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Do I need VIP points for Wyndham [Wyndham Vacation Resorts Great Smokies Lodge]

Jimbarbg

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Hello,

I have been reading quite a bit and was thinking I might want or need to have VIP points. We go to Wilderness at the Smokies at least once a year, but usually 2 or more times. I have been reading and it appears that you need to have VIP status and the only way to get these points is to purchase them from the home site. Would anyone know how much they charge for the required minimum amount to get VIP status? I sure do hate to sit through their high pressure sale pitch.

Thank
Jim
 

Ty1on

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Hello,

I have been reading quite a bit and was thinking I might want or need to have VIP points. We go to Wilderness at the Smokies at least once a year, but usually 2 or more times. I have been reading and it appears that you need to have VIP status and the only way to get these points is to purchase them from the home site. Would anyone know how much they charge for the required minimum amount to get VIP status? I sure do hate to sit through their high pressure sale pitch.

Thank
Jim

I might be confused, but Wilderness at the Smokies isn't a Wyndham resort, is it? What are you reading that indicates that paying tens of thousands for Wyndham VIP will give you enhanced access to Wilderness at the Smokies? (curious, not argumentative)
 

Jimbarbg

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I might be confused, but Wilderness at the Smokies isn't a Wyndham resort, is it? What are you reading that indicates that paying tens of thousands for Wyndham VIP will give you enhanced access to Wilderness at the Smokies? (curious, not argumentative)

Yes, the Wilderness is a Wyndham resort, (now keep in mind that I have never own any timeshare points so all I have knowledge of is what I have read here and on other sites), so you are saying that if I purchased 300,000 (Just saying) points from another location that I can use them all the time at the Wilderness?

I was thinking that they had to be my home base.
 

Pathways

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The Wyndham resorts are 'Wyndham Smoky Mountains' and Wyndham Vacation Resorts Great Smokies Lodge'.

You do not gain any advantage with reservations at either resort by becoming a VIP status member. You do get an earlier reservation window at a Wyndham location you own at, but there is usually plenty of availability at both resorts if you reserve six months out.
 

55plus

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No sir I do not. So I am totally going on what I have been reading.

One time I talked to someone there and they said that to purchase one it runs from about $160,000 to $599,000

Buy Wyndham resell on eBay or on TUG. Do not ever by from a Wyndham sales weasel because it will cost you tens of thousands of dollars. Go on eBay and search "Wyndham Timeshare Points".

Here is a example of a Wyndham timeshare on eBay. Note the enormous price difference from buying direct from Wyndham to an owner who wants to sell: http://www.ebay.com/itm/154K-Bienni...Points-Free-/221878907659?hash=item33a903730b
 

Jimbarbg

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The Wyndham resorts are 'Wyndham Smoky Mountains' and Wyndham Vacation Resorts Great Smokies Lodge'.

You do not gain any advantage with reservations at either resort by becoming a VIP status member. You do get an earlier reservation window at a Wyndham location you own at, but there is usually plenty of availability at both resorts if you reserve six months out.

So what you are saying is that if I can find someone that has lets just say they have 500,000 Wyndham points that they are wanting to sell, then I can just pay the fee associated with these and use them here at the Wilderness, as long as I can get bookings.

Thanks for your quick response.
 

wed100105

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So what you are saying is that if I can find someone that has lets just say they have 500,000 Wyndham points that they are wanting to sell, then I can just pay the fee associated with these and use them here at the Wilderness, as long as I can get bookings.

Thanks for your quick response.

Yes, points are points. You will want to book your vacations as soon as you can, as the Wyndham with the water park fills up considerably faster than the other one.
 

alexadeparis

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Yes, the Wilderness is a Wyndham resort, (now keep in mind that I have never own any timeshare points so all I have knowledge of is what I have read here and on other sites), so you are saying that if I purchased 300,000 (Just saying) points from another location that I can use them all the time at the Wilderness?

I was thinking that they had to be my home base.

If you want to guarantee availability at that location you should buy a contract that has its points based there but you do NOT have to buy that contract from the developer, or need VIP. Just make sure you are buying Wyndham Vacation Resorts Great Smokies Lodge and not Wyndham Smoky Mountains or you will be sorely disappointed.
 

Jimbarbg

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If you want to guarantee availability at that location you should buy a contract that has its points based there but you do NOT have to buy that contract from the developer, or need VIP. Just make sure you are buying Wyndham Vacation Resorts Great Smokies Lodge and not Wyndham Smoky Mountains or you will be sorely disappointed.

Thanks, this is some of what I have been reading about where I need to purchase this location as my base. Do you know of any for sale?
 

raygo123

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The name "wilderness" is not a Wyndham timeshare. Make sure you know what you buy it is what you wanted

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
 

Pathways

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I have stayed there numerous times, and many friends have also stayed at the water park resort, and I do not own points there. Only on two holidays can I suggest you may need to own there to get a reservaton. Even on those I think six months ahead planning will get you a room.

My concern is you keep saying 'Wilderness'. Wyndham does not have any resorts with that name. Make sure you know which resort and timeshare entity you are looking for.
 

Ty1on

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Yes, the Wilderness is a Wyndham resort, (now keep in mind that I have never own any timeshare points so all I have knowledge of is what I have read here and on other sites), so you are saying that if I purchased 300,000 (Just saying) points from another location that I can use them all the time at the Wilderness?

I was thinking that they had to be my home base.

As far as Wyndham resorts, yes, if you find resale points based at any Wyndham property, you can use those points to book a Smoky Mountains Wyndham 10 months out.

If you find a resale at Wyndham Great Smokies Lodge, you can reserve at Wyndham Great Smokies Lodge 13 months out and any other Wyndham 10 months out.
 

Jimbarbg

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I have stayed there numerous times, and many friends have also stayed at the water park resort, and I do not own points there. Only on two holidays can I suggest you may need to own there to get a reservaton. Even on those I think six months ahead planning will get you a room.

My concern is you keep saying 'Wilderness'. Wyndham does not have any resorts with that name. Make sure you know which resort and timeshare entity you are looking for.

Thanks, The upper part where the convention center is located is called Wilderness, (we have been going there now 2 times a year for about 8 years straight) and this was before the timeshare section was built down the hill from the hotel and this is called "Wyndham Vacation Resorts Great Smokies Lodge" sorry for the confusion. Old habits are hard to break
 

Ty1on

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Thanks, The upper part where the convention center is located is called Wilderness, (we have been going there now 2 times a year for about 8 years straight) and this was before the timeshare section was built down the hill from the hotel and this is called "Wyndham Vacation Resorts Great Smokies Lodge" sorry for the confusion. Old habits are hard to break

I've seen resales for Great Smokies come up, in smaller contracts. You can buy multiple contracts as they come up to build the portfolio you want. Right now, I would expect to pay no more than a total between $5K and $10K for 500K points, closer to the $5K.

You can also look at purchasing Club Wyndham Access resale....It should run close to the same resale price. This gives you 13 month reservation priority at Great Smokies and a long list of other resorts, and you might find it comes available more often than Great Smokies.

I would recommend you learn as much as possible about Club Wyndham ownership before diving in.
 
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55plus

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Thanks, this is some of what I have been reading about where I need to purchase this location as my base. Do you know of any for sale?

I do not own at Wyndham Great Smokies Lodge, but I am able to obtain reservations for my family use and to rent to others at that resort. Points are points. Consider Club Wyndham Access points. I don't know if Wyndham Great Smokies Lodge is in the CWA inventory, but if it is or will be in the future you will get priority.
 

Ty1on

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I do not own at Wyndham Great Smokies Lodge, but I am able to obtain reservations for my family use and to rent to others at that resort. Points are points. Consider Club Wyndham Access points. I don't know if Wyndham Great Smokies Lodge is in the CWA inventory, but if it is or will be in the future you will get priority.

It's in CWA. :)
 

Ty1on

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Is there a link to the Member Directory that shows the points that it takes for the rooms?

Thanks
Jim

By the way, I found out that CWA has a massive number of points at Great Smokies. The maintenance fees are a bit higher for CWA, but I think you'll find resale contracts more plentiful, and I think you'll like the flexibility of CWA if and when you decide to do something elsewhere.
 

Jimbarbg

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By the way, I found out that CWA has a massive number of points at Great Smokies. The maintenance fees are a bit higher for CWA, but I think you'll find resale contracts more plentiful, and I think you'll like the flexibility of CWA if and when you decide to do something elsewhere.

Thanks a lot for all your information. I will study the Club Wyndham Access and see what they have to offer.

Again I really do appreciate all that you have and everyone else's advice that has been offered. I will check here to see if anyone has anything to sell before venturing out. I feel safer here...
 

raygo123

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A 2 bdrm is 154,000 points. A 2bdrm pool view is 175,000 points. A 3bdrm is 224,000 and a 3 bdrm pool view is 250,000 points. Also it is part of CWA. Now, you want ANY of the CWA contracts, as you have priority booking at all access resorts. In other words pick a CWA contract with lower mf. You will find that CWA contracts are about the same per point.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
 

Ty1on

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A 2 bdrm is 154,000 points. A 2bdrm pool view is 175,000 points. A 3bdrm is 224,000 and a 3 bdrm pool view is 250,000 points. Also it is part of CWA. Now, you want ANY of the CWA contracts, as you have priority booking at all access resorts. In other words pick a CWA contract with lower mf. You will find that CWA contracts are about the same per point.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

1. The points you quoted are for Value Season. he needs to use the chart to determine points for the season he wants.

2. All CWA MF are Charged at an identical $/K rate. The only difference would be whether Club Fee minimum is met, and with the contract size he is looking for, that is not a problem.
 
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