Seeking help re Access Points

[Patrick Tower]

I've recently endured (I mean, attended!) a sales presentation at the new Clearwater property. What impressed me more than the actual Wyndham network (which are clearly great properties, just not close enough to where we live) was when the sales guy showed us the RCI website and how you can get significant discounts renting weeks at non-Wyndham resorts. Since this doesn't invlolve using points at all, my thought was to buy on resale the smallest amount of CWA points I can get, say around 50,000 to benefit from the low MF, bank them for three years at a time to save up enough to use a Wyndham property every three years, but in the meantime get cheap weeks at other RCI resorts. For example, he showed us spring break weeks in DR for as low as $300 and an upscale Bermuda resort for $1100 a week, much lower than rack rates there.
As it was part of the sales presentation, I was just figuring this out and the sales guy was of course short on specifics. Here are my questions to those of you more experienced in things Wyndham:
1. does this strategy make sense for a family that likes Wyndham properties but doesn't want to be married to one location and doesn't need to use a Wyndham location more than once every couple of years; and
2. does a CWA membership come with a free RCI membership such that we could always access those discounted deals?
Thanks, really appreciate any advice you have.

 

[buckor]

The short answer to your two questions:

1. Yes. If you know how you will use the points then only buy the points you need. Remember, though, you will pay for access to RCI through your Program Fee (included in your maintenance fees). If you buy 50k CWA points you will pay $5.60/k points plus $.55/k points (or $128/year, whichever is greater) for your Program Fee. Your total MFs per year on 50k CWA would be $408/12 = $34/month.

2. Yes, you will have access to RCI if you own CWA because you pay for RCI access through your Program Fee (regardless which resort or CWA owned).

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[vacationhopeful]

Rentals via RCI are the leftovers that did not match to other RCI member's vacation searches. The deals you will see might to off-season, small Studio units and the lesser resorts at either overbuilt locals or off the beaten path.

Yes, the fast preview from the sales person was well selected and fast thru the available units. They controlled the views .. making it look great. Just might not be the several trips a year where you would want to go.

CWA and CWP ... both Wyndham points programs with different early booking options. Currently, the Wyndham points program includes a membership thru RCI. I do want you to understand a small LOW points contract has minimum program fee .. to cover the RCI points membership fee. Might just be cheaper and less hassle to join RCI or to rent directly thru Extra Holiday's website.

PS Wyndham has a $299 transfer fee to add contract to your member number. That is almost 2 years of an RCI member fee. And the $128 yearly minimum Program Fee .. will more than cover your RCI membership fee.

 

[Sandy VDH]

It is worth commenting on the discount deals. Yes perhaps there is a resort in the DR during spring break where the EXCHANGE fee is $300, perhaps what they are not disclosing is the fact that there is probably an All Inclusive fee at that property that can run $150 - $200 per adult per day during high season times, and that same resort might be cheaper if you booked it directly with a tour company.

The next comments is availability. Just because they show you something doesn't mean it is always available. There are not a whole lot of Bermuda weeks that show up in regular exchange, so don't be expecting a lot of prime time prime weeks just sitting out there just waiting for you.

Just trying to manage your expectations....

 

[Patrick Tower]

The short answer to your two questions:

1. Yes. If you know how you will use the points then only buy the points you need. Remember, though, you will pay for access to RCI through your Program Fee (included in your maintenance fees). If you buy 50k CWA points you will pay $5.60/k points plus $.55/k points (or $128/year, whichever is greater) for your Program Fee. Your total MFs per year on 50k CWA would be $408/12 = $34/month.

2. Yes, you will have access to RCI if you own CWA because you pay for RCI access through your Program Fee (regardless which resort or CWA owned).

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Thanks for this - so I'm clear, Wyndham Access points involves an initial purchase price, plus two annual costs, Maintenance Fees and Program Fee. Is that right? And both of those will go up over time? Also, are there ever any capital assessments with Access Points, for major maintenance? Again, this is so helpful, I couldn't get these answers from the salesman.

 

[Patrick Tower]

It is worth commenting on the discount deals. Yes perhaps there is a resort in the DR during spring break where the EXCHANGE fee is $300, perhaps what they are not disclosing is the fact that there is probably an All Inclusive fee at that property that can run $150 - $200 per adult per day during high season times, and that same resort might be cheaper if you booked it directly with a tour company.

The next comments is availability. Just because they show you something doesn't mean it is always available. There are not a whole lot of Bermuda weeks that show up in regular exchange, so don't be expecting a lot of prime time prime weeks just sitting out there just waiting for you.

Just trying to manage your expectations....

Thanks, that's very helpful. I'm starting to wonder if the better route for us as only occasional users is to forego buying altogether and assume we can always rent from an owner. It seems the CWA program works best for those who spend at least 2-3 weeks per year travelling to resorts and we're not in that lifestyle at this age yet.

 

[ronparise]

It dosent have to be CWA; any Wyndham points membership comes with an Rci account, but it ain't cheap

The RcI account comes with payment of the "program fee" the program fee is 55 cents per 1000 points subject to a minimum. So your small contract will cost you close to $500 a year and to bank (credit pool) those points will cost $39

Now to RCI. The discounted vacation program the salesman is promoting is called "Last Call". And they cost under $300. Pretty good until you realize what makes it into the last call window are the leftovers. Good luck finding anything for spring break

It works for me because I'm not tied to a school or work schedule and I am flexible enough that almost anything works for me and because Vacation Village at Parkway is 3 hours from home. It's a large resort and almost always has last call availability and they welcome dogs

Talking about vacation village. They have every 3 year contracts. Maintenance fees are about $750 ($250 a year) (you will have to pay for your own Rci account)

Bottom line there are better ways to get an Rci account than Wyndham

 

[Patrick Tower]

It dosent have to be CWA; any Wyndham points membership comes with an Rci account, but it ain't cheap

The RcI account comes with payment of the "program fee" the program fee is 55 cents per 1000 points subject to a minimum. So your small contract will cost you close to $500 a year and to bank (credit pool) those points will cost $39

Now to RCI. The discounted vacation program the salesman is promoting is called "Last Call". And they cost under $300. Pretty good until you realize what makes it into the last call window are the leftovers. Good luck finding anything for spring break

It works for me because I'm not tied to a school or work schedule and I am flexible enough that almost anything works for me and because Vacation Village at Parkway is 3 hours from home. It's a large resort and almost always has last call availability and they welcome dogs

Talking about vacation village. They have every 3 year contracts. Maintenance fees are about $750 ($250 a year) (you will have to pay for your own Rci account)

Thanks, Ron. What do you recommend as a better way to get an RCI account?

 

[Richelle]

Thanks for this - so I'm clear, Wyndham Access points involves an initial purchase price, plus two annual costs, Maintenance Fees and Program Fee. Is that right? And both of those will go up over time? Also, are there ever any capital assessments with Access Points, for major maintenance? Again, this is so helpful, I couldn't get these answers from the salesman.

Yes you will have maintenance fees and program fees. The maintenance fees almost always go up. I think the program fee has been the same for awhile now but I guess that could go up at anytime as well. They are typically called "special" assessments and occasional they do happen but it varies. I don't believe it will happen with CWA but someone can correct me if I am wrong. One thing to mention is that with CWP, you have a home resort, but you can book any resort 10 months out. Some people prefer having home resorts because it's deeded and some have lower maintenance fees then CWA. CWA is a membership. There is nothing deeded. You don't own anything. Just something to consider. CWA is not the cheapest maintenance fees.


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[buckor]

Thanks for this - so I'm clear, Wyndham Access points involves an initial purchase price, plus two annual costs, Maintenance Fees and Program Fee. Is that right? And both of those will go up over time? Also, are there ever any capital assessments with Access Points, for major maintenance? Again, this is so helpful, I couldn't get these answers from the salesman.

Yes, you will have to purchase your initial contract and then pay your Maintenance Fees. The MFs are a combination of two costs: the HOA fees and the Wyndham Program Fee. They "conveniently" wrap these into one Club Wyndham Plus Assessment Fee, which we call Maintenance Fees (MFs).

With CWA part of the MF you pay is for a reserve fund in the event of a special assessment from the resort owned by the CWA Trust. I don't think there has ever been a Special Assessment levied to CWA owners above and beyond their current MFs. However, CWA MFs took a nice jump in price this year.

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[Avislo]

It dosent have to be CWA; any Wyndham points membership comes with an Rci account, but it ain't cheap

The RcI account comes with payment of the "program fee" the program fee is 55 cents per 1000 points subject to a minimum. So your small contract will cost you close to $500 a year and to bank (credit pool) those points will cost $39

Now to RCI. The discounted vacation program the salesman is promoting is called "Last Call". And they cost under $300. Pretty good until you realize what makes it into the last call window are the leftovers. Good luck finding anything for spring break

It works for me because I'm not tied to a school or work schedule and I am flexible enough that almost anything works for me and because Vacation Village at Parkway is 3 hours from home. It's a large resort and almost always has last call availability and they welcome dogs

Talking about vacation village. They have every 3 year contracts. Maintenance fees are about $750 ($250 a year) (you will have to pay for your own Rci account)

Bottom line there are better ways to get an Rci account than Wyndham

Ron is right. If your goal is go to places you would like to go, that should drive which timeshare group to go with. Go with one that has resorts where you want to go. Or go with other programs that get you the availability you want. Many hotel groups offer programs.

 

[dagger1]

Ron is right. If your goal is go to places you would like to go, that should drive which timeshare group to go with. Go with one that has resorts where you want to go. Or go with other programs that get you the availability you want. Many hotel groups offer programs.