# Using points to buy Disney or Universal



## davidrea (Aug 14, 2014)

We are newbie to Wyndham and were told in the selling process they can get discount tickets and use points to buy both Disney Park tickets and Universal tickets.  I'm having a hard time finding this information. Has anyone ever used their points for doing this?  I was curious how far the points might go.  
Thank you in advance.


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## vacationhopeful (Aug 14, 2014)

Here is a earth moving revelation for you: *Timeshare sales persons LIE!*

It was an OLD option - which very few ever used because it was an extremely POOR cost/benefit ratio => it was cheaper to USE CASH than points. Much cheaper.

Disney does NOT give away ANYTHING --- they don't have to. They are the one & only Disney.

And Welcome to TUG!  There is a lot to learn around here.

PS If you brought Wyndham points in the past few days, consider Rescinding ... you can save THOUSANDS of DOLLARS buying resale Wyndham points. I just gave away 126K of Wyndham points FREE exchange for the $299 transfer fee.


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## davidrea (Aug 14, 2014)

vacationhopeful said:


> Here is a earth moving revelation for you: *Timeshare sales persons LIE!*
> 
> It was an OLD option - which very few ever used because it was an extremely POOR cost/benefit ratio => it was cheaper to USE CASH than points. Much cheaper.
> 
> ...



Yes, we learned very quickly.  Unfortunately when we learned It was 3 days past recision time.  It will be my lifes goal to make this package pay off if it kills me. ha.  Thankfully I am young fairly young. 

Thanks


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## pacodemountainside (Aug 14, 2014)

A couple  easily verifiable   situations.

On 105K points will probably  pay  $500-$600 in MF.  Wyndham Will  give $231  MF credit in return for. Yet,  if you wanted to rent 100K points from them  would  pay $1K or  maybe $800 if you meet  conditions.

A nice one  week cruise in high season will require $3K plus in MF while can book at discount cruise line for  around $2K plus. 

Whip out that Directory  and  start learning the ins  and outs and then follow up here.

Say you paid around $20K and  amortize over 20 years  and add $600 MF pretty expensive  vacations.

However, can bring down with  RCI and Wyndham  last minute deals and traveling outside of prime  season.


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## vacationhopeful (Aug 14, 2014)

Paco,
Don't forget RESORT SPECIALs ... 

Plus he has a YEAR or so, of VIP SILVER ... wait til he figures out about HKs... and then after the VIP expires, he has to learn about RTs.

First, lets teach him to BANK his 2016 points into the CREDIT POOL - so he can use them for a BIG EXPENSIVE Hawaii trip in 2015 ... in the offseason, so he can rebook to get the 25% discount as in 2015 he is still VIP, then deposit the balance of his 2015 points into RCI for future year exchanges....back into Wyndham ...


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## pacodemountainside (Aug 14, 2014)

That is what I meant by last minute Wyndham deals but maybe not clear. Someone used to post link to but have not seen recently. Often better than Silver VIP 25% discount.

Right on!  Knowledge is power and money saved with Wyndham!

Wyndham  does like to make complicated. Most sales people  just know a couple canned  sales pitches,  Wyndham is biggest, have to buy today, what you have is no good, etc.:zzz:  

Like Apple and  any consumer  marketing oriented/driven   company always coming out with something " more gooder" to  extract more money.


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## Paps (Aug 15, 2014)

Under the Plus Partners program you can obtain Disney and other tickets using points. You can find more information on the Wyndham website under the "At Your Service" tab and then click on Plus Partners.

As already stated, it is costly. About 43,000 points for a 1 day adult ticket.


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## scootr5 (Aug 15, 2014)

Paps said:


> Under the Plus Partners program you can obtain Disney and other tickets using points. You can find more information on the Wyndham website under the "At Your Service" tab and then click on Plus Partners.
> 
> As already stated, it is costly. About 43,000 points for a 1 day adult ticket.



So that's about $250 in maintenance fees for a $105 ticket


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## davidrea (Aug 15, 2014)

Wow. Thanks everyone.  Clear as mud!  ha.  A lot to digest. Some of you were speaking a different language.  Between my wife and myself hopefully we can figure this out and learn some tricks.  There needs to be a book for dummy's on time shares.  Looks like a great forum for questions and answers and as a newbie it's appreciated.


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## davidrea (Aug 15, 2014)

vacationhopeful said:


> Paco,
> Don't forget RESORT SPECIALs ...
> 
> Plus he has a YEAR or so, of VIP SILVER ... wait til he figures out about HKs... and then after the VIP expires, he has to learn about RTs.
> ...




We have 2 years VIP and we have 205,000 points annually with a 205,000 bonus for the next 2 years so basically 410,000 for two years.  We also receive this free 7 day trip to use in the next year, but have to book out 30-45 days in adance so basically like a last call resort special.  See I'm learning.  

I don't know about banking points and don't have any idea what a Credit Pool is, but it gives me buzz words to look for when I get a chance to research. It seems to me the RCI deals can be really nice too.  
Thanks


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## davidrea (Aug 16, 2014)

vacationhopeful said:


> Paco,
> Don't forget RESORT SPECIALs ...
> 
> Plus he has a YEAR or so, of VIP SILVER ... wait til he figures out about HKs... and then after the VIP expires, he has to learn about RTs.
> ...



What are HKs and RTs?


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## scootr5 (Aug 16, 2014)

davidrea said:


> What are HKs and RTs?



*H*ouse*K*eeping credits and *R*eservation *T*ransactions. You get 1 HK for every 1000 points, and 1 reservation transaction for every 77,000 points.

HK credits required for stays will vary depending on the size of the unit, from 28 for a studio to 154 for a four bedroom unit. A reservation transaction is required to make reservations or deposit to RCI. All transactions done in a single day only use one RT.


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## uscav8r (Aug 16, 2014)

davidrea said:


> Wow. Thanks everyone.  Clear as mud!  ha.  A lot to digest. Some of you were speaking a different language.  Between my wife and myself hopefully we can figure this out and learn some tricks.  There needs to be a book for dummy's on time shares.  Looks like a great forum for questions and answers and as a newbie it's appreciated.




The "dummies guide to Wyndham" is the directory. Go to the Wyndham Stickies and look for a link to the electronic directory (I think Ron Parise posted it). You can also go onto the Wyndham website and go to the Online Learning Center (must be logged in). This will have all the information.  Read those over 2 or 3 times. You can find some experiential tips and tricks from TUG users.


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## uscav8r (Aug 16, 2014)

By the way, what is your home resort or do you have CWA? Where do you want to go in the next 24 months (so you can make best use of the bonus points)?


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## vacationhopeful (Aug 17, 2014)

uscav8r said:


> The "dummies guide to Wyndham" is the directory. Go to the Wyndham Stickies and look for a link to the electronic directory (I think Ron Parise posted it). You can also go onto the Wyndham website and go to the Online Learning Center (must be logged in). This will have all the information.  Read those over 2 or 3 times. You can find some experiential tips and tricks from TUG users.



Ron was a newbie when moderator "Goofyhobbie" put that stickie together. I did some proofing on it as did several other TUG Members at the time. Almost all the information is current as it deals with the basics.

I always suggest 3 readings of the Member Directory for newbies - use a different color highlighter each time. And when you come across a term you aren't sure of, TRUST ME ==> it is not similar to another term; it means something DIFFERENT. You will realize this and the differences as you learn more terms/phrases/words used in the Member Directory (I call that "the pretty picture book"). It lists the resorts and points charts for unit sizes & seasons. 

Plus, the Member Directory gets "updated" every 2 years or so -- keep your older copies, as some of the material has been "discarded" (not changed) as MORE resorts are added but the page count remains the same as does the print size.


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## davidrea (Aug 17, 2014)

uscav8r said:


> By the way, what is your home resort or do you have CWA? Where do you want to go in the next 24 months (so you can make best use of the bonus points)?



We have a CWA.  We have bonus points making us VIP silver for 2 years starting in 2015.  Big trip planning next year is Universal/Disney.  We are going to try Bonnet Creek, but before we book that we are waiting for our RCI number to just see the point values at other resorts on Disney property.  I am also learning the perks card is junk.  I can get all the deals other places. At least at this point I have found nothing of value. Thankfully they gave us this FREE for 1 year to try.  In my early research it seems the best value of points is for the ROOF over your head. ONce you deviate to use for MF, hotels, any type park tickets, car rental, etc. the points don't go very far.


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## vacationhopeful (Aug 17, 2014)

CWA is not bad ... you can book at many resorts during the ARP window. Just have to PLAN vacations 13 months out from the check in day.

As for Bonnet Creek, going in the slightly OFF SEASON during your VIP year. Benefit from the "Cancel & Rebook", then do the free unit upgrade at the 30 day out mark.

Have you found the tab on the online reservation system for RESORT SPECIALS? There would be most that would match your 25% off discount - but any time the RESORT SPECIAL is MORE THAN the 25%, you get THAT larger discount instead of the 25% VIP Discount. Does 8 weeks out.


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## uscav8r (Aug 17, 2014)

davidrea said:


> We have a CWA.  We have bonus points making us VIP silver for 2 years starting in 2015.  Big trip planning next year is Universal/Disney.  We are going to try Bonnet Creek, but before we book that we are waiting for our RCI number to just see the point values at other resorts on Disney property.  I am also learning the perks card is junk.  I can get all the deals other places. At least at this point I have found nothing of value. Thankfully they gave us this FREE for 1 year to try.  In my early research it seems the best value of points is for the ROOF over your head. ONce you deviate to use for MF, hotels, any type park tickets, car rental, etc. the points don't go very far.


Don't forget that RCI charges at least $209 per week-long booking (online price). If you are trying to get into DVC in high-demand times, you may not any inventory, even using OGS. If trying for off-season, you'll have better luck. FYI, Bonus Points cannot be used for RCI deposits.


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## uscav8r (Aug 17, 2014)

This is the generic RCI point chart for deposited Wyndham points.

Worldwide External Exchange Points Chart 
*Demand* *Unit Size* *
.........Studio* *..1 BR* ....*2 BR* ...*3 BR or More* 
Prime 90,000 126,000 205,000 300,000                                                           
High ..77,000 105,000 165,000 232,000                                                           
Value .52,000 77,000. 126,000 159,000 
                                                          Quiet .35,000 63,000 ...77,000 112,000


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## davidrea (Aug 17, 2014)

vacationhopeful said:


> CWA is not bad ... you can book at many resorts during the ARP window. Just have to PLAN vacations 13 months out from the check in day.
> 
> As for Bonnet Creek, going in the slightly OFF SEASON during your VIP year. Benefit from the "Cancel & Rebook", then do the free unit upgrade at the 30 day out mark.
> 
> Have you found the tab on the online reservation system for RESORT SPECIALS? There would be most that would match your 25% off discount - but any time the RESORT SPECIAL is MORE THAN the 25%, you get THAT larger discount instead of the 25% VIP Discount. Does 8 weeks out.



great info everyone.  We don't have a choice right now we have to do this during Prime season.  Not high, but I think prime.  We have 3 kids and only a few select times we are all available.  However, I think I see the value on off times for me and my wife.  We also received a free 7 night trip for listening to the wyndham sales pitch.  Considering off time for this one as you can only book 30 days in advance. which is basically a last call trip.  Don't really care where we go as everywhere is pretty new to us at this point and just want to get some value and get away without kids.   Good info on the RCI too.  I think we can still possibly do an RCI, but we have enough points to do a full week if we can get in at bonnet creek this might be the best value for us at this time.  We can always do RCI later.   thanks again


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## JimMIA (Aug 17, 2014)

uscav8r said:


> If you are trying to get into DVC in high-demand times, you may not any inventory, even using OGS.


...but you never know.  And I think the possibilities of RCI exchanges into DVC are probably a lot better than most people think.

Last year, we got Dec 14-21 -- in a 2 bedroom, no less -- at DVC's Old Key West.   We put the OGS in rather late (about 7 months out) and got the matches at 5 months. And we got it not only once, but twice.  The first dates were not quite perfect; the second OGS match was perfect.

It's hard to imagine a more "in-demand" RCI match than DVC in mid-December, but we got two.  And we were not alone.

In addition, DVC/RCI recently greatly expanded the number of RCI resorts available for exchanges from DVC.  Previously, they only had about 600 resorts worldwide to choose from, but now they have most of the RCI portfolio.  That should increase DVC owners' use of RCI, which in turn will increase the availability exchanging in.


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## davidrea (Sep 3, 2014)

Had to share we did just book our first trip to Bonett Creek in June next year and it was easy with no issues.  We have plenty of HK and it only took about half our point so we can do an even bigger trip to Hawaii the next year.  Now I know using points for tickets, MF, etc. is not the way to go, but for the beautiful reports they are great!  Thanks for all the info.


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