# Top 20 Tug ratings (RCI vs II)



## Bill4728 (Jul 1, 2008)

Of the 20 highest rated TS, in the TUG ratings of resorts, ALL of the top rated resorts trade with II. Two also trade with RCI but none are RCI only. 

Big Cedars is the first RCI only TS, coming in at # 22.



One little correction: the 19th rated TS is RCI only, but I don't count it at all since it isn't a TS, but a cruise ship


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## TUGBrian (Jul 1, 2008)

and for those curious...you can see free top 10 lists here

http://freebies.tug2.net


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## Steamboat Bill (Jul 1, 2008)

Interesting 40% of the top 10 are located in cancun


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## Twinkstarr (Jul 1, 2008)

Not sure how Villas at Wilderness Lodge outranks the Four Seasons in AZ.


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## RIMike (Jul 1, 2008)

*ALL those are by the same company*



Steamboat Bill said:


> Interesting 40% of the top 10 are located in cancun



Bill, I am sure you have noticed but all of those are also by the same company the Royals.  And as I have read on here, they also have many more people reporting back on what their stay was like than most other resorts.  Typically each of them have more than 100 different reviews: The Sands, The Carribean, The Islander and the Mayan, I believe.

RIMike


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## lprstn (Jul 1, 2008)

Oh come on...I have stayed a tons of resorts with both systems and can not say that II's choices are always better than RCI's...

Or maybe I just am not that snooty...:rofl:


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## TUGBrian (Jul 1, 2008)

it is important to note that the ones in the free top 10 lists dont include resorts that only have a small number of reviews (ie 5 or so)

only those that at least have 10 or more I believe were used in the freebie links.


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## RIMike (Jul 1, 2008)

*Good Point*



TUGBrian said:


> it is important to note that the ones in the free top 10 lists dont include resorts that only have a small number of reviews (ie 5 or so)
> 
> only those that at least have 10 or more I believe were used in the freebie links.



As newer TS's come on line and more people report back I am sure that the list will change.  Surely over time, newer ts's will replace some of the older ones.
RIMike


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## TUGBrian (Jul 1, 2008)

yep...there were a few in each of the top 10 lists that just missed the cutoff...i update those every 6 months or so as they dont really change all that often.


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## RIMike (Jul 2, 2008)

*I think the ratings are one of the most important services*

I think the ratings of TS's is one of the most important services this site offers.  I use it when thinking of exchanging and also in purchasing.  Maybe I too selective, but I perfer to stay in nicer places. 

I take seriously the opinions of other fellow travelers and their experiences.  Past behavior of a property's personal is a good indicator of future behavior, most of the time.


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## Keitht (Jul 2, 2008)

RIMike said:


> I think the ratings of TS's is one of the most important services this site offers.



On my pet subject here    I'd love to do away completely with the ability to submit a rating without a review, or at least for ratings above 8 and below 4.  If a resort is so wonderful, or so awful, as to deserve very high or low ratings I think it should have an explanation.


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## lprstn (Jul 2, 2008)

Keitht said:


> On my pet subject here    I'd love to do away completely with the ability to submit a rating without a review, or at least for ratings above 8 and below 4.  If a resort is so wonderful, or so awful, as to deserve very high or low ratings I think it should have an explanation.



I second that...


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## funtime (Jul 5, 2008)

I agree - we need the reviews if you are really going to trash a resort.  There is nothing so disheartening as seeing a review lower than 4 for a resort  but then  reading the review and finding out that someone saw a cockroach and never got over it.  This can be very detrimental to those timeshares that are not often reviewed, that are older in nature but still viable resorts.  Funtime


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## barndweller (Jul 5, 2008)

I agree totally with Brian. No one should be able to rate a resort without a review. Anyone can just stack the deck, so to speak. The other thing is that because so many tuggers are from the east coast, their easily reached resorts are visited in higher numbers and garner more reviews and therefore more votes for ranking. I, for one, have never gone to any Florida resorts except Disney (pretty mediocre timeshares) and have only visited Cancun once in my life!!! There is no way that Cancun outranks some of our western resorts in quality but because the TUG population is skewed to the east you won't ever see our better resorts hit the top ten. Except of course Aviara. Which, IMHO blows every other resort out of the water!


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## Mel (Jul 5, 2008)

I too like the idea of requiring a review with a ranking score - for all the same reasons.  But there are other reasons as well.

Consider the comment about being selective - if a resort has a series of bad ratings/reviews, nobody wants to visit there.  It helps to see not only what caused those bad reviews, but how long ago they were.  If the poor review is because of something that is not likely to change (poor layout of the resort and units, complete lack of amenities, etc), I am likely to stay away.  But if the most recent review is from 3 years ago,  and was due to poor customer service, or older furnishings, I might do more research - those things could have changes in the past 3 years.  

The real problem I see with the reviews (just like the problem with Gold Crown and 5-star ratings among the general public) is that we get hung up on them.  We all want to go to the highly rated resort, so nobody bothers to visit the other resorts to see that they have in fact become superior to the better-rated resorts.

The other issue that is helped by ratings is differentiation between resorts that are closely ranked.  Given a series of resorts each with 100 ratings, the one rated 9 really is likely to be superior to the one ranked 4, but the 9.5 may or may not be much better than the 9.3, and might be better suited to my needs.

To be honest, I would love to see an overhaul of the ranking/rating system which would give more meaning to everyone, but I know I don't have the time to implement it, not do I suspect any of the volunteers to have the time either.  A more perfect system might have us rate the resort in each of 10-20 areas, and then allow us to weight those areas for a more personal ranking - thus my top 10 resorts would reflect those areas I find most important (or most important at that time).  

Top 10 only has relevence in context - if I'm not interested in the type of experience to be had at the Royal resorts, the current top-10 doesn't really mean much to me, does it?


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## tombo (Jul 5, 2008)

I also agree that a review should accompany a resort rating. I have seen complaints because there were workers renovating the resort while someone stayed there. If the resort didn't get renovated then that would be a complaint that might prevent me from staying there. The fact that 6 months ago someone heard hammering all day is irrelevant if the work has since been finished. To stick the resort with a rating of 5 because someone was there when they were renovating doesn't let TUGGER's know why the 5 was given. I have seen people who were informed by RCI (by their own admission) that the resort was going through upgrades complain because they were allowed to stay there by RCI during construction which ruined their visit. With a review, I would now know that I would be staying in an improved resort. I would also know to call the resort and ask if the construction was finished. Simply giving a resort a rating of 5 with no explanation helps no one. 

I have also seen reviews where the resort was rated very low simply because they had a problem with an employee at the resort, because a drawer was broken, or because they didn't like the view of the parking lot from their room assignment etc. If they write a review I could see that they liked everything about the resort but the front desk employee, or that they loved everything about the resort except that they had a view of the parking lot, or that the drawer was fixed quickly etc. 

Some people really rate a resort low for minor things that would never prevent me from staying there.  I assume some people expect everything to be perfect, but the things that upset them enough to low rate a resort might be things many others wouldn't even consider a problem. The reviews would give everyone a chance to decide if the problems encountered at the resort by a rater, were major or minor in each TUGGER's own opinion. This would be advantageous to all IMHO.


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## barndweller (Jul 5, 2008)

Yeah, Brian, we need to require a review to submit a ranking. For instance....many resorts rank high because they have an ocean view. I was born & raised on the west coast. An ocean view is no biggie for me personally no matter where I am. If a resort gets a high rating strictly because it has waves crashing outside the door I could make a judgement call about the ranking given. Daily maid service. Yeah, okay. Free internet, ho hum. Lots of activities offered, not interested. Mega pool with swim up bar, not my preferrence. Peaceful atmosphere with breathtaking view and huge lanai and fully equiped kitchen. Now your talking. So you see, reviews are the key. Not the actual ranking number. The rankings are so subjective but the reviews tell us what we need to know to make our own deductions.


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## RIMike (Jul 6, 2008)

barndweller said:


> Yeah, Brian, we need to require a review to submit a ranking. For instance....many resorts rank high because they have an ocean view. I was born & raised on the west coast. An ocean view is no biggie for me personally no matter where I am. If a resort gets a high rating strictly because it has waves crashing outside the door I could make a judgement call about the ranking given. Daily maid service. Yeah, okay. Free internet, ho hum. Lots of activities offered, not interested. Mega pool with swim up bar, not my preferrence. Peaceful atmosphere with breathtaking view and huge lanai and fully equiped kitchen. Now your talking. So you see, reviews are the key. Not the actual ranking number. The rankings are so subjective but the reviews tell us what we need to know to make our own deductions.



I also agree that rankings should also include a review.  Everyone has a different opinion of what is great from the point of view of ocean view or mountain vista, etc.  But the TS itself should be rated, in addition to a great setting, on service, atmosphere, easy access too and from, etc.  

Maybe others have had TS experiences there they have been to "less than 4" TS's but that has not been my experience.  The worst has been a 7 and the best a 9 to my way of thinking,...which is pretty consistant with their rankings on here.  Sometimes I do think people are very  critical for minor things (One timeshare was blasted for not having a hair dryer).  The last timeshare I visited was Star Island, a good but not great Orlando area resort.  While it was not the highest quality and we some minor problems like the can opener was broken, the stay was pleasant enough and the kids enjoyed it very much.

But, I do use the ratings first and then read the reviews in deciding which will be the next TS I own.  For a week, a bad stay is ok, but not perferred.  But to own a resort that is not up to standards is totally unacceptable.  This is a report that has no profit motive in it's ratings so I take it as an unbiased source, realizing that all raters have perferences & biases which come through some times.  But if a resort has 50 or 100 reviews, you can get a pretty good feel for the place.
RIMIke


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## icydog (Jul 7, 2008)

I have been a member of tug for years and as far as I know the resorts on the top 10 have not changed. 

Also the Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge are wonderful. The could easily compare to the Four Seasons. Don't just consider the villas but consider the resort to which they are attached. Disney's Wilderness Lodge Resort is a top of the line resort and is world known. The Four Seasons is lovely but I would take a week at the Wilderness Lodge (it would have to be a two bdrm to two bdrm comparison) any day.


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## janej (Jul 9, 2008)

I am a DVC member and my home resort is the Old Key West.  While I love to see my home resort rated number 5, I am puzzled to find the two most popular DVC resorts Beach Club and Boardwalk missing from the list.  Maybe just not enough tugger exchanged there?


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## Lisa P (Jul 11, 2008)

janej said:


> I am puzzled to find the two most popular DVC resorts Beach Club and Boardwalk missing from the list.  Maybe just not enough tugger exchanged there?



There have been enough ratings - well over 40 for each of these resorts.  And they're both rated above 9.0, just not in the Top 20.  I think exchanges into larger units are more rare at these two resorts so exchangers are disproportionately staying in studios... which will never get great reviews by Tuggers.  After all, most Tuggers really enjoy more space than a hotel room and they appreciate the privacy of a separate bedroom.

Also, consider these two groups of people... DVCers vs. Tuggers.  BCV and DBW may be among the most popular DVC resorts among DVCers who love Disney themes, Disney pools, proximity to Disney parks, etc.  But for Tuggers who've traded to gorgeous offsite resorts in the Orlando area that offer huge, beautiful condos for large families to spread out and convenient access to their car for grocery runs and offsite restaurants... these two DVC resorts may lack a bit of what they'd need to rate a 9.5 or a 10.0.

These 1BR and 2BR units are rather small... tight LR when the sofabed is pulled out... a dining table that only seats 4-5 where the 2BR sleeps up to 8.  They're _really_ nice resorts but there are reasons that Tuggers may not consistently rate them above 9.5 and make it to the Top 20.  That kind of a rating ought to go to only those resorts where one thinks it "has it all."  It ought to be rare.

This is another reason to look at the reviews rather than just the ratings.


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## Twinkstarr (Jul 11, 2008)

Lisa P said:


> There have been enough ratings - well over 40 for each of these resorts.  And they're both rated above 9.0, just not in the Top 20.  I think exchanges into larger units are more rare at these two resorts so exchangers are disproportionately staying in studios... which will never get great reviews by Tuggers.  After all, most Tuggers really enjoy more space than a hotel room and they appreciate the privacy of a separate bedroom.
> 
> Also, consider these two groups of people... DVCers vs. Tuggers.  BCV and DBW may be among the most popular DVC resorts among DVCers who love Disney themes, Disney pools, proximity to Disney parks, etc.  But for Tuggers who've traded to gorgeous offsite resorts in the Orlando area that offer huge, beautiful condos for large families to spread out and convenient access to their car for grocery runs and offsite restaurants... these two DVC resorts may lack a bit of what they'd need to rate a 9.5 or a 10.0.
> 
> ...



I'm a DVC'er and according to the TUG ratings I wouldn't rate any of the DVC resorts a 9 or above. I book 2br villas for the 4 of us as I think they are on the small size. We had 5 people once and it was way too crowded. 

I've never stayed in a Four Season's Timeshare, but I have stayed in a few of their hotels. Disney and DVC can't hold a candle to the service. We've always had great service at Disney, but 4S is just at another level.

But then again I gave Marriott's Summit Watch an 8.5, my husband thought I wasn't being fair. I told him to read the scale as to what constitutes a 9+.


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## icydog (Jul 11, 2008)

Twinkstarr said:


> I'm a DVC'er and according to the TUG ratings I wouldn't rate any of the DVC resorts a 9 or above. I book 2br villas for the 4 of us as I think they are on the small size. We had 5 people once and it was way too crowded.
> 
> I've never stayed in a Four Season's Timeshare, but I have stayed in a few of their hotels. Disney and DVC can't hold a candle to the service. We've always had great service at Disney, but 4S is just at another level.
> 
> But then again I gave Marriott's Summit Watch an 8.5, my husband thought I wasn't being fair. I told him to read the scale as to what constitutes a 9+.




*10* 		  			World class resort with everything included. Should be the *best* resort  			you have ever seen! Most are self-contained vacation destinations. Everything is  			in perfect order. There should be very few ratings of "10" given.  		

*9* 		  			A great resort with everything except a major extra (e.g., golf or skiing  			being off-site). Beautiful units with fabulous decor. This should be among the  			2nd to 4th best resorts you have seen. 		


Given the descriptions above on how to rate a great resort I cannot understand your statement that the DVC resorts couldn't be 9 or above in your estimation. 

Are they great resorts--YES
Are they self contained with Golf being a criteria -YES
Are they beautiful units with fabulous decor --YES
Are they within the top 2 or 3 resorts I have ever seen--YES

What you forget with the DVC resorts is that outside the rooms, the villas if you want, is the most extensive resort in the world. Everything is there from golfing, to horseback riding, to water skiing, to minigolf, to movie theaters, to shows every night, to shopping, to entertainment. I could go on and on. 

Add to mix the best customer response in the world and then you will have a DVC resort. The cast members at DVC or on WDW property are trained to make sure you have a wonderful vacation. Although other resorts may have nicer rooms they can NEVER compete with Disney when it comes to resort activities or ambiance.


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## bnoble (Jul 11, 2008)

I don't know that most people think about the WDW Resort (as opposed to the specific DVC resort) when they rate.  After all, once you get off the specific property you are staying in, it's typically no more convenient to get anywhere than it is from several of the off-property locations.  I'd hardly call golf "on-site" from, say, BCV, because it's still a 20 minute drive from your resort to the clubhouse.


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## Steve (Jul 11, 2008)

icydog said:


> Are they beautiful units with fabulous decor --YES



Does this really describe DVC resorts in general...and Old Key West in particular?  

Everyone has his or her own personal bias towards resorts where they own and/or love to vacation.  I readily admit that.  Still, as a Four Seasons Aviara owner, it's hard for me to conceive of a way that DVC could be considered in the same league.  When I think of the huge, gorgeous villas at Four Seasons, the luxurious furnishings, the beautiful bathrooms, the daily maid service that will do your dishes and clean at the time of day you request, etc, etc...there just is no contest in my opinion.

Steve


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## Twinkstarr (Jul 11, 2008)

Steve said:


> Does this really describe DVC resorts in general...and Old Key West in particular?
> 
> Everyone has his or her own personal bias towards resorts where they own and/or love to vacation.  I readily admit that.  Still, as a Four Seasons Aviara owner, it's hard for me to conceive of a way that DVC could be considered in the same league.  When I think of the huge, gorgeous villas at Four Seasons, the luxurious furnishings, the beautiful bathrooms, the daily maid service that will do your dishes and clean at the time of day you request, etc, etc...there just is no contest in my opinion.
> 
> Steve



I agree with you Steve, Four Seasons is in a league of their own when it comes to service.


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## bugzapper (Jul 11, 2008)

A few comments:

1. Since all the top ten resorts trade in II, why isn't the list identical to the top ten list for II? (It's close, but not quite.)

2. It seems that a big factor affecting many reviewers' ratings of a resort is how they got there. If they traded a high quality resort and received something they felt was inferior to what they traded, they tend to give a much harsher rating than someone who got there on a last call or get away. I don't know how to account for this, since this information is not always provided.

3. Everyone expects something different from a vacation; I would welcome a series of top ten lists, or even a best-of list, based on category (I've even been tempted to start a thread on this--and if you like this idea, feel free to start a new thread):

For example:

Best (or top 10) beachfront resort(s).
Best ski-in, ski-out resort.
Best romantic getaway.
Best resort for high adrenaline activities.
Best resort near a theme park.
Best all-inclusive resort.
Best resort providing activities for kids.
Best resort for nightlife.
Best resort with a golf course.
Best resort for eco-tourism.
Best urban resort.
Best resort to get away from it all.
Best restaurant at a resort.
Best resort with easy access to a national park.
Best swimming pool at a resort.
Best view....
etc., you get the idea...

It wouldn't really matter if the same resorts were listed in different categories, but it might help those who have particular interests. The whole point is to provide ideas that might not have considered before.


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## Blue Skies (Jul 12, 2008)

bugzapper said:


> Since all the top ten resorts trade in II, why isn't the list identical to the top ten list for II? (It's close, but not quite.)



What are the top 10 resorts for II, and how do you know this?  Is there a list published somewhere?


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## TUGBrian (Jul 12, 2008)

bugzapper said:


> A few comments:
> 
> 1. Since all the top ten resorts trade in II, why isn't the list identical to the top ten list for II? (It's close, but not quite.)



some top 10 lists dont include resorts that have a small amount of reviews (say under 5 or so)...also some resorts are dual affiliated between rci and ii.

other than that im not quite sure what you mean...could you elaborate?




> 3. Everyone expects something different from a vacation; I would welcome a series of top ten lists, or even a best-of list, based on category (I've even been tempted to start a thread on this--and if you like this idea, feel free to start a new thread):
> 
> For example:
> 
> ...




I have no problem with someone doing this...I would just ask that you dont use the actual rating of the resort in the thread...ie just use the rank, resort name..and rci code.

IMO this is going to be quite a bit of work to go through and find resorts and ratings in each category manually...I cant think of a way to do that at the moment!  unless of course you simply are going on opinions from the forum and not using the TUG ratings/reviews for it.


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## TUGBrian (Jul 12, 2008)

Blue Skies said:


> What are the top 10 resorts for II, and how do you know this?  Is there a list published somewhere?



http://freebies.tug2.net


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## TUGBrian (Jul 12, 2008)

as for the rating/review discussion...the new timeshare marketplace is taking up all of current development/changes to the system time at the moment.

once its finalized we can revisit this.


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## bugzapper (Jul 12, 2008)

TUGBrian said:


> some top 10 lists dont include resorts that have a small amount of reviews (say under 5 or so)...also some resorts are dual affiliated between rci and ii.
> 
> other than that im not quite sure what you mean...could you elaborate?


Marriott's Waiohai Beach Club shows up on the top 10 list while Westin Kierland Villas shows up on the II list. Both trade in II and have more than 5 reviews. I have no idea whether either of these resorts is dual affiliated or why that would make a difference. And it's not a big deal to me--I was just curious why the lists would be different...would a dual affiliated resort not be included in the II list? 





TUGBrian said:


> I have no problem with someone doing this...I would just ask that you dont use the actual rating of the resort in the thread...ie just use the rank, resort name..and rci code.
> 
> IMO this is going to be quite a bit of work to go through and find resorts and ratings in each category manually...I cant think of a way to do that at the moment!  unless of course you simply are going on opinions from the forum and not using the TUG ratings/reviews for it.


It was not my intention to cause you work. I should just start a new thread, "The Best Timeshare, by Category", and let tuggers give their input directly, as with the current "Best Timeshare" thread. And I really shouldn't have included that idea in this thread--it's just an idea that has been bugging me for a while. (I was kind of waiting for the Best Timeshare thread to work its way before starting a new thread.) :ignore:


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## RIMike (Jul 12, 2008)

deleted, in the wrong thread


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## RIMike (Jul 13, 2008)

Steve said:


> Does this really describe DVC resorts in general...and Old Key West in particular?
> 
> Everyone has his or her own personal bias towards resorts where they own and/or love to vacation.  I readily admit that.  Still, as a Four Seasons Aviara owner, it's hard for me to conceive of a way that DVC could be considered in the same league.  When I think of the huge, gorgeous villas at Four Seasons, the luxurious furnishings, the beautiful bathrooms, the daily maid service that will do your dishes and clean at the time of day you request, etc, etc...there just is no contest in my opinion.
> 
> Steve



Disney resorts are for "Disney People".  I have stayed at one time or another in just about every Disney property...they do vary from place to place.  Old Key West I would not rate as high as others such as the Wilderness Lodge which is a terrific property.  But all the same, people who love Disney will find NO BETTER experiences anywhere else than on property.  If however, you are one that just merely likes Disney, but also wants to enjoy say Universal Studios, Sea World or any other OF the other NON-Disney attractions, then Marriott Grande Vista is an excellent choice.

Ratings are always subjective.  For me...sometimes the "Most Fab" places are often "over the top". ...stuffy, pretentious, which I do not care for.  World Class means world class service (in that regard Disney is hard to beat on world class service), location, and amenities.  Having said that, having a beautiful resort with great service, amenities and location is what I am looking for.

RIMike


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## Mel (Jul 13, 2008)

To me, there is very little distinction between 9's and almost 10's.  If people are rating the resorts properly, very few will get a 10, yet many obviously get them if ratings approach 10.

If we were to hand out a survey to all TUG members this week, asking for ratings for ALL resorts each member has visited, and asked the only ONE be given a 10, and only 10% be given a 9, the average ratings would go down.  But then you would have the argument that some people only visit resorts that deserve 9 or better.  But again, how can all 20 of the resorts you've visit in the last 5 years be in the top 2-4 that you've visited?

The ratings reflect who is visiting the resort.  I could open a new resort in Orlando and have all the visitors rate the resort.  If I collected demographic information about where else these guests have visited, I bet we would see certain trends.  If they traded in with an average resort, and had never been to any other Orlando resort (since as a group they tend to be more fancy than most other resorts), they would rate it higher than if they own at a fancy resort, or have visited many other fancy resorts.  I think what we expect at a given resort is also reflected in the ratings.

We have the olympics coming up in a few weeks - consider how some subjective events are scored.  Diving has a difficulty factor which is multiplied by the judge's scores.  Gymnastics has a difficulty rating, and specific point deductions.  I know we can't update the ratings system now, but something sensible would weigh various factors.  A resort with no ammenities to speak of would not be elgible for top scores, because it would have a score of 0 to factor in.  Likewise a resort with habitually rude front desk staff wouldn't have the top scores either.

This all shows why the reviews are so important - ratings are not done in a vacuum.  The nicest resort one person has stayed in might be the worst someone else stayed in, even if they had the same experience.  The second person might consider a certain factor more important, but also that person might have only stayed in nicer resorts.


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## icydog (Jul 13, 2008)

Steve said:


> *Does this really describe DVC resorts in general...and Old Key West in particular?  *
> 
> Everyone has his or her own personal bias towards resorts where they own and/or love to vacation.  I readily admit that.  Still, as a Four Seasons Aviara owner, it's hard for me to conceive of a way that DVC could be considered in the same league.  When I think of the huge, gorgeous villas at Four Seasons, the luxurious furnishings, the beautiful bathrooms, the daily maid service that will do your dishes and clean at the time of day you request, etc, etc...there just is no contest in my opinion.
> 
> Steve



It's funny you say that because OKW is one of the best decorated of them all. Have you been there lately? Everything is brand new. There's new TVs, all new appliances, all new furnishings, carpet, beds, cookware etc. Plus there is a brand new pool. I went to the FS Aviara and it is very nice. How could anyone deny that fact, but I would say that the Wesin Kierland was even nicer. Of course, the daily maid service is a wonderful thing and I wish more resorts offered it. But the cost to buy into the FS is staggering, in my opinion. DVC is ridiculous-- but FS is worse. Plus those maintenance fees-- Ouch!!


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