As the OP, I decided to just use WorldMark credits and trade in II. Worldmark has insanely low maintenance relative to the resort quality (1/3 lower than Club Wyndham and 1/2 Marriott). I'm content staying in WM units. In my opinion, the 2 nicest non DVC resorts are Lakeshore Reserve and Reunion. With WM, I can book a 3 bedroom deluxe Christmas week at Reunion for $1,200 in MF. You can't beat that!
Hate to burst your bubble, but I can get very similar trades in Marriott with my Grande Vista studio and 1BR for much less in fees.
Ditto BigMatt.
All systems have their benefits, even Wyndham and Worldmark, but I'm not shy in concurring with you
in saying Marriott has some very good ones. Not meaning to "pile on", but I can go a step further to build on
your suggestion in reference to what we've done.
With my Marriott Platinum 2BR lockoff at Manor Club Sequel, by using the split lockoffs and trading each separately
and electing EPlus re-trade options (up to 3 re-trades),
I can get 2BR and even 3BR units at other Marriott resorts, even during platinum seasons.
My maintenance fee is about $1300 for the single week,
but each new trade week will now only cost $650. And I have two weeks to enjoy. That's two weeks of 2 or 33BR units
in good seasons and at excellent resorts.
Historically over the past 3-4 years I've chosen to shoot for Lakeshore Reserve in Summer for one of those weeks,
and have gotten it every time (all 2BRs there).
I've also sought Grande Vista 2 & 3 BRs during Spring and Summer. These were the ones I specifically wanted,
and could have requested elsewhere with similar results, but I wanted those.
I've also gotten an August Grande Ocean week using the master suite lockoff.
The Lakeshore Reserve and Grande Vista weeks were obtained with BOTH the Studio & the 1BRMaster and re-trading.
It really doesn't matter if I'm using the studio or the master 1BR,
in the end I've upgraded and gotten the 2 & 3BRs. The studio
Just yesterday, using the 2020 1BR Master, I received confirmation for a trade into Myrtle Beach's OceanWatch 2BR
for May31-June 6 of 2020, a highly sought-after summer beach location. I requested, actually added, MOW only 2 days ago.
Surprised to get that, but I'll take it.
I also got a mid-July 2020 Lakeshore Reserve 1BR using the Manor Club studio lockoff---I'll be upgrading that
over the next few months. I have another couple of trades for ongoing searches and won't be doing an EPlus.
I had the upgrade fee, but renting that with cash would be about
$2200-2500, so a small fee is negligible and welcomed, creating a wonderful value. It's that was almost every time using my two lockoffs.
Interval Int'l is not dead, it continues to perform for me in great ways. Last year I got a summer Barony week at Hilton Head using
that 1BR master and re-trading/upgrading twice.