for $1.

Tug, mentioned above, is a very good resource for that kind of information and also for general information on how the system works in the real world.

Marriott converted from fixed weeks to points a few years ago, so you'll hear a lot of complaints from longtime owners about that aspect. Take those complaints in the context of how the points system will work for you (including the points costs for non-timeshare options), rather than someone's distaste for the change.

The change might truly have adversely affected some longtime Marriott owners, but the system is what it is now and that is the timeshare system you will be dealing with.

 

[mieuxmew]

I have stayed at Grand Vista and Cypress Harbour. Since you have 4 adults and a small child you may want to think about available bedding in 2nd bedroom.

Cypress Harbour - resort is beautiful with nautical theme. All rooms are 2 bedrooms/ 2 baths w full kitchen and FULL size washer and dryer. The second bedroom is small with a queen bed and a pullout sofa bed. When you open the sofa bed, there is literally almost no room left. Living room is huge. Lots of kids activities. There is a Pizza Hut Express. Pools are beautiful. Nice kids playroom with a great variety of activities.

Grande Vista - Rooms are either studio lock-off, 1 bedroom, 2 bedroom or 3 bedrooms. 2nd bedroom of 2 bedroom may either be a lockoff with a King bed and a sofa bed. This room will have a kitchenette. Alternatively, there may be 2 queen beds or 2 full sized beds in the second bedroom. Washer/dryer is stackable. Full kitchen. There is a Kids Maze (indoor climbing area w/ slides like McDonalds). There is a small food court, pizza, bar/grillpoolside, and a restaurant, so more eating options. The resort is HUGE.

Love the kids activities at both. Both have a spa.

I have never stayed at Harbour Lake, but I understand there is a very nice outdoor water play area for kids, but rooms overall not as nice as the other two resorts.

Best of luck!

 

[aubreysmom09]

With any prospective timeshare purchase, I would certainly recommend checking the pros and cons of purchasing resale, rather from the developer. And get your information from an independent source, not a timeshare salesman.

You can often save big bucks buying resale, and in some cases can buy very good timeshare contracts on eBay literally for $1.

Tug, mentioned above, is a very good resource for that kind of information and also for general information on how the system works in the real world.

Marriott converted from fixed weeks to points a few years ago, so you'll hear a lot of complaints from longtime owners about that aspect. Take those complaints in the context of how the points system will work for you (including the points costs for non-timeshare options), rather than someone's distaste for the change.

The change might truly have adversely affected some longtime Marriott owners, but the system is what it is now and that is the timeshare system you will be dealing with.

We like the point system a lot, and it will work the best for us. I am going through Tug and reading. It seems the fixed week people have complaints. Fixed weeks have never worked for me. I use to own at the Wyndham Palms and sold when I got divorced.

 

[aubreysmom09]

I assume that DD will sleep in the sofa bed in the living room since my parents, and we will have our own room. We have some time still. We aren't going back to Orlando until the first week of December 2013.

 

[JimMIA]

We like the point system a lot, and it will work the best for us. ...It seems the fixed week people have complaints. Fixed weeks have never worked for me.

Yeah, that's exactly what I meant.

People often have legitimate complaints for them which are simply irrelevant for others. You always have to weigh the pro and con opinions on their applicability to your individual situation.

Actually, the angst of the Marriott weeks owners has undoubtedly created some real values available in the resale market.

Good luck and happy hunting!

 

[Danibelle]

I have never been a points owner. I own a week at Grande Vista and I recommend that resort for all ages. It is very close to SW and not far from WDW. The pools are great. There are some planned activities for kids and families. The furnishings in the units have mostly been renovated/upgraded. I have stayed there several times. The other years I have traded with II and have not had any problems so far.