Philadelphia Inquirer compares Florida time shares

[eliza61]

Hey fellow dvc'ers, In the travel section of Sundays Philadelphia's Inquirer there is a "buying guide" to hotel branded time share properties. Guess what DVC kicked bootie... OK maybe not kicked butt, but we did looked good.
They compared us to: Wyndham Bonnet Creek resort, Hyatt Coconut Plantation, Sheraton Vistana Villages, Marriot's grande vista resort an Hilton Grand vacations club. They used Saratoga Springs for Disney.

We definitely got the best BBB rating. We were rated satisfactory, every one else rated unsatisfactory or worse. (this surprised me with the number of complaints on the boards). We also had the lowest exchange fee and the highest Cost efficiency of all the others.
They also compared:
Minimum buy in
What the points get you
Exchange for property in same company
Exchanging for property outside club
cost efficieny
Legalities ?
BBB rating.
Exchanging for another property.

 

[dtheboys]

Great information.....do you know if the article can be read on line? Does your paper have a site? If so, could you send us a link...
Thanks for the information........

 

[eliza61]

They do have a on line site. www.philly.com. dlick on the link to the Inquirer then click on travel. You'll have to wait until tomorrow's edition though. The travel section is an insert to the Sunday edition. I got it a day early because we get home delivery, unfortunately they don't post it on line until the actual article date.

 

[dtheboys]

THANK YOU!!

 

[franco]

That's great to know. Now I have a reason to buy the paper tomorrow.


Franco

 

[BroganMc]

They compared us to: Wyndham Bonnet Creek resort, Hyatt Coconut Plantation, Sheraton Vistana Villages, Marriot's grande vista resort an Hilton Grand vacations club. They used Saratoga Springs for Disney.

We definitely got the best BBB rating. We were rated satisfactory, every one else rated unsatisfactory or worse.

That's very interesting indeed. Since I own both Marriott's Grande Vista and Disney's Saratoga Springs (and constantly compare them), I'm surprised one would do better than another. Or rather that Disney would outclass Marriott.

Marriott is both cheaper to own, maintain and much easier to trade out with far more availability. True, they have an exchange fee, but that seems like a pittance in comparison.

In truth, buying SSR came down to a way to supplement my offsite visits with the onsite experience. Free transportation was the ruling factor for me.

 

[Melrosgirl]

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/travel/20070318_As_Time-Shares_Go_By.html

 

[BlakeNJ]

This article sounds strangely familiar. Is this a re-print of another timeshare article I recall reading a few months back?? Anyone remember???

 

[dtheboys]

THANKS.....Just brought up the article today.....FUN reading...Thanks for the information...

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

This article sounds strangely familiar. Is this a re-print of another timeshare article I recall reading a few months back?? Anyone remember???

Sign Here, by Carol Sottili, Washington Post Staff Writer, Sunday, December 17, 2006

 

[dwelty]

Yep, it's the exact same story, The Philidelphia Enquirer probably bought it from the Associated press or one of the other agencies. They do this when they need filler for the paper.

 

[JimC]

This information is available to anyone anytime. It is a BBB search. What I like is DVC has been a BBB member since their inception and they have a satsifactory record. DVC's BBB of Central Florida report as of yesterday is below.

FYI we did a BBB search and broker license search (Florida License Portal) on The Timeshare Store before doing business with them. They are also a member with a clean record and clean broker's license.

BBB Membership
This company has been a member of this Better Business Bureau since December 1991. This means it supports the Bureau's services to the public and meets our membership standards.

Nature of Business
This company offers sale of vacation ownership resorts.

Customer Experience
Based on BBB files, this company has a satisfactory record with the Bureau. Any complaints processed by the Bureau in its three-year reporting period have been resolved. The number and type of complaints are not unusual for a company in this industry.

To have a "Satisfactory Record" with the Bureau, a company must be in business for at least 12 months, properly and promptly address matters referred to it by the Bureau, and be free from an unusual volume or pattern of complaints and law enforcement action involving its marketplace conduct. In addition, the Bureau must have a clear understanding of the company's business and no concerns about its industry.

Customer Complaint Data
The company's size, volume of business and number of transactions may have a bearing on the number of complaints received by the BBB. The complaints filed against a company may not be as important as the type of complaints, and how the company has handled them. The BBB generally does not pass judgement on the validity of complaints filed.

Number of complaints processed by the BBB over the last 36 months: 3

Number of complaints processed by the BBB in the last 12 months: 2

Complaints Concerned:
Advertising Issues (1 complaints)
1 Resolved

Delivery Issues (2 complaints)
2 Company made every reasonable effort to resolve


Licensing Information
This company is in an industry that may require licensing, bonding or registration in order to lawfully do business. The Bureau encourages you to check with the appropriate agency to be certain any requirements are currently being met.

Educational/General Comments
When booking hotel/motel accommodations always inquire as to the policies concerning age requirements, pets, non-smoking rooms and/or provisions for persons with disabilities. Also make sure you fully understand their cancellation and refund policy and have a copy of the same in writing prior to committing to a room guarantee. Inquire as to check-in times and check-out times and know the difference between an ocean view and oceanfront room. Upon arriving at your destination, request to examine your room prior to check-in to make sure the accommodations meet your expectations. Immediately report any damage or missing items to the manager. Ask what charges or surcharges, if any, are applied to telephone usage. In the final analysis, a consumer must remember that you usually get what you pay for and the lowest rates are not always the best accommodations. It is the responsibility of the consumer to fully understand what they are signing for and paying for prior to making any buying decision.