Buying Grande Ocean Resale vs. Ocean Pointe

[td0804]

I was thinking about buying a second week to go with my Gold Ocean Pointe. Living in the midwest, the east coast is a desirable destination for me. I've stayed at Grande Ocean and loved it. I'm torn between either buying a second OP week or an initial GO week. I have a 12-year old son who loves golf.
My travel requirements will be varied over the next few years - I have parents in Florida (NW of Orlando) so I can see us traveling to many of the Florida/SC resorts for a week - I've been able to acquire a 2BR Cypress Harbor/Grand Vista/etc for my lockoff
Also, I serve on the board of a local Boys & Girls club and i've donated a week for the past couple of years for an annual fundraiser.

1. Is there any special advantage of having a second OP week? (other than the obvious additional lockoff/accomdation cert benefits)
2. If I were to buy a GO week, is the Bronze week a sufficiently decent trader within the Marriott community or is a Silver week the absolute minimum? The last week of Gold Season in June is a preferable time for me to trade into (6/10)
Does II give ACs for Bronze/Silver weeks at GO?

Thanks

 

[Quilter]

1. Is there any special advantage of having a second OP week? (other than the obvious additional lockoff/accomdation cert benefits)Thanks

This is exactly the reason we like our OP weeks. We looked into broze at Barony. On the surface it sounded good. Under $10K at the time from the developer. But when you looked at two of those (comparable to 1 OP platinum) you are also looking at 2 maintenance fees.

For one maintenance fee at OP, you can net 3 weeks.

We did break down and buy a gold resale at Grande Ocean though. Only because it was an oceanfront week. That one we plan to use, not trade through II. For our upcoming trip in May we've combined that one with a room we got with an OP trade (using a 1 bedroom). 3 couples are joining us. It's like having a 4 bedroom beach house with many pools

 

[Smooth Air]

"For one maintenance fee @ OP you can net 3 weeks"???? I know that we can breakup a 2BR into "lockout"(i.e., guest room) for one week & Master (i.e., 1BR/Living/dining/full kitchen unit) for a second week when paying one MF on the 2BR but how do we get a 3rd week?

 

[td0804]

This is exactly the reason we like our OP weeks. We looked into broze at Barony. On the surface it sounded good. Under $10K at the time from the developer. But when you looked at two of those (comparable to 1 OP platinum) you are also looking at 2 maintenance fees.

For one maintenance fee at OP, you can net 3 weeks.

We did break down and buy a gold resale at Grande Ocean though. Only because it was an oceanfront week. That one we plan to use, not trade through II. For our upcoming trip in May we've combined that one with a room we got with an OP trade (using a 1 bedroom). 3 couples are joining us. It's like having a 4 bedroom beach house with many pools

let me make sure i understand - if i buy a second gold week at ocean pointe, it would not have two maintenance fees of approx $750/per week, but only one? Or are you alluding to the 2nd week you'd receive by lockoff?

My question was in regards to buying a second week at OP vs. GO. By locking off 2 weeks at OP, you could net 6 weeks through II vs. 4 (assuming GO gets accomodation certs).

I really don't want to spend alot for the second week and it seems like that we spend alot of time talking about Platinum week in these groups, when rather than spending 47K for a week at Surfwatch, i'd rather buy one for 10K that i'd use and when I really need to go to Hawaii (if again), i'll rent a week for 2-3K.
I've been so happy with a Gold OP week and am just starting to realize the pull it has that I'm wondering if a silver OP or a comparable week would be similar.
I've traveled to Hawaii, the Carribbean, Europe and for the most part those trips entail either alot of time on planes, or signicantly more expensive flight that it partly took away from the trips themselves. (Note, i'm 42 and not retired, schedule is critical). Thus the trips to the southeast are more cost effective (in time and dollars) while providing some similar experiences - Although I haven't been able to replicate Orient Beach in FLA.

 

[Quilter]

let me make sure i understand - if i buy a second gold week at ocean pointe, it would not have two maintenance fees of approx $750/per week, but only one? Or are you alluding to the 2nd week you'd receive by lockoff? and am just starting to realize the pull it has that I'm wondering if a silver OP or a comparable week would be similar.

By 3 weeks I was speaking of locking off the week, trading at least the 1 bedroom portion and getting an AC for it. Use or deposit the lock off.

Call II to see what summer weeks at OP get an AC.

 

[tompk]

You may be abale to buy gold Grande Vista and via the Florida Club reserve at OP and get your 3 weeks for even less than the cost of buying OP.

 

[td0804]

You may be abale to buy gold Grande Vista and via the Florida Club reserve at OP and get your 3 weeks for even less than the cost of buying OP.

As I get now, I do get 3 weeks for 1 with my gold OP. I understand this
No disrespect, but I wouldn't buy Grand Vista since i can get a 2 or 3 BR for my AC. I'd pay the extra few thousand and get the 2nd OP.
The point of this thread was not which other property should i buy. Since I don't have a 2nd property, the questions revolved around
1. If i bought a 2nd week at the same property (OP) what are the additional benefits vs. buying a second property elsewhere. And when I mean elsewhere, I only mean Grande Ocean.
and
2.The questions that I asked about GO was more in line with "How cheap can you go?" It looks like (and after calling II) Plat,Gold and Silver get Accomodation Certs whereas Bronze do not. In resale, Bronze goes for about 4-5K whereas Silver is about 9-10K.

 

[ArBravesFan]

The advantage to buying a second OP week over the GO week is that multiple week owners at OP get priority in villa assignments over single week owners at OP.

 

[kathleenpeyer]

I am a silver week owner at GO and have had my share of difficulty trading into a decent property (Marriott or otherwise), in June so, I would say Bronze would not be a good trader. Go for silver and up.

If anyone has ever managed to get an AC from II for a silver GO week, please let me know how.