New to BG and I have a few questions. reservations, member levels etc.

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

I just bought 8000 points that are Bi-annual and they threw in the charter certificate. I am sure I overpaid, but that's not the question.

My first question is that I read the bad reviews on not being able to schedule your vacation because they are all booked up. Is this still true?

The bonus time looks like a phenomenal deal. is it as advertised? Or will it not let me schedule the date because I am not using points for all the nights?

How to the points work for silver membership. I have 8k Bi annual, do they go off your total points regardless if they are bi annual or annual? Is it worth it to go bronze, silver, gold.

I really like the idea of the points system, but I am worried that I won't be able to get a date because of the silver, gold and platinum members securing the dates before I do. Could I just buy unqualified points to get enough total points to be a silver member or do the points need to be qualified points to get to silver etc?


Thanks.

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

Points must be qualified to attain "status" such as silver. 8000 EOY = 4000 qualified "annual" so you're short about 11000 pts for Bronze (I think 15k is where the level starts). Some people swear by premiere levels but depends on what you're trying to do. I'm bronze but that hasn't really made any change in my usage. while it would be nice to be silver for free cancellations, I so rarely cancel that it's not an issue. The extended stays might be nice, but there are few resorts close enough to me that I could take advantage (flight changes are never free).

Bonus time is the real deal. You will want to make big use of it to conserve your points.

BG is very good to its owners. No one is going to give you a hard time for picking up resale points or using BT instead of points. The reservationist will know what points you have but that will not bring out any kind of discrimination. I repeat, BG is very good to its owners, we are all important to them.

If you want prime time in prime locations, it will be hard to get. I travel offseason and usually have no problem at all getting what I want. Please note, however, that it is extremely rare that I "MUST HAVE" any particular anything. if you keep your expectations in check there will be no disappointment.

Planning ahead is the best chance you have of getting what you want. It's already March so if you were hoping for July 4th holiday at the beach, you are probably too late, but, people cancel all the time so nothing is ever a lost cause until you give up on it. And, Bonus Time window is not yet open for July 4th so there is that opportunity to pay cash still.

Good luck, keep on asking questions.

and welcome to Bluegreen!!

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

I assume from your "I overpaid but that's not the question" that it is too late for you to rescind. If not, do it right away and then come back to read some more

I own BG and love it, as do many others. It is a great system but you need to know a few tricks.

You have to be able to plan ahead if you want prime time reservations. We travel to big cedar several times a year and I nearly always book at 11 months (either by getting on the wait list prior to 11 months, or going online at 11 months.) I go to Miami every year in Jan or February and get a 2 bedroom oceanfront unit online without problem at 10-11 months out. If I waited until 6 months, I would have not such great luck.

The two keys to making your BG points work for you are
1) plan ahead
2) prepay your maintenance fees so you never let points become saved or go to waste

I don't know anything about biennial points as mine are all annual but I would guess there are some special tricks to learn there.

Good luck.

Anita

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

I assume from your "I overpaid but that's not the question" that it is too late for you to rescind. If not, do it right away and then come back to read some more

I own BG and love it, as do many others. It is a great system but you need to know a few tricks.

You have to be able to plan ahead if you want prime time reservations. We travel to big cedar several times a year and I nearly always book at 11 months (either by getting on the wait list prior to 11 months, or going online at 11 months.) I go to Miami every year in Jan or February and get a 2 bedroom oceanfront unit online without problem at 10-11 months out. If I waited until 6 months, I would have not such great luck.

The two keys to making your BG points work for you are
1) plan ahead
2) prepay your maintenance fees so you never let points become saved or go to waste

I don't know anything about biennial points as mine are all annual but I would guess there are some special tricks to learn there.

Good luck.

Anita

I am still in my 10 day window, but I payed around 10k for the 8000 points. I assume that comes out to be way more than 1.25 a point which I read is the cheapest you can normally get for qualified points.

I have no problem planning ahead of time so I think I should be able to get the dates I want.

How does the bonus window work? Can I book up a week with points then pay under bonus points when the window opens? Can you explain how that works?

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

I am still in my 10 day window, but I payed around 10k for the 8000 points. I assume that comes out to be way more than 1.25 a point which I read is the cheapest you can normally get for qualified points.

I have no problem planning ahead of time so I think I should be able to get the dates I want.

How does the bonus window work? Can I book up a week with points then pay under bonus points when the window opens? Can you explain how that works?

For bonus points, in a word, no.

As I understand it, BG sets aside a pool of rooms for members, and a pool for renting. 45 days out, we get to rent at reduced prices. If you had a one week ressie, and cancelled and tried to pick it up via bonus points, I think you would be out of luck. (someone please correct me if I am wrong).

I use points and bonus stays in different manners. If I want something for sure, I book with points and keep it. If I am looking for a place to go cause a weekend opened up for me a couple weeks out, I check out whats available via bonus stays.

Hope this helps.

Greg

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

I am still in my 10 day window, but I payed around 10k for the 8000 points. I assume that comes out to be way more than 1.25 a point which I read is the cheapest you can normally get for qualified points.

I have no problem planning ahead of time so I think I should be able to get the dates I want.

How does the bonus window work? Can I book up a week with points then pay under bonus points when the window opens? Can you explain how that works?

You could get 4000 annual points for $5000 from Pinnacle Vacations and then borrow the next years points so everything would be unrestricted and would essentially be what you have now. 8000 EOY points also makes it a little harder to borrow if you need more. Will you be traveling in mostly smaller 1 br and studios or the off season? I have found one of the most difficult thing to do with TS's that use a points system but does not let you rent (your to others and others to your account and combine them) easily is to find out exactly how many points you need most years. You don't want too little and you don't want to end up with extras especially if they end up restricted in their use.

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

For bonus points, in a word, no.

As I understand it, BG sets aside a pool of rooms for members, and a pool for renting. 45 days out, we get to rent at reduced prices. If you had a one week ressie, and cancelled and tried to pick it up via bonus points, I think you would be out of luck. (someone please correct me if I am wrong).



I use points and bonus stays in different manners. If I want something for sure, I book with points and keep it. If I am looking for a place to go cause a weekend opened up for me a couple weeks out, I check out whats available via bonus stays.

Hope this helps

Greg

That makes sense. The way they explained it to me at the sales meeting, made it sound too good to be true. They made it sound like you use the bonus nights to save your points. Well that would be easy if you could reserve your bonus nights 11 moths ahead of time, but like you said, you can't. From what I am seeing, ,I will probably need to get more points. All the places I want to go are 8000 to 9000 points for the week. I could probably rent points in the mean time. Or I guess I can pick up some unqualified points for the time being and gradually get qualified points until I hit silver.

From what I read points are points when it comes to using them for reservations, besides the whole silver gold status thing.
Can you convert unqualified for RCI reservations?

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

Honestly, don't worry about bonus time right now. just get on with rescinding, immediately.

Qualified points and bonus time mean very little in the long run compared to overpaying. (as an example, I just closed on 24,000 annual points for $208.) Take your time. BG points are fantastic especially or someone who has no problem planning ahead. You'd be able to pay about 9 years of MF on 24,000 annual just for the amount you paid for your 8000 biennial points...and 4000 every other year isn't gonna get you much.

The probably sold you hard on bonus time because your points package was so small. Bonus time may or may not be a good deal for you but figure that out later after you get your 10K back.

Anita

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

So to rescend I basically send a certified letter to the address listed saying I want to back out of the deal and then fed ex them my iPad they gave me to the same address?

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

So to rescend I basically send a certified letter to the address listed saying I want to back out of the deal and then fed ex them my iPad they gave me to the same address?

Follow the instructions you got in the package to a T.
You'll need to read them. Where did you purchase?
Each state has different rescission times.

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

Follow the instructions you got in the package to a T.
You'll need to read them. Where did you purchase?
Each state has different rescission times.

Tennesee, says 10 days from time of signing. I signed on the 5th.

I'm I going to need a charter. When I buy new points? They gave me one for free.

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

Tennesee, says 10 days from time of signing. I signed on the 5th.

I'm I going to need a charter. When I buy new points? They gave me one for free.

I don't own BG points, only a weeks BG account.
I don't have charter benefits but there is a way to get them resale if you use certain brokers.
Luckily one is a member here. You can do a little more research and decide if it's really
something you will make use of.
FWI, your home resort offers bonus time on a resale unit so if you choose the resort that
you will most likely use the bonus time at then you may be happy with just regular ol
resale points.
Stick around and ask more questions and welcome to the forum.

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

This is a lot to learn. So I should cancel my contract, buy points from the gentleman on this site or pinnacle. That it also doesn't matter if they are qualified points unless i want a charter and or member ship levels, bronze silver gold . Also points in trust E are the best ?

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

This is a lot to learn. So I should cancel my contract, buy points from the gentleman on this site or pinnacle. That it also doesn't matter if they are qualified points unless i want a charter and or member ship levels, bronze silver gold . Also points in trust E are the best ?

Yes alot to learn but there is no hurry, take your time.

And possibly yes purchase points from our resident expert or Pinnacle.
Ebay might also make sense or just assume a free unit from people who routinely give away their units here on this site.

I'm not sure of the trust fund issues as I don't own points, only weeks.
I'll let someone else answer that question for you.

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

I just saw 5000 annual points at the splats surf side to for $14 on ebay. Even though they are probably unqualified points that was cheap. 14 is a lot less thank 10k with 1000 more points a year. I'm i missing somthing here?