Question from potential owner

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

OK, so I went to a sales pitch at World Golf Vilas in St Augustine and generally liked what I heard. We decided to try a smapler (9000pts for a year) and froze a 5000 point plan with unlimited bonus time and all the charter benefits including TP, Yacht club, RCI etc..I've been doing a lot of perusing on this forum and on a Yahoo User Group. I have a growing concern based on a trend that I see. It would appear that getting to go where you want when you want may not be as easy as it is made out to be in the pitch. Seems like there's a lot of pre planning and scheduling etc. It especially seems that if you have a low number of points like 5000 you are at the bottom of the barrel as far as getting in. I was under the impression you could book a week or some weekdays where ever you wanted when you wanted and then just use bonus time for the weekends which are higher point costs. I'm also hearing that there may be a few or more places that require a week stay as opposed to being able to just go for shorter period. I'm reallly interested in hearing from owners in general about the good and bad. I'd especially like to hear from recent owners, last 24 months or so and your experiences and from owners with smaller point numbers. I do not take dropping 11K on something like this lightly and intend to research extensively in the next year. I'd love to hear your feedback please. I'd also like to hear from Jim if he's still around here.

Thank you for your consideration..

Michael

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

There are few week-long stay required resorts but they are Affiliates, the Club resorts allow short stays (2 night minimum).

Planning ahead is good if you are unwilling to compromise on time or place, and you have your heart set on prime time in prime places.

But you can also book same day if you want. "Subject to availability" is the phrase to remember. There are only so many units per resort per week. People cancel, too, so you just never know what is available on any given day because it changes.

Number of points does not put you at bottom of the barrell. Your points can buy everything that mine can.

Can't speak as to problems getting reservations. I am not limited to school holidays and don't tend to follow the crowds to Orlando and Branson. I don't have difficulty getting vacations booked.

[gandalf252002 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close gandalf252002]

You will find that a 5,000 point package will probably not get you a week long stay at most resorts unless you can travel off season. Have you looked at a BG points chart? When and where would you want to go? Are you tied to the school calendar or other holiday weeks?

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

There are not many good trades for two bedroom high red or red weeks unless one owns 20,000 points and up. 35,000 points are needed for a week at The Manhattan Club in NY. The new Cape Cod area resort week would be in the 40,000 plus point level! I struggle to use 10,000 points to book a two bedroom week. It's my opinion that 5,000 points are not worth owning.

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

I have 6000 points I would like to get rid of.