How Available are Reservations?

[willlbur]

I currently own an HGVC timeshare and am considering purchasing Worldmark points. My question is whether there are typically reservations available when/where I would use it. I understand the benefits to making reservations as soon as the booking window opens, but I would still like to check on some sample trips I would make this upcoming year.
June 26 - July 1 Seattle Camlin (studio)
Mid September Marina Dunes
Palm-Aire November 27 - December 4 (2 BR)

If any current world mark owners could do any of these searches, I would greatly appreciate it. It will help me make a decision re: points purchase.

 

[rhonda]

In general, Marina Dunes is a difficult reservation to get year-round. Not impossible, but not easy. Plan to book exactly 13-months at the earliest hour and possibly use the waitlist.

Edited to add:
Looking at inventory, Palm-Aire, 2BR, is still available for your late November dates. The Camlin is not currently available (already pretty late for booking the coming summer) but shouldn't be overly difficult. There are still patches of availability suggesting one might still piece together a reservation using the waitlist.

 

[ecwinch]

With Marina Dunes - it is unlikely IMHO - unless you are fine with a mid-week stay or extremely lucky. Camlin is more of a possibility.

Waitlist is your best hope for summer ressies this late in the booking window.

Doubly so if you are just thinking about buying... given the processing time it would take to buy a membership. You probably need to be buying now to have a decent chance at 2020 availability at those resorts for those dates.

 

[alwysonvac]

Just a heads up, in case you didn’t know...
Some WM resorts don’t have air conditioning. Amenities are noted on each resort page.

From the Seattle Camlin webpage - https://www.worldmarktheclub.com/resorts/st/

Unit Amenities
· Internet Access (fee applicable)
· Cable TV
· VCR
· DVD player
· Stereo with CD player
· Telephone
· Hairdryer
· No air conditioning (1 fan in each room plus ceiling fans)
All units are hotel size and have limited cooking facilities.

Resort Amenities
· Heated pool
· Heated hot tub
· Barbeque area
· Common area full sized kitchen available for owner and guest use
· Baby grand piano in the lobby
· Laundry Room
· Shared Computer with internet access
· Wi-Fi in lobby, 11th floor (fee applicable)
· Elevator
· Fitness center
· Business center
· Activities center
· On-site concierge
· Garage or valet parking (fee)
​

Looking at inventory, Palm-Aire, 2BR, is still available for your late November dates. The Camlin is not currently available (already pretty late for booking the coming summer) but shouldn't be overly difficult. There are still patches of availability suggesting one might still piece together a reservation using the waitlist.

TIP: Similar to HGVC, high demand resorts and/or travel dates will require you to reserve as soon as the booking window opens (supply vs demand).

Just to add to what Rhonda provided above...
Here’s the 4 month availability calendar for the studio rooms at Camlin in Seattle to give you an idea of availability.

Unit Types & Descriptions
Studio Courtyard: Queen murphy bed in living area. Units are smaller than standard WorldMark units and have a 3/4 bathroom. Units have hotel-like kitchens which consist of microwave, mini-fridge, and coffee maker. Units overlook the courtyard. There are no laundry facilities or community trash bins in the courtyard building, please use main hotel's facilities. Stairs to all courtyard units. Maximum occupancy 2.
Studio – Courtyard Plus: Queen bed and queen murphy bed in living area. Units are smaller than standard WorldMark units and have a a 3/4 bathroom. Units have a hotel-like kitchen which consists of microwave, mini-fridge, and coffee maker. Unit overlooks the courtyard. There are no laundry facilities or community trash bins in the courtyard building, please use main hotel's facilities. Stairs to all courtyard units. Maximum occupancy 4.
Studio - Hotel: Queen murphy bed in living area. Units are smaller than standard WorldMark units and hava a 3/4 bathroom. Units have hotel-like kitchen which consists of microwave, mini-fridge, and coffee maker. Maximum occupancy 2.​

​

Here’s the 4 month availability for Marina Dunes so you can see the drastic difference and the importance of the 13 month window. For the high demand resorts, you’ll need to be an advance planner.

​

 

[willlbur]

I sure appreciate all of the effort. I am pretty good about making reservations at the earliest dates (based on my HGVC experience),----I was at my computer finger at the ready when the reservation window opened up for the Banff campgrounds last month----but obviously its impossible in a purchase situation. I am also fortunate to be quite flexible on exact dates, but occasionally something unexpected will come up (like the ELO concert in Tacoma at the end of June) and so I was curious. Again, I really appreciate your efforts!

 

[CanadaGuyEh]

I sure appreciate all of the effort. I am pretty good about making reservations at the earliest dates (based on my HGVC experience),----I was at my computer finger at the ready when the reservation window opened up for the Banff campgrounds last month----but obviously its impossible in a purchase situation. I am also fortunate to be quite flexible on exact dates, but occasionally something unexpected will come up (like the ELO concert in Tacoma at the end of June) and so I was curious. Again, I really appreciate your efforts!

Did you end up buying? I too own Hilton and am looking at this as they have more locations

 

[geist1223]

Some of the Penthouses have AC.

 

[willlbur]

Did you end up buying? I too own Hilton and am looking at this as they have more locations

It took a while, but I ended up starting with a 16,000 point contract. It is intended to allow for once a month trips I make to FLL during the winter. I'll give it a season and see if it is enough after taking into account inventory specials. Good luck on your purchase.

 

[CanadaGuyEh]

It took a while, but I ended up starting with a 16,000 point contract. It is intended to allow for once a month trips I make to FLL during the winter. I'll give it a season and see if it is enough after taking into account inventory specials. Good luck on your purchase.

Oh nice - I might just rent from other owners to start with. I have 14,000 points at Hilton and mostly use 1 bedrooms so that gets me 4 weeks roughly a year - which is enough it seems. But are not any HGVC in a lot of places on my list. I was going to buy some worldmark points off a fb group but they just transfer there and I not have an account so you can do that too if you need more ever - something about can get double what you have so if u have 16k can borrow (or rent) 32k etc - but not sure - you'd have to research all that if needed. Thanks for reply!

 

[ecwinch]

Oh nice - I might just rent from other owners to start with. I have 14,000 points at Hilton and mostly use 1 bedrooms so that gets me 4 weeks roughly a year - which is enough it seems. But are not any HGVC in a lot of places on my list. I was going to buy some worldmark points off a fb group but they just transfer there and I not have an account so you can do that too if you need more ever - something about can get double what you have so if u have 16k can borrow (or rent) 32k etc - but not sure - you'd have to research all that if needed. Thanks for reply!

It sounds like you found the WM Credit Rental group and not the group where memberships are bought/sold. The buy/sell group is here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/327001681139264/

Also there is the wmowners.com buy/sell forum:

https://www.wmowners.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=71&sid=1f717adc37d3a116dd28ae041cc2822e

Yesterday there was a fully loaded 10k WM account posted for $3000. Fully loaded meaning they had 20k credits available (this year and last years credits) plus 10k credits available to borrow.

And in terms of the credit transfer rules - the rule is that each year (based on your anniversary date), you can rent in or out, up to 2x your annual credit allocation. So a 10k acct, can rent in an additional 20k credits every year.

 

[CanadaGuyEh]

Nice- thanks! I travel so access denied due to my Ip address on the wmowners but in future I might look at it if travel more

It sounds like you found the WM Credit Rental group and not the group where memberships are bought/sold. The buy/sell group is here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/327001681139264/

Also there is the wmowners.com buy/sell forum:

https://www.wmowners.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=71&sid=1f717adc37d3a116dd28ae041cc2822e

Yesterday there was a fully loaded 10k WM account posted for $3000. Fully loaded meaning they had 20k credits available (this year and last years credits) plus 10k credits available to borrow.

And in terms of the credit transfer rules - the rule is that each year (based on your anniversary date), you can rent in or out, up to 2x your annual credit allocation. So a 10k acct, can rent in an additional 20k credits every year.