Seeking the truth, please help!

[Stephanie Henderson]

We purchased 85k Wyndham points last year and stayed at a hotel using our points for the first time this past weekend. We went to the "owner update" presentation which was clearly a sales presentation. Honestly, we just don't have the ability to buy more points, not even sure we made the right decision to buy what we have. We're young professionals, with a child, ok but not great paying jobs, and student loan debt for days.

The salesman was clearly very upset that we weren't interested in buying more points, he was so very rude, it was a terrible experience. He then told us that 85k points will get us nothing. Like literally nothing. That we won't even be able to book a vacation after our bonus points are used (with the bonus points we have like 300k points in our account right now) and that we need a minimum of 200k points to even book vacations and the 85k we have will be completely worthless.

So we're thinking what have we done?! This was not a small chunk of change for us and we're worried we just threw away tens of thousands of dollars.

Any thoughts? Is this true? Just a high pressure (unethical) sales tactic?

 

[Adventureisoutthere]

Have you looked at the Wyndham directory to see what 85k points will get you? 85k could be right in line with what you want/need for your family. I know in off season it could get you multiple days at many resorts; in prime, a couple nights.


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[BibbityBoppity]

So we're thinking what have we done?! This was not a small chunk of change for us and we're worried we just threw away tens of thousands of dollars.

Any thoughts? Is this true? Just a high pressure (unethical) sales tactic?

Your amount of points suits your budget and your financial means so I’d say what you own is perfect! What you have is great and when your bonus points run out there’s many avenues to add more without having to leave feeling like you’re a terrible human who can’t make great decisions. You’re not. Attend if you want the gifts but even Owner Care will tell you you’re not obligated to attend ANYTHING.

Also 84,000 points is easily stretched using RCI Nightly Stays OR doing sun-thurs trips. You have last calls at your disposal as well. Take a look at the points requirements in the directory. The more information YOU know about the program the better.

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[Stephanie Henderson]

That what we thought too. We wanted a low number so that we could take other trips, etc. This guy was saying that without 200k points in our account that we can't even book something, anything. For 85k we got 3 nights in Vegas and an 8 person townhouse for 2 nights in Colorado - this works for us if we can continue.

 

[Adventureisoutthere]

This guy was saying that without 200k points in our account that we can't even book something, anything.

Lies....


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[Stephanie Henderson]

Lies....

I hope so, we left so discouraged.

 

[Adventureisoutthere]

For 85k we got 3 nights in Vegas and an 8 person townhouse for 2 nights in Colorado - this works for us if we can continue.

This sounds like a fabulous use of your points!

Things to remember, book early within your booking window to get exactly what you want. And avoid sales updates..


Oh and research a lot on TUG. These are experts looking to help. I’m no expert, but I like to help when I can.

These are the things I’ve heard over and over again


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[gwynhyvar]

That what we thought too. We wanted a low number so that we could take other trips, etc. This guy was saying that without 200k points in our account that we can't even book something, anything. For 85k we got 3 nights in Vegas and an 8 person townhouse for 2 nights in Colorado - this works for us if we can continue.

What he didn't tell you is that the points values for the resorts don't change. So that 85K will get you the same in 2 years, 10 years, etc.

Use the Wyndham website, find a resort, look up the points chart, and book away! If/when you are ready to get more points, buy resale -- there is a ton of info here on TUG -- and please don't buy from those sales sharks again. Go to the updates if you want the "incentives" or skip them if you don't, and enjoy your vacations!

 

[Stephanie Henderson]

Do any of you own through Wyndham? In the end has it/will it be worth it? We thought so when we purchased but I'm really not sure anymore.

 

[gwynhyvar]

Do any of you own through Wyndham? In the end has it/will it be worth it? We thought so when we purchased but I'm really not sure anymore.

I do. It's been great for us. We've gone to Wisconsin Dells (Waterpark), Orlando, San Diego, Hawaii, and are planning on San Diego and hopefully Hawaii again next year. My kids are teens, so I have to plan around school holidays. If you have more flexibility and can go at less peak times, those points can really stretch!

 

[Adventureisoutthere]

Do any of you own through Wyndham? In the end has it/will it be worth it? We thought so when we purchased but I'm really not sure anymore.

I’ve been fortunate to get to know a platinum owner and we chat almost weekly now (if not more). I’m not an owner, but have been watching calendars for the past 3 months and have been attempting to purchase resale at the right price/MFs . I will be purchasing, but from resale. There are many happy owners here. They will comment. I’ve received a lot of help/guidance/support.

Don’t let that salesman get you down.


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[Stephanie Henderson]

And after the lump sum you paid and the maintenance fees, it still may be a good deal in the end?

 

[Adventureisoutthere]

And after the lump sum you paid and the maintenance fees, it still may be a good deal in the end?

I need to let the official owners comment on this.

However, I will say this...If you learn the system, it will work for you!


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[Richelle]

And after the lump sum you paid and the maintenance fees, it still may be a good deal in the end?

What I tell people about timeshares (and VIP benefits) is, its all “perceived” value. If you are trying to justify spending $15k on a timeshare, you’re not going to be able to do it. You shouldn’t be asking yourself, “is that timeshare worth $15k?” (I’m guessing at the dollar amount). The question you should be asking yourself is, “is the amount of enjoyment/entertainment/memories/relaxation/etc I am going to get out of this thing, worth $15k to me.” In the end, it’s up to you to decide if it’s worth it. It’s not worth it to everyone, but to a lot it is. To me it is. I’ve been an owner for 10 years and we’ve enjoyed many vacations. Vacations we would not have otherwise gone on. We’ve gone to places we wouldn’t have even considered. I’d never heard of Edisto, SC until recently. We were going through the directory and ran across it and decided to take a chance on it. It paid off. We had a great vacation there. I’ve not been disappointed with the vacations. Everything for me would be perfect if it were not for the sales people. They really make things miserable if you let them.

You do have a small package but there are a lot of resorts you can get a full week in with that many points. Most will only be in low season but you can also do long weekends in prime. Pay off the debt, including the student loans, before buying more points. Even resale. Even if you only paid $2 for another points contract, you still have the MF. More points means higher maintenance fees. Make what you have work for now. Buy more points resale after the student loans are paid off.

TL;DR version: It’s up for you to decide if it’s worth it to you. Everyone has a different lifestyle that affects how and when they travel. There is no one size fits all answer. Pay off student loans before buying more points resale or retail.


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[Passepartout]

Another thing this unlocks is the cash paid RCI Last Calls, most of which are off- or shoulder season in second tier resorts. Don't worry, they are clean, well located, but you won't see Disney, or beach weeks in Summer or ski-out locations at winter resorts. But they are full weeks within 45 days of move in for under $300 all-in.

Don't fret. And stay away from those 'updates'!

Jim

 

[LisaH]

Another thing this unlocks is the cash paid RCI Last Calls, most of which are off- or shoulder season in second tier resorts. Don't worry, they are clean, well located, but you won't see Disney, or beach weeks in Summer or ski-out locations at winter resorts. But they are full weeks within 45 days of move in for under $300 all-in.

Don't fret. And stay away from those 'updates'!

Jim

You may not see resorts in Disney Vacation Club, but Orlando exchanges should be pretty easy to get as Last Calls especially during off-peak season.
You also should be able to purchase additional points through resale in case you need more in the future. So, please spend some time to learn the system, and make it work for you.

 

[kaljor]

The questions you're posting are the exact right way to go about this. You've already learned one of the most important things that comes up for discussion often. The "Owner's Updates" are ALWAYS sales sessions, usually high pressure or very high pressure. Much of what they tell you there will be untrue or at least misleading. The big problem there is that you won't know which are which. If the sales meetings bother you, don't go. You may have to say no 6 or 7 times, but I'm sure you will find ways to shorten that process.

Here's another tip. While 85k points is not a whole lot, there are resorts where you can get a 1 bedroom suite with that amount even in prime time. Other resorts may have that same price point but not in prime time. You do have options. Someone above pointed out the value that can be found in Sunday thru Thursday bookings, I do that myself to make my points go farther.

Last tip- If you want to do a bigger vacation that requires more points, there is a provision where in the first 3 months of your use year, you can bank those current points for use in either the following year or the year after that. But you have to specify which year when you bank them.

There's a lot more to learn. Stick around, read some of the older posts and don't hesitate to ask questions and join the discussion here.

 

[uscav8r]

The best use of your very limited points is to book Club Wyndham resorts. I strongly disagree with the previous comment about using RCI Nightly Stays because most resorts charge an extra housekeeping fee for short reservations. Added to the booking fee and the underlying maintenance fees, that makes the cost per night much more expensive than the alternatives.


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[bnoble]

this works for us

That's all you need to know!

 

[puppymommo]

I have owned Wyndham for 20 years and have been very happy with it. I started with only 77,000 and my very first stay was a full week in a 2 bedroom in Branson, Missouri the week between Christmas and New Year's. Over time you will learn how to maximize your points. For example, Fridays and Saturdays "cost" more points. By staying Sunday-Thursday (checking out Friday) you can save a lot of points. Another thing is to stick with the older resorts (sometimes called legacy resorts). The newer resorts take more points. So for example, when going to Orlando, I choose Cypress Palms or Star Island instead of Bonnet Creek. You will learn which resorts are which by looking through the resort directory online or hard copy if you have one. Over the years I have added more points buying resale through TUG and Ebay. I have stayed at 3 different Wyndham resorts in Orlando and Hawaii (Big Island, Kauai and Oahu), Daytona Beach and Branson multiple times, the Canterbury in San Fransisco and Mid-town 45 in New York City.

 

[chapjim]

bnoble nailed it. There is no objective answer to your questions, no universal truth when it comes to timeshare ownership. Values are totally subjective. If 85,000 points does what you want, you are where you want to be.

 

[HitchHiker71]

If what you have works for you, that's the ONLY thing that matters. If at some point it starts to not be enough, buy resale and save a TON of money. We just bought developer using PIC and have 718k points per year. We have already booked three vacations within the past 30 days. A long weekend at National Harbor in early October, a 5 day 25th wedding anniversary trip next May 2019 to St Thomas, and a week long trip in fall 2019 to Sedona Arizona for the family to see the Grand Canyon and other local areas of interest. As long as you use it and get what you want, keep going!

 

[cbyrne1174]

Rule of thumb: if it isn't in the member directory or your contract, it isn't true.

 

[ecwinch]

Rule of thumb: if it isn't in the member directory or your contract, it isn't true.

And even if it is, it is subject to change.