Am I nuts to consider a Smuggs timeshare at my age?

Is Smuggs still selling their own Timeshares? I thought they fully drank the Wyndham cool-aid...

No. Wyndham handles all sales.

mpumilia said:

No. Wyndham handles all sales.

Click to expand...

So Wyndham is selling both Club Wyndham Access and Club Wyndham Plus with ownership at Smuggs? What about fixed weeks at Smuggs?

persia said:

So Wyndham is selling both Club Wyndham Access and Club Wyndham Plus with ownership at Smuggs? What about fixed weeks at Smuggs?

Click to expand...

Unfortunately, Smuggs is no longer handling resales for the pre-Wyndham owners. Pretty much they are on their own to sell, which many are not happy about. I guess this is a way to try to persuade owners to "upgrade" to Wyndham points?

mpumilia said:

Unfortunately, Smuggs is no longer handling resales for the pre-Wyndham owners. Pretty much they are on their own to sell, which many are not happy about. I guess this is a way to try to persuade owners to "upgrade" to Wyndham points?

Click to expand...

Do YOU know if all the owner's benefits pass onto the new RESALE owners?

The prepaid package of benefits that deeded owners bought with the unit does not transfer. Buying from a deeded owner gets you the use on the deeds and the ability to purchase smuggs passes on a per use basis.

tschwa2 said:

.....the ability to purchase smuggs passes on a per use basis.

Click to expand...

Financial ruin level on the cost per use basis??? Roughly what options are there and those 'about' costs ... or the "go look to" place ...

This is sarcasm ... I think I remember the camp being $125+ per day for each child? And definitely being only able to use the pool associated with your unit was a bit of disappointing and hard to explain to kids who are so smart now.

tschwa2 said:

The prepaid package of benefits that deeded owners bought with the unit does not transfer. Buying from a deeded owner gets you the use on the deeds and the ability to purchase smuggs passes on a per use basis.

Click to expand...

This is correct.

vacationhopeful said:

Financial ruin level on the cost per use basis??? Roughly what options are there and those 'about' costs ... or the "go look to" place ...

Click to expand...

Not comprehending what you wrote here.

mpumilia said:

Not comprehending what you wrote here.

Click to expand...

My guess is auto-completion gone a mock. My tablet doesn't like timeshare-y abbreviation and comes up with funny sentences if I am not careful.

This is the current link to Smuggs passes: http://www.smuggs.com/pages/universal/smuggspass.php#summer


These are the amenities and prices you would pay as an RCI exchanger or a deeded owner without the pre-paid amenities purchase (which they no longer sell) or if you are renting from a deeded owner.

The original benefits package included everything from the Smuggs pass plus kids camp paid for not just a discount. If an owner has that package it is good for his/her resisted family only and expires upon a certain date (sold in 10 or 20 year packages) or upon selling the unit. The package price was also dependent on the number of family members on the deed (at least for the last several years they sold them) so you couldn't send your niece to camp after your children grew up for example. You also didn't get the benefits if you exchanged back in with a non-smuggs week or one that didn't have the package included. Earlier sales of the amenities packages were more generous than later ones.

Most deeded units were sold with 2 weeks included on the deed which could not be separated. Either your choice of a summer or winter fixed week and a fixed schedule float week during the fall and spring. Alternatively the package could be for 2 EOY units one fixed again either summer or winter and the second one on the fixed schedule float so that one year is fixed and the next year you get the float. There were a few early summer (weeks 23 and 24 and maybe late summer weeks 33-35?) that were sold as a single unit per deed with no float week required.

If deeded weeks are not transferred through Wyndham, they how can they tell if an owner is resale or not? Could a resale owner "upgrade" to developer Wyndham points????

When I was there two years ago, retail owners were saying they were offered "today only" the opportunity to give up their deeded weeks for points and lose certain benefits like their guaranteed fixed unit and use of certain pools and amenities even when exchanging to other units through rci for the low, low price of only $20,000-$25,000. Most thought the pitch was ridiculous.

So I don't think it matters if it was retail or resale with that kind of offer.

persia said:

If deeded weeks are not transferred through Wyndham, they how can they tell if an owner is resale or not? Could a resale owner "upgrade" to developer Wyndham points????

Click to expand...

Do you mean how can Smuggs management tell if you are a resale owner? In that case- through the paperwork when the names are transferred I would think.

Yes-Resale owners can upgrade (ha ha Ha) to Wyndham Points. They are always trying to solicit us when we check-in. I have made a stand and refuse to get my keys from them-I have the check-in person obtain them for me. I have been told I will no longer be hassled on check-in. We shall see.

Very few Smuggs owners have changed to Wyndham. A bunch did convert to RCI points years ago when the resort started with that program. But the majority of long time owners- especially the 2 week owners, have not converted to either one. A dedicated group we are! That said, as we age, the nature of ownership obviously will change, as it is a Wyndham resort now.

I am a long time 2 week fixed/floater owner with the original benefits package. Unfortunately, I have no grandchildren, so the benefits are wasted now. I have 5 years to go and then they expire. The resort is trying to come up with more of an a la carte benefit plan for renewals, and maybe one for childless/emptynesters as well.