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Sadly, probably my last trip to Grand Mayan

chemteach

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I'm at GM Nuevo Vallarta. It's wonderful here, but with the new RCI/II fees of $11/person/day, I probably won't be coming back any time soon. Went on a timeshare tour - I don't mind them - I actually enjoy the process of listening to their pitch. From $30,000 to $15,000 to $8400 to $4200 to $2200 to the final person saying, "Would you want a week for $1300 including free airfare for two people," and still my reply of, "no, not interested." It always surprises me how low they will go. But of course, the $8400 and down offers were not for real weeks - just for a week that couldn't be booked until 5 months out and 3 "international weeks." I would gladly jump at 4 weeks for $4000 guaranteed Grand Mayan 2 bedrooms at Xmas each year. But that wasn't what they were selling for $4000... So come Saturday, I will say goodbye to the Vedanta family of resorts. :-(.
 

T-Dot-Traveller

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Hi chemteach,
Remember you can rent from an owner and avoid these fees .

*****
Hey all you owners - remember when Grupo Mayan TS Sales was doing all that upside down number writing with boxes - and " promising " that you could make enough through renting one week to pay your MF and use your VF week for a " free" vacation .

Maybe that time is coming - if someone exchanges into a 2 bedroom Grand Mayan and pays the resort fees for 6 people for a week - it comes to $ 462 .

Some where in the Mexican Forum there is a funny thread with a post stating - " Pigs are flying " - after Vidanta announced the Cirque partnership . Maybe the resort fees is Vidanta's way of thanking us all for buying " flying pigs " back in the day .

Happy Holidays and Sunny 2017 TS vacations .

.
 
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MuranoJo

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Hi chemteach,
Remember you can rent from an owner and avoid these fees .

*****
Hey all you owners - remember when Grupo Mayan TS Sales was doing all that upside down number writing with boxes - and " promising " that you could make enough through renting one week to pay your MF and use your VF week for a " free" vacation .

Maybe that time is coming - if someone exchanges into a 2 bedroom Grand Mayan and pays the resort fees for 6 people for a week - it comes to $ 462 .

Some where in the Mexican Forum there is a funny thread with a post stating - " Pigs are flying " - after Vidanta announced the Cirque partnership . Maybe the resort fees is Vidanta's way of thanking us all for buying " flying pigs " back in the day .

Happy Holidays and Sunny 2017 TS vacations .

.

I'm not so sure, T-Dot: Higher resort fees may drive people to rent vs. exchange ( that is, IF members can reserve a high-demand week). On the other hand--higher resort fees may also diminish overall owner (exchange) value if owners get less trading power or TPU for their deposits. Seems higher exchange fees would lower demand and then reduce deposit value.

Just like higher transfer fees for contracts over the past 8 years or so have significantly reduced resales, to almost zilch. Was that good for the member or for Vidanta? (It might be good for someone who has an older 1 maintenance fee for a transfer fee :D, but otherwise...)
 

rpennisi

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I have been banking my MP weeks with RCI and using the TPU's to trade this year (for example) to Cabo San Lucas (Playa Grande, PB Sunset Beach), Orlando area (Grand Villas and Hilton Grand Vacation Club). I made similar trades in past years as well. Three of those trades are for two or more bedroom units.

My two MP weeks are a one MF transfer, and a 10% transfer, and they go to 2026 and 2029 respectively. Until the time that RCI gets pressured to reduce the trading values of deposits, I will continue to make these trades.

Even now, I am waiting until Jan 1st to combine some leftover TPU's to get a 2 bedroom GM for 2018 with the $11 dollar a day per person charge, because it's been a few years since we have been back to NV. But, in the future I will probably use the limited MP at NV or PV instead of trading.

To me, so far, it makes sense to pay the MP MF's, RCI trading fees and Vidanta per person fees and trade to a GM. It's probably still a lower overall price than owning a GM and paying the higher MF's or renting from an owner for the price of their MF+.

There may also come a time when I decide to "sell" or give away those MP's for someone who wants to use the last few years of the 25 year contract and/or renew for another 25 years.

One thing I will not do is upgrade with Vidanta. That has never made sense to me, and I have besides making trades to non Vidanta resorts, stayed at GM, GB and GL through RCI and occasionally II.
 

T-Dot-Traveller

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FYI - through RCI the $ 11 pp/per day is NV & RM

PV Marina , ACA are $ 7 - & others are on RCI website by resort

*****
My original post was mostly - tongue in cheek / LOL - for long time owners .
& Happy Holidays & Vacations .

*****

However - it actually could make more sense for family of 6 wanting a peak season 2 bedroom GM to rent from an owner
for $1400 . I believe winter season TPU is around 23- so if you are $ 30 per TPU - your all in with RCI costs & resort fees is $ 1500 .
 

tschwa2

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Children 12 and under don't have to pay the $11pp/pd fee (at least through II and I would imagine the same for rci)- so a family of 4/5 with 2-3 children in a 2 br using the same costs would be $1134.
 

rpennisi

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T-Dot...."However - it actually could make more sense for family of 6 wanting a peak season 2 bedroom GM to rent from an owner
for $1400 . I believe winter season TPU is around 23- so if you are $ 30 per TPU - your all in with RCI costs & resort fees is $ 1500 ."


My 2 MP MF's this year cost $1498 and got me 59 TPU which comes to $25.39 per TPU.
A 23 TPU trade would come to $584 + $219 RCI + (2X11X7) $154 usage fee = $957 for a 2 bedroom GM for my wife and myself.
 

gnorth16

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When did the daily resort fee start? I am sure it wasn't there when we traded for it in January 2015 thought it was $75 per week. I don't think I should have to pay an additional resort fee if there wasn't one when I exchanged in... I will let you know after we check in tomorrow.
 

tschwa2

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Exchanges on/after September 1, 2016 for II exchanges and sometime in October 2016 for RCI exchanges.
As long as you booked/exchanged before those dates, you will pay the $75 per week fee.
 

gnorth16

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Exchanges on/after September 1, 2016 for II exchanges and sometime in October 2016 for RCI exchanges.
As long as you booked/exchanged before those dates, you will pay the $75 per week fee.

Thanks. Every time I have stayed at a Vidanta property, the fees and amenities changed. Now I have to figure out how to get access to the lazy river while staying at the Mayan Palace. I think its different wristbands - I may even stoop as low as going to one of their timeshare presentations. Yuck!!!
 

pittle

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I am not sure, but MP folks may be able to use the lazy river and wave pool. The reason I say this is that one day in November, we were in the first palapa bed where you come up from the beach, and some Sea Garden folks asked me how to get to the lazy river. If they were able to use it, surely MP folks can.
 

gnorth16

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Arrived here, They gave away our MP RCI trade as we couldn't make it before Christmas, so they upgraded us to a Bliss unit with ocean view, for the remainder of the first week and the second week!
Plus the lazy river is back up and running.

I didn't even have to mention attending a presentation. Wow!

It was confirmed MP guests can only use MP pools.
 

MuranoJo

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Arrived here, They gave away our MP RCI trade as we couldn't make it before Christmas, so they upgraded us to a Bliss unit with ocean view, for the remainder of the first week and the second week!
Plus the lazy river is back up and running.

I didn't even have to mention attending a presentation. Wow!

It was confirmed MP guests can only use MP pools.

So you were able to use the Lazy River, though you're a MP trade? (Not sure if I read that right.) If so, yay!
 

gnorth16

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It's based on the wristbands. MP can only use their pools, Bliss can use Bliss, GM and MP. They gave us the Bliss wristbands. Because the lazy river is GM, we could use it. Son with autism was so excited!!!
 

rpennisi

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gnorth16,
I think you mean you are at the Grand Bliss, not the Bliss. Are you in the building between the MP and the GM?
I know that Riviera Maya has Bliss and Grand Bliss, but I don't think NV has both.
Being at the Grand Bliss in NV would get you every pool except the Grand Luxxe.
Ron
 

gnorth16

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gnorth16,
I think you mean you are at the Grand Bliss, not the Bliss. Are you in the building between the MP and the GM?
I know that Riviera Maya has Bliss and Grand Bliss, but I don't think NV has both.
Being at the Grand Bliss in NV would get you every pool except the Grand Luxxe.
Ron

Yes, Grand Bliss.
 

richontug

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I have been banking my MP weeks with RCI and using the TPU's to trade this year (for example) to Cabo San Lucas (Playa Grande, PB Sunset Beach), Orlando area (Grand Villas and Hilton Grand Vacation Club). I made similar trades in past years as well. Three of those trades are for two or more bedroom units.

My two MP weeks are a one MF transfer, and a 10% transfer, and they go to 2026 and 2029 respectively. Until the time that RCI gets pressured to reduce the trading values of deposits, I will continue to make these trades.

Even now, I am waiting until Jan 1st to combine some leftover TPU's to get a 2 bedroom GM for 2018 with the $11 dollar a day per person charge, because it's been a few years since we have been back to NV. But, in the future I will probably use the limited MP at NV or PV instead of trading.

To me, so far, it makes sense to pay the MP MF's, RCI trading fees and Vidanta per person fees and trade to a GM. It's probably still a lower overall price than owning a GM and paying the higher MF's or renting from an owner for the price of their MF+.

There may also come a time when I decide to "sell" or give away those MP's for someone who wants to use the last few years of the 25 year contract and/or renew for another 25 years.

One thing I will not do is upgrade with Vidanta. That has never made sense to me, and I have besides making trades to non Vidanta resorts, stayed at GM, GB and GL through RCI and occasionally II.

It looks like you use your MP deposits to exchange to Vidanta properties. I thought this was not allowed by RCI or SFX?
 

rpennisi

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I don't know about SFX, but making trades using MP deposits has worked. Some years, there are restrictions to certain resorts, but I just made a Grand Mayan reservation for Jan 2018 using a MP deposit.

I always make my reservations online through RCI. When you go to book, or hold a unit, they show what are eligible and ineligible deposits. Through the years, changes have occurred, but you just have to roll with them.

Now, they are restricting the number of times you can book during prime time, so you can switch it up and go to other beautiful resorts (ex: Playa Grande and PB at Sunset Beach or Emerald Bay).
Ron
 

richontug

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Thanks for reply Ron.
I like Riviera Maya - any resorts to recommend other than Vidanta?
 

rpennisi

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Most of the time we go to Vidanta resorts on Riviera Maya (MP, GM, GL). Even though from NY, we mostly go to the west coast of Mexico. In San Jose del Cabo, the Grand Mayan was good. Cabo San Lucas has Solmar, Pueblo Bonito at Sunset Beach and Playa Grande, all excellent. Acapulco Grand Mayan is also excellent. Pueblo Bonito in Mazatlan was good and PB's Emerald Bay was fantastic. These all traded through RCI, except for the GL in RM from II.
 

dioxide45

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Thanks for reply Ron.
I like Riviera Maya - any resorts to recommend other than Vidanta?
There aren't many options that are not mandatory AI. If you head up to Cancun there are a few other options like the Tri-Royals and Westin Lagunamar.
 

RNCollins

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Even though from NY, we mostly go to the west coast of Mexico.

Are there any direct flights from NYC to the west coast of Mexico?
 

patty5ia

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Is there a resort fee for SFX exchange into GM? Is there still free transportation from the airport? How Bout a meal plan?
 
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