Gold vs. Platinum Question

[bosco0633]

Besides the fact that I get 7000 points over 5000 points and that the monthly fees are the same for 2000 extra points, what other advantages are there over the platinum membership?

If I buy a 2 bedroom gold, I can go down to a 1 bedroom and book a platinum week right?

The gold membership allows me to book home resort one year in advance and other resorts 9 months ahead. Is this differ going up to platinum, this could be an advantage that is important?

I cant seem to find it in the online guide, and I have tried a search with little info pertaining to this question.

 

[jestme]

Besides the fact that I get 7000 points over 5000 points and that the monthly fees are the same for 2000 extra points, what other advantages are there over the platinum membership?

If I buy a 2 bedroom gold, I can go down to a 1 bedroom and book a platinum week right?

The gold membership allows me to book home resort one year in advance and other resorts 9 months ahead. Is this differ going up to platinum, this could be an advantage that is important?

I cant seem to find it in the online guide, and I have tried a search with little info pertaining to this question.

When you book your home resort, in the Home resort reservation window, (12-9 months), you must book 7 days, it must be in the room type you own, (1BR, 2BR+, etc) and it must be in the season you own, platinum, gold, etc. Basically, you are booking what you own, and you get a 3 month head start on the rest of the club in doing that.
If you book in "club season", (the 9 month-30 day time frame), then you can book whatever you want with a 3 day minimum, in any resort, any room type, as long as you have enough points and it is available. You have no priority over other members at this point.
So, in your example, you can buy gold and go down to a 1BR platinum, but you can't do it in the home reservation time frame. You would have to wait until the 9 month window to do that.

 

[natarajanv]

points are points and yes, you can book a platinum week using gold week points. The main difference is the cost of points per MF. Lets say if the MF is $1000 for a 2BR, then the cost per point is

1000/5000 = 0.2 Cents per point
vs
1000/7000 = 0.142 Cents per point.

 

[hockeybrain]

I guess the million dollar question that nobody knows for sure is what availability is there throughout the exchange system 9 months out? That is what keeps people buying in what they believe they will go to most often and or what they believe is the most sought property within HGVC. Too bad there are no statistics on availability 9 months, then 8 months, then 7 months, then 6 months out in every property within the HGVC. Any comments from you experienced HGVC owners??? Thanks

 

[Bill4728]

It appears that for true HGVC resorts ( not the affiliates) the only area which has had significant un-availablity at the 9 month mark are the resorts which are part of the Hilton Hawaiian Viliage in Hawaii.

There have been very few reports of not finding availablity at the other HGVC resorts at the 9 month mark.

 

[alwysonvac]

I guess the million dollar question that nobody knows for sure is what availability is there throughout the exchange system 9 months out? That is what keeps people buying in what they believe they will go to most often and or what they believe is the most sought property within HGVC. Too bad there are no statistics on availability 9 months, then 8 months, then 7 months, then 6 months out in every property within the HGVC. Any comments from you experienced HGVC owners??? Thanks

I haven't been tracking availability but here are my thoughts....

If you're not picky on which HGVC resort, I would be surprised if you couldn't find availability at any time for Las Vegas and Orlando since we have several locations. I'm sure weekends are the first to go during open season.

Flamingo and International Drive will probably fill up first based on location.
However SeaWorld three bedrooms would probably fill up first before International Drive three bedrooms.
Also the Strip is the only location with three bedroom villas so they may be harder to get as time passes.

 

[bosco0633]

well this kind of goes towards my other thread that I started. How much is enough.

I just bought flamingo 5k points. And want to start looking for a good deal on another package. Should I be buying a platinum 7k points in hawaii? so I can book 12 months in advance? Or should I just get another 5k package in Vegas for cheap and take my chances with availability.

I must say, Hawaii, is somewhere I will go, but I dont want it every year. I just want to know that when I am going that I should be able to do it with the amount of points that I have.

 

[alwysonvac]

I must say, Hawaii, is somewhere I will go, but I dont want it every year. I just want to know that when I am going that I should be able to do it with the amount of points that I have.

You can buy an every other year (EOY) in Hawaii.