Is it worth it

[Fido Chuckwagon]

"Suadali03" posted that their rental was through Air BnB. That suggests that the unit was one of the privately owned condos at Daytona Beach. There are two towers or sections of the Ocean Walk building, and one of them is Wyndham units and the other is private owners. I would be shocked if I ever checked into a Wyndham unit there and found it as described. I've stayed at Ocean Walk numerous times (I think it was my first use after I first bought points) and I've always found it clean and up to Wyndham standards.

Thanks, didn’t realize this. We are very back and forth on trying Daytona Beach. On the one hand, it’s an easy direct flight from where we are, and also would make a great split stay with an Orlando trip. On the other hand, I’ve read a lot of really mixed things about Daytona Beach (not just this particular hotel, but the area in general). It sounded like more of an extreme party atmosphere than a place to take young kids on a beach trip. Is your experience different?

 

[Herk]

Case in point. Last year I bought 646,000 points at the Wyndham Kona Resort for $455 off ebay.

Concur about eBay… this literally sold a few mins ago

biannual contract for 308k points for a little over $1300 … seller covering all transfer and closing costs. Monthly Maint fees about $65/mo

this contract amount (308k) will get a 3BR presidential just about anywhere. And if you want to break up points into smaller chunks, don’t want a 3BR (maybe get something smaller) you can roll your points over to following year for more vacations.

a lot of flexibility.

I own at Bali Hai so I keep an eye on sales… just to see what the value stays at.

these biannuals often sell for a few thousand (seen one go for $3k once) so this is a decent price … to the OP - just need to keep your eyes peeled.

Lots of deals out there

 

[suadali03]

Thanks, didn’t realize this. We are very back and forth on trying Daytona Beach. On the one hand, it’s an easy direct flight from where we are, and also would make a great split stay with an Orlando trip. On the other hand, I’ve read a lot of really mixed things about Daytona Beach (not just this particular hotel, but the area in general). It sounded like more of an extreme party atmosphere than a place to take young kids on a beach trip. Is your experience different?

During the nights I did notice this part as well. Looked like a party town.

 

[suadali03]

Concur about eBay… this literally sold a few mins ago

biannual contract for 308k points for a little over $1300 … seller covering all transfer and closing costs. Monthly Maint fees about $65/mo

this contract amount (308k) will get a 3BR presidential just about anywhere. And if you want to break up points into smaller chunks, don’t want a 3BR (maybe get something smaller) you can roll your points over to following year for more vacations.

a lot of flexibility.

I own at Bali Hai so I keep an eye on sales… just to see what the value stays at.

these biannuals often sell for a few thousand (seen one go for $3k once) so this is a decent price … to the OP - just need to keep your eyes peeled.

Lots of deals out there

Yah, I saw a lot of deals on eBay but just trying to learn more before I make a purchase. I will make a purchase I just gotta learn so much, biannually means every other year right? Is this what they mean when they say it’s odd year or even year? What’s a float? Also can you see how much point is left before you make a purchase? Also this purchase comes with rci access so you can make purchase through rci if you want for last week deals? Etc?

 

[Herk]

Yah, I saw a lot of deals on eBay but just trying to learn more before I make a purchase. I will make a purchase I just gotta learn so much, biannually means every other year right? Is this what they mean when they say it’s odd year or even year? What’s a float? Also can you see how much point is left before you make a purchase? Also this purchase comes with rci access so you can make purchase through rci if you want for last week deals? Etc?

You’re in the right place and doing the right research.

Do a search here on TUGBBS. You’ll find all the answers you’re looking for and more.

Bottom line: do NOT buy from developer

Good luck!

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

Concur about eBay… this literally sold a few mins ago

biannual contract for 308k points for a little over $1300 … seller covering all transfer and closing costs. Monthly Maint fees about $65/mo

this contract amount (308k) will get a 3BR presidential just about anywhere. And if you want to break up points into smaller chunks, don’t want a 3BR (maybe get something smaller) you can roll your points over to following year for more vacations.

a lot of flexibility.

I own at Bali Hai so I keep an eye on sales… just to see what the value stays at.

these biannuals often sell for a few thousand (seen one go for $3k once) so this is a decent price … to the OP - just need to keep your eyes peeled.

Lots of deals out there

I bought a biannual bali hai 210k contract earlier this year for about $1,200 all-in including closing costs. I think the days of them going for $3k are long gone, the resale market is toast.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

Yah, I saw a lot of deals on eBay but just trying to learn more before I make a purchase. I will make a purchase I just gotta learn so much, biannually means every other year right? Is this what they mean when they say it’s odd year or even year? What’s a float? Also can you see how much point is left before you make a purchase? Also this purchase comes with rci access so you can make purchase through rci if you want for last week deals? Etc?

Yes, bi-annual means every other year, either even or odd. You want a points contract not a week contract, so the "float" part is inapplicable. The most important thing is the maintenance fees. You want to buy a contract with really low maintenance fees per thousand points. Here's a post with a link to a spreadsheet maintained by TUG users on the current maintenance fees for each resort: https://tugbbs.com/forums/threads/s...previous-years-last-updated-9-28-2022.315557/
Don't buy any resorts that have higher maintenance fees than Club Wyndham Access (You can just buy Club Wyndham Access instead).

The ebay listing should have whether or not current years use poitns are still available. As a practical matter, if you are transferring in the second half of the use year, Wyndham will steal the points and won't transfer them to you. It also takes around 3-4 months for a transfer to complete. This means that, as a practical matter, you shouldn't buy anything past about February 1 (and that's cutting it close) if you want to still have the points for that year (assuming it's a January use year).

I wouldn't buy an EOY contract as your first contract. I'd by a regular annual contract. You can always add on EOY's later. In the first three months of a year you can bank points into the next use year for a small fee, so if there's a year you don't want to travel, you can push those poitns forward so you won't lose them.

 

[Herk]

Yes, bi-annual means every other year, either even or odd. You want a points contract not a week contract, so the "float" part is inapplicable. The most important thing is the maintenance fees. You want to buy a contract with really low maintenance fees per thousand points. Here's a post with a link to a spreadsheet maintained by TUG users on the current maintenance fees for each resort: https://tugbbs.com/forums/threads/s...previous-years-last-updated-9-28-2022.315557/
Don't buy any resorts that have higher maintenance fees than Club Wyndham Access (You can just buy Club Wyndham Access instead).

The ebay listing should have whether or not current years use poitns are still available. As a practical matter, if you are transferring in the second half of the use year, Wyndham will steal the points and won't transfer them to you. It also takes around 3-4 months for a transfer to complete. This means that, as a practical matter, you shouldn't buy anything past about February 1 (and that's cutting it close) if you want to still have the points for that year (assuming it's a January use year).

I wouldn't buy an EOY contract as your first contract. I'd by a regular annual contract. You can always add on EOY's later. In the first three months of a year you can bank points into the next use year for a small fee, so if there's a year you don't want to travel, you can push those poitns forward so you won't lose them.

Good advice.

but…. I personally like EOY contracts for first timers. Why? Flexibility… if only going to do one “big” trip a year, monthly maintenance fees are essentially halved. Don’t use all your points in your even year? Don’t use them at all? Roll the, into your odd year for a small fee…

start out with even or odd... if you like it can always purchase another odd/even (Opposite EOY) from previous.

dip your toes in the water. EOY contracts are normally less than annual contracts (no hard data - just from what I have seen).

so buy-in is less / monthly fees are less.

tomato / tomahto

it is all personal preference!

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

Good advice.

but…. I personally like EOY contracts for first timers. Why? Flexibility… if only going to do one “big” trip a year, monthly maintenance fees are essentially halved. Don’t use all your points in your even year? Don’t use them at all? Roll the, into your odd year for a small fee…

start out with even or odd... if you like it can always purchase another odd/even (Opposite EOY) from previous.

dip your toes in the water. EOY contracts are normally less than annual contracts (no hard data - just from what I have seen).

so buy-in is less / monthly fees are less.

tomato / tomahto

it is all personal preference!

If all you have is an EOY contract and you roll your points into your “off” year aren’t you also going to have to pay for additional housekeeping credits?

 

[Herk]

If all you have is an EOY contract and you roll your points into your “off” year aren’t you also going to have to pay for additional housekeeping credits?

Beats me. For a newbie who is looking to control costs, I think EOY is fine.

lower initial buy in / lower MFs

IMO - rolling over / addt’l HK credits are small potatoes.

MFs are what hit month after month…….. after month.

newbie - dipping toes in the water. Start small. Anyway. My two cents. YMMV and I’m not an expert.

back on topic - don’t buy from developer / look Into resale on eBay!

good luck.

 

[kaljor]

Thanks, didn’t realize this. We are very back and forth on trying Daytona Beach. On the one hand, it’s an easy direct flight from where we are, and also would make a great split stay with an Orlando trip. On the other hand, I’ve read a lot of really mixed things about Daytona Beach (not just this particular hotel, but the area in general). It sounded like more of an extreme party atmosphere than a place to take young kids on a beach trip. Is your experience different?

I guess the city itself has seen better days. Driving around you may see some areas where the houses look a little run down. But when I go, its usually just for 5 nights, and its primarily for the beach and the ocean. The place is located in a small district named Ocean Walk and it’s nice enough. There’s a 2 or 3 story small mall type thing next door with a movie theatre and some shops and a couple of restaurants. A bit further up the street is a Hilton hotel with a very nice steakhouse inside. They have an outdoor deck where it’s nice to eat by the ocean. For other dinner choices, I usually drive out to one of the fast casual chain restaurants that are plentiful in the area.

A little further up, the district seems to end and I don’t know what’s beyond that.

I usually stop at a Publix on the way in and get some snack and lunch items. There’s a Dunkin and an IHOP and a diner within walking distance if you don’t want to make your own breakfast.

The Tiki bar area is pretty big and I think I remember there being some live music, but I’m not 100% sure about that.

I’ve never encountered any party atmosphere there at all. It could be a seasonal thing that I just don’t know about. Or just another part of Daytona Beach itself. I think it’s a great idea to try it as a split stay with Bonnet Creek.

 

[paxsarah]

Beats me. For a newbie who is looking to control costs, I think EOY is fine.

lower initial buy in / lower MFs

IMO - rolling over / addt’l HK credits are small potatoes.

MFs are what hit month after month…….. after month.

newbie - dipping toes in the water. Start small. Anyway. My two cents. YMMV and I’m not an expert.

back on topic - don’t buy from developer / look Into resale on eBay!

good luck.

Initial buy-in is negligible on eBay/TUG/wherever regardless of annual or biennial.

First you say buy EOY to keep costs low. Then you say additional HK credits are small potatoes. If you're keeping costs low, I'd say $159 per additional HK credit is at least medium potatoes, proportionally to a small ownership. Reservation transactions ($19) are small potatoes. The points deposit fee ($39) is also pretty small. But $159 a pop is pretty noticeable.

Unless the buyer is truly planning to travel only in alternate years, with Wyndham they're better off buying an annual contract of half the size than a biennial contract. (So, e.g., buy 154k annually rather than 308k biennially.) If they're planning to use it every year, they should purchase points in every year which then include the corresponding HK credits every year.

 

[Herk]

Initial buy-in is negligible on eBay/TUG/wherever regardless of annual or biennial.

First you say buy EOY to keep costs low. Then you say additional HK credits are small potatoes. If you're keeping costs low, I'd say $159 per additional HK credit is at least medium potatoes, proportionally to a small ownership. Reservation transactions ($19) are small potatoes. The points deposit fee ($39) is also pretty small. But $159 a pop is pretty noticeable.

Unless the buyer is truly planning to travel only in alternate years, with Wyndham they're better off buying an annual contract of half the size than a biennial contract. (So, e.g., buy 154k annually rather than 308k biennially.) If they're planning to use it every year, they should purchase points in every year which then include the corresponding HK credits every year.

Yep.

Lots of different ways to skin the cat.

We only travel about every other year with our timeshare, and we use all of our points when we do… so it works for us.

Back to the original poster… Buy resale.