FYI - Colonies at Williamsburg no longer dual affiliated with II

[Misslady]

I attended the owners update at The Colonies at Williamsburg this week and was advised they no longer offer II (Interval International) as an exchange company just RCI. I couldn’t find anything on here about it so I‘m just posting in case anyone is interested in knowing. Also, for entertainment purposes my final offer was a 4 bedroom EOY for $7,100 for any week without a holiday, 40,000 points a year, a premier package (they said they usually sell for $15,000), and $465 annual MF. My gift for allowing them to entertain me for a couple of hours was 2 Bush Garden tickets which included meals and non-alcoholic beverages, and a $60 food voucher to Honey Butter.

 

[tschwa2]

They may only be selling rci points now but I haven't heard of anything saying they are no longer affiliated with II and that current owners can't deposit into II.

 

[CPNY]

They may only be selling rci points now but I haven't heard of anything saying they are no longer affiliated with II and that current owners can't deposit into II.

I expect this to be the best RCI point generator in the lot. What are the point values?

 

[rboesl]

40,000 points for a 4 br? Was that in addition to what you already have? If not then 40k is EXTREMELY low. Unless that would be 40k every year, which VV does if you pay half the maintenance fee every year. Kinda doesn't make it an EOY but they do offer it that way.

 

[Eric B]

40,000 RCI points for $465 MF isn’t great. Regal Vista and Woodstone do better.

It might be that they aren’t offering II, as they said, but it’s still a possibility to do yourself. Net result could make it a better trader if they stop bulk deposits to II.

 

[NiteMaire]

I attended the owners update at The Colonies at Williamsburg this week and was advised they no longer offer II (Interval International) as an exchange company just RCI. I couldn’t find anything on here about it so I‘m just posting in case anyone is interested in knowing.

I find it difficult to believe they will no longer let owners deposit in II. I could possibly understand it with new owners, but would presume owners, like me, who have been using II will continue being able to use it. If they only let you use RCI, I'll be divesting it from my portfolio. Guess I'll find out in a week or 2 when I go to deposit my 2022 in II.

They may only be selling rci points now but I haven't heard of anything saying they are no longer affiliated with II and that current owners can't deposit into II.

I haven't either. As I'm sure you're aware, they've been dual affiliated with RCI and II for a 4-5 years. When they first opened, they were associated with only II (same with Vacation Village at Williamsburg). As I mentioned in my reply to @Misslady maybe this limit only applies to new owners, especially if they are selling it as points.

40,000 points for a 4 br? Was that in addition to what you already have? If not then 40k is EXTREMELY low. Unless that would be 40k every year, which VV does if you pay half the maintenance fee every year. Kinda doesn't make it an EOY but they do offer it that way.

Even 80K seems low considering what Massanutten resorts get. I just saw @Eric B just beat me. He posted as I was typing this.

 

[NiteMaire]

Net result could make it a better trader if they stop bulk deposits to II.

I'm not sure how it could be any better for a Premier resort from a developer that is not Disney or MVC. As I'm sure you've read me post in other threads, it punches well above its weight in II. I wouldn't expect it to have any additional trading power, even if bulk deposits stop. I hope I'm wrong as I'd gladly take additional trading power.

 

[tschwa2]

A 40,000 points package would likely be a November four bedroom EOY unit. They say any week other than a holiday week but that would require banking and borrowing and/or waiting for a last call. I am sure they sell summer weeks that get 73,500 or 147,000 for the 4BR for MF's around $900 but they would cost significantly more than $7000.

 

[Misslady]

40,000 points for a 4 br? Was that in addition to what you already have? If not then 40k is EXTREMELY low. Unless that would be 40k every year, which VV does if you pay half the maintenance fee every year. Kinda doesn't make it an EOY but they do offer it that way.

Yes, it’s 40,000 points per year for a 4br. I don‘t have any points with The Colonies. They said I was invited to the owners update through marketing.

 

[Misslady]

They may only be selling rci points now but I haven't heard of anything saying they are no longer affiliated with II and that current owners can't deposit into II.

They didn‘t mention things changing for current owners. The reason they gave for no longer using II was because they were allowing members to trade into their properties for lower deposits. So II was allowing members to trade into a 4br but they only deposited a 1 or 2br. I thought RCI did the same thing though?

 

[Misslady]

40,000 RCI points for $465 MF isn’t great. Regal Vista and Woodstone do better.

It might be that they aren’t offering II, as they said, but it’s still a possibility to do yourself. Net result could make it a better trader if they stop bulk deposits to II.

I hope II will still allow me to sign up because the ability to have a dual membership with II and RCI was the only reason I wanted the Colonies.

 

[tschwa2]

Yes, it’s 40,000 points per year for a 4br. I don‘t have any points with The Colonies. They said I was invited to the owners update through marketing.

But the MF's they quoted was for a 2 BR or a 4 BR EOY. All updates are sales meetings at all timeshares. And the gifts they give are through the marketing aka the sales department vs the home owners association. They aren't trying to update owners on changes, they are trying to sell to whoever they can sell to, at whatever price point they think will get them to buy. They will imply that the $7,000 points package is the same and just as good as the $40,000 package and you are getting a great deal but the truth is they are selling off season junk for the lower price that you would not be able to book most weeks.

 

[tschwa2]

I hope II will still allow me to sign up because the ability to have a dual membership with II and RCI was the only reason I wanted the Colonies.

I believe that as long as you don't purchase one that has already been converted to rci points you should be able to deposit with II.

 

[Misslady]

I find it difficult to believe they will no longer let owners deposit in II. I could possibly understand it with new owners, but would presume owners, like me, who have been using II will continue being able to use it. If they only let you use RCI, I'll be divesting it from my portfolio. Guess I'll find out in a week or 2 when I go to deposit my 2022 in II.

I haven't either. As I'm sure you're aware, they've been dual affiliated with RCI and II for a 4-5 years. When they first opened, they were associated with only II (same with Vacation Village at Williamsburg). As I mentioned in my reply to @Misslady maybe this limit only applies to new owners, especially if they are selling it as points.

Even 80K seems low considering what Massanutten resorts get. I just saw @Eric B just beat me. He posted as I was typing this.

Nothing was mentioned about current owners not being able to use II. What he did say was that it’s easy to get 1, 2, and 3br’s but VV was one of the very few resorts that offered 4br and for that reason they should be valued as a higher end resort which II was not honoring to VV satisfaction.

 

[tschwa2]

You did say they were no longer offering II as an exchange company. That is certainly being said to give the impression that owners wouldn't be able to use II in the future but sales like to imply a lot of things if they think it will make you buy from them.

 

[Misslady]

A 40,000 points package would likely be a November four bedroom EOY unit. They say any week other than a holiday week but that would require banking and borrowing and/or waiting for a last call. I am sure they sell summer weeks that get 73,500 or 147,000 for the 4BR for MF's around $900 but they would cost significantly more than $7000.

They probably only offered that because they knew I wasn’t going to buy it. When he took me to the basement to get me gifts, he handed another man a paper with my final offer. When he looked at it he said they offered this to you for $7,100 why didn’t you take it? I said first of all you don’t even offer II anymore. He said I can see if I can still get II for you but it won’t be for this price. He went to stand up then said let me get you your gifts and left. Then the lady came right over and got me out of there.

 

[Misslady]

You did say they were no longer offering II as an exchange company. That is certainly being said to give the impression that owners wouldn't be able to use II in the future but sales like to imply a lot of things if they think it will make you buy from them.

Correct. Anyone purchasing The Colonies at Williamsburg no longer have the option of being a II member, at least not through them. I didn’t think to ask how that affected the current members though because now it has me wondering too. Either new members can join II on their own or there may be a change down the line for current members that haven’t been disclosed yet. Now I‘m curious. If sales is implying this just to push RCI points program they are cutting themselves short because most people love options so dual affiliation should be a strong selling point, that’s what got me interested in the Colonies.

 

[Misslady]

I believe that as long as you don't purchase one that has already been converted to rci points you should be able to deposit with II.

AHHAAA! Okay, this makes sense. I didn’t realize it had to be weeks only. I will definitely keep this in mind because this will determine if I purchase the resale or not. Thank you for that information that is a very important part in my decision making. Do you think this is why The Colonies are no longer offering II memberships since they’re only selling RCI points and the owners with weeks will still be able to deposit with II?

 

[NiteMaire]

I believe that as long as you don't purchase one that has already been converted to rci points you should be able to deposit with II.

AHHAAA! Okay, this makes sense. I didn’t realize it had to be weeks only.

Yea, RCI has a tight grip on units with points associated with them. I experienced a similar simulation this with a resale unit in another system that was dual affiliated. Even though it was transferred to me, I couldn't initially use II. Even though I was the legal owner, RCI required the previous owners to cancel the (points) contract with RCI. Mildly frustrating since previous owners had no incentive to do so. It was eventually done, but took much longer than it should have.

 

[escanoe]

Here is the most recent RCI Points chart for it (below).

Current year MFs for a 4 BR lock-off are $869.00. In peak season that will bring you 147,500 RCI Points. So $00.0059 per point. That is about as good as it gets, we just need to wait on a resale market.

I own week 30 there now, and trade it in both II and RCI weeks.

https://www.rci.com/static/docs/en_US/pow/help/rci-points-grids.html

 

[escanoe]

I learned in an earlier situation that the answer to if you can deposit an RCI points home week booking into SFX is "it depends on the developer." I tried to deposit my Massanutten (Great Eastern) home week into SFX. Neither Massanutten nor RCI would confirm to SFX the reservation was a home week booking.

However, reports are that Grandview (VV/Daily Management) will verify a home week RCI Points reservation to SFX. So, hopefully that will be the case with the Colonies (also VV/Daily management).

I am certain trading an RCI Points booking in II will not work here, though.

Yea, RCI has a tight grip on units with points associated with them. I experienced a similar simulation this with a resale unit in another system that was dual affiliated. Even though it was transferred to me, I couldn't initially use II. Even though I was the legal owner, RCI required the previous owners to cancel the (points) contract with RCI. Mildly frustrating since previous owners had no incentive to do so. It was eventually done, but too much longer than it should have.

 

[RiesTravels]

Oh no I'm in home stretch of closing at Colonies and would of went for VV Williamsburg. I wanted both II and RCI membership. It is what it is at this point. I'll keep an eye out for another dual property but an EOY

 

[escanoe]

I will believe the Colonies is no longer dually affiliated when someone calls II and can not make a deposit or when I get a letter from the HOA informing me.

I do not consider the OP’s source (a sales weasel) to be credible. They were trying to make an RCI Points sale.

Oh no I'm in home stretch of closing at Colonies and would of went for VV Williamsburg. I wanted both II and RCI membership. It is what it is at this point. I'll keep an eye out for another dual property but an EOY

 

[NiteMaire]

I will believe the Colonies is no longer dually affiliated when someone calls II and can not make a deposit or when I get a letter from the HOA informing me.

I do not consider the OP’s source (a sales weasel) to be credible. They were trying to make an RCI Points sale.

My presumption is that it means if you buy from the developer, they will only enroll in RCI (they throw in a year or 2 membership). The question is whether new purchasers will be allowed to enroll in II on their own.

Current owners can still ise either/both. That's not a presumption.

 

[escanoe]

I cannot imagine new owners (of regular weeks) not being able to trade in II either.

But I am sure they are trying to “upsell” into RCI Points, where you cannot trade in II as long as you are enrolled.

I am quite happy with what I own in RCI Points, the Colonies trades superb in RCI Points, but I am glad my week there is not enrolled. I bought it because I wanted something I could trade in both II and RCI Weeks.