New to TUGS and been going down the TUGS rabbit hole of content. My wife and I are 50 and looking to semi-retire in 5 years to spend more time traveling. No kids so it’s usually just us. We do bring nieces and nephews once a year for a big Hawaiian trip from San Diego. Aside from that, we are completely flexible and looking to see if there’s a program that has value and fits are needs. We just returned from the Big Island on our second encore trip with Marriott Vacation Club and did not buy. We spoke with various Owners around the property and most seem pretty positive about their experience with MVC. Increasing Maintenance Fees seems to be the biggest gripe.
So, everyone's MFs increase. Marriott has just had some of the biggest increases, and they're generally starting higher than competitors. If you read this forum, many are ending up on the fence if MVC MFs are worth it now compared to renting. As with everything where you fall depends a great deal on what you're trying to do. The nice thing is unlike me, you don't basically have to have 2BR or 2 units or larger. Studios and 1BR are easier to get and find availability for.
Just seeing that people are willing to give away their Timeshares definitely raises the red flag and we’re curious to see if even purchasing something resale is worth it? Being from San Diego, the Hawaiian island are our go-to and Marriott has the best resort coverage on the Maui, Kauai & Big Island, the 3 we visit more frequently.
If you want to go back to Hawaii every year, then TS can make a lot of sense. I don't know enough about how hard it is to trade Marriott with Marriott in Hawaii from one of the cheaper options on the mainland, but hopefully someone else can comment who uses MVC a lot. I would suggest considering renting and comparing other resort systems as well, just to make sure you're not overpaying for MVC in MFs if another brand would also meet your requirements for less.
We are planning to start exploring international travel later this year and that’s still an untapped adventure for me.
TS are available internationally, but there's a HUGE caveat to that. They're usually not in the same system as a big name in the US, so you're usually looking at RCI / II and independent resorts, and they're usually on the beach or country - not in cities or "interesting areas". I stayed in one in the UK and it was an hour and a half from *anything* I was interested in. And while the unit was nice enough, I don't need to fly to the UK to camp out in a TS in the country lol. If you're big into Europe and want to go to cities, I'd suggest also comparing Hapimag which is it's own system, and I'd spend some time with RCI to see if the beach locations appeal.
I’m a big time points plannner and wondering if MVC or something similar would unlock even more potential in future travel. Would appreciate any/all feedback based upon your personal experiences. Thank you!
If you're able to travel on a whim whenever it works out, whether planned or with a 45 day Last Call deal, I think timeshares (though I question MVC doing this) unlock the ability to supercharge your travel, especially in the US. Using tips from TUG, I've gone from one trip every 3 years for an average of 1 week, to 10 weeks a year over the last 2+ years I've been doing this. What's crazy is my spending on travel is maybe only 3x what it used to be, so I'm getting A LOT of value. I can easily spend in 6 days at Hilton Hotels with 2 rooms what it costs for 2 weeks in a resort 2BR unit in the same area(s).
Of course, this is subject to some limits - even within the limited locations of Timeshares generally. You have to be realistic and flexible. For me, I know the eastern US pretty well for where I can almost always just drive to almost whenever - Massanutten, Stowe, Poconos, Williamsburg, Orlando, Weston, Myrtle Beach and such, and can often get a week there for $700 in a 2BR unit all in, and where I have to hunt, or be willing to spend much more - say sub $1,500-$2,000 for a week all in - Hilton Head being the big one depending on time of year, but also Hawaii, or New Orleans, etc.
There's a lot of tricks around exchanging or using your owned system to grab more hard to get reservations too.
The question of value is mostly - are you super picky about MVC level resorts? Or are more middling furnishings in various locations worth adding another week for cheap to your travels? Are you going to be willing to go at the last minute sometimes for great deals or do you have to know 6 months out because you're not interested in drive to locations or don't have any near enough to you depending on what that means to you. Are you looking primarily for lodging or are you perhaps looking to go back to an area multiple times and may care more about how relaxing the resort is and what amenities are in walking distance from your unit? Do you care about having more than a hot tub as amenities? If so what? Are you mountain, beach, something else focused?
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