Planning and Avaliblity

[hperryesq Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close hperryesq]

My husband and I are thinking about taking the Bluegreen plunge. I really want to understand how to use the bluegreen product. So I am going to pose some questions for discussion.

1. I know planning is important, but how much last minute inventory is available during the summer? What types of places are available in the summer last minute. We live in South Carolina? My husband told me he wanted to go to the fountains in July-is that realistic?

2. How far in advance do you need to plan trips to the Lodge Alley Inn, The Fountains, Shannadoh Crossing, and Myrtle Beach resorts in summer.

3. What fees has bluegreen surprised you with?

4. What types of resorts are available as hot weeks in the summer.

Thanks

[whand Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close whand]

I will answer with our families vacation planning.

We are Silver members so get wait2 months out not sure how that helped us.
Fountains booked July 7/8-7/10 this year, and 5/30/09 - 6/6/09
We stayed at Shenandoah twice last year on our way to Hershey and back.
We plan Summer vacation when we can wait list in June. ( a bit behind this year)

I did Hot Week search Check in 6/24 - 7/1 With Travelers Plus
Bahamas; Lehigh Acres, FL; Reno, NV; Canary Islands; Sebring, FL; Mexico; Egypt
Finland

Bluegreen shows last minute at Vegas, St Augustine, Fountians, Laurel Crest Cibola Vista.
Can reserve right now for 7/2 - 7/9 at Fountains 2 bedroom.
Nothing in Shenandoah

Fees that I was surprised with would be the pay to save points. Maintenance Fees have risen but I can't say I was surprised. Nor am we happy about it.

Hope that helps. I would say we are very happy with our Bluegreen purchase. The vacations have been nice and we have enjoyed each resort we have visited for what it has to offer.

Wendell.

[hperryesq Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close hperryesq]

Thanks

It is nice to know there is last minute availability at the fountains. My husband and 2 year old son love to see the mouse.

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

1. I know planning is important, but how much last minute inventory is available during the summer? What types of places are available in the summer last minute.

June and July go fairly quick, maybe gone by six months out; August, especially mid- to late-August, sticks around longer, in my experience.

My husband told me he wanted to go to the fountains in July-is that realistic?

The Fountains is generally pretty easy to get into, and also kinda points pricey meaning people will wait to see if they can get it on Bonus Time, so wanting the Fountains in July when it's June is generally possible (assuming you can be flexible in terms of what part of July).

2. How far in advance do you need to plan trips to the Lodge Alley Inn, The Fountains, Shannadoh Crossing, and Myrtle Beach resorts in summer.

I'd try for eleven months out with LAI, Shenandoah, and Shorecrest in Myrtle Beach if you want late June or July, however Harbour Lights in Myrtle Beach is often available when the other three are gone (it's not right on the beach but we think it's a great resort and really like the State Park passes you can get there). And you can probably get stuff less than eleven months out, but more than six might be pushing it. August is easier to get.

It really depends on how determined you are to go somewhere. If only a particular resort or unit will do, then get it eleven months out unless it's the Fountains or for some other reason you know you've got time (and there are a couple of units at the Fountains that you hardly ever see even eleven months out!). Also, your Bluegreen ownership gets you a membership with RCI. Combine that with the fact that Orlando is overbuilt, and you can usually get something in or near Orlando one way or the other -- either at the Fountains or trading into RCI or paying cash through RCI (a 1 BR Last Call unit is about $270 for a week; Extra Vacations go up from there). Going through RCI does require more research than trading through Bluegreen, though.

3. What fees has bluegreen surprised you with?

The charge for saving points that formerly rolled over automatically. Which is $35 to $50 a year if you have yearly points, and we'll probably just avoid it by making a reservation before the deadline, but we know about it -- that may end up being an ugly surprise for some people.

I'm not crazy about the rising maintenance fees but that was not a big surprise, alas.

[dcells Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dcells]

Changing Reservations-Very Poor System

I realize this is probably old news regarding Bluegreen Corporation's reservation system. On 6/22/11 I called to change a reservation (Christmas Mt Village) to check out a day early. I was told that first I had to agree that they had to cancel the reservation and then make a new reservation. Following cancellation, it is possible that another agent or owner (booking on-line) could grab the cancelled reservation before my agent to book the new reservation. (There was not another reservation to make before cancelling my existing reservation.) It was not possible to (simply) revise an existing reservation. Points Protection Plan was purchased for this reservation. I told the agent I was not comfortable with that agreement and to not make cancel my reservation.

[smithiekid Member Find all posts View Profile Close smithiekid]

This has always been policy and I have heard of it happening to people at peak times