posted 04-05-2005 12:49               

Availability does vary - I booked a week around this Memorial Day weekend at Marina Dunes (always hard to get into) about 9 months out, I think, without much problem.

posted 04-05-2005 13:45               

quote:

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Originally posted by AnnaO:
Are exchanges with RCI/II worthwhile?

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posted 04-05-2005 14:05               

Worldmark resales are available every day of the year...you needn't jump prematurely just 'cause you found one 12k package for sale....there are lots for sale.
a) WM is mainly in the western USA...you sure you can use it from DE?
b) WM points flexibilty is more expensive than buying a conventional TS week....you sure you need that?

Otherwise, yes WM is a nice program....welcome to TUG.

posted 04-05-2005 20:32               

There is a TREMENDIOUS advantage being a WM owner and living on the east coast – very little competition for 59 day II exchanges using just 4,000 WM credits!

We just booked more weeks at the Marriott Beach Place Towers for June – we did use 9,000 credits for a 1BR, but we will probably pick up another week as we approach the 59-day window.

The poor Marriott owners there pay about $1,000 in maintenance fees per year and the 9,000 WM credits cost just $450 plus the $129 II exchange = $579. We do this all the time – we live in St. Louis and spend many weeks in Marriotts at Ft. Lauderdale and Palm Beach.

Something to consider.

We just spent a week at WM’s (and FF’s) Ocean Walk at Daytona Beach and had a super time – had a 2BR Penthouse and a 2BR Deluxe - all ocean front. This complex is just as nice as or better than Beach Place Towers. The poor FF owners pay about $1,000 in MF for each of those weeks – WM charges just $640 for the Penthouse and $480 for the deluxe – this is the same complex!!!!

posted 04-05-2005 20:34            

quote:

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Originally posted by Hatrack79:
b) WM points flexibilty is more expensive than buying a conventional TS week....you sure you need that?
Hat[/B]

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Thanks, Hatrack.
Is this a common wisdom that points are more expensive than a conventional week (and what's a TS week?). How does one compare? Am I opening a can of worms here? I've been looking around this board for a day and a half - it seems like each system has its proponenent.
Actually, you got me thinking that a conventional week might be better suited to my needs. I usually go each year for a week of skiing and a week of scubadiving. Would want to book those weeks when skiing/diving is good.

posted 04-05-2005 20:40            

quote:

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Originally posted by PerryM:
AnnaO,

There is a TREMENDIOUS advantage being a WM owner and living on the east coast – very little competition for 59 day II exchanges using just 4,000 WM credits!

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Thanks Perry. I have to admit my head is spinning....How is it that you only need 4000 WM points to trade for II property? And -at the risk of embarassing myself - what's the 59 day window?

posted 04-05-2005 21:50               

So instead of spending 10,000 WM credits to stay at Marriott’s Beach Place Towers in a 2BR it only requires 4,000 WM credits if the check-in date is 59 or fewer days from today.

Each WM credit has a maintenance fee of about 4 cents. Thus the 4,000 WM credits cost about $160 dollars and the II exchange fee is $129 or $289 to stay at Beach Place Towers (if there is availability). The poor Marriott owner who put it into II for exchange is paying $1,000 in maintenance fees for that same week.

This 4,000 credit ability is one of the MAJOR reasons to own WM. The poor Marriott owner who spent $19,000 and more to buy the Beach Place Towers week cost just $8,000 in WM resales (80 cents per credit * 10,000 credits to book up to 12 months in advance).

Perry

posted 04-06-2005 06:21               

I'd rather have the option of splitting my week between 2 different resorts, or going for shorter time periods (works better with my work schedule). And I don't mind booking 13 months out, like the Tahoe reservation because I can cancel it and get my points back (which I ended up doing with that reservation, was helping my Mom move that summer so couldn't take the time off). I love the WM system and willingly pay a premium to own it.

posted 04-06-2005 15:26               

quote:

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Originally posted by AnnaO:
I usually go each year for a week of skiing and a week of scubadiving. Would want to book those weeks when skiing/diving is good.

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posted 04-06-2005 15:56               

quote:

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Originally posted by AnnaO:
Thanks, Hatrack.
Is this a common wisdom that points are more expensive than a conventional week (and what's a TS week?). How does one compare? Am I opening a can of worms here? I've been looking around this board for a day and a half - it seems like each system has its proponenent.
Actually, you got me thinking that a conventional week might be better suited to my needs. I usually go each year for a week of skiing and a week of scubadiving. Would want to book those weeks when skiing/diving is good.

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"TS" is merely a common abbreviation for "timeshare".....often used throughout TUG.

I was merely pointing out that Worldmark is $8,000 upfront for a 2br/red/goldcrown (i.e. 10,000 credits). You might be able to get by with a $2k to $5k conventional TS week. I beleive we WM owners pay a "premium" for:

a) the added flexibility of points,
b) access to 55 resorts without exchange fees.

(note that developer is selling that 10k credit membership 'new' for $16k+ (so resale is about half; somewhat higher than a conventional week, particularly those that arent' under active developer sales).

You'll find lots of differing opinions on TUG; what's optimum for my travel needs and my budget isn't necessarily optimum for anyone else. Do need the ability to checkin any day of the week? do you need access to studio/1br/2br/3br? Do you want partial week stays(w/ restrictions via WM rules)? Do you like these 55 locations? do you need access to 5,000 locations in RCI or II?

Beware there are more than a dozen timeshare "points" systems; Worlmark is merely one of them....but a popular one. In WM, you own an undivided interest in 4,000 condos in those 55 resorts. You then use your credits like 'vacation currency' to book the week/size/location you want. (first come first served at 13months out; competing w/ the other 200,000 owners.)

One often discussed "points" program that is quite different, and often discussed on TUG is "RCI Points". Many TUGGERS have found ways to get great vacations for less money via this exhange methed. There, your ownership begins with a deed at any of the hundreds of "RCI Points affiliated resorts". Then you pay a one-time conversion fee ($200 to $5,000 (ouch!), depending upon the middlemen involved), then you have the right to 'exchange' your TS week for other condos in the RCI Points sytem. Keep in mind that you can only choose from those vacations that other RCI members have deposited. If no one deposits Christmas in Maui, you won't be able to exchange for Christmas in Maui!

As contrasted to Worldmark, each WM owner truly does have access to Christmas in Maui (or any of the other weeks, locations) at 13 months out.....so that's another reason WM brings a premium.

Hat

posted 04-06-2005 16:01               

Beware that the 'point' values on the various systems are not equivelent, nor interchangeble. Some systems use small numbers of expensive points (i.e. a 50 point week is prime), others use large numbers of relatively inexpensive points.

However, a 2br/red/goldcrown is that 10,000 Worldmark Credits....and is roughly equivelent to 50,000 RCI Points, which is roughly equivelent to 153,000 Fairfield Points....beware of which points that you're talking about or reading about on TUG.

posted 04-06-2005 21:45               

quote:

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Originally posted by PerryM:
There is a TREMENDIOUS advantage being a WM owner and living on the east coast – very little competition for 59 day II exchanges using just 4,000 WM credits!

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I'm not sure that I understand, Perry. Sure, there might not be much competition from other Worldmark owners for those last-minute II resorts on the east coast, but isn't there still competition from all of II's other members?