So at this point in time, I would like to thank you all for the great advice.
We are not at all going to buy anything soon. We are actually going to MB this weekend and all of next and are planning on stopping by a few places to check them out.
I'm going to go over the Wyndham points Brochure, by the time I'm doing reading it and understand it my kids should be grown, and our needs will probably have changed by then.
If you all would like to chime in and advise me of this.
If you could start over right now, with 2 kids and want to be able to drive within a day to your destination, what program would you buy into right now. Of course this would be a resale, as we are NEVER buying new from developer. And the second part is WHY?
Frankly, I think you should seriously consider, comprehend and fully absorb the fact that any purchase made with the sole intention of "exchanging" that week for some other time and place is a crap shoot --- at best. The goalposts are continually being moved around in the exchange game. In addition, the costs of exchanging (just like maintenance fee costs) continue to move in no direction other than upward. How well any given week trades today could very well change tomorrow with the ever-moving RCI goalposts. Even the relatively new RCI "TPU" game already reflects both inconsistency and illogical variability in "valuations".
You have school age children and you will presumably be constrained by and locked into school vacations for years yet to come. You are part of a very large statistical group fitting that very same description (...often with the very same vacation time periods too, I might add). With that irrefutable fact in mind, do you really want to gamble with "buying in hopes of successfully exchanging"? It is of course your prerogative and your choice to do so, but it could very well be a decision which you later come to regret (but cannot easily fix).
I don't mean to sound "negative", but I'd hate to see your enthusiasm to buy result in a bad purchase decision which very well may not fulfill your vacation expectations and / or needs and which perhaps cannot easily be later reversed. Pehaps giving yourself the reminder that "maintenance fees are forever" will provide some food for thought before hsatily making a purchase.
Is there a resource for non-RCI members that explains their two programs. I've seen points talked about, weeks talked about, and now TPU's...
Yes, yes! - I understand. But the OP said he has 2 kids and wants to be able to drive to the destination, even though he realizes their needs might change once the kids are grown. (don't be surprised - your needs might not change THAT much). I didn't get the impression that he wants to be a "serial exchanger". I was agreeing with Theo's post. The OP asked about other TUG members experience/opinions related to this. I mentioned in another post how we bought a 2 bedroom -2 weeks (not points)-sleeps 8 (we have one child) and we are within driving distance and if you buy right the place can become like a second home and you might want to keep going their AFTER the kids are grown (and so might the kids, (and maybe THEIR kids) as our 24 year old still does!). We have certainly exchanged (mainly our floaters) plenty of times to great places - summer and spring breaks- but we love going to our home resort (even after 15 years) and it's very easy - no airports, just throw stuff in the car, no hassles of exchanging, no exchange fees and membership fees, don't have to reserve your own week ahead of time - just show up, etc.- and not expensive, since we can cook in a lot and do free/low cost activities there and go sightseeing,etc. Now that we are a bit older (but still working) we rent when we want an extra vacation somewhere else, but continue to go to our home resort, too.
Yes, yes! - I understand. But the OP said he has 2 kids and wants to be able to drive to the destination, even though he realizes their needs might change once the kids are grown. (don't be surprised - your needs might not change THAT much). I didn't get the impression that he wants to be a "serial exchanger". I was agreeing with Theo's post. The OP asked about other TUG members experience/opinions related to this. I mentioned in another post how we bought a 2 bedroom -2 weeks (not points)-sleeps 8 (we have one child) and we are within driving distance and if you buy right the place can become like a second home and you might want to keep going their AFTER the kids are grown (and so might the kids, (and maybe THEIR kids) as our 24 year old still does!). We have certainly exchanged (mainly our floaters) plenty of times to great places - summer and spring breaks- but we love going to our home resort (even after 15 years) and it's very easy - no airports, just throw stuff in the car, no hassles of exchanging, no exchange fees and membership fees, don't have to reserve your own week ahead of time - just show up, etc.- and not expensive, since we can cook in a lot and do free/low cost activities there and go sightseeing,etc. Now that we are a bit older (but still working) we rent when we want an extra vacation somewhere else, but continue to go to our home resort, too.
"Beefnot" seems to have little or nothing of actual substance to contribute to these TUG forums, but merely foments and manufactures conflict and argument (where none is either necessary or appropriate) with "philosophical" objections, apparently just to "stir the pot". His own words elsewhere on TUG have admitted possessing little or nothing in the way of applicable facts, but instead a claim to "wisdom and logic" as an offered substitute for knowledge and / or pertinent experience.
I always welcome intelligent discourse and informed disagreement ---the operative word being informed. Personally, I am very grateful for the "ignore" function / option offered among TUG's User CP choices. I seldom use it, but greatly appreciate its' existence when I do...
