This is in response to recent discussions of whether to join or not. It's just one person's experience.
I've mentioned in other threads we got in to the DC to save fees. From '99 - '10 I had gone from purchaser of 4 developer weeks to finding TUG and getting deep into the world of timesharing the Marriott Way. In the 10 years I learned how to divide and conquer with mega trading, rent my weeks, maximize Marriott Rewards travel packages, build frequent flyer accounts, buy and sell weeks. In short, I was comfortable with what we had and wasn't keen about Marriott messing with my system. But I wasn't in control so we figured we'd go with the flow, reduce fees and increase our possible options.
The skim and the possibility of losing unused DC points kept me away from electing to exchange my legacy weeks for DC points. But you know how life changes. Our adult children were in 2 parts of the world. We were seeing them regularly but it was getting difficult to coordinate all our schedules to be together at the same time. I asked them if they would consider making a real effort to at least have one combined family trip each year. Compromise would mean finding a mutually agreeable spot interesting to everyone for a vacation/family gathering.
This is where the DC came in to play. Right after DD was home for holidays and then DS was home several weeks later, I was reading a thread on the delights of Frenchman's Cove http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=162672. I thought it could be a nice place for next year's gathering. Add to that it would suffice as Holiday/New Year/Birthday rendezvous. So far all the family is in agreement. My first thought was to use II for an exchange. But there's the pesky problem of booking flights with frequent flyer miles when you don't have a confirmed reservation. A call to Owner Services and I found I could get 12 nights for the cost of 2 lock-off weeks. That's 12 nights in exchange for what could be maximized up to 28. It was a tough decision but with consideration it was worth it. 14 nights in a 2 bd. for 12 nights in a 2 bd., Caribbean style. Let's just add another week the good old Marriott Rewards way: http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=165214
400 remaining points was the problem. I had that fear of unused points so I quickly got them out of the way by selling them. http://members.boardhost.com/MVCDPoints/index.html
DC used. DC done.
Oh, but wait. . .what's this about a New Trick? http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=161701 Read thread, goes over head. Let's just file that away for another day.
What's that? Premier Plus Owner's Rate? http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=167037 Tell me more. File it away for another day.
How to understand the in's and out's of using my Legacy DC options? I know--I'll kill two bird's with one stone by attending a sales presentation and fishing for details. But the salesguy won't play my game. http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=165850
Next I'm in the pool at Ocean Pointe. Talk, talk, talk going around about DC this, DC that. I get in on a conversation where someone tells how they shuffle things around to get a string of 1 bedrooms utilizing DC. This sends me to pen and paper adding, subtracting and concluding, nope not for me.
4 weeks later and I've moved rooms in as many weeks. Ugh! How not to repeat this scenario next year? Let's see. . .if I turn in a 2 bd. oceanside for DC points I can book a 1 bd. oceanfront. One less move. But what about those pesky leftover points? Lakeshore Reserve Not enough points Oh yeah, there's that Premier Owner's Rate. http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=168637.
Now I have a few points leftover again. . .what to do? And I'll be trying out that trick 14 days before arrival at DC reservations. Time to read the legal documents again and time for intense TUG school. Since January it's been dig, dig, dig. http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=169021
When we enrolled in the DC the options didn't appeal to me. But I knew enough to never say never.
I've mentioned in other threads we got in to the DC to save fees. From '99 - '10 I had gone from purchaser of 4 developer weeks to finding TUG and getting deep into the world of timesharing the Marriott Way. In the 10 years I learned how to divide and conquer with mega trading, rent my weeks, maximize Marriott Rewards travel packages, build frequent flyer accounts, buy and sell weeks. In short, I was comfortable with what we had and wasn't keen about Marriott messing with my system. But I wasn't in control so we figured we'd go with the flow, reduce fees and increase our possible options.
The skim and the possibility of losing unused DC points kept me away from electing to exchange my legacy weeks for DC points. But you know how life changes. Our adult children were in 2 parts of the world. We were seeing them regularly but it was getting difficult to coordinate all our schedules to be together at the same time. I asked them if they would consider making a real effort to at least have one combined family trip each year. Compromise would mean finding a mutually agreeable spot interesting to everyone for a vacation/family gathering.
This is where the DC came in to play. Right after DD was home for holidays and then DS was home several weeks later, I was reading a thread on the delights of Frenchman's Cove http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=162672. I thought it could be a nice place for next year's gathering. Add to that it would suffice as Holiday/New Year/Birthday rendezvous. So far all the family is in agreement. My first thought was to use II for an exchange. But there's the pesky problem of booking flights with frequent flyer miles when you don't have a confirmed reservation. A call to Owner Services and I found I could get 12 nights for the cost of 2 lock-off weeks. That's 12 nights in exchange for what could be maximized up to 28. It was a tough decision but with consideration it was worth it. 14 nights in a 2 bd. for 12 nights in a 2 bd., Caribbean style. Let's just add another week the good old Marriott Rewards way: http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=165214
400 remaining points was the problem. I had that fear of unused points so I quickly got them out of the way by selling them. http://members.boardhost.com/MVCDPoints/index.html
DC used. DC done.
Oh, but wait. . .what's this about a New Trick? http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=161701 Read thread, goes over head. Let's just file that away for another day.
What's that? Premier Plus Owner's Rate? http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=167037 Tell me more. File it away for another day.
How to understand the in's and out's of using my Legacy DC options? I know--I'll kill two bird's with one stone by attending a sales presentation and fishing for details. But the salesguy won't play my game. http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=165850
Next I'm in the pool at Ocean Pointe. Talk, talk, talk going around about DC this, DC that. I get in on a conversation where someone tells how they shuffle things around to get a string of 1 bedrooms utilizing DC. This sends me to pen and paper adding, subtracting and concluding, nope not for me.
4 weeks later and I've moved rooms in as many weeks. Ugh! How not to repeat this scenario next year? Let's see. . .if I turn in a 2 bd. oceanside for DC points I can book a 1 bd. oceanfront. One less move. But what about those pesky leftover points? Lakeshore Reserve
Not enough points Oh yeah, there's that Premier Owner's Rate. http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=168637. Now I have a few points leftover again. . .what to do? And I'll be trying out that trick 14 days before arrival at DC reservations. Time to read the legal documents again and time for intense TUG school. Since January it's been dig, dig, dig. http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=169021
When we enrolled in the DC the options didn't appeal to me. But I knew enough to never say never.
