Thank you for your detailed guidance.
Right now I'm researching the option to buy a couple of resale weeks. Eventually, I will make those weeks points-eligible so we can have the best features of points as well as weeks. I think exchanging might work for us since we have flexible schedule. And when we need to take the grand kids, we may have to use the points as that will be high season.
First let me say that every situation is different and there are lots of nuances and opinions on these issues. My comments are more meant to help you think and work through the options as they apply in your situation rather than as an absolute guide. Issues that would affect recommendations include how flexible you truly are, how well you can/will plan ahead, unit size needed and any places you might visit routinely,
I think exchanging can work even for the higher demand times if you're flexible and plan ahead. Planning ahead means reserving a top week at your resort, anticipating what you want to trade for and requesting AT LEAST 12-13 months out. Planning ahead includes anticipating what you want (resort, location, unit size, dates) and how difficult it might be to trade which would help you decide whether to deposit a full 2 BR or smaller lock off components. For example, if trying for a 2 BR at HHI for summer or Aruba in Feb and you needed a 2 BR, I'd want a 2 BR to search with on top of the best week possible deposited early. For Orlando, a studio can likely get you most anything all but 3 or 4 weeks of the year possible even a 3 BR.
Can you give some recommendations on which ones are worth pursuing assuming one wants to get to Presidential or Chairman? I had no plans to go to Chairman's but if you say it can be had for slightly additional cost then I might look into it.
Presidential is 10K & Chariman's 15K points. I'm not sure where you are located and that could affect the thoughts but there are lot's of option. I'm going to think through this assuming we are going to enroll later. The ideal purchase(s) in this situation would be one that meets the other criteria (cheap, lock off, lower fees, above average trade power) but also one that's higher in points (esp fees per point) and has a fairly broad range for the Platinum season in case one needs to use the 13 month reservation window with other weeks owned. LV is likely the best choice in this situation either 2 or 3 BR units. So one might buy two 2 BR LV Platinum weeks and a 2 BR Grande Ocean Platinum then enroll with an OV Aruba Ocean Club Platinum week 2BR for maybe $60K all in. That'd be 15175 points and around 41¢ per point fees plus the club dues, II membership, lock off fees, and exchange fees pushing it up to around $7K per year. An alternative for just points but more for 10K points would be to get 1 high point week and try to enroll with an Aruba 1 BR maybe Platinum or Platinum Plus or an Aruba Surf Club Platinum 2 BR.
If one knew they wanted to exchange and to get points, like myself, Willow Ridge might be cheaper and would be less dues but is horrible for points but would count toward level at 1850 points per Platinum week. Grande Vista has the FL Club option which can offer certain advantages. Personally I have weeks I use (or rent if not), weeks I have for points and weeks I exchange and usually don't take points on. My HI weeks I take points and use about half and half but both are EOY anyway. But that's more volume than you're looking at and if one were looking at more like 25-30K points, I think there are other options that might be better for some.
Don't get me wrong, getting to 15K points is going to be more expensive up front and yearly than 10K points but if you plan well up front is doesn't have to be 50% more and either way with the knowledge you're gathering it will be better and cheaper than almost anyone else who gets to the level you end up at. Just spend time looking at where you want to go on repeat tips, decide if you're truly flexible, judge if you can/will plan ahead as discussed and if you can afford it. To me afford it to em means pay cash and no consumer debt but YMMV. If so then just look through the options and play with the thoughts for a few months. Spend some time with the resort list, points they garner and get an idea of the resale prices including up front and fees resale. I do have an Aruba Contact if that is helpful in the future, I get no benefit other than to know that I have trust that he will be straight with you and do what he can to make things work out. Just PM me directly if needed. I also have some pricing info from a couple of months ago for Aruba Surf Club and Ocean Club if you have specific questions related. Keep in mind that the info on the 2 BR Aruba OC on
www.vacationpointexchange.com is incorrect, it's actually 4425 for a 2 BR Platinum.
If you don't have timeshare experience, go rent for a trip or 2 and see if you're OK with the compromises and limitations. Don't forget to look at other choices if you haven't like Westin, Wyndham, etc.