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Stupid question: recommend a system? (by Roy M.):

Hello. We're considering a point system. Actually, I'm sold on doing one, but wife isn't sure.

Us: married a long time, 2 boys under 10, over 5. We used to just get a cabin in the woods and make our own fun, but that's not going to last for long. We want to be, and mainly will be, travelling off-season for our destinations (within reason, not to FL in hurricane season).

We're buying in for the long-term, i.e. as the kids get older, we'll go on more elaborate vacations (possibly adding on points), but in the meantime we'll take a family vacation to US locations (historical (cities and areas around, mainly east of Rockies), natural (beaches, parks like Yosemite)) and shorter vacations separately with friends and extended family. We're looking at 2.5 weeks/year of vacations, at least 1.5/weeks of that family.

I really like the exchange (for airlines, cars, etc) aspects of RCI, but do they work? I've read some awful things about them. I like Marriott, in general, as we stay there on business. I'm intrigued by Hilton, though, as I do like to go to Vegas and there are some great options there.

Help? Too much info floating around. I have only recently begun considering points, discovered on Tuesday this week, and I'm a bit of a loss for meaningful comparisons for folks in our situation. I recognize the climate is always changing, but someone with our sort of background and having fulfilled the above plan could offer great advice. What I really don't want are a bunch of hidden fees, or bad customer service at the reservation stage.