Ok, so tell me about Cypress Pointe

[Redrosesix]

I've read through a lot of the older threads. Just wondering if there is anything else I should know. They seem to be pretty inexpensive compared to other TS's in the Orlando area.

A couple of questions:
* Is it really a points-based system or is that just for exchanges?
* How flexible is it in terms of stays less than 1 week, or check in/out days?
* Can you only book at the resort where your membership is? ie. Cypress Pointe OR Cypress Pointe Grand Villas?

 

[pgnewarkboy]

I am not a Cypress Pointe owner. I stayed there recently with my children and grandchildren and enjoyed it very much. Cypress Pointe is owned by DRI. It is not managed by DRI and either has its own management company or is managed by the Home Ownere Association. If you buy a Cypress Pointe resale you will need to spend an additional $2900 to join the Club - which is a points system club. The Club allows you to make exchanges through DRI (no exchange fee) or II (exchange fees) on a points basis. If you choose not to join the Club you will have have to make exchanges through RCI or II (if possible) on a weeks basis. In other words, you exchange your week for someone elses week at another resort.

There are several very knowledgeable people on the Board who own at Cypress Pointe. I strongly suggest that you contact them directly. You will find them on the Florida message board on the Cypress Pointe renovation thread.

 

[AwayWeGo]

Owners Don't Need Points To Go To Cypress Pointe.

I take it you're questions are asked in a DRI context -- you know, T.H.E. Club & all that.

We own (resale) units at both Cypress Pointe phases & we do not belong to T.H.E. Club -- not that there's anything wrong with the club (for those who like it). That means we're clueless about how the DRI club works with regard to Cypress Pointe.

But we're not totally clueless about the resort(s). As non-club members, we just make our reservations for our floating weeks any time we want to go & -- WHAP ! -- we're good to go. No points, nothing fancy.

The ownerships are not interchangeable at the 2 Cypress Pointe phases. Phase I owners don't get to make Phase II reservations, & vice versa. (People staying at Phase II, however, get to use all the recreational facilities, etc., at Phase I & vice versa.)

Check-in for week-long reservations is Friday or Saturday or Sunday.

It's possible to split Cypress Pointe occupancy weeks into separate weekend & non-weekend segments without any points involvement. I think there's an extra cleaning fee involved in that -- don't know for sure because we've never gone for that. I mean, any time we're traveling 800+ miles to our timeshare resort, we're for sure going to stay a full week.

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

 

[AwayWeGo]

Developer Of Record, Yes. Owner, No.

Cypress Pointe is owned by DRI.

Diamond is Developer Of Record at Cypress Pointe (both phases), but Diamond is not the owner.

As Developer Of Record, Diamond has the exclusive right to sell timeshares to people on site, regardless of whether DRI has any actual Cypress Pointe timeshare inventory to sell. (That is, DRI can sell club memberships regardless of whether there's any Cypress Pointe property left to sell.)

As to who owns the resorts (other than individual unit owners like us, I mean), I suppose that's the 2 independent, owner-controlled HOA-BODs that took over management when the Developer Of Record was voted out of the driver's seat some years back.

None of that ownership-status business has any affect on Cypress Pointe's inclusion in Diamond's string of DRI-affiliated timeshares. Nor does being links in the Diamond chain affect Cypress Pointe's affiliation with both RCI & I-I for purposes of non-club exchanges.

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

 

[timeos2]

Some answers

A couple of questions:
* Is it really a points-based system or is that just for exchanges?

The resort has two Phases and multiple exchange options. Phase 1 - Cypress Pointe Resort - is sold as deeded, floating 3 bedroom weeks only. However they are very flexible as they can be used as 1 bedroom lockout / 2 bedroom or a full 3bedroom (and deposited to RCI/II as 2 or 3 bedroom - the 1 bedroom cannot be deposited as it lacks a full kitchen) and can be split in 3 / 4 days of use rather than a full week if desired. Extremely flexible for a weeks based resort.

In addition the resort trades with RCI & II weeks as well as SFX, TPI and other third party traders. Those are available by simply becominga member of the desired exchange company. Finally the resort is affiliated with DRI (THE Club) which requires a membership purchase (currently around $2995 as I hear it) OR that you give up your deed & join the DRI Trust (personally I do not like that idea at all) for even more money. Those are points based systems.

The second phase of Cypress Pointe - Cypress Pointe Grande Villas offers all the above plus some other choices like deeded 1, 2 and 3 bedroom units, UDI and more. I've never been able to sort that all out as I prefer the relative simplicity and overall flexibility of a deeded ownership, the options it gives and the rights to vote my ownership.

* How flexible is it in terms of stays less than 1 week, or check in/out days?

With a deeded week you get the choice to use a 7 day or 3/4 (4/3) split on request and subject to availabilty. With DRI points you can use as few as 3 days and also 7+. I have opted for the Club (points) where I keep my deed and all rights to wnership but can use the DRI system for points exchanges. Like most other points systems it is easy to get internal trades within the system and pretty good with II (but it is usually week for week there) as it is a Corporate membership and that gets a big priority in the II system.

* Can you only book at the resort where your membership is? ie. Cypress Pointe OR Cypress Pointe Grand Villas?

If you own a deeded week at one resort or the other you can only stay there OR trade to another resort (including the CP you are not deeded at). If you are in The Club (DRI) either as a deeded owner OR the Trust then you can choose to use your points at either resort plus any of the other Club resorts.

Make sense?

 

[pgnewarkboy]

If you intend to go to Cypress Pointe almost every year, there is hardly any point in joining the Club. If you intend to make trades, you should give the Club serious consideration. I have found the Club points system to be extremely flexible. It also possible to get extra vacations out of your points. For example, some DRI locations trade for as little as 4000 points in off seasons. If you get 8000 or more points for Cypress Pointe ownership that could translate into turning a one week vacation into a two week vacation depending on where you want to go and when. You can also carry points over into the next year giving you even more vacation opportunities if needed. If you carried over all your points to the next year, you could turn your hypothetical two weeks into a possible 3 or 4 weeks. Or you could use points for multiple units at a resort if you are planning a big family get together. Points can be used for shorter stays then one week, they can be used for airline miles, they can be used to pay a portion of maintenance fees, and they can be used for things as well that are (hopefully) listed on the DRI web site. Using points for shorter stays or airline miles or maintenance fees etc. does not alway prove to be the best value. It beats the heck, however, out of losing points or your weeks because of illness or other unforeseen events. In the past, when I ended up with too many points I used some to pay a portion of maintenance fees and airline miles.

 

[Redrosesix]

I think I've got it. It sounds like a good lower cost Orlando TS for us, so far. I guess we could always add the club membership later if we felt we would actually use it -- trading weeks for weeks sounds like it might work for us.

Thanks for all the info.

 

[Redrosesix]

So, I've been looking at some of the resale ads for these resorts. Just taking Cypress Pointe (not Grand Villas) as an example, I'm seeing a 3 bdrm floating week going for anywhere from $2950 (I actually think I saw some for less) to $17,825 - I tried to make sure that they had all the same details including that you could book any week.

What would be a reasonable price to pay (assume I'm patient) for a 3 bdrm at either of the two resorts? I'm skipping the club membership for now.

 

[AwayWeGo]

The Bargains Are Out There.

So, I've been looking at some of the resale ads for these resorts. Just taking Cypress Pointe (not Grand Villas) as an example, I'm seeing a 3 bdrm floating week going for anywhere from $2950 (I actually think I saw some for less) to $17,825 - I tried to make sure that they had all the same details including that you could book any week.

What would be a reasonable price to pay (assume I'm patient) for a 3 bdrm at either of the two resorts? I'm skipping the club membership for now.

$2,950 is realistic & $17,825 is absurd -- in fact, I doubt the timeshare company got that much when they sold it originally.

Click here for a list of units offered for sale by current owners. All are floating 3BR lock-offs -- but take note that some are Diamond Season (i.e., reserve any week of the year, 1st come 1st served) & others are Emerald Season (off-season weeks).

We paid $3,500 for ours in 2002. We sold ours for $3,500 in 2003. Then in 2006 we bought back in again EEY for the ridiculous price of $500. Diamond Season both times.

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

 

[pgnewarkboy]

There is no reason not to pay the lowest price possible. Some people get great deals on ebay.

 

[Redrosesix]

$2,950 is realistic & $17,825 is absurd -- in fact, I doubt the timeshare company got that much when they sold it originally.

Click here for a list of units offered for sale by current owners. All are floating 3BR lock-offs -- but take note that some are Diamond Season (i.e., reserve any week of the year, 1st come 1st served) & others are Emerald Season (off-season weeks).

We paid $3,500 for ours in 2002. We sold ours for $3,500 in 2003. Then in 2006 we bought back in again EEY for the ridiculous price of $500. Diamond Season both times.

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

I thought the $17, 825 was wishful thinking -- there seems to be a lot of that in the TS resale sites. And we would also have to buy a Diamond week -- not much sense in toughing it through winter to go in the summer for us.

Thanks for the link. I also snuck into the renovation pictures. Could you tell me why there are 2 sets of renovation pictures -- completely different. And is it only Cypress Pointe I that is getting the total redo ie. the one with the water slide, which is where we would HAVE TO be?

 

[Redrosesix]

If you intend to go to Cypress Pointe almost every year, there is hardly any point in joining the Club. If you intend to make trades, you should give the Club serious consideration. I have found the Club points system to be extremely flexible. It also possible to get extra vacations out of your points. For example, some DRI locations trade for as little as 4000 points in off seasons. If you get 8000 or more points for Cypress Pointe ownership that could translate into turning a one week vacation into a two week vacation depending on where you want to go and when. You can also carry points over into the next year giving you even more vacation opportunities if needed. If you carried over all your points to the next year, you could turn your hypothetical two weeks into a possible 3 or 4 weeks. Or you could use points for multiple units at a resort if you are planning a big family get together. Points can be used for shorter stays then one week, they can be used for airline miles, they can be used to pay a portion of maintenance fees, and they can be used for things as well that are (hopefully) listed on the DRI web site. Using points for shorter stays or airline miles or maintenance fees etc. does not alway prove to be the best value. It beats the heck, however, out of losing points or your weeks because of illness or other unforeseen events. In the past, when I ended up with too many points I used some to pay a portion of maintenance fees and airline miles.

I certainly prefer the idea of the points system, but not the cost. If I bought into The Club, would I have the option of checking in on a different day, or is the Fri, Sat, or Sun thing pretty much mandatory? We can only do 1 trip per year, so I couldn't use the 3 and 4 nights option.

 

[AwayWeGo]

Renovations On Both Sides Of The Street.

And is it only Cypress Pointe I that is getting the total redo ie. the one with the water slide, which is where we would HAVE TO be?

Phase II has its own web site. Click here for that.

The famous Volcano Pool with the triple-header water slide is at Phase I -- but everybody staying at Phase II gets to use it, just as everybody staying at Phase I gets to use the Free Form Pool & the Turtle Pool over at Phase II.

Phase II is also going ahead with its own extensive renovations, but on a different schedule & separate budget from Phase I.

Both phases are managed by independent, owner-controlled HOA-BODs, but they are 2 separate timeshares with 2 separate HOA-BODs. The Phase I HOA-BOD does a better job of letting us owners in on what's happening & what's planned.

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

 

[djyamyam]

So, I've been looking at some of the resale ads for these resorts. Just taking Cypress Pointe (not Grand Villas) as an example, I'm seeing a 3 bdrm floating week going for anywhere from $2950 (I actually think I saw some for less) to $17,825 - I tried to make sure that they had all the same details including that you could book any week.

What would be a reasonable price to pay (assume I'm patient) for a 3 bdrm at either of the two resorts? I'm skipping the club membership for now.

I'm not sure if this old thread still applies but you may want to contact the association directly to see what inventory is available for purchase. That's probably your best bet.

http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=88117&highlight=cypress+pointe

 

[AwayWeGo]

H. O. A. - B. O. D. Inventory.

I'm not sure if this old thread still applies but you may want to contact the association directly to see what inventory is available for purchase.

The HOA-BOD generally offers to sell any deeds that it acquires to current owners before letting any outsiders have a shot at them -- & typically the owners snap those right up.

See Entry #9 in this discussion topic for the link to a list of units offered for sale by current owners.

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

 

[timeos2]

Same idea - different timing

I thought the $17, 825 was wishful thinking -- there seems to be a lot of that in the TS resale sites. And we would also have to buy a Diamond week -- not much sense in toughing it through winter to go in the summer for us.

Thanks for the link. I also snuck into the renovation pictures. Could you tell me why there are 2 sets of renovation pictures -- completely different. And is it only Cypress Pointe I that is getting the total redo ie. the one with the water slide, which is where we would HAVE TO be?

The method of renovation at each resort has evolved differently. There are two sets of renovation shots at the CPR site as we still show the 2004/5 work - which remains in great shape - as well as the upcoming unit work starting this fall. We have made it a goal to stay ahead of the curve on renovation work and, to the highest degree possible, do work as a package in each unit rather than piecemeal items in (which was tried back in 2000 with terrible results). The latter approach loses the impact of the expensive new items as they get lost in the older items around them. We have had to adjust the planned 2010 work to financial realities. The original 2010 model (from 2007) is closer to the final product than the second 2010 model (fall 2008) as we had to cut back on the all new softgoods, furnishings and electronics while concentrating on the built-ins. Those will include all new hardwood cabinets in the kitchens and baths, tile floors, granite countertops and the addition of bathroom doors where there were none and changes to the second bedroom with new built-ins, a queen bed and a new window where there had been a blank door. The units as redone in 2010 will be a combination of the two model units in the photos.

These are major changes which combined with a rearrangement of the units layout will freshen and upgrade the look. Later in 2011/12 we will go in with the softgoods to complete the new look as seen in the second 2010 model shots. Splitting the process allows us to spread the cost, maximize value from our top quality 2004/5 furnishings and use the annual maintenance week more efficiently. The biggest difference between the two phases is that CPR has already done the 1st round of total unit renovations in 2004/5 while the GPGV units have never been done.

I'm not positive what the schedule for the units is at CPGV (Phase 2) but they don't plan on doing the 2 bedroom side until at least 2010. They are currently renovating the 1 bedroom side. Again costs help drive the plan so until the dollars are there the work won't happen. Both Boards want to live within their means. Nothing wrong with that. The timing that started the 7 year cycles happened to fall earlier for CPR and now we're seeing the positive results of that plan working. CPGV has a similar plan but it's running about 5 years behind ours for its start. They also have had a recent special assessment for funding similar to what we had to do in 2004. Those were required to make up for the years of underfunding by previous management. Again CPR feels the full funding plan in place since 2004 will prevent any future assessments and I believe the CPGV Board has a similar goal for their owners with the plan they have now implemented. Both are Owner controlled Boards looking out for the Associations / owners best interests and it shows.

 

[Redrosesix]

It's good to hear the final look will be a combination of the 2 -- I liked them both. And the owner-managed board seems like a real plus to me, too.

So, my husband actually had a good question (rather than his usual: you choose, I'm happy with whatever) -- if everybody at CPR has a floating week and everybody stays either 3, 4, or 7 days, how does that work with people having the option of checking in on Fri, Sat, or Sun? Wouldn't that make it likely that some units would go empty at times and some owners would be unable to book their week?

Which leads me to my next question: Do people ever miss out on using their weeks and how far in advance to you have to book? I'm assuming there is no way to bank or borrow weeks if you don't do the points club, but am I wrong about that?

Thanks for all the help, BTW.

 

[AwayWeGo]

Your Hubby Catches On Quick.

So, my husband actually had a good question (rather than his usual: you choose, I'm happy with whatever) -- if everybody at CPR has a floating week and everybody stays either 3, 4, or 7 days, how does that work with people having the option of checking in on Fri, Sat, or Sun? Wouldn't that make it likely that some units would go empty at times and some owners would be unable to book their week?

Which leads me to my next question: Do people ever miss out on using their weeks and how far in advance to you have to book? I'm assuming there is no way to bank or borrow weeks if you don't do the points club, but am I wrong about that?

The unfortunate flip side of floating timeshare weeks is the risk of getting shut out entirely by waiting too late to make reservations.

The choicest weeks, obviously, get snapped up right away. Before long, all that's left are the dogs & cats. After too long, nothing is left.

We bought back into Cypress Pointe (Phase One) in mid-2006. By the time the ink was dry on our new deed & we were good to go with resort reservations, the only week left to reserve was in October 2006. Rather than risk getting shut out entirely, we took it -- had a nice fall vacation with old friends we've known since before any of us had kids.

The Friday-Saturday-Sunday check-in options & the split-week options just add further complications.

When we bought into Cypress Pointe (Phase One) the 1st time (2002), the owner-controlled HOA-BOD had just taken over from the timeshare company. The timeshare company had let ownership & billing records take a distant 2nd place to the imperative of selling timeshares, & as a result there was considerable slop in the system, with weeks still up for grabs until semi-late in the year.

No more.

The independent HOA-BOD runs a tight ship, the billing records are in good shape, collections are up, vacancies are down, & it behooves us owners to be johnny on the spot in signing up for our Cypress Pointe reservations.

Owners who do wait absolutely too late just lose out for the year, mox nix that they paid all their fees in full when due. So, what happened to their week that they paid for that they didn't get to use? Easy. That was 1 of the vacant weeks that went unused earlier in the year.

Think of floating timeshare weeks as a game of musical chairs. Each week that goes by removes 1 set of chairs (i.e., 1/52 of the year's total available reservations). No problem if 1/52 of the total of owners put in requests for each of the available weeks. But big problem if nobody takes any early-year weeks & 52/52 of the total of owners end up requesting, say, 45/52 of the year's supply of timeshare weeks.

Even so, we like the added flexibility of the floating weeks system. We just take care not to lose our paid-for opportunities by dilly-dallying.

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

 

[Redrosesix]

We're ok with booking far in advance (I'm already pretty worried about 2010, since we won't probably buy anything until fall and we're going to Orlando in Feb.)

I've been looking at some of the ads in the TUG Marketplace, and now I'm a little confused about Platinum weeks. Here's one of the ads:
http://tug2.com/TimeshareMarketplac...tingGUID=ab15a228-5e54-43fd-9091-2fa4c52efc9c

It says Platinum, but then it says you can't book any of the weeks between 4 and 18?

Platinum means you can book any week, right? Just want to know i'm comparing the right prices. It looks like I'm better off buying from the CPR owners list, or directly from CPR if they have weeks left at the time we're ready to buy.

And I'm still not sure we can make the check in day work for us -- which is why DVC (although very expensive) works great for us -- we usually travel on Tuesdays, or at least mid week (it can save us over $1000 in airfare for the 3 of us, and give us a direct flight instead of a total of 9 1/2 hours each way connecting in Toronto)

One other question: Is there a security gate at the entrance to these resorts? It doesn't show one in any of the photos I have seen.

 

[AwayWeGo]

No Platinum At Cypress Pointe -- Just Diamond & Emerald.

It says Platinum, but then it says you can't book any of the weeks between 4 and 18?

Platinum is not Cypress Pointe terminology.

Could Platinum have something to do with I-I, just as Red is identified with RCI ? (Cypress Point is in both I-I & RCI.)

The week offered at the link you provided is Emerald Season -- weeks 1-4, 18-20, 36-45, 48-49 -- known as Quiet Time by some & as Off Season by others. Interesting that the person who put in the listing just specified the weeks by number rather than using the phrase Emerald Season.

The weeks identified as Diamond Season -- 5-17, 21-35, 45-47, 50-53 inclusive -- aren't the whole story. That is, owners of Diamond weeks can reserve any week of the year (subject to availability), including the Emerald Weeks.

Within limits, owners of Emerald weeks can get Diamond week reservations by paying a nightly premium -- but the window during which an Emerald owner can put in a Diamond week request is narrow, so the chances of actually getting a Diamond week are low.

I came this close last year to trading away my 1 3BR Diamond week for another owner's 2 3BR Emerald weeks. Fortunately I came to my senses in the nick of time & the deal did not go through.

Last year, 1 owner offered to give away -- as in el freebo -- two 3BR Emerald weeks & another owner offered to sell 1 3BR Emerald week for $1. I don't know whether there were any takers.

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

 

[Redrosesix]

Platinum is not Cypress Pointe terminology.

Could Platinum have something to do with I-I, just as Red is identified with RCI ? (Cypress Point is in both I-I & RCI.)

The week offered at the link you provided is Emerald Season -- weeks 1-4, 18-20, 36-45, 48-49 -- known as Quiet Time by some & as Off Season by others. Interesting that the person who put in the listing just specified the weeks by number rather than using the phrase Emerald Season.

The weeks identified as Diamond Season -- 5-17, 21-35, 45-47, 50-53 inclusive -- aren't the whole story. That is, owners of Diamond weeks can reserve any week of the year (subject to availability), including the Emerald Weeks.

Within limits, owners of Emerald weeks can get Diamond week reservations by paying a nightly premium -- but the window during which an Emerald owner can put in a Diamond week request is narrow, so the chances of actually getting a Diamond week are low.

I came this close last year to trading away my 1 3BR Diamond week for another owner's 2 3BR Emerald weeks. Fortunately I came to my senses in the nick of time & the deal did not go through.

Last year, 1 owner offered to give away -- as in el freebo -- two 3BR Emerald weeks & another owner offered to sell 1 3BR Emerald week for $1. I don't know whether there were any takers.

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

Well that makes much more sense now. thanks.

 

[Redrosesix]

So...is there a security gate?

Just wondering if somebody could answer this question for me.

 

[pgnewarkboy]

Just at Cypress Pointe 1 - No security gate to enter.

 

[Redrosesix]

Just at Cypress Pointe 1 - No security gate to enter.

Well...is there a security gate for the Cypress Pointe and Cypress Pointe Grand Villas, or can just anybody drive into the resorts?

 

[AwayWeGo]

No Gate.

Well...is there a security gate for the Cypress Pointe and Cypress Pointe Grand Villas, or can just anybody drive into the resorts?

Just drive on in without any unnecessary folderol.

There is (unobtrusive) on-site security. Vehicle parking permits have to be displayed.

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