# I do not understand the points system!!!



## WaterBaby218 (Jul 6, 2012)

It's been suggested to me here on TUG that, because I want more flexibility in timeshare exchanging, to buy a points TS instead of a weeks one. I understand the weeks memberships because I've been bogarting my BIL's RCI weeks TS for years (he never uses it, so why not?! But his crappy home resort has been kicked out of the RCI network, so that option is about to dry up for us!). I like the idea of flexibility in length of stay and properties in particular, since Saturday flights to the Caribbean can be $200+ more per person. I plan to go to a different resort pretty much every time we travel.

I have been trying to get a handle on the points thing, both here and through links I'm finding on Google, and I have an understanding of the basic concept. But I have NO idea how to properly buy a points TS, how many points are needed for various types of accommodations (i.e., a 2 BR in the Caribbean, a 1 BR in New Orleans), how much I should be paying per point, and what properties are actually available through points. I know RCI has a points network but I'm not interested in RCI unless there's a compelling reason and the points system allows me to get into better properties than my BIL's weeks ownership has enabled us to do. I want wide exposure to properties in the U.S., Caribbean and Europe in particular. I don't want to be locked into just the Hilton, or Marriott, or whatever other mini systems there are. I know how to judge MFs for the various weeks options out there and what's a good value, but not for points.

Can someone PLEASE point me to some useful threads here or external resources that fully explain this? I am only finding basic primers that don't help me make a choice. How do I find out how many points it takes to get into certain properties during certain time periods? I'm ready to say "screw it" and just buy the weeks TS (through II) I have my eye on.

 I mean, srsly. 

Thanks!


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## csxjohn (Jul 7, 2012)

WaterBaby218 said:


> Can someone PLEASE point me to some useful threads here or external resources that fully explain this? I am only finding basic primers that don't help me make a choice. How do I find out how many points it takes to get into certain properties during certain time periods? I'm ready to say "screw it" and just buy the weeks TS (through II) I have my eye on.
> 
> I mean, srsly.
> 
> Thanks!



Don't give in yet.  I've been a "weeks" owner for years and am trying to learn the different points systems as well.

The problem is there are so many systems and so many variations to each that it's hard to follow.

It would be nice if someone knows of a one stop place to learn it all.

I saw this in one thread which list all the Wyndham points necessary to trade into each resort.

http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/wyndham/memberdirectory11-12/

Maybe someone else can give us some links to the other systems out there.


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## Passepartout (Jul 7, 2012)

WaterBaby218 said:


> I know RCI has a points network but I'm not interested in RCI unless there's a compelling reason
> 
> Can someone PLEASE point me to some useful threads here or external resources that fully explain this? I am only finding basic primers that don't help me make a choice. How do I find out how many points it takes to get into certain properties during certain time periods? I'm ready to say "screw it" and just buy the weeks TS (through II) I have my eye on.
> 
> ...



 srsly-

There is no 'quick and dirty' way to understand all the various point systems available. Your self-described phobia against RCI removes the largest system from contention. So concentrate on Wyndham or BlueGreen (since you live on the E. Coast and want Caribbean resort access- it wouldn't make sense to buy into a system with lots of Western and Hawaii properties)

You have only been at this a few days. Most of us have owned one or more point systems or years and still are barely aware of the nuances of using them. Most just use their points like a fixed week, just with more flexibility in location. In other words- if you want 2 bedroom exchanges, buy an underlying 2 bedroom unit in a point system. When you get into 'up-trading', it's more 'art' than 'science.'

There is no question that owning 'fixed' is easier than any 'point' system to deal with. This is exactly the reason we council to buy a TS to use not to exchange.

Good Luck!

Jim


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## WaterBaby218 (Jul 7, 2012)

Thanks. I am not phobic about RCI, but we have stayed in some pretty bad properties through them. Few are updated and one we actually left early it was so bad (and another we would have if we hadn't been so far from home). Then again, it could be that my BIL's trading power wasn't high enough to get us into better resorts. They've made some improvements to their Web site in the past year, and now you can bank trading power that you haven't used (for weeks, of course). We booked a trip to St. Martin to a nice resort and didn't need the full trading power, so now he has it banked and it can be combined with another week to increase his trading power. They charge $109 to combine deposits, though.

They do have Sheraton and Wyndham in their portfolio, so it's not a total crapshoot.


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## rhonda (Jul 7, 2012)

WaterBaby218,

To give you a few reasons not to cave too quickly, below are a few benefits of points systems over weeks.  These are generic, and not tied to any one specific system - their only aim to appeal to your patient pursuit of a 'best fit':
 Any size!  Points generally make it easy to book the best fit unit size for each trip.  Book a smaller unit (fewer points) for a couples-only getaway or a larger unit (more points) when travelling with the family.
 Any season!  Conserve points when travelling in low seasons or spend more points travelling in higher seasons.  The choice is yours to mix'n'match from year to year.
 Any arrival night!  Finding cheaper airfare flying on a Tuesday?  A points system can accommodate that.
 Any length of stay!  4-nights?  8-nights?  Great!
On the flip side, points systems may hit you for various extra charges such as reservation fees or housekeeping.  These are questions you'll study as you hone in on your short list of leading products.

For us, a strong mini-system that _also_ offers access to RCI Weeks and II is a great tool.  Perhaps you can find one of these, too?


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## bshmerlie (Jul 7, 2012)

First off, I want to disclose that I am a happy RCI points member. It works for me and I use it roughly six to seven times a year by trading my three timeshares.  My schedule is flexible in the respect that I can take a trip within a 45 day window but I am limited to weekends and holidays as I have to work around my kids school schedule.  

The points you're going to need is a tough one because it all depends on how often you want to travel and how many bedrooms you want to get and also how far out you want to get book.  I also want to point out I dont look at any resort that is not at least a four star with gold class designation.  If you like cheesy you can get some really low point resorts but I've never had the courage to try those.  Anyways a typical one bedroom is going to run you 30,000 - 50,000 points where as a two bedroom is going to run about 70,000 -points 120,000 points.   Now of course it does vary from resort to resort and the times of year you want to go that is just a rough ballpark. I quickly looked on RCI right now and the carribean doesnt look that expensive in general and there are some super deals on there for 9000 points if you can travel within the 45 day last minute window.  Availability is going to be quite limited at the ultra highend resorts or the Disney properties especially during peak seasons.  Europe is similar but there doesnt seem to be a lot of two bedrooms available over there.  And it would be difficult to plan a Europe trip last minute in a 45 day window.  But if you could....awesome deals.  

Any of the weeks resorts you can get for either 7,500 -to 9,000 points if you are able to travel in the last 45 day window ....assuming it shows availability.  I also do little 2-3 day weekend trips and dont use that many points.  Of course those places are within a resonable driving distance.  Your resort areas that are overbuilt with timeshares like Florida and Vegas you can get really nice places rather easily.  More difficult places to get such as New York or San Francisco you're going to have to be flexible when you travel and expect to pay about 80,000 points for a one bedroom.  Two bedrooms rarely come up although sometimes they do.  Getting into Disney in Florida is doable during certain times of year ....Disney in California or Hawaii is unlikely.   As those two resorts get older I hope to see some more availability.  We'll see.  I went to Disneys Animal Kingdom in May 2011 and only spent 35,000 points for a one bedroom.  They are out there you just have to be diligent in your search.  

I dont own any big name timeshares and up until last year I have done most of my exchanges with "dog" timeshares.  Points are points.   A big advantage of owning a timeshare in a specific home group is your reservation window is further out so you can see available properties before the general population.  You'll get better dates in harder to get seasons.  
     So thats a general overview and if youre looking for flexability and are flexible then points can work great.  You spend $189 per week exhange and about $59-$79 for 3-4 day exchanges. The 45 day window works great for me but I live in Southern California so I have Vegas, Palm Springs, the beach, San Diego, San Francisco, Sonoma, Tahoe all within a reasonable driving distance from me.  Even Hawaii I can go for a week but if youre on the east coast travel time is going to make some week trips not worth it. But same with Europe for me.


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## Passepartout (Jul 7, 2012)

WaterBaby218 said:


> Thanks. I am not phobic about RCI, but we have stayed in some pretty bad properties through them. Few are updated and one we actually left early it was so bad (and another we would have if we hadn't been so far from home).



Ahhh! Here's the reason to part with $15 of your hard earned bux to actually join TUG. It will give you access to the reviews (by TUGgers) of thousands of resorts worldwide so you can avoid going to a dump. You can 'pay it forward' by writing reviews of resorts you visit. That extends your membership each time you write one. Cool, huh?

It also gets that dreaded 'Guest' from your profile.

Jim


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## ronparise (Jul 7, 2012)

You are missing an "s" in the title of your post..Its points systems not system

There is a section here on tug with different sections for the different systems. Here is a list of names taken from that section

Hilton 
Marriott
Starwood
Wyndham
Worldmark
Disney
Hyatt
VRI
Sunterra
Bluegreen
Shell
Westgate


These systems are each, a group of resorts under the same management where the owner uses "points" or "credits" as currency to make reservations within the systems resorts. Each system is different and operates under a different set of rules

RCI points is a little different yet. The resorts in the system each have their own management,  but owners can or have opted to convert their week to points. And they use these points  (wait for it) as currency to make reservations at the various resorts within the system.

Most of these systems are at their core, based on a deeded ownership at a resort (Worldmark is one exception) and their ownership  is worth a certain nimber of points. So as an owner, the owner needs to pay maintenance fees to maintain the resort. and they need to pay a fee to manage the points system overlay

Now I think Im a pretty smart guy and when I choose to learn something, I can learn it. I also think no one can know everything. You have to pick and choose your areas of expertise.   Unless this is just an academic exercise and   you want to know it all; my advice is to pick a system and learn it.  

So the question becomes, which one to learn?, or which one to learn first? I think the answer depends on which system has the list of resorts that work best for you...In my case when I figured out that Wyndham was the only system with multiple resorts within driving distance from my home and that they are the only system with resorts near Washington DC and they also have a  San Francisco property, my choice was made. You will have different needs and wants to guide you

So now I have become one of the Wyndham "experts" here on TUG. You can come to me for help there. I am now learning Worldmark...ask me a question about Worldmark and Ill find the answer. There are others here that know the other systems..Just ask, but ask specific questions that we can answer...Big Picture questions like the one posed in your original post are impossible to answer in a few lines of text


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## bshmerlie (Jul 7, 2012)

WaterBaby218 said:


> Thanks. I am not phobic about RCI, but we have stayed in some pretty bad properties through them. Few are updated and one we actually left early it was so bad (and another we would have if we hadn't been so far from home). Then again, it could be that my BIL's trading power wasn't high enough to get us into better resorts. They've made some improvements to their Web site in the past year, and now you can bank trading power that you haven't used (for weeks, of course). We booked a trip to St. Martin to a nice resort and didn't need the full trading power, so now he has it banked and it can be combined with another week to increase his trading power. They charge $109 to combine deposits, though.
> 
> They do have Sheraton and Wyndham in their portfolio, so it's not a total crapshoot.



Always check out all the reviews before you book any resort. If 26 other families loved it chances are you will too.


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## csxjohn (Jul 7, 2012)

ronparise said:


> You are missing an "s" in the title of your post..Its points systems not system
> 
> There is a section here on tug with different sections for the different systems. Here is a list of names taken from that section
> 
> ...



Thank you for this post Ron.

By listing these systems the way you did it's a good starting point to explore them.

You have stated that you are a go to guy for Wyndham points, I hope others come here to say which system they are experts in.  It would be a good place to come to see who is willing to answer questions about each system.

Thank you.


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## csxjohn (Jul 7, 2012)

bshmerlie said:


> Always check out all the reviews before you book any resort. If 26 other families loved it chances are you will too.



Trip advisor is also a good place to find reviews of resorts.


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## WaterBaby218 (Jul 7, 2012)

Whew...lots of good info, thanks!!

I am a review hound and always read (and do) reviews...both the ones on RCI and on TripAdvisor. Many resorts aren't updated, which doesn't bother me as long as they're maintained well enough that we're not dealing with repairs throughout our trip. I read the reviews carefully but some of our particular units have been duds, and I swear, some reviewers just don't take the time to mention how bad things are.

I will have to look through that list of systems to find the one that most fits our needs. Western locations and Hawaii do appeal to me as well. I tend to like traveling all over, so a wide variety of options is very important to me. I have lived on the east coast my entire life (except for one glorious year in southern Cali as a kid) and have gone pretty much everywhere I want to go within driving distance. The Caribbean is my top choice these days but I do intend to head west while we're still living in the States (planning to move to Europe in 10 years or so). When I was single, I traveled frequently to California (LA & San Fran several times, Yosemite, Napa) and I want to go to SF and Napa with my hubby, and go back to Hawaii. The airfare and time zone difference definitely is killer, though. As a kid I traveled all over the western states and want to return to Zion, Bryce, and the Grand Canyon as well. We are also members of a home exchange network, which will get us free lodging with folks who want to come to central VA, but our area appeals more to people interested in mountains and wine! So a timeshare will expand our opportunities for affordable travel to a wide variety of places. 

Basically, before we move to Europe, I've got a bucket list for places I want to return to that I visited as a kid (Charleston, Key West, the canyons out west) and that I haven't been to or want to take the kids to. All over the U.S. and the Caribbean. Maybe my handle should be TravelBunny instead. ;-)  Most of those trips will be week-long trips since I may not get a chance to return if we don't come back to the States, but the option for mid-week travel (love JetBlue's lower fares on Tues/Wed) is a huge plus over being stuck with specific dates that the weeks TS locks you into. We were psyched to get a Sun-Sun stay in St. Maarten...saved us $400 in airfare and made the trip possible.

This really is very helpful. Thanks! And yes, I will have to join and get that dreaded "guest" out of my profile.


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## Bonnie in TN (Jul 20, 2012)

*Would love some Wyndham help!*



ronparise said:


> You are missing an "s" in the title of your post..Its points systems not system
> 
> There is a section here on tug with different sections for the different systems. Here is a list of names taken from that section
> 
> ...



Ron, I am a newbie that purchased an even EOY off ebay for a float week at an area that we love.  The ink on the deed isn't even dry yet:rofl:  but now I THINK I want an EOY odd and THINK I want points vs weeks and THINK I want Wyndham.  What I have read on this board about Wyndham has left me confused. I couldn't tell if all Wyndham points are equal; some mention of converted Wyndham weeks to point, how they are deeded etc.  I have been looking to buy resale of course and on ebay if the info isn't listed, I don't know what to ask. So this is my first question:

Can you use any and all Wyndham points at all of their locations?


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## geekette (Jul 20, 2012)

csxjohn said:


> Trip advisor is also a good place to find reviews of resorts.



Careful with that.  TA can be helpful for "how are the amenities?" stuff, but most TA people are hotel people, not timeshare people, so can rate a resort low for not having daily maid service, for example.


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## UWSurfer (Jul 20, 2012)

Responding to the original post, I always tell people when having conversation about points to think of the TS systems as various countries and the points the currency of each country (system).

The valuations will differ depending on which country you are in.  (And of course the way they are used (the rules) will vary from country to country.)


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## ronparise (Jul 20, 2012)

Bonnie in TN said:


> Ron, I am a newbie that purchased an even EOY off ebay for a float week at an area that we love.  The ink on the deed isn't even dry yet:rofl:  but now I THINK I want an EOY odd and THINK I want points vs weeks and THINK I want Wyndham.  What I have read on this board about Wyndham has left me confused. I couldn't tell if all Wyndham points are equal; some mention of converted Wyndham weeks to point, how they are deeded etc.  I have been looking to buy resale of course and on ebay if the info isn't listed, I don't know what to ask. So this is my first question:
> 
> Can you use any and all Wyndham points at all of their locations?



The short answer is yes

In their use,  points are points 10 months ahead of your desired check in date However there is an advanced reservation window (13 -10 months) where the owner of points deeded at a particular resort have priority. And going a little deeper, owners of weeks that have been converted to points have different privleges than owners of udi deeds, but thats a discussion for aanother day.  

To further complicate things  Wyndham recently introduced something called Club Wyndham Aaccess, which is a membership thing, rather than a deeded ownership. There are 35 or 40 resorts in the club and all club members get to make reservations at any of  these resorts at the 13 month mark. At 10 months club points work at all the resorts

So all points are not created equal, but at the 10 month mark they all work the same way, and in most cases you will be able to make a reservation at 10 months, where ever you want, (but there are some exceptions).


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## Bonnie in TN (Jul 20, 2012)

ronparise said:


> The short answer is yes
> 
> In their use,  points are points 10 months ahead of your desired check in date However there is an advanved reservation window (13 -10 months) where the owner of points deeded at a particular resort have priority. And going a little deeper, owners of weeks that have been converted to points have different privleges than owners of udi deeds, but thats a discussion for aanother day.
> 
> ...



Thanks so much Ron, I will digest this, and then, maybe ask for more help, if you are willing. 

Bonnie


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## Bonnie in TN (Jul 21, 2012)

Ron or other timeshare points peeps, my plan with Wyndham points would be to buy a minimum amount now and add to them as I can and as good deals come along.

My concern is will all the points, say I should make 3 separate purchases, work together?  (other than the 13-10 early owner booking which wouldn't work unless I found all deals at the same home resort).

This deal on ebay hasn't ended it, about 3 hours aways, but I don't understand why the bids are so low?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/353-000-Wyn...70630113999?pt=Timeshares&hash=item564b46bacf


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## learnalot (Jul 21, 2012)

Bonnie in TN said:


> Ron or other timeshare points peeps, my plan with Wyndham points would be to buy a minimum amount now and add to them as I can and as good deals come along.
> 
> My concern is will all the points, say I should make 3 separate purchases, work together?  (other than the 13-10 early owner booking which wouldn't work unless I found all deals at the same home resort).
> 
> ...



Bonnie,

Outside of ARP, the points will work together, but you will have the tranfer fee of 299 each time you add a new contract.


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## ronparise (Jul 21, 2012)

Bonnie in TN said:


> Ron or other timeshare points peeps, my plan with Wyndham points would be to buy a minimum amount now and add to them as I can and as good deals come along.
> 
> My concern is will all the points, say I should make 3 separate purchases, work together?  (other than the 13-10 early owner booking which wouldn't work unless I found all deals at the same home resort).
> 
> ...



They will all work together.

The fees on that contract are a little above average.  and the action on ebay auctions is the last seconds,. You cant tell a thing from what you see there now.  I think this will draw some more bids because there are no closing costs to the buyer, The high bid is all you will pay


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## jpsmit (Jul 21, 2012)

Thanks very much for this conversation - I too have many of the same questions and am also seriously considering a Points system. Wyndham seems to make the most sense as I am in Toronto and a lot of the others seem West Coast based. Most of my use will be to destinations I can drive to and I would love access to mid week and short term stays. Carrying on the conversation, here are some questions I have.

1. Am I correct that there are essentially two trading systems, RCI (or II) and Wyndham's own internal system?

2. What is the relationship between the two?

3. Does Wyndham have "last minute discounts" like RCI - or is that just RCI?

4. Is there a "sweet spot" number of points for (let's say) 2 weeks per year - and is there preferred locations for fees?

5. Changing the topic slightly, can you buy RCI points? would that make sense?

thanks all (and will be joining soon I hope)

JP


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## Bill4728 (Jul 22, 2012)

jpsmit said:


> Thanks very much for this conversation - I too have many of the same questions and am also seriously considering a Points system. Wyndham seems to make the most sense as I am in Toronto and a lot of the others seem West Coast based. Most of my use will be to destinations I can drive to and I would love access to mid week and short term stays. Carrying on the conversation, here are some questions I have.
> 
> 1. Am I correct that there are essentially two trading systems, RCI (or II) and Wyndham's own internal system?


With Wyn you don't do "trades" you use your wyn points to make reservations at any of the wyn resorts.  Then if you want to go somewhere other than the wyn resorts you make a trade within RCI. 


> 2. What is the relationship between the two?


  most TS companies have a relation with either RCI or II ( some have a relationship with both).  You use the trading companies when you can't find a place within your TS system that you want to go.



> 3. Does Wyndham have "last minute discounts" like RCI - or is that just RCI?


RCI & II both have last minutes discounts. Most TS systems don't have discounts for their point reservations. 



> 4. Is there a "sweet spot" number of points for (let's say) 2 weeks per year - and is there preferred locations for fees?
> 
> 5. Changing the topic slightly, can you buy RCI points? would that make sense?


  Almost everyone gets RCI points by buying a week at a RCI point resort.   There was a time a few years ago were you could lease a RCI point week for three years to try out the RCI point system but I'm not sure if that option is currently available.


> thanks all (and will be joining soon I hope)
> 
> JP



Good Luck


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## LynnW (Jul 22, 2012)

Bill I think you're right about the points for lease no longer being available. We did it several years ago and have renewed every year. It gave us extra RCI Points without having to commit to another timeshare.

Lynn


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## ampaholic (Jul 22, 2012)

If you are considering RCI Points consider this: 

The three most important things to consider with *RCI Points *are:

1. your home *resort* and home *group* matters - because - you get a 303 day or *less* booking window at all points resorts (good), but you get 304-334 days out at your home group (better) and you get 335-364 days out at your home resort (best).
For example we have a home resort where we like to go often, so I can book there 12 months from *now*, 2 full months before *any* non owners can.
I also have Grandview as a home resort (I have 2 home resorts) so I am grouped with all the Dailymanagement group and can get reservations 304-334 days out - before the average RCI Points members can.

2. *Don't get too many points* 
Go here to learn how many points you'll need to do what you want to do. You can always rent more points to fill out a vacation - but having extra can be an issue to use before they expire (but not as bad as a week you can't use IMO).

3. When you buy don't overpay: A real smokin' solid deal is less than a penny per point in MF's costs along with closing under $300 and this years points thrown in for for free. A resonable deal would be points @ a penny to 1.5 cents each in MF's along with $500 in closing and no free points IF it's at a resort you want for a home resort.

3a. A red week gives you more points per MF (generally) than a white or blue week.

I own a Red week 1bed Triennial at Grandview for which I get 16,337 points every year for $113 MF each year - and I'll never set foot on the Grandview Grounds, I use the points to go elsewhere. I bought it for $52. (plus 300 closing) on eBay - I'm happy with that.


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## Bonnie in TN (Jul 22, 2012)

I am learning so much, thanks to all for the answers as well as the questions.

I am mainly interested, at this time, in odd years points...how does all this advanced reservations apply?

Bonnie


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## learnalot (Jul 22, 2012)

Bonnie in TN said:


> I am learning so much, thanks to all for the answers as well as the questions.
> 
> I am mainly interested, at this time, in odd years points...how does all this advanced reservations apply?
> 
> Bonnie



With Wyndham, you can reserve at your home resort up to 13 months in advance.  You don't have to wait  until the points year begins to make the reservation.  For example, if you have points for use year of 2015, you could make a reservation for  Jan 1, 2015  as early as Dec 1, 2013.


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## DrBopp (Jul 23, 2012)

Bill4728 said:


> RCI & II both have last minutes discounts. Most TS systems don't have discounts for their point reservations.



Wyndham does discount the points needed at many resorts if you book within 60 days of your stay. Discounts have been as much as 40%, but this varies by location and time of year, but it definitely does happen.

Gordon


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## I.Katz (Jul 23, 2012)

Question - Are Wyndham and El Cid points the same thing?  I find it hard to find any info on the El Cid Timeshares. Thank you.


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## Picker57 (Jul 24, 2012)

It sounds like Wyndham is a pretty solid system with lots of versatility. If anyone's in shopping mode, FYI there are two Wyndham items on eBay now, and I think they end pretty soon. One is over 500K points. I don't know how the Wyndham system works, but that seems like a lot of points.  The other one is 350K+ points.  Might be worth a browse. 



              -------Zach


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## bobpark56 (Jul 24, 2012)

ronparise said:


> You are missing an "s" in the title of your post..Its points systems not system
> 
> There is a section here on tug with different sections for the different systems. Here is a list of names taken from that section
> 
> ...



Then there are also Diamond (DRI) and Festiva.

There are rumors Diamond may be exploring acquiring Festiva. This will be interesting to watch, as I am a member of both.


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## Bonnie in TN (Jul 25, 2012)

learnalot said:


> With Wyndham, you can reserve at your home resort up to 13 months in advance.  You don't have to wait  until the points year begins to make the reservation.  For example, if you have points for use year of 2015, you could make a reservation for  Jan 1, 2015  as early as Dec 1, 2013.



Thanks Learn, that is not at how I thought it would work so many thanks!


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## Picker57 (Jul 25, 2012)

And Shell's system is similar; you can 'borrow' from the next use year. You can also 'rent' points, though that can be a bit pricey if there are a lot of points involved.  Can book out 13 months only at home resort, 12 months within home club, 9 months (I think) all others. 

------------Zach


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## Bonnie in TN (Jul 25, 2012)

thanks Picker...do you know what that rental price is per point with Wyndham?  I know you responded about Shell, just wondered if you knew about the Wyndham prices.

B


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## flexible (Jul 25, 2012)

*Does the contract NEED to be at a STATUS LEVEL to achieve those benefits.*



Picker57 said:


> And Shell's system is similar; you can 'borrow' from the next use year. You can also 'rent' points, though that can be a bit pricey if there are a lot of points involved.  Can book out 13 months only at home resort, 12 months within home club, 9 months (I think) all others.
> 
> ------------Zach



Does a Shell contract need to be at a certain *STATUS LEVEL *to achieve the benefits you mention? Like over 1M points or over 500K points?


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## flexible (Jul 25, 2012)

Bonnie in TN said:


> Thanks Learn, that is not at how I thought it would work so many thanks!



Can ONLY Wyndham Alexandria, VA owners reserve 13 months in advance at Wyndham Alexandria, VA. 

We are considering 'swapping' or bartering ECVC points with a Wyndham owner. We want them to be able to reserve at least 14-28 days at Wyndham Alexandria, VA for us. 

We know a couple with a 2M Wyndham points every year. Would they be able to get a reservation for us in our names?

Thanks in advance.


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## ronparise (Jul 25, 2012)

flexible said:


> Can ONLY Wyndham Alexandria, VA owners reserve 13 months in advance at Wyndham Alexandria, VA.
> 
> We are considering 'swapping' or bartering ECVC points with a Wyndham owner. We want them to be able to reserve at least 14-28 days at Wyndham Alexandria, VA for us.
> 
> ...



Unless they own at Alexandria 10 months


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## ronparise (Jul 25, 2012)

Bonnie in TN said:


> thanks Picker...do you know what that rental price is per point with Wyndham?  I know you responded about Shell, just wondered if you knew about the Wyndham prices.
> 
> B



Here what it says on the website

_When you confirm a Standard Reservation,10 months to 91 days prior to check-in, you may only rent enough points to complete a portion of the last night of the reservation. The cost to rent points during the Standard Reservation window is $10 per 1,000 points and is confirmed by calling a Vacation Planning Counselor.
For example:
You request a reservation for five (5) nights but only have enough points for four (4) nights plus a portion of the 5th.
You may rent the additional points you need to complete the last night’s stay.
When confirming an Express Reservation, 90 days or less prior to check-in, you may rent points up to the cost of the reservation. The cost to rent points during the Express Reservation window is $8 per 1,000 points when you book online or $10 per 1,000 points when the reservation is confirmed by a Vacation Planning Counselor._


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## Picker57 (Jul 25, 2012)

No, any SVC member can BORROW from their next use year....up to the amount of points in that use year (ie you can't borrow 5000 points if you only own 2500 points per year).  The rate to 'RENT' points varies some with the number of points rented.  I think it's 25 cents/point up to around 2000, then drops to 22, then 19, etc. I don't know how the Wyndham system works, and the point scales are wildly different. 3500-4500 Shell points gets a pretty nice 1BR suite, whereas the other systems use a different currency.  It's probably fairly close.  The only 'status' -related benefits with Shell are in their "Elite" membership, which costs a ton and, IMHO, isn't worth it. 

 --------Zach


flexible said:


> Does a Shell contract need to be at a certain *STATUS LEVEL *to achieve the benefits you mention? Like over 1M points or over 500K points?


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## victor220 (Jul 26, 2012)

*Worldmark The Club Points system works for us*



Bill4728 said:


> With Wyn you don't do "trades" you use your wyn points to make reservations at any of the wyn resorts.  Then if you want to go somewhere other than the wyn resorts you make a trade within RCI.
> most TS companies have a relation with either RCI or II ( some have a relationship with both).  You use the trading companies when you can't find a place within your TS system that you want to go.
> 
> RCI & II both have last minutes discounts. Most TS systems don't have discounts for their point reservations.
> ...



As Worldmark members for 15 years and find that flexibility is its best feature; for roughly 14,000 points you can get a week at most of their resorts from Fiji to Florida and Mexico or Canada.  Yes it is owned by Wyndam, so there are some neat options in addition to RCI options.  Just google Worldmark The Club.


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## jpsmit (Jul 26, 2012)

victor220 said:


> As Worldmark members for 15 years and find that flexibility is its best feature; for roughly 14,000 points you can get a week at most of their resorts from Fiji to Florida and Mexico or Canada.  Yes it is owned by Wyndam, so there are some neat options in addition to RCI options.  Just google Worldmark The Club.




So, could you then explain the difference between Worldmark and Wyndham? I know they are owned by the same company.


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## ronparise (Jul 26, 2012)

jpsmit said:


> So, could you then explain the difference between Worldmark and Wyndham? I know they are owned by the same company.




They are two different timeshare systems  that are now managed by one company

Worldmark the Club  started life as Trendwest, and Club Wyndham Plus as Fairfield

There are stickies at the top of the Wyndham section of  Tugg that discusses the two systems in some detail


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## Sandy VDH (Jul 30, 2012)

We really should move all this Wyndham discussion over the the Wyndham tab.  

I will go back to your original comment that you want a 2 BR in the Caribbean.   That statement alone knocks out many of the timeshare systems as they have limited availability in the caribbean. 

Only 2 real contenders come to mind:

Marriott with Aruba, and St Kitts.
Starwood with St John and Bahamas

Otherwise you have NO good supply of 2 BR in the caribbean from any one supplier. 

Wyndham as some in St Thomas but limited in Size.  Not much else in the rest of the caribbean.  But great for US based as they have many in lots of places.  


I have had some luck getting some harder to get places in the caribbean via either my Hilton via RCI or my Wyndham via RCI.  Both of these however hinge on the fact that inventory when you want it, needs to be deposited into RCI.  Something you have no control over.

Wyndham used to be a better priced trade but they recently devalued the RCI trade component. 

I own both Wyndham and Hilton, for 15 years now.  So I too consider myself with a bit of experience and knowledge.   I have used Wyndham via RCI more in the past, but now actually use Wyndham for the smaller units and Hilton for the larger units.  Better cost per point rations for me.

When I consider any trade I look at what it costs me in various currencies.  Think of each point system as a currency.  You have to figure out your $$ in that currency and convert them all to a level playing field, cash. I have RCI fixed week, RCI Points, Wyndham, Hilton, and 2 other external exchange companies SFX, DAE that I use.   I have just added HIVC to the mix, as one of my resorts just joined Holiday Inn vacation club. I just manage around the expiration dates of various deposits. 

However back to my original point, bottom line is that 2 BR in the caribbean are hard to come by. 
Islands with the most availability, Dominican Republic (many mandatory AI thought), Aruba, St Marten, then the choices really drop off, some in St Lucia, and USVI, and Caymen,  and a few here and there.


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## Ron98GT (Aug 4, 2012)

Sandy VDH said:


> We really should move all this Wyndham discussion over the the Wyndham tab.
> 
> I will go back to your original comment that you want a 2 BR in the Caribbean.   That statement alone knocks out many of the timeshare systems as they have limited availability in the caribbean.
> 
> ...



Actually, Marriott has 4 TS Resorts in the Caribbean:

1. Frenchman's Cove, St Thomas
2. Aruba Ocean Club, Aruba
3. Aruba Surf Club, Aruba
4. St Kitts Beach Club, St Kitts and Nevis


One more note:

1.  Marriott is in Interval International (II), not RCI
2.  Marriott is primarily weeks, not points (we'll not get into their crappy new points system)


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## efjo2 (Aug 20, 2012)

WaterBaby218 said:


> It's been suggested to me here on TUG that, because I want more flexibility in timeshare exchanging, to buy a points TS instead of a weeks one. I understand the weeks memberships because I've been bogarting my BIL's RCI weeks TS for years (he never uses it, so why not?! But his crappy home resort has been kicked out of the RCI network, so that option is about to dry up for us!). I like the idea of flexibility in length of stay and properties in particular, since Saturday flights to the Caribbean can be $200+ more per person. I plan to go to a different resort pretty much every time we travel.
> 
> I have been trying to get a handle on the points thing, both here and through links I'm finding on Google, and I have an understanding of the basic concept. But I have NO idea how to properly buy a points TS, how many points are needed for various types of accommodations (i.e., a 2 BR in the Caribbean, a 1 BR in New Orleans), how much I should be paying per point, and what properties are actually available through points. I know RCI has a points network but I'm not interested in RCI unless there's a compelling reason and the points system allows me to get into better properties than my BIL's weeks ownership has enabled us to do. I want wide exposure to properties in the U.S., Caribbean and Europe in particular. I don't want to be locked into just the Hilton, or Marriott, or whatever other mini systems there are. I know how to judge MFs for the various weeks options out there and what's a good value, but not for points.
> 
> ...


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## efjo2 (Aug 23, 2012)

Bonnie in TN said:


> my plan with Wyndham points would be to buy a minimum amount now and a
> say I should make 3 separate purchases, work together?
> This deal on ebay hasn't ended it, about 3 hours aways, but I don't understand why the bids are so low?
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/353-000-Wyn...70630113999?pt=Timeshares&hash=item564b46bacf



Our points with Diamond/Suntera will all work together.  I just checked today.
The prices are so low because many of us do not want the expense of the time share any more since our travel style has changed even though we have managed to use all our time and the Resorts have all been very nice.


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## lux35 (Oct 8, 2012)

Ron- Exactly!!!! So, I needed that response. Can you teach me about Wyndham because I am interested in their point system for vacationing. Thanks

So the question becomes, which one to learn?, or which one to learn first? I think the answer depends on which system has the list of resorts that work best for you...In my case when I figured out that Wyndham was the only system with multiple resorts within driving distance from my home and that they are the only system with resorts near Washington DC and they also have a  San Francisco property, my choice was made. You will have different needs and wants to guide you

So now I have become one of the Wyndham "experts" here on TUG. You can come to me for help there. I am now learning Worldmark...ask me a question about Worldmark and Ill find the answer. There are others here that know the other systems..Just ask, but ask specific questions that we can answer...Big Picture questions like the one posed in your original post are impossible to answer in a few lines of text[/QUOTE]


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