Value of club combos along with DRI

[mohater]

Hi Folks,

Stumbled across this after searching for the "value" of DRI.

We were in Hawaii for a family trip, attended the meeting and signed up for the Hawaii collection with DRI. Some family members intervened and pushed us to cancel within the grace period, so we did. The sales reps have been pushing the sampler package hard as a "trial" into the collection, normal $3,995 price that is posted here.

One thing we were really interested was the club combos (more interested in combos than the DRI access...). Wanted to pose the question of how much value did people really derive from the club combos.

So, any folks here using it? Getting the expected value from it?

Thanks,

 

[bobpark56]

Good question. And if you are using Club Combinations, how are you using it?

 

[DanZale2000]

Club Combinations allows a DRI member to assign a non-DRI timeshare to the Diamond Club in exchange for DRI points. Say I own a 2BR unit, week 31 at Vistana Resort in Orlando. Diamond would give me 8,500 points, if I buy 4,250 points (50% of the Club Combo points). I would then have 12,750 to use in the DRI Club. But I must have a minimum of 15,000 points to qualify, so I need to buy 6,500 points (unless I already own some Diamond points).

I have read in online forums many comments by people who like the program. The value of this program depends on the quality of your non-Diamond timeshare. In my case I give up my Vistana unit and get 8,500 points. With those points I can get a two bedroom at Mystic Dunes, but I can not get a two bedroom unit at Polo Towers, Sedona Summit, nor Scottsdale Links. If, however, I deposit my unit with II I can get any of these locations. If my timeshare is a ski week at Steamboat Springs or a week at Kaanapali Ocean Resort, then those 8,500 Diamond points will not get me anything close to what I'm giving up.

So, if your timeshare doesn't trade well in II, then Club Combo offers greater value. But if your timeshare trades well in II, Club Combo might not be so good.

 

[geist1223]

We own 7,500 DRI Hawaiian Collection Points bought from DRI. As part of the contract we are part of Club Combination/Club Select. We can give DRI a 1 bedroom Worldmark Red Season and get 6,500 DRI Points. We can also give DRI a 2 Bedroom Worldmark Red Season and get 8,500 DRI Points. So each year we can trade 2 Worldmark Red Weeks and get 15,000 DRI Points. We carefully researched all Worldmark 1 bedroom and 2 bedroom Red Season Resorts. We figured out we could use 14,000 Worldmark Points to get 15,000 DRI Points. Even if we do not do the trades the possibility of the trades count for DRI Loyalty so we are Silver. The weeks traded to DRI are then available for Members to use either for DRI Points or Cash, depending on your status.

We have both traded in Worldmark Week Reservations for DRI Points and we have taken advantage by renting weeks traded in by other Members. If you are not part of Club Combination/Club Select you can still have access to the weeks traded in but it is a cash Transaction.

 

[mjc775]

We purchased 8500 DRI points, and our prior ownership at Wyndham Waikiki Beach Walk was given a value of 6500 points - thus putting us at the 15,000 Silver level. We’ve been DRI owners for about 3 years and have yet to exchange our Wyndham “week” for 6500 extra DRI points. But we frequently take advantage of some of the Silver perks - particularly the Loyalty Accommodation Upgrade.


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[mohater]

Sorry folks, wasn't clear on my initial post:

I was referring to having access to the club combos without giving something up (someone who has no other time shares and wants to use the access in the club combos for non DRI access). Some of you mentioned benefits, could some post any specific cash prices they paid and what they got vs what it was valued at in the club combos?

Thanks!

 

[DanZale2000]

Sorry folks, wasn't clear on my initial post:

I was referring to having access to the club combos without giving something up (someone who has no other time shares and wants to use the access in the club combos for non DRI access). Some of you mentioned benefits, could some post any specific cash prices they paid and what they got vs what it was valued at in the club combos?

When owners of non-Diamond timeshare deposit them, it is Club Combinations. When Diamond member reserve these units it is Club Select. I've no idea why. Here it an image of current availability for part of August.

[edit] the image doesn't seem to zoom for me in the TUG viewer. But I can save it to a local drive and then is zooms. Sorry for that.

 

[mohater]

Thanks for this.

Looks like pretty solid cash deals for one week (those are all weekly prices, right?).

 

[LanceM]

We just completed the first stay on the sampler, and when I checked, the Club Select (aka Club Combos) was available on my account for reservations. The prices that I was able to check seem quite good. Selection is naturally limited the closer you get to arrival date. But this is one of the biggest reasons I went for the sampler, the sales pitch that Club Combinations (actually Club Select) would be For Life (I have seen that others were promised the same).
My question is to someone who has finished the sampler without owning DRI, did you keep the Club Select or is this just another lie to entice people into a purchase?

 

[nuwermj]

We just completed the first stay on the sampler, and when I checked, the Club Select (aka Club Combos) was available on my account for reservations. The prices that I was able to check seem quite good. Selection is naturally limited the closer you get to arrival date. But this is one of the biggest reasons I went for the sampler, the sales pitch that Club Combinations (actually Club Select) would be For Life (I have seen that others were promised the same).
My question is to someone who has finished the sampler without owning DRI, did you keep the Club Select or is this just another lie to entice people into a purchase?

Yes, Club Select cash prices are generally very good.

I very much doubt you were offered Club Combo with the Sampler. Club Combo is where The DRI Club trades points for the use rights of a non-DRI timeshare. If you own perpetual points and enter into a Club Combo agreement, that will last as long as you remain a member of The DRI Club.

I also doubt DRI will let you use your Sampler points for Club Select reservations. (Club Select is where Club members can reserve the inventory deposited by Club Combo members. Club Combo is the supply side, Club Select is the demand side.) Maybe they will let you make a cash reservation, I'm not sure. But the Sampler requires a sales presentation at every stay. Therefore, you can only stay at a resorts where DRI has a sales office.

If you do have access to Club Select inventory with the Sampler, for sure that will terminate when the Sampler terminates.

 

[KG5TUD]

Any updates?

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[pedro47]

How many different vacation plans does Diamond have ???

Deeded weeks, The DRI Club, Club Select, Club Combo, the Sample Plan, Club Combinations Plan, Hawaiian Collection Plan, Loyalty Accommodation Ugrade Plan, The Florida Collections Plans

What happen to the KISS theory?

Did I miss any?

 

[chemteach]

They now have their own exchange system for people who do not convert their weeks to points... Destination Exchange. It has worked nicely for me.

Edited to add that the Destination Exchange program became MUCH more restrictive this year. They now charge an extra $1000 for prime weeks (most of the weeks people would want to exchange into.) Bummer. Used to be a good thing...

 

[DRIless]

.........If you are not part of Club Combination/Club Select you can still have access to the weeks traded in but it is a cash Transaction.

I'm not part of Club Combination/Club Select, just a Platinum VIP and have access to Club Select inventory with either points or cash. It's too bad they don't discount the weeks to 50% like regular inventory.

 

[youppi]

I'm not part of Club Combination/Club Select, just a Platinum VIP and have access to Club Select inventory with either points or cash. It's too bad they don't discount the weeks to 50% like regular inventory.

Yes they discount the Club Select weeks to 50% at <60 days in points but not in cash

This is an example of a scan November 17, 2018
2019-01-16;CLUB DE SOLEIL;LAS VEGAS, NEVADA;UNITED STATES;1 BDR; 5,000;$325;
and the same scan 1 day later, November 18, 2018
2019-01-16;CLUB DE SOLEIL;LAS VEGAS, NEVADA;UNITED STATES;1 BDR; 2,500;$325;

This is an other example of a scan November 14, 2018
2019-01-13;SHAWNEE VILLAGE RIDGE TOP;SHAWNEE ON THE DELAWARE, PENNSYLVANIA;UNITED STATES;2 BDR; 8,500;$553;
and the same scan 1 day later, November 15, 2018
2019-01-13;SHAWNEE VILLAGE RIDGE TOP;SHAWNEE ON THE DELAWARE, PENNSYLVANIA;UNITED STATES;2 BDR; 4,250;$553;

 

[bob stiles]

Question: We have a bunch of WM credits and just bought 5k Diamond Resort Internations. They sold us on the "The Club Combinations", where we transfer ~10k WM credits to get 10k DVI credits. Sounds great. Couple questions.
The rule is you buy X credits, you can transfer up to 2x credits from WM (non-dri points) for a total of 15k (silver lever) DVI.

1. If I buy more DVI points (say 5k more) can I transfer 10k more WM-> DVI? Or is this a one time type of thing?

2. I can buy second hand dvi credits and get this benefit? I am still in the resend period, so I can do that if possible.
Just trying to get the best value.

Thanks

 

[nuwermj]

Question: We have a bunch of WM credits and just bought 5k Diamond Resort Internations. They sold us on the "The Club Combinations", where we transfer ~10k WM credits to get 10k DVI credits. Sounds great. Couple questions.
The rule is you buy X credits, you can transfer up to 2x credits from WM (non-dri points) for a total of 15k (silver lever) DVI.

1. If I buy more DVI points (say 5k more) can I transfer 10k more WM-> DVI? Or is this a one time type of thing?

2. I can buy second hand dvi credits and get this benefit? I am still in the resend period, so I can do that if possible.
Just trying to get the best value.

1. Yes, I believe you can do that. I'd suggest you contact and use Diamond's corporate sales, not a resort sales center.

2. No, you cannot get any Club benefits with resale points and the Club Combo program is a THE Club benefit.

 

[DRIless]

I am still in the resend period, so I can do that if possible.
Just trying to get the best value. Thanks

RESCIND NOW, NOW, NOW don't resend
You'll be much happier in the end.