ski_sierra
TUG Member
- Joined
- Mar 17, 2019
- Messages
- 517
- Reaction score
- 327
- Points
- 173
- Location
- SF Bay Area
- Resorts Owned
- Too many
As I read more about different timeshare systems, I came to understand the inventory games in many timeshare systems. It continues to amaze me how many ways developers play games to screw owners. Developer controlled HOAs, stripping benefits for resale owners are the most obvious ones. But I found inventory games as the sneakiest one to screw owners.
Here are some notes that other newbies might find helpful and I hope others will chime in with their insights.
Developer owned inventory:
Developers also own weeks/points inventory that is waiting to be sold. So I'm sure developers book the most desirable weeks with their inventory so they can rent those out to cover their costs.
Float weeks game:
Many timeshares have the whole year floating e.g. Sheraton Desert Oasis. I'm sure many owners will not be able to get their desired week. It is also possible that although the float interval is advertised as 1-52, they may have fewer week 52s available than other weeks.
Marriott points systems: the trust owns a lot of weeks that are not desirable (for me) like Marriott Grand Chateau. Owners with desirable enrolled weeks might not deposit their weeks for points. My take is buying pure points is a recipe for disappointment here.
Hyatt/Vistana/Hilton: owners need to deposit their weeks for points for those weeks to become available for others to book using points. I purchased a HGVC week for points and I'm very realistic that getting holiday weeks won't be easy.
Wyndham: If you buy pure points, you will be limited to booking the weeks owned by the trust. Who knows what weeks are owned by the trust.
WorldMark: From my reading, Worldmark points systems is the most fair points systems where you have a good chance of booking holiday weeks as all weeks are open for all members. I think I read that there are some locations where Worldmark doesn't own all the units/weeks but that's not very common.
I don't really know much about other systems like Diamond, Shell, Vacation Internationale, Welk and others.
I'm sure I have only covered the tip of the iceberg and others will chime in with their experience. I think I would have benefited from reading about this since it makes you more realistic about what you can get with your timeshare. And this is why I will eventually own some fixed weeks.
Here are some notes that other newbies might find helpful and I hope others will chime in with their insights.
Developer owned inventory:
Developers also own weeks/points inventory that is waiting to be sold. So I'm sure developers book the most desirable weeks with their inventory so they can rent those out to cover their costs.
Float weeks game:
Many timeshares have the whole year floating e.g. Sheraton Desert Oasis. I'm sure many owners will not be able to get their desired week. It is also possible that although the float interval is advertised as 1-52, they may have fewer week 52s available than other weeks.
Marriott points systems: the trust owns a lot of weeks that are not desirable (for me) like Marriott Grand Chateau. Owners with desirable enrolled weeks might not deposit their weeks for points. My take is buying pure points is a recipe for disappointment here.
Hyatt/Vistana/Hilton: owners need to deposit their weeks for points for those weeks to become available for others to book using points. I purchased a HGVC week for points and I'm very realistic that getting holiday weeks won't be easy.
Wyndham: If you buy pure points, you will be limited to booking the weeks owned by the trust. Who knows what weeks are owned by the trust.
WorldMark: From my reading, Worldmark points systems is the most fair points systems where you have a good chance of booking holiday weeks as all weeks are open for all members. I think I read that there are some locations where Worldmark doesn't own all the units/weeks but that's not very common.
I don't really know much about other systems like Diamond, Shell, Vacation Internationale, Welk and others.
I'm sure I have only covered the tip of the iceberg and others will chime in with their experience. I think I would have benefited from reading about this since it makes you more realistic about what you can get with your timeshare. And this is why I will eventually own some fixed weeks.
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