Changes in Club Select and options to add more resorts after a developer purchase

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

Additional confirmation - just got back from Sedona where I went on an "owner update" presentation. I asked "hypothetically" if I had a deeded Diamond week that I had purchased resale, how much would it cost to add it to my current club membership. I was told by the sales manager that they are no longer allowing resale purchases to join the club.

After many "no"s, their last pitch was to try to up us to Gold level by showing us how many points we could deed to each of our kids (I'm 48). I killed that by reminding them that club membership isn't transferable.

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

Additional confirmation - just got back from Sedona where I went on an "owner update" presentation. I asked "hypothetically" if I had a deeded Diamond week that I had purchased resale, how much would it cost to add it to my current club membership. I was told by the sales manager that they are no longer allowing resale purchases to join the club.

After many "no"s, their last pitch was to try to up us to Gold level by showing us how many points we could deed to each of our kids (I'm 48). I killed that by reminding them that club membership isn't transferable.

I haven't looked in quite awhile but it is supposed to be transferable to your kids.

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

I haven't looked in quite awhile but it is supposed to be transferable to your kids.

You're right....I just went and confirmed that. Now I can die in peace knowing that my children will enjoy years of vacationing pleasure.

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

I haven't looked in quite awhile but it is supposed to be transferable to your kids.

Yes, I was informed Club membership is transferrable to children...so each of my kids get an unique Club memberhip #? or they keep and share my existing account #?

Also, I never did ask, but does the membership transfer to my kids' children (our grand kids) ?

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

Yes, I was informed Club membership is transferrable to children...so each of my kids get an unique Club membership #? or they keep and share my existing account #?

Good question because the pitch was for us to buy more points so we could divide them between our 5 kids, giving each 5000 points, which implies each would get their own account #.

I could see this "maybe" being a good selling point if I had grown kids with their own families but considering 4 of my 5 are under 18.....well, it didn't sell me.

[idofabric Member Find all posts View Profile Close idofabric]

I asked this in a different thread, but again-
If you get a great buy on points on eBay or someplace and are already in The Club and an Elite member, does that mean they won't let you add the new points you got the deal on into what you all ready own?
I found 15000 pts for pennies. I have 30000, so I would be close to the 50000 needed for Plat. Elite... no idea why I want to do this, but I have 3 kids so they could end up with usuable points of over 16000 each, which would make them also at least Silver Elite.
I am so confunded about this... And I have asked the same question a few different ways, but this thread reminded me that the kids coudl fight over them, hopefull in many,many more years!
If they can afford the membership fee, special asc. fees, and all the other extra costs!

[sheilaanthony Member Find all posts View Profile Close sheilaanthony]

Idofabric,
A lot of people have been asking that exact question on several forums recently. You haven't seen answers because DRI currently seems to be a moving target on that issue. The last time I did what you proposed was in December 2007, and it cost me almost $5,000 to buy more points to bring in my resales. I've read that currently DRI is not allowing resales into the Club, but I can only say that is hearsay from what I've been reading. Have you tried calling the corporate offices? We also have 3 children, and understand from one of our "Owners Updates" we can pass along the Club to only one of them. We could pass along deeds to the others which could be taken out of the Club, but that would dilute the elite status. Let us know what you find out.

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

Idofabric,
We also have 3 children, and understand from one of our "Owners Updates" we can pass along the Club to only one of them. We could pass along deeds to the others which could be taken out of the Club, but that would dilute the elite status. Let us know what you find out.

I asked this over at the DRI forum and got this answer:

You can leave your points and membership to your 5 children, there would be 1 membership shared between the 5 of them. They would each have a different account number to access their points.

I'm not quite sure that I understand the answer...it appears to mean that all my points would be in one account and each child would have a separate account number to access the points pool. Or it could mean the membership get "shared" (divided) and each child has an account number to access their "share". I asked a clarifying question at the forum.

[idofabric Member Find all posts View Profile Close idofabric]

Wow, Muzjik, I can't even think how that would promote sibling fighting! At least with my 3 kids.
And I am amazed you got any answer on the DRI post.
I have tried to get an answer from DRI, but they are rather wishy/washy on it. I was asked why I would buy points from anywhere other then from DRI, well, duh, 'cause they cost less I said. Not like that, but less rude.
However, if they aren't gonna let me me put the new points I could buy from some other source then DRI into my account, then I won't be buying from anywhere and adding to my account. At least not till I get a straight answer, in wrighting, and a signature on it!
I don't know if I should think that they really don't have a clue what to do about outside sales, or if they just want totaly control (and world dom. Pinkie), of how points are sold/used/controlled.... I am not sure which would be worst!

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

Well...I'm am impressed with DRI right now. I actually just got a call from a moderator addressing my clarification query on the DRI forum regarding deeding points to kids.

So, here is how it would work. I could leave all my points in the pot and each kid would have a membership number to access the pool...thus promoting possible feuds as one child wants to grab them all to go to Hawaii (not my kids, of course, but other's might have those issues ).

Or if I wanted to divide them, they would still be in one account for DRI accounting purposes but they would be compartmentalized with each child having a separate # giving them access to only their chuck of points.

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

Well...I'm am impressed with DRI right now. I actually just got a call from a moderator addressing my clarification query on the DRI forum regarding deeding points to kids.

So, here is how it would work. I could leave all my points in the pot and each kid would have a membership number to access the pool...thus promoting possible feuds as one child wants to grab them all to go to Hawaii (not my kids, of course, but other's might have those issues ).

Or if I wanted to divide them, they would still be in one account for DRI accounting purposes but they would be compartmentalized with each child having a separate # giving them access to only their chuck of points.

Hmmm. In first option, you mention: "each kid would have a membership number " on second option you say "would be compartmentalized with each child having a separate # "

Is both option the same in that each kid gets own membership # ? I understan the difference btwn the two options is option 1 is one pot of points shared btwn the kids; option 2 is DRI giving each kid their own points.

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

Well...I'm am impressed with DRI right now. I actually just got a call from a moderator addressing my clarification query on the DRI forum regarding deeding points to kids.

My impressions are that DRI is trying to make a strong commitment to customer service and responding to feedback. There are a lot of issues to work on, but this seems to be an area in which Cloobeck is pushing hard. In addition to you comment above, Cloobeck personally joined TS4Ms and actually made some posts. I am totally certain that DRI regularly montitors discussions here and at TUG. In fact, that precedes DRI; when they were still Sunterra I received a call from the resort manager while staying in one of their resorts in response to a comment I made at TUG while at the resort.

****

On a bigger picture, I think Cloobeck has a vision of where he wants to take DRI and what he wants it to be. I believe that he viewed Sunterra as distressed property, and he wants to turn it into a premium, upscale brand.

That means upgrading properties, upgrading amenities, and furnishings, enhancing customer services. He wants THE Club to have a cachet that will make Club membership desirable as a significant upgrade over conventional timeshare. Of course that means that costs will go up as well, but I think that in the demographic he is aiming for he doesn't expect that to be a big issue.

Existing owners are just along for the ride; control of the entire operation is firmly in his hands through the operations of the trusts and the control of the Boards of Directors at the resorts and the Trusts.

Owners at DRI resorts ought to decide if they want to ride with Cloobeck or not. If they want off of Cloobeck's pony they should get off as quickly as they can. Otherwise, hold on for what could be a rather eventful ride.

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

Hmmm. In first option, you mention: "each kid would have a membership number " on second option you say "would be compartmentalized with each child having a separate # "

Is both option the same in that each kid gets own membership # ? I understan the difference btwn the two options is option 1 is one pot of points shared btwn the kids; option 2 is DRI giving each kid their own points.

Yes - each child would get their own access number - the difference would be whether they are dipping into the same pool of points or have separated "compartments".

But because the points all stay in one DRI master account, whether kept as one unit or divided within that account, my understanding is they can not be sold except as the original chunk of points. Each child could not sell off their "share". At least that is how I am understanding it all.....not that I am making any immediate plans to deed anything to anyone.

[idofabric Member Find all posts View Profile Close idofabric]

[QUOTE

****

On a bigger picture, I think Cloobeck has a vision of where he wants to take DRI and what he wants it to be. I believe that he viewed Sunterra as distressed property, and he wants to turn it into a premium, upscale brand.

That means upgrading properties, upgrading amenities, and furnishings, enhancing customer services. He wants THE Club to have a cachet that will make Club membership desirable as a significant upgrade over conventional timeshare. Of course that means that costs will go up as well, but I think that in the demographic he is aiming for he doesn't expect that to be a big issue.

Existing owners are just along for the ride; control of the entire operation is firmly in his hands through the operations of the trusts and the control of the Boards of Directors at the resorts and the Trusts.

Owners at DRI resorts ought to decide if they want to ride with Cloobeck or not. If they want off of Cloobeck's pony they should get off as quickly as they can. Otherwise, hold on for what could be a rather eventful ride.[/QUOTE]

I am not sure at this point if I want to be in DRI or not. I like most of the resorts we have been able to get into, and I have had several tries exchanging with II using our DRI/Sunterra points. The first 2 times I tried to exchange with II was into a DVC resort, had confirmations both times, and both were botched by II- even with help from Sunterra/DRI. I have had better luck for the last 2 years, and am hoping that our DRI points will be even more exchangable in the furture.
However, some of the things that were desiding points to buy into Sunterra, and since then upgrading our DRI Elite status are not working out as we were told they would. One of the major things was that we would be able to sell our points at anytime and they would be worth an OK value. I never, never thought we would make money, or even sell. However, now that I have read that some members have bought points in other then DRI showrooms/from DRI sales, and NOT been able to add them to their Club membership I am less then happy. I am thinking that this has de-valued our points, and why would any one buy them, at any thing close to a reasonable lose.( 20 cents on the dollar?- 50 cents would be better, but not expected...) If I can not buy points independly of DRI and use them with our existing points, then how would we be able to get off Cloobeck's pony ride with out a big lose of money?
I would like this all to work out, I do think that DRI has big plans. When we did the members update this last June at Grand Beach resort they said that the company was planning on building a big 20-21 story resort, with an infinity pool on the roof, that will have a swim up bar. We were told that they would have multi size units, and food/bars in the resort. And they would be taking out the pool that is currently the farest away from the resort. This is all to be done in the next 18 to 24 months. Now I am only repeating what we were told by the salesman, Steve, and the sales manager, Bill at Grand Beach. They did have a model of something. It was not exactly what we want in a resort in Orlando, it feels more Vegas to me, but I am sure that it will be to some members taste. And as long as I don't have zillion dollar SAs for the work, and I can still get into an Orlando resort under 59 days like we have for the last 5-6 years, I don't care what they build... I do wonder just how many more points we would need to stay at a place like that! I think it would be fairly costly point wise. And I am wondering how many more places they might be considering doing some big buildings. I would like them to upgrade the places that are currently owned, and I have seen what they were doing at GB1, but the last time I was in any of the Williamsburg resorts they could have used a lot of TLC. And the ones down at Hiltion Head, SC, were not as nice as I had thought they would be. Not bad, just a little blah, and worn, but that was 3 years ago.
As stated, I also think it will be quite a ride, and I don't think there is a reasonable was to get safely off the ride, if we wished to....

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

I think the underlying strategy is further magnify the differences between Club membership and non-Club membership. If you're in THE Club you're part of the upscale with its cachet, trading advantages, etc. If you're not in THE Club you're just an owner at one of the resorts. The more DRI magnifies that difference, the more value attaches to THE Club.

*****

I think it's also interesting to note that the Hawai`i Trust isn't just Hawai`i resorts any longer. Jockey Club and Sedona Summit are now in the Hawai`i Trust. According to the sales personnel the objective is to segregate properties into Trusts based on property status, with the Hawai'i Trust Collection intended to be the premier group.

Unmentioned by the sales staff but the logical follow-ons are:

1. when they acquire or build properties that yet more upscale those will go into a new super-premium collection.

2. an extra premium price will be charged for points in the premier collections, with the selling point that members in that trust get the first crack at the resorts in that collection. Of course, on the sales floor, when an owner balks at the price for the premium membership the sales person can then offer a membership in the "lesser" trust.

It could turn into a General Motors type of approach. There will be varying Trust collections of varying "qualities", just as General Motors had all of it's brands at different price points. Sell the prospects into the system where you can, and down the road in subsequent meetings you can either sell them more points for the trust in which they are currently members, or migrate them upward to a higher quality Trust.