Time to Leave Wyndham

[55plus]

We've been Wyndham owners since it was Fairfield. That over 30 years ago when points were cheap; $30/1000. We paid $30K for one million points making us VIP Platinum owner. Sadly, it's time to leave Wyndham; we're getting older. Wyndham has been wonderful to us. Our purchase paid for itself many times over. Most of our points were used by us snowbirding from Wisconsin to Florida 6 months a year, all at half points with free upgrades.

We recently moved to Shalimar, Florida, which is not too far from Destin. We've done some staycations in Destin, Miramar Beach, and Panama City Beach since moving here. But with our age, maintenance fees on the rise, more policy changes project in the future, and since we live very close to the white sugar sandy beaches, it's time to say goodbye to timeshare ownership. It's been great and owning with Wyndham had been wonderful.

 

[Floridaman76]

Wow, 30k for platinum... you definitely got your moneys worth

 

[chapjim]

How will you dispose of your current ownership?

 

[55plus]

Wyndham is going to take them back. I started the process last week.

 

[Travelingman1]

This makes me so happy to hear, I am glad you loved Whydam during your 30 years, so glad you got so much out of it. I have just acquired (resale market) 400K worth of points. 300K in Hawaii and 100K at LeBelle in NOLA.

I look forward to many years of snowbirding and travel myself.

 

[chapjim]

This makes me so happy to hear, I am glad you loved Whydam during your 30 years, so glad you got so much out of it. I have just acquired (resale market) 400K worth of points. 300K in Hawaii and 100K at LeBelle in NOLA.

I look forward to many years of snowboarding and travel myself.

They got snowboarding in Hawaii and New Orleans now?

 

[WManning]

We've been Wyndham owners since it was Fairfield. That over 30 years ago when points were cheap; $30/1000. We paid $30K for one million points making us VIP Platinum owner. Sadly, it's time to leave Wyndham; we're getting older. Wyndham has been wonderful to us. Our purchase paid for itself many times over. Most of our points were used by us snowbirding from Wisconsin to Florida 6 months a year, all at half points with free upgrades.

We recently moved to Shalimar, Florida, which is not too far from Destin. We've done some staycations in Destin, Miramar Beach, and Panama City Beach since moving here. But with our age, maintenance fees on the rise, more policy changes project in the future, and since we live very close to the white sugar sandy beaches, it's time to say goodbye to timeshare ownership. It's been great and owning with Wyndham had been wonderful.

Great to hear yor getting out. Unfortunately now Wyndham has 1 million points to sell to another "mark".

 

[WManning]

Wyndham is going to take them back. I started the process last week.

Hopefully they "unlocked" the equity in your ownership and cut you a big check.

 

[55plus]

No money will change hands; we're giving it to Wyndham. Over the 30 years I was probably paid back many times over what we paid by the way we used our points. I believe we actually cost Wyndham money snowbirding at half points with upgrades all those years.

 

[hoekh20]

We've been Wyndham owners since it was Fairfield. That over 30 years ago when points were cheap; $30/1000. We paid $30K for one million points making us VIP Platinum owner. Sadly, it's time to leave Wyndham; we're getting older. Wyndham has been wonderful to us. Our purchase paid for itself many times over. Most of our points were used by us snowbirding from Wisconsin to Florida 6 months a year, all at half points with free upgrades.

We recently moved to Shalimar, Florida, which is not too far from Destin. We've done some staycations in Destin, Miramar Beach, and Panama City Beach since moving here. But with our age, maintenance fees on the rise, more policy changes project in the future, and since we live very close to the white sugar sandy beaches, it's time to say goodbye to timeshare ownership. It's been great and owning with Wyndham had been wonderful.

How do you leave them. We have 300,000 pts and want to leave

 

[hoekh20]

Wyndham is going to take them back. I started the process last week.

How do do you do that

 

[hoekh20]

This makes me so happy to hear, I am glad you loved Whydam during your 30 years, so glad you got so much out of it. I have just acquired (resale market) 400K worth of points. 300K in Hawaii and 100K at LeBelle in NOLA.

I look forward to many years of snowboarding and travel myself.

I have 300,000 points and we will give them
Away to anyone that will pay the transfer fee

 

[55plus]

I called the Wyndham Cares number and they transfered me to someone. I told them my story; VIP Platinum owner for 30 years, getting older, etc. They evaluated my deeds and they agreed to take them back.

The process is very simple. I don't have any children to transfer them to so this way was the best option. It's easier than trying to sell them on eBay or give them away, etc.

 

[Travelingman1]

So for the people asking about getting out of Whydam points, I just acquired my points on the resale market. I did exactly what @hoekh20 suggested for the Hawaii points, I paid around $500 which covered the transfer fee. You can also attempt to use the Whydam give back program.

From my POV offering the points on TUG for cost of transfer is amazing because it allows people like me and my family, who will love and use them for years to acquire them without Whydam getting to resell them and charge astronomical interest.

That being said I can understand 100% why people would want to just deed them back to Whydam, it is easier than listing them on TUG and arranging transfer.

If people are interested in how to give do transfers on TUG, feel free to reach out I am happy to explain the process I went through.

If you want to deed back to Whydam (it is not guaranteed they will take it) this is the official link to their process: https://clubwyndham.wyndhamdestinations.com/us/en/help/wyndham-cares/certified-exit

 

[am1]

Maybe it is a kind of Stockholm Syndrome. I am not allowed to own by my wife could with a payment to you. But glad you enjoyed your ownership.

 

[WManning]

We've been Wyndham owners since it was Fairfield. That over 30 years ago when points were cheap; $30/1000. We paid $30K for one million points making us VIP Platinum owner. Sadly, it's time to leave Wyndham; we're getting older. Wyndham has been wonderful to us. Our purchase paid for itself many times over. Most of our points were used by us snowbirding from Wisconsin to Florida 6 months a year, all at half points with free upgrades.

We recently moved to Shalimar, Florida, which is not too far from Destin. We've done some staycations in Destin, Miramar Beach, and Panama City Beach since moving here. But with our age, maintenance fees on the rise, more policy changes project in the future, and since we live very close to the white sugar sandy beaches, it's time to say goodbye to timeshare ownership. It's been great and owning with Wyndham had been wonderful.

Does Wyndham still allow 3 years of free use when giving back developer bought ownership?

 

[55plus]

I never heard that.

 

[paxsarah]

Does Wyndham still allow 3 years of free use when giving back developer bought ownership?

No, they stopped offering Limited Edition (the 3 years) almost 2 years ago.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Wow, 30k for platinum... you definitely got your moneys worth

I got a better deal. $18K for two Platinum Founder's accounts in 2007. Owning Bali Hai and Shearwater weeks and converting them was the key. I learned about it on TUG.

I am grateful to TUG and past members who shared information freely. BocaBum99, Jya-ning, CC-Dad and a bunch of others. Now everyone is afraid to share strategies because they are treated like criminals. We exploited, capitalized on, and gamed the system.

Sour grapes is not attractive. We figured it out, some didn't, and so we were better off for it.

 

[55plus]

I got a better deal. $18K for two Platinum Founder's accounts in 2007. Owning Bali Hai and Shearwater weeks and converting them was the key. I learned about it on TUG.

I am grateful to TUG and past members who shared information freely. BocaBum99, Jya-ning, CC-Dad and a bunch of others. Now everyone is afraid to share strategies because they are treated like criminals. We exploited, capitalized on, and gamed the system.

Sour grapes is not attractive. We figured it out, some didn't, and so we were better off for it.

I learned a lot on TUG and from others. If I recall, Ron was one who comes to mind who had a lot of knowledge. There are ways to maximize your points if you know how the system works and find and use the loophole before Wyndham makes a policy change to plug them.

Like I said at the beginning of this thread, Wyndham has been wonderful; wonderful to us and for us. In the mid 90's, $30K was a lot of money for one million points, but as I look back, it was worth it. Many say, buying a timeshare isn't an investment. In our case it was because of how we used it and the way we used it; in Florida during the winter months at half points as snowbirds.

 

[TolmiePeak]

Wow, 30k for platinum... you definitely got your moneys worth

Remember though that $30k invested in the S&P 500 back in the early 1990s would be worth $2.4m today.

 

[CO skier]

Remember though that $30k invested in the S&P 500 back in the early 1990s would be worth $2.4m today.

$30,000 invested as a lump sum in January, 1993 and reinvesting the dividends would be worth $950,000 today.

Subtract taxes on the S&P 500 ETF churn each year, subtract the annual expense ratio of the ETF each year, subtract the annual equivalent net rental costs (the annual maintenance fees were likely less than the equivalent rental costs) for the annual usage:

Most of our points were used by us snowbirding from Wisconsin to Florida 6 months a year, all at half points with free upgrades.

and the result would likely be a negative number.

This particular timeshare over 33 years turned out to be the better "investment."

Not to mention the priceless vacation memories.

 

[TolmiePeak]

Just pointing out that $30k in the early 1990s is worth far more today. There is no reason to pay a high expense ratio. FXAIX charges 0.015%. I refuse to pay more than 0.10% expense ratios on my funds.

 

[WManning]

Just pointing out that $30k in the early 1990s is worth far more today. There is no reason to pay a high expense ratio. FXAIX charges 0.015%. I refuse to pay more than 0.10% expense ratios on my funds.

Worldmark has a rental option that is less then cost of maintenance fees in most cases

 

[WManning]

$30,000 invested as a lump sum in January, 1993 and reinvesting the dividends would be worth $950,000 today.

Subtract taxes on the S&P 500 ETF churn each year, subtract the annual expense ratio of the ETF each year, subtract the annual equivalent net rental costs (the annual maintenance fees were likely less than the equivalent rental costs) for the annual usage:


and the result would likely be a negative number.

This particular timeshare over 33 years turned out to be the better "investment."

Not to mention the priceless vacation memories.

Figure ROI if investing the initial 30k and having a $0.00 sunk cost without buying up to VIP. Then factor costs if renting from a VIP owner that passed along the 50-60% discount and free upgrades. Disclaimer: This worked out better before Wyndham eliminated the abuse of VIP owners using resale points with developer benefits.