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Any way for a prospective points owner to view current inventory?

spackler

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Well, I've done a fair amount of TUG research & I'm seriously considering purchasing points via eBay resale.

My last, main concern before pulling the trigger is that my points won't actually be useful to reserve at the resorts I want, when I want. I have this fear that the only reservation I could make is in Branson in early December.

Is there an easy solution to this? I don't want to have to actually go thru with a purchase just to get an idea of what the current Wyndham availability is.

(Specifically, looking for general availability system-wide for mid-October '15 and New Orleans for numerous dates in '15)

Thanks!
 

Roger830

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It's too early to see availability for Oct. We can only see 10 months out.

I did check August and all of the resorts have units available then.
 

Richardsdeals

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The only way to view inventory online that I am aware of is to have a member log in and look for you. I had this same concern when I started looking into a resale over the summer.

I had a friend with an account log on and show me how things worked and view some inventory.

Here are a couple of things I learned:

1) Be prepared for your resale to take a while. I purchased 2 contracts; All the information and payments were into the transfer agency in June for the first one and July for the second one. I just received access to those points via Wyndham a couple of weeks ago.

2) You will read comments about the importance of buying a contract at the resort you want to reserve at. If you have an area that you will go to often, buy there, even if it is more expensive. After I got access, I began looking at places for Spring Break, Summer Vacation, and Fall Break. Fall Break for us is not open yet (still 10 months out) and Spring Break was booked up pretty much everywhere we were looking at going. There were some summer options open, but most of the inventory was reserved already.

3) You will not be able to view general availability system-wide for October 2015 until that is in the 10 month window....in December.

Richard
 

ronparise

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Call me I'll give you my log in info to use for a while


New Orleans isn't a problem 10 months out except for Mardi Gras
Even jazz Fest and essence is there for a few minutes 10 months out
 
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Bigrob

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I understand your concern. From experience there are relatively few places and times that have no availability right at the 10-month mark. These are well documented and logical - for example, Mardi Gras; summer at Myrtle Beach and RI; Christmas week at Bonnet Creek and many ski locations; etc.

Certain locations have good availability as little as 3-4 months prior to check in. So the main thing is to determine where and when you want to go? Then we can better advise as to how important it is to obtain ARP there.
 

spackler

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Thanks guys, I've had a few of you PM me some info that helped quite a bit.

My main decision now is going with one of the NOLA locations or go with CWA.

Or, just go with whatever has the cheapest MF-per-points ratio and embrace the "points are points" attitude.
 

Rent_Share

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You won't get Mardis Gras
 

Coyotes

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What about availability in the summer for the 2 Smoky Mountains resorts? Assuming I'll have my points available before the end of this year.... (Purchased resale a few weeks back).


Thanks!
 

persia

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Also there are in theory two ARP baskets, one for local owners and one for CWA owners, but there is no way to be sure that the Wyndham people doing the ARP reservations can see the difference between these two baskets...
 

YeongWoo

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What about availability in the summer for the 2 Smoky Mountains resorts? Assuming I'll have my points available before the end of this year.... (Purchased resale a few weeks back).


Thanks!

I checked 7 day stays at both resorts. There's still plenty for both resorts as long as you are flexible on dates and days. If certain dates are really important to you then you would be better off booking through a renter. Great Smokies might not be an option in a couple of months.
 

lcml11

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I checked 7 day stays at both resorts. There's still plenty for both resorts as long as you are flexible on dates and days. If certain dates are really important to you then you would be better off booking through a renter. Great Smokies might not be an option in a couple of months.

Give Wynham Title a call and see how far along the paperwork is. If they have not received it by now and you want 7 days in the Summer at Smokey Mountain, then you might want to look at other options.
 

Bigrob

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What about availability in the summer for the 2 Smoky Mountains resorts? Assuming I'll have my points available before the end of this year.... (Purchased resale a few weeks back).


Thanks!

Unless the reseller has already submitted the paperwork to Wyndham, I doubt you'll get it transferred before end of year. Wyndham is running right at 8 weeks now once they "receive" the paperwork - which by the way can take 10 business days. (In other words, they may receive a document on October 14th in the mailroom but it won't get marked received until as late as October 27th - and that's when the 8 week clock starts). You can't even ask them to escalate until 8 weeks have passed from receipt. And if there is anything wrong - deed mismatch, improperly completed signoff (for example, you have purchased from a widow and a death certificate for the husband wasn't provided in the paperwork) the whole thing can be rejected and the clock starts over (once the corrected paperwork has been received).

I have contracts from March that haven't transferred yet.

A tip for you - based on our personal experience - book the Wyndham Smoky Mountains for the weekend (Friday-Monday) and Great Smokies Lodge for the week (Mon-Friday). This will save you some points because Wyndham Smoky Mountains is cheaper and the weekends costs more than weekdays; and Great Smokies Lodge gets full on the weekends earlier. Wyndham Smoky Mountains is closer to the attractions at Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, etc. and is more convenient as a launching point for Smoky Mountains state parks, etc. Great Smokies Lodge has the waterpark and Adventure Forest that make for great fun with the kids, rain or shine. If you're like us, you'll enjoy both for different reasons.
 

puppymommo

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We're thinking of visiting Smoky Mountains in 2015. I was thinking 7 days at the Smoky Mountains resort and skipping Great Smokies because we won't have any kids with us. But I like your idea of breaking the stay up. What are some of the things we'd miss if don't go to Great Smokies Lodge?
 

Bigrob

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We're thinking of visiting Smoky Mountains in 2015. I was thinking 7 days at the Smoky Mountains resort and skipping Great Smokies because we won't have any kids with us. But I like your idea of breaking the stay up. What are some of the things we'd miss if don't go to Great Smokies Lodge?

Well the main thing is the water park and the Adventure Forest. There's a nice golf course there too. But other than that, all the attractions and state parks are closer to Wyndham Smoky Mountains resort.

If you do make your reservation at Wyndham Smoky Mountains resort, be sure to request a nice mountain view. It seemed to me that units on upper floors of bldg. 25 would have a good view. Bldg 23 would also have a good view of a different mountain, plus is next to the rec area/pool.
 

spackler

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Well the main thing is the water park and the Adventure Forest. There's a nice golf course there too. But other than that, all the attractions and state parks are closer to Wyndham Smoky Mountains resort.

If you do make your reservation at Wyndham Smoky Mountains resort, be sure to request a nice mountain view. It seemed to me that units on upper floors of bldg. 25 would have a good view. Bldg 23 would also have a good view of a different mountain, plus is next to the rec area/pool.

Is it tough to reserve there in mid-October, which I assume to be the "fall foliage prime season"?
 

Bigrob

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Is it tough to reserve there in mid-October, which I assume to be the "fall foliage prime season"?

I don't think so. Summer is tough, but I think you would find plenty of availability 6 months out in October... maybe even less.
 
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