Do seasons really matter?

[KTdid]

First, thank you to all who have responded to me this last week. I have learned TONS. My question:

If I purchase a 4800 point "platinum" point deed, and a 4800 point "gold" deed - can I just use my 9600 points when I see fit? I purchased 4800 platinum bi-annual, and would like to get an annual as well. Thus far, I have been only shopping platinum season.
Thanks!

 

[Yamabachi]

If I understand your question right, I think you are asking whether you can book a platinum week when you own a gold week. The answer is yes, owning a gold contract does not limit you to only booking gold weeks. Points are points, and the only thing that matters is whether you have enough of them to book the unit size and week that you want.

As a side note, I might suggest that you calculate what your long-term costs will be WRT your maintenance fees. If you are going to hold on to your units long-term, it is generally more efficient to only buy platinum weeks. This is because HGVC bases their MFs on the unit size only, and not the season. So if you own a 1-BR gold week, you pay the same MF as someone who owns a 1-BR platinum week, even though you are paying to maintain fewer points that the platinum owner. (Think MF cost per point)

 

[KTdid]

Thank you again! That makes sense. Since I can't borrow points because I have a bi-annual, I was thinking I might want to purchase (via resale) more points. We have two relatively young kids, and due to 1) HGVC deal which we declined, we bought 2) VIP package. As a result, we were able to take TWO wonderful family vacations this year. I would like to keep that up, but not for the retail price. More info than you need, but I am excited - if I can make it work well.

My dear father-in-law kept meticulous records to determine when the cost of his motor home "broke even" with the cost of his vacations. I am hoping ours will come in sooner

 

[semicycler]

Points are points. You can use them at any property that has availability within the nine month mark, regardless of season or unit size. If you have enough points and there is a unit available, you can book it.

 

[brp]

Points are points. You can use them at any property that has availability within the nine month mark, regardless of season or unit size. If you have enough points and there is a unit available, you can book it.

The only real difference is in the maintenance fees. The fees are based, in many (most?) cases on a "week" and not directly on the number of points. So, for example, a 7200 point Platinum "week" will have the same MFs as a 4800 point Gold "week." More points, same MFs. Of course that Platinum week will cost more upfront, but will be cheaper in the long run, if you hold for a while.

As a result, the OP's scenario of a "4800 point platinum" and "4800 point gold" contract aren't likely to coexist at the same place. The point totals for the "week" will be different based on season.

So far, we've only owned at HCNY where none of the above applies, so I've been studying this as we just bought W. 57th (where it does) so I think I have that all right.

After we unload the HCNY contract, we'll be fully in this part of the system

Cheers.

 

[SmithOp]

Thank you again! That makes sense. Since I can't borrow points because I have a bi-annual, I was thinking I might want to purchase (via resale) more points. We have two relatively young kids, and due to 1) HGVC deal which we declined, we bought 2) VIP package. As a result, we were able to take TWO wonderful family vacations this year. I would like to keep that up, but not for the retail price. More info than you need, but I am excited - if I can make it work well.

My dear father-in-law kept meticulous records to determine when the cost of his motor home "broke even" with the cost of his vacations. I am hoping ours will come in sooner

It's going to take longer than you think to break even if you are combining small point ownership in order to use 9600 points every year. There are some 9600 pt plat contracts with mf about $1500 or less, compared to two 4800 pt with $1000 mf each.

Owning gold is great if you travel in gold season, then you get what you own. If you want to book platinum you won't get a full week unless you get a different unit than you purchased.

It is possible to combine every other year points, you rescue or deposit the first year then book in the second year by borrowing from the third year. You could spend 9600 every four years.


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[Talent312]

I can't borrow points because I have a bi-annual...

Actually, you can borrow points to a non-allocated year and bank points to the same year as well.



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