Orange Lake "Go Global"....Points based program

GO GLOBAL .....a quest to find truth

Ibttat~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I would be interested as well. I knew that OLCC was going to a points-based system and the fact that they had the survey suggested that was what it was going to do as well. I'm not necessarily a fan of a points-based system but I'll reserve judgement until I see more details. When I was there in late May it was hard to get any details but I think they were still working on it to be fair.

We just returned from OLCC and had an owners update on the new "Global Points Program". The short story of this is, we were told by a supervisor that the "only way" you could enroll in Global Points is to upgrade your unit and purchase into River Island to be enrolled into this new program. Later the sales rep told us that you could possibly join this program but she was not sure of the details or the cost. She said somewhere around $3000.00 she thought.

With out going into a lot of detail as to what we were told, it seems OLCC is trying to purchase other resorts (they just purchased a Gold Crown Resort in Wisconsin), or they will purchase "units" at other resorts and start their own exchange program for OL owners who are in OL Global Points. If you exchange into other properties or units that OL is purchasing you will only pay a $40.00 exchange fee.

Each village (West, East or North) in OLCC will be given different point values based on size, but River Island will have the most points. People who have already purchased, or will purchase in River Island will automatically be put into their Global Points program and RCI points.

We also spoke to an RCI rep at OL who told us they have not been informed as to how this program is going to work. He did say if you are into Global Points and want to exchange into an RCI resort you will have to go through RCI and pay both the $40.00 OL Global Points fee and the $149.00 RCI fee for an exchange. I personally think he is mistaken on this. I believe once in Global Points you have a choice of using RCI for an exchange or Global Points.

I have a wait and see attitude. As an owner of 5 weeks at OLCC I am not going to upgrade into River Island to join a program that is just getting off the ground. We have upgraded before and it always costs us a lot more money. OLCC buys back the unit for what you paid for it, and then sells it at today's prices. You then buy a new unit at today's prices. Depending on how good a deal you can get, that should end up costing you between $5,000-$8,000 (or more).

I was not impressed with what we were told about Global Points and I certainally was not listening after the supervisor talked to me with an attitude. I asked her where OLCC was going to get all the money it would take to buy all the resorts they are planning to buy? She looked at me and said "You got to be kidding me! Right?" "Do you not know the Wilson Family ownes OLCC and it is debt free." I told her of course I knew that (Who doesn't- watching OLCC TV. The Wilson family story is on 24 hours a day)
I told her I just didn't want any of my fee's to go up because of this new venture. Time will tell as they roll out more information to owners. They just started this a few days ago.
Ljane

So OLCC has decided to become a points based mini system all on their own. I would be cautious as well. If not done well, it could be an expensive mess. Even if it is done well, what would distinquish them? Why buy there rather than Fairfield or Worldmark or Bluegreen which are already established, working well and have lots of choices?

Ibttat~~~~~~~~~~~~

patience OL'rs, just alittle more patience. This is a massive undertaking. When it roles out, it will be crystal clear.

ljane said:

I told her of course I knew that (Who doesn't- watching OLCC TV. The Wilson family story is on 24 hours a day)
Ljane

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Ljane;

Thanks for the information. As an aside, your are right about the Wilson family story but the other 5 channels showing the resort could at least have different subjects rather than the same pictures of the resort at the same time on them. While minor, it is something I think is wasteful at the resort.

I already have RCI Points and while there are good and bad things about it, in general I dislike. I will reserve judgement until I see some more facts.

timetraveler said:

patience OL'rs, just alittle more patience. This is a massive undertaking. When it roles out, it will be crystal clear.

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It's crystal clear right now. OLCC sales guys have been attending high level meetings about a future program that was supposed to roll out last month according to my sales guy named, Con.

Since they haven't been told all of the details, they are talking to each other and making things up as they go along. This is exactly why sales is always the last to be told what is really going on. The more they are told, the more they embellish and make things up.

that's the problem in a nutshell Boca. The sales dept is not....... for lack of a better word...."in the loop". We all know that, no matter what resort it is.

lJane....alot of what your salesperson told you is.....well geez, I don't know where that stuff came from.

So.....as I said.....have alittle patience. OL will roll it out when everything is in place.

Ibttat~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

lawgs said:

timetraveler

have they not already "rolled" it out....

http://www.goglobalaccess.com/

why all the "we know more than anyone else" that seems to come from your post???????

it would seem you are in the "loop" right up there with HIGH level management???

taken from goglobal website

Owner Support

Hours of Operation

8 a.m. - 10 p.m. (EST)

Seven days a week

Contact information

Toll-free 877.UGO.4FUN

Tel 877.846.4386

Tel 407.905.1100

Fax 407.905.1120

www.GoGlobalAccess.com

members@GoGlobalAccess.com

Mailing Address

8505 W. Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy.

Kissimmee, FL 34747-8201


thr program has already started, they are selling it according to ljane's post

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lawgs....if your are an owner, you will be notified of the exact program shortly. LJane's info....at at least as she has typed it, came from sales. Some of the info she was given was skewed.

Just like Boca so on target explained....salespeople sometimes get together and embellish.

The $40 dollar internal exchange fee is correct. We will have access to inventory in Europe, Hawaii, and some other really great locations that are already on board, more are in negotiations. The name Global Access and the toll free number launched the first week of June, while I was there, just not made public. Hectic training was going on, new software and lot's of meetings.

When I came back, I posted about a "change" coming. Since the resort was not ready to go public just yet, I did not post this info on an open internet forum.

The "Go Global" feature on the website was just added. I mean JUST added.

I'm very excited to see how the majority of owner's are going to respond.

While what I was told was not specific, this is in line with what I was told in late May when I was there. I was told that they were going to make the "Wilson Travel Club" meaningful.

Gary, I will be anxious to hear your view, as well as Boca's. You both are very knowledgeable about TS'ing.

timetraveler said:

Gary, I will be anxious to hear your view, as well as Boca's. You both are very knowledgeable about TS'ing.

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My sales guy's name literally was Con. He told so many lies that I have discounted everything he said. I'd like to see a program description. Then, I'll be able to comment.

Ibttat~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Vicki,
The information I posted came directly from a sales supervisor. The program was fully underway last week and was being sold by all the sales staff. If that information was not correct then they have a lot of people selling something they know nothing about.

I did not ask the question directly if the previous buyers who purchased into River Island would be automatically entered into the new program. By the way our conversation went I assumed they would be.

They only difference in information I received from the supervisor and the sales rep was to how you would get into the program. I definitely asked the supervisor point blank if the only way you could get into the new program was to purchase in River Island and she made it crystal clear that was the only way. When I wasn't interested in upgrading the sales rep later came back and said possibly I would be able to buy into the program and I again said "NO".

Vicki I too love OLCC and we have traded into Hilton's, Marriott's, Westgate's and various top resorts through II, but I still enjoy OLCC as my favorite resort. Other resorts may have more elaborate rooms, but none offfer what OLCC has to offer. Only difference between you and I, is I can still see where OLCC needs to improve in a lot of area's. I am not convinced that bigger is better. We have owned for 14 years and I see a lot of problems with bigger.
Ljane

lawgs said:

timetraveler

...since you seem to know all about the program from the highest levels you should have no problem pointing out the lies that you imply were told to ljane by " sales "

... it is obvious the program has rolled out and you have also "skewed" information to suit your purposes ( whatever they are )

of course, we are not as knowledgeable as gjw and boca since we have only been owners at OLCC since 1990, but just because you are a HOA member ( if that is how you are privy to all this "good" stuff that is going to happen for Orange Lake owners ) does not make you any better than "us lowly dues paying OLCC members" who only want some information about a program that OLCC has "rolled" out

your posts so "often" seem to imply, IMHO, that you have all the inside information that there is ever to know about Orange Lake Country Club and that information that may come from any other source should not to be trusted as accurate

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I don't have any "inside" information, but it is obvious the sales staff has told lies, as they always do - they want to make a sale, either as a new sale or an upgrade. That's how they get paid. Even if the program is in sales, that does not mean it has actually rolled out. Most of the time OL sells their units in preconstruction, meaning the unit you are buying today is not ready for occupancy. If it is not ready for occupancy, you also cannot yet deposit it for use with an exchange company. You become a member, and have the membership benefits, but you don't have use of your week yet.

As for your tone, members of the HOA often are privy to information that other owners don't. And having served on a few board of directors, I know that they are often sworn to secrecy until programs are announced, even if they know all the details and are well versed in them.

When this program launches, it may cost $1295, it may cost $3000 (as the sales staff seemed to imply, but I doubt), or some other figure - and that figure may even differ from association to association, just like maintenance fees differ. I wouldn't be surprised if they include membership for all River Island owners, but also wouldn't surprise me if they did not - particularly if they had a price increase to coincide with the rollout (they claim they're including it for free, but they're actually charging for it - maybe less than purchasing 2 weeks earlier and adding it on, but with no choice to turn it down).

We should all wait until the information is released. Then maybe we'll all get ACCURATE information - the sales staff was probably not given all the details of how it will work for existing owners. And even if they were, it is in their best interest to get you to buy that new unit now at an inflated price before you get accurate information. For some, a higher buy-in price for existing owners might push them toward the new units, so it's in the best interest of the sales staff to inflate that figure intil it is officially published.

thanks Mel.

Lawgs....I hope Mel's detailed explaination helps you with some of your comments.

And lawgs....I'm not sure why your feathers are so ruffled.....I've never implied other OL owners are lowly, or that I am a better one. We're family!!

I have no reason to "skew" information to suit any secret purpose.

Hopefully Mels, in depth explaination and also Boca's reply regarding sales staff, will clear up some of your frustration. Most subjects I report on immediately. The information I had in early June was not public yet, so I did not post it on an open forum.

I'll be back at the resort again shortly. I just missed the opening of the River Island Grilling Company. I can't wait to try it out. The menu sounds wonderful.

I think we should wait until we have further information. I don't have any so all I can do is speculate. Like Ljane, I think there are things that OLCC can do to improve but overall it is my favorite resort. I've also said that there is no perfect resort that will satisfy everybody. I also think over time it has taken steps to improve, maybe not as fast as some people would like. Boca and I had talked a little about the comments that his sales person had made in May. He clearly stated things that were untrue (i.e. buying resale will have higher maintenance costs as an example). The only information I have on the program is what is posted here, so I need to wait for more information than I have already. I am interested in what information people have though. I know in May when I was there they spoke of changes coming and I was told it was going to be points based but no concrete information. Actually, when they did the poll on the website I assumed at that point that they were going points-based. In some ways, I think it is because of the current leadership's experience in the points-based systems at HGVC, Fairfield, amoung others, that the resort is going to a points-based system. My thoughts anyway.

Any "great deal" that starts out being offered hush hush or without clear rules, prices and details makes me very nervous. If this was such a great thing they should be yelling it from the rooftops and trying to sign up every OLCC owner not tying it to a new purchase. The fact that no one seems to know if it even will be offered to current owners tells me it is nothing but a way to fleece owners out of more money. Better they should enroll with RCI Points, sell the conversion at $500 and open it to every owner. If this is a points club limited to only specific buildings at OLCC and whatever few units they can obtain at outside resorts it has a LONG way to go to be competitive. This is exactly the type of micro mini-system I feared would start to spring up as people want points but developers are reluctant to go with a big name like RCI but they don't have near enough to offer themselves. Too many of those could end up with a 1/2 dozen resorts, extremely limited availablility and more owners compalining about points when the real problem is the poor point system they were sold. My early take is hold on to your wallet until they get the bugs out and find a way to have a meaningful amount of internal inventory or you will be disappointed by "points" if this is your exposure to such systems.

mi tayake oyasin

IBTTAT~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

lawgs looks down at his NON feathers to see if they have been ruffled ...we all need to be less judgemental eh!

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I totally agree. So I don't take anything you've said to me as judgemental.

Better yet, why don't you join TUG, then you can access even more OL information? This site has a wealth of information. Consider this an open invitation from one OL owner to another.

Ibttat~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

lawgs said:

uess i should not be posting since i am not a tug MEMBER now

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The TUG bbs is a service provided by TUG to the timesharing community. You are free to read and post here whether you are a member or not.

and do you mean there is "secret stuff" i can find out about OLCC if i pay money to TUG

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Our database of resort information, including information on OLCC, has been gathered from TUG members for over a decade. Access to this is reserved for TUG Members only.

Let's keep this thread on topic

As the moderator of this forum, I'm concerned about the direction this thread is going. If people here want to provide information on Orange Lake's new points program, that is fine. If you want to argue and/or question and demand answers from a specific individual, then send that person an email or a private message.

What's more, there is no secret information available by joining TUG. Members have access to the resort reviews. These can be helpful and informative in regards to the various resorts, but there is no secret information in them and nothing that pertains to the issues being discussed in this thread. Join TUG or don't join TUG...everyone has that choice and it makes no difference to me. But be courteous here on the BBS.

Steve
Florida Moderator