Drum roll please.... Bluegreen Online Reservations!

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

are u able to pick your unit number when u make an online reservation?

I am going to use Mark's way of answering, and many of his answers.
No, you can not pick a unit by number. You can reserve a type of unit, 2 bedroom vs. 1 bedroom, but you can't ask for #1311 (one we like at Shorecrest).

Are u able to call AFTER you make the online reservation to see what units are available?

Units numbers are not provided. They used to be, but I guess things happen and they could not be sure you would get that unit. You can call and request that if it is available, you would like that unit.

How is unit location handled?

Not sure what you mean by location, are you saying a unit in the middle of a building vs. at the end? Not much you can do on that either. When you get close to your reserved week, you can call and ask for a location.

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

How is unit location handled?

When I call, I request specific units. Most of the time they will say that it is available or not. However, they now point out that it cannot be guaranteed. As pointed out by a recent responder, they used to be very "first caller friendly" on this important factor, but of late it's becoming less "first caller friendly" (but perhaps more "all caller friendly"). (Obviously, BG cannot guarantee a specific unit. If the furnace or air conditioner goes out, or the toilet backed up and ruined the carpet, etc., etc., that unit is unavailable.) But we all know that.

Let me explain how I think it now works. Case 1: Consider a resort with only two 3-bedroom lockoffs. You call and want the 2-bedroom unit 132. Fine. I call and want the 1-bedroom unit 133. Fine. Pat calls and wants any 3 bedroom. Oh, Oh, non are available. However, if you or I were moved, then a 3 bedroom would become available. One of the two of us would be less than happy but Pat got a reservation rather than nothing. Case 2: Since BGVC has partial weeks that can start any day of the week and since someone with a 7-day reservation may cancel and be taken up by someone else with a 6-day cancellation, holes can show up in the schedule that no one can or will reserve. Creative moving around of reservations can close up some of these holes to provide a long enough time slot that someone else can reserve.

Charles

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

No, Yes, I don't know.

Mark

I am going to use Mark's way of answering, and many of his answers.
No, you can not pick a unit by number. You can reserve a type of unit, 2 bedroom vs. 1 bedroom, but you can't ask for #1311 (one we like at Shorecrest).

Units numbers are not provided. They used to be, but I guess things happen and they could not be sure you would get that unit. You can call and request that if it is available, you would like that unit.


Not sure what you mean by location, are you saying a unit in the middle of a building vs. at the end? Not much you can do on that either. When you get close to your reserved week, you can call and ask for a location.

When I call, I request specific units. Most of the time they will say that it is available or not. However, they now point out that it cannot be guaranteed. As pointed out by a recent responder, they used to be very "first caller friendly" on this important factor, but of late it's becoming less "first caller friendly" (but perhaps more "all caller friendly"). (Obviously, BG cannot guarantee a specific unit. If the furnace or air conditioner goes out, or the toilet backed up and ruined the carpet, etc., etc., that unit is unavailable.) But we all know that.

Let me explain how I think it now works. Case 1: Consider a resort with only two 3-bedroom lockoffs. You call and want the 2-bedroom unit 132. Fine. I call and want the 1-bedroom unit 133. Fine. Pat calls and wants any 3 bedroom. Oh, Oh, non are available. However, if you or I were moved, then a 3 bedroom would become available. One of the two of us would be less than happy but Pat got a reservation rather than nothing. Case 2: Since BGVC has partial weeks that can start any day of the week and since someone with a 7-day reservation may cancel and be taken up by someone else with a 6-day cancellation, holes can show up in the schedule that no one can or will reserve. Creative moving around of reservations can close up some of these holes to provide a long enough time slot that someone else can reserve.

Charles

Thanks.....and I get it.

What I really was asking is when units are assigned and can u request a location. I will be making most of my reservations at La Cabana which has many fixed week/fixed unit owners and Thurs-Sunday check-ins. Each check-in day has assigned 'sections' of the resort.

I imagine if I make a Friday to Friday resie, I could request a unit by saying "4th floor, section B, units xxx thru xxx" - at same same time, if I were coming Saturday, I couldn't request/get into section B as that is reserved for a Saturday arrival.

And has your experience been when u have reserved for a 10 day stay, you are able to stay in the same unit?

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

I can't edit my comment above - When I said thanks, I get it - my intention was to say I understand what everyone posted and this was a good explanation.
....and I would never want to do room assignments at some of this big resorts - it must be a nightmare job!

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

And has your experience been when u have reserved for a 10 day stay, you are able to stay in the same unit?

I have stayed 10 days once and 14 days once. We were in the same unit. If I were told I had to move before the reservation was finalized, I might turn it down. If I were told during my stay that I had to move, I would say "call the cops, I'm not moving" unless there was something wrong with our unit.

Charles

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

My husband and I own a timeshare with 9000 points accruing annually. Currently we have 18,000 points. We never have time to go on vacation since I started working and can not coordinate my vacation time with his. We also can no longer afford it since our oldest daughter in now in college and the added expense is killing us. We want to sell for what we owe on it just to get out from under the mortgage. Any advice on how to do this without getting scammed?

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

We want to sell for what we owe on it just to get out from under the mortgage. Any advice on how to do this without getting scammed?

You'd probably have better luck getting responses if you started a new thread...

If you owe very much at all, you're unlikely to be able to sell your points for what you owe. It is a buyers market right now.

What you might try is renting out your points. If you live within an easy day's drive of one of the resorts, figure out a good date to reserve (same time as an event, for instance), then rent that and advertise it locally. Or see if you can rent time to family or friends. That could help you get past this period where visiting BG resorts is difficult for you, and then you'd have your points when your time frees up enough to make use of them.

Be sure and have a good rental contract (there are some examples on the 'net), and if you have a loan be aware that you may not be able to get enough to pay that -- most rentals are priced according to yearly fees -- but it could help, at least.

We haven't rented out points, but we've treated people to BG trips and also arranged to rent points for my siblings, and so far everyone loves BG. No one I know is interested in buying in, but they do like to rent. So your odds are a little better there.

[lookie Member Find all posts View Profile Close lookie]

When trying to find availability at "week only resorts" (e.g. New Bern, NC) I simply get an error message that "this property requires certain check in days" fine. I already chose saturday to saturday, but instead of checking availability, it just gives me the 'certain check in days' error again.

What's up with that?

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

I ran into a similar problem and they said that they would update it. It is a website problem only but looks likes they are slow on it.

Hoping this new system they are bringing in for Select Connections brings some new added functionability.

Having recently used RCI's I love the ability to see more than just +/- 3 days and an entire month instead. Even better would be not to just see "area resorts", but all resort availability (again like RCI).

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

Bluegreen's Reservation System - POOR!

I realize this is probably old news regarding Bluegreen Corporation's reservation system. On 6/22/11 I called to change a reservation (Christmas Mt Village) to check out a day early. I was told that first I had to agree that they had to cancel the reservation and then make a new reservation. Following cancellation, it is possible that another agent or owner (booking on-line) could grab the cancelled reservation before my agent to book the new reservation. (There was not another reservation to make before cancelling my existing reservation.) It was not possible to (simply) revise an existing reservation. Points Protection Plan was purchased for this reservation. I told the agent I was not comfortable with that agreement and to not make cancel my reservation.

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

You can still leave early, you just won't save the amount of points for that lost day.

Although, after review of how you are posting the same message over and over on multiple and unrelated threads, I think you 1) going a little overboard on the topic and 2) are asking a lot to expect that during a peak time that you will just get anything you want with no risk. CMV is very busy in the summer, getting a reservation is tough and many people in Chicago, Milwaukee and Minneapolis are are very willing to jump on your reservation.

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

dcells

I wouldn't have taken that risk, either. The odds are way too high that someone will grab your reservation. I've done a cancel and rebook before online but I do it at a crazy time, like 2 in the morning, when I'm most sure few people are likely to be searching for my unit. But I only do it when I'm willing to take the risk.

Otherwise, I'd just treat that extra day like a late check-out benefit. I've actually done this on purpose a time or two. If we're leaving on a Sunday but I don't want to have to pack up and leave Sunday am at 10 for the 3 hour drive home from Big Cedar, I'll book us to stay through Monday morning. We leave Sunday night. Especially if we're there just for a weekend and arrived late Friday evening, it makes the drive worthwhile.

I would also say that I think Bluegreen's reservation system is excellent overall, and in the scheme of things. It would be nice if they could adjust a reservation without canceling and rebooking, but to dismiss the system as poor because of that is painting with too broad a brush.

As always, timesharing works best if you can plan ahead and stick to those plans. It's on us to know what we want.

Anita

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

You can still leave early, you just won't save the amount of points for that lost day. [This was understood and was the reason for the posting. I didn't feel that I had to state the obvious.]

Although, after review of how you are posting the same message over and over on multiple and unrelated threads, I think you 1) going a little overboard on the topic and 2) are asking a lot to expect that during a peak time that you will just get anything you want with no risk. CMV is very busy in the summer, getting a reservation is tough and many people in Chicago, Milwaukee and Minneapolis are are very willing to jump on your reservation.
[1) Yes, I did go overboard. Thanks for pointing it out, but I was venting a bit and won't happen again, 2) I don't understand your statement at all and I believe you missed the whole point of my posting. That's okay, though, and I don't plan to try to convince you of my opinion.

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

Anita -- thanks for your feedback on your experience (changing the reservation on line). The idea of checking out later than 10AM is also very helpful. And finally, yes, now having the on-line reservation system was a great improvement. I take back my broad description ("poor"), so let me just say that it isn't perfect, but what is.... Thanks again. --Dan

[Jya-Ning Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close Jya-Ning]

but I was venting a bit and won't happen again,

You probably overlook one aspects

The on-line reservation is only happen in recent year. Most of the companies in TS industries are really not plan to have a system allow its owner to mess up their inventories when they first started. It used to be you have to call VC and rely on them. A lot of their operations if can not be done vie computer, they can manually update back-end. So there are big holes in a lot of specific operations and what you can do now vie an on-line system. But if the company willing to improve its relationship with its TS owners, they will add these functions eventually. So in 10 or 20 years, you will expect the system continue to improve.

Don't forget, a lot of TS companies has discount/benfits to people that purchased from them, it all add complexity to a system since you are not deal with hotel rental model, where one companies owns the whole inventories, so, if anything wrong, they company can eat it or cancel all the transactions. In this case, all owners pay their fair share and together own the inventories, so if anything went wrong, none will eat the loss, and cancel will only cost all the owner that has reservations on it. The more complex on these operations, the more hard it can be designed/programed right.

Enjoy your vacation

Jya-Ning