Do you own points and weeks?

[Dancingfish Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Dancingfish]

We were told this weekend that Points was the wave of the future and that more and more resorts were changing out of the weeks program.
If you own both-- Which program do you like best?
Do you feel you get the same value from Points that you do with weeks.

My DH feels that his weeks contract Guarantees him 7 days for the rest of his life... where in 5 years his points might get him 3 days...

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

We were told this weekend that Points was the wave of the future and that more and more resorts were changing out of the weeks program.
If you own both-- Which program do you like best?
Do you feel you get the same value from Points that you do with weeks.

My DH feels that his weeks contract Guarantees him 7 days for the rest of his life... where in 5 years his points might get him 3 days...

He is incorrect in his description of points inflation. If you buy enough points to get you 7-days at a given resort where you purchase, you can still get 7-days at that same resort in 5 years.

The inflation comes into play usually at other resorts you may want to use your points at. But, those resorts didn't exist in the point system when you first joined it. So, if you choose to only take 3-days somewhere else, that was your choice. You could have still taken the 7-days at the original resort you purchased.

Points are simply an alternative to one for one trading in a weeks exchange system. We all know how that changes at the whim of the exchange company. You may be able to get 7-days in the future in a weeks based system, but you may only be able to go to Orlando or South Africa when in the past you could go almost anywhere.

I strongly believe the way of the future is away from independent weeks based resorts and toward branded resort groups based on some type of point system. I've believe that for 3 years and everything I see continues to point in that direction.

[Dancingfish Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Dancingfish]

By branded do you mean Wyndam or Vacation Villages or Hyatt types?

[Jya-Ning Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close Jya-Ning]

By branded do you mean Wyndam or Vacation Villages or Hyatt types?

I believe that what he implies. I also see that trend. But I believe there are enough tradition week. So in the next 40 years, there will still enough week system around.

As said, majority of the mini-point system (WorldMark, Wyndham, Disney, HGVC, Diamond ...) keep there point value for today's resort they build. The Wyndham resort when I first bought my home resort, has never change the point value for that resort in 8 years, and I don't see the change happen in any near future. So if you bought point just for the purpose of visit that resort for x days, you will always be able to do that.

However, the newer resort they add in, will cost close to double the points. As said, it is your choice. In some systems that does not protect the home resort owner, or if you bought other places intend to use the point in different resort you will find you need more work just to make reservation in the original resort you plan to stay, and may feel like you are push to make reservation to high point resort that you don't plan to.

The exchange company's point system probably should not stay as constant, but you should still get same day's stay in your home resort

Jya-Ning

[Lisa P Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Lisa P]

We love our points ownership (Wyndham) because it offers the flexibility of shorter stays, varying unit sizes and, above all, the ability to reserve at any resort within its system without paying an additional exchange fee. It's complex to learn but if an owner learns the ropes, they can get great value for their money as well.

We also own several fixed and floating weeks. We like them for trading through RCI/II or independent exchange companies. Some of our weeks are at independent resorts. But some are managed through a larger company (VRI), which provides a boost in trade power when seeking an RCI exchange into another sister (VRI) resort.

All of our ownerships are deeded in perpetuity, which we also prefer, over a RTU week or leased points.

As far as points losing value over time, it's only a concern if you are talking about RCI points. Those are subject to change. If you get points with most developer systems (resale, of course), a change in the value of your points will generally only happen if your home resort becomes extremely unpopular for some reason. And that would also happen with a drop in trade power for a fixed/floating week, if it becomes unpopular too. The "loss in points power" that most people see is that they get enough points for a particular unit size and length of stay. Then NEW resorts come into the system which cost more points for that same unit size and length of stay. However, the stay at their home resort didn't change. Hope that makes sense.

[madmitch Member Find all posts View Profile Close madmitch]

I own Weeks and Points
My week ownership is at San Luis Bay Inn, via RCIM and not Sunterra.
I only get 7 nights, but usually split those into several stays over the year, often adding to with inexpensive bonus time. (it ends up being cheaper than using Sunterra points most of the time)
My points ownership is via Sunterra/Diamond, and I now have 22,500 or equal to three weeks, all through resale.
Playing the 59-out game I can extend that to almost double, but I can't use that amount of time so I often rent my points and gain a bit of a profit.
Some stays are full fare, about 7500 points for 7 nights, others are discounted, 3750 for a full week. If I don't need a 2 bedroom I save points booking something smaller.
We stay in Tahoe or other day-drive areas and avoid Fri-Sat nights when possible so other nights use less points.
I have 3 nights in Sedona coming in May. Only possible via points, and booked at a time that offered good savings. Meeting my cousin from Iowa and we'll be riding motorcycles there and on day-rides out and back.

That's my 2¢.

[Icc5 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Icc5]

Combination of the two

We own 3 units in the week system and Worldmark a points system. We use the points sometimes to stay at Worldmark for a week or sometimes a few days in between our weeks stays at the other units. It works well for us but we are planners. If you plan ahead you can usually make any system work.
Bart

[somerville Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close somerville]

I own fixed weeks, floating weeks, Worldmark points and Festiva Adventure Club (formerly equivest) points. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. For making exchanges, I like the points, because the number of points required is dependent on unit size and season. I have a Marriott deeded week that I also use for Marriott exchanges. For my use, I like the deeded weeks.

[BoardGirl Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BoardGirl]

RCI is always going to say that RCI Points are the future.

While I do believe that Points are the future, I don't really believe that RCI's system is All That. I don't plan to buy into their system as I don't believe it to be a good fit for me. But others have had a lot of experience in it and are pleased.

I own Bluegreen and it's a great system, like having the best of both worlds (points and weeks).

[Sue S Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Sue S]

I own Diamond(Sunterra) points plus a fixed week which I trade via RCI. I'm currently selling the fixed week because I find that it's becoming too expensive to use when I factor in the RCI membership and exchange fee.

The DRI points are excellent, I bought enough (resale) to book 3 weeks high-season in a 2-bed, that was when the children were younger. Now that they don't holiday with us anymore the points will stretch to 6 or more weeks per year (and if we go to a DRI resort there's no additional fee).

The flexibility of points is definitely a plus for me.

Sue

[eglon999 Member Find all posts View Profile Close eglon999]

I own floating weeks and also points. What I really like about points is the flexible check in dates because that allows me to shop for airfare discounts. Although Fri/Sat/Sun check ins are best, sometimes airfares to high demand areas are several hundred $$ higher when you travel on those days.

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

As said, majority of the mini-point system (WorldMark, Wyndham, Disney, HGVC, Diamond ...) keep there point value for today's resort they build. The Wyndham resort when I first bought my home resort, has never change the point value for that resort in 8 years, and I don't see the change happen in any near future. So if you bought point just for the purpose of visit that resort for x days, you will always be able to do that.

However, the newer resort they add in, will cost close to double the points. As said, it is your choice. In some systems that does not protect the home resort owner, or if you bought other places intend to use the point in different resort you will find you need more work just to make reservation in the original resort you plan to stay, and may feel like you are push to make reservation to high point resort that you don't plan to.

The exchange company's point system probably should not stay as constant, but you should still get same day's stay in your home resort

Jya-Ning

My strategy has been slightly different but based on what Jya-Ning stated.
I am also banking on the theory that once the points of a resort are established, they will not change. I am purchasing re-sale Wyndham Points.

The resort I want to go to (primarily) has 2 unit sizes I am interested in that cost 126K and 154K. I am again assuming (and hoping) this will not change.
I know that eventually Wyndham plans on adding more regular units and Presidential suites to this property. They will certainly cost more points to stay.
But I am happy to stay in either one of the 2 units as stated above.

However, the MF to points ratio is too high at this resort, so I am buying points at other Wyndham properties that are more attractively priced - but will have the points I need to stay at my preferred resort.

[mshatty Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close mshatty]

My strategy has been slightly different but based on what Jya-Ning stated.
I am also banking on the theory that once the points of a resort are established, they will not change. I am purchasing re-sale Wyndham Points.

The resort I want to go to (primarily) has 2 unit sizes I am interested in that cost 126K and 154K. I am again assuming (and hoping) this will not change.
I know that eventually Wyndham plans on adding more regular units and Presidential suites to this property. They will certainly cost more points to stay.
But I am happy to stay in either one of the 2 units as stated above.

However, the MF to points ratio is too high at this resort, so I am buying points at other Wyndham properties that are more attractively priced - but will have the points I need to stay at my preferred resort.

Pat,

What happens when new units are added at an existing resort is that the new units may have a different point cost but the original units will retain their point cost. So you will have 2 different point tables. You will know which part of the resort you will be staying in based on the number of points you have to use to reserve your unit.

[Larry Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Larry]

Pat,

What happens when new units are added at an existing resort is that the new units may have a different point cost but the original units will retain their point cost. So you will have 2 different point tables. You will know which part of the resort you will be staying in based on the number of points you have to use to reserve your unit.

Good Point !!!!

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

Pat,

What happens when new units are added at an existing resort is that the new units may have a different point cost but the original units will retain their point cost. So you will have 2 different point tables. You will know which part of the resort you will be staying in based on the number of points you have to use to reserve your unit.

Yup, which is fine with me.

My point was I am not buying at that resort because of the high MF/1K cost - but am buying with the points needed to stay there in mind.

This could be where the weeks system has points beat.
As a Marriott owner - with the current week to week trading, a week owner in Williamsburg can still trade into Aruba or Hawaii or SoCal with their "old" week. But Marriott uses II as their 'internal trade company' so there are additional fees involved (II yearly fee and exchange fee) that most of the points systems have built into their MF structure.