Marriott's Florida Club

Someone told me that there a total of six Marriott Timeshare Developments in Florida which have membership in the "Florida Club".

What are the advantages of the Florida Club and which six resorts are they?

And, if Marriott has more than six resorts in Florida (which they do) why aren't the others part of the Florida Club also?

There are 5 resorts in the FL Club. Grande Vista, OP, BP Towers, Doral, and Legends Edge. Less than 6 mo. from an arrival date within your home resort season, you can request a free reservation within any matching season at any of the sister resorts using Marriott Owner Services. This "free exchange" does not go through II.

The other benefit is for owners of less expensive FL club resorts using "more expensive" FL resorts. There is also backdoor way to use FL club to lock-off your non-lock off unit by reserving at one of the lock-off resorts. FL club works well for Gold season FL club owners.

Eric

Don't mean to steal the thread, but does anyone know if Marco or the new Oceania Palm Beach phase will be part of the Florida club?

Once you make a trade within this "club" can you deposit your trade into II? Or does it have to be owner occupied?

Thanks. Katherine

mas said:

Don't mean to steal the thread, but does anyone know if Marco or the new Oceania Palm Beach phase will be part of the Florida club?

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No, neither one will be, although no one (at Marriott) has been able to tell us why.

SDKath said:

Once you make a trade within this "club" can you deposit your trade into II? Or does it have to be owner occupied?

Thanks. Katherine

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Yes, you can trade it II. It is the same as booking your home resort - the only difference is when you can book it.

SDKath said:

Once you make a trade within this "club" can you deposit your trade into II? Or does it have to be owner occupied?

Thanks. Katherine

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I usually reserve at BeachPlace or Ocean Point at 6 months out - then depsoit or rent the week.

You can get a very well priced Legends End Gold or Platinum week and make this work

GrayFal said:

I usually reserve at BeachPlace or Ocean Point at 6 months out - then depsoit or rent the week.

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Is there usually anything good left over at 6month for the platnium season at OP ?? I never tried as we usually book one year out.

luv2vacation said:

Yes, you can trade it II. It is the same as booking your home resort - the only difference is when you can book it.

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Plus you can take a non-lock off resort, exchange into a lock off resort, lock off the unit you exchanged into and trade both sides or use one side and trade the other portion. This would be the back door lock off option for non-lock off resorts refered to in an earlier post.

seatrout said:

Is there usually anything good left over at 6month for the platnium season at OP ?? I never tried as we usually book one year out.

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At this time you might have decent shots at either January or April weeks but I believe Feb or March weeks might be hard to come by. The resort has remained relatively popular with a high percentage of owners returning to the resort every year rather than exchanging. I know we've only exchanged the studio portion of our 3 bedroom LO unit since we purchased in 2001 and I don't see us wanting to exchange this resort anytime in the near future. I suppose at some point it will get old with some of the owners and getting a decent week might not be so tough.

Keep in mind that what's true today probably won't be true in another 10 years. The really hot resort cool off. The new wears off the new resorts and more units get built making more invnetory for exchanges. With Ocean Pointe, they'll have a new sister resort 1 mile north. That's going to mean more units in the same location. Some of the Ocean Pointe owners are bound to want the newest of the new. If they buy new they may decide to start exchanging the old. Exchange demand for the newest resort could be stronger for a while than for the older Ocean Pointe. The landscape might change but, then again, it might not.

seatrout said:

Is there usually anything good left over at 6month for the platnium season at OP ?? I never tried as we usually book one year out.

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Don't count on it. Even owners at OP have trouble getting the prime seasons they are entitled to. 13 monthers have better chance if they book 2 weeks at a time.

The FC might be of some use if you have a LOT of holiday flexibility, but forget it if you need to go when everyone else wants. II might get you better luck ... and earlier than 6 months out.

Brian

re non-lock off traded to a lock-off -- does Marriott allow this in other resorts -- we own at Newport Coast??????

My personal view is that the Florida Club is a wasted fee attached to the owners of those resorts that conveys little benefit. It is one of the reasons I would not purchase Grande Vista.

I hope this is not what Marriott has in mind for an internal trading system.

pwrshift said:

Don't count on it. Even owners at OP have trouble getting the prime seasons they are entitled to. 13 monthers have better chance if they book 2 weeks at a time.

The FC might be of some use if you have a LOT of holiday flexibility, but forget it if you need to go when everyone else wants. II might get you better luck ... and earlier than 6 months out.

Brian

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I have a platnium MGV which I use purely for the 13 month booking and then deposit. We usually get a week 9/10 MGV- which trade OK but not spectacular.

It is worth the hassel or even possible to pay the $$ to swich out the week
with Marriot FC for something that trade better at OP or FLL platnium season.

If you're only depositing it anyway, it probably wouldn't hurt to wait (at least one year to try it out) and 6 months out from when you want to book OP or BT, check and see if it's available. If you don't see anything, then you can always just deposit what you have. If it is only okay trader to begin with, then what really do you have to lose by trying it out.

it is already a pain in the behind with the atomic clock to book other stuff.
I tried several time during 6month window to check for other good week on FC to switch out. Never seen anything good during the platnium season.

BUT-- I did not call with the vengence as my other reservation-- ie atomic clock and 3 phone line. I was curious on other lucks

seatrout said:

Is there usually anything good left over at 6month for the platnium season at OP ?? I never tried as we usually book one year out.

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Yes....I have gotten a late January studio at OP and then I usually get March 1BRs and Studio at Beach Place...will probably go for OP for 2009 for early February - but can't reserve until August 08

seatrout said:

Is there usually anything good left over at 6month for the platnium season at OP ?? I never tried as we usually book one year out.

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I've only used the club feature once, but a couple of years ago, I had no problem booking OP 2 bedroom in Feb. Don't know if I was lucky or not, but as I say, it worked fine for me.

JimC said:

My personal view is that the Florida Club is a wasted fee attached to the owners of those resorts that conveys little benefit. It is one of the reasons I would not purchase Grande Vista.

I hope this is not what Marriott has in mind for an internal trading system.

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The difference in fee is only $4 a year. A small price for the added flexability in my opinion. If I only use it once in a lifetime, it pays for itself over an II exchange fee.