Timeshare Points vs. Weeks

We used to own a week. We went to Hawaii (multiple times), Sedona, Squaw Valley and pretty much any place we wanted to go with that week. We were pressured repeatedly to upgrade to points. We were told that eventually we wouldn't be able to use weeks. We finally caved into the pressure and paid to "upgrade." Since buying into the point system through Diamond Resorts, we haven't been able to go anywhere except our home resort once for a weekend. We were also told that they owned many hotel properties and that we would get great discounts on hotels when we traveled. We have yet to be able to find or book one of these hotels in the two years since we bought into this fiasco.

Do NOT change to points. We are so bummed that we did. We haven't been able to go anywhere with them.

I have not had the same problem with DRI. I have used the points to go to Hawaii when I wanted including Spring Break and the summer at The Point and KBC respectively. I stayed at KBC in Maui for 10 days during the peak time in summer. I made the reservation 10 months out. The key to DRI is planning ahead of time. I am not sure how far out you are trying to make reservations, but the earlier is better. In their system I have also stayed at the Palm Springs, Scottsdale (Links and Villas Mirage), Grand Beach and Cypress Pointe in Orlando, and Sedona. I have stayed at each of these during peak season. I have also used II to stay at Marriott properties. In fact, I have been able to use my points to get 3 2bdroom units at one time with my DRI points.

I just want you to know that your membership can be useful to you. If I can help please let me know. Since you now have it the key is to make the best use of it.

As for the hotel discounts, you can find them under ResortTime. If you log onto the DRI website and click onto Travel on the right side of the page and then scroll down to the end of the page you will see Resort Time and under that it says Hotel Reservations. You will click onto that and put your destination and dates for where you want to go. You may see both resorts and hotels to choose from. Some of the hotels are moderately priced and some are expensive.

I have been able to use DRI without too much problem by plannng. I have reservations this year at Las Vegas Polo Towers for the last week of the year and I will be there New Year's eve. I am excited by that. You cannot get that today or even a couple of months ago. You must plan ahead.

I suppose that someone who is accustomed to owning a fixed week needs to totally rethink vacation planning when they switch to points and need to plan much much farther ahead . Once that is clearly understood, points are great for the variety they allow you. Of course, you need to know how many resorts your company has and whether they are in locations of interest to you. We work on the assumption that any location which was considered worthy of building a resort must offer at least a week worth of entertainment! One of my favorite trips was to French Lick, Indiana, but I wouldn't want to go there yearly. MD

when a person has extra points or weeks , what price should you put on a property??I have put less than $1,000 for one week at five star resorts and never got a single responce,how low did you go?

Was this advertised on RedWeek? You can look at what others are asking to get an idea, though I'd certainly hope you could usually get all your maintenance fee for the week plus a bit on your purchase cost. Season makes a big difference, of course, as well as location. You can offer a floating week if you have a point system. That is, you say that you have access to such and such a place but need at least X number of months notice to secure it. They say what they want and can pay; you check to see if it is open and confirm this information to them, etc. I put confirmations in my own name until they have paid and then transfer the confirmation to their name. In case of some special events, people may prefer a partial week. MD

Here is the announcement for which we have all been waiting! The lawsuit has been filed! It was filed Friday in Federal District Court in Hawaii. COPP will be mailing out a note with the lawsuit attached. It will also be going up on our website. I think that we will have DRI's attention now! What did Mr. C say? Yes, that's right, there are "10" unhappy customers. We'll see...

Seems to me that what theya re asking you to do is re-purchase your timshre. If it's a better deal then they should automatically convert everyone for free! Weeks works best for us. Please note that ins ome systems, you cannot change into your home resort because they don't give you enough points. To me, it's a scam. Potentially more flexibility, but if I wanted just a few days hee and there, I would ot have purchsed a timeshare. I can save all that cash and go to a hotel for less. PLUS you have to give up your deed. Ic an't see thr dantage at this point. (no pun intended) To expensive to convert. They have your money, now they want more. Give me a break.

you are so wrong about everything you said. you should listen to one of the reps explain it to you. there are so many more advantage that your no aware of. plus, of course you have to upgrade. they are not going to change a black n white tv to a flat screen color for nothing. would you if you owned the company? cars, cell phones, etc changed over the years and when you want the new style you must pay for it. same thing. most people that go to see a rep wont listen because it will cost them more money, instead of learning it will save them money, like offsetting other vacation costs or maintenance fees. shame on you fee's i call them- shame on you if your paying them.

Hi All, My sister owns weeks because she likes to go to the same place. The advantages are, no need to plan in advance and her ocean front location is "locked in". However, there is no flexibility to go other places except through RCI, and she dislikes RCI's service. I own points because of the flexibility, however, I have to plan in advance, and am at the mercy of the check in personnel, as to obtaining an ocean view or good view from my accomodation. As with everything else in life, there are advantages and disadvantages to each situation. Stan.

stanleyf5 wrote:

Hi All, My sister owns weeks because she likes to go to the same place. The advantages are, no need to plan in advance and her ocean front location is "locked in". However, there is no flexibility to go other places except through RCI, and she dislikes RCI's service. I own points because of the flexibility, however, I have to plan in advance, and am at the mercy of the check in personnel, as to obtaining an ocean view or good view from my accomodation. As with everything else in life, there are advantages and disadvantages to each situation. Stan.

Very well put Stan.

I too am VERY dissatisfied with the conversion and am looking for others to join me. I am a retired lawyer living in Sedona and am contemplating a lawsuit against RCI. I paid $2995 to West Coast Vacations Ltd (RCI's agent) for the conversion. Who did your conversion and how much did it cost?

Not sure I understand what you converted to what. RCI itself does not own any resorts. It is an exchange company. Some resorts and resort chains use the Rci Weeks system for exchanges; others use the RCI Points system. Your beef may be with West Coast Vacations Ltd. Who the heck are they???

russellm29 wrote:

I too am VERY dissatisfied with the conversion and am looking for others to join me. I am a retired lawyer living in Sedona and am contemplating a lawsuit against RCI. I paid $2995 to West Coast Vacations Ltd (RCI's agent) for the conversion. Who did your conversion and how much did it cost?

I don't understand what your problem is. You say you paid West Coast Vacations LTD for the conversion .... the conversion of what to what? If you're speaking of conversion to RCI points, that's been the going rate for some time now unless things changed after 2007 when the economy tanked.

I have been reading all of the responses of the Pro and cons of weeks vs points. Points are confusing. I am a week owner. They tried to get me to change to points saying lower maintenance fees. and that I would get more flexability. What bothers me at these presentation they do not let you see or let you take the book of resorts on how many points needed to various popular resorts. They only want you to see their's affiliated resorts. They will let you see their points for days, week, or weekend. I almost bought a Park Royal points timeshare a week ago and I put a deposit on it. Its a good thing they bothered me the first day I was there I was staying for a week. After getting this big box (you know after you get suckered) I opened it up and notice all information about their's affiliated resorts I was hoping it would have a book of all resorts like the RCI directory, there wasn't one. I couldn't wait to get back to the sales office to cancel my deposit and contract. To make this short. my week program at my vacation villiage resorts in weston the newer one Mizner place. It will only cost me 139.00 for a week for a 4/4 one bedroom lockout and sometime if your lucky a 2 bedroom lockout. If I want to go for one day it only cost me 139.00 very simple. I don't need to buy points or try to save points. for a resort that need 200,000 points to get into. If the resorts that needs 200,000 points is not apart of my Vacation Villiage resorts. I pay 199.00 to RCI and if I want to go for a weekend instead of a week. I can. Simple $199.00. Hope to hear responses if my opinions doesn't make sense.

I've always said that in my opinion points are a ponzi scheme. Nobody but the seller knows how many points are sold. They set the number of points needed to book a reservation and they can change that number at their will. They own it all and set the rules. When they decide they need more money the demand an assessment be paid for their benefit. It's just another example of corporate greed.

donp196 wrote:

I've always said that in my opinion points are a ponzi scheme. Nobody but the seller knows how many points are sold. They set the number of points needed to book a reservation and they can change that number at their will. They own it all and set the rules. When they decide they need more money the demand an assessment be paid for their benefit. It's just another example of corporate greed.

You may not like the points programs, but you should read up on these programs before writing such nonsense. I know the Marriott points program differs from what you have written.

I'm giving my opinion. If you don't like it then don't listen to it. I have to question your motive for praising Marriott so much. You're in here all the time singing their praises. I suspect you work for them or have a connection to them. This is an open forum for people to air their opinions. You seem to try to control everyone's opinion regarding Marriott. This particular form is about points not Marriott specifically. Read the topic before you try to bully people around.

Are you speaking about any points program in particlar or ane you making a generalization (RCI, Wyndham, World Mark, Disney, Marriot, etc. etc. etc.). I belong to two points systems and neither one works like you say. Do you have any proof to back up your accusations or are you just making stuff up. Do you know that when you buy points in many systems you are deeded a week at a specific resort for deed purposes. Can you provide us with examples from your personal experience that have soured you so much on the points systems. And no need to get so abrasive either.

Please accept my apology for questioning your opinion. I am not a great advocate for the point systems but for other reasons. Such reasons include the extraordinary cost and the absence of any reasonable exit strategy. I suspect that many owners regret ever buying into timeshare weeks and/or points programs.