Floating week vs. points resale purchase - help!!

[tony1865 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close tony1865]

Let me preface this question with sharing that we've owned Disney Vacation Club since 2000, and couldn't be more pleased.

I've found a resale for a floating week in New Orleans at the proverbial "offer I can't refuse." But since I've been dealing with DVC points all these years, and love the flexibility that offers, I'm just trying to wrap my head around the whole weeks vs. points schema. Are you happy with your week? Your points? Do you have experience in both?

Any advice from you BG pros? I'd add, too, that we went to a sales pitch in Charleston for BG some years ago and it wasn't too unpleasant - but I knew that I could do better resale.

I appreciate your timely help in advance!

[Tom in GA Member Find all posts View Profile Close Tom in GA]

Some Help

Wecome to our little forum. We have been Bluegreen owners for the last four years and have been very happy so far. I would rate Bluegreen overall at about 8 out of 10 considering the whole experience of units, sales pitches (ugh!), locations, service, etc.

I would suggest a contact with Bocca Bum on the forum. He handles a lot of resales for Bluegreen properties and can be trusted to steer you straight. As far as the points ystem, we are very satisfied as to how it works. We have deeds at properties that represent so many points. The points can be used in accordance with the schedule points tables for each resort in the system. We often hear about how people are unhappy about not getting into a resort at a popular time.....this is usually their fault for trying to book the 4th of July week in June. It does take a little planning ahead on some resorts and busy times. As I understand it (please correct me if I'm wrong somebody), you can use your deeded week if you specify it to Bluegreen in advance.

I hope that helps a little.

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

I'm just trying to wrap my head around the whole weeks vs. points schema. Are you happy with your week? Your points? Do you have experience in both?

We've never been much for weeks-based Timeshares, but we keep eying RCI vacations, which for us are weeks-based, and may go that route sometimes. For the most part, though, we much prefer points systems. I think (not a DVC owner, so this is based on what I've read, not experience), that the main difference between Bluegreen and DVC as points systems is that, with BG, your only "home resort" advantage is being able to claim the week you own before 11 months out. At 11 months out, all the points from all the resorts that haven't been claimed go into the common pool, meaning your odds of getting a 4th of July weekend are roughly the same where ever you go.

The main exception is Big Cedar, where you can get in 4th of July weekend, but it takes some finagling. There are also particular units that are really tough to get (3 BR cabins at Big Cedar; 3 BRs at the Fountains), but in terms of BG-owned resorts, your odds are pretty good of getting something at the 11 month window.

Also, BG-owned resorts are usually easier to get into than BG associate resorts (they're color-coded on the Website, BG-owned get the red-orange dot and Associate the avocado dot), with a few exceptions. Some associate resorts have availability whenever I check them, either because BG owns a lot of units there or because I'm looking at an unpopular time, not sure. The quality of the Associate resorts is not as consistent as the BG-owned resorts; the only BG-owned resort that gets regular poor reviews from BG owners is Shenandoah Crossing, which is BG-owned but (aside from the yurts), not really BG managed.

One advantage to owning a timeshare outside of DVC is that you could get a full RCI membership -- DVC owners have access to only a smallish percentage of RCI resorts (one sixth?), and no access to Last Call or Extra Vacations. While RCI resorts vary considerable in quality, there are plenty that I think as good as DVC that DVC owners don't have access to.

I really prefer points to weeks, and there are plenty of great points deals out there, so I'd hold out for that. Boca Bum, who I also recommend, can get you "authorized points" (all the bells and whistles you get when buying direct from BG, at the best price going), or "unauthorized points" (just the points, bonus time at your home resort only, and an RCI membership), which if you hang out for a while on the sale boards here or on TUG, you should be able to pick up just for transfer fees (around $500-$600) -- and I've heard of some sellers who'll even pay the transfer fees, meaning you get the points for free.

BG points are different from DVC in that, instead of particular resorts charging different MFs, you have different "trust funds," so how you calculate your MFs varies according to when the points were originally sold. While there's some variation in cost, the real reason to be aware of what trust fund the purchase is in is in terms of adding on later; if the points are in the same trust fund you can combine them and pay lower MF fees, otherwise it'd be like having weeks in different systems and you'd end up paying higher yearly fees. You already know you're prone to getting more TSs so you probably want to think about that.

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

points

It all depends on if you like a week at a time (and if your work allows it). For us as you can tell from my forum name, we like points because we like going for a few nights at a time. I am writing this from The Pines in Sunriver, OR where we are on a 3 day ski vacation I feel points are easier to use. Thats my 2 cents.

[tony1865 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close tony1865]

Y'all are the greatest! I'm pretty anal when it comes to research (my DW calls it "obsessing," but that's a little harsh ). We tend to take several 4 or 5 night trips as opposed to week-long jaunts, and I've been feeling in my gut that I'd never be completely satisfied with weeks as opposed to points. DVC has given us tons of good opportunities, but even the staunchest DVC fan will tell you that trading outside Disney is not a good use of points, and you ARE limited in your trades into RCI. I'm sure there's a "good reason" out there somewhere. Since we make annual Disney trips, it's a great match for us.

Still, we want to branch out, and opportunities abound. We're not the folks that have to be "sold" on the concept of timesharing. We'll do something, because sales (freebies?!) become available All. The. Time.

As an aside, we went to a sales presentation in Biloxi for a new property just last week. When I asked, "why should I buy direct from the developer instead of a resale?" you wouldn't believe the change in the atmosphere of the discussion. It was like an ice curtain descended. Hee-hee-hee.

[aliikai2 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close aliikai2]

We own weeks, and several point systems

They all work , and the goal is to get the most travel from you ownership.

A fixed week is the easiest to use. You arrive on your date, use your unit, no reservations to hassle with.

Then for those that can't travel the same week each year they came up with floating weeks. This can be great, or awful depending upon seasons, demand, etc.
There a some that at 7AM we need to be on the phone 365 days in advance to book a prime week.

Then the points systems came along and talked about flexibility, use for the days you want, size unit, etc. These also can be great.
If you understand the various programs, you can really get a lot of vacation for your dollars.
They also can be terrible.
For example Wyndham( used to be Fairfield) was a very flexible and valuable program.
Then in corporate fashion they started chipping away at the free guest certificates, free reservations, and started to disallow the transfer of any paid for benefits like VIP, etc.
So, they all work, you just need to find what works best for you and your family,

Greg

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

Let me preface this question with sharing that we've owned Disney Vacation Club since 2000, and couldn't be more pleased.

I've found a resale for a floating week in New Orleans at the proverbial "offer I can't refuse." But since I've been dealing with DVC points all these years, and love the flexibility that offers, I'm just trying to wrap my head around the whole weeks vs. points schema. Are you happy with your week? Your points? Do you have experience in both?

Any advice from you BG pros? I'd add, too, that we went to a sales pitch in Charleston for BG some years ago and it wasn't too unpleasant - but I knew that I could do better resale.

I appreciate your timely help in advance!

u have gotten great advice here but just to clarify, buying or being given a floating week ownership at a Blugreen resort is just that - a floating week.
it is not a points ownership.
You probably want to look into owning BG Points.

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

You simply have to decide what works for you.

I own BG points, a BG floating week (floats all 52 weeks), and a fixed week at an independent resort (not a chain). I've used them all. I tend to bank the fixed week mostly, for trading. So far I've used the points and floating week.

For a floating week there's no guarantee that a unit will be available when you want to travel, so planning and early reservations are called for. And if you're not going to use it, you can make a reservation and then bank it for trading.

This year I get my 4th week of vacation.... FINALLY!!