Help! Information Overload...

My husband and I are looking into purchasing a timeshare. I found this website and the information here has helped a lot. But there are so many systems and choices! The more I read, the more confused I become! A little input from folks who’ve done this for awhile would be helpful.

We’ve attended a few presentations from different companies to see what’s out there: BlueGreen, Island One, and HGVC. As of right now, we’re very interested in HGVC. We vacationed at their property on International Drive in Orlando and loved it.

Hubby and I have 3 kids, so we would need 2 beds/2 baths, and we’re pretty much locked into traveling during school breaks – which translates into platinum season regardless of the developer or property. It is my understanding that with HGVC points are points, so does it really matter where and what season and unit size we buy? I'm leaning toward just buying where, what, when we want to have that assurance. Or would it be better to be a little more saavy and purchase somewhere with less expensive MFs?

Let people know where you live and what you're vacationing plans are generally like (ie: do you go to disney every year...do you want to stay nearer to home...will trading be important?) It'll make it alot easier to make a recommendation.

Most (not all) point systems still have a priority booking window for owners at their home resort...meaning that you're ability to move around in the system (outside your home resort) is still somewhat determined by other owners choosing not to use their home properties.

We live in Michigan so we like to get away to a sunny tropical destination. We did Disney 2 years ago (1st time), and Universal/IOA last year. The kids love Florida and want to go back. Exchange power would be very nice as I'd like to be able to vacation in areas other than Florida.

Some HGVC basics.

Points are the currency of the HGVC system. Points are given based on the size of the unit you purchase & the season you purchase them for.

Maintenance Fee's are generally based on the unit size, REGARDLESS of the season owned. Thus, you get more points for owning platinum season than gold or silver seasons but your MF's will be the same $$ no mater how many points that week is worth.

You are absolutely correct, points are points. I own two Vegas weeks in gold season totaling 8400 points and have just booked spring break (April 2009) at I-Drive for a 3 bdrm. This cost us 8400 points. This past spring we did two weeks in Hawaii...one at the Bay Club, one at HHV and we borrowed points from the following year as the total points required were more than we had for one year. IF you stay at your home resort in your exact season and unit size, you can book 12 months out and with no booking fee, hence the priority. If you want to book a different season, unit size or resort you have the 9 month window.

We have been very happy with the HGVC system, the call center for the club & their staff & the properties we've stayed in. I also own three other non-HGVC weeks which I paid considerably less for and also enjoy very much. Except possibly for the new Summer Bay (which I've not seen yet), the other two weeks are not up to the high end quality of HGVC and I didn't buy them expecting to be. We are very happy staying at these as well and don't use them to trade, yet.

The best advice is to identify where you want to go & whether you are looking to go to other resorts. Then identify the systems which meet your needs. My own personal rule is to own only at places I can drive to in a day or less. (Our Maui week being the exception to this rule).

Orlando & Vegas tend to have the lower MF's in the HGVC system. We bought both of our weeks through Seth Nock who is highly respected here on TUG and is very good about answering questions and providing information, whether you purchase through him or not.

BTW, all of our weeks were purchased resale.

UWSurfer said:

Some HGVC basics.

Maintenance Fee's are generally based on the unit size, REGARDLESS of the season owned. Thus, you get more points for owning platinum season than gold or silver seasons but your MF's will be the same $$ no mater how many points that week is worth.

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Thanks, that makes sense... somehow.

UWSurfer said:

You are absolutely correct, points are points...

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So would it be best to purchase in Orlando or Vegas? Personally, I don't care for Vegas and would probably never go. I would go to Orlando, at least for another few years until the kids say they're tired of it. In which case, we'd be looking at expanding our travel territory. How well does Orlando trade versus Vegas? Or is it simply not a good idea/practice to make your home resort someplace you would never stay?

UWSurfer said:

The best advice is to identify where you want to go & whether you are looking to go to other resorts. Then identify the systems which meet your needs. My own personal rule is to own only at places I can drive to in a day or less. (Our Maui week being the exception to this rule).

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What if I wanted to stay at another Hilton resort. Do I have to go through II or RCI if I didn't want to stay in my home resort? Say I own at Orlando and wanted to go to Hawaii... what is the likelihood of getting into Hawaii? What is the likelihood of getting into another non-HGVC?

HGVC Elite Plus

We have been members of HGVC since 2001. I purchased my initial TS in Orlando to force myself to take vacations. What I have learned is that timesharing lots of fun and purchased more points. I have purchased all 24,000 points directly from Hilton and only recently learned about the resale market and how it works. However, I purchased my TS units for pleasure not as an investment. If you can purchase resale for less, good for you.

Hilton has been a pleasure to work with. We have done cruises, RCI exchanges, and stayed in multiple different Hilton TS properties using HGVC points. We have a Hilton credit card and have done numerous HHonors redemptions as well. HHonors points accumlate much more quickly than Starwood points or Marriott points. (I know because I have Starwood and Marriot cards as well.) The Hilton system is flexible and very easy to work with. The main thing to consider is why you are purchasing a TS and if you are going to take advantages of what Hilton has to offer.

You might consider looking a bit more closely at bluegreen since they've got a few resorts near you and offer a bonus time program. They have what I believe is a very nice property in Orlando and a number of others in Fla as well. Just a thought. Bocabum would likely be one of the best to ask about the benefits and the in-and-outs of buying bluegreen resales.

http://www.timeshareforums.com/forums/bluegreen-resorts/

pianodinosaur said:

We have been members of HGVC since 2001. I purchased my initial TS in Orlando to force myself to take vacations. What I have learned is that timesharing lots of fun and purchased more points. I have purchased all 24,000 points directly from Hilton and only recently learned about the resale market and how it works. However, I purchased my TS units for pleasure not as an investment. If you can purchase resale for less, good for you.

Hilton has been a pleasure to work with. We have done cruises, RCI exchanges, and stayed in multiple different Hilton TS properties using HGVC points. We have a Hilton credit card and have done numerous HHonors redemptions as well. HHonors points accumlate much more quickly than Starwood points or Marriott points. (I know because I have Starwood and Marriot cards as well.) The Hilton system is flexible and very easy to work with. The main thing to consider is why you are purchasing a TS and if you are going to take advantages of what Hilton has to offer.

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Thanks. We are viewing our potential purchase as both an investment and as a cost effective and fun way to vacation. With 3 kids family travel has to make sense and be relaxing. With the kids we've got another 11 years of spring breaks, summers, mid-winter breaks, and winter vacations. And when they're gone, Hubby and I will definitely use it ourselves.

How easy has it been for you to travel outside of the HGVC resorts using RCI? Do you deposit your week first and then wait to hear if you get what/where/when you want?

What has been your experience with trading into other HGVC resorts?

Andy08 said:

How easy has it been for you to travel outside of the HGVC resorts using RCI? Do you deposit your week first and then wait to hear if you get what/where/when you want?

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When you use HGVC to go to a RCI resort, you don't trade your week but use HGVC pts based on a table with RCI. As an example: a 2 bd exchange in RED time is alway 4800 HGVC pts. If you want something smaller or a different season, it's less points.

What has been your experience with trading into other HGVC resorts?

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The general feeling here has been that if you call right at 9 months, using your HGVC pts to go to the other HGVC resorts is not too hard. ( although Hawaii has been much more difficult recently) BUT using HGVC pts to go to the affiliates is much tougher. This may be due to the fact that at the affiliate resorts, memebrship with HGVC is optional. And at many of the affiliates, owners don't deposit their weeks in HGVC for pts.

Andy08 said:

How easy has it been for you to travel outside of the HGVC resorts using RCI? Do you deposit your week first and then wait to hear if you get what/where/when you want?

What has been your experience with trading into other HGVC resorts?

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With HGVC, you do not deposit your week (or encumber your points). Instead, you call HGVC and ask to use your points to make an RCI reservation... which they will do for a fee. If the RCI property has units available (on deposit), Hilton will do the "exchange" on their books and its yours. But if its not available, you can either ask them to do an on-going search (for a fee) or keep your points and try again later.

When I called to try to reserve a property in London, the CSR almost giggled and said that she had not seen any availability there in five years 'cuz those those who own there, stay there. Others here, however, have had very positive experiences in making RCI "exchanges" elsewhere.

Frankly, the procedure is rather clunky. It could be more transparent if HGVC simply gave out RCI account #'s, but they maintain tighter control over their inventory by acting as a go-between.

Bill4728 said:

And at many of the affiliates, owners don't deposit their weeks in HGVC for pts.

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What does that mean? Basically, I couldn't/wouldn't get in unless there was availability? My ownership with HGVC doesn't really mean alot if I attempt to go outside of their network?

Andy08 said:

What does that mean? Basically, I couldn't/wouldn't get in unless there was availability? My ownership with HGVC doesn't really mean alot if I attempt to go outside of their network?

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I think that you'll find this true with many affiliate networks in most systems. Accessing affiliates tends to be alot tougher...not impossible...but tough...and will generally require more flexiblity to snag. In addition, there are rarely gaurantees to long term continued access to affiliated resorts (although I'm not sure if this is true with HGVC). At least that's been my experience with systems I've looked at.

As someone mentioned above...Buy what you know you can use regularly and then enjoy the bonus stuff if and when you can.

Andy08 said:

Thanks, that makes sense... somehow.



So would it be best to purchase in Orlando or Vegas? Personally, I don't care for Vegas and would probably never go. I would go to Orlando, at least for another few years until the kids say they're tired of it. In which case, we'd be looking at expanding our travel territory. How well does Orlando trade versus Vegas? Or is it simply not a good idea/practice to make your home resort someplace you would never stay?

What if I wanted to stay at another Hilton resort. Do I have to go through II or RCI if I didn't want to stay in my home resort? Say I own at Orlando and wanted to go to Hawaii... what is the likelihood of getting into Hawaii? What is the likelihood of getting into another non-HGVC?

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It really doesn't matter with HGVC. Points are points. My Vegas points are as good as your Orlando Points and are the same as Hawaii points.

The advantage offered to you owning Orlando is the home resort booking window available to you. Orlando MF's tend to be a bit more than Vegas...but not a lot more. You probably will want to use your home resort priority booking (12 - 9 months ahead of your stay) in Orlando IF you want to make sure you can book your week, season and unit size without concern about possibly being aced out by someone with a Vegas week (me) when the 9 month window becomes available to me.

With HGVC there are two "exchange" systems...the internal system which uses HGVC points to book stays at the 36 resorts which make up the HGVC system. Many of those 36 are affiliates. HGVC developed resorts in LV, Orlando and Hawaii & have a project in NY. The rest are affiliates. You would book these within their system using HGVC points.

Now to muddy the waters just a bit, HGVC exchanges through RCI but as was stated in an earlier post, you use your HGVC points to book non HGVC properties available through RCI. The HGVC call center has RCI's computers there and have people who specialize in RCI working these. They are your interface to the RCI system and facilitate RCI bookings based on availability. Often the point requirements of a comparable stay are less using RCI than they are booking through HGVC. There are occasions where HGVC inventory appears on RCI. It gets a little weird but you can book a week at an HGVC property using HGVC points through RCI, and can use fewer HGVC points in the process.

Now having said that, the reality of doing this durring a hot vacation period with very fixed dates is not great. We have made a couple of reservations through HGVC using the RCI system and they worked out fine. One in particular was at a Fairfield in Nashville in January for 5 nights. There was a conference across the street from the Fairfield there and it was much more economical to book it with points and share the costs with several people, each getting their own bedroom.

The RCI element makes it a little more confusing, but know you end up booking this all through the HGVC call center and any RCI membership you might have independent of HGVC remains independent. What that means is I can't take my non-HGVC properties and exchange them through my HGVC account and I can't take my HGVC weeks/points and trade them through my personal (non-HGVC) RCI account. The two are separate.

ladycody said:

I think that you'll find this true with many affiliate networks in most systems. Accessing affiliates tends to be alot tougher...not impossible...but tough...and will generally require more flexiblity to snag. In addition, there are rarely gaurantees to long term continued access to affiliated resorts (although I'm not sure if this is true with HGVC). At least that's been my experience with systems I've looked at.

As someone mentioned above...Buy what you know you can use regularly and then enjoy the bonus stuff if and when you can.

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It makes sense. I guess with that in mind it would be nice if Hilton would build in areas other than Florida, Hawaii, and Las Vegas. When we were in Orlando this past spring break, they were building a new one there called MidTown, I think. Are they considering building outside of U.S. or at least somewhere other than Florida and Vegas?

UWSurfer said:

With HGVC there are two "exchange" systems...the internal system which uses HGVC points to book stays at the 36 resorts which make up the HGVC system. Many of those 36 are affiliates. HGVC developed resorts in LV, Orlando and Hawaii & have a project in NY. The rest are affiliates. You would book these within their system using HGVC points.

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Okay... so I can book at any of those 36 resorts without having to go through RCI?

Andy08 said:

It makes sense. I guess with that in mind it would be nice if Hilton would build in areas other than Florida, Hawaii, and Las Vegas. When we were in Orlando this past spring break, they were building a new one there called MidTown, I think. Are they considering building outside of U.S. or at least somewhere other than Florida and Vegas?

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I belive they are always "considering", but actions speak louder than words. Except for New York, the new developments they've announced continue to be in Florida, Vegas and Hawaii.

Andy08 said:

Okay... so I can book at any of those 36 resorts without having to go through RCI?

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Corrrect. All of these can be booked using their internal system...not RCI. And is the case everywhere...it's subject to availability.

Andy08 said:

What does that mean? Basically, I couldn't/wouldn't get in unless there was availability? My ownership with HGVC doesn't really mean alot if I attempt to go outside of their network?

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Your unit/week never leaves Hilton's inventory control. Consider it, an automatic-deposit. Instead, its equivilent in points is allotted to you and you can use your points to reserve anywhere in the Hilton-system or RCI system that Hilton tells you it has availability. The issue is, if you try to reserve a high-demand property during a high-demand season, you may well find yourself on the outside, looking thru the windows, unless you luck out. But mid-season, mid-demand properties may be yours for the asking.

Talent312 said:

Your unit/week never leaves Hilton's inventory control. Consider it, an automatic-deposit. Instead, its equivilent in points is allotted to you and you can use your points to reserve anywhere in the Hilton-system or RCI system that Hilton tells you it has availability. The issue is, if you try to reserve a high-demand property during a high-demand season, you may well find yourself on the outside, looking thru the windows, unless you luck out. But mid-season, mid-demand properties may be yours for the asking.

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Ok... it's sinking in... so Hawaii is probably high demand year-round? Is there something that shows the demand and seasons for each property?

Andy08 said:

Ok... it's sinking in... so Hawaii is probably high demand year-round? Is there something that shows the demand and seasons for each property?

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Go to this link: http://www.tug2.net/advice/hgvc.htm

You'll find a a chart at the end of it which lists the resorts and which weeks fall under which seasons. You can basically figure Platinum weeks are high demand. That doesn't make them impossible to get if they aren't your home resort, but you have to be quick.

RCI exhanges with Hilton

We usually plan our RCI exchanges 1 1/2 to 2 years in advance. We pick three resorts in the general region and usually get our first or second choice. For example, if you want to go to Aruba, pick 3 resorts about 1 1/2 to 2 years in advance. You will most likely get your 1st or 2nd choice. RCI usually does not know what spaces will open up until 1 year in advance. However, by making your choice early, you will be at the head of the line.

pianodinosaur said:

We usually plan our RCI exchanges 1 1/2 to 2 years in advance. We pick three resorts in the general region and usually get our first or second choice. For example, if you want to go to Aruba, pick 3 resorts about 1 1/2 to 2 years in advance. You will most likely get your 1st or 2nd choice. RCI usually does not know what spaces will open up until 1 year in advance. However, by making your choice early, you will be at the head of the line.

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Good, you answered another question I had about earliest time allowed to book with exchange company.

Will the hgvc system allow you to book at your home resort first, just in case, and check on the availability of the RCI resort(s)?

Andy08 said:

Good, you answered another question I had about earliest time allowed to book with exchange company.

Will the hgvc system allow you to book at your home resort first, just in case, and check on the availability of the RCI resort(s)?

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Basically Yes. There could be an issue with the system not permitting a search if you've committed your points for the year with your home resort reservation, but HGVC allows you to borrow from the year ahead as well. Thus it would reason that so long as the RCI search parameters don't exceed the points available either remaining or for the next year they should be able to do so.

Know also that if there is no RCI availability the instant you ask them to check, you can initiate an ongoing RCI search for the location you want. There is a fee for this which you will be charged up front. IF they don't come up with anything you accept, they will refund your charge.

This is the best primer thread I have found on HGVC. Keep it up!

You can book a Hilton owned resort through RCI. I have met many Hilton owners who have done that to maximize their use of points. For example, a 2bedroom platinum stay for 1 week is 7000 HGVC points. However, if you book the reservation via RCI that same week will cost 4800 points.

There is a draw back to this. Hilton owners booking with HGVC points have first choice on the rooms available. If you book a HGVC resort via RCI you go right into the RCI pool. HGVC resorts are in high demand.

I recently joined TUG and discovered just how highly rated the HGVC properties are among the other members of TUG. If you really want to stay at a HGVC property, my personal choice would be to book it 9 months to 1 year in advance through HGVC rather than RCI.

I have never had a problem booking at a HGVC resort using the above mentioned approach. However, I have friends who own at Marriott in Aruba who can't even book their home resort through Marriott. This is one reason why so many Hilton members are pleased with their purchase.