Westgate owners-deposit at resort or II

[tcrny]

We purchased end of Dec Westgate Palace Orlando week 51 (our first TS). In order to deposit the week, I am confused about where to deposit first. We have II and when I log on our TS shows up, but it asks for a reservation # and says to contact home resort for info. Is there something I need to do with home resort to let them know I am exchanging/depositing before going through II? I'd be interested in anyone who owns Westgate TS's on best way to exchange. Westgate website says to call their customer service for help on depositing/exchanging ... and so does II. Where do I go first? We have no preferences or specific places we want to travel as we haven't visited many places, and want to use this timeshare as a way to trade to see different places. Thanks for your help, Cathy

 

[timeos2]

The usual Wastegate BS

As you own a fixed week what SHOULD happen you simply deposit that week with II - game over. But this is Wastegate so what you OWN doesn't matter to them - you must contact the resort and get a week (most likely won't be your legally deeded week unless it is extremely low value) which they choose. This flies in the face of what a deeded, fixed week ownership is but because Wastegate can & II lets them get away with it (if you had access to RCI that wouldn't be allowed - they only accept the deeded week as it should be) thats what they do.

To beat them you can try SFX and see if they will accept your week/resort (they may not) if they don't then you may want to look at Trading Places or another third party other than II.

Forcing you to take a week other than what you own is not even legal but this is Wastegate so they feel mere laws don't apply to them! And II lets them get away with it. If you can avoid using II as you should have the benefit of what you OWN not what Wastegate deems you worthy of. Good luck. Unfortunately you picked a very owner negative timeshare group to own with and this will likely be only one of many frustrations or worse you'll have to deal with. We recently & finally got rid of our one timeshare mistake - a resale Wastegate VV week. We though we liked it when we bought over 15 years ago but, like most Wastegate owners, ultimately became totally disillusioned with what is easily the worst timeshare operation that exists in the US. There may be worse in Mexico but we are never even tempted to dabble with that area.

Good luck with your ownership. Don't let them railroad you.

 

[AwayWeGo]

Congratulations. That Was A Long Time Coming, Eh ?

We recently & finally got rid of our one timeshare mistake - a resale Wastegate VV week. We though we liked it when we bought over 15 years ago but, like most Wastegate owners, ultimately became totally disillusioned with what is easily the worst timeshare operation that exists in the US. There may be worse in Mexico but we are never even tempted to dabble with that area.

Good riddance to the timeshare you loved to hate.

The only downside I can think of is that now somebody else is stuck with it. Here's hoping the new owners had their eyes wide open before they took that particular plunge. Otherwise, they're in for a major serious surprise, no ?

Regarding timesharing south of the border, I resemble that remark -- bigtime. I don't even want to go a Mexican timeshare on exchange, much less rent or own 1.

( Click here for Gringo In Mexico. )

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[tcrny]

Westgate Owners - Can't deposit in II??

Since we recently purchased this past December it took a couple months for paperwork and memberships to get activated, payment made for MF, etc. I received my membership info for II and we are also II Gold members. Is it really true that I cannot deposit my Orlando week 51 directly with II (see prior post) and must go through Westgate first? I;m not familiar with how to go about using a different exchange company. My purchase came with II membership. Westgate owners can join other exchange companies other than II? It is so time consuming to read everything on this site, while trying to read through all the paperwork sent by Westgate, II, etc. It is all very overwhelming to understand the process. We are definitely looking to deposit the week and also use it to do getaways.

I can see that Westgate is not a positive timeshare experience on this website. But I have to believe that there must be many many owners to have all the timeshares they do. There must be someone out there that is happy with their timeshare. I do not have any expectations other than it was an incentive for my family to do some traveling. Now I just want to learn how to use it. I'm glad I found this website and joined ... and I thank everyone for helping me out. I'm sorry for all the questions. Thanks, Cathy

 

[timeos2]

Since we recently purchased this past December it took a couple months for paperwork and memberships to get activated, payment made for MF, etc. I received my membership info for II and we are also II Gold members. Is it really true that I cannot deposit my Orlando week 51 directly with II (see prior post) and must go through Westgate first? I;m not familiar with how to go about using a different exchange company. My purchase came with II membership. Westgate owners can join other exchange companies other than II? It is so time consuming to read everything on this site, while trying to read through all the paperwork sent by Westgate, II, etc. It is all very overwhelming to understand the process. We are definitely looking to deposit the week and also use it to do getaways.

It should be a piece of cake. You contact II & place your deeded week with them fro exchange. End of story. NOPE! Wastegate (illegally but who can stop them?) says "no" - THEY get to deposit whatever left over they have on hand to II and worse II says that's OK!

It isn't right. It isn't fair. It isn't legal. But, unless you or some other poor owner wants to spend thousands to get a few hundred dollars worth of time, no one is stopping them. What you can do is try RCI to see if they will take that resort. Or SFX. Or another exchange that correctly will only accept your legally deeded time. If you decide to deal with II then you also have to deal with Wastegates moves.

Good luck. Hope it works for you. We are VERY happy to have Wastegate games behind us now. If we could only get rid of the lingering stink it would be great.

 

[alexinorlando]

Just call westgate owner reservations.

Call owner reservations make your reservation for week 51. Then call II and give your confirmation # or log on and enter it online. Simple as that. Enjoy your exchange.

 

[eal]

Unfortunately it is not "as simple as that". Logic would dictate that your week 51 should get deposited with II and then you benefit from the exchange value of a Christmas week, but with Westgate, as timeos2 has so eloquently pointed out in numerous posts over the years, they deposit a week of their choice with II for you to exchange. So if you own a particularly valuable fixed week in the Westgate system you get shortchanged. What timeos2 is saying is that you are therefore better off using an independent exchange company. SFX has the best inventory if they will take your week. Platinum Interchange, Trading Places, DAE, and Hawaii Timeshare Exchange are other choices.

Good luck with your purchase, and welcome to the complicated world of timesharing. Being a member of TUG will help immensely in figuring it all out!

 

[tcrny]

Unfortunately it is not "as simple as that". Logic would dictate that your week 51 should get deposited with II and then you benefit from the exchange value of a Christmas week, but with Westgate, as timeos2 has so eloquently pointed out in numerous posts over the years, they deposit a week of their choice with II for you to exchange. So if you own a particularly valuable fixed week in the Westgate system you get shortchanged. What timeos2 is saying is that you are therefore better off using an independent exchange company. SFX has the best inventory if they will take your week. Platinum Interchange, Trading Places, DAE, and Hawaii Timeshare Exchange are other choices.

Good luck with your purchase, and welcome to the complicated world of timesharing. Being a member of TUG will help immensely in figuring it all out!

Would I also have to join these other exchange companies in order to exchange with them? We were enrolled with II when we purchased with Westgate. How does using an independent exchange company change having to first contact Westgate to exchange my week as timeos2 is saying? Sorry if I'm not understanding. Thanks, Cathy

 

[timeos2]

Would I also have to join these other exchange companies in order to exchange with them? We were enrolled with II when we purchased with Westgate. How does using an independent exchange company change having to first contact Westgate to exchange my week as timeos2 is saying? Sorry if I'm not understanding. Thanks, Cathy

Most exchange companies except II & RCI have free memberships available.

Since you have absolute use of your deeded week you can use it for deposit with any third party exchange company that accepts it. The only thing you have to do is verify at some point with Westgate that you will be using your deeded week - they have no say about it. Then you either show up or give that use right to company X so they can exchange it to another owner. Westgate can't do anything about it as legally you own that unit for those 7 days and do as you please with it - rent it, use it or trade it (with anyone except II thanks to their accepting trash from Wastegate).

 

[eal]

Hi Cathy,
Some of the independents do not have a membership fee; although Hawaii Timeshare Exchange charges $89 a year I think. SFX has a free Gold membership and a Platinum membership with a fee, that has a few extra perks.

So if you were to use SFX for example, you would contact them to send you a deposit form. You would put down that you own week 51 at Westgate Palace Orlando. You would sign the form and confirm that you have not deposited this week with any other exchange company. They would take it from there, contacting Westgate to get your week in their inventory. You would make an exchange request and sit tight to see what they can do for you.

One of the drawbacks with the independents is that they (of course) don't have the same size and variety of inventory that RCI and II have, so you have to be a bit more patient and more flexible. But at least you have a better chance of getting a higher quality of exchange for your very valuable week 51 than if Westgate just deposited a generic week (with as low a value as they can get away with) in your II account.

My personal preference for the independents is in this order:
Hawaii Timeshare Exchange
SFX
Platinum Interchange
Trading Places
DAE

Hope this helps

 

[durrod]

Since you already have an II account, I would contact WESTGATE and request the week you want to be deposited (51). If you specify that you want your week 51 to be deposited with II there is a good chance they will grant your request.(It have worked with me two out of three times). Try to do do the request through the owners web site it work with me last time or call their reservations phone number. Unfortunetly they will not always grant your request, but there you will have to run the chance.

 

[tcrny]

Thank you so much for your advice and help. I will look into these other exchange companies and see what I can do.

 

[frenchieinme]

Call owner reservations make your reservation for week 51. Then call II and give your confirmation # or log on and enter it online. Simple as that. Enjoy your exchange.

It is as easy as above stated. Call Westgate, pay your maint fees and tell them you are depositing your week 51 with II and need a reservation #. They will assign you one and then inform II of said reservation #. End of story and then get what is available with II at the time or make a request or whatever you want to do.

I would suggest you try and keep (if your unit has a lock off) a deposit in II at all times. This way if something comes up available you can pick then and there.

frenchieinme