Is it ever a good idea to get a Timeshare?

[Gcandela23]

I’ve found a lot of information about how terrible time shares are, but are there any good ones? Is it ever worth it if I’m the type of traveler that doesn’t go to the same place often? I like to go to different places. Or is a vacation club a better idea? Any good ones?

Thank you!

 

[TUGBrian]

absolutely...youll find thousands of happy owners right here as proof.

the key is education, and knowing exactly what you are buying before you buy it. You will find the bulk of the regret and horror stories are from folks who waited to do that research after they became owners!

 

[DaveNV]

I think it depends on your needs, budget, ability to plan ahead, and so forth. If you like staying in different places, a Points-based ownership may work nicely, as long as you can plan ahead properly. You can use points to book time in various locations at various times, both inside the system you own, and through an exchange company if you want to book outside of it. If you want to stay in the same place all the time, then owning a specific week or time at a specific resort works better. Exchanging in and of itself is difficult and can be expensive, and it doesn't work as simply as it used to.

As in all things, your knowledge of the topic goes a long way to help you make the most of what you own. With some research and clear focus on your goals, a timeshare can be a great addition to your life. But they are not for everyone. Buying impulsively, not fully understanding what the bigger picture is, can result in a lot of folks feeling like timeshares aren't worthwhile. Where timeshares are concerned, ignorance isn't bliss - it's a terrible state to live in and can have terrible results.

Dave

 

[Passepartout]

Only under certain circumstances. After you're financially secure. Your kid's education is paid for. Your retirement is assured. You can buy (for cash) in the resale market, and you understand that you are NEVER going to see that money again.

If you fit the above criteria, timeshares are a great way to build memories with family and friends that are hard to get in other ways.

Jim

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Be careful of vacation clubs. Some cost $17,000 or more to buy-in with hefty annual fees and "resort fee" add-ons. When you quit, the $17,000+ is gone. You can buy a resale timeshare for much less and may have some residual value when you are ready to dispose.

We love our resale timeshares and saved a lot of money over renting. However we have been very selective on our properties by looking for certain attributes e.g. can rent out for a margin over MF, OF Maui (location, location, location), reasonable MF to point ratios for trading etc.

Congrats on finding TUG and learn all you can. There are excellent opportunities, but you need to be picky!

 

[taterhed]

I strongly 2nd the advice of @CalGalTraveler

Many 'vacation clubs' are nothing more than another name for timeshare. Also, many are associated with Mexican timeshares--I also strongly advocate NOT becoming involved with Mexican timeshares without professional counseling. I'm sort-of joking, but really--don't jump into any Mexican timeshare agreement without a very long and thorough understanding of such programs.

 

[bogey21]

Only under certain circumstances. After you're financially secure. Your kid's education is paid for. Your retirement is assured. You can buy (for cash) in the resale market, and you understand that you are NEVER going to see that money again.....If you fit the above criteria, timeshares are a great way to build memories with family and friends that are hard to get in other ways.

Great response.

George

 

[LannyPC]

Or is a vacation club a better idea? Any good ones?

Vacation clubs (VC) are not thought of too highly here on TUG. The few members here on TUG who are happy with their VCs are few and far between. Also, the members are usually able to travel at least five weeks per year. Also, what they generally get is about $1000 discount on a $6000 rental. If you are satisfied with 3-star accommodations at 3-star prices, then a VC is worthless to you.

 

[DeniseM]

It all comes down to this:

With a vacation club, you have no idea what you are actually buying, and what you can actually reserve.

With a deeded timeshare, you can do your homework upfront, and be very confident about what you are actually buying.

 

[Steve Fatula]

I’ve found a lot of information about how terrible time shares are, but are there any good ones? Is it ever worth it if I’m the type of traveler that doesn’t go to the same place often? I like to go to different places. Or is a vacation club a better idea? Any good ones?

Thank you!

Boy there is a lot of horror stories, no doubt about it. Some sites talk about nothing but how bad timeshares are. And you'll find lots of sites promoting get rid of your timeshare, which sounds real negative, but really most of those are scams. That being said, we purchased 20 years ago. We remain extremely happy with our purchase. Despite the fact we were uneducated about timeshares at the time, and therefore, bought from the developer, we have made our money we spent many times over. You can just use them in a very bad way (easy to do), or, you can figure out how to use them for your purposes effectively. Assuming they are a fit for you. We took a 4 week Australia trip last year, and in that one trip, just about paid for our original purchase in savings! We got into places that were renting for $300-$500 for < $100 per night (in maintenance fees). When you combine your timeshare purchase with other tricks such as credit cards for that program (assuming you pay off each month), airlines miles programs, and, possibly if you can stomach it and say no timeshare presentation salesmen, you can save even more money. Our entire Australia 4 weeks trip was a few thousand dollars, everything, car, airfare, timeshare stays, maintenance fees, transportation, parking. We were in 4 different cities. It was all "paid" for as above. Even roundtrip flights were free.

Do you think an average purchaser might do this? No. Education is the key. We would not have 20 years ago, that's for certain. It took some planning ahead. Our little picture you see by our name to the left is the pool area from the Marriott timeshare in Australia.

Another point is what are the odds we would have ever made such a trip without owning? Our answer - close to 0. We have gone all around the world. One of our favorites was Iguazu falls. But so many others as well. Those are the types of things you will remember forever. So many people are reluctant to spend money on trips, and even if they can finally do so, find the cheapest possible place. That can work I suppose, but, it's so much better for us in villas, with kitchens, and most of the home luxuries and comforts. Some will say who needs a kitchen. Are you really going to eat out 3 meals a day for 4 weeks? I would be so sick! When you pay you fees yearly, you are going to go and use it.

I could ramble on, but, wanted to provide my quick review of timeshare ownership for us so you can at least get one positive view since you've likely hd dozens or more negative views.

 

[WinniWoman]

They can be the best thing you ever did or your worst nightmare. It all depends on what you want and what you can afford and how you use them.

Some people love Vacation clubs. Some love points timeshares and some love deeded fixed week timeshare.Some like drive-tos and some don't mind paying airfare every year. An equal amount of people dislike each of these choices. Some people like to rent.

I suggest you write down the pros and cons of each and do some research here on TUG to get a clear vision of what you want and don't want and more importantly what you will actually use. Then acquire an inexpensive resale if you decide to go with a timeshare.

PS Acquiring our drive to, fixed week, deeded timeshares is the best thing we ever did.

 

[tonyg]

I'm with Mary Ann on what to buy. After 30 years of buying, selling and trading timeshares- I now own 2 fixed weeks and one every other year week at the same resort that has low maintenance fees. I've owned over a dozen weeks and only once bought from the developer (and promptly rescinded). Never liked the idea of points.
My advice is to buy only that which you can pay for in full, in cash on the resale market. Buy where you will go from time to time without a long expensive trip to get there. Tho I have come out a little bit ahead with the buying and selling over the years- you should not expect to get much should you be able to sell your timeshare down the road. Buy somewhere where an independent HOA controls the resort and keep an eye on things or try to get on that HOA board. Try to get a resort that has a exit strategy for their owners when the time comes that timesharing is no longer viable. Calculate what it will cost you each trip to the home resort and for an exchange and remember that these costs will most likely increase every year. Each cost should include Maintenance fees, taxes, exchange company membership cost and exchange fees, as well transportation costs. Buy only as much as you can use and don't expect to recoup all expenses and make a profit by renting. It has been a long and enjoyable trip and I've managed to avoid and annoy scam artists along the way.

 

[bogey21]

Buy somewhere where an independent HOA controls the resort and keep an eye on things or try to get on that HOA board. Try to get a resort that has a exit strategy for their owners when the time comes that timesharing is no longer viable. Calculate what it will cost you each trip to the home resort and for an exchange and remember that these costs will most likely increase every year. Each cost should include Maintenance fees, taxes, exchange company membership cost and exchange fees, as well transportation costs. Buy only as much as you can use and don't expect to recoup all expenses and make a profit by renting.

This is where I ended up (six Resorts in six different places) after some early false starts. My cost for the six was somewhere between $6,500-$8,000. When I divested (health and old age) I recovered about $1,500 of my cost which was not bad as I used my Weeks many, many years.

George

 

[taterhed]

Boy there is a lot of horror stories, no doubt about it. Some sites talk about nothing but how bad timeshares are. And you'll find lots of sites promoting get rid of your timeshare, which sounds real negative, but really most of those are scams. That being said, we purchased 20 years ago. We remain extremely happy with our purchase. Despite the fact we were uneducated about timeshares at the time, and therefore, bought from the developer, we have made our money we spent many times over. You can just use them in a very bad way (easy to do), or, you can figure out how to use them for your purposes effectively. Assuming they are a fit for you. We took a 4 week Australia trip last year, and in that one trip, just about paid for our original purchase in savings! We got into places that were renting for $300-$500 for < $100 per night (in maintenance fees). When you combine your timeshare purchase with other tricks such as credit cards for that program (assuming you pay off each month), airlines miles programs, and, possibly if you can stomach it and say no timeshare presentation salesmen, you can save even more money. Our entire Australia 4 weeks trip was a few thousand dollars, everything, car, airfare, timeshare stays, maintenance fees, transportation, parking. We were in 4 different cities. It was all "paid" for as above. Even roundtrip flights were free.

Do you think an average purchaser might do this? No. Education is the key. We would not have 20 years ago, that's for certain. It took some planning ahead. Our little picture you see by our name to the left is the pool area from the Marriott timeshare in Australia.

Another point is what are the odds we would have ever made such a trip without owning? Our answer - close to 0. We have gone all around the world. One of our favorites was Iguazu falls. But so many others as well. Those are the types of things you will remember forever. So many people are reluctant to spend money on trips, and even if they can finally do so, find the cheapest possible place. That can work I suppose, but, it's so much better for us in villas, with kitchens, and most of the home luxuries and comforts. Some will say who needs a kitchen. Are you really going to eat out 3 meals a day for 4 weeks? I would be so sick! When you pay you fees yearly, you are going to go and use it.

I could ramble on, but, wanted to provide my quick review of timeshare ownership for us so you can at least get one positive view since you've likely hd dozens or more negative views.

Great post @Steve Fatula

I'd like to echo that:

Timeshares can provide a MUCH higher standard of living while vacationing. Here, it's not about price or being 'cheap,' it's about living in a home, not a room.

Timeshares can force, or at least persuade, you to take vacations and 'get out of the house.' Too easy to give up travel and just 'staycation' until you can't travel anymore.

As with many things, you can 'work the system' to get incredible values in timesharing. I think most people don't work very hard to achieve these kinds of values, but it's possible. As with anything, it all depends on how much work you're willing to put into the project. Intensive effort equals intensive results. Little or no effort.....well, that leads to timeshare horror stories: "...I've owned a timeshare for 3 years and haven't used it yet!" Yes, this is a very true quote. (not me)

So, understand that this isn't a 'magic vacation machine' that will spit out fantastic vacations at your feet.....it's an opportunity for those who can 'work the system' to get what they desire. Some of these vacations are relatively easy to get and enjoy. Others--like peak weeks during peak season at peak locations--are very difficult to achieve and usually go to those with a great deal of money or time invested in the process.

good luck, and welcome.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

+1 Fully agree with @taterhed's post.

Just wanted to add that you don't have to work the system - but you need to understand it. I have several friends who purchased one week from the developer and use their week every year. They don't arbitrage - they don't bother to trade or maximize points. They just use and love it. The majority of timeshare owners probably fall into this category. That's a perfectly fine strategy (but recommend resale to save money). I get a kick out of maximizing our weeks/points and planning our next adventure (most Tuggers probably treat it like a hobby) but some people see planning and trading as a hassle and just want to vacation - and that's fine too.

 

[geist1223]

We bought our first timeshare account together before we have married 16 years ago. Through timeshares we have stayed in France, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Fiji, several trips to Australia and New Zealand. This list does not include all of our trips to Canada, Mexico, and all around the USA (including many trips to Hawaii). We own in two different Point Systems and we have floating weeks in a Mexican AI. Last year we did a 4 week trip to New Zealand and Australia (including Tasmania). Many of these trips would never have happened without timeshares. This year our trips have or will include Mexico for 3 weeks, 2 weeks Victoria BC, 2 weeks Maui, 1 week Yellowstone, 3 weeks New Orleans, and 1 week in Seaside Oregon.

Having said this timeshares are not for many people. Point timeshares do not work if you can not do detail planing 13 months in advance. We have heard complaints from many people about their Point timeshare. They try to get Hawaii or other popular are with only 6 to 9 months planning. We had friends that tried a temporary Point Membership. It did not work because they only plan a month or two in advance and cost is not an issue. People with Deeded Weeks might get tired of the same place every year and do not learn how to trade into other places/timeshares. Also cost of trading are going up.

So you have to carefully analyse your own personality and how you go about planning your vacations. Timeshares may not be for you. There are many, many unhappy former timeshares owners. There are many, many happy timeshare owners.

 

[JudiZ]

Yesterday at work, I commented that I had just booked our vacation for next February. We are taking our grandson to Disneyland, the mecca of all things Pixar Cars. One of our co-workers had recently been with four adults and one child in two motel rooms - food and lodging were their second largest expense . I said we had a two bedroom condo with a full kitchen. Then she asked about our upcoming trip to Epcot Food and Wine. I said we had a two bedroom condo for that as well. When she asked, "how do you do that," I answered timeshares - we own two weeks and one points system. Her exact reaction - "my daughter has a timeshare and they are such a ripoff!" That sort of sums up the dichotomy of time sharing - it either works for you or it doesn't and the choice is mostly the owners.

As others have shared, after years of buying and selling (one from a developer and I have never regretted), using extra vacations and trading, we have enjoyed many, many wonderful vacations in spacious, comfortable and some downright glamorous accommodations. And as many have also said in numerous threads, we here at TUG are a smallish group of very well informed buyers, sellers and users. So if you want to really look at the options and consider what's right for you, this is the place. Experience, wisdom and a minimal amount of snark.

Welcome to TUG.

Judi

 

[rickandcindy23]

Yesterday at work, I commented that I had just booked our vacation for next February. We are taking our grandson to Disneyland, the mecca of all things Pixar Cars. One of our co-workers had recently been with four adults and one child in two motel rooms - food and lodging were their second largest expense . I said we had a two bedroom condo with a full kitchen. Then she asked about our upcoming trip to Epcot Food and Wine. I said we had a two bedroom condo for that as well. When she asked, "how do you do that," I answered timeshares - we own two weeks and one points system. Her exact reaction - "my daughter has a timeshare and they are such a ripoff!" That sort of sums up the dichotomy of time sharing - it either works for you or it doesn't and the choice is mostly the owners.

As others have shared, after years of buying and selling (one from a developer and I have never regretted), using extra vacations and trading, we have enjoyed many, many wonderful vacations in spacious, comfortable and some downright glamorous accommodations. And as many have also said in numerous threads, we here at TUG are a smallish group of very well informed buyers, sellers and users. So if you want to really look at the options and consider what's right for you, this is the place. Experience, wisdom and a minimal amount of snark.

Welcome to TUG.

Judi

This is such a great post. This is my experience with telling people we own timeshares. People are negative about it, and when you tell them your experience, they don't believe you because that is the first time anyone said anything good about a timeshare.

Even my stepsister had a horrible experience in buying Westgate near Disney. Unfortunately, she didn't say anything to me before buying it. She and her husband visited from Georgia and bought a small one bedroom. They never went anywhere with it and rarely used it. Finally, they got rid of it. I dare not ask how they got rid of it.

It was fairly inexpensive, probably only about $6K for an EOY, but they were so unhappy about it. Westgate is on the bottom of my list for a timeshare trade into the Disney area. I would rather stay at a Marriott or Hilton or so many others. It's an easy trade to Orlando and we don't own Orlando for that reason. But she is now completely disgusted with timeshare and won't buy anything. Maybe when she is older and closer to retirement I can sit down and discuss it with her. But they have no kids, so hotels are maybe something she can live with. She is about 14 years younger

 

[FFC]

Yes, it can be well worth it! I bought a timeshare four years ago (from the developer, before I knew about the resale market) because I never take vacations. My timeshare is two hours from my house in a wonderful mountain community. Because I have it, I have always used it and have loved it. It is an every other year timeshare, and I am currently in the process of buying another, bigger, timeshare at the same place for the opposite years as a resale (thanks, TUG people!). I knew better than to think of it as a financial investment - it is an investment in me, my need to disconnect and to spend time with my family. Now in even years, I (will) have a large unit big enough for my adult children and eventual SO’s to visit, and in the odd years, just enough room for me and a friend or two to go up for two three day weekends during the year. Perfect!

Edit - I should add that I have learned a few things along the way - I bought the cheapest season just to get into the property, which was a mistake. Much harder to get the time I want (who knew that Memorial Day weekend and Oktoberfest weekend were considered summer time???). I also should not have financed it, but I paid it off when I learned why that was not a good deal. I don’t really regret buying from the developer, as certain benefits are only available when you do so (not true of every place, but true at mine). Now I have the benefits and don’t care if the resales don’t include them.

 

[AJCts411]

I am new to timesharing, so from a newbie point of view. I bought to be able to afford to keep vacationing in popular pricy Key West. My normal rental options skyrocketed, and are going up and up. Even, just bought a second week. BUT I also considered the trading strength of the associated points, and how difficult to rent my week privately. I found my solution, stay, trade, or rent, and in less than 5 years, can walk away ahead versus renting, even if I gave the weeks away. Hyatt/II is my solution, have a lot of points if I go II, some good locations within HRC. I totally agree with the "buy were you vacation" mantra. This site and members offer a lot of excellent advice, I would do what suits you best after considering it.

 

[DaveNV]

I don't care much what other people think of timesharing. I know what works for me. I've learned that owning timeshares has allowed me to visit places I wouldn't normally go, and to go on vacation more often than I ever used to. Prior to timesharing, my vacations were haphazard, and many involved a lot of couch surfing at the homes of relatives and friends I'd drive to visit. (Not that there's anything wrong with that. I like visiting friends and family, but I've mostly seen where they live. I want to see something new.) With timeshares, my trips are planned well ahead of time - I know where I'm going and when, I can invite others to join me, I can budget for the trip, I can more easily afford it when it happens, and I know I will more greatly enjoy it. For me, it's been a great "preoccupation."

At my work, people often ask, "So when's the next trip to Hawaii?" Or "Where are you going this year?" I always smile, because they think of me as a vacationing maniac. I get no more vacation time than they do, but they know I use it to my advantage. When I tell them when and where we're going, they roll their eyes, and say, "Gee, I wish I could go on vacation like you do." I tell them they could, if they wanted to take the time to learn how to do it. They say timeshares are too expensive, and I tell them I get mine on eBay for a dollar. (Many raised eyebrows, and doubtful expressions.)

I explain that the ongoing costs are the same, and the real difference is what you pay to get it. A few have asked how that works, and I've tried to explain how to do it. But most people aren't seriously interested. I think they want it to just happen for them. Timesharing doesn't really work that way. In my experience, you get from it what you put into it. And that's a huge part of the enjoyment: Planning ahead is a large part of the fun for me.

Many years ago, one of the "Humor in Uniform" anecdotes in Reader's Digest was the story of a soldier who came home for the Holidays as a surprise visit. He didn't tell anyone he was coming. After the shock and surprise and the hugs, the Mother kept crying. The soldier asked why she wasn't happy to see him. The Mother said, "I'm very happy to see you. But by not telling me you were coming, you have denied me the pleasure of anticipating your arrival."

I always think of that, every time I book a timeshare for some time in the future. As the trip gets closer, and my plans and research start lining up, I am greatly anticipating the trip. It's exciting, and fun. Anticipation is a free thing that for me makes the experience even greater. It adds a value to the actual time away, and it increases my enjoyment of the entire experience. I like that a lot.

Dave

 

[Sapper]

I'm also fairly new to the timeshare thing. My wife and I had supper at the Hyatt Highlands Inn at the suggestion of a friend. I was SHOCKED that the place was a timeshare, as I had only heard bad things about time shares. I lurked here for about a year trying to understand the different systems. I really liked what I had seen with Hyatt, and liked how their system was set up, so finally convinced my wife that we should take the plunge. I am sure that she agreed just to get me to shut up about it. We ended up with Hyatt Beach House in Key West resale off ebay. It has been fantastic. We have been able to stay in a number of locations which we otherwise would not have. Two weeks ago we signed on a ski and summer week at HGVC Valdoro (RESALE!). It took significantly (surprisingly) little convincing of my wife this time around. Hopefully it will be transferred in the next couple of months, and we can start exploring the HGVC system.

While we could have visited a number of locations and stayed in a hotel. The timeshare seems to really stand out in a few ways. As others have mentioned, buying a unit with more points associated with it, then using the points to stay in units costing less points (either due to size differences or lower demand times), allows you to increase the value angle. You may also use the system to get into a location which would have otherwise been unavailable (high demand time at a high demand location). Lastly, it is not just my wife and me traveling now. We have a little guy who is growing quickly. Having the increased room to spread out makes vacation more enjoyable. Being able to have other family travel along with us (BABYSITTERS!) makes it even better. Using the kitchen to make meals for our family is enjoyable and reduces costs. For example, there is no way we could have rented a three bedroom in Aspen when snow was on the ground, but we were able to trade in and have a great vacation with family.

As an aside, our co-workers thought we were stupid for buying a timeshare. Now they are asking where we are going to travel to and use a timeshare next.

I still hear people who hate or hated their timeshare. In fact, if it were not for these people, I would not have been able to purchase inexpensively resale. One of the common threads when I speak with these folks is a lack of education. Either they did not know what they were getting into when they purchased from the developer, did not know how to use the timeshare once they had it, or did not want to spend the time to figure out how to maximize their use. My suggestion is to spend some time here on TUG, understand the different systems, figure out the locations you can see your self visiting (possibly repeatedly), figure out what system, location, unit, etc... will work for you, and that you are comfortable paying for the maintenance fees on every year, then research sales on here, redweek, ebay, myresortnetwork, and anywhere else you can find. Figure out what the specific unit you want will cost, figure out if you can pay for it with available funds (do not take a loan)... <DECIDE IF ALL THIS IS REALLY FOR YOU, IT MAY NOT BE> then make an offer. Some get taken by the developer or management company through ROFR. If it happens, all you loose is time. It can be great and frustrating. Good luck.

 

[WinniWoman]

I don't care much what other people think of timesharing. I know what works for me. I've learned that owning timeshares has allowed me to visit places I wouldn't normally go, and to go on vacation more often than I ever used to. Prior to timesharing, my vacations were haphazard, and many involved a lot of couch surfing at the homes of relatives and friends I'd drive to visit. (Not that there's anything wrong with that. I like visiting friends and family, but I've mostly seen where they live. I want to see something new.) With timeshares, my trips are planned well ahead of time - I know where I'm going and when, I can invite others to join me, I can budget for the trip, I can more easily afford it when it happens, and I know I will more greatly enjoy it. For me, it's been a great "preoccupation."

At my work, people often ask, "So when's the next trip to Hawaii?" Or "Where are you going this year?" I always smile, because they think of me as a vacationing maniac. I get no more vacation time than they do, but they know I use it to my advantage. When I tell them when and where we're going, they roll their eyes, and say, "Gee, I wish I could go on vacation like you do." I tell them they could, if they wanted to take the time to learn how to do it. They say timeshares are too expensive, and I tell them I get mine on eBay for a dollar. (Many raised eyebrows, and doubtful expressions.)

I explain that the ongoing costs are the same, and the real difference is what you pay to get it. A few have asked how that works, and I've tried to explain how to do it. But most people aren't seriously interested. I think they want it to just happen for them. Timesharing doesn't really work that way. In my experience, you get from it what you put into it. And that's a huge part of the enjoyment: Planning ahead is a large part of the fun for me.

Many years ago, one of the "Humor in Uniform" anecdotes in Reader's Digest was the story of a soldier who came home for the Holidays as a surprise visit. He didn't tell anyone he was coming. After the shock and surprise and the hugs, the Mother kept crying. The soldier asked why she wasn't happy to see him. The Mother said, "I'm very happy to see you. But by not telling me you were coming, you have denied me the pleasure of anticipating your arrival."

I always think of that, every time I book a timeshare for some time in the future. As the trip gets closer, and my plans and research start lining up, I am greatly anticipating the trip. It's exciting, and fun. Anticipation is a free thing that for me makes the experience even greater. It adds a value to the actual time away, and it increases my enjoyment of the entire experience. I like that a lot.

Dave

I love that story, Dave!

 

[DaveNV]

I love that story, Dave!

Thank you. Since I was a career military man, I could easily see my Mom as the Mother in that story. I never came home for a visit without telling her I was coming. I think she liked the anticipation as much as I did.

Dave

 

[GT75]

Wow, I read through the experiences here and ours pretty much the same. We got into our system in 2011. It took about 1 year to understand how it worked but once we did, we kept adding weeks in the same system because we loved it so much. I can not imagine trying to go back to a "hotel" room on vacation ever again. We are continuing to travel and plan. This does seem like a hobby and a fun one too. Now, we are of the age where we can travel almost anytime. Some trips are for ourselves, some with family members and some with friends. We are actually getting somewhat of a routine. One of the first comments from friends is, I saw where you just been on FB, where are you traveling to next? I am sure that we would have been traveling some but just not this much without of TS.