Reserving Time

[scribe4u2 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close scribe4u2]

Okay.

I am a newbie and will be the proud owner of a bunch of points very soon. My questions is very basic. How does one go about the method of reserving resorts.
I will be Gold, so 13 months out I hope to be reserving space.
I am sure the answers to my questions are in the posts of this forum.

I am looking for examples, tips, don't, do's, et cetera, that will make my experience the least painful as possible.

I have been talking with Boca Jim, but am feeling guilty with all my questions for him. He does need to talk with other clients so he can make some money. So I am reaching out to the forum for any advice you have and feel would be helpful.

One basic question is: Does everybody get the same start date to reserve space (outside the 12 month or 13 month date for silver/gold)? That is, does Bluegreen reset the books on, say, May 1st. I am a little confused as to how I can book 13 months out.

I hope my post makes sense.

Thank you in advance for all your valuable info.

Best,

Scribe

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

I'll try this one. I am going simple, not accounting for ann. date.

Lets say you already have the points. Now you figure out that you want to go to Hershey July 10-17 2009. You simply call the Bluegreen Preferred phone number June 10, (13 months before you want to book) and tell the always helpful people that you want to book Hershey for your dates. Pretty simple.

Now I have one of the BG people on the phone (right now) trying to figure out where some of my points went. Someone booked a cruise and used my points. Susie at BG Preferred will figure it out for me.

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

You can get on the waitlist early for Silver and Gold, but the actual reservation is not booked until the 11 month mark. Owners have priority on their owned weeks at 12 months so you can't get in ahead of an owner.

Hope that makes sense???

Generally, making reservations is very easy, even if you aren't sure when or where. The reps are very accomodating even with the very vague requests - "Is there much left anywhere over 4th of July?" or "how soon can I get a full week on a beach, any beach?"

My biggest piece of advice is to be flexible. Sometimes others will beat you to your preferred time and place. Having a Plan B is very helpful.

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

For Bluegreen Owners, sign up for the Bluegreen HOA by clicking on this link: Timeshare Forums Bluegreen HOA

There are tricks to using the wait list effectively. I'll describe in detail how to use the waitlist most effectively. It will virtually assure that Gold owners can get anything available. Silvers will come close.

[scribe4u2 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close scribe4u2]

Thank you.

Thank you, each and everyone who has responded. This sounds like exactly what my family has been looking for, affordable vacations.

Combine our Bluegreen points with my wife's status as retired airline employee, and I think I am going to enjoy the next few years.

Look me up at a resort near you.

One Happy Camper!!

Best,

Richard

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

...This sounds like exactly what my family has been looking for, affordable vacations.

Combine our Bluegreen points with my wife's status as retired airline employee, and I think I am going to enjoy the next few years.
...

Richard, I think you are set. You are gold, (a version of Austin Powers keeps going through my mind, Yeah Baby, Your'e a Gold Member) you have a lot of resorts to chose from, and have a way to get there with the airline connection.

Check some of the past threads of 'favorite resorts' and you should find some nice ones to start reserving once you points are set up. I hope you got access to Select Connections. That opens up the west coast resorts.

I like the BG website to help you to choose what activities you want; beach, golf, mountains, etc. Or use it to pick the area that you want to visit.

You joined a good group here, and a good timeshare. Welcome.

[swirg53 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close swirg53]

1. Be flexible. Have Plan B & Plan C thought out before your call.

2. Don't hook too many places back to back and expect it will work out. My very first time making a reservation: I tried to get Hilton Head/Mtn. Loft/Christmas Mountain Village all back to back (well, with a night on the road between the last two) and was shot down with Hilton Head. I was so discouraged it took me a few days before I would even try again. Then I tried Harbour Lights replacing Hilton Head. HL I could get but then the others would not fall into place. Feeling pretty down about our purchase that I seemingly can't use, once again, I didn't call back for several days. Then I decided I would have them work with me and it worked out just fine, because then we substituted Laurel Crest for Mtn. Loft and it worked. (Just a tiny studio at Laurel Crest on the weekend to use up my "few" points leftover.)

3. If you don't get the answer you want the first time, call back right away. (This doesn't have to do with just reservations.) Sometimes, some of the reservation people work harder to find something or have more knowledge to find something or whatever. If the answer is in regards to no availability and you get that answer the second time also, wait an hour/several hours/a day to call back again as a cancellation may come through. You could also be asked to be put on a wait list for a cancellation but I would still keep calling back. (I've heard the cancellation list only gets checked against vacancies once each day.) When I have called back, I have never gotten the same person I had just talked to so don't be concerned about that.

4. Basically, know what dates you want and what kind of unit you want before you call and where you want to go. Look it up on line and/or in your reference books from BG to check the # of points to see if you have enough without borrowing from the next year. They will stay on the phone with you as long as you need them to, however, there are others waiting on hold (possibly) to make reservations so the more "homework" you can do prior to your call, the better it makes it for everyone.

5. You can make more than one reservation on one phone call, if you want to.

6. If you are making a reservation to deposit with RCI, be sure to tell the person on the phone that the very first thing. A few resorts/check-in dates may not work with RCI.

7. To book bonus time, you can do that online 48 days out (that means 48 days before the check-in date) or 45 days out on the phone.

8. The amount of time you spend on hold, if any, has been much reduced over the five years we have been owners. But do be patient when you call; it may not be a real quick phone call, even if you get what you want and are not on hold very long. It can be quick but sometimes when they are searching, it does take awhile. PLUS they are required to go over all the rules of the resort with you.

9. You will get a confirmation letter of your reservation in the mail in 10 days to two weeks. Be sure to check that for accuracy, including your point balance.

10. It will get easier as time goes on.

11. There is a special number that only preferred owners can use. I'm not sure it gives you much advantage, other than it has been said that those reservation people may be more knowledgeable about preferred owner benefits than others might be.

I hope this helps. I'm sure there was more I was going to add but can't think of it right now, of course, until I hit send!

Susan