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Pros/Cons of WorldMark ownership

markb53

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Worldmark
To add to what @VacationForever said above, there are ways around the fee. If you book through Bonus Time and such, for example, housekeeping credits are included in the booking - so you don't pay extra. You need to factor in the HK price if you pay extra, yes, but if you amortize the vacation costs to include that fee, it averages out. If you do a lot of one-night stays, then it seems high, but you're paying the same fee for a week's stay - which makes the daily cost much lower. Compare the prices you're paying WorldMark (even with the housekeeping fee) vs. the cost of a hotel room these days, and you're well ahead of the game.

Definitely requires advance planning.


Dave

I often use even FAX time for short stays especially 1 night reservation if I have to book them ahead when I am not sure they will show up in MM or IS. Here is an example. This is for Angels Camp in January for 1 night in a 1BR the Credit cost is 700 credits
Using credits costs for 2022 not 2023 which starts tomorrow.
$68.60 Cost My cost for 700 credits
$106.00 2022 Cost for HK
$16.65 TOT Tax
$191.25 Total

Using FAX time the most expensive cash cost
$91.00 Fax time cost. If I used inventory special this cost would be $80.00
$10.92 Tax
$101.29. Total cost.

It is often less expensive to use IS or MM and sometimes FAX for short stays than to use your credits and pay for an HK. Notice in this example the HK is more than the total cost with Fax Time.
 

DaveNV

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I often use even FAX time for short stays especially 1 night reservation if I have to book them ahead when I am not sure they will show up in MM or IS. Here is an example. This is for Angels Camp in January for 1 night in a 1BR the Credit cost is 700 credits
Using credits costs for 2022 not 2023 which starts tomorrow.
$68.60 Cost My cost for 700 credits
$106.00 2022 Cost for HK
$16.65 TOT Tax
$191.25 Total

Using FAX time the most expensive cash cost
$91.00 Fax time cost. If I used inventory special this cost would be $80.00
$10.92 Tax
$101.29. Total cost.

It is often less expensive to use IS or MM and sometimes FAX for short stays than to use your credits and pay for an HK. Notice in this example the HK is more than the total cost with Fax Time.

Thank you. That's exactly what I was talking about. There are ways around the fees, but you need to plan ahead.

Dave
 

prajora

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HGVC, RCI points
Are you looking to potentially trade into RCI or II? In general, I have found most folks on here prefer Interval International to RCI.

I can’t speak to Worldmark trading in RCI as I don’t have my WM tied to RCI, but I can speak to how well it trades into II (strong trader) because I have my WM in II. HOWEVER, I would not get a WM timeshare specifically to trade into II (there are much cheaper and easier ways to trade in II vs getting a points system like WM.

PS - love my WM!
Could you explain difference in RCI and RCI II? I have HGVC and can only book in limited RCI properties especially on West Coast. Thanks much
 

bnoble

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Short version: RCI has more resorts. II has, on average, more luxurious resorts. RCI's main brands include Wyndham, WorldMark, Holiday Inn, and Hilton. II's brands include Westgate, Marriott/Starwood, Hyatt, and Disney. II has a few systems that provide exclusive windows for internal exchange (Marriott and Starwood). Most systems have some deposits that make their way into the "other" system from time to time, so think of this only as a rough guide. RCI has more of a point-based trading model, even for weeks-based ownerships. II has a more generous bonus week structure, and has a more attractive "I want to change this confirmation" add-on. RCI's exchange fees are about 20-30% higher.

It's easy to get caught up in FOMO if you only have one or the other. But, either can give most owners enough options to generate good vacation choices for many years.
 

VacationForever

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Short version: RCI has more resorts. II has, on average, more luxurious resorts. RCI's main brands include Wyndham, WorldMark, Holiday Inn, and Hilton. II's brands include Westgate, Marriott/Starwood, Hyatt, and Disney. II has a few systems that provide exclusive windows for internal exchange (Marriott and Starwood). Most systems have some deposits that make their way into the "other" system from time to time, so think of this only as a rough guide. RCI has more of a point-based trading model, even for weeks-based ownerships. II has a more generous bonus week structure, and has a more attractive "I want to change this confirmation" add-on. RCI's exchange fees are about 20-30% higher.

It's easy to get caught up in FOMO if you only have one or the other. But, either can give most owners enough options to generate good vacation choices for many years.
II also has Four Seasons. I had RCI for 10 years and switched to II for the past 17 years and have not looked back. No way will I ever go back to RCI.
 

sue1947

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Could you explain difference in RCI and RCI II?
What do you mean by RCI II? RCI and II are the 2 main exchange companies but are separate companies. With resale Worldmark, you can trade into either RCI weeks or II.
 

jasavak

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If i own WM points and stay inside the system there is no additional fee ? I was considering buying 20k points , but it seems like buying 10k might be better due to the buying and borrowing and other perks ?
 

VacationForever

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If i own WM points and stay inside the system there is no additional fee ? I was considering buying 20k points , but it seems like buying 10k might be better due to the buying and borrowing and other perks ?
There is restriction in that you are not allowed to transfer in and out more than 2X the credits that you own for each year.
 

jasavak

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There is restriction in that you are not allowed to transfer in and out more than 2X the credits that you own for each year.
So if I own 10k , I can. buy another 10k from another owner ? Are the points hard to find on the open market?
 

geist1223

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Checkout www.wmowners.com/forum. It is by Worldmark Owners for Worldmark Owners. No cost to join. There are Accounts for sale. Also with the new and "improved" Worldmark Web Site by Wyndham there are numerous bugs including transferring one time use Credits among Owners.
 

Huskerpaul

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So if I own 10k , I can. buy another 10k from another owner ? Are the points hard to find on the open market?
In this example you could rent/buy 20k credits every year (2xcredits owned).
 

ncaahockeyfan

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No, bonus time is available to all members. Any inventory that is available at 14 days out can be rented for cash. There are some resort that have exotic bonus time that can be book at 30 days. Guest usage is allowed. For us, guest usage included bonus time stays at the Camlin in Seattle while they operated on my grand daughter. I have a few accounts so I was able to buy alot of bonus time. For me personally, it was Kihei bonus time that saved us when a condo we rented had too many roaches. I expect a few in Hawaii but not a few hundred.

Bill


Bonus Time gives you access to last-minute WorldMark inventory. If spontaneous getaways are your style, Bonus Time is for you.

  • Booking window
    Owners: 14 days from date of arrival
    Guests: 5 days from date of arrival
  • Guest usage allowed
    Yes
  • Allowed active reservations
    One confirmed reservation per account at a time
  • Maximum length of stay
    4 nights
Exotic Bonus Time

For a tropical getaway, look to Exotic Bonus Time. Enjoy a stay at the following resorts for a reduced fee-per-credit rate:

WorldMark Coral Baja
WorldMark Fiji
WorldMark Isla Mujeres
WorldMark Kapaa Shore
WorldMark Kihei
WorldMark Kona
WorldMark Elysian Beach Resort
WorldMark Valley Isle
WorldMark Zihuatanejo

  • Booking window
    30 days from date of arrival
  • Guest usage allowed
    Yes
  • Allowed active reservations
    Cannot book more than 30% of the resort's suites
  • Maximum length of stay
    30 nights
We regularly travel last minute and Bonus Time seems like a great perk for us. However, we would probably need/want more than 4 days. So how do you have multiple WM accounts? If you do, are you able to transfer credits between them so you don't loose orphan credit balances?
 

CO skier

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We regularly travel last minute and Bonus Time seems like a great perk for us. However, we would probably need/want more than 4 days. So how do you have multiple WM accounts? If you do, are you able to transfer credits between them so you don't loose orphan credit balances?
I would recommend easing into WorldMark. You would pay an extra $250-ish each year per additional account versus combining accounts, and the per-credit cost will be higher with separate accounts. If "more than 4 days" using Bonus Time is easily available up to 14 days in advance of arrival, chances are the resort is on Inventory Special, which is the same cash price as Bonus Time, but reservations may be booked for up to 30 days at a time, up to 90 days in advance. (There is enough availability right now at WM Wolf Creek that a serious skier could book the entire month of January in one reservation using Inventory Special pricing, and two months from now book the entire month of March.)

It would be unusual to have "orphan credits." Credits are good for two years and may be booked into a reservation for up to 12 months after the expiration date. If you run out of housekeeping, just wait until the next anniversary date award of additonal housekeeping. The extra $250-ish each year per additional account would pay for two housekeepings.

My suggestion would be to estimate how many credits you will realistically use per year and buy that amount. Renting credits from other owners is a hassle. I use WorldMark a lot and have never needed to rent credits from other owners because of the Monday Madness, Inventory Specials, and Bonus Time cash options. Track how many times you "wish you had more Bonus Time" for a year after buying to judge if it worth buying another account.
 

easyrider

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We regularly travel last minute and Bonus Time seems like a great perk for us. However, we would probably need/want more than 4 days. So how do you have multiple WM accounts? If you do, are you able to transfer credits between them so you don't loose orphan credit balances?

Using two accounts can give you enough bonus time for 8 nights. Bonus time can be used for up to 4 nights regarding week days. Weekends are only available for 1 weekend each quarter unless the account is over 20,000 credits. I would rather have a 20,000 credit account than two 10,000 credit accounts because the mf's are less.

Often times there are inventory specials that are about the same price as bonus time.

In the past we would transfer credits into our primary account to use RCI. We have RCI but haven't used it since covid.

Bill
 

Sandy VDH

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We regularly travel last minute and Bonus Time seems like a great perk for us. However, we would probably need/want more than 4 days. So how do you have multiple WM accounts? If you do, are you able to transfer credits between them so you don't loose orphan credit balances?


There are different type of extra usage, that you can pay cash for, and it often works out cheaper than points, unless you have a higher point account.

There is Bonus Time - already mentioned, any inventory availabe 14 days or less.

But there is also

Inventory Specials, that are available 2-3 months out from checkin - locations and days of week varies
see for the currently listing, https://worldmark.wyndhamdestinations.com/us/en/deals-and-offers/resort-deals/inventory-specials

Both BT and IS are both $0.081 per credit, if booked online

There is also Monday Madness - inventory changes every week, good to book any available inventory in the next 11 months $0.09 a credit if booked online

There is also FAX - which is anything, at any time for a cash rate. $0.13 a credit

All of the above are available for a price per point, and NO HK credit is required to be used. Taxes may be due depending on location.

I own a small package, but have yet to even use my original credits. I keep using IS instead. I will use my point this coming year before they expire.
 
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