# Monarch Points!



## RedDogSD (May 18, 2010)

Boy, I would be mad if I owned a bunch of points at MGV right now.  I was looking at the Points chart for the resorts and the cost to use Escape time.

So, for an example...they are giving away (for $1) a 155 point package.  This has a MF of $549/year.  The points come EOY so you pay $1100 for 155 points.

That gets you 1 full week in a 2 bedroom Palm Canyon prime season.....or Riviera Oaks at Prime Season, or Ocean View at Riviera Beach. Ok, not so bad.

Here is what would PI** me off if I owned these.  They are GIVING away the Escape time.  $1100 for 155 points means $7.09/point which does not include the cost of acquiring the points. 

On their Escape chart, you can rent a week at the Palm Canyon, prime season for $741 instead of using your 155 points.  If you want a week during PREMIUM season, it still only costs you $741 but you would have to use 177 points.  

If you want to stay at the 2 bedroom Ocean View at Riviera Beach, they will let you get it for 155 points in Prime Season OR you can rent it from them for $625.  WHAT THE?  

What am I missing?  How does this make sense?  Why would anyone buy any points with MGV?  If you really liked their resorts, are you not better off getting the SMALLEST package possible (89 points gets you a Jr Villa in Cedar Breaks) and just paying for the Escape time.


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## rhonda (May 18, 2010)

I don't know anything about MGVC points or the Escape Time program -- but my guess is that Escape Time likely has restrictions on booking windows, concurrent reservations, guest use, etc.  Using one's MGVC Points would be the more "dependable" vehicle for booking reservations??


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## djyamyam (May 19, 2010)

RedDogSD said:


> Boy, I would be mad if I owned a bunch of points at MGV right now.  I was looking at the Points chart for the resorts and the cost to use Escape time.
> 
> So, for an example...they are giving away (for $1) a 155 point package.  This has a MF of $549/year.  The points come EOY so you pay $1100 for 155 points.
> 
> ...



Escape time is only available for use 45 days out from the check-in date, basically last minute availability.  With MGV, many owners only book partial days (lots of weekends have no availability).  As such, it's very rare to get a full week available during escape time during prime demanded times.  Additionally, quite a few of the resorts that MGV has ownership at also have original deeded non-points owners so the amount of MGV inventory may be limited.  

So you your comparison, while somewhat valid, isn't really apt when there's no availability.


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## Bill4728 (May 19, 2010)

Many of the TS pts systems have something like escape time. MGV is at 45 days, HGVC is 30 days, Club Intrawest is at 14 days, Diamond also has it too ( not sure of the time period) 

It is much better for the TS to have the rooms used and getting some income for the HOA than sitting empty.


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## RedDogSD (May 19, 2010)

djyamyam said:


> Escape time is only available for use 45 days out from the check-in date, basically last minute availability.  With MGV, many owners only book partial days (lots of weekends have no availability).  As such, it's very rare to get a full week available during escape time during prime demanded times.  Additionally, quite a few of the resorts that MGV has ownership at also have original deeded non-points owners so the amount of MGV inventory may be limited.
> 
> So you your comparison, while somewhat valid, isn't really apt when there's no availability.



Ok, thank you very much.  That helps explain it.  The company that runs 2 of my TS's (Consolidated) also has Bonus Time, which is a good deal, but not cheaper than the cost of the MF.  I basically use it for weekends.  I am using it to go to Vegas on Memorial Weekend.  I got a 1 bedroom at bonus time rate of $70/night.  The other bedroom (larger side of lockoff) goes for $100/night.  So, it would cost me $170x7 = 1190 to have a whole week which is more than the MF on the 2 bedroom for a week.


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## RedDogSD (May 19, 2010)

By the way....to the Moderators....you should re-name the Points part of the Board to RCI points.  Apparently, even though I made a posting about a Points based system, it was moved to another area of the forum.  That tells me that you only want RCI points discussion in the Points forum, so you should rename it.


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