RCI vs. Wyndham - Which has best trading power?

[Mommydust]

After a wonderful stay at Wyndham Bonnet Creek, we are considering purchasing points because we plan to return at least once a year for the next 7+ years with grandchildren in tow. We plan to travel during the value and high seasons, but not the prime season. Between 150,000 and 200,000 points should meet our needs and then some. At that number, MF would be ~ $700 to $1000/yr. We would purchase resale (probably on ebay).

Friends of ours have ownership in an RCI timeshare at Stowe (Village Green). Their annual MF are <$500 and using their point charts and transfer rates they believe they could get the same unit at WBC that Wyndham's $700 MF would net us. They are encouraging us to pursue an RCI timeshare purchase, because in the end, the annual MF fees are lower for the same accommodations.

Please - if you have any experience with this... I'd value your input. I understand that purchasing elsewhere means we won't get ARP at WBC, but since we aren't traveling in prime season that shouldn't be a problem.

Where will I get the most value on the dollar if I intend to frequent WBC?

Thanks for any insight you can lend!

 

[am1]

Bonnet Creek is a great resort. I cannot answer your question but would advise you that renting can be cheaper.

Owning vs renting both has its advantages but renting is cheap and more flexible.

 

[vacationhopeful]

Your MF cost is off by about 40-50%. $950-1350.

Someone forgot to tell you about the Program Fee and may have rounded some numbers down.

Renting from a Platimum VIP would be cheaper in the non-Prime seasons at BC.

 

[SOS8260456]

The problem with your neighbor's scenario is that you will have to "trade into" Bonnet Creek through RCI and then you are subject to their fees. I don't know their fees exactly, but I know annual membership is about $100 a year and each time you do a trade there is a fee of about $180 and if you want your children to use it and you are not there, then you have to get a guest cert. for another fee. And this is before taking into account that RCI can always raise their fees again. When I first started out a trade was $129. So adding those fees to your neighbor's $500 annual fees.....you can do the math. And there is not even a guarantee that you will get Bonnet Creek. A good chance, yes, but no guarantee.

Wyndham is not without its own fees, but they do allow a certain number of fee free things before the fees kick in. Since we are Platinum VIP with Wyndham we don't worry much about the fees that Wyndham charges, but I do know that alot of the fees can be avoided if you do some planning (like making all of your reservations on one day, rather than on different days to avoid a transaction fee from kicking in). You can do a separate search for learning about Wyndham's additional fees.

To sum it up, at least with Wyndham you will have a much much better chance of getting what you want.

Good Luck!

 

[momeason]

If you plan ahead, Bonnet Creek is not difficult to get. It is a nice resort.
I agree if that is the only place you want to go and in off season, try renting first and see how if goes. Orlando has way too many timeshares and is not a good trader. Not the cheapest maintenance fees either. If you really want to own buy LV or Smoky Mountains for lower fees.
Renting first for a year or two makes the most sense.

 

[Mommydust]

am1 - we are considering that option as well. We recently rented points at WBC for an 8 night stay (1 br deluxe) for $800. With no yearly obligation of maintenance fees, that is certainly a viable alternative!

vacationhopeful - thank you for that! I was a bit suspicious. An ebay inquiry with a seller just confirmed that their listed maintenance fee includes maintenance and taxes, but not the program fee. Do you know what the PF/pts is?

SOS - I knew there had to be a catch!

Can anyone give me a compelling reason to buy, provided I can rent points from a VIP instead? Is the cost of renting anticipated to rise higher and faster than the cost of MFs? Are you all owners, and what made you decide to purchase instead of rent?

 

[ampaholic]

After a wonderful stay at Wyndham Bonnet Creek, we are considering purchasing points because we plan to return at least once a year for the next 7+ years with grandchildren in tow. We plan to travel during the value and high seasons, but not the prime season. Between 150,000 and 200,000 points should meet our needs and then some. At that number, MF would be ~ $700 to $1000/yr. We would purchase resale (probably on ebay).

Friends of ours have ownership in an RCI timeshare at Stowe (Village Green). Their annual MF are <$500 and using their point charts and transfer rates they believe they could get the same unit at WBC that Wyndham's $700 MF would net us. They are encouraging us to pursue an RCI timeshare purchase, because in the end, the annual MF fees are lower for the same accommodations.

Please - if you have any experience with this... I'd value your input. I understand that purchasing elsewhere means we won't get ARP at WBC, but since we aren't traveling in prime season that shouldn't be a problem.

Where will I get the most value on the dollar if I intend to frequent WBC?

Thanks for any insight you can lend!

If WBC is the only place you want to go I would consider Wyndham ownership over RCI Points - might well be cheaper because of the points membership cost ($124) and the exchange cost ($149).

Plus as a Wyndham owner I think you would get reservation priority over an RCI Points exchanger.

 

[Ridewithme38]

Can anyone give me a compelling reason to buy, provided I can rent points from a VIP instead? Is the cost of renting anticipated to rise higher and faster than the cost of MFs? Are you all owners, and what made you decide to purchase instead of rent?

Ok, its hard to recommending buying into a commitment that will follow you along for generations and generations....so i can't say buying is better...BUT, my experience with renting is its sorta 'luck of the draw' when you own you pretty much know what you can get and when you can get it...Renting depends on others wanting to rent that week to you

I like knowing that i pretty much control my vacations instead of hoping someone will decide to rent

 

[ronparise]

My reasons for buying a timeshare rather than renting is the same as my reason for buying a home rather than renting, or buying a car rather than leasing...but I dont know what they are

a 2 bedroom value week at Bonnet Creek is 112000points , a high season week 189000 points At $5/1000 your mf will be $560-$945 a yeek or a $752 average. Buy cheaper points (mf) and that number will come down

Buy a $500 timeshare somewhere else to exchange into Bonnet creek and your cost will be closer to $775 when you add your exchange fee and annual membership...

Buying to exchange is not my thing so I cant offer any detail here, only the concept to "deposit early and reserve late" If you decide to buy to exchange, shop for a resort that offers high trading power units (tpu). Then deposit early to maximize your tpu credit and if you can, wait until the last minute, when the tpu required will be low, to make a reservation. Doing that should net you 2 or more weeks for each one you deposit

Of course renting may provide you with the best value, especially if you can find a Wyndham owner that owns more points than they can use. They will often make a reservation for you at less than their cost, (which can be quite low if they are Gold or Platinum VIP owners) just to offset some of their maintenance fees

 

[am1]

I like knowing that i pretty much control my vacations instead of hoping someone will decide to rent

I am always willing to rent and there are many others as well. That will never be an issue.

 

[Ridewithme38]

I am always willing to rent and there are many others as well. That will never be an issue.

Good to know!!

 

[presley]

After a wonderful stay at Wyndham Bonnet Creek, we are considering purchasing points because we plan to return at least once a year for the next 7+ years with grandchildren in tow. We plan to travel during the value and high seasons, but not the prime season. Between 150,000 and 200,000 points should meet our needs and then some. At that number, MF would be ~ $700 to $1000/yr. We would purchase resale (probably on ebay).

If you are serious about staying at Bonnet Creek for 7 + years, keep your eyes on the prize. Between Ebay and TUGmarketplace, you should be able to find exactly what you want without having to pay too much and without having to deal with exchange companies. RCI charges an annual fee + an exchange fee. Those rise from time to time.

Also, do the math on just renting. There are a lot of Wyndham megarenters. Some will pass along free upgrades to you.

I think your worst choice would be to buy where you don't want to stay with the intent to exchange to where you do want to stay. That's just my own experience. YMMV

 

[momeason]

If you are serious about staying at Bonnet Creek for 7 + years, keep your eyes on the prize. Between Ebay and TUGmarketplace, you should be able to find exactly what you want without having to pay too much and without having to deal with exchange companies. RCI charges an annual fee + an exchange fee. Those rise from time to time.

Also, do the math on just renting. There are a lot of Wyndham megarenters. Some will pass along free upgrades to you.

I think your worst choice would be to buy where you don't want to stay with the intent to exchange to where you do want to stay. That's just my own experience. YMMV

I don't think that is so true when you are talking about Orlando. As Ron says if you buy at a Wyndham with cheaper m/f you can easily trade into BC. Orlando is easy unless a holiday. Renting is probably the least expensive option though.