How does a timeshare save me money?

[shifty1981]

:hysterical: :hysterical: :hysterical: Our SUV (?!?) is not big enough???
Yeah, I think you'll find TS's will be much better for you if you can't manage to survive in an SUV with just one baby!! - and, yes, I do know how much "stuff" seems to be needed w/children.

Trust me, I have 2 DD's and have traveled with them since they were babies - both by plane and long car trips. While we did upgrade from a small sedan to a larger Audi All-Road due to leg room in the back when children were sitting in carseats, (about the time my youngest was 1 1/2 or 2) I have refused to go the SUV or mini-van route, even though we find ourselves needing to carpool often. I find that you don't really need all that stuff - people didn't have it when we were little and survived just fine. Getting a small fold-up umbrella stroller (maybe 10-20 bucks used) for travelling will save a lot of space and effort. Lots of things can become makeshift toys (yes, safe ones) socks can be puppets, etc. I think diapers are the only real space hogs we ever had trouble with. Much better to pack your own when traveling to save time, money and inconvenience.

Anyway, hope you are enjoying your trip!

we'll learn how to save space I'm sure. We have a Rav4 and we'll learn how many clothes to bring, what supplies, etc. we brought a ton of food that we had just bought at grocery store since we didn't know we'd be going on vacation. plus there's golf clubs, etc. we could have rented a pack and play, brought smaller stroller, and bought stuff here but we figured we'd save money by not doing all that. the RAV4 has more space, but not a ton more than a wagon. it's more about leg room, and snow weather mobility. live and learn!

 

[rickandcindy23]

So glad it's such a nice place for your first timeshare experience. Trading into Smuggler's Notch for the prime summer dates is pretty tough, so I assumed it's a very nice place. Getting a week before their summer activities kick off is pretty easy.

 

[1950bing]

"bruce-isms" , now I like that !

 

[geekette]

But take that a step further? That week also cost you MF, taxes, cleaning fee, etc. Do they frown if you want that part too? To me the whole thing seems to hinge on whether you are really friends or relatives. But I would not want my sister being interrogated about how she actually knows me, nor having to prove her relationship to me. I am friends with people who HATE conflict and if they were 20-question-ed into proving they're friends with me that would not be good.

can't see it happening. no one has ever questioned any friends or family that I've sent on trips. I think the resort generally doesn't care, and know enuf from the reservation type.

 

[John Cummings]

...Apparently SFX has some interesting ways of getting properties and from Smuggs perspective I came through RCI. She did assure me that there's no issues though and updated my address with my real one. Not sure if this information is helpful to anyone. If you have insights, please do share.

Yes, SFX has many ways that they get weeks. They are proactive in that they actually look to find the week you requested from different sources. RCI/II are passive in that they just rely on members depositing their weeks. Many people that criticize SFX just don't understand the system as it is different.

 

[shifty1981]

Do you know of was to peruse weeks available before depositing a week with them? Also, can you reclaim your home resort week if it hasn't been snagged, if you look at the availabilities and decide there's nothing you want to exchange to?

Yes, SFX has many ways that they get weeks. They are proactive in that they actually look to find the week you requested from different sources. RCI/II are passive in that they just rely on members depositing their weeks. Many people that criticize SFX just don't understand the system as it is different.

 

[DeniseM]

Do you know of was to peruse weeks available before depositing a week with them?

No - because what's available as online inventory is the "leftovers" and no one knows what is available and traded behind the scenes. Even current owners don't know, except by experience. The best way to find out about trading power is to ask on TUG about specific resorts/seasons/units.

Also, can you reclaim your home resort week if it hasn't been snagged, if you look at the availabilities and decide there's nothing you want to exchange to?

It depends on the resort - with II, some resorts have "request first" in which you can hold a confirmed reservation at your home resort, which you don't relinquish unless you get the exchange you requested. That way if the exchange doesn't come through, you can fall back on your reservation - but that is not available in all cases. Starwood just eliminated it, and there are some other systems that don't offer it either.

But if you make a full deposit - the week is no longer yours.

 

[bankr63]

Amazingly we realized something as new parents: Our SUV is not big enough for my daughter's things: stroller, toys, baby supplies, etc. So we used the savings from the hotel deal to get a THULE. Can't believe how much those things can hold. That should last us a very long time.

LOL - I am so there! When we first packed our newborn DD for the first trip to Gramma's, we realized that we couldn't fit everything into an '89 Pathfinder. Problem was load floor to top of back seat = 18"; only a single layer of "stuff" without risk of falling on baby. About 2 weeks later the Path was replaced by the first of a string of minivans.

Now that kids are older and towing capacity is king for the trailer, we are back into SUV territory. BUt SUV is overrated for winter. Have had less problems with the vans in snow (6' in March a couple of years ago!), just as long as you use snow tires. 4/AWD only gets you about 4' further into trouble. But I guess that advice is a bit off topic here...

M Ross.

 

[RedDogSD]

I for one, am very intrigued by John's comments on SFX. I have used them before, but only to get 2 units in San Francisco so that was a no-brainer.

However, if my goal is to stay at top dog resorts like Marriott, Westin, Sheraton, etc, will I be better off using II or SFX? If SFX can really go out and get the inventory that I want, it might be worth trying, but if I want Ko'Olina and other things that are hard to get, and are usually dropped into II, can SFX can them?

 

[shifty1981]

Thanks for the tips. Yeah our SUV came with the tow package so we imagine towing smaller trailers again. But for now, the THULE will do just fine.

LOL - I am so there! When we first packed our newborn DD for the first trip to Gramma's, we realized that we couldn't fit everything into an '89 Pathfinder. Problem was load floor to top of back seat = 18"; only a single layer of "stuff" without risk of falling on baby. About 2 weeks later the Path was replaced by the first of a string of minivans.

Now that kids are older and towing capacity is king for the trailer, we are back into SUV territory. BUt SUV is overrated for winter. Have had less problems with the vans in snow (6' in March a couple of years ago!), just as long as you use snow tires. 4/AWD only gets you about 4' further into trouble. But I guess that advice is a bit off topic here...

M Ross.

 

[DeniseM]

However, if my goal is to stay at top dog resorts like Marriott, Westin, Sheraton, etc, will I be better off using II or SFX?

Since Starwood (Westin & Sheraton) and Marriott are not affiliated with SFX, SFX gets very few deposits from them. The vast majority of their deposits go to II. I don't know about Marriott, but I know that SFX can not go directly to Starwood and request a deposit from them, to fill a request. Starwood actively discourages owners from using outside exchange companies.

Also, since Starwood and Marriott owners get first dibs on any deposits from their own system, the best way to get an exchange for Marriott or Starwood is to deposit a Marriott or Starwood timeshare.

In other words, when a Marriott/Starwood deposit is made with II, all requests from Marriott/Starwood owners would be filled, before non-Marriott/Starwood owners got a shot at the deposit.

 

[John Cummings]

Do you know of was to peruse weeks available before depositing a week with them? Also, can you reclaim your home resort week if it hasn't been snagged, if you look at the availabilities and decide there's nothing you want to exchange to?

They do not have an on-line search capability. It doesn't fit their model which is to pro-actively acquire your request whether it be from inventory, developer's weeks, trading with RCI, etc. You can always call one of their agents who can tell you what is available and/or what your chances are of getting what you want. I deal with 2 different ones that are both excellent.

The answer to your second question is generally no. This is true with all exchange companies. When you deposit your week, it belongs to the exchange company. However, you can do a "request first with SFX" that doesn't require you to deposit your week until they match your request. The downside to this is members who have already deposited their weeks will get priority if you are both requesting the same thing.

 

[John Cummings]

I for one, am very intrigued by John's comments on SFX. I have used them before, but only to get 2 units in San Francisco so that was a no-brainer.

However, if my goal is to stay at top dog resorts like Marriott, Westin, Sheraton, etc, will I be better off using II or SFX? If SFX can really go out and get the inventory that I want, it might be worth trying, but if I want Ko'Olina and other things that are hard to get, and are usually dropped into II, can SFX can them?

There are no guarantees that SFX or any exchange company can always get what you want. I was offered Ko'Olina by SFX for our Hawaii trip this April. I turned it down because we wanted to be right at Waikiki Beach so we stayed at the Wyndham Waikiki Beachwalk. The Marriott at Ko'Olina is in their directory. However their directory is just a sample of what resorts they exchange into on a regular basis.

I have always gotten what I requested which included Marriott, HGVC, Grand Mayan, and several others. I can only relate my experience as there is no guarantee that it works for everybody all the time. As I said, this is true of any exchange company.

 

[BlindBat]

$300 isn't a set budget for us, just closer to what we've been paying for hotels. We can afford more, but I'm trying to see how TSing can save $$. Trust me I'd probably convince my wife to pay $452 for a week at Tahoe.

As for exchanging, for now that is our strategy. There's too much of a beautiful world to see for us to consider the same place over and over. That's part of the reason we considered buying a TS in Vegas, because of it's buying power year after year. Maybe someday we'll want consistency. Right now we want new places.

Just a heads up on that one:

Lie #3276 that your timeshare salesperson will tell you is " You should buy at (insert name of resort here) because it has the best trading value".

This is a slippery slope and I have some insider knowledge on this one so hear me out:

- While it may sound reasonable to say a location like Orlando has great trade value seeing as it is near one of the worlds great attractions - The reality is that there are tens of thousands of TS units in Orlando thus diluting the value. The verdict is that Orlando is a lousy place to own if you want to trade.

- Vegas is a different story. The reason that trade value in Vegas sucks is twofold. First of all who ever pays for a hotel room there? (I am only a moderate gambler and I have the resorts falling all over themselves to get me to stay with them for free) and the people who do pay usually spend anywhere from $35 for a moderate strip hotel up to $100 for a great one. The second reason is.... a show of hands for anyone who stays for a full week in Vegas?..... see? Hawaii, Mexico, Ski country.. these are places people go for a week or two. The Vegas visitors bureau will tell you their average stay is 2.5 days.

Sorry to lecture but, as others have mentioned, don't buy to trade and if you do, pick wisely and it isn't Vegas.

 

[shifty1981]

BlindBat,

Thank you for your note. While others did dispel this notion that buying purely for exchanging purposes, and that buying in area with tons of TS inventory (Orlando and Las Vegas) is not a wise strategy, no one to date has provided those Las Vegas tips that you did. I for one can attest to those cheap hotel rates. We paid exactly $35/night for 3 nights plus were given a $50 gas card which we sold to a guy at the gas station for $40. And yep, we were about average for stay time. I never really thought about that. People either lose their money or win enough and quit, so why stay a week? Is there really that much to do for a week in Las Vegas? Great points!

One question for you: by "insider information" did you just mean you've been doing TS related stuff for a while or that you used to sell for them and have some experience in their tactics? If the latter, what are some other great tips?!?

Just a heads up on that one:

Lie #3276 that your timeshare salesperson will tell you is " You should buy at (insert name of resort here) because it has the best trading value".

This is a slippery slope and I have some insider knowledge on this one so hear me out:

- While it may sound reasonable to say a location like Orlando has great trade value seeing as it is near one of the worlds great attractions - The reality is that there are tens of thousands of TS units in Orlando thus diluting the value. The verdict is that Orlando is a lousy place to own if you want to trade.

- Vegas is a different story. The reason that trade value in Vegas sucks is twofold. First of all who ever pays for a hotel room there? (I am only a moderate gambler and I have the resorts falling all over themselves to get me to stay with them for free) and the people who do pay usually spend anywhere from $35 for a moderate strip hotel up to $100 for a great one. The second reason is.... a show of hands for anyone who stays for a full week in Vegas?..... see? Hawaii, Mexico, Ski country.. these are places people go for a week or two. The Vegas visitors bureau will tell you their average stay is 2.5 days.

Sorry to lecture but, as others have mentioned, don't buy to trade and if you do, pick wisely and it isn't Vegas.

 

[BlindBat]

BlindBat,

Thank you for your note. While others did dispel this notion that buying purely for exchanging purposes, and that buying in area with tons of TS inventory (Orlando and Las Vegas) is not a wise strategy, no one to date has provided those Las Vegas tips that you did. I for one can attest to those cheap hotel rates. We paid exactly $35/night for 3 nights plus were given a $50 gas card which we sold to a guy at the gas station for $40. And yep, we were about average for stay time. I never really thought about that. People either lose their money or win enough and quit, so why stay a week? Is there really that much to do for a week in Las Vegas? Great points!

One question for you: by "insider information" did you just mean you've been doing TS related stuff for a while or that you used to sell for them and have some experience in their tactics? If the latter, what are some other great tips?!?

My insider information comes from my Brother in Law who is a real estate developer. While most of his portfolio in straight residential inventory, he did get involved in a venture with one of the larger TS developers for one project and learned a lot about the inner workings of II (or it might have been RCI).

It all makes perfect sense when you look at it. Yes a highly trafficked destination like Disney or Vegas is key but you have to look at the amount of inventory an the restrictions on development. Hawaii is strong simply based on the ratio of units to desirability as are some of the higher end ski resorts like an Aspen, Vail, or Whistler. Also somewhere like Paris or another highly desired urban destination (Paris attracts many more visitors than Orlando but has a fraction of the inventory)

A final thought on Vegas is this: You will hear people say "oh it is nice to be off the strip because it is so peaceful and you just take a quick shuttle bus in". This is complete BS coming from Owners who are trying to feel better about what they bought and/or developers trying to cover up a glaring weakness in their product. VEGAS IS THE STRIP. I believe the HGVC is on the strip but most/all other LV properties are out in the boonies. I made the mistake of staying in one of these (of course we only used 3 of the 7 nights) and the indignity of getting shuffled onto a little bus and having to scramble around to find the meeting place and keeping track of the schedule was just a pain in the butt. Your only decision about where to stay in Vegas should be which part of the strip.

Sorry again for the lecture but it is more than just slanted developers who will mislead you. It is also the human nature of some TS Owners to try and put a positive spin on something they foolishly bought. Think of your Uncle who bought the Edsel.

 

[shifty1981]

Don't worry about the lecturing. I don't take it that way. No negativity about my comments so nothing personal taken.

That's an interesting point about Paris vs Orlando. Orlando has a few things going for it: Disney World, Universal Studios, Close-enough-to-Sea-World, and close-enough-to-the-ocean. Granted these are some great things, but in reality the area is about the attractions, not about the city as much. Paris is about Paris and has some attractions. yet it has more visitors. Plus if you visit Paris, chances are you are visiting France too and there are lots of great day trips from Paris you can do (my wife and I just did this last summer).

As for Vegas, the off-the-strip part did appeal to us when we considered buying there. We're kind of disgusted by the constant smell of cigarettes, the adult ads littering the streets, etc. But we liked the shows, fabulous buffets, and the glitter. But I can totally see how if you're a gambler and night-life kind of person, staying off site can be a drag.

On a side note, I still have not found anywhere else where you can get paid cash to demo beer, or tv shows, movies, etc aside from university medical school labs and drug companies. If someone knows where these are in the US, let me know. Who doesn't like free cash?

My insider information comes from my Brother in Law who is a real estate developer. While most of his portfolio in straight residential inventory, he did get involved in a venture with one of the larger TS developers for one project and learned a lot about the inner workings of II (or it might have been RCI).

It all makes perfect sense when you look at it. Yes a highly trafficked destination like Disney or Vegas is key but you have to look at the amount of inventory an the restrictions on development. Hawaii is strong simply based on the ratio of units to desirability as are some of the higher end ski resorts like an Aspen, Vail, or Whistler. Also somewhere like Paris or another highly desired urban destination (Paris attracts many more visitors than Orlando but has a fraction of the inventory)

A final thought on Vegas is this: You will hear people say "oh it is nice to be off the strip because it is so peaceful and you just take a quick shuttle bus in". This is complete BS coming from Owners who are trying to feel better about what they bought and/or developers trying to cover up a glaring weakness in their product. VEGAS IS THE STRIP. I believe the HGVC is on the strip but most/all other LV properties are out in the boonies. I made the mistake of staying in one of these (of course we only used 3 of the 7 nights) and the indignity of getting shuffled onto a little bus and having to scramble around to find the meeting place and keeping track of the schedule was just a pain in the butt. Your only decision about where to stay in Vegas should be which part of the strip.

Sorry again for the lecture but it is more than just slanted developers who will mislead you. It is also the human nature of some TS Owners to try and put a positive spin on something they foolishly bought. Think of your Uncle who bought the Edsel.

 

[RedDogSD]

- Vegas is a different story. The reason that trade value in Vegas sucks is twofold. First of all who ever pays for a hotel room there? (I am only a moderate gambler and I have the resorts falling all over themselves to get me to stay with them for free) and the people who do pay usually spend anywhere from $35 for a moderate strip hotel up to $100 for a great one. The second reason is.... a show of hands for anyone who stays for a full week in Vegas?..... see? Hawaii, Mexico, Ski country.. these are places people go for a week or two. The Vegas visitors bureau will tell you their average stay is 2.5 days.

You are being biased and not remembering history very well. You say that you are a moderate gambler.....I think you are underestimating yourself. I have a friend who used to spend $10,000-$50,000 per trip to Vegas and he got comped a lot. By contrast, we never spend more than $1000 per trip. My girlfriend gambles, but nothing hard core and no one every comps her anything. People like my girlfriend who spend a little bit far outweigh people like you who get comped all of the time.

You forget that Vegas has been a big gambling town for decades. The reason for the boom and the huge growth in Hotels and Timeshares is that it has also become a destination. It is one of the largest convention places in the country and many people come to Vegas without the intention of gambling. Others come to see the shows and eat the food. For people living in Los Angeles, there is no place better than Vegas for food and entertainment. Otherwise, we would have to go to New York. Sure, LA has some great things as well, but not as many.

(Paris attracts many more visitors than Orlando but has a fraction of the inventory)

I don't know if I would say it attracts MANY more. Paris is the most visited city in the world by FOREIGNERS. That equals about 30 milliion people according to the info I can find on the web. Who knows how many local French people visit? Orlando got 48.7 million visitors in 2007. So, they are comparable.

A final thought on Vegas is this: You will hear people say "oh it is nice to be off the strip because it is so peaceful and you just take a quick shuttle bus in". This is complete BS coming from Owners who are trying to feel better about what they bought and/or developers trying to cover up a glaring weakness in their product. VEGAS IS THE STRIP.

Once again, you are extrapolating your personal opinion into a statement that covers everyone. Many of us HATE smoke filled casinos, hookers, drunks, and everything else that comes on the strip. I don't want my kids exposed to that, so I will not stay at a Strip hotel with them. They make you walk through the Casino just to get to your room. The Off strip places are a great compromise. The Palms, the Rio, the Hard Rock and many other Hotels do a HUGE business showing that not everyone cares about staying "on the strip".

Also, while it is true that most of the GAMBLERS only come to Vegas for a couple of days, the convention seekers and the FOREIGN visitors will often come for 5-7 days.

 

[BlindBat]

You are being biased and not remembering history very well. You say that you are a moderate gambler.....I think you are underestimating yourself. I have a friend who used to spend $10,000-$50,000 per trip to Vegas and he got comped a lot. By contrast, we never spend more than $1000 per trip. My girlfriend gambles, but nothing hard core and no one every comps her anything. People like my girlfriend who spend a little bit far outweigh people like you who get comped all of the time.

You are correct in that maybe I don't know where I fit into the scale as far as how the casino's rate their gamblers. I have never won or lost more than about $1500 in any given trip and that is enough play that I have not had to pay for a room in about 5 years, visiting twice a year, staying 2-3-4 nights. That is a far cry from a high-roller but more aggressive than your girlfriend and I would imagine the average Vegas Gambler. It does not dispel my point that even those who are not comped are paying well under $100/night in most cases for a decent hotel room.

You forget that Vegas has been a big gambling town for decades. The reason for the boom and the huge growth in Hotels and Timeshares is that it has also become a destination. It is one of the largest convention places in the country and many people come to Vegas without the intention of gambling. Others come to see the shows and eat the food. For people living in Los Angeles, there is no place better than Vegas for food and entertainment. Otherwise, we would have to go to New York. Sure, LA has some great things as well, but not as many.

Let's remove the conventioneers from this discussion because they are irrelevant vis-a-vis the Timeshares. These people are not choosing the destination (it is chosen for them) and if any of them are actually using their TS to attend the conference it is likely a very small percentage. So while I agree that conventions are a key part of the Vegas model and they do bump up the average stay, it has little to do with the TS industry other than putting more people on the streets for the OPC's to snag.

I don't know if I would say it attracts MANY more. Paris is the most visited city in the world by FOREIGNERS. That equals about 30 milliion people according to the info I can find on the web. Who knows how many local French people visit? Orlando got 48.7 million visitors in 2007. So, they are comparable.

I admit that I am making an assumption here but if anybody can make a case that Orlando comes even close to Paris in terms of visitors I would like to see it. I am not sure what the relevance of domestic v. foreign visitors means. I assume many French people visit Paris much in the same way that many Floridians visit Orlando. The real key to this discussion is the minuscule ratio of TS suites available to visitors there are in Paris compared to Orlando. Even if both destinations drew equally the results would still be heavily skewed.

Once again, you are extrapolating your personal opinion into a statement that covers everyone. Many of us HATE smoke filled casinos, hookers, drunks, and everything else that comes on the strip. I don't want my kids exposed to that, so I will not stay at a Strip hotel with them. They make you walk through the Casino just to get to your room. The Off strip places are a great compromise. The Palms, the Rio, the Hard Rock and many other Hotels do a HUGE business showing that not everyone cares about staying "on the strip".

My bad. That was a generalization and expression of personal opinion. I have no facts to back it up but my feeling is that the Strip in Vegas is like the beach in a sun destination or "slopeside" in a ski resort. While some may prefer to be away from it, the majority prefer to be on or near it and the values reflect that.

Also, while it is true that most of the GAMBLERS only come to Vegas for a couple of days, the convention seekers and the FOREIGN visitors will often come for 5-7 days.

I adressed the Conventioneers above and, IMO, they are irrelevant to a discussion about trade values. I plead ignorance on the foreigners but I have seen stats from the LV tourism authority (I will look for the link) that pegs their average stay in the 2-3 day range which is far less than a traditional "resort"

 

[RedDogSD]

All good points. I don't think that owning in Vegas or Orlando is a terrible thing. I used to think that, but then I came here and keep meeting people who own at Orlando and Vegas and hearing about how great the exchanges are that they get. I think that owning at a river in Arkansas is where you have a true problem. Those places have no demand from people who live more than 100 miles outside of the area. They are just fun places for locals to go, so they cannot get the demand they need for exchanges.

 

[AwayWeGo]

I Resemble That Remark.

I think that owning at a river in Arkansas is where you have a true problem. Those places have no demand from people who live more than 100 miles outside of the area. They are just fun places for locals to go, so they cannot get the demand they need for exchanges.

Our dinky points timeshare is out there in Arkansas somewhere -- Horseshoe Bend or some such.

We've never been there & we are not likely to go. We got it sight unseen via eBay strictly as a toe-hold into RCI Points. It's been OK for that, except that the annual maintenance fee is out of control -- $450 per year now for just 15,000 points, up from $300 or so when we bought it in 2005.

So it goes.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[RedDogSD]

Well, points are points......

However, $450 for 15,000 points? That is shocking. I keep seeing Orlando properties that give 97,000 points for $900 year. You should dump that puppy.

 

[brucecz]

Our dinky points timeshare is out there in Arkansas somewhere -- Horseshoe Bend or some such.

We've never been there & we are not likely to go. We got it sight unseen via eBay strictly as a toe-hold into RCI Points. It's been OK for that, except that the annual maintenance fee is out of control -- $450 per year now for just 15,000 points, up from $300 or so when we bought it in 2005.

So it goes.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

Alan, on our RCI Point resorts we use for our weeks points dump bucket resorts we own the following. On our Summer Bay Desert Club in Las Vegas we get about 53,400 yearly RCI Points for about a $468 annual maintenance fee. For our Cliffs At Peace Canyon in Las Vegas tri annual we get about 14,300 RCI Points for about a $178 annual maintenance fee and for our Fox Hills (week 31)Wisconsin we get about 53,400 yearly RCI Points for about $498 in annual maintenance fees.


We had another RCI Points ownership at Cliffs at Peace Canyon, a week 42 RCI Points that we sold with Free Extra RCI Points because of the changes to to the RCI Points Partners Program.

We rent those units out and use them for Dump buckets to put cheap CMV UDI weeks in at a far, far lower cost per RCI Point generated.

Our first RCI Points resort was the dump in Texas for November in a one Bedroom but was sold with one of my Cottage UDI's as a package because it would be harder to rent out than a Las Vegas unit to cover the maintenac fees and I would not use the one in Texas.

The one we now have are rentable or we can use them. Our Summer Bay in Las Vegas almost every year invites us for free for 3 nights and 4 days if we do a owner update which we use most years. We sometimes rent a extra night for $99.

At least a RCI Points resort in Las Vegas gives us some advantages over most (but not all) RCI weeks ownership in Las Vegas.

The other thing I have not seen metioned if you own a non Disney timeshare was the RCI Disney Blackout policy for Orlando ownerships .

Bruce

 

[AwayWeGo]

You Typed A Mouthful.

$450 for 15,000 points? That is shocking. I keep seeing Orlando properties that give 97,000 points for $900 year. You should dump that puppy.

Save this to point to next time somebody trots out that chestnut about Orlando timeshares being notorious for high maintenance fees.

That factoid (a) ain't necessarily so & (b) depends very much on which Orlando timeshare(s) you mean. (Some timeshare HOAs in Orlando run tighter ships than others.)

As to selling off Horseshoe Bend, Arkansas -- who in his or her right mind would want it ?

I'm thinking deedback, in conjunction with signing up for a 3-year (renewable) points-timeshare lease at Club Trinidad out in California (if they're still offering those) -- easiest exit strategy in all of timesharing.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[RedDogSD]

As to selling off Horseshoe Bend, Arkansas -- who in his or her right mind would want it ?

You need to find a restaurant with a bulletin board in Arkansas. Cindy has the right idea that we all forget. If you want to spend a week every year at a resort near your house, and it only will cost you $500/year, then who cares about the RCI points? Someone might like the idea and if you created a flyer showing pictures of the place, and a map of the location and showed how they can get it for basically nothing......they might do it. Hell, if you had a place in Southern California near me that was interesting to me....I could care less how many RCI points it gave me. I would just stay there.