Have Accommodation Certificate prices gone WAY up?

[NboroGirl]

I currently have three ACs: one shows a studio and the other two show 3 BRs, all with overlapping dates (but not exact). I checked the availability of units at 2 totally different locations for one specific month, and all I see for availability are studios (the same weeks/units show up regardless of which AC I use). No matter which AC I use (studio, 3BR) it shows the cost being $539 to redeem. That doesn't seem like much of a deal. Why would a studio-to-studio and a 3BR-to-studio all cost the same? I thought it was a tiered pricing structure: one price to nab a studio, a higher price to nab a 1BR, and so on. Here are the prices I needed to pay for the last AC I used last fall:
Studio $299
1 BR $349
2 BR $399
3 BR $449
4 BR $499
Is the current $539 price for a studio the going rate now? It seems like a mistake. Note it was the same price regardless of whether it was a premium resort, such as gold or platinum, or a non-premium resort. If so, WOW - these really ARE worthless.

 

[Hindsite]

The 2 x ACs that I have that turn up for no reason are all fixed price no matter what the unit size is (£309)

I don't have a promo one so can't check the pricing on those, but my previous experience is that the pricing does vary between promo ones. The promo ones I used up most recently were £222 for a studio and £299 for a 1-bed

I've no clue how the define the pricing across ACs, there are soooo many different types, its difficult to compare.

 

[CericRushmore]

My AC that brings up Marriott Grand Vista Resort 1 bedroom is $448.88. this cert can bring up to 3 bedrooms. So yes, id say has gone up since the COVID years when we used them a lot.

 

[DeniseM]

Interval now discloses all of the hidden fees in their pricing - this may be what you are seeing.

 

[dioxide45]

The ACs that show different unit sizes are generally the ones that have come from a deposit promo. If you deposit a studio, the AC shows as a studio, deposit a 1BR then the AC shows 1BR. The freebie ACs that just show up usually show as a 3BR. We have two of those right now and four, for deposit, ACs. The for deposit ACs have long had tiered pricing. The pricing you are showing seems to line up with the tiered pricing on the for deposit ACs we have in our account now.

I am showing the freebie ACs costing $299+tax. Some resorts show higher amounts, but that is due to added resort fees. Honestly, does Magic Tree resort in Orlando think they are actually worth a $150 resort fee when I can get the same size unit at a Marriott for $299+tax? That $150 is on top of the $299.

 

[NboroGirl]

The ACs that show different unit sizes are generally the ones that have come from a deposit promo. If you deposit a studio, the AC shows as a studio, deposit a 1BR then the AC shows 1BR. The freebie ACs that just show up usually show as a 3BR. We have two of those right now and four, for deposit, ACs. The for deposit ACs have long had tiered pricing. The pricing you are showing seems to line up with the tiered pricing on the for deposit ACs we have in our account now.

I am showing the freebie ACs costing $299+tax. Some resorts show higher amounts, but that is due to added resort fees. Honestly, does Magic Tree resort in Orlando think they are actually worth a $150 resort fee when I can get the same size unit at a Marriott for $299+tax? That $150 is on top of the $299.

I deposited two 2-BRs and one studio recently and currently have two 3-BR ACs and one studio AC, and I don't know for sure how/why I got the ACs but I assumed it was because of the deposits/exchanges I made recently. They were all showing the same price to redeem. The prices I gave in the original post for an AC I used in the fall today show $539 for a studio, so maybe the resort now has resort fees but didn't before?

 

[jp10558]

The ACs that show different unit sizes are generally the ones that have come from a deposit promo. If you deposit a studio, the AC shows as a studio, deposit a 1BR then the AC shows 1BR. The freebie ACs that just show up usually show as a 3BR. We have two of those right now and four, for deposit, ACs. The for deposit ACs have long had tiered pricing. The pricing you are showing seems to line up with the tiered pricing on the for deposit ACs we have in our account now.

I am showing the freebie ACs costing $299+tax. Some resorts show higher amounts, but that is due to added resort fees. Honestly, does Magic Tree resort in Orlando think they are actually worth a $150 resort fee when I can get the same size unit at a Marriott for $299+tax? That $150 is on top of the $299.

I think Magic Tree doesn't know you're seeing the Marriott, I bet they mostly are looking at RCI where sadly resort fees are normal. Though $150 is a bit on the high side, I also wonder if the reporting of that resort fee is correct given my recent posts about Massanutten where RCI was showing 4BR resort fee on 2BR bookings. I guess I wouldn't complain if I showed up and the resort fee was less than II or RCI quoted, but I'm not sure I would want to assume they're always giving the correct or higher resort fees and I'd be PISSED if I was told a resort fee was $75 and it was $150 on checkin or something.

And of course my main feeling is mandatory resort fees should go away and be just part of the booking cost.

 

[dioxide45]

I deposited two 2-BRs and one studio recently and currently have two 3-BR ACs and one studio AC, and I don't know for sure how/why I got the ACs but I assumed it was because of the deposits/exchanges I made recently. They were all showing the same price to redeem. The prices I gave in the original post for an AC I used in the fall today show $539 for a studio, so maybe the resort now has resort fees but didn't before?

What resorts are you seeing at $539? If you click on that dollar amount on the search results page, it will show you the breakdown of the cost.

 

[NboroGirl]

What resorts are you seeing at $539? If you click on that dollar amount on the search results page, it will show you the breakdown of the cost.

Ahhh.... Now I see. The price breakdown for (all of) the resorts in Breckenridge, CO for July is $399 + $140 mandatory resort fees. Thanks for the lesson about seeing the price breakdown of the cost. I didn't notice a resort fees when I booked an AC for Grand Lodge on Peak 7 back in January for a May stay (for a relative). I got a 1BR for $349, plus apparently, the $140. A 2BR back then was $399+, which shocked me when I saw a studio for $539 ($399+$140). Yikes. It must be because May is mud season and July is vacation season.

 

[dioxide45]

Ahhh.... Now I see. The price breakdown for (all of) the resorts in Breckenridge, CO for July is $399 + $140 mandatory resort fees. Thanks for the lesson about seeing the price breakdown of the cost. I didn't notice a resort fees when I booked an AC for Grand Lodge on Peak 7 back in January for a May stay (for a relative). I got a 1BR for $349, plus apparently, the $140. A 2BR back then was $399+, which shocked me when I saw a studio for $539 ($399+$140). Yikes. It must be because May is mud season and July is vacation season.

II wasn't disclosing the resort fees in the same way, online, back in January. Showing that total price is relatively new. You don't actually pay it to II, it is paid directly to the resort when you checkin. Your relative probably paid it.