Wyndham Discovery Vacations Points Program

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

Wyndham Discovery Vacations

154,000 Points

Price Freeze
No Maintenance Fees
No Taxes
100% Equity Return If You Purchase Deed

Stay in Choice of Our Resorts
No Commitment to Purchase

Easy Terms
$199.00 Down Payment
$89.03 Per Month
14 Payments (Start in 45 Days)
Only pay till you decide to purchase Deed
$1344 Total Cost (only $8.73 per 1000 points)
Up to 20 Months To Use

"Great Time Guarantee"

Posted: To let others know about The Wyndham Discovery Vacation Program
Source: From a Hard copy of a printed flyer from Wyndham Vacation Resorts Sales

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

This may be a nice deal for anyone considering Wyndham. I'd want to know - how to find out the points range for a week's stay (I'm not a Wyndham owner, but assume it would vary based on location, time of year and size of the unit). In other words, how far will those introductory points go? I'd also want to know if there are blackout dates or if the program doesn't apply to certain very popular resorts.

[jjmanthei05 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close jjmanthei05]

This is a horrible deal even for perspective owners. If you find people you are renting out their points where you pick the reservation you can get them for close to $5 per thousand. Don't fall for the "equity" will transfer since Wyndham points have to equity to start with. Look at eBay you can buy pretty much any size contract at pretty much any resort for $1 plus closing costs (and some might throw in closing for free). Wyndham is a great system but buy resale and save thousands.

Jason

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

This is a horrible deal even for perspective owners. If you find people you are renting out their points where you pick the reservation you can get them for close to $5 per thousand. Don't fall for the "equity" will transfer since Wyndham points have to equity to start with. Look at eBay you can buy pretty much any size contract at pretty much any resort for $1 plus closing costs (and some might throw in closing for free). Wyndham is a great system but buy resale and save thousands.

Jason

If I were considering Wyndham, I'd still buy resale. But, depending on the flexibility of this package - and how far the points go, it may be a nice way for a prospective owner to find out if it's a system that will work for his/her needs.

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

Another thought - Based on what I own with DRI, $1344 would barely cover two weeks of a MF. If a potential buyer buys from eBAY and finds out Wyndham isn't for him, he'll be stuck with the MFs forever. Again, if this package could be stretched to get two weeks at nice resorts, it would be worth the peace of mind for anyone who isn't sure if Wynham (or any TS for that matter) is the right choice.

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

This is not for people that did not own Wyndham points. I believe for people that did not own Wyndham point, the package size is 300k. This package is an add on package for people own some of the Wyndham points.

By adding this type of package, you will become VIP owner (with your existing Wyndham points) if you are over 300k. And Gold or Platinum if you have enough point. The package is good for 2 years, so you will be the VIP for these 2 years.

It was good when they still allow you to transfer the point.

At this moment, if you don't own Wyndham point, your best bet is to work with a Wyndham owner (prefer Platinum or even with president reserve one) that willing to rent their points to you.

A new Wyndham resorts cost over 220k per week in some decent season. So you will need to rely on VIP discount and unit upgrade on shoulder season or on season that point value are apparently under. I don't know if you can rent point from Wyndham, but I would guess not full amount even if you are allowed, so you may see about 5% waste.

Wyndham rent cost about $8 per 1K. If you rent from owner, it is much lower than this. The only difference is you are calling Wyndham VC to arrange the vacation.

If you do own Wyndham points, and suddenly decide you want to extensively doing some vacation on timeshare, it is O.K. or good deal.

Jya-Ning

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

If they give you access to the wyndham website then I can see where this would be a reasonable way to try out the system - see what is available when and all the little nuances of the system before you buy (resale of course).

I have done 2 trial packages - the first with Hilton. I knew i may be paying somewhat more than if I rented but did it specfically to be able to get a 2 bedroom at Hilton Hawaiian Village. It worked out great. Hilton does not give their explorers access to the web site which is a shame because I may have become more interesed in becoming an owner if they had.

The second trial was with shell. They do give you access to the website so I was able to see what resorts I can easily book which ones are harder and the ease of use. I ended up buying shell points - actually got 3 contracts on ebay - they were giving them away and couldn't be more pleased.

On the other hand - I bought a small wyndham points package and am really annoyed how they nickel and dime you to death and also just with the lack of availability of where I want to go. Fortunately it is with El Cid and is a RTU that will expire in ten years so I will just run it out. Otherwise I would probably get rid of it.


In the past it was fun to buy something & try it out and if you didn't like it just sell it. I usually ended up making a few bucks but in todays climate you can't even give them away so you really do need to know you want something before you buy it.

[cheryl20772 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close cheryl20772]

This is not for people that did not own Wyndham points. I believe for people that did not own Wyndham point, the package size is 300k. This package is an add on package for people own some of the Wyndham points.

We bought a small discovery package like this years ago and we didn't have any points first; so anyone can buy, one I think. The purpose was to let us go to some resorts and see what staying at them is like. The value was in not having on-going ownership obligations.

By adding this type of package, you will become VIP owner (with your existing Wyndham points) if you are over 300k. And Gold or Platinum if you have enough point. The package is good for 2 years, so you will be the VIP for these 2 years.

Not always. We purchased discovery package of 308K points which would have qualified us for Gold VIP, but this package didn't even have bottom VIP associated with it and the points expired after only 1 year. VIP only applies if that is in the Discovery Contract for the package. I have 4K points left over in that package and they won't let me transfer them to my regular VIP account to save them. The only way to keep unused points for that contract is to make a Developer purchase of more points. Wish I had thought that all out before signing such a deal. We bought it to "freeze" a deal which would have purchased Gold VIP. After this we know that we already own more than enough points. We just need to make the most of these we have. I got our eyes opened by finding the forums too and know that buying any more developer points in this market is a big money mistake.

It was good when they still allow you to transfer the point.

At this moment, if you don't own Wyndham point, your best bet is to work with a Wyndham owner (prefer Platinum or even with president reserve one) that willing to rent their points to you.

I agree. I would not have to lose those last 4K points if they would let me transfer them to my regular VIP account. I asked and they told me "NO".

The package doesn't really let you experience the full ownership system. All reservations have to be made by calling in and speaking to a rep. You can't even search for availability using the online reservation system. At best, it gets you into the resorts to see how they are and renting from an owner with extra time is just as good.

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

Not always. We purchased discovery package of 308K points which would have qualified us for Gold VIP, but this package didn't even have bottom VIP associated with it and the points expired after only 1 year. VIP only applies if that is in the Discovery Contract for the package.

Good to know. This is the 1st post I saw that have purchase over 300k and does not get VIP + benefits. I usually saw the attchment is add on top of the existing point.

And this is the 1st post I saw that has point expired in 1 year.

I guess they are tighten the loose end.

If you just want to go to some resorts and see what staying at them is like, it is cheaper to deal with some current plantnum owners that rent out the reservation, even if in sometimes you may need to add some GC.

Jya-Ning

[Funture2011 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Funture2011]

new to TS and just purchased the Discovery deal

Hello all

I just bought this Discovery package yesterday - I am a first time TS buyer. Actually that isnt compeltely true - Wife and I had a traditional (1 week deed) several years ago and lost it - let it foreclose when we were in financial distress.

Back with finances in order and this type of Points TS is interesting to us, but we paid $1200 for 154,000 points.

Sale person said this amount of points could get us 7-14plus days to desireable locations. I dont see how this is possible.

I now have the catalog and 1 night in San Francisco (always prime??) will equate to nearly half of my points - or almost $600/night!
I can rent a hotel in teh same district of SF for $200/night off the street.

What am I missing? Is this a typical markup for points system accomodations?

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

The newer Wyndham resorts (like San Francisco) have a higher point value and you wouldn't be able to get a full week with 154k. At other resorts you can get a week and yes, sometimes even two, with 154k. It depends on where and when you want to go and the size of unit you would need.

For example, we live in Missouri and for the week between Christmas and New Year's in Branson we got a 2 bedroom unit for a week for 77k. In the summer you can only get a studio for 77k.

One way to stay at the newer resorts is to stay Sunday-Thursday, as the weekends cost more points. For example, I have a reservation at the Canterbury in SF for 4 nights (Mon-Thurs) this coming July for 144k points.

And I didn't have any trouble finding availability 6 months out.

[Funture2011 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Funture2011]

thanks Puppymom

I guess my real question is why would I do this if I can get a comparable hotel room off the street for less than half? I was at the very least expecting it to be comparable to buying with cash.

I have been reading on here that its better to go resale than retail and Im thinking maybe I should just cancel this contract since I have 7 days to do so and then source points on ebay or elsewhere??

Any idea of how I can find out if there are repercussions if I do cancel (like will Wyndham not allow me in their network or....?)

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

if there are repercussions if I do cancel (like will Wyndham not allow me in their network or....?)

No. But salesman may hate you.

Jya-Ning

[Funture2011 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Funture2011]

haha i can sleep at night with that one I think

thanks

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

Well, this last November we signed w Discovery membership...trial...308k pts w VIP membership w points expiring in Dec 2011. If we sign on for the real deal before its over then any points remaining roll over. The only thing I don't like about the temp plan here is that we can't use the points for anything other than rooming... so we are thinking if we sign on we might travel more and use points for flights, tickets, etc... to save money. I figure we paid $2500 for this initially... and they said it counts off the full plan if we sign on before its up.

So far we have signed up for 4 nights at Bonnet Creek for a 2 room deluxe (64k points and wasn't prime time) and 3 nights in a presidential suite during prime season at a brand new resort in Pigeon Forge...Great Wolf Lodge I think its called (the one with the indoor waterpark) and we still have close to 100k points left.

So I calcuated the value of the points vs the amt we spent on them this year and think that the value of the Bonnett Creek trip is around $500, which was better than what I can find off the market. I don't recall what I calcuated w the other trip but with a 4 room stay at the Great Wolfe lodge we were coming out MUCH cheaper.

Thus so far we seem to think its a good deal with what we want to do and hope to have points to use on other things if we do sign on for the real deal. Plus we're thinking, if we sign on for real, we'll be paying $2500 per year for 4 years I think and then nothing and keep getting 308k points every year and hopefully a complete free vacation every year since we can use the points on tickets and flights, etc...