# Diamond Resorts International



## noscam (Sep 27, 2011)

Anyone know anything about this group?  One of my timeshares in the Kissimmee, Fl (Mystic Dunes) has been bought by Diamond International.  I have 3 days down there to ask them questions concerning my timeshare ownership.
Since I don't know anything about them, I am finding it difficult to know what to ask them.  From some of the threads I have seen, it seems to be difficult to get into your timeshare.  
Any tips are appreciated.


----------



## AwayWeGo (Sep 27, 2011)

*Fret Not.  Change In Ownership Is Mox Nix.*




noscam said:


> From some of the threads I have seen, it seems to be difficult to get into your timeshare.


Changes in ownership cannot alter what's on your timeshare deed.  

A new company taking over as _Developer Of Record_ at your timeshare resort is _mox nix_ with regard to your deeded ownership. 

If you go down there & talk to the DRI people, they will listen politely & try to sell you whatever they're pushing these days -- very likely while applying subtle pressure on you & planting the idea (without actually saying so) that unless you do buy what they're pushing you won't be able to get the fullest & most satisfying use out of what you already own at that resort. 

That's hogwash. 

What the new company mainly gets is the right to sell timeshares on site, the right to sell existing unsold units at Mystic Dunes, the right to build more units (consistent with plans already county-approved), a seat on the HOA-BOD, & possibly more, depending on whether the resort has a company-captive HOA-BOD on the 1 hand or on the other hand is run by an independent & owner-controlled HOA-BOD.  

If you own a fixed week, then you still get to show up & check in to your unit just as before.  

If you own a floating week, it still floats & the rules for making reservations are the same as they've always been -- even if you end up dialing a different number to reach the new reservations desk.   

If it was points, it's still points -- although DRI has its own points-based timeshare exchange club that DRI would love to get you to join, for big bux.  

Change in company ownership doesn't change the rules contained in the Mystic Dunes (formerly Wyndham Palms) public offering statement & condominium development documents that are on file with the county.  

_Full Disclosure*:*_  DRI (formerly SunTerra) is _Developer Of Record_ at our Orlando timeshare (just a few miles from Mystic Dunes).  We have never had anything to do with DRI or SunTerra, other than taking freebies from them now & then for putting up with their high-pressure, arm-twisting sales pitches disguised as "owner updates."  We do not belong to the DRI club.  DRI does not control the HOA-BOD (although 1 DRI representative has a seat on the board).  DRI is not involved with non-club reservations.  DRI does not call the shots.  DRI's captive management company does not operate the resort.  

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


----------



## dougp26364 (Sep 27, 2011)

noscam said:


> Anyone know anything about this group?  One of my timeshares in the Kissimmee, Fl (Mystic Dunes) has been bought by Diamond International.  I have 3 days down there to ask them questions concerning my timeshare ownership.
> Since I don't know anything about them, I am finding it difficult to know what to ask them.  From some of the threads I have seen, it seems to be difficult to get into your timeshare.
> Any tips are appreciated.



DRI bought Sunterra out of Bankruptcy a few years back. The system was Sunterra's. DRI's original timesahares consisted of The Suite's at Polo Tower and The Villa's at Polo Towers. Neither of which had an internal points based exchange system.

As far as getting reservations either with our home resorts or through the internal points exchange system with DRI, we've had no problem. There has always been good availablity for locations I've checked. The only issues I've ever seen have been with affiliated resorts not managed by DRI. Those resorts sometimes have very limited inventory. DRI has, IMHO, done a better job choosing additional affiliated resorts with good inventory and assuming management of failing resort systems.

The biggest complaint most owners have initially is DRI's quality expectations and the increased MF's to achievce those expectations. Just like a fire that won't produce heat until wood is put in, upgrading resorts works the same way with MF's. MF's go up first, then upgrades happen in short order. Mystic Dunes was in really good shape the last time we saw it but, that was 10 years ago. So long as it's up to or close to DRI quality standards, MF's might not go up so much, if at all. 

Since joining DRI's THE Club internal points based system a couple of years ago, we've been very pleased with the flexablity of the system. They have a very good onine system for making reservations, payments, searching inventory or just finding basic information about your resorts or THE Club. It has quickly become the favorite system out of the 7 timeshares we own as far as ease of use. DRI's quality has been consistant throughout the timeshares where we've vacationed.


----------



## mychel53 (Sep 27, 2011)

*Diamond Resorts and bankrupt properties*

We are owners at Los Abrigodos in Sedona that was part of the ILX group that went bankrupt. Diamond purchased ILX and there has been much confusion over what we now have and how to use it. We originally purchased sedona property to use every year. The property became very rundown and now Diamond has promised to renovate the property. We are deeded owners but apparently ILX did not put us into a particular unit so although we have our unit we can not trade it into RCI, but we can trade it with Intraval for weeks.
Diamond converted our week into points however we do not have access to the Diamond Resort Club- only to the 20 or so properties that they bought out of bankruptcy. In order to use the club membership they want to sell us points.
They are asking $21,000 for 6000 points and $34,000 for 10,000 points.
We would never use the other Diamond properties in the ILX group. 

They then offered us 2,000 point added on to our ILX converted points to equal 8,000 for $6800.  And we could not use our property for 2 years  so they would have access to the inventory for the other Diamond Member.This would put us into their Diamond Club Restorts worldwide. Of course this was a hard sell and we were told TODAY only.
We called Diamond directly and found out they are offering a buy in to their system for abou the same price plus other incentives.  Plus there was no restrictions on where we could stay.

If any of you are part of the other bankrupt properties I would suggest to call Diamond directly to find out what exactly you own and how you can buy into the Diamond Group should you wish too. It is all so confusing and so important to do your homework before taking out your credit card.


----------

