Sunterra points lower than DVC for DVC Resorts???

[Queenofthecastle]

Hi everyone,

We've put down a deposit for DVC last week and it's almost time to make the final decision. We decided to look around at some other timeshares with point systems before we take the plunge.

We have no experience with timeshares at all and am hoping some of you knowledgable DISers can help. We called up Sunterra to compare and in a nutshell they told us that

1) Sunterra points cost $30-$35 per point right now
2) It takes less points to stay at a DVC resort through Sunterra than it does through DVC! An example they gave us is a GV room for 145 points and that is any season.........???
3) They can book DVC resorts 1 year in advance instead of the 11/7 months.

Details are still sketchy regarding issues like banking/borrowing/resale value, etc. , but we were wondering why there is such a large discrepency. One would think that DVC would give the best value for their own resorts. Does anyone have any experience with Sunterra or can confirm the information they have given us?

Thank you all for any advice.

Q

 

[disneydiz]

I have no experience/knowledge of Sunterra. However, it is very, very difficult to trade into Disney. I have friends with prime Marriott properties that have not been able to trade, other than maybe an off-time period. GVs are very hard to get, so its hard to believe that you would be able to easily trade into.

 

[TnRobin]

First off, you can not compare one timeshare point system to another timeshare points system. Its like apples and oranges.

Second, keep in mind that SunTerra can only get a DVC room if and only if a DVC member decides to trade out. You are far less likely to get a DVC room through Sunterra.

But that being said, you are doing the right thing in checkking out all your options. You need to find the timeshare that fits your family. That may be DVC or that may be Sunterra

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Perhaps it may be cheaper IF there is a DVC room available at the time and place you want it (BIG IF).

Booking a year in adavce vs 11 months?
I hope you were wearing your boots when they were shoveling that line.

If you want to stay at DVC most of the time, I think you would be very disappointed buying a different timeshare.

MG

 

[CarolMN]

I agree with TnRobin.

Ask the Sunterra salesperson to tell you exactly how many Sunterra owners actually received a trade into DVC last year. I'm betting the number is very, very small - mostly because I don't think Sunterra has enough "trade power" to get a DVC trade as there would be too many "higher value" resort owners ahead of them!

JMHO. YMMV.


P.S. to MG - Since we can confirm an exchange via II up to 2 years in advance, I don't see the Sunterra 1 year booking assertion to be incorrect. It is possible, albeit not probable.

 

[PamOKW]

I agree that you are smart to research your options. I know DVC but I'm not that familiar with how other timeshares work. However, from these boards I've learned that if your primary goal is to have a timeshare that you will trade out often to visit places other than Disneyworld, then DVC may not be the best choice. If you want to be able to stay at DVC resorts when you visit WDW and you plan to do that on a regular basis, DVC is for you.

It may be true that Sunterra can trade into DVC (I'm not even sure on that point). And it may very well be true that they can do it a year ahead. What they didn't tell you is that you probably need to give them a year or more to secure the trade for you. You won't be able to make a decision to visit with 7 months notice and certainly not with only a month or two. You also will probably have to accept any of the DVC resorts without having much say in which one you are going to stay at.

During the time you own a Sunterra contract, you may be able to make a trade into DVC. However, I wouldn't count on being able to do that on a yearly basis.

As mentioned, you can't really compare the "points" of different companies on a "one to one" basis. It's like comparing US Dollars and Canadian Dollars -- two different systems.

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

Hi Queen -- Don't know much about Sunterra but have read several posts from DVC owners that have been very disappointed about being unable to secure ressies for a GV. I second the opinions of previous posters that it would be very unlikely to trade into DVC (especially for a GV).

Also wanted to say "hello" from Vancouver, WA. We just bought a resale @ OKW a few months ago and are beginning to suspect there are more PDX'ers on this board than we realized!

Good luck with your decision!!!

 

[Peterd]

About a year and a half ago, we planned our trip for the BW with my in laws. I asked a few if they wanted me to get them rooms, they all said yes except for one who had just bought the non DVC points and was told they could trade into Disney a year in advance. They were told the earlier they requested, the better the chance was. They were even told they could get the GV, but might have to settle for a two bedroom. I told them I seriously doubted that they could, and if they did, they would be lucky, and probably be in OKW. So 18 months out, they put in the request.

At the eleven month window, I reserved everyone's rooms and a room for the non-believers without telling them. The eleven months went by, with them calling daily, and no rooms were available. I even showed them how they were available by calling DVC with them in the room, but they were not available to non-DVC point holders. I guess It just depends if someone trades out of Disney, and that waitlist must be so long, that you seldom here of someone being successful trading in.

As for Sunterra, a few years back, there stocks dropped down from about 25$ to 10 cents a share. A few of my friends bought the stocks, and some when they went up to about six bucks sold and made a bundle. Others, me included didn't sell.
They later filed bankruptcy, killed all of their stocks making them worthless, and started selling new stock. I would be careful with Sunterra.

 

[chainkid]

First of all, take with a grain of salt what a salesmen says when selling a timeshare. I would be very surprised if you could trade into DVC that easily and in fact we hear all the time how people have been waiting and can't trade. Getting a grandvilla is almost laughable considering how hard it is for members of our own resort to get them without calling day to day at the 11 month window. My boss told me years ago that he had the same ability to trade into BWV from his Interval International timeshare red weeks that I had. I told him try it and three years later he only once was offered OKW and that was after several requests. I'm sure there are success stories but I wouldn't fall for it.

 

[FLYNZ4]

II exchanges are only available when someone who owns Disney decides to trade into some other property.

It is true that IF you can ever get a trade... it would usually be cheaper for a non-DVC member. This is because you are not exchanging dollars... instead your are trading weeks.

Disney is about the most valuable T/S in the industry... but once we deposit it... whoever happens to be the lucky soul who books our unit in exchange for their own... probably makes out. That is because their unit is probably much less expensive than DVC.

I am in the same location as you (Portland/Beaverton)... and I own a lot of WorldMark points because it is great for travel in this area. I can get trades into DVC... at an even cheaper price than Sunterra... and WM has higher trading power than Sunterra. However, I am buying 450 SSR points because we like to visit WDW and this is the only reliable way to do it.

If you want to visit Disney... buy DVC. I would not recommend buying DVC to trade for other properties... because DVC is too valuable to use for trades (at least for me).

/Jim

 

[PamOKW]

A few years back I met a fellow member at OKW -- she worked for II but bought at OKW because she wanted to be able to have her vacations there. She said she could travel to any of the II properties for free but that OKW was the best. (This was when OKW was still the only on-site DVC).

 

[dianeschlicht]

Originally posted by Peterd
About a year and a half ago, we planned our trip for the BW with my in laws. I asked a few if they wanted me to get them rooms, they all said yes except for one who had just bought the non DVC points and was told they could trade into Disney a year in advance. They were told the earlier they requested, the better the chance was. They were even told they could get the GV, but might have to settle for a two bedroom. I told them I seriously doubted that they could, and if they did, they would be lucky, and probably be in OKW. So 18 months out, they put in the request.

At the eleven month window, I reserved everyone's rooms and a room for the non-believers without telling them. The eleven months went by, with them calling daily, and no rooms were available. I even showed them how they were available by calling DVC with them in the room, but they were not available to non-DVC point holders. I guess It just depends if someone trades out of Disney, and that waitlist must be so long, that you seldom here of someone being successful trading in.

As for Sunterra, a few years back, there stocks dropped down from about 25$ to 10 cents a share. A few of my friends bought the stocks, and some when they went up to about six bucks sold and made a bundle. Others, me included didn't sell.
They later filed bankruptcy, killed all of their stocks making them worthless, and started selling new stock. I would be careful with Sunterra.

That is interesting!

We too looked into other timeshares before we purchased DVC, but we had been warned by our guide at how difficult it is to trade into DVC. When we mentioned this to the other timeshares that we visited, some said it would be "no problem" and others agreed it would be difficult. BTW, the "no problem" guys were the ones we decided early on we wouldn't buy from because they seemed to have such questionable sales tactics.

Fast forward to last year, when we did another in state timeshare presentation. When they found out we owned DVC, they hardly pushed us at all, and even told us they couldn't compare their program to what we already had. They knew we were only interested in buying another timeshare for exchanges.

 

[all5ofus]

Do you know how to tell if a timeshare salesman is lying? ... His lips are moving.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Gee, I can't find it now, but when I first bought into DVC I read the POS and other documentation fairly carefully. I remember calling Quality Assurance about what I had read about others being able to trade into DVC. I do remember that it is theoretically possible for others to trade in before the 11 month window, simply because they could book 11 months from the check in vs check out. The gentleman from the QA went onto say it has never happened that way, and as a matter of practicality DVC never releases inventory nearly that early.

Bottom line... possible, but pigs will likely fly first.

MG

 

[JLS]

I agree with everything that has been said - if you want to go to Disney every year or even every other year and stay on site, do not buy Sunterra for that purpose or you will end up very disappointed. If you want to primarily use your timeshare for trades and you would not mind staying at Sunterra's Orlando location when you go to Disney, then it is a much less expensive option and may be the right one for you.

I will give this advice - if you are buying Sunterra, MAKE SURE YOU BUY RESALE. You will get ripped off if you buy from the developer salesmen.

You might also want to look into Fairfield points (resale, of course!). They have a new property that is practically "on site" and their other Orlando properties are very nice too - nicer than Sunterra.

 

[ear_poppin]

Have a little read of this thread about Sunterra and their figurework !!!! Sometimes things seem too good to be true ...and usually they are !!! Good luck with your decision

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=576547

 

[Joe T.]

Two years after buying DVC, we purchased at Marriott's Grande Vista. Our hope was to trade into DVC for large groups and/or extended stays. In 7 years, we have been unable to trade in. One time the II rep offered us anytime anywhere for our DVC week.

Also, a not always enforced rule in II is that a trade cannot be made within certain geographic areas -- Orlando, for example. Small print in the back of the II Directory. I don't know if RCI has the same restriction.

My suggestion is to buy DVC if you expect to visit WDW at least every other year. The banking and borrowing feature gives a lot of flexibilty, and you are assured of being about to trade for quality resorts.

 

[laceemouse]

We own a TS which my mom actually bought several years ago and gave to us a few years ago. It is Sunterra Powhatan Plantation in Williamsburg (we are going there in a few weeks, YEAH.) We trade through RCI and have stayed at several Sunterra properties. They have all been fine, nothing fancy but clean and spacious. We are happy with RCI and have had many great vacations. However, when we go to Disney we want to be on site so we bought DVC a year ago. Having both works well for us. We do one RCI trip each year, and go to WDW through DVC every 12 to 18 months (we only have 160 points at this time.) I would buy DVC if Disney is your main vacation destination, maybe look at another TS resale if you want variety. I know Sunterra went through bankruptcy a couple of years back, but we have not had any trouble trading our unit, which is at a pretty nice resort, through RCI. It works for our family of 6. Once we started staying in condos with kitchens, w/d, all that space, ect., we could not see ourselves going back to 2 hotel rooms when we travel. Good luck in your decision...Lacee

 

[chuckg0413]

I own at DVC and in the Grand Caymans, my advice:

1. Forget about what the salesman says about trades, especially about trading your timeshare in Nowhereville, for a stay in the Carib, WDW, Hawaii, or any other 'top' spot, it does happen, but not often.

2. If you must buy, buy resale, (even DVC). The price is usually half what first sale is (except DVC).

3. Don't buy for an 'investment' unless you really like losing money, (see #2)

4. Don't buy unless you really want to stay there. (see #1)

5. Don't buy unless your week(s) float.

6. Make sure you can afford to get there. Our place in Grand Cayman is great, but air fare usually runs 1200.00+ for two of us. (that is why the people we bought from sold).

just my 0.02

Chuck