My Survey

[Patrol17]

Hello all

I have been given an Interval International getaway last year from a friend to visit Marriot Grande Vista and the Sheraton Vistana Resort. It was a great 2 weeks vacation for my family. My friend informed me that the cost for that 2 weeks getaway was in sale and only cost around $600, and he also showed me some of the listed prices for the II getaway and it was really good.

This might sounds odd, but I wanted to become a TS owner for one reason, to be able to have access to the Interval International getaways. It will for sure cost me for the annual MF and the annual II membership but that is fine with me as I might be able to find a low-star resale timeshare that has a minimal MF as I’m not planning to visit it during my week nor trade with it J

I really like to travel and can use the II getaways efficiently in Orlando, Colorado, California, Hawaii, Mexico, and part of Europe where applicable.

Below are my answers to the survey, and looking forward for your suggestions. Thanks all in advance.






1) Is there a vacation destination you wish to visit most of the time or on a regular basis? if so where?

Orlando

2) Do you want to visit your home resort at least half the time, or do you want to trade more than half the time?

Doesn’t want to visit the home resort, nor trade with it. Just wanted to have access to the II and RCI if possible.

3) What are your 5 top trade destinations?

My top 6 getaways destinations are Orlando, Colorado, California, Hawaii, Mexico, and part of Europe where applicable.

4) How many people do you usually travel with?

5

5) Can you travel any time, or are you locked into the school schedule?

I can travel anytime.

6) Can you make firm plans 12 or more mos. in advance?

Yes

7) Can you vacation for a full week at a time?

Yes

8) What level of accommodations do you prefer on a scale of 1 to 5 stars?

For the getaways I prefer to stay in a 4 or 5 star accommodations.

9) How much can you afford to spend upfront, without financing?

Resale market value and not to exceed $2000

10) How much can you afford to spend every year for a maintenance fee that will come due right after Christmas, and increase each year?

$600

11) Are you a detail oriented planner?

Yes

12) Do you understand that once you buy a timeshare, it may be very difficult to sell or give away, and you are responsible for all fees, until you do?

Yes

 

[theo]

Just a few thoughts and observations:

1. Resorts are affiliated with RCI or II, sometimes both. If you are truly enamored of II and are bound and determined to purchase a timeshare only to access II Getaways, make sure that your (resale market only) purchase is at a II-affiliated resort. Statistically, II affiliation is a much smaller number of resorts than RCI affiliates; just bear in mind that a purchase at a RCI-only affiliated property will not provide you with access to II membership or II Getaways.

2. A $600 maximum on annual maintenance fees for an annual use ownership is frankly a bit unrealistic and will be difficult to find.

3. II Getaways are mostly leftover / excess inventory; you are unlikely to find "prime time" dates in high demand locations being offered as Getaways.
If you do find high demand dates in prime locations being offered as Getaways, they will be priced accordingly --- not offered on the cheap.

 

[vacationtime1]

You might consider an every other year unit at Sheraton Vistana Villages (not Resort), but only in the Bella or Key West phases. These will not only get you to Orlando (which isn't hard, as you know), but they also have StarOptions which can be used to go to Hawaii, Palm Desert, California, and Cancun, Mexico. Read up on the Vistana system here: https://tugbbs.com/forums/index.php...-to-timesharing-or-starwood-start-here.63224/

A two bedroom in prime season (which is the most cost effective) will cost about $1-1,000 on eBay and have annual fees of about $750 (including the club fee which includes an Interval membership). That annual fee is about $600 for the unit because the usage is every other year (i.e. $1,200 per use) and the club fee is about $140/year.

 

[VacationForever]

You may want to know that while Orlando resorts do have cheap getaways because it has more supply than demand, if Hawaii weeks do show up on Getaways, you will be looking at $1K to $2K per week or more. Same thing with ski weeks in Colorado.

 

[WalnutBaron]

Remember that II Getaways are basically II's method of unloading distressed inventory, typically (but not always) during non-peak times, e.g. Palm Springs in the summer months or northern locations in the winter. Some locations, like Orlando or Las Vegas, which are overbuilt and always have inventory, can be had most months of the year through Getaways, though you have to be flexible about the type and rating of resort. Among your desired locations, Hawaii Getaways are very tough to find unless you're willing to take 2 or 3 star properties, and California Getaways are also difficult unless you're willing to travel off-season.