How many of you have added timeshare weeks to use in retirement?

If you OWN 12 weeks in a row - as in fixed deed weeks - I don't think they can say a thing. Each week is a check in and check out process.

I own a bunch at one resort - I have no problem.

While we're both retired from full time careers, my husband and I continue to work part time, so that limits the amount of time we can stay away. Right now, we're doing travel to destinations we've never been before - Japan, Greek Islands, etc., where we're moving around the country to tour. Our logic is that these places are much easier to visit now, while we're healthy and mobile, than they will be as we age.

We get our "sit on the beach" time from our TS week in St. Maarten. It's a 40-year term, and we're able to accelerate weeks from the last ten, so we've been spending 2 weeks in the winter now. Even though home is in cold Minnesota, I confess that I'm usually ready to get back to my home and dog after two weeks on the beach!

I've considered adding another week or 2 of timeshare, and may still after we're done with some of the other travel.

Our weeks are floating 1-52 and we have stayed three weeks in one unit so far.
When I call to make reservations, I can book one year in advance but when I'm
Staying consecutive weeks I'm really reserving early. I never expected to stay
In the same unit for months so I don't mind moving if I have to but it looks like
I won't or worst case maybe once a month. I do know other owners that have
Stayed in the same unit for six weeks.

I'm sure each resort may have their own rules better check before you buy if
That's important to you.

Our home resort (Charter Club of Marco Beach which is an HgvC affiliate) ) has owners that spend the entire winter there and own 12-14 weeks. I believe that they are fixed weeks. We own 2 weeks-when we put in a flex request 1 year, they were very kind and gave us 2 consecutive weeks-we had to let them know that we could not use 2 weeks in a row because we are not retired. I know that they really try to work with the flex owners, but they also let us know that there are no guarantees.
I'm thinking that if we were to add to our timeshare weeks, we would buy in:
1. Maine (because it is a lovely area, and has several resorts that appear to be decent Interval traders). We could tag a week there onto a week at a cottage that my family has rented on and off over the years if we plan in advance.
2. I would also think about Worldmark because we love the West Coast and Worldmark points might give us a chance to explore more of that area.

For a Florida escape in the winter, I would probably go with 2 weeks at our home resort, hGvC open season when available, hotel points stays, last minute cruise deals and last call type RCI, Interval, Dae or timeshare rental weeks. I agree with the earlier poster who commented that Orlando in the winter is still warmer than the Northeast! What a fun idea to book some time in the Orlando area and grab a Disney season pass!

consecutive weeks at same resort.

RAINTREE VACATION CLUB allows extended stays in their ocean front resorts. It is a membership that runs til 2046 We own sufficient points for 5 weeks in a 1 bdrm unit. We have been accelerating our use, paying a double maintenance fee to allow us 10 weeks a year. We spent 2 weeks in Los Cabos, 9 weeks in Puerto Vallarta, and we are heading toCancun in mid-October for 2 weeks. We had a penthouse in PV THIS PAST WINTER. We loo at our timeshare as a second home.
It works for us, as longas we stay healthy.
DONNAD

We bought most of our timeshares many years ago from developers but feel that we got our value from them as we bought some before they were built and cannot turn the clock back anyway.

We now own four consecutive weeks on Maui so no longer have to deal with II. We own one week in Puerto Vallarta but can accelerate the week to three weeks yearly so the contract will be finished before we are, I hope.

We own one week on the ocean in Laguna Beach and have been renting additional weeks when something pops up that is oceanfront too so we are done with buying. We are happy with what we have without having to exchange.

Buy where you want to vacation and timesharing works great without worrying about it all year unless you like the hunt and challenge. It is not for us.

GregGH said:

Hi

saw this thread in the e-mail that Brian sends out ... skimmed ...

Question ... the thread is 'how many of you added timeshare weeks to use in retirement ... of course being a 'snowbird' myself ..I am assuming this is for the winter escape ... ok ...here's my question ...finally ... over the years I have gotten the impression that many time shares don't allow you to book the winter for consecutive weeks .. can someone clarify ...

I know we can at Aviara ..but that is not the normal ... i have some friends that could be interested ... what chains allow 6-10 weeks in same location and which don't ?

Thanks

Greg

ps - if you see this dog Jan thru March - say hi

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I remember reading somewhere that about limits on long stays because of residency rules...you cant make a timeshare your full time residence...but I think thats baloney... I know Wyndham lets you make as many reservations as you have points to support at their resorts.. and I own multiple weeks at a floating weeks resort, and no one in reservations has every warned me about any length of stay provision....

The problem a snowbird might run into is having to move around a lot...one room one week and another (maybe even another resort) the next..and there is always the risk with points or floating weeks, that you wont get one or another week at all, due to demand. Id hate to have to spend a week in a Days Inn

Thats why I bought Worldmark to provide for my retirement plans. Four months at home, four months with my wifes son in in San Diego and four months with my daughter in San Francisco. Worldmark allows long stay vacations; as long as you have the credits to support. I figure Ill need about 300000 credits....Im buying now and Im almost there... When its all said and done, compare my less than $150000 "invested" to buy and (at the current rate) less than $1500 a month to carry 2 vacation homes in high priced California....Oh and if my kids move I can move too , to another property close to where ever they go

IMHO you will need 4 reservations, they may let you stay in the same room though

Vacation Planning

• The number of nights requested exceeds 30 nights. Please use the 4 month calendar option or call the Vacation Planning Center at 1-800-457-0103 to book your vacation.

ronandjoan said:

Hi
Check out our BLOG... Haha

Sold our house upon retirement , absolute full time timesharing for 6 years... Searching for the best place to retire... But we liked everywhere we went ... Still looking, still timesharing, at Wyndham Fairfield Bay right now for a week, then to Holiday Island (Eureka springs,AR) for 2 weeks, then to Telemark for a month

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Hello - just curious how many weeks/points you own to be able to "timeshare" for 52 weeks a year. Thanks in advance.

ronandjoan said:

Hi
Check out our BLOG... Haha

Sold our house upon retirement , absolute full time timesharing for 6 years... Searching for the best place to retire... But we liked everywhere we went ... Still looking, still timesharing, at Wyndham Fairfield Bay right now for a week, then to Holiday Island (Eureka springs,AR) for 2 weeks, then to Telemark for a month

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Joan, it that a TS in Holiday Island? I love Eureka springs and is one of the places I was considering to move to.

EDIT: I found it Joan, I now have an exchange ad in the classifieds looking for a week to trade.

Howzzat?

GregGH said:

... over the years I have gotten the impression that many time shares don't allow you to book the winter for consecutive weeks .. can someone clarify ...

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Not sure what you're asking, but as Linda has already stated above, if you own consecutive fixed weeks you most certainly have the undisputed right to use every last one of them, whether it's 2 or 22 consecutive weeks (fees paid and current, of course). A facility has absolutely no say whatsoever in the matter if you own those weeks.

Are you actually asking about something other than deeded fixed weeks?

theo said:

Not sure what you're asking, but as Linda has already stated above, if you own consecutive fixed weeks you most certainly have the undisputed right to use every last one of them, whether it's 2 or 22 consecutive weeks (fees paid and current, of course). A facility has absolutely no say whatsoever in the matter if you own those weeks.

Are you actually asking about something other than deeded fixed weeks?

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Hi

I was asking on floating weeks. At Aviara if you have a bunch of weeks you can book as 1 long winter vacation. BUT at many other chains is there not some sort of limit? I have had some friends ask me a similar question for their winter escape options.

I appreciate fixed weeks are fixed ... but floating weeks allow some more flex to your vacation plans as your needs or desires change.

It is nice to not have to move to a different unit part way thru the winter - amazing how much stuff you take with you on a longer stay ( and how much stuff ..err....wine and food get into the kitchen )

Greg

GregGH said:

I was asking on floating weeks. At Aviara if you have a bunch of weeks you can book as 1 long winter vacation. BUT at many other chains is there not some sort of limit? I have had some friends ask me a similar question for their winter escape options.

I appreciate fixed weeks are fixed ... but floating weeks allow some more flex to your vacation plans as your needs or desires change.

It is nice to not have to move to a different unit part way thru the winter - amazing how much stuff you take with you on a longer stay ( and how much stuff ..err....wine and food get into the kitchen )

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O.K., got it now; I did not read anywhere or otherwise grasp that you were actually (and only) referring to floating weeks.
Yes, there is surely lots more flexibility (along with much more reservation uncertainty) with floating week ownerships.

Ironically, where we use and enjoy most of our remaining (fixed) timeshare weeks (Snowbird weeks in coastal SW FL) after cutting down on our our ownerships by half, we would never be able to reserve any time in SW FL at all during the one and only time frame we would even consider setting foot in FL at all in the first place, since weeks 5-15 inclusive are completely "blacked out" from "floating" week owner reservation at virtually all facilities we know of in that particular geographic area.

In the end it boils down to different resort policies, seasonal demands and personal preferences. Generally speaking, I believe that it would be difficult most anywhere of real demand to string together many consecutive weeks in the same unit at the same resort using only "floating" week ownerships. That being said, a cooperative and energetic front desk staff can (and often will) sometimes do some "juggling" to help people be able to stay in the same unit from one week to the next, if it works for all affected parties. Stringing many consecutive weeks together staying in the same unit however is always a somewhat daunting task.

Although my husband and I won't be able to retire for 15 yrs we believe we have more than enough timeshares for our retirement.

We do plan to take a 'mini-retirement' once the kids are finished college. A 6 month trip (leave of absence) from our jobs. We have had to change the locations since we have been slowly visiting those places now and plan to take it in stride when we do our 6 month tour.

For permanent retirement we hope to spend 3 months in Hawaii, 1 month at each of our 4 kids home or town (wherever that may be) and 1 month in Grand Caymans. We'll downsize but don't know to what or where. All kids thus far have offered to have a room or floor for us in their homes (we'll see about that)

Greg,
The one resort I own FIXED WEEKS at tries very hard to keep their Snowbird guests in just ONE UNIT per stay - whether for 2 weeks or much LONGER. I had one of my guests who booked 6 back to back weeks in a 1bdr unit actually never moved during their stay. Housekeeping came in every Sunday and did a full service (with their permission), but they did not vacate the unit or pack up their items.

I know several owners who roost yearly and for longer at that resort. The Front Desk manager is a gem and genius --- as I have other owners their who add a week or two on to their stays (via me) and while they may NOT stay in either my unit or their unit, they don't move ... and the units and locations are very acceptable to them.

This is what I will be doing. I have been wanting to purchase a TS for quite some time. I knew I wanted Pinestead Reef in TC and that I wanted SDO. I waited till what I wanted became available.

I will adjust as needed both for usage and financial.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Sandy VDH View Post
I will re-adjust the portfolio, as required, as the years go by.

bogey21 said:

IMO this is key. If you don't, you may find yourself paying MFs year after year that are providing no value to you.

George

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