Purchasing a Marriot Vacation Club timeshare

My husband and I own one week in low season at Shadow Ridge, Palm Desert CA. We bought 5 years ago before the children were here. At that time we knew NOTHING about the timeshare market, which was a huge mistake. Now we realize how overpriced they are (we bought from the developer). That being said, fortunately, we are happy timeshare owners.

Had we known then what we know now, we still would have bought, but I definitely would have bought resale. We like our home resort very much and it has the best pool area for kids and adults (the family pool area has a waterslide, baby pool and water park). A separate large adults pool is nearby. We have not really attempted to trade it much yet since we've been too busy having babies, so I don't know the full trading power it will have though I suspect it will not be real strong since it's a summer week in Palm Springs area!!! Since we have always used our week and we buy at least one bargain basement "getaway" vacation a year, I did the math one time and for the quality resort we are getting on our vacations it actually is a pretty good value. This past September we used our week and bought a second week at same resort for $400 (2 bedroom unit) and the total cost to us was $1300 ($900 mant. fees + taxes and $400 for the getaway from II) for a very relaxing 2 week vacation. The unit was paid off a couple years ago (which was $11,000 FYI in Feb of 2003).

We are fortunate that when the kids do start school they have the first 2 weeks of October off every year which a pretty easy time of year to exchange for. We expect to be able to exchange our week for pretty much anywhere we want to go in the world. Just think, for all of our kids school years we wil be able to travel to some pretty neat places all over the world and occasionally take a getaway trip.

We also enjoy being able to purchase getaways for friends or family. Recently we helped our house cleaner lady have her first vacation ever and she took her two teenage girls to Desert Springs Villas in Palm Desert in a 2 bedroom for the whole week. They were so happy and it brought us joy to pass that on to someone else.

At this time we cannot buy anymore timeshare weeks, but if we do in the future we will buy a shoulder season week at Desert Springs Villas I in the shoulder season. Marriott does not have ROFR for this phase and you get free daily admission into their newly renovated Spa which is amazing. Plus, if we book a good week in that season it will have very strong trading power if we wish to do that.

So my final words are that we have been very happy with the quality of Marriott properties but I would not buy from the developer again. The rewards points system is not a good use of your week if you can't use it. Your better off renting it out at Redweek.com. If you can't consistently take week long vacations every year, then timesharing is not for you. It would be better for someone to just rent weeks from owners at Redweek.com and keep that flexibilit without a yearly commitment.

Also, all the above posts make very good points and offer good advice that I would ditto.

We have a 2 weeks of Vacation Club in Orlando. We wish we had never bought from Marriott or at least that they had explained the system a lot better. I have 2 platinum weeks at the Grande Vista which is supposed to have great power of exchange. For the past 4 years that I have owned I haven't gotten one exchange request during any school break. Yeah, if we wanted to go away without the kids it would be easy but that wasn't my purpose in buying the units. Marriott is not very clear on how the exchange works. Basically, if I bought again I would make sure it was in a Marriott with a small amount of units in a place with very little time-shares, then your is worth more. Don't let them talk you into a popular area like Orlando because more people want to go there. It isn't true. It's all a matter of supply and demand. that being said, the Marriotts are very nice with good amenities. I'd buy resale for less.

Debbie

You have two weeks of a MVCI plat? DO you know how that works in order to get the week you want?

As a two week owner, you have a 13 month window to get your weeks. That means you must get an Atomic Clock ( no kidding) and call Marriott Resort Sevices at exactly the time they open 13 months from the date you want to travel...and if you get through...in time... you will get your week or weeks.

Only about 1/2 the units will be gone at 13 months. At the 12 month mark, you have another chance.

Its hard for me to believe that with all the T/Ss in Orlando, esp Marriott, you are unable to get the week you need. This seems to happen mostly with Marriots in Hawaii.

Shows why a float period may bot be superior to a fixed week. Please go to www.tugbbs.com and the Marriott Forum there. Dave has instructions on how to do Marriott to your best value.

BTW...I saw II had Marriott Cypress HArbor (IMO- nicer than Grand Vista) during April 08 using the search on II. Something seems available almost all the time.....so your assessment of not to buy in an overbuilt area might be true...except during Spring Break.

Catherine,

We love our Marriott timeshare (Shadow Ridge) even though we bought from othe developer (which I wouldn't do again). Trading your week in for points is not a good value. If you do the math you will easily see that. If you can't travel for one week somewhere every year I would either consider an every-other-year purchase or consider not buying a timeshare and just renting a week occasionally here at RW at my convenience and choosing. Just MHO!

-Janna