Other Timeshares

[wendy774]

Was wondering how many out there own other timeshares in addition to there DVC, and why you bought, and how it compares. I saw how know is the time to buy a timeshare b/c of the economy, so I'm kinda interested. Just bought DVC, but would maybe like to also purchase another for other vacations.

Thanks

Wendy

 

[WelcomeHome]

Dear Wendy,

The thread entitled "Thank You Dean" (also on the Mousellaneous board right now) has some info regarding some DVC's member's experiences (including mine) with Marriott timeshares. You may want to take a look at it. Also, you can find some helpful info regarding various timeshares on TUG.

Best wishes,
Dave

 

[wendy774]

What is TUG?

 

[WelcomeHome]

TUG is Timeshares User's Group - the website is www.tug2.net - the site discusses all aspects of timeshares with individual boards by brand - Marriott, Hilton, Starwood, etc. They even have a small section about DVC, although it is nowhere near as elaborate and inclusive as the DISboards - but it's a good place to learn about other timeshares.

Best wishes,
Dave

 

[Dean]

Was wondering how many out there own other timeshares in addition to there DVC, and why you bought, and how it compares. I saw how know is the time to buy a timeshare b/c of the economy, so I'm kinda interested. Just bought DVC, but would maybe like to also purchase another for other vacations.

Thanks

Wendy

I'll second and third TUG but there are many other locations. I own mostly DVC, Marriott, Bluegreen and RCI points. I can trade with Interval Int, RCI and RCI points directly. All options serve a purpose but they fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. Now may be the best time to buy a timeshare, I just bought 3 in the last week or so and for prices I never though I'd see for these resorts/unit types. What's best depends on many factors that are personal to you and your situation including budget, preferences, flexibility, expectations, ability to plan, etc.

 

[JimC]

Own Marriott for non-Disney vacations. Own in Phoenix and Palm Desert as well as Cypress Harbour in Orlando.

Marriott delivers consistently high service and product. Use them regularly for hotel stays on business. MVCI is less flexible, in my view, then DVC. Really don't like the nuisance fees or lack of an internal trade system.

I bought the particular resorts primarily to use.

 

[Ed T]

We own a Hyatt at Hyatt Sunset Harbor, Key West Florida. We have used it for vacationing at Hyatt resorts around the country. Just returned from Puerto Rico about a month ago.

 

[Dean]

Own Marriott for non-Disney vacations. Own in Phoenix and Palm Desert as well as Cypress Harbour in Orlando.

Marriott delivers consistently high service and product. Use them regularly for hotel stays on business. MVCI is less flexible, in my view, then DVC. Really don't like the nuisance fees or lack of an internal trade system.

I bought the particular resorts primarily to use.

Usual other fees include:

• $29 change reservation
• $99 exchange to other Marriott's
• $75 lockoff fee

There isn't much else unless you bought retail and trade for reward points. There is an internal trade system but it is through II which means both an II membership fee of about $84 a year plus the $99 exchange fee (higher to non Marriott's). As a rule, their fees are cheaper to much cheaper than DVC for a comparable week. They are less flexible if you want to use for less than a week but actually much more flexible in many ways when it comes to exchanging. There is more variability in quality for some of the resorts than DVC but not that much.

 

[redrosesix]

We just bought our first off-site timeshare on Friday and are planning to buy into DVC at AKV. Like a pp said, they fit together like a puzzle. Our other timeshare had a very low buy-in price and for a 3-bdrm, it has much lower MF's. We'll be using it for the part of our vacation when we visit US and SW, as well as any shopping. We can also trade it for a beach location. With 3 bdrms, it's also big enough to invite extended family to stay with us, plus we can rent additional units from other owners. While at AKV, we'll be doing only WDW.

We plan on doing at least a 2 week vacation every year for the forseeable future, and the cost of doing all of that at AKV was just

Although we bought a floating week that we can use anytime and there is an option to split our week, as well as to check in Fri-Sun (most do not have all of those options), DVC is much more flexible eg. we can choose the number of nights and the size of units, as well as the banking and borrowing options. So we'll have to work our DVC nights around the time that we have booked at the other timeshare.

 

[maciec]

Where is the best place to buy a non DVC timeshare? Besides eBay is there a place to find them at rock bottom prices?

 

[Dean]

Where is the best place to buy a non DVC timeshare? Besides eBay is there a place to find them at rock bottom prices?

It depends on what you want. IMO there is no one best place to do so. When I was looking, I looked at many different sites and have a couple of contacts for specific things. TUG, redweeks, Ebay, bidshares are all great places to start.

 

[wendy774]

Dean which resorts did you buy at?

 

[Teachckg]

Own Marriott for non-Disney vacations. Own in Phoenix and Palm Desert as well as Cypress Harbour in Orlando.

Marriott delivers consistently high service and product. Use them regularly for hotel stays on business. MVCI is less flexible, in my view, then DVC. Really don't like the nuisance fees or lack of an internal trade system.

I bought the particular resorts primarily to use.

Does MVCI stand for the marriot timeshare?

 

[Dean]

Dean which resorts did you buy at?

Sorry, can't say too much until we get everything done. Give me 4-6 weeks min and I'll be happy to give you more details.

Does MVCI stand for the marriot timeshare?

Marriott Vacation Club International.

 

[littlestar]

Where is the best place to buy a non DVC timeshare? Besides eBay is there a place to find them at rock bottom prices?

We bought our current Marriott from Holiday Group:

http://www.holidaygroup.com/

I did months of research on Tug (timeshare users group) before I ever bought anything, though.

We bought a Marriott because I like their consistent quality and I trust their brand like I do Disney. Marriott also had resorts in lots of locations that I like to visit.

 

[bigsmooth]

We also own at Marriott in Kauai and love it. But we have not used it to go anywhere else other than our home resort. Our whole reason for timeshare was more around having enough space and going where we wanted to go vs prepay or trading, so we love the Marriott we bought into because all rooms at the resort were 2BR and the resort itself was very well maintained. They are not all like that as Dean can attest to (having all rooms be 2BR).

 

[WelcomeHome]

Here' a copy of my post from another thread detailing my Marriott experience:

I also purchased a Marriott (Aruba Ocean Club in 2007) with the help of Dean's excellent expertise and advise. While we absolutely LOVE our DVC, the addition of a Marriott significantly enhances our timeshare experience in areas where DVC could use some improvement for it's DVC owners.

Specifically, Marriott offers excellent advantages for exchanges to other resorts outside Disney. The high trading power of Marriott through Interval International offers higher quality exchange resorts and much better selection than DVC offers through RCI.

As I said before, I love my DVC for trips at Disney Vacation Club resorts, but for exchanges to places outside Disney, Marriott cannot be beat. We love the Marriott quality at the Aruba Ocean Club, plus we have already exchanged into the fabulous Royal Islander in Cancun this past February (before the swine flu scare) and last month I exchanged my 2010 use year Aruba Marriott for Freshwater Pointe Resort on the Gold Coast of Australia as a gift for my daughter's honeymoon in 2010!

We're SO pleased with the highly superior exchange capabilities at Marriott that we just purchased our 2nd Marriott at Marriott Manor Club in Williamburg - we'll be taking our first vacation there with family later this month! We already have an exchange request in for our 2010 year usage - we placed our exchange request for Marriott' Newport Coast Villas at Newport Beach in California (only 30 minute from Disneyland) Now I can get to visit Dineyland in the busy month of August without needing the 11 month window advantage enjoyed only by the limited few DVC ownerships available at Disney' Grand Californian Hotel.

So far this combination has provided us with fantastic vacations inside DVC and unsurpassed exchanges through Marriott (in addition to the unsurpassed quality of our 2 home resort at Marriott).

Best wishes,
David

 

[JimC]

Usual other fees include:

• $29 change reservation
• $99 exchange to other Marriott's
• $75 lockoff fee

There isn't much else unless you bought retail and trade for reward points. There is an internal trade system but it is through II which means both an II membership fee of about $84 a year plus the $99 exchange fee (higher to non Marriott's). As a rule, their fees are cheaper to much cheaper than DVC for a comparable week. They are less flexible if you want to use for less than a week but actually much more flexible in many ways when it comes to exchanging. There is more variability in quality for some of the resorts than DVC but not that much.

Generally agree with Dean's comments, except that I do not characterize the II priority window for Marriott as an effective internal trade system. But I quibble. The bottom line is that I like the Marriott system and in the whole feel they give good value. Like littlestar stated above -- it is a trusted brand, like DVC.

 

[Cee]

I own two weeks at Palm Beach Shores. It's an awesome place.

 

[bwvBound]

Was wondering how many out there own other timeshares in addition to there DVC, and why you bought, and how it compares. I saw how know is the time to buy a timeshare b/c of the economy, so I'm kinda interested. Just bought DVC, but would maybe like to also purchase another for other vacations.

Thanks
Wendy

Related threads:

• Do you own any other timeshare, Nov-07
• Do you own DVC along with other timeshare products?, Mar-09
• DVC vs OTHER timeshare, Jul-07
• How does DVC compare to "other" timeshare companies?, May-08
• Other Point Timeshares?, Feb-07
• Poll: How many DVC'ers own other timeshares?, Jul-04

Similar to other comments in this thread, our various timeshare products fit together like puzzle pieces. One for a wide selection of local "drive to" destinations, one for day-use, then a second for better day-use (LOL!), two for trading, and DVC for "on property" Disney stays. It is hard to complete a direct "blow by blow" comparison between them as each has unique characteristics/benefits. In general, my local properties are better geared for weekend getaways and social opportunities -- but nothing beats DVC for "rightsizing" my visits to Disney.