Final Tally for the Year

For those who like to get an idea of the value of the Marriott/II system here is our final tally for 2006.

Maintenance fees: $1,289
Lock Off fee: $75
Exchange fees: $332
AC Fee: $299
Total out of pocket: $1,995

What we received:

2bd Grande Ocean Ocean Front August 2006 (Horizons Trade)
2bd Marriott Manor Club (MMC) November 2006 (AC)
2bd Marriott Manor Club (MSE) Easter Week 2006 (1bd Trade)
2bd Saratoga Springs WDW January 2007 (Lockoff Trade)

Total 28 nights

Cost per night = $71.25 tax included or ~ $65+tax

So for the price of a cheap hotel room we received some great accomodations with a mix of peak time and off time. The DVC week alone was 243 points and would rent for $2,430 from an owner.

For those so inclined, we have about $25k tied up in purchases net of incentives from 5 years ago and could sell our weeks for about 50% of that. For real sticklers I extended our II membership for 5 years a few years ago and got a bonus week, so I don't count that cost (add $79) and you can add in a $95 Disney transportation fee that will be paid by a friend.

For 2007 maintenance fees and exchange fees are going up, but still a good value in our eyes.

Thanks!

I'm so glad you did that. I am in the processing of purchasing my first timeshare (resale) and I'm so nervous. This makes me feel like it's going to be a lot of fun!

Gosh, don't you just love lock-off units and AC's -

Awesome job maximizing your value!!

Even with the rising fees, if you manage it right, the Marriott program still brings tremendous value, as this thread clearly demonstrates.

I too love the flexibility of the LO, and the ability to trade up is super. The best I did was getting a 2 BDRM Four Seasons Aviara with a Aruba LO, and a Grand Ocean with the 1 BDRM side. Both off-season trades, but more so shoulder season, so it still prime season weather.

So for:
MFs - $900 (At the time)
Ex fees - $208
AC - gave to "friend" a week at the Aruba Ocean Club "his" value $940 (includes cost of AC)

So counting my "friend's" value I paid about $200 out of pocket and got

2 BDRM Four Seasons Aviara in Dec '04
2 BDRM Grand Ocean in Sept '05

That's awesome value if I do say so myself.

Regards.

Don't forget to add in the purchase price into the cost per night. The numbers change alot. Still, you got a lot for your weeks.

Big Matt said:

Don't forget to add in the purchase price into the cost per night. The numbers change alot. Still, you got a lot for your weeks.

Click to expand...

That's why I added the info for those so inclined. For me I don't know how to value it. Do I:

1. Say I made a great deal because my investments promptly crashed 25% after I sold them to pay Marriott.

2. Say I am even because my initial investment less resale have been made up at the equivalent Marriott and Disney rental rates in 6 years.

3. Say I am behind because I could have rented some of the weeks cheaper on red week or getaways instead of the Marriott rental rate.

4. Say I am behind because I could have bought 3 resale MMC for the same investment.

Etc.

Bottom line is I spent the money to have better vacations and that is what I got. I did not expect to get an AC every year for my 1bd MSE deposit, so that has moved up my breakeven from the 10 years I originally figured. If you told me I could have these vacations for $75 a night I would not have believed it, but I have regularly achieved it. Amazed that people are now spending $40-$50k for a single week. Don't think I would do that, but mark me down as a happy Marriott customer with what I got.

Stupid question guys from a TS newbie.....what does "AC" stand for and what is it?

Thanks.

gores95 said:

Stupid question guys from a TS newbie.....what does "AC" stand for and what is it?

Thanks.

Click to expand...

AC = Accomodation Certificate. When you deposit a high demand week with Interval they will give you an AC as an incentive. It lets you take a week out of the system for a flat fee like $299 for a 2bd, $199 for a 1 bd etc.

You can usually only use them in off season, but can use them in flex change so you can get some great weeks if you have flexibility. Some people find they can never use them, but I have received great value from them.

wuv pooh said:

AC = Accomodation Certificate. When you deposit a high demand week with Interval they will give you an AC as an incentive. It lets you take a week out of the system for a flat fee like $299 for a 2bd, $199 for a 1 bd etc.

You can usually only use them in off season, but can use them in flex change so you can get some great weeks if you have flexibility. Some people find they can never use them, but I have received great value from them.

Click to expand...

Thanks. So if I own a 2 BR over Thanksgiving week and decide to lockoff the efficiency and exchange it how would this work? I would keep the 1 BR side for us and then have another week to exchange sometime during the year correct? On top of that I get the AC for another week (provided II feels Thanksgiving is a high demand week right? Do Gold weeks ever get AC's?)

Sorry to ask these questions...just trying to learn!

Marc

gores95 said:

Thanks. So if I own a 2 BR over Thanksgiving week and decide to lockoff the efficiency and exchange it how would this work? I would keep the 1 BR side for us and then have another week to exchange sometime during the year correct? On top of that I get the AC for another week (provided II feels Thanksgiving is a high demand week right? Do Gold weeks ever get AC's?)

Sorry to ask these questions...just trying to learn!

Marc

Click to expand...

II won't give AC's for the studio side. You would need to give them the 1 bedroom to get an AC.

AC's work best for flex time (short notice travel) or for people who can travel off season. Like wuv pooh says, some people can't use them, but if you're flexible they can work out pretty nicely.

Wuv Pooh - We recently sent some friends to Horizons Orlando on a II Getaway and they absolutely loved their stay. They said they hated to leave the place. They have a big family and were amazed to find out about Marriott Vacation Club resorts. Their youngest child is a special needs child (they adopted him recently) and the resort was extra wonderful for him.

littlestar said:

Wuv Pooh - We recently sent some friends to Horizons Orlando on a II Getaway and they absolutely loved their stay. They said they hated to leave the place. They have a big family and were amazed to find out about Marriott Vacation Club resorts. Their youngest child is a special needs child (they adopted him recently) and the resort was extra wonderful for him.

Click to expand...

Horizons is my kids favorite place. We have been 13 weeks over the years and they always talk about going back to see Captain Horizon (costumed character who visits the kids). Staff is excellent and there is always something new. Plus they will take your kids for 3 hours for $5 a piece :whoopie: Can't wait to go back, we are going for Easter week in April 2007.

2005 was a cool year for our 1-BD Polo Towers

Maintenance fees: $479 2005
Lock Off fee: N/A
Exchange fees: $135x2=$270
AC Fee: $249
Total out of pocket: $998

What we received:
2bd Marriott Newport Beach - 2 wks starting Labor Day week (using 2004 & 2005 Polo wks)
1bd Marriott Timber Lodge May 21-28 (AC)

Total 20 nights (we had one night overlapping one another-gave that one night to family)

Cost per night ~ 50 tax included or ~ $44+tax

==================================
2006

Maintenance fees: $479 2006 Polo
Lock Off fee: N/A
Exchange fees: NONE
AC Fees: $249 + $299 = $548
Total out of pocket: $1027 (does not include $250 we received for friends staying with us at the 2bd Timber Lodge week, see below)

What we received:
2bd Marriott Timberlodge week after Thanksgiving (AC)
1bd Marriott Timberlodge Oct week (AC)

Total 14 nights

Cost per night ~ $74 tax included or ~ $68+tax

================

All this for a $11k purchase 10 yrs ago (we way overpaid, of course directly from developer)

This is typical cost for each of the 10 years we have owned Polo.... now that we are in the middle of purchasing two MMC weeks, we hope the 'value' of our vacations (as measured by cost/night and quality of resort) increases for the next 10 years and beyond because we now own MARRIOTT !!!!

An Awesome Year!

2006 has been an awesome timesharing for us.
This year has been unusual as we have had lots of vacations.

We get 5000 points per year with our Platinum APVC membership. This would normally get us 1 week in a 2br unit in high season at any of our 10+ home resorts.
A flexchange is 1700 points (60 days or less before check-in)

figures are in Aussie dollars.

Maintenance Fees: Around $650
II Exchange fees : $169 x 3 = $507
II membership Free from when we bought

Expenses = $1157

This year we’ve had vacations at:
Worldmark Denaru Island, Fiji Flexchange
Polo Towers - 1 br Flexchange
Marriott’s Phuket Beach Club Flexchange
2 days at the Vintage Apartments
(Hunter Valley In NSW, Australia) 1080 points

All this for 6180 points (we had a backlog that had to be used)..
Equates to $50.30 per night for 23 nights.

Have yet to use our Marriott GC as usage kicks in at 2008.
Trouble is, as you can see, we have trouble even utilizing our current points each year even without MGC.

This is a great thread. It's nice to see that many people are getting value out of their timeshare ownerships. That's something to be thankful for.

Since purchasing in 1999 we have done so well with our travel and trades that we "wrote off" our 34K first purchase of 2 weeks within the first 2 summers with a month long trip to Monaco, Paris, and London and another month long trip the following summer to Hawaii.

Since then, we continue to enjoy great vacations at good savings. Just this last summer we were able to give our daughter and new son-in-law a homeymoon week in the Grand Cayman and use one of our weeks for another friend's wedding to send them to Curacau.

Gotta love those timeshares )

Beverley