Newbie here - Weeks -vs-points TS

[kmjf]

Hi,

My husband and I are considering buying 2 weeks at Dikkhololo (2 bedroom resale). It appears this resort uses the "weeks" system rather than the "points" system.

Should we be looking at buying a TS resale in "points" vs "weeks"? What are the pros and cons to each system?

If we do buy a weeks TS, is there a reason to buy floating vs fixed?

We plan to buy only red weeks and our purpose is to exchange the weeks (or points) for travel in Europe and Asia with our two children. We can plan our vacations out two years.

Thanks in advance for your responses.

 

[lll1929]

The biggest difference between weeks and points timeshares is that points allows you to travel in increments of less than 7 days.

I own a weeks timeshare (Marriott) but I make look into buying a resale points timeshare later in life.

Floating weeks allow you to choose a week within a specified time period to travel whereas a fixed week means you will travel to the same place during the same time every year. If you want a popular week every year (New Years, Christmas, Presidents Week, Spring break), you may want to by fixed at the resort, if it's offered. Not all resorts offer fixed weeks for purchase.

 

[aliikai2]

You are aware that DIK is in South Africa, Right?

These were great traders in the past, but are just ok traders now.

Dik only sold floating weeks, Prime or Flexi weeks.

The Prime cost more and sometimes have better trade value.

The Flexi are the most common.

When you pay your annual fees ( a year ahead to Dik) they will deposit with RCI the best available week at that time.

You don't get to choose like the other poster does with their Marriott week.

The other questions, Points vs Weeks, you will need to read, read, and read for a few months to develop a plan as to what you think will work the best for you and your family.

We started out trading SA weeks, now we own were we want to vacation.

Enjoy your education and your search.

fwiw,

Greg

Hi,

My husband and I are considering buying 2 weeks at Dikkhololo (2 bedroom resale). It appears this resort uses the "weeks" system rather than the "points" system.

Should we be looking at buying a TS resale in "points" vs "weeks"? What are the pros and cons to each system?

If we do buy a weeks TS, is there a reason to buy floating vs fixed?

We plan to buy only red weeks and our purpose is to exchange the weeks (or points) for travel in Europe and Asia with our two children. We can plan our vacations out two years.

Thanks in advance for your responses.

 

[AwayWeGo]

What I Think I Know About Dikhololo, Etc. -- Take With Grain Of Salt.

My husband and I are considering buying 2 weeks at Dikkhololo (2 bedroom resale). It appears this resort uses the "weeks" system rather than the "points" system.

Dikhololo was the original TUG "tiger trader" South African timeshare back when US dollars were "strong" & the South African rand was "weak." Also, back then timeshare trades were mainly straight-weeks -- i.e., the points system was not so well established as today. In any case, for a while there USA owners of Dikhololo timeshare weeks were getting advantageous trades into other people's high-value timeshares for minimal outlay. That sounded so good to us that we tried to buy Dikhololo ourselves. The closest we could manage at the time was Lowveld Lodge, which we bought & still own.

For USA owners, RCI treats Lowveld Lodge & Dikhololo, etc., as straight-weeks timeshares for deposit & exchange purposes. Evidently, however, those timeshares operate on their own points-style system for African & European owners. That causes confusion sometimes for some of the semi-rookie RCI staffers who aren't aware of the geographic distinction.

Should we be looking at buying a TS resale in "points" vs "weeks"? What are the pros and cons to each system?

The "weeks" exchange system is fading, but it's not gone yet & can still work advantageously but (from what I hear) less so than in the old days, & sometimes only with much on-line effort.

The "points" exchange system may be the wave of the future but it still has a long way to go. Points members can't always get exactly what they want for exactly when they want it. But they can get partial-week reservations if they want'm & can get full-week Instant Exchange reservations into "weeks" timeshares for no more than 9,000 points when the check-in date is no further ahead than 45 days.

Points members who also own "weeks" timeshares can deposit their straight weeks into the "points" system (via Points For Deposit ) & bank more points that way if they choose instead of banking their straight weeks into the weeks-exchange system.

Points For Deposit is no good for timeshare weeks at "points" timeshares -- only for timeshare weeks at "weeks" timeshares. The fact that Dikhololo is already on some kind of regional "points" system in Africa to me means that for USA owners Dikhololo is unlikely to be considered a "points" timeshare any time soon, if ever.

If we do buy a weeks TS, is there a reason to buy floating vs fixed?

Floating means you're not locked into the same vacation schedule year after year. It also means you have to request your reservation early before the best weeks are spoken for. If you wait too late, you risk getting shut out completely -- even though you paid all your fees, etc.

For purposes of banking & deposit, the differences are less critical, but before you can make a timeshare deposit you need to reserve a specific week, then deposit that.

We plan to buy only red weeks and our purpose is to exchange the weeks (or points) for travel in Europe and Asia with our two children. We can plan our vacations out two years.

Except for those last-minute bargain deals (Last Call & Instant Exchange ), planning way ahead like that offers the best chance to snag some nice timeshare exchanges. Some super-savvy timeshare folks stay up till midnight on the 1st day of availability for way-off exchanges, just to enhance their chances of snagging the choicest weeks ahead of all the rest of us. So it goes.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[lprstn]

If your main purpose is to travel to Europe, you may want to really do your research on a strong trader, and should even consider a European TS purchase, as Europe is definately not easy to get every year.

Also, I have heard people with RCI points say that it trades well for European destinations.

Check out this thread

http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?p=477272

 

[kmjf]

Researching a strong trader

If your main purpose is to travel to Europe, you may want to really do your research on a strong trader, and should even consider a European TS purchase, as Europe is definately not easy to get every year.

Also, I have heard people with RCI points say that it trades well for European destinations.

Check out this thread

http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?p=477272

So how does one research a strong trader?

 

[AwayWeGo]

Trade Power, Shmayde Power.

So how does one research a strong trader?

Read up all you can on TUG, pay attention to other people's timeshare trade experiences, cross your fingers, hold your breath, & hope.

Also, what formerly traded with the power of a tiger might trade like an alley cat at some other time -- with no sure-fire way to know that trade power has changed till after the fact.

The trouble with week-for-week trades is that (A) the trade power criteria are all hidden in the murky back rooms of RCI & I-I, unlike points systems which (whatever their faults & inaccuracies) at least have all the points values out there in the open for everybody to see & weigh ahead of time. Also (B) that it's a moving target, depending on when you deposit, when you seek to reserve, the phases of the moon, what the weather conditions are in Carmel IN, & what mood the RCI Grand Pro happens to be in at the time.

Generally speaking, 2BR units in prime season at sought-after locations will have more trade power than off-season 1BRs & studios in places that are overloaded with timeshares or in places where nobody much wants to vacation. Somebody who used to be on TUG-BBS & who really knows his timeshare onions said that any summertime Wisconsin Dells 1BR timeshare used as RCI trade bait will snag anything RCI has available anywhere. I don't know that that's true, but I can believe it.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[swift]

So how does one research a strong trader?

As a TUG member you can access the TUG Trade Tests http://www.timeshare-users-group.com/tugdb/ttest/ so you can see a little history of how some would trade. Also, you can access the Sightings Board http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=3 watch what people pull and with what.