Lost and confused !! Mayan /Vida timeshare member

[Passepartout]

Based on the OPs post #19, she emailed a cancellation notification, indicating intent. I am NOT SURE the contract says this is an acceptable means of notification. I would urge her to be absolutely sure- 'course it isn't my $12,000.

I am disturbed by all this communication on resorts, size units, amenities, etc, while the objective is to rescind. Nothing more. Learn all about Mexican resorts at leisure after her funds are safely back in her accounts. Then, should it turn out that a developer purchase is the best for her family, this deal is going to be available. It won't be. (The best deal).

Time's awasting. Get a proper rescission in the works, so you can go back to vacation. This business decision has wasted far more of this one than it should have.

Jim

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

Thoughts

Thank you T-Dot. Based on what I mentioned about all the details of my contract , what are your thoughts about my purchase ?

Can any experienced Timeshare member please fill in ? I am an absolute newbie , intention to buy was a good vacation for my family.

Thoughts ?

A lot of what I know comes from other TUG members and Vidanta owners
including Phylis / Plittle and Mike/.mikenk

We did purchase from the developer in 2006/07 and paid $ We are happy with a Mayan Palace 1 bedroom suite and have never upgraded and probably will not . We first went to Mexico due to a cousin's wedding in PV and now love Mexico and would probably go to there in Jan /Feb over South Florida even if Florida was easier to exchange into in Jan /Feb. We have not been to the RM Mayan location but did go to Cancun Feb 2015 on an RCI exchange . Since we live in Canada winter peak season (Jan/Feb)sun vacations are important .
RM & NV are the big ones - we actually prefer the smaller locations and ones where using the local bus systems mean no rental car needed .I am a sales rep and in my car everyday so no car adds to my vacation experience.
All Mayans are non AI - all inclusive - which we prefer and saves some $ since you can buy groceries and eat some / many meals in your unit.< many Mexican resorts are AI - which some prefer - but not for us >

If you want to own Mayan/Vidanta and decide to keep this contract I would make sure all the addendum you want are added as Seema did with a recent Grand Luxxe purchase . However you will spend your vacation negotiating- not at the pool .

As I posted re resale - you may want to look into a Mayan Palace contract from about 2001-2006 . Those would have 10+ years until renewal( were 25 yr until renewal / not 10 yr like newer contracts) and some have a transfer fee of 1 MF (2001 & earlier?? ) See Plittle past posts on TUG for details . I do not need - but look, & a MP 2 bedroom sold on E -bay for $99 in the last 2 months with the seller paying the $ 1700 resort transfer fee and the $499 closing fee This was a two bedroom with a $ 839 MF and would likely have the % cap on increases

<Could I have saved some money if I had found TUG before - absolutely > but MF on use attendums in Mayan contracts ( no go /no pay ) started about a year before we bought and that was the hook that got me to buy. It is an easy exit strategy from a TS should life change and you can no longer travel for any reason .

If you want to exchange in every couple of years - research and buy xyz resort resale in the USA - perhaps within driving distance of home and then exchange through RCI or II - but you add $ in the exchange fee . I think most of the Vidanta / Mayan brands are RCI week / tpu exchanges . I believe Grand Luxxe is on II ( intervals International - the other big exchange company)

Read TUG and learn - I still am learning.

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

I agree -

Based on the OPs post #19, she emailed a cancellation notification, indicating intent. I am NOT SURE the contract says this is an acceptable means of notification. I would urge her to be absolutely sure- 'course it isn't my $12,000.

I am disturbed by all this communication on resorts, size units, amenities, etc, while the objective is to rescind. Nothing more. Learn all about Mexican resorts at leisure after her funds are safely back in her accounts. Then, should it turn out that a developer purchase is the best for her family, this deal is going to be available. It won't be. (The best deal).

Time's awasting. Get a proper rescission in the works, so you can go back to vacation. This business decision has wasted far more of this one than it should have.

Jim

I agree - but if you are in that Mexican warmth & sunshine you are likely still obsessed with " how do I get here next year & have a great family vacation .

so answers now help the process of clear thinking

But rescind properly .

PS - based on a post - I believe mikenk once rescinded Grand Luxxe via the on property
contracts office in Nuevo - then went back during the same vacation and bought / rebought Grand Luxxe -with all the addendums he wanted fully spelled and written out
I am not sure if RM has a contracts office as I have never stayed there .
Vidanta's contract office staff is not the same as TS sales and flat out lying is not part of that department operation / function .<they will encourage you to keep the contract-- i believe - so .... >

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

No mention of booking window

The contracting department called us today morning and explained following:

a) We have 2 weeks each year for a 1 Bedroom suite (king bed, 1 bath, living area, small kitchen). The contract for this is 10years with 10 renewals ($1000 per renewal) = 100 years. So my total fees to Vida is $12K + 1Kx10yrs = $22K). They will charge a "usage fee of $800" for each week I use - if i don't use, i don't pay any maintenance fees. If i use the 1-resort-week at outside hotels via SFX (for $200 additional exchange fee) then I get 2 weeks. And since i have 2 resort weeks, i can get upto 4 outside hotel weeks for $800x2 + $200x2 = $2000. Which comes to $500 per outside hotel week. Now i have to use these weeks as whole. Doesn't make sense to break up. If I want to stay individual nights, they are recommending i deposit the 2 resort weeks with SFX and they will pay $3K per resort week in
Vida-Dollars. So I can get $6K vida dollars for 2 weeks that I can use to buy a package tour with their vida lifestyle website. And with those $6K i can buy individual outside hotel nights at whatever price is listed on vida website. They say they will pricematch if we can show for the same package/hotel/airline/cruise someone else is offering a lower price but that will never happen because 2 packages are never identical between Expedia and VidaLifestyle. Not sure whether $6K vida dollars in return for spending $800x2=$1600 exchange fee is a good deal or not.


b) In addition to above for 100yrs, we also have 1 Vida week available for use via SFX exchange for next 10 years. This gives us the option to buy 1 week stay at Studio ($169) or 1Bed ($499) at any outside hotel. Dont think there is any other usage fee here -- need to verify and any blackout dates. They are providing SFX Gold membership for life as long as you use it (book a room once every 2 years and login to SFX website twice a year)

c) In addition to above for next 10 years, they are giving me 1 resort week to stay at their resorts or get 2 weeks to stay at outside hotels for $800 usage + $200 SFX exchange = $1000 per week. They gave me this 10yr option because to lower the contract price, i gave them back my 2 weeks listed above in (a) for FY 2015 and FY 2016 (which they call as Marketing Week buyback).


So above is what I am getting for $12K contract. Please advise on limitations and pros/cons of this contract.

Behopeful -Hi again
There is NO mention of a booking window - ie - how far in advance you can call reservations & this is important in order to get your future vacation time when you want to go .
This is a major consideration with all TS systems
Marriot / DRI /Wyndham / Hilton etc and there are long TUG threads on this issue, and details for each system on how to get what you want, when you want .
Vidanta / Mayan is growing - and so you would likely get something/ sort of when you want BUT to me, something in the contract should be there in writing .
-----------

SFX ( San Franciso Exchange )is a smaller exchange system that has good relations with Vidanta - but it is best ( from what I read on TUG ) if your on the USA west coast or want to go there .
-------

My suggestion ( as others have said ) is rescind properly so you can better decide how to best use 12 K for future vacations .
The "deal" will not go away - but your 12 K is spent if you do not rescind by day 5 .

Rescind & go to the pool & have lunch - read TUG every night when you get home
TS sales love newbies - that is how they make money
-----------------

PS - " marketing week buy back " is just TS sales BS / confusing/ massaging / shell game stuff

I hope I have given, and added enough information to give a context, - not only to make a decision on this contract but
also to plan how to go forward with future vacation planning.

Just saying rescind ( to me ) does not give a reason why - and personally I am an information junkie
which is why TUG is the right place to research TS .

Behopeful - thank you for the information you provided . Both current owners of Vidanta/ Mayan and any future first time TUG googlers
like yourself will thank you

 

[pittle]

T-Dot has given you some great advice!!!

I have not heard of the Collections - but we have not taken the update deal since last November. I could not find it on the most current website. It could be an old thing with a new name. I personally think that $800 per year per week for a 1-bedroom Sea Garden or Mayan Palace is way too high. In 2013 when we upgraded all of our units into 2 Registered weeks plus lots of Vacation Fair / Residence Weeks, we had a 1 bedroom Mayan Palace week in the mix and the MF were just under $500. So even with a 3-5% increase for the past 3 years (that particular contract was old and had 3%), we would be talking less than $600 for this year. None of our 2-bedroom MP weeks were anywhere near $800. The thing is, while contracts state no more than 5% per year, they can start where they want with a new contract.

I do not trust the Vida $ thing at all. I think of it as like credit card points. You do not always get what you expect. They will not just plop $4000 down when you arrive at the resort for your use, I can pretty much guarantee that. Why in the world would they do that? They are in the business of making money, not giving it away. I am sure it will be pro-rated and based on some other things.

The weeks you will get to choose from will not be the prime weeks of mid-January until mid-April. Folks have have paid BIG bucks will get those.

We have been Mayan World owners since February 1999 when we were in Acapulco at the worst resort that we have ever stayed in. We took the tour of the Mayan Palace for something to do and when the guy said that if we bought a 2-bedroom Sea Garden unit from Mazatlan that had been turned in for an upgrade, we could move to a 1-bedroom MP unit that day! We were on that like white on rice! We had the taxi driver take us back to the dump, snagged our stuff and within an hour were loving our vacation! In November, we were in PV with family and were snagged there. We upgraded to a 2-bedroom MP while there. We eventually purchased numerous MP weeks on eBay at a significant savings and used 3-4 2-bedroom units many times for family Thanksgiving vacations at one of the Mayan resorts for many years. We would also take vacations in February each year for a couple of weeks, so we used our weeks for vacations with friends and family. We sledom go anywhere for just one week. We upgraded to 2 2-bedroom GM units in 2006, but still had 4 MP units. We were offered the Senior Certificates and the no pay unless you go over the years for all our units. In 2013, it made sense to us to consolidate to Grand Luxxe units. I thought that would never happen because we loved what we had. We travel a lot, but even as retirees, it is hard to take 13 weeks a year off and be active in our church. We have the option for as many as 12 weeks per year at GL if we want, but also love our Buganvilias in PV. (Finishing up our 2nd week here tomorrow .)

All that said - with my experience with Mayan World as I call it, you are not getting a great deal, but only you can make the final call. Several respected TUG folks have given you some good advice here. If you choose to keep this package, just know that you will not be the first one to do so. All of us have been there at some time or another. Good luck.

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

MF 2016 - Mayan Palace - one bedroom suite

My MF for 2016 is just under $ 700 - pay upon use Mayan Palace 1 bdrm suite
The 2 bedroom sold on ebay $ 839 - which may have been 2015 MF
master suites ( hotel room) $ 500 - aprox. based on recent ebay listings showing MF

While there seems to be some minor variation based on start year ( pre 2011)
and the oldest 3% max contract Phyllis has mentioned may run incrementally lower I think this is about the current range for existing MP contracts.
The $ 800 sounds like a "bump up" MF starting point for a " new product line "and that may be because the initial " buy in " is a little lower than in the past .
Hey that is how sales works sometimes - and not just in TS marketing.

Since " the Collection " does not specify a resort brand , they may also be " averaging " in the fact that reservations may end up using Grand Mayans in slower season in
some locations < which also can be used by the wrist band folks to get you to a "owner update " ie sales presentation >

Re reservation booking window - I believe some older Mayan Palace contracts had something called " Profile A " which is an addendum that allowed booking one year out -
( read about it on TUG a few years ago ) my window is 6 months . This is important if you want to book Jan / Feb . They have always had something for my date range -- but at least one year when I was trying for February in December( 3 months out ) only Mazatlan Sea Garden and Acapulco Mayan Palace were still available . We took Maz SG. and it worked out fine and we want to go back some time. ( still need to go to Acapulco for the first time)- however someone in my family really loves PV . Flight availability and price can influence decisions also - and a contract that has no advanced booking window can complicate vacation travel planning that includes a TS that already has a chunk of your money .
-------
Great Resorts and Great Staff
see thread on how well staff in Nuevo handled fall 2015 hurricane threat
started by PamMo Oct 29 - Cat 5 Puerto Vallarta Hurricane Patricia

Interesting TS sales - like many resorts

 

[raygo123]

My MF came in the mail last week, for a 1 bdrm Mayan palace acopolco was $749.00. I think on target that hiss is a new product, as I could not find it on the website. I would not upgrade to have all the resorts available, and have not tried to book at another. Now, my contract say I can, if available. Doesn't seem worth it

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

[pittle]

raygo123 - the saying is "If you own at one, you own at all." We have gone to all of the MP & GM resorts. Most of our contracts have said NV for Nuevo. Just the 1 bedroom said Acapulco. It was a very old contract.

You just call for reservations - or whenever the website for reservations works again - and tell them which resort you want to go to. Not a problem.

 

[pittle]

When we owned three two-bedroom units, one was $100 per year more than the other two from the start. It was a contract that was written 18 months after the first two and eventually got even higher than the $100 difference. They never would tell me why, so I figured that it must be because they can start where they wanted to. :ignore:

We've had the Profile A since 2006 and received letters for all our contracts that we had the no pay unless you go in 2007. Profile A was for folks who had invested "significantly" in Mayan properties. At one time that was $50,000 in Mayan "equity" - that was the amount of the total contracts you had. (Not necessarily what you paid, but what the original contract said. If you bought resale, the original amount was then your "equity".) When we upgraded to Grand Luxxe, they kept all our benefits.

I spent many hours on the phone on August 1 trying to get a February vacation! I had them on speed dial. Once you were put on hold, you waited for quite a while, but at least you were in queue.

We can book 1 year out now, so not a problem.

 

[raygo123]

I pointed that out as an indication of the word "collection" as if it is a reason to upgrade. As you point out, a sales gimmick. I heard you chuckle in you head when I wrote if available.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

[MuranoJo]

I have an older (1999) resale contract that's a 2 bd with the VF week and a 3% m/f increase clause. My 2016 m/f is $657. It's a 'special' week which includes the major holidays (including the spring break dates), so I guess I lucked out on finding this. I'm really happy with the membership and will likely not upgrade.

But you do see these for sale every once in a great while. Sometimes in odd places: For instance, I saw an ad from someone on Redweek who had two holiday weeks he/she was renting with a footnote that they wanted to sell them as well. Also, right here on the TUG Bargains, someone offered to gave away a 2 bd GM 'holiday weeks' about a year ago. I almost jumped on that but they pulled the ad too quickly.

 

[behopeful]

Update :

Thank you for taking your time and sharing all the advises. We have send a certified letter , email and copied profeco in the email intending to cancel. The member services called and said that they are willing to lower the price to 7k instead of 12k . We started with 21k for the Collections Suite and they are willing to now sell it for 7k. That speaks volumes in the way they do business. We respectfully have declined the offer.

I am no one to judge any company or the timeshare concept being a novice , but at the same time , I do question the genuineness of these sales people and wonder how many people would be paying their hard earned money , especially the ones coming from countries where negotiations are uncommon

Lesson learnt - Unless you are absolutely sure of where your money will be used and you read the fine print, which I think is very difficult in one timeshare presentation , DO NOT SIGN the papers.

 

[rpennisi]

You may be a novice, but a knowledgeable one now.

 

[pittle]

Thank you for letting us know what you finally decided. We have purchased timeshares from the developer more than once. Then we get home and think about how much we researched new cars, appliances, etc, and think - Why in the world did we do that? We have rescinded before and have upgraded. You just have to decide what is best for you and then live with it. It sounds like you made a good decision.

Keep watching TUG and you will know even more the next time you say OK to the 90 minute presentation somewhere.

 

[behopeful]

Thank you for letting us know what you finally decided. We have purchased timeshares from the developer more than once. Then we get home and think about how much we researched new cars, appliances, etc, and think - Why in the world did we do that? We have rescinded before and have upgraded. You just have to decide what is best for you and then live with it. It sounds like you made a good decision.

Keep watching TUG and you will know even more the next time you say OK to the 90 minute presentation somewhere.

Thank you. After reading your post , I happened to see pictures of your resorts . They look so beautiful ! I particularly liked the La Jolla Mazatlan 2012 pics. It looks like a dream place to be in . I am so glad this concept is working out for you . Someday , I wish to travel the world. Good luck !

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

Reservation Priority timeframe booking window(s)

I am adding this for future newbies & others reading this thread .

Reservation Priority timeframe booking window - why it is important

Please read an example from this week - in the Wyndham Forum
ROYAL VISTA BECOMING PART OF CWA
stared Dec 2 2015 by CruiseGuy

****Be aware however that there are TS systems where the " owner update" will be about how you did not buy right the first time and should " spend " more money for. better booking access .

With : Vida / Vidanta / Mayan World and brands - make sure it is WRITTEN in your contract ,and if not already specified then get an Addendum added .

Vidanta is RTU ( right to use ) with floating weeks and that ( can ) make booking easier than the Wyndham example with blocked out fixed week legacy owners in high demand month(s) in South Florida

Knowledge is important - especially in the TS world