What other timeshare do you like?

[DISNEY FIX]

We will never sell our DVC!
If looking to use another timeshare for non Disney travel...what have you guys experienced and liked. How do you like your ownership? What brand?
Ty just looking into the future!

 

[CarolynFH]

Our family owns in the Wyndham TS group, and they’re fine. But if I were buying today, I’d look at Marriott. I think that overall, their resorts are nicer.

If you’re really interested in exploring other systems, join the Timeshare Users Group and read their forums at tugbbs.com, especially the section on Timeshare Resort Systems.

 

[hhisc16]

Grandfather owns marriott and we have stayed at them on hhi.
The ones on hhi are nice, but not sure about other places.

 

[Moonspinner]

Marriot

 

[cruisehopeful]

I used to have Hilton and Worldmark. Worldmark has tons of locations and is a point based system like DVC. The downside is that they are more apartment type living without any hotel services and lower quality overall. The amount of locations made it very nice, though.

I can barely remember my Hilton use because I mostly used my home resort, but I think it was point based, also. I was able to trade in the system for Hawaii and Vegas. I *think* it had a minimum stay of 3 nights, but I could be wrong. It gave very low cash night rates for my home resort. I liked it because it had slight hotel type things (onsite restaurant, etc). Downside was a very heavy push for an owner's update (sales push) anytime we stayed there.

 

[Brian Noble]

If you’re really interested in exploring other systems, join the Timeshare Users Group and read their forums at tugbbs.com, especially the section on Timeshare Resort Systems.

This.

First, a timeshare might not be the right answer for your "other" travel. Second, if it is, the right fit is going to be entirely dependent on what you are looking for and what matters to you.

 

[zackiedawg]

Despite being a DVC owner since 1996, I really have no interest in time share. The only reason DVC tempted me is because of how often my family and I were at Disney World each year - it was the only one that made financial sense in that we could definitely get our money's worth even with the buy-in and dues. I never considered any other time share. I've actually never used my DVC for anything other than Disney World either - I do a lot of cruising (not Disney) and travel to other places, but never looked into using my DVC points for that, because I pretty much use them all up every year with my 4 or 5 stays at Disney World.

My boss has been in RCI for at least 20 years - and he likes it - admittedly his purchase reason was similar to mine - he goes to Hawaii often and the resort they like to stay in on Kauai was part of RCI - so that was the primary reason he purchased it. He has used it on occasion in other parts of the world, and even at Disney (Bonnet Creek is part of that one), but a vast majority of his RCI usage is in Hawaii.

 

[VGCgroupie]

All my TS eggs are in Disneys basket and I don't see myself ever buying into any other.

Or is it all the TS eggs in my basket are Disney

 

[808blessing]

I went to a Wyndham presentation after staying on a friend's points nearly 2 decades ago. We bought after staying all day with high pressure indecision & then immediately rescinded. That's the only experience we had.

 

[VGCgroupie]

I went to a Wyndham presentation after staying on a friend's points nearly 2 decades ago. We bought after staying all day with high pressure indecision & then immediately rescinded. That's the only experience we had.

I had the Hilton TS people call me and it was so high pressure by phone I cant imagine in person. With DVC I had to seek them out and pressure them to let me buy it felt like

 

[atthebeachclub]

The timeshare folks at the Wisconsin Dells are crazy high pressure. Just to get my room key to stay at the hotel they make you come to their desk. I had to tell them multiple times we weren’t interested just to get my hotel key.

I am not sure if I’d buy a timeshare other than Disney. I definitely wouldn’t buy one directly other than Disney.

 

[atthebeachclub]

With DVC I had to seek them out and pressure them to let me buy it felt like

I feel the same! Not that I’m complaining; I think that is best for the consumer.

 

[FFMickey]

The In-laws have Wyndham and Capital Resorts and the accommodations are okay. We went to a sales pitch once for Wyndham and never again. Didn't respect our timeframe and tried to string us along. We'll stick with DVC, definitely won't buy or go to another sales pitch for any other TS because of that experience.

 

[Miffy]

OP, before purchasing any timeshare other than DVC, make sure you do a TON of research. A friend and her DH own a timeshare at a place in FL (sorry, I've forgotten the name) that they purchased because he likes to golf there.

A couple of years ago they wanted to get rid of it, but guess what? It's worthless as a resale. Literally. You'd have to find someone to give it to and if you were upfront about it, you'd also have to tell them that the contract has no expiration date and they'll be stuck with it forever. The only way to get rid of this particular timeshare is to pay the timeshare company to take it back--and that works only if they will take it back. At the time, the fee was $1,500 to give it back. Better than having to pay dues on it in perpetuity but they gave up and decided to keep it.

And . . . every single time they stay there there is enormous pressure to purchase more more of it.

That is not the only timeshare that has this problem. So be very very careful. DVC is another thing altogether, so dissimilar from other timeshares that it should almost be called something else.

 

[Lumpy1106]

One of the best things about DVC is its robust resale market. If you want or need to sell, you can do that relatively easily. I think that, more than anything, gives legitimacy to the product. It's not the "timeshare trap" that so many complain about when it comes to timeshares.

Reason I say all of that, my FIL owned Marriott for years and he was able to resell that one when he just wasn't using it anymore. Not as easily, or for as much value as our DVC, but still used it for years and was able to get some value out of it.

Do your research - if you can't verify its resalability, I would steer far clear of any other timeshare.

 

[muppets3d]

My in-laws own Blugreen and they like it. We've stayed with them several times and the resorts are usually pretty nice. Obviously they have resorts in more places than Disney. Not all of them were built by Bluegreen so quality varies unlike with DVC where I feel like all the resorts are pretty equal in terms of quality. They get a lot of value out of their Bluegreen ownership, they love it. Eventually we will inherit it I suppose, we'll see what to do with it when that time comes.

 

[Lumpy1106]

One of the best things about DVC is its robust resale market. If you want or need to sell, you can do that relatively easily. I think that, more than anything, gives legitimacy to the product. It's not the "timeshare trap" that so many complain about when it comes to timeshares.

Reason I say all of that, my FIL owned Marriott for years and he was able to resell that one when he just wasn't using it anymore. Not as easily, or for as much value as our DVC, but still used it for years and was able to get some value out of it.

Do your research - if you can't verify its resalability, I would steer far clear of any other timeshare.

Just to add some detail, my FIL owned Marriott and used it almost exclusively to stay at Newport Coast. I just happen to do the structural engineering on the buildings. It was a good project, but IMHO the furnishings could be better quality. The dishwashers are terribly loud and the ceiling fans were noticeably low quality. I never understood why - it's literally the first thing you see when you wake up - why cheap out on that? The views are to die for and the property itself is very nice. It's about a 30-45 minute drive to DL from there.

 

[Genie+]

The only reason DVC tempted me is because of how often my family and I were at Disney World each year

Same for us.

My concern with other timeshares is possibly forcing more work for our vacation planning. Say we are planning 4 destinations in the next 2 or 3 years. Instead of just looking at options for each individually as the booking windows open, I’d need to research and plan them all to figure out which ones make best use of our timeshare. Then possibly have them harass me when I arrive for more sales

Maybe I’m overthinking it but we’ve had good luck booking lovely places to stay at all cost levels. I feel like a huge network of timeshare digs would saddle me with a never ending leaning curve. Not to mention potential exit troubles. Not worth the tradeoff for me. I enjoy the flexibility of looking at the best deals for places we are interested, and not being forced to choose any.