Just found this ebay auction, I think this fits as a horror story!

[Guest Close Quarterbore]

Check it out!

I think I will send this seller a PM and invite them to our humble home...

You are looking at a beautiful view, from the balcony of my ocean front timeshare in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, which Iam currently try to lease for August 17 thru August 24 2007

OH, I didn't. include a picture of the view??

Well that is because, this is the view that I have seen the last 3 years since I have owned this property, NOTHING!

I sat thru Marriott's 90 plus minute BS session, where they promise you everything you want, and even make you part of the "Marriott Family". This was a fabulous family resort, I was told. It is right on the water at Grande Dunes. I said to my wife, "this is it!" the timeshare of our dreams. So we purchased it that day.

Could you imagine the excitement we both felt? We just paid $21,000 for an Ocean Front 2 bedroom timeshare in beautiful Myrtle Beach! We couldn not wait until we could finally call to make reservations for our family vacation. (which is done at 9:00 am, exactly 12 months before your arrival date)

9:00 am, August 2004, (Hello, this is Marriott owner services, how can I help you?)

I would like to reserve my room for August 2005 (Im sorry, that resort is all sold out!)

9:00 am August 2005, (Hello, this is Marriott owner services, how can I help yuo?)

I would like to reserve my room for August 2006 (Im sorry, that resort is all sold out)

Could you imagine the excitement I am feeling at this point? So I contact the person who sold me this timeshare. I explain my total disatisfaction to this point. The person tells me " in order to get a jump on the reservation, you should buy another week", was she serious? I can't even get my first week, and you want me to buy another week!

Well if you own 2 weeks, at any resort, you could call 13 months in advance for reservations. So anyone who owns 2 weeks, anywhere in the Marriott Family, could bump you out of your home resort. ( that's funny, I dont recall being told this at the presentation) So I could have bought 2 weeks, at some less desirable resort, for the same price I purchased my Ocean Front, and stayed there anyway? Could you imagine the excitement I am feeling at this point?

So I visit the Orlando central office, explain my disgust to this point, even threaten with a lawyer, Could you imagine their excitement at this point?

They are bending over backwards, to assure me, that I will have my resort, for next year. Dont worry, call me next year, at reservation time, and we can get you into your resort. We have a way to get people in.

9:00 am August 2006, (Hello, this is Marriott owner services, how can I help you?)

I would like to reserve my room for August 2007 (I'm sorry that resort is all sold out!)

I again call the rep who sold me this timeshare, Dont worry I'll get you in. When would you like to arrive? Sunday I say, because I am coming from Connecticut, driving with 2 small children. I need Saturday to drive after I get out of work on Friday.

I got you in for Friday arrival. I need Sunday arrival. Well that is all we have. If you like I can deposit your reservation with Interval International, and we could see if someone would like to give up their Sunday arrival. You could then switch your reservations. OK this could work. Well she says, you just have to renew you Interval membership. I just renewed it this year to exchange my Ocean Front for another resort. Well that was for this year. You have to renew next years membership, for next years reservation. ( thats funny I dont recall being told this at the presentation). So I have to pay an additional $99.00 to get the week that I want, at my home resort?

Could you imagine the excitement Iam feeling at this point?

So I have up for Auction a 2 bed, 2 bath Ocean Front condo with a Friday arrival to Friday stay. Please bid with confidence!



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On Aug-18-06 at 18:00:37 PDT, seller added the following information:
This auction is for a 1 (one) week rental, of my timeshare for the week August 17 to August 24 2007.

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

I agree, but, hey, check out his $5,500.00 Buy It Now price? For a rental????

[Guest Close Quarterbore]

It doesn't look like they have sold anything on ebay since 2003... my guess is they just threw in a number but at $785.71/night that must be a nice place he has never been able to see!

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

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

So anyone who owns 2 weeks, anywhere in the Marriott Family, could bump you out of your home resort. ( that's funny, I dont recall being told this at the presentation) So I could have bought 2 weeks, at some less desirable resort, for the same price I purchased my Ocean Front, and stayed there anyway?

He seems confused about how Marriott works -- he has to own at the resort to book a week there, doesn't he? I know many of the other hotel-based systems allow owners to book at resorts other than their home resort (for example, I own at Disney's Boardwalk in Disneyworld and can reserve there at 11 months out, but I can book rooms at Disney's Hilton Head seven months out if anything is still available), but Marriott doesn't let owners do that.

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

This well illustrates why it is best to own fixed week, fixed unit.

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

This well illustrates why it is best to own fixed week, fixed unit.

OR if you want to own a float or points system, that you come to TS4MS before you buy anything to learn about the nuances that effect the ownership of a float or points system.

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

one of the problems with marriott is their 13 month rule......many smart timeshare owners buy inexpensive marriotts, that have dates that coincide with the premium dates of other marriott's that they own.

this allows them to book the premium locations and dates 13 months out......leaving poor people like this uniformed buyer, out in the cold.

especially when you are talking about very limited....ocean front units.

ocean front units are always the most limited at all resorts. myrtle beach is a new resort, and may not even have completed all it's ocean front units. so, for now, there are probably less units available, then when the resort is completed.

the good news for this buyer is that if he only paid 21,000 for a 2 bdrm ocean front unit, he got a great deal.

[timeos2 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close timeos2]

It a marriott system problem

This well illustrates why it is best to own fixed week, fixed unit.

Seems more like a serious flaw in the Marriott system. How can an OWNER of the resort be trumped by non-owners reserving 13 months out? There is another example of a legitimate case for a lawsuit as that should clearly be prohibited. Fixed week wouldn't help if the nbon-owners get first crack in any case as they would just grab it with their fixed week(s).

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

i believe that you do need to be an owner of the resort to book 13 months out.

marriott owners are deeded an exact week when they purchase. theoretically, every owner is guaranteed a week in the season in which they purchase.

the problem is that everyone seems to want the same dates, and that is not possible. so, the 13 month rule allows owners of two or more weeks to book all the good dates before others have a chance at them. (but, they do need to be an owner of the resort they are booking)

also, this resort may not be completed, so there may be a temporary shortage of ocean front units.

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

Reads like this owner just tries to invoke Marriott to talk with him/her to buy back that week.

Jya-Ning

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

I feel badly for the guy. How frustrating would that be? The thing that troubles me is that this is the first negative I have ever seen on Marriott's system for owner reservations. Although, I think Emmy was frustrated with reserving a week in Palm Desert, where she owns. Perhaps she will weigh in soon.

[timeos2 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close timeos2]

It makes it worse. Own 5 weeks & reserve 5 years out?

i believe that you do need to be an owner of the resort to book 13 months out.

marriott owners are deeded an exact week when they purchase. theoretically, every owner is guaranteed a week in the season in which they purchase.

the problem is that everyone seems to want the same dates, and that is not possible. so, the 13 month rule allows owners of two or more weeks to book all the good dates before others have a chance at them. (but, they do need to be an owner of the resort they are booking)

also, this resort may not be completed, so there may be a temporary shortage of ocean front units.

If any owner gets to reserve 13 months out ALL owners should get the same rights - not just those who happen to own 2 weeks. If you own a time that falls in weeks 26-32 you have to get a week in 26-32 not have it stolen out from under you by people owning 2 weeks including time in weeks 1-10 or some other low value times. Whats to prevent them from saying 3 weeks owners get to reserve 15 months out and locking out the two week owners? This is a pyramid scheme like VIP only worse as it actually affects the ability to use the time you own. If this is the way Marriott operates it makes me very glad we decided against ownership with them.

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

If any owner gets to reserve 13 months out ALL owners should get the same rights - not just those who happen to own 2 weeks. If you own a time that falls in weeks 26-32 you have to get a week in 26-32 not have it stolen out from under you by people owning 2 weeks including time in weeks 1-10 or some other low value times. Whats to prevent them from saying 3 weeks owners get to reserve 15 months out and locking out the two week owners? This is a pyramid scheme like VIP only worse as it actually affects the ability to use the time you own. If this is the way Marriott operates it makes me very glad we decided against ownership with them.

that is correct, and owners of more than one week using the 13 month rule, cannot steel it out from under you.

as i previously stated......if you own in "platinum" season, etc., you are guaranteed a week in "platinum" season, etc.

the problem is that if you want a "high demand" week in that season( such as July4, etc.) you might not get it.......that is where the problem arises. the 13 month rule allows "high demand" weeks to be taken, before the 12 month date opens up to one week owners.

however, you are guaranteed a week in your season.

[Guest Close Quarterbore]

I kind of wish Emmy would put here post back up as she did have a couple good replies in this thread that she removed.

I was considering points of some sort but boy do I need to do some more research on that as we like to take an end of summer vacatin like everybody else at the end of August and while I am not as focused on the week (32, 33, or 34 would do) or the checkin day, I know there are a lot of other people going the same time!

Wow!