Bonus time

[kamsgram]

I am thinking about purchasing a Silverleaf unit because I like the idea of the free weekends and bonus time. Has anyone had experience (good or bad) using Silverleaf bonus time?

I also have a weeks unit at Christmas Mountain through Bluegreen that I purchased on EBay. I called the resort and was told we could do bonus weekends for $69.00. Has anyone had experience with Christmas Mountain or Bluegreen? Are these bonus weekends good for other bluegreen resorts or just Christmas Mountain.

 

[nicklinneh]

anywhere, subject to availability. go to their website www.bluegreenonline.com to check that; you need your id & password to view the bonus list. ken

 

[Hophop4]

Yes, we have used the bonus time with Silverleaf several times but remember you can only use it within your color time you own. So a red time week will give you all 52 weeks if the time you are requesting is available. If you can find a resale week that includes Endless Escape instead of Bonus Time there will be no charges for the nights and you can reserve up to 6 nights. Prime time red and weekends are hard to get but lesser busier resorts and weekdays might be easier.

If I can be of further help, just let me know.

 

[geekette]

I don't think with a Bluegreen fixed week that you get Bonus Time at other Bluegreen resorts.

To my knowledge, the VIP Card (the BT perk for all BG resorts) was discontinued for all but the Vacation Club owners over a year ago.

 

[Nona]

Bonus time makes it well worth it. A red Silverleaf would be something that you could use year round. I just bought my first and I am now enjoying it . You would have to ask or read aobut the other timeshares that come with bonus time because Im fairly new to this.

 

[Cadcat]

Bonus Time is the modification of Endless Escapes. Around 2002, there was a class-action lawsuit brought against Silverleaf. The people who filed the lawsuit claimed that the "sales pitch" made it sound as if you could use EE anytime, but they didn't either understand or were not told that the time was based upon availability. They eventually won their suit and were released from their contracts. So, Silverleaf had to change EE to Bonus Time. Now with Bonus Time, you have to pay a fee per night if you want to stay either Friday, Saturday or Sunday and you still have to be placed on a waiting list. For those of us that did not participate in the lawsuit, we were grandfathered in with the same priveliges as EE. Also, as a member of Silverleaf, you can only make a request 7 days in advance of your stay. If you are a Diamond Club member, you can make your request 14 days in advance. Diamond Club membership is an additional cost.

 

[Hophop4]

we were grandfathered in with the same priveliges as EE. Also, as a member of Silverleaf, you can only make a request 7 days in advance of your stay. If you are a Diamond Club member, you can make your request 14 days in advance. Diamond Club membership is an additional cost.

I believe it is 14 days in advance request for all owners and Diamond Club Members except for some Presidential Owners who were lucky to get the 21 day advance offer.

 

[Corky]

As far as I know Silverleaf is the only management company that offers owners free bonus time. Used wisely, it makes the high maintenance fee worthwhile.

 

[revroe]

Talk about pressure!

My first visit to board, thanks all. We bought Silverleaf red week just because we could get old endless escape plan. Recently visited one Silverleaf property, went to update. Salesman told me after looking at computer he knew we had not purchased week from them. I told him it was no secret, that they had processed the paperwork themselves over five years ago, that we had paid dues a year in advance since then and no one had ever said anything about purchase through second party. He told me we would be getting notice that our endless escape was being revoked. Pretty upsetting.
He went on to add that if we bought blue week, that put us in Diamond program and they would get letter to guarantee we get to keep endless escape. Interesting...if I understand him correctly, he is saying if we don't buy, we lose, but if we do buy we get to stay in...kind of a buy or else approach. Some clients would find that disappointing and lose respect for the Silverleaf organization, whom we have felt good about thus far.
I looked at Silverleaf disclosure sheet, and item no. 4 does state they can change the endless escape rules at any time.
Salesman was pretty arrogant, told us he was smart, that the planets had aligned to put him there for us that day, etc. So, I have trouble trusting him. However, we really like the program we have and do not want to lose it.
I appreciate the Bluegreen Resort leads and will look into it.
Any advice or wisdom from my new-found friends would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[BocaBum99]

Christmas Mountain Village is a Bluegreen Vacation Club and Flex week resort.

There are 2 types of bonus time that Bluegreen Resort owners can access.

If you own a Flex week (aka Fix or Floating week unit), you can access Flex week bonus time. The rate is set by the HOA.

If you own Bluegreen Vacation Club points, you can use bonus time at your deeded resort if you purchase from anyone. You can get unlimited bonus time at ALL Bluegreen Vacation Club resorts if you purchase from Bluegreen or a Bluegreen Authorized Reseller.

Usually bonus time is offered 45-days in advance of check in (48-days if you book online). Hawaii and Aruna has bonus time available up to 90-days from check in.

 

[dcmoony]

Revroe, I would not worry about it. I have not heard any of the EE being changed once the folks get it. As for what the salesperson was saying I agree with you, do not trust him. In addition, should you ever decide to go diamond buy red. That way you can have bonus time all year. If you buy blue you will only be able to use bonus time in blue for that unit. I have found about the 2nd week of June thru 1st week of August is a bit tough to get bonus time. Any other time I have called, we get bonus time.

 

[jejones3329]

Revroe, I recently bought resale. This past Monday I went to Piney Shores and had a meeting with a salesman. Very high pressure and told me they were taking all bonus time from resales. Kept telling me I had wasted my money on resale and kept coming up with new offers. He even tried to get me to back out of a presidential resale that I am buying that has not completed closing. He became rude when I would not buy. I ended up walking out as did not want to hear anymore. I talked to someone in the corporate office who assured me that what he sad was not true. I am following up with a formal letter of complaint against that sales manager. I don't know if he was especially hard on me since I was a female alone but I found his tone demeaning and unprofessional and the content of what he said filled with untruths. Judy