Bluegreen Newbie and MFs

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

hey guys, thanks for all the input. To clear up a little, we have two small age kids and we live just a few hours from Branson. we bought points at Falls Village. We also like Big Cedar (who doesn't). I am a pastor of a small church so we are very choosy about the weekends that we are away. so a monday night-thursday night stay are perfect for us. fortunately, they are also the cheapest nights to use. so far, we are lucky to manage one decent vaca per year, sometimes every other year. the rest of the time I have off of my other job in retail, we spend with family away from the use of any resorts. so actually, 4k per year will actually be fine for us. If we wanted to do any larger trips we would have to bank/borrow. this was our first little step into timeshare life and so we wanted to try out one of the smallest packages possible. i always keep an eye out on ebay and craigslist for people giving up their points cheap or free, so if this works out, we may do like has been suggested and add another 8k eoy. except for selling to other people, we will probably never use more than that.

Thanks for coming back and explaining your situation a bit more.

IF you are EVER in the market….
I suggest that you look for a small FREE EOY or even a yearly at Big Cedar - they sell packages there for as little as 2,000 EOY - this would allow you to book bonus time (with 45 days) there as well as Fall Village - since it is a drive to location for you, the would be the way to go.

As you said, it is just a killer to pay $660 for 8,000 EOY when 8,000 EY is only $860ish.
Best of luck and happy vacationing.

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

Thanks again for all the help!

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

hey guys, thanks for all the input. To clear up a little, we have two small age kids and we live just a few hours from Branson. we bought points at Falls Village. We also like Big Cedar (who doesn't). I am a pastor of a small church so we are very choosy about the weekends that we are away. so a monday night-thursday night stay are perfect for us. fortunately, they are also the cheapest nights to use. so far, we are lucky to manage one decent vaca per year, sometimes every other year. the rest of the time I have off of my other job in retail, we spend with family away from the use of any resorts. so actually, 4k per year will actually be fine for us. If we wanted to do any larger trips we would have to bank/borrow. this was our first little step into timeshare life and so we wanted to try out one of the smallest packages possible. i always keep an eye out on ebay and craigslist for people giving up their points cheap or free, so if this works out, we may do like has been suggested and add another 8k eoy. except for selling to other people, we will probably never use more than that.

My advice, and poor attitude concerning timesharing, is based on 25 years of being actively involved in watching, and discussing with others, the changes in the industry. One thing that has not changed is that several areas . . . Branson, Wiiliamsburg, Orlando . . . are way overbuilt.

I am very involved in Branson stuff, and uncomfortably close to the timesharing folks.

If someone from the general public asked me how to get deals in Branson, which they frequently do on another forum, my answer is:

http://springfield.craigslist.org/vac/
http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals...ssouri/branson
http://www.1branson.com/forum/f15.html
http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-ren.../branson/r7389

It may take a little time to wade through the 1000-plus listed but . . .

Incidentally, years ago we sold a couple of our first two (Orlando) weeks, that were consecutive and that I have referred to recently, to a pastor from Alabama, the main reasons being that they were exactly the two weeks he had off in the Summer, and because the swimming pool was zero entry, for his handicapped son. That was before things went sour in the industry, and I doubt now that that was a good move for him.

I also have been renting out our 2-bedroom luxury Branson weeks, and the most I've been able to get reliably is $499 for a week with a $650 fee, which I'm quite sure will be going up because of unrest caused by one of the owners. My rentals come with some special perks for golfers, and the couple that was just here Week 28, who have some timesharing experience, were very happy with that, as their local-performer son joined in on that.

A longterm obligation that is impossible or nearly impossible to get rid of would be the last resort

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

A longterm obligation that is impossible or nearly impossible to get rid of would be the last resort

It would appear that in this case, the OP has done their homework and picked a good product to meet their needs and lifestyle.
With a points ownership, they have the flexibility to reserve when and what size unit they need which can change as their family and financial situation changes.
They got them for free and they can give them away again in 10 years if they choose ....
They are not stuck in Branson for use (as a fixed week owner is) so these would be attractive to any other Bluegreen owner.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Maybe, but if the purpose is to provide inexpensive Branson condo lodging, there's plenty of it available without a longterm obligation.

I'm just saying that if they don't want to do any more than that, there's no need to get more involved than they already are. Based on history, what can be given away now, may not be in the future, just like what could be sold for some money five years ago can't be given away now.



Heck, my renters get a 2-bedroom luxury Gold Crown in a gated community, and $100 golf for $25, for $499 a week.