[2013] How happy are you with your Marriott ownership?

[SueDonJ]

The previous poll for this forum was almost five years old and Marriott products have changed significantly during that time. The old one has been locked/un-stuck and can be found here.

Please add your vote when the new poll opens. Thanks.

 

[jimf41]

Last time I voted "happy with occaisional problems". This time I went with "very happy". The DC program has worked out very well so far and I'm able to do things that were all but impossible under the old system. The skim or vig or whatever you want to call it hasn't been an issue.

 

[jont]

I voted very happy. The DC program, IMHO, has been a great addition and has given my family and I a lot of flexibility.

 

[pedro47]

I am very happy !!!

 

[Beefnot]

I see one unhappy vote. Probably bogey21 or timeos2 sabotage...

 

[classiclincoln]

I voted the same way I did last time, very happy. Deeded weeks owner and use the crap out of them. Just got back from Xmas week @ Sands of Kahana in Maui; how can I complain?

 

[csalter2]

Very Happy!!

I am very happy with the program. I particularly like the option to be able to rent points from other owners and the ability to save points and borrow points. I forsee me working the two systems I own with Marriott and DRI together extremely well during my retirement.

I still keep thinking of when right before the DC program was rolled out how there were so many here on TUG that were unhappy before they even knew what the program was. What was even more interesting to me was when they finally got the information on the program and were told that the program would not change anything, people were still very, very resistant. It's amazing how change affects people.

 

[mjm1]

Thanks for starting this new poll. I also voted that we are very happy with our Marriott ownership. We bought resale and enrolled our unit, which now gives us a lot more flexibility. We are using the DC option for the first time next year.

 

[vacationtime1]

We own two weeks and did not enroll in DC.

We are able to reserve the weeks we want, MF increases have been under control, and the units are top quality.

What's not to like? Well, maybe the loss in "equity" value, but I blame that on the economy in general, not Marriott.

 

[Kjgarrett]

Very very happy

We love our Marriott timeshares. We use them, we trade them, we fiddle with the points. They are great!

 

[bogey21]

I see one unhappy vote. Probably bogey21 or timeos2 sabotage...

I really have no opinion re the merits of the new DC Program. My gripe with Marriott is their cavalier way they, in the past, managed and changed their program to their benefit and to the detriment of Owners. Hopefully things have changed.

George

 

[dioxide45]

While this poll is very new and the old one had lots of votes, it seems so far that the top rank is up close to 10% over the prior poll.

I voted for the top pick, we are very pleased with the Marriott system and resorts. While we didn't like forking out $2K to enroll our two gold weeks, the added flexibility of points has made the system much more flexible. We also love the consolidated fee structure of DC.

 

[JimC]

We are not a representative sample of Marriott owners or posters to this forum. The conclusions we can draw from the votes are limited.

After voting here I went back to check my vote and post in the earlier poll. I voted a higher level of satisfaction, although not a top score, this time around. Yet I would make pretty much the same comments now as I did in my post then. I believe the higher satisfaction now derives from coming to terms with the changes the program and the market.

 

[amyhwang]

I am so happy with the program, as well as with most Marriott units we have had at our home resort, Ko Olina, and with resorts we have gotten through getaways. I just wish we had bought with our friends years earlier! It's perfect for us, we always look forward to Ko Olina with them, and although we bought our first week (we own two odd eoy weeks) from the developer, we still don't regret it - today that same week would cost twice as much since it's points now.

Only thing is for us, joining points would be stupid. Keeping our weeks.

 

[dougp26364]

I went with very happy as my only complaint would be MF's. Otherwise we've had good experiences with both our home resorts, exchanges and reservations using the new DC point system.

Of course I have issues with some of the way things are done but, I have some complaints with every system we own in. None of them are perfect. I look at it this way, Marriott is one of the three systems we own that we'd be hesitant to sell or give away.

On the other hand, I'm not impresse enough with the new DC or it's pricing that I'll recommend friends/family sit through a presentation. After having sat through a DC presentation, I think it's safe to say we have no serious interest in buying additional points at the current price point.

 

[AndyB]

Happy Happy Happy

 

[DKT]

We are very happy with our ownership...we have deeded weeks, but with DC points we have been able to be more flexible with our vacations. Just stayed 3 nights at the Marriot near Disneyland Paris, which turned out to be a great base for our first time in France. We are also Disney point owners so it was an easy ajustment for us.
Denise

 

[mofo0228]

We were happy deeded owners, just found out our 2 bedroom during platinum season goes for 4175 points. Yet, Marriott only gave us 2950 for the same unit during platinum season.
Not happy at all.

 

[bobbornstein]

Change

I am very happy with the program. I particularly like the option to be able to rent points from other owners and the ability to save points and borrow points. I forsee me working the two systems I own with Marriott and DRI together extremely well during my retirement.

I still keep thinking of when right before the DC program was rolled out how there were so many here on TUG that were unhappy before they even knew what the program was. What was even more interesting to me was when they finally got the information on the program and were told that the program would not change anything, people were still very, very resistant. It's amazing how change affects people.

I do this training exercise on how change feels, give it a try. Fold your hands. Note which thumb is on top. Now refold your hands with the opposite thumb on top and make sure all the other fingers move too (remember someone else folds their hands that way). How does it feel? That feeling is our normal response to change. There is an old saying that it takes 21 days (times) to change someone's habbits.

 

[dioxide45]

We were happy deeded owners, just found out our 2 bedroom during platinum season goes for 4175 points. Yet, Marriott only gave us 2950 for the same unit during platinum season.
Not happy at all.

While it may go for 4175 during some weeks of the platinum season, there are going to be other weeks that it will go for much less and perhaps even less than the 2950 you get for your unit. While this may seem like a ripoff, many of us have just gotten used to this "skim". Think of it this way though, you should never have to use your points to reserve a week at your home resort, you still have your week to do that.

 

[gsarnow]

Poor investment

While the resorts are nice....how could I ever be happy with buying my units as an investment???. It would have been much smarter to simply rent the units for vacations over the years...we would have saved big bucks..

 

[Traveling Suitcase]

We have a couple of weeks, loved loved loved the old system. We did reluctantly buy into the new system, in order not to go backward. The old system meets our needs and I would much prefer to buy additional weeks, not points. But, we have a bit of everything to try and hedge all their changes. 2 weeks that we use and love, we enrolled in the destinations program but don't find it to be the best thing since slice bread, as we can do more with trades. Then we did purchased some trust points, and so far really only use it to add days here and there. Though when we retire, our plan is to put as much together as possible for extended stays.

 

[puckmanfl]

good morning....
Traveling....

no worries...

just keep using your weeks as you are doing.... purchase a resale week if you want to expand... continue to use your DC points as a supplement, not replacement. Remember, for us Legacy folks DC is a supplement, not replacement for usage!!! enjoy!!!

 

[runningemiles]

Making the most of your timeshare- HELP!

Sadly I have to say we have not been taking advantage of our timeshare like we should these past five years b/c each year we can never get a week when we need it at our home resort-Barony Beach. We have two children and before that we could be very flexible and I felt like we got our money out of it. I am new on here in hopes of finding out more information to make this a better process. Even with Interval International we can't get a room at the Barony or other resorts we want to exchange too unless we call the first of January and with my husband's job it is hard to plan that far in advance. We have two weeks at the Barony and I did just get one exchanged through interval to Cypress Harbour which we are so excited about. I love Marriott and the quality of their resorts. I just feel like we are not taking full advantage and have tried to sell it also for the last 5 years with no success. It sounds like everyone on her is pleased and I would be if I could get my weeks. Is there a link on here that will explain what others are meaning by DC and IHMO. Sounds like this is helping a lot. Thanks so much and sorry for my lack of knowledge with all of this...busy momma of two kid

 

[csalter2]

Sadly I have to say we have not been taking advantage of our timeshare like we should these past five years b/c each year we can never get a week when we need it at our home resort-Barony Beach. We have two children and before that we could be very flexible and I felt like we got our money out of it. I am new on here in hopes of finding out more information to make this a better process. Even with Interval International we can't get a room at the Barony or other resorts we want to exchange too unless we call the first of January and with my husband's job it is hard to plan that far in advance. We have two weeks at the Barony and I did just get one exchanged through interval to Cypress Harbour which we are so excited about. I love Marriott and the quality of their resorts. I just feel like we are not taking full advantage and have tried to sell it also for the last 5 years with no success. It sounds like everyone on her is pleased and I would be if I could get my weeks. Is there a link on here that will explain what others are meaning by DC and IHMO. Sounds like this is helping a lot. Thanks so much and sorry for my lack of knowledge with all of this...busy momma of two kid

Hello,

Don't feel bad there are lots of others who are not using their timeshare weeks as effectively either. You have come to the right place so that should be a start in the right direction.

I want to first make sure that you don't have to wait until January first to make your reservations. You can do it a year in advance of any week you would like to go. In your case since you own two weeks, you can plan your vacations 13 weeks in advance as long as you use your weeks consecutively or concurrently. Now I read that it's is difficult for you to plan far in advance because due to your husband's job. That does put you at a disadvantage when you try to travel during peak periods which are usually when kids are out of school. The planning in advance is key to timeshare ownership.