Short trips

[talkamotta]

I was reading on another thread that the poster had flown to their destination for a 3 day vacation. I flew to New Orleans for one week. I used to fly for one week vacations when I worked but now that I'm retired its 2 or 3 weeks. But I don't think I would fly for less than a week unless it was something for a family member. The cost per day just doesn't make sense. If the destination is close by say 300 miles I would drive for partial weeks.

Do many of you fly for partial weeks? How do you justify the cost and time wasted with airline travel. How do most of you use your worldmark?

 

[geist1223]

Now that we are retired our fly to locations are 3 to 4 weeks. Even our drive to locations are at least a week.

 

[DaveNV]

I'm in exactly the same head space you are. For the hassle and expense of flying someplace, I need to be gone long enough to justify things. That's why all my Hawaii vacations were at least two weeks long. My trip next year to Hawaii will be three weeks long.

I'm currently at WM Avenue Plaza in New Orleans for a week. When booking this trip, I realized the cost of flying for two from Seattle to New Orleans for just a week was pretty expensive. So I looked for ways to extend the vacation. I found there is a cruise ship that leaves from New Orleans and heads down to the Caribbean (stops at Cozumel and Progreso/Merida in the Yucatan) on a five day cruise, then back to New Orleans. It happens to depart the same day we check out of the timeshare, and the price through Costco.com Travel was crazy cheap for a balcony stateroom, ($750 each), so I booked it. Now our 7-day New Orleans trip is a 12-day trip, and the only real change is departure date at the airport after we're all done. This makes it very worthwhile, in my book.

As to other WM stays, it depends on the situation. If it's totally for pleasure, it has to be at least a few days' worth, at minimum, and within driving distance of my home. Seems counterproductive to pay to fly somewhere for a short period of time, use the WM credits, plus pay for housekeeping. If it was a discounted thing, like Monday Madness paid in cash, it might be different. But so far, my trips with WM have been booked with credits. So the longer the stay, the cheaper it seems to be.

Dave

 

[ecwinch]

I was reading on another thread that the poster had flown to their destination for a 3 day vacation. I flew to New Orleans for one week. I used to fly for one week vacations when I worked but now that I'm retired its 2 or 3 weeks. But I don't think I would fly for less than a week unless it was something for a family member. The cost per day just doesn't make sense. If the destination is close by say 300 miles I would drive for partial weeks.

Do many of you fly for partial weeks? How do you justify the cost and time wasted with airline travel. How do most of you use your worldmark?

We just road trip most places. String together a bunch of reservations and make a journey out of it.

The downside to that strategy is after using it for a while, you tend to put down ruts in traveling the same paths. Moving might to the solution to that problem, as having to drive 8+ hrs just to get out of Texas is getting old.

 

[JohnPaul]

Back in the days when airlines only counted miles (vs $) for status we took several long distance short trips.

One was San Jose, CA to Orlando, FL where we stayed overnight and flew home.

Another was Seattle to Oslo for a 4 day weekend.

As noted, the impetus was low fares and lots of miles toward airline status vs a planned vacation.

 

[talkamotta]

My son used to do the elite status with delta because he travels for work. Now he keeps the companion pass status going with swa. That seemed easier to get. Segments with swa was the best. I have done the credit card game which worked good. My son worked for swa and the mom pass was great...... a couple of times it was an adventure. Good material for stories, the ones your kids don't want you telling the grandkids what the grandma does. The airlines are getting better about filling up the flights even midweek.

 

[talkamotta]

Is it hard to get back to back to back weeks with worldmark. I have weeks that I've owned for years. It's getting harder to get 3 weeks in a row. I plan out a year in advance and I'm flexible. I will get a week I really want and book it then I have to do specific weeks in each side. It's getting harder. I'm hoping it will be easier with worldmark? How do you do it?

 

[ecwinch]

Is it hard to get back to back to back weeks with worldmark. I have weeks that I've owned for years. It's getting harder to get 3 weeks in a row. I plan out a year in advance and I'm flexible. I will get a week I really want and book it then I have to do specific weeks in each side. It's getting harder. I'm hoping it will be easier with worldmark? How do you do it?

I dont find it hard, but a lot depends on how far out you are booking and location. I am in the process of putting together a big west coast trip for next summer. I have already booked Pismo Beach and Marina Dunes as they need to be booked 13 months out. I will do the same for Depoe Bay when I am 13 months out. But the rest of our trip I will probably just wait until inside 10 months out, in the hope that the some form of cash booking opens up for them. Any enroute reservations (Rancho Vista, Scottsdale/PHX, Indio) I will book the same way or hope for BT.

Another reason for holding off is that I try to use WM for Sun-Thur stays, avoiding the high-cost weekends. Travelling on Fri or Sat and staying using some non-WM option.

 

[magmue]

I am in the process of putting together a big west coast trip for next summer. I have already booked Pismo Beach and Marina Dunes as they need to be booked 13 months out. I will do the same for Depoe Bay when I am 13 months out. But the rest of our trip I will probably just wait until inside 10 months out

Is there a handy cheat sheet somewhere (maybe on wmowners?) of Worldmark resorts that are best booked on the dot at 13 months? Some are obvious, like Palm Springs during Coachella or New Orleans during Mardi Gras.
I ask because we are looking at a driving trip up from Oregon through Seattle into BC and Banff for last summer 2020. So the earliest I'll be able to book is beginning of July for next year.

 

[talkamotta]

I have June 5 which is a Friday start date for whispering woods. So I was hoping when Wyndam gets done messing around I will have a chance for Sun to Friday before.for a another resort on the coast in oregon. Will push it to include wasington. If it gets closer idaho will work.I live in SLC so it's not too far.

 

[ecwinch]

Is there a handy cheat sheet somewhere (maybe on wmowners?) of Worldmark resorts that are best booked on the dot at 13 months? Some are obvious, like Palm Springs during Coachella or New Orleans during Mardi Gras.
I ask because we are looking at a driving trip up from Oregon through Seattle into BC and Banff for last summer 2020. So the earliest I'll be able to book is beginning of July for next year.

If there is such a list on WMowners, I am not aware of it.


For the most part Hawaii, Fiji, Marina Dunes, Pismo Beach have to be booked 13 months out most times of the year. In the summer - West Yellowstone in the summer, coastal oregon/wa have to be booked at or near the 13th month mark. Also the larger unit sizes (i.e. 2BR in Seattle, penthouse unit in Victoria) - just because there are so few units.

You may be fine with Banff - but summer units tend to go quickly.

 

[magmue]

Thanks.

 

[rhonda]

My WM Reservation History shows 148 entries. Most are short stays, 1-3 nights, within driving distance. We book 4 nights for Pagosa Springs each year for a conference but really only stay 3.5 as we start for home at midnight on the last event day. I stayed last night (1 night) at WM Havasu Dunes while passing through the area on an errand.

We flew to WM New Orleans last year for 3 nights during Mardi Gras and flew to Orlando twice in Oct for short DVC visits (3 nights; 2 nights). Last year we had Southwest Airline's companion pass ... so were flying "2 for 1" and making the most of the benefit.

 

[rhonda]

Road trippin' .... YES!

Our first WM Road Trip, San Diego to Vancouver and back.

• Pismo Beach 5/18/2002 5/19/2002 1,450
• Angels Camp 5/16/2002 5/18/2002 2,450 >> The "KEY" reservation for the trip to coincide with the Calaveras County Fair ... had to see the Frog Jump!!
• Running Y 5/15/2002 5/16/2002 1,100 (a WM unit)
• Schooner Landing 5/14/2002 5/15/2002 1,000
• Surfside Inn 5/13/2002 5/14/2002 700
• Vancouver - The Canadian 5/11/2002 5/13/2002 2,750
• Mariner Village 5/10/2002 5/11/2002 1,125
• Gleneden 5/9/2002 5/10/2002 700
• Running Y 5/7/2002 5/9/2002 1,400 (an Eagle's Crest (?) unit)
• Clear Lake 5/6/2002 5/7/2002 850
• Marina Dunes 5/4/2002 5/6/2002 3,400

Our second WM Road Trip, San Diego to Zion NP, Yellowstone NP, (Mt Rushmore out of network), Rocky Mountain NP and other great sites

• Palm Springs 6/28/2008 6/30/2008 1,675
• Las Vegas - Boulevard 6/27/2008 6/28/2008 1,950
• Midway 6/25/2008 6/27/2008 2,200
• Estes Park 6/23/2008 6/25/2008 2,400
• West Yellowstone 6/17/2008 6/21/2008 7,350
• Bear Lake 6/16/2008 6/17/2008 1,100
• St. George 6/14/2008 6/16/2008 3,400

Mileage Run during a fare sale? Sure!

• WorldMark Resort Port Stephens 9/7/2002 9/11/2002 5,700

Great system, right?

 

[talkamotta]

I'm very impressed that you could put that together. How do you do it? Do you have to pay for housekeeping? We want to do more road trips. There are some places to me that are not week stays but more like 3 or 4 day stays unless you do a lot of driving. I live in northern Utah so just driving up to Bear Lake for a couple of days for a getaway would be great.
This will be a change for me. I'm at smugglers notch in vermont right now and this is our 3rd week. We spent the first 2 weeks in the same unit at Samoset in Rockland Maine. This is usually how we have travelled. Flights are usually a lot cheaper so going from Tuesday to Friday and then picking up a Friday to Friday week could stretch the travel budget. I have flown for a week before especially before I retired but I'm not that crazy about flying as I used to be. It seems like a travel day eats up a whole day and you get nothing but getting to your destination. Where as sometimes a travel day by far can be one of the best days of your trip.

 

[rhonda]

I'm very impressed that you could put that together. How do you do it? Do you have to pay for housekeeping? We want to do more road trips. There are some places to me that are not week stays but more like 3 or 4 day stays unless you do a lot of driving. I live in northern Utah so just driving up to Bear Lake for a couple of days for a getaway would be great.
This will be a change for me. I'm at smugglers notch in vermont right now and this is our 3rd week. We spent the first 2 weeks in the same unit at Samoset in Rockland Maine. This is usually how we have travelled. Flights are usually a lot cheaper so going from Tuesday to Friday and then picking up a Friday to Friday week could stretch the travel budget. I have flown for a week before especially before I retired but I'm not that crazy about flying as I used to be. It seems like a travel day eats up a whole day and you get nothing but getting to your destination. Where as sometimes a travel day by far can be one of the best days of your trip.

How do I do it? Mostly online ... but by phone for the grouped reservations. Even if I'm phoning, I've stalked the inventory patterns and know what to anticipate in the dialog. I use the WL pretty frequently and will accept just about any unit size. FWIW, I think the grouped reservations were far easier to book before some of the recent rule reservations ... but I've still managed to pull them off. This one was booked "at the last minute" when we sailed from San Diego to Seattle with intent to take the Amtrak back. The rail went of out service while we were the ship ... so we rented a car and drove home.

• Solvang 5/4/2017 5/5/2017 0
• Clear Lake 5/3/2017 5/4/2017 0
• Seaside 5/1/2017 5/3/2017 0
• Seattle - The Camlin 4/29/2017 5/1/2017 0

Housekeeping? Ah, no.

Smuggs for 3 weeks? I'd be tearing my hair out. We exchanged in for a fall leaf-peeping week years ago. Enjoyed the area, did lots of driving, bought a map of covered bridges and saw as many as we could reach ... saw the grave of Justin Morgan, ate at Ben'n'Jerry's ... but really didn't care for the resort. Hated the unit and didn't care much for the staff's treatment of inbound exchange guests. I assume I went in with my expectations set too high. ;-)

We went through the "flying ain't as grand as it used to be" phase a while back. Enrolling in a Known Traveller program for TSA-Pre has really made a difference for us and restores the airport experience. The 'travel day' becomes a chance to work together as a team again, reconnect while confined to airplane seats, etc. We feel the trip is officially started at push back from the gate .. holding hands but sometimes across the aisle.

For us, if traveling as a couple, it is more about the journey than the destination. The destination, resort and unit become more important when 'vacationing' with family and staying longer (5 nights?) in one place.

• Orlando - Reunion 12/29/2018 1/3/2019 0

Also, for us, the economics of animal care favors short trips. The dog and cats are easy ... but the Parrot and Horses are $$$/day.

 

[ecwinch]

I'm very impressed that you could put that together. How do you do it? Do you have to pay for housekeeping? We want to do more road trips. There are some places to me that are not week stays but more like 3 or 4 day stays unless you do a lot of driving. I live in northern Utah so just driving up to Bear Lake for a couple of days for a getaway would be great.
This will be a change for me. I'm at smugglers notch in vermont right now and this is our 3rd week. We spent the first 2 weeks in the same unit at Samoset in Rockland Maine. This is usually how we have travelled. Flights are usually a lot cheaper so going from Tuesday to Friday and then picking up a Friday to Friday week could stretch the travel budget. I have flown for a week before especially before I retired but I'm not that crazy about flying as I used to be. It seems like a travel day eats up a whole day and you get nothing but getting to your destination. Where as sometimes a travel day by far can be one of the best days of your trip.

One of “secrets” about Worldmark is that the first 1500-2000 accounts sold have their housekeeping charges paid for by the rest of the Club members - these are known as NHK (No Housekeeping Accounts) - and have unlimited free HK for all reservations made with their allocated credits.

Technically we are members of the class of ownership, and by law are supposed to receive the exact same benefits.

What I do for road trips is cash bookings that include housekeeping.

 

[talkamotta]

How do I do it? Mostly online ... but by phone for the grouped reservations. Even if I'm phoning, I've stalked the inventory patterns and know what to anticipate in the dialog. I use the WL pretty frequently and will accept just about any unit size. FWIW, I think the grouped reservations were far easier to book before some of the recent rule reservations ... but I've still managed to pull them off. This one was booked "at the last minute" when we sailed from San Diego to Seattle with intent to take the Amtrak back. The rail went of out service while we were the ship ... so we rented a car and drove home.

• Solvang 5/4/2017 5/5/2017 0
• Clear Lake 5/3/2017 5/4/2017 0
• Seaside 5/1/2017 5/3/2017 0
• Seattle - The Camlin 4/29/2017 5/1/2017 0

Housekeeping? Ah, no.

Smuggs for 3 weeks? I'd be tearing my hair out. We exchanged in for a fall leaf-peeping week years ago. Enjoyed the area, did lots of driving, bought a map of covered bridges and saw as many as we could reach ... saw the grave of Justin Morgan, ate at Ben'n'Jerry's ... but really didn't care for the resort. Hated the unit and didn't care much for the staff's treatment of inbound exchange guests. I assume I went in with my expectations set too high. ;-)

We went through the "flying ain't as grand as it used to be" phase a while back. Enrolling in a Known Traveller program for TSA-Pre has really made a difference for us and restores the airport experience. The 'travel day' becomes a chance to work together as a team again, reconnect while confined to airplane seats, etc. We feel the trip is officially started at push back from the gate .. holding hands but sometimes across the aisle.

For us, if traveling as a couple, it is more about the journey than the destination. The destination, resort and unit become more important when 'vacationing' with family and staying longer (5 nights?) in one place.

• Orlando - Reunion 12/29/2018 1/3/2019 0

Also, for us, the economics of animal care favors short trips. The dog and cats are easy ... but the Parrot and Horses are $$$/day.

Thank you for taking the time to educate me.

Smugs is good, our unit is nice. we only spent one week here, it's a one week stay but it would be different in each season.. the other two weeks was at Samoset in rockland, me. Wyndam has some units and is in control of the check in keys and parking pass. This Wyndam employee was amazing. Told us about the area and asked if we wanted to go to the meeting. My husband said no he wasn't feeling well. He's had allergies. The man called up 2 days later and asked us if we knew where the pharmacies were or if we needed any help and didn't bring up any meetings. I know he may have other motives but not one ounce of hard sell went on.

Housekeeping would keep me from doing a lot of two and three dayers. Sometimes 3 days in 2 different locations would be great especially if the drive between the two is good.