New to Vidanta timeshare

[JaiBird]

We're brand new to the Vidanta timeshare. My mom bought a studio at Imperial Gardens NV during her visit to Vidanta RM and then has given it to my husband and I, as she decided she no longer wanted it - she never used it. Going over all the files she's given me is daunting at best. We love Vidanta and go there every year through RCI, but navigating through this timeshare has been interesting. We've not yet used our "free week" because of COVID-19 (SMH), but are planning to use it in Dec at Vidanta RM. Any advice / information / experiences would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Eric B]

You'll get a lot more info on Vidanta in the Mexico time sharing forum. A moderator could move this there (@Karen G ?). There are a few knowledgeable Vedanta owners that frequently post and answer questions there (e.g., @pittle, @T-Dot-Traveller, and a few others), as do I. Happy to answer anything I can, though I'm not too familiar with what Imperial Gardens has for sister resort exchanges in Vidanta.

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

We're brand new to the Vidanta timeshare. My mom bought a studio at Imperial Gardens NV during her visit to Vidanta RM and then has given it to my husband and I, as she decided she no longer wanted it - she never used it. Going over all the files she's given me is daunting at best. We love Vidanta and go there every year through RCI, but navigating through this timeshare has been interesting. We've not yet used our "free week" because of COVID-19 (SMH), but are planning to use it in Dec at Vidanta RM. Any advice / information / experiences would be greatly appreciated.

1)- One significant benefit is that this will give you a prime season week without the RCI exchange fee + Vidanta-RCI resort fee
(currently a 2 bedroom NV has a $ 950 resort fee) The resort fee varies by location and unit / bedroom size and is listed on RCI by location.

2)- Read the contract to find out as much as you can , and then ask questions in the TUG Mexican forum.

3)- I am also somewhat unfamiliar with the Vidanta Imperial Gardens brand. I believe it is / will be a hotel location within the under construction NV theme park.
There should be an internal Vidanta exchange grid within your contract as @Eric B mentioned.

4) The contract should also list your booking window. As an example : our Mayan Palace brand contract is 6 months .
This allows me to book any February 2022 week on August 1 2021. All ownership weeks are float week / float unit. The 4 Mexican Holiday weeks are excluded
(Christmas-New Years- the 2 weeks on either side of Easter Sunday) although there are times that Vidanta will allow bookings.

5) There may be access to additional "bonus" weeks that are designed for off- season use.

 

[JaiBird]

1)- One significant benefit is that this will give you a prime season week without the RCI exchange fee + Vidanta-RCI resort fee
(currently a 2 bedroom NV has a $ 950 resort fee) The resort fee varies by location and unit / bedroom size and is listed on RCI by location.

2)- Read the contract to find out as much as you can , and then ask questions in the TUG Mexican forum.

3)- I am also somewhat unfamiliar with the Vidanta Imperial Gardens brand. I believe it is / will be a hotel location within the under construction NV theme park.
There should be an internal Vidanta exchange grid within your contract as @Eric B mentioned.

4) The contract should also list your booking window. As an example : our Mayan Palace brand contract is 6 months .
This allows me to book any February 2022 week on August 1 2021. All ownership weeks are float week / float unit. The 4 Mexican Holiday weeks are excluded
(Christmas-New Years- the 2 weeks on either side of Easter Sunday) although there are times that Vidanta will allow bookings.

5) There may be access to additional "bonus" weeks that are designed for off- season use.

Thank you! Yes, it's a hotel that's part of the New NV theme park I guess. I'll have a good look through the contract and come back here if I have any questions. yes the resort fee for RM is $700 with RCI. Totally killing me.

 

[JaiBird]

Any information on the Vida life program. As I look over the Imperial Gardens contract it all looks pretty straight forward, but the Vida life seems to be extremely $$$ and I don’t really understand it’s purpose.

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

Any information on the Vida life program.
As I look over the Imperial Gardens contract it all looks pretty straight forward,
but the Vida life seems to be extremely $$$ and I don’t really understand it’s purpose.

[If any of the following is incorrect I can have this edited. ]
I believe what you are referring to is a program administered by ICE [International Cruise and Excursions] that includes Vida Dollars.

Vida Life is essentially a rewards points program
I believe it is bases on a % of money spent within a time period.
The reward dollars expire if unused within a time period
Vida Life is administered by ICE - [ International Cruise and Excursions] a company that runs these types of programs and is also a Vidanta
"partner" on some bonus week programs.

It's primary purpose seems to be to give the sales force another tool to close a deal.

@Eric B likely can give you more details on use.To my understanding there are "deals" and some could have a lower cost then what you would
pay in the retail marketplace. Our 2006 contract does not have this program and so my knowledge comes from reading TUG.

 

[rboesl]

Vida Lifestyle is basically what T-Dot-Traveler says. You can find some decent deals on cruises along with your bonus weeks from Vidanta. They also partner with SFX to give you access to get away weeks. But inventory is limited compared to RCI and Interval International.

 

[pittle]

I must admit that I am not familiar with any of the Parks resorts. We are just not interested in them. We started with Mayan World as I call it because they have had several name changes since we became members in 1999. We have stayed in many MP units as we owned quite a few MP weeks and 2 GM weeks for several years before upgrading to GL in 2013. We plan to stay at that level and choose not to go to the updates to learn about the Parks area. These are further from the beach and will be noisier. We go for great accommodations and the beach.

I saved one of the recently posted MF schedules for Vidanta. Imperial Gardens is listed with the MP/Bliss lines and the Imperial Gardens Presidential are in the GM lines. So, since it is not built yet, you would be able to pay your MF and go to a MP. A Hotel unit would cost you around $850; 1-bedroom Suite around $1050, and a 2-bedroom would be $1250. For the one at the GM level the costs would be $1,000, $1150, $1800. You do not have to pay the Resort fees like you do with RCI exchanges.

We have used a Vida Weeks week with our SFX account for a friend. and I am thinking booking 2 GM 2-bedroom weeks in Acapulco for next January. Since they do not have a GL, I would rather use the Vida weeks for a GM and then my GL weeks for NV,

 

[pianoetudes]

Hi @JaiBird. Could you post the floor plan of Imperial Garden? Thanks.