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Re: Long time lurker now ready to jump onboard (by KC):
Having owned, used and enjoyed a few different timeshare intervals for several decades now, I can state with some confidence and certainty that the timeshare industry and the various timeshare systems have changed considerably over the years and will continue to do so — few (if any) of those changes being for the better from owner / user perspective.
It is clear from your post content that you are not “without means”. My brief but sincere advice to you is to forget about timeshares (other than renting them) and just go where and when you choose and can go, without timeshare ownership’s various constraints, gyrations, reservation uncertainties and ever-increasing mandatory annual fees (costs that are incurred whether or not in any given year you actually use what you purchased). Additionally, the “exchange game” and / or various “points systems” will both, by definition, always revolve around (uncertain) space availability, with absolutely no guarantees that you can actually book when and where you actually seek to go.
We enjoy our few remaining timeshare weeks (only fixed unit / weeks in prime locations and seasons, with no reservation gyrations or space availability uncertainties involved), but I would not choose today to have any part of becoming a new owner, entering the timeshare world as it currently exists and continues to change. I would instead choose to simply rent lodging of my location / season choice, without timeshare’s legal ownership responsibilities, annual fees and reservation uncertainty — in perpetuity.
Just my own personal viewpoint, opinion and $0.02 worth, since you asked. Your mileage may vary, as the saying goes.