Vidanta "Owners" - Can you help answer these questions?

[livininsd]

I'm hoping someone smarter and more experienced than I can quickly chime in here... I bought into the sales pitch over the weekend while at GM Nuevo Vallarta.

I have another day to rescind if needed, hence the urgency. Thanks in advance!

1. Can owners verify that when you book for yourself, there's no additional charge (PPD, etc.) beyond the usage fee?
2. I bought into Mayan Palace - studio - is it really possible to easily pay the extra and get 1 BR or 2 BR when needed?
3. Do "privilege weeks" really guarantee access during peak seasons? I got 2 additional.
4. With Ambassador program, do users of this program get hit with the $30 PPD fee on arrival?
5. Looks like I'll end up with about $4k in Vida Lifestyle ($1k just for signing + $3k after my first stay under a Summer Promotion). Is this really useful $? I can't find good info.
6. How the heck do exchanges work??? They said each week in my studio would convert for free (just paying the usage charge) into 2 weeks for equal, or 1 week for 1 BR at an equiv or better resort. So, I could stay in Maui for 2 weeks for $650. That seems too good. Right?

Thanks all!

 

[Eric B]

1. There is no additional resort fee when you book your own week, but there are some minor taxes depending on the resort you stay at.

2. I don't have first hand knowledge; I own at the Grand Luxxe level. From what I've read, folks owning at the MP level often deposit their weeks in RCI and exchange back in and get larger units that way, even in the high season by planning far enough in advance. Of course, you could do this still with whatever current RD you have. In any case, the result is paying the resort fee; you will have to do the math and figure out what works best for you.

3. Privilege weeks don't guarantee access, but allow you to request a holiday week reservation you otherwise couldn't make; typical Vidanta contracts exclude Christmas, Easter, etc., leaving them the ability to better manage those weeks.

4. No resort fee for use of a Ambassador certificate, though it may be a trade off between exchanging with fees or the usage fee cost.

5. There are some benefits to the Visa Lifestyle program, but be aware that there are many similarities to the RCI travel shop, which is run by the same company, International Cruise & Excursions (ICE). Experiences vary; the Vida Dollars are not real cash, but instead credits you can use towards resorts, cruises, etc., but not air travel, car rental, or hotels. Given that the resort and cruise pricing is typically fairly opaque, the end result may or may not be a good deal. Their price guarantee is on the post Vida Dollar price.

6. Not sure what exchange your asking about. SFX is the system they typically include; it's not one of the big exchanges, but they have some good connections with some resorts. I wouldn't count on getting Maui, but experiences vary. Do you already own another TS, or is this your first? If you don't have experience with timesharing, you should strongly consider rescinding and educating yourself in them before buying one. Lots of good info on TUG. I'm happy with my ownership with Vidanta, but went into it with my eyes open.

 

[pianoetudes]

It is quite possible to book one bedroom at Vidanta property during low season, even when you own only studio. Low season is normally August to October in Nuevo for example. Just call reservations to check availability for one bedroom. Sometimes they have promotions to upgrade (pay studio MF and get one bedroom).

Sent from my HTC U11 life using Tapatalk

 

[livininsd]

Wow - thanks for the quick replies and advice!

This is my first "timeshare" and I always thought I was someone who wouldn't buy one because it wouldn't benefit me.

Also a little strange... all my contracts are on Celebrate Park paper and have no direct reference to Vidanta. Seems they call Mayan Palace a "sister property".

Here's what I thought I bought...

2 weeks Studio per year @ Mayan Palace
Plus
2 More weeks Studio via Privilege weeks @ Mayan Palace
Plus
1 week within next 10 years at Celebrate park after built (for UF price of my home unit)

Plus additional benefits of 2 for 1 golf, ambassador program, Vida Lifestyle with $1k credit, plus additional week for a "Summerfest" promotion, and AMEX Travel Concierge.

It seems i ended up with some but not all of this. Yes, they have me in SFX exchange Diamond level for 1 year, but it looks like additional membership fees here to maintain my privilege weeks.

In the end, paying $650 / week for a studio seems like a really good price, and I seem to have the access to do this for 5 weeks / year. But that's only interesting if I can exchange those weeks at other properties around the world, which they assured me many times was very easy and readily available, but I just don't see how or where it happens.

I don't think I got ripped off per say, I'm just not sure it's lining up with what I thought I was buying or going to have access to. Based on what the sales team said, I thought I'd be able to trade my Mayan Palace weeks out fro travel around the world, paying only $650 / week at great properties, larger than a studio, or getting 2 weeks for that same $650. I don't know if that's through SFX or some other method of exchange (Vida Lifestyle?).

Also concerning... my agreements explicitly limit capacity to 2 people for a studio. So what happens if 2 adults show up with 1 or 2 kids? or in a 1 BR, if you have 2 adults and 3 kids?

 

[Eric B]

Vidanta is pretty strict about limiting the number of people checking in to the room capacity listed in the contract. I’ve never actually tried to overfill a room, so I can’t say for sure what would happen, though.

As far as exchanging goes, it would not be a straight $650 for a week; that’s just the fee you would pay Vidanta. There would also be the exchange fee to SFX, which could include size or quality upgrade fees. The two weeks for an exchange would be due to SFX giving you a bonus week for depositing your week; exchanging the bonus week would cost another exchange fee, which would typically be more than the one for your deposited week because it’s a bonus week. At least that’s been my experience.

You wouldn’t be restricted to using SFX, but could also use the other exchange systems out there. They all have there own strengths and weaknesses.

If today is your last day to rescind, I would give it serious consideration; take a look at the resale market (e.g., the sales forum on TUG or on e-bay) and compare what you agreed to pay for your week to what another one similar would cost. Frankly, Mayan Palace is easy to book most anytime as an extra vacation through many of the exchanges, particularly at the studio size room. Vidanta does a very good job of restricting resale of their contracts, but is quite open to exchanging to get more sales customers.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the Vidanta resorts and go there a lot; I own at a higher level with them. The advice you’ll get almost universally here is to avoid buying from any developer because of the lack of a good resale market, particularly for Mexican right to use contracts as opposed to ownership of deeded weeks as is done in other countries. I won’t tell you buying from a developer is an absolutely bad idea universally, but it’s expensive and should only be done after you learn all you can about the alternatives and how to use a timeshare efficiently. I’ve spent way more on them than I should have if I had found the right resources first; since then I’ve bought a couple of resale ones for pennies on the dollar compared to my first ones.

 

[richontug]

I bought Mayan Palace 1 BR many years ago but have never been back. I have used the week twice to deposit into RCI and SFX.
Note that Vidanta deposits into SFX cannot be exchanged into another Vidanta resort.
I go to Vidanta GL every year using deposits from Wyndham.

 

[Eric B]

RCI doesn’t have the restriction on exchanging back into Vidanta resorts; I’ve seen several owners discussing doing it that way. Personally, I use a couple other timeshares I own to exchange because they are less expensive than Mayan Palace or the other Vidanta resorts; $650 is on the high side for a studio, though it is one you only have to pay if you go there or exchange it.

 

[livininsd]

Thanks again for the insight and feedback. I'm surprised to read $650 is high. Every time I've look at resale market, I've never seen anything lower than $590, and that usually requires annual maintenance vs. use, and the timeshares also seem to be largely limited to specific weeks of the year.

When they have floating privileges, they usually have large up front costs of $10k - $30k + much higher annual required maintenance fees. No?

And when you exchange back into Vidanta, don't you now get hit with the absurd $30 Per person per day resort fee? With 4 people, that's $840 / week, just for the resort fee, plus whatever your exchange TS costs, right?

 

[Eric B]

As I said, you have to do the math to see what makes sense to you based on where you want to go and how often. I have several TS that are 2 BR ones with MF ~$400 for a week. I can easily get one or two weeks at a Mayan Palace 2 BR with one of these weeks based on how many points I get for them in RCI; assuming it’s 2 weeks, that works out to $200 for my MF, $239 for the exchange fee and $157.50 for the resort fee (Vidanta gives back a 25% credit on resort fees paid towards your room charge and typically offers 50% off the resort fee for attending an update - there are only 2 of us). That adds up to an outlay of $596.50 for a 2 BR instead of the $650 for a studio, though it does blow most of a day in an update. Without the update, it would be $754 for a 2 BR instead of the $650 for a studio. I believe the usage fee for a 2 BR there is ~$1,000 for a week; might be $1,100. Even with the resort fee for 4 adults, the result is comparable to, if not lower than, a usage fee for a 2 BR. It is all quite dependent on how many people you travel with and how often you go, of course; you would also have to factor in the initial cost.

 

[hurnik]

While I don't own, the Vidanta Lifestyle "dollars" is really the SFX Travel Store (ICE/whatever).
Rarely, IMO, is there a good deal.
SOMETIMES you can save $50 on a car rental, or maybe $30-40 on a hotel stay (but the hotel stays are 100% non-refundable) and your choice/selection is limited, at least whenever I've tried to use it (I've only used the hotel savings once).

The cruise savings is almost never worth it (you can't combine any other discount/loyalty stuff). Cruisesonly or cruisecompete always does better, IMO.

The "resort" savings vary. The quality usually isn't there, but sometimes they will have Vida resorts, but the pricing (even with the savings) is usually cost-prohibitive.

They did have a very good (IMO) deal on short-term notice (like 2 months in advance) for the El Cid Ventus in Puerto Morelos for a week in May of this year with $2500 savings credits useage, you could get a 1 BR for 2 people WITH the AI fees included for like $750. Which I thought was reasonable.

 

[Eric B]

The "resort" savings vary. The quality usually isn't there, but sometimes they will have Vida resorts, but the pricing (even with the savings) is usually cost-Prohibitive.

You’re right about the similarities between the SFX travel store and Vida Lifestyle, but they don’t offer Vida resorts in the latter. Instead, they prefer that you use your own ownership and pay them (Vidanta) the usage fee.

 

[pittle]

Thanks again for the insight and feedback. I'm surprised to read $650 is high. Every time I've look at resale market, I've never seen anything lower than $590, and that usually requires annual maintenance vs. use, and the timeshares also seem to be largely limited to specific weeks of the year.

When they have floating privileges, they usually have large up front costs of $10k - $30k + much higher annual required maintenance fees. No?

And when you exchange back into Vidanta, don't you now get hit with the absurd $30 Per person per day resort fee? With 4 people, that's $840 / week, just for the resort fee, plus whatever your exchange TS costs, right?

If we still had our 1-bedroom MP unit, the MF would be $561 this year and our original MP 2-BDR would be $765, so yes, $650 for a week is pretty high in a "Studio" - A MP "Studio" is a bedroom and bath with maybe a very small fridge under the counter and a coffee maker. (These are recent additions to these units.) Many of these have 2 full beds, but some do have a king bed. Just think hotel room.

If you exchange back into Vidanta, yes, you do pay your MF and then with SFX Diamond, you pay $149 for exchange fee and they will also upgrade you to to a 1-bedroom. Then when you get to the resort, there is a $75 fee charged for the WIFI, one-way transportation. With our bonus weeks we generally have to pay the fee that is posted. (Generally about the cost of a MF, unless it is last minute.) SFX Diamond costs $399 for 3 years.

RCI & II are the ones that charge the $30pp/pd and their exchange fees are around $250 for international exchanges. I have been able to get Hawaii by booking 2 years in advance using MP weeks - but not at the really nice resorts. A MP Hotel room is not going to get you much.

I love the resorts and have worked our way up to Grand Luxxe in the nearly 20 years since we bought our first one, but would NEVER settle for just a hotel room. RESCIND TODAY!

 

[Eric B]

Well said, Phyllis. I was probably being a bit too subtle.

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

I agree - with Phyllis & Eric - A Mayan Palace Studio ( Hotel Room ) has a higher MF/ use fee cost per square foot than a one or two bedroom & therefore less USE value
It is a bit like buying a car with no air conditioning / lower cost but too basic in the long run .

We are fine with a one bedroom Mayan Palace suite ( 750 sq feet or so ) and 2018 MF / use is about $ 740 ( $ 900 when you amortize the 5 year reno fee in my older style contract - from 2006 )

I will add that we have also been using another ownership to also exchange into a MP 2 bedroom via RCI ( when our adult sons join us ) I am ok with paying the resort fee
to get Feb Weeks this way .

******
NOTE : none of my above info addresses the buy in cost of the contract .

 

[livininsd]

Rescision submitted via email and just sent off a FedEx for $51 shipping cost. Really the big reasons I cancelled is that I don't understand enough of what I actually bought, I think you guys are right that getting at least a 1 BR size makes the most sense, and I really need something that will support my travel needs vs. being just great for Mexico. I actually still think they probably gave me a good deal overall, especially since I seemed to have access to 5 weeks / year + other goodies, but don't want to lock into something without knowing more about what I actually bought and can use.

Thank you all for your input!

 

[pittle]

Thanks for letting us know. Do not regret rescinding - there will always be another opportunity. Follow TUG for a while and you can learn a lot about timeshares. I can pretty much guarantee that as a first-time timeshare purchaser, you did not get a good deal. It is sad to say, but they are the ones who was getting the good deal because they were getting cash. One thing to remember - you will never be able to sell your timeshare and recoup your purchase price when you are tired of using it.

We have been timesharing since 1991 when we bought a 1-bedroom in Hawaii and have owned many weeks at various resorts that we bought for less than $500 on ebay and once were given another one free for buying a re-sale. (That free one became our best trader and had low MF.) Anyway, we have divested ourselves of most now and own where we want to go. My husband has recently said that if there had been VRBO back when we started, we would not have gone the timeshare route. The money we have paid upfront for Mayan World, Buganvilias, and 2 that went belly up, would have funded many really nice vacations with cash to spare and no MF to be obligated for.

Timeshare purchases are emotional decisions.

 

[livininsd]

Thanks - will continue to research and may end up coming back to Vidanta.

I really like that I had access to what seemed like up to 5 weeks a year, all year (Red), and only paid a usage fee based on actual use.

When I see all these timeshares, you're paying the up front PLUS maintenance forever, every year, for access to just 1 week a year, whether or not you use it. With Timeshares, can you buy more weeks at the same maintenance fee costs?

 

[pittle]

Thanks - will continue to research and may end up coming back to Vidanta.

I really like that I had access to what seemed like up to 5 weeks a year, all year (Red), and only paid a usage fee based on actual use.

When I see all these timeshares, you're paying the up front PLUS maintenance forever, every year, for access to just 1 week a year, whether or not you use it. With Timeshares, can you buy more weeks at the same maintenance fee costs?

There is a saying - "How can you tell when a timeshare salesman is lying? When his lips are moving!" Unfortunately, there is some truth in this statement. Probably 1/2 of what they told you is not exactly how it works. You have to work hard to make exchanges and even reservations.

Many timeshares give you bonus weeks and you pay a MF when you use them. The thing is - even with the Mayan World (Mayan Palace, Grand Mayan, Grand Bliss, Grand Luxxe) those extra weeks become available after all of the Registered weeks have been scheduled. Most of these bonus weeks are not available mid-January through mid-April. Some people can book 12 months ahead and most 6 months ahead. Many of the Bonus weeks are 45-90 days ahead. Everyone that has purchased at Mayan World over the years has at least 2 weeks available per unit owned. They know most of us do not use them so sometimes they up the ante and give you more. When our extended family and friends traveled with us, we did use quite a few of these.

Every time you change your contract, the rates go up to the newest price. So, if you bought another week, the MF would be different as would the original purchase price. When I bought several resale ones that were bought in the same year, they had different prices for MF, because they can change the starting price whenever they wish. Once you have one, there is a % in the contract that it will go up each year. One of ours was 35 and the others were 5%.

I can access quite a few 2-bedroom weeks a year if I want to pay the MF. We traded 4 MP weeks and 2 GM weeks in for 2-GL weeks and they gave us extra bonus weeks because we had 12 weeks available before counting the 6 VF weeks (bonus). But, we can stay 2 weeks at the Buganvilias for the cost of one GL week.

Good luck and welcome to TUG!