Parent's club wyndham timeshare is driving me crazy

[Unidurtle]

Hi! So I have helped my parents with their timeshare with CW for years now. The past few years have grown frustrating, and my dad mentioned that he thinks the timeshare got better but is now going downhill again.

My parents have a 10-15 year old timeshare that they inherited, but it is marked as a resale. It's the CW Plus plan, which is no longer offered but is grandfathered in. Their home resort is in Daytona. Can someone please tell me why, oh why, is it so troublesome to book ANY resort? There's either no availability for months, you can't book out more than 6 months, AND when clicking into many resorts, CW or Worldmark, I can't book them because "These resorts are not available for booking with your current plan"- and I get this message when looking at their home resort too! Is this because it's an old plan? Or is this typical of any CW timeshare plan?

And then RCI, UGH! There's fees when trying to book in their platform for anything now. I do prefer RCI over the CW main page right now because I can book for more dates and for resorts outside of CW, but the conversion rates for hotels sucks and for cruises is nonexistent. All they want to do is use the two weeks worth of points they get but I cant get them anything.

Any advice? Any idea what is going on? Is it me? Is it CW? Do my parents need to change their plan? TYIA and sorry for the rant!

 

[jp10558]

So, resale can't book Worldmark in most cases, but not being able to book your home resort doesn't make sense to me. I would probably contact owner care to try and figure that out. I am a CW resale owner and certainly can book Wyndham locations, usually between 10-8 months out in less desirable times, sometimes right at 10 months or with a waitlist in really in demand times at in demand resorts. So it kinda depends on what you're looking for. I was able to book 2 weeks at CW Palm-Aire at ~7 months out for a booking in late January-Feb.

So - where are you trying to book, and how far out? You can't book (in most cases) like a month or two away, they've all been booked up by then.

 

[Jan M.]

It sounds like you're experiencing the same website issues everyone is subjected to. It's pretty safe to say that any owner who uses the website shares your frustration.

Getting the error message, not showing as being logged in when you actually are. Just click on the menu bar in the upper left-hand corner and you see that you are in fact logged in.

Getting repeatedly logged out.

Getting told you don't have enough points, the right kind of points, or whatever, to see and book the resorts.

Grayed out calendars for months. This often happens, particularly for resorts with two or three bedroom lock off units, when the system and resort have to reconcile the inventory. Sometimes the availability is back in a few days but we've seen it take a couple weeks sometimes.

Then there's everyone's favorite. The website gets hung up when you're in the middle of trying to complete a reservation.

I'm sure there's a few other issues, glitches, quirks I've missed.

 

[rickandcindy23]

RCI has always had exchange fees. The resort fees are disclosed as a necessity. The fees are charged anyway, and at least RCI won't get a call exclaiming, "I didn't know there was going to be a fee!"

You should be able to get most anything far away from today's date. I think Glacier Canyon is very hard to get for next summer, unless you have status or own.

 

[Floridaman76]

I'm curious where you are trying to book and having issues. Give us some examples.

As someone else mentioned, you can't book worldmark with resale.

 

[paxsarah]

And you can (and should) be able to book any Club Wyndham resort more than 6 months out. Only Margaritaville has more restrictive timeframe.

 

[Unidurtle]

So, resale can't book Worldmark in most cases, but not being able to book your home resort doesn't make sense to me. I would probably contact owner care to try and figure that out. I am a CW resale owner and certainly can book Wyndham locations, usually between 10-8 months out in less desirable times, sometimes right at 10 months or with a waitlist in really in demand times at in demand resorts. So it kinda depends on what you're looking for. I was able to book 2 weeks at CW Palm-Aire at ~7 months out for a booking in late January-Feb.

So - where are you trying to book, and how far out? You can't book (in most cases) like a month or two away, they've all been booked up by then.

looking to be by Glacier National Park in May or June. But the resorts I see there are booked up until at least May and I cant go further than that.

But even going to Miami, trying to look at summer of next year, there is nothing to book but that lets me look into September of next year.

 

[Unidurtle]

RCI has always had exchange fees. The resort fees are disclosed as a necessity. The fees are charged anyway, and at least RCI won't get a call exclaiming, "I didn't know there was going to be a fee!"

You should be able to get most anything far away from today's date. I think Glacier Canyon is very hard to get for next summer, unless you have status or own.

I think its changed for this point year though. Before it was a standard $300 for anything. I avoided any of the RCI Express stuff since those fees were higher. Now, its $500 for the same location as last year, and it states that their additional booking fees. And its varying by resort. Its so bizarre.

 

[jp10558]

looking to be by Glacier National Park in May or June. But the resorts I see there are booked up until at least May and I cant go further than that.

So AI (and my googling) shows no Wyndham resorts near glacier national park. So can you list the names of the resorts you're trying to book? And how?

But even going to Miami, trying to look at summer of next year, there is nothing to book but that lets me look into September of next year.

I don't think Wyndham has anything near Miami either. The closest I'm aware of is Pompano Beach. So again, what resorts specifically are you trying to book and how? Are you just looking in RCI? Or in the Club Wyndham directly?

 

[jp10558]

I think its changed for this point year though. Before it was a standard $300 for anything. I avoided any of the RCI Express stuff since those fees were higher. Now, its $500 for the same location as last year, and it states that their additional booking fees. And its varying by resort. Its so bizarre.

So RCI is now I think including the resort fees in the cost display - which is the new part. The resort fees were always charged (certainly for the last 3 years I've been using it), but they weren't (and still aren't) charged till you go to check in. It's possible you just missed those when checking in. RCI is still charging the $299, but the resorts directly charge a resort fee, I've seen from as low as $50 to as high as $250 for a week.

 

[Unidurtle]

I'm curious where you are trying to book and having issues. Give us some examples.

As someone else mentioned, you can't book worldmark with resale.

Gotcha, so with ignoring Worldmark resorts, basically my parents timeshare is useless in the west side of the US. So staying on the east side, I picked CW Clearwater beach. Literally when I was looking at this resort the other day, there was NOTHING. Now tonight I see check in starting in April. - This is on the CW side of the timeshare. I dont get how its changed and now theres so much available...

Going into RCI, looking into Glacier National park area, Meadow Lake Golf Resort 1 bed is booked during April- Sept 2026. The Edelweiss booked April- until Aug (cant go past that on my screen).

 

[Unidurtle]

So AI (and my googling) shows no Wyndham resorts near glacier national park. So can you list the names of the resorts you're trying to book? And how?

I don't think Wyndham has anything near Miami either. The closest I'm aware of is Pompano Beach. So again, what resorts specifically are you trying to book and how? Are you just looking in RCI? Or in the Club Wyndham directly?

Right so in CW, I was looking at the Worldmarks, bc in my opinion, if I cant book them, they shouldnt even show up. I now know to ignore them. Going into RCI, looking into Glacier National park area, Meadow Lake Golf Resort 1 bed is booked during April- Sept 2026. The Edelweiss booked April- until Aug (cant go past that on my screen).

Club Wyndham Santa Barbara is where I have sent them before. Looking on the CW side, I now see stuff starting in June.

 

[jp10558]

Right so in CW, I was looking at the Worldmarks, bc in my opinion, if I cant book them, they shouldnt even show up. I now know to ignore them. Going into RCI, looking into Glacier National park area, Meadow Lake Golf Resort 1 bed is booked during April- Sept 2026. The Edelweiss booked April- until Aug (cant go past that on my screen).

Club Wyndham Santa Barbara is where I have sent them before. Looking on the CW side, I now see stuff starting in June.

Well, if you had a retail coded set of points you could use "Club Pass" to book Worldmarks but that's for a more limited time and hence less availability. You can as you've seen potentially book Worldmark via RCI. Remember, RCI is an exchange, so only other users deposits are available to book - it's not the same as "all units" available via Wyndham directly. RCI does have a OGS - you can put in a request and it'll keep searching each time they add inventory and then confirm if you match. But then you're in a waiting game...

 

[Unidurtle]

Well, if you had a retail coded set of points you could use "Club Pass" to book Worldmarks but that's for a more limited time and hence less availability. You can as you've seen potentially book Worldmark via RCI. Remember, RCI is an exchange, so only other users deposits are available to book - it's not the same as "all units" available via Wyndham directly. RCI does have a OGS - you can put in a request and it'll keep searching each time they add inventory and then confirm if you match. But then you're in a waiting game...

gotcha, thanks for explaining. I guess I have to be super strategic with this timeshare... might just need to move the points into RCI so I can focus on locations rather than where a CW resort is.

 

[Floridaman76]

Based on what you told us, your parents own resale Club Wyndham Select at Wyndham Ocean Walk (Daytona Bch, FL).

You can book there at 13 months and everywhere else in Club Wyndham at 10 months. So you should be able to book anywhere that has available inventory with a check-in day up to August 5, 2026 if I did my math right, and you can book up to a week past that date (end date of 8/12/26). You can't book Worldmark.

Now, you have made some statements that the timeshare is useless on the west coast. Not exactlly true, just you can't book at Worldmark resorts. Wyndham has several resorts in the West. Yes there are more Worldmark on that side of the Country that's true.

You also made a comment about booking Clearwater Beach. Keep in mind that is one of the most popular resorts in the entire system and books VERY VERY far in advance. I looked myseld and saw inventory in July and August, but keep in mind everyone wants to go there, so it's a fight.

You also mentioned Miami, well there are no resorts in Miami but there are in Pompano Beach and I checked Club Wyndham Royal Vista and there's inventory there starting in May.

There is kind of a steep learning curve to this, but once you figure out what you can and can't do and when to book, and why sometimes you can't, you will find it's good.

At least when the webpage is cooperating. I was having challenges myself tonight.

 

[FL Guy]

There is kind of a steep learning curve to this, but once you figure out what you can and can't do and when to book, and why sometimes you can't, you will find it's good.

Very true. Thankfully there are TUG members willing to help. Of course, the only "help" the sales weasels offer ends up being "you need to buy more points to be able to do X", (and chances are it won't work like they tell you it will anyway). Most of the rest of any advice or "help" they give you are lies (like the "trick" to book a day longer of a stay than you need, then modify it within the 60-day window to get a VIP discount - it's been proven by TUG members that it doesn't work).

 

[Unidurtle]

Based on what you told us, your parents own resale Club Wyndham Select at Wyndham Ocean Walk (Daytona Bch, FL).

You can book there at 13 months and everywhere else in Club Wyndham at 10 months. So you should be able to book anywhere that has available inventory with a check-in day up to August 5, 2026 if I did my math right, and you can book up to a week past that date (end date of 8/12/26). You can't book Worldmark.

Now, you have made some statements that the timeshare is useless on the west coast. Not exactlly true, just you can't book at Worldmark resorts. Wyndham has several resorts in the West. Yes there are more Worldmark on that side of the Country that's true.

You also made a comment about booking Clearwater Beach. Keep in mind that is one of the most popular resorts in the entire system and books VERY VERY far in advance. I looked myseld and saw inventory in July and August, but keep in mind everyone wants to go there, so it's a fight.

You also mentioned Miami, well there are no resorts in Miami but there are in Pompano Beach and I checked Club Wyndham Royal Vista and there's inventory there starting in May.

There is kind of a steep learning curve to this, but once you figure out what you can and can't do and when to book, and why sometimes you can't, you will find it's good.

At least when the webpage is cooperating. I was having challenges myself tonight.

i think the thing that bothers me the most is the availability seems to change daily and the resorts I can pick from seems to change yearly. like why can I not book Daytona this year, but last year I could, but the year before that I couldn't? I had the dang thing figured out pre-covid but since then its been a headache. Thanks letting me know your tips!

 

[Unidurtle]

Very true. Thankfully there are TUG members willing to help. Of course, the only "help" the sales weasels offer ends up being "you need to buy more points to be able to do X", (and chances are it won't work like they tell you it will anyway). Most of the rest of any advice or "help" they give you are lies (like the "trick" to book a day longer of a stay than you need, then modify it within the 60-day window to get a VIP discount - it's been proven by TUG members that it doesn't work).

I haven't heard the "you need more points to do something" sales pitch yet haha, but I will tell my parents to look out for that. Seems like CW timeshares (or maybe all of them) aren't as simple as they've been advertised. Sounds like a constant battle to book a trip, find out how far out you can book, etc etc. Beyond stressful trying to get something, but when you do get something, then you can finally breathe.

 

[Floridaman76]

i think the thing that bothers me the most is the availability seems to change daily and the resorts I can pick from seems to change yearly. like why can I not book Daytona this year, but last year I could, but the year before that I couldn't? I had the dang thing figured out pre-covid but since then its been a headache. Thanks letting me know your tips!

I don't know when you are looking to book Daytona (Ocean Walk), but with the exception of bike week, I see tons of availability.

Also, I don't know what you mean is "the resorts I can pick from seems to change yearly". That's not the case.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

Hi! So I have helped my parents with their timeshare with CW for years now. The past few years have grown frustrating, and my dad mentioned that he thinks the timeshare got better but is now going downhill again.

My parents have a 10-15 year old timeshare that they inherited, but it is marked as a resale. It's the CW Plus plan, which is no longer offered but is grandfathered in. Their home resort is in Daytona. Can someone please tell me why, oh why, is it so troublesome to book ANY resort? There's either no availability for months, you can't book out more than 6 months, AND when clicking into many resorts, CW or Worldmark, I can't book them because "These resorts are not available for booking with your current plan"- and I get this message when looking at their home resort too! Is this because it's an old plan? Or is this typical of any CW timeshare plan?

And then RCI, UGH! There's fees when trying to book in their platform for anything now. I do prefer RCI over the CW main page right now because I can book for more dates and for resorts outside of CW, but the conversion rates for hotels sucks and for cruises is nonexistent. All they want to do is use the two weeks worth of points they get but I cant get them anything.

Any advice? Any idea what is going on? Is it me? Is it CW? Do my parents need to change their plan? TYIA and sorry for the rant!

Download the app and try that. There really aren’t widespread availability issues for Wyndham (you don’t have worldmark as a resale owner). It sounds like you’re dealing with a website glitch and the app works much better.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

Gotcha, so with ignoring Worldmark resorts, basically my parents timeshare is useless in the west side of the US.

This isn’t true. Wyndham owns inventory at a number of Worldmark resorts. In the past two years I’ve used my Wyndham points to book stays at club Wyndham Oceanside Pier, Club Wyndham Anaheim, etc. There are several locations you can book at in San Diego, in Anaheim, etc.

Oceanside Pier is really nice if they’re looking for a beach stay on the West Coast. You just need to make sure you’re trying to book it right at the 10 month mark (which you can with your points), as it does book up.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

I don't know when you are looking to book Daytona (Ocean Walk), but with the exception of bike week, I see tons of availability.

Also, I don't know what you mean is "the resorts I can pick from seems to change yearly". That's not the case.

Agreed, Daytona is not hard to get, even well within the 10 month standard reservation window. Hell, I could book Daytona for 4 weeks from today if I wanted to.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Maybe you used to choose resorts with the map, but that is no longer possible. Now you have to search differently.

 

[Rflow]

Hi! So I have helped my parents with their timeshare with CW for years now. The past few years have grown frustrating, and my dad mentioned that he thinks the timeshare got better but is now going downhill again.

My parents have a 10-15 year old timeshare that they inherited, but it is marked as a resale. It's the CW Plus plan, which is no longer offered but is grandfathered in. Their home resort is in Daytona. Can someone please tell me why, oh why, is it so troublesome to book ANY resort? There's either no availability for months, you can't book out more than 6 months, AND when clicking into many resorts, CW or Worldmark, I can't book them because "These resorts are not available for booking with your current plan"- and I get this message when looking at their home resort too! Is this because it's an old plan? Or is this typical of any CW timeshare plan?

And then RCI, UGH! There's fees when trying to book in their platform for anything now. I do prefer RCI over the CW main page right now because I can book for more dates and for resorts outside of CW, but the conversion rates for hotels sucks and for cruises is nonexistent. All they want to do is use the two weeks worth of points they get but I cant get them anything.

Any advice? Any idea what is going on? Is it me? Is it CW? Do my parents need to change their plan? TYIA and sorry for the rant!

Not sure about all your issues, but I find selecting the unit type yields more availability than searching for al unit types.

 

[Unidurtle]

@Floridaman76 This is the website. And the home resort. But I can book in the app. So maybe it is the website.

@Fido Chuckwagon Thanks for the app suggestion!