# Do we HAVE to join DRI?



## Bogusfakeaddy (Dec 10, 2018)

We have owned at Alhambra at Poinciana for many years but recently Amber Management was bought out by DRI. We have always had 61,000 points automatically deposited into our RCI account, but now have received a bill from the Alhambra at Poinciana Owners Association for our annual maintenance fees that includes a $108 fee labeled "Amber Vacation Club Membership". We called Diamond and were told told that this is for membership in DRI. We do not want DRI, we already have RCI. We bought this timeshare specifically to bank the points in RCI where we have four other properties.
Can we be made to pay for DRI? Doesn't seem legit that you can have it forced down your throat when you have no use for it and didn't buy into it when we purchased the timeshare??
Advice please


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## chemteach (Dec 11, 2018)

I would write the HOA.  It doesn't seem right, since you didn't join the "Amber Vacation Club Membership."


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## Egret1986 (Dec 11, 2018)

Bogusfakeaddy said:


> We have owned at Alhambra at Poinciana for many years but recently Amber Management was bought out by DRI. We have always had 61,000 points automatically deposited into our RCI account, but now have received a bill from the Alhambra at Poinciana Owners Association for our annual maintenance fees that includes a $108 fee labeled "Amber Vacation Club Membership". We called Diamond and were told told that this is for membership in DRI. We do not want DRI, we already have RCI. We bought this timeshare specifically to bank the points in RCI where we have four other properties.
> Can we be made to pay for DRI? Doesn't seem legit that you can have it forced down your throat when you have no use for it and didn't buy into it when we purchased the timeshare??
> Advice please



I feel your pain and frustration.  DRI came in and acquired a group of my resorts in 2015.  I had 17 weeks.  It was a nightmare for the first 18 months.  Most of those 17 contracts were in RCI Points.  DRI made it so difficult and expensive that I pulled all but one contract out of RCI Points in order to cut my costs.  Out of 17, I'm now down to five.  DRI and those acquisitions ruined a good thing for me.  I didn't purchase into DRI either.  It doesn't matter, get over it is basically what it boils down to.  I haven't got "over it".  I am not a fan of DRI and never will be. 

I wish you well.  DRI can make your timeshare life hell and you really have no recourse except to try and get out from under them by selling off.  My weeks had good value on the resale market prior to the DRI acquisition.  Now, it looks like the remaining weeks will have to be given away.  There's always the option to go through deeding back the weeks to DRI.   My contracts are all summer weeks at the beach in a high demand/limited supply area.   I heard about DRI prior to the acquisitions and it was mostly negative.  Unfortunately, I never considered a DRI acquisition.


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## RLS50 (Dec 11, 2018)

Bogusfakeaddy said:


> We have owned at Alhambra at Poinciana for many years but recently Amber Management was bought out by DRI. We have always had 61,000 points automatically deposited into our RCI account, but now have received a bill from the Alhambra at Poinciana Owners Association for our annual maintenance fees that includes a $108 fee labeled "Amber Vacation Club Membership". We called Diamond and were told told that this is for membership in DRI. We do not want DRI, we already have RCI. We bought this timeshare specifically to bank the points in RCI where we have four other properties.
> Can we be made to pay for DRI? Doesn't seem legit that you can have it forced down your throat when you have no use for it and didn't buy into it when we purchased the timeshare??
> Advice please


Membership in DRI?   This doesn't make any sense.  You were not given a valid or satisfactory answer without explicit details on what that "membership" is supposedly providing or giving you that you did not have already.    That is not the way the DRI points system works.   Unless they are talking about Diamond's new Destination Xchange program (which is kind of like their in-house RCI or Interval International).   But the Destination Xchange program is voluntary, not mandatory.

Also when Diamond takes over a legacy system or resort, they are still bound by the legacy HOA documents.   They can (and do) definitely come in and jack up your management fees and owner services fees to near the highest in the entire industry.   But even if you can't stop them you have the right to challenge all the additional or increased fees.  Especially fees like this that don't seem to make sense based on your comments.

Personally I would not accept the explanation your were given.


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## RLS50 (Dec 11, 2018)

We are 3 years into our Diamond ownership as an "involuntary" owner (like Egret).    Things started off terribly after Diamond took over for Gold Key, they eventually turned things around...but very slowly.   Diamond does seem to take good care of their resorts operationally and they have been making improvements and upgrading the ex-Gold Key resorts they took over in VB and OBX.   Our family is happy with some of the improvements made.

But Diamond still feels kind of dysfunctional as an overall company.   And they do seem to take longer to make upgrades to their resorts than other companies and their management fees are expensive relative most of the other timeshare companies. 

It's not that Diamond is all bad, it's just that for the near industry high fees they charge, it feels like all their owners deserve more than they are actually getting from them in return.


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## sjriggins (Feb 18, 2020)

I am just getting back in to the RCI game after a few years, my mother in law gave us her week here.  I could not figure out why it was so complicated to just put the weeks in.  Our unit was in Palm Beach and it was a breeze.  You have given me a better under standing of what a mess it is. Never mind that she has been dealing with it at 82 yo.


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## csalter2 (Feb 22, 2020)

Bogusfakeaddy said:


> We have owned at Alhambra at Poinciana for many years but recently Amber Management was bought out by DRI. We have always had 61,000 points automatically deposited into our RCI account, but now have received a bill from the Alhambra at Poinciana Owners Association for our annual maintenance fees that includes a $108 fee labeled "Amber Vacation Club Membership". We called Diamond and were told told that this is for membership in DRI. We do not want DRI, we already have RCI. We bought this timeshare specifically to bank the points in RCI where we have four other properties.
> Can we be made to pay for DRI? Doesn't seem legit that you can have it forced down your throat when you have no use for it and didn't buy into it when we purchased the timeshare??
> Advice please



I am not sure what you own, but I have been with Diamond Resorts before they were even in business. They bought Sunterra which bought my original timeshare. First off, DR does not and cannot force you to buy their membership. Secondly, to join DR’s Club, it will cost you more than $108.  Basically, you still have exactly what you bought and can continue to use it the way you have in the past.  DR will make offers to you to come into their system, but you do not have to do that.  I have come to realize that DR is not as bad as some say.  I too don’t like their fees. However, they don’t nickel and dime you for fees for each reservation you make, or canceling, or other little charges that others do.  More importantly, I like the fact that I can travel throughout the world in their resorts and not pay exchange fees by using resorts in their system.  They have lots of resorts and most of them are fine. They are not Hyatt, Marriott, Hilton quality but some are very nice.


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## Mongoose (Feb 22, 2020)

I sold my timeshare after DRI acquired the property.  They made our stays miserable in a very nice resort.  It seems like you could decline this.  I would have them put in writing where you are required to pay the fee.  The MF should cover their Administrative Fees. There are some rules that are subject to change and some that are not.  Let us know what you find out.


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## Mongoose (Feb 22, 2020)

csalter2 said:


> I am not sure what you own, but I have been with Diamond Resorts before they were even in business. They bought Sunterra which bought my original timeshare. First off, DR does not and cannot force you to buy their membership. Secondly, to join DR’s Club, it will cost you more than $108.  Basically, you still have exactly what you bought and can continue to use it the way you have in the past.  DR will make offers to you to come into their system, but you do not have to do that.  I have come to realize that DR is not as bad as some say.  I too don’t like their fees. However, they don’t nickel and dime you for fees for each reservation you make, or canceling, or other little charges that others do.  More importantly, I like the fact that I can travel throughout the world in their resorts and not pay exchange fees by using resorts in their system.  They have lots of resorts and most of them are fine. They are not Hyatt, Marriott, Hilton quality but some are very nice.


The resorts are nice.  Its the people...


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## csalter2 (Feb 25, 2020)

Mongoose said:


> The resorts are nice.  Its the people...



if you rallying about it, it’s just the salespeople. The hotel staff is fine. You don’t have to meet with the sales staff.


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