What is the differences with Wyndam/Worldmark and where does Trendwest fit in?

[lprstn]

Ok, doing research on different parts of Wyndam formerly Fairfield. My mother-inlaw lives in MI and went on a tour with Trendwest or Worldmark, she mentioned both. Then she said that they were the same system. I wanted her to purchase Wyndam points so that we can transfer points between us for family use. I told her to purchase Wyndam resale because its cheaper and has more/if not just as many resorts than Worldmark. Not to mention that Wyndam is CHEAPER resale and I know how to use my Wyndam better than Worldmark. What is the difference between both? What is a better product to purchase resale? She thinks Worldmark, I think Wyndam because Wyndam is CHEAPER? but I don't know much about WM...

 

[Bill4728]

Wyndham bought out Trendwest and Fairfield. They then renamed their two completely seperate TS companies "Worldmark by Wyndham" (WM) & "Wyndham Vacations" (Fairfield)

WM is completely point based so anyone owning WM points is the same as anyone else owning WM.
WM prices seem to be about $7000 fo 10,000 pts ( which is about what you need to stay in a 2 bedroom in peak season)

FF ( also call Wyndham) is resort based. You buy at a single resort, then if your purchase is in Fairshare plus (FSP) (also call FF points) you can use your points to reserve at other resorts in the FF/Wyndham system.
FF resorts are priced differently depending on the resort you own, but points are about $.01 - $0.02 /pt so for 154,000 pts you might spend somewhere about $1,000 - $3,000.

Since you live on the east coast I'd look into FF not WM since WM is mostly west coast resorts.

PS there are a handful of resorts which FF & WM share some inventory. But they are two completely different TS systems (just like Chevy & Saturn are both GM)

 

[lprstn]

I went on the Worldmark by Trendwest website and compared resorts, it seems that Wyndam and Worldmark share a lot of the same resorts. Also, its obvious that we will not be able to transfer points between the two if she bough Worldmark. What resorts do they not share?

 

[EAM]

Wyndham bought out Trendwest and Fairfield. They then renamed their two completely seperate TS companies "Worldmark by Wyndham" (WM) & "Wyndham Vacations" (Fairfield)

Actually Cendant (which already owned RCI, Fairfield, and Trendwest/Worldmark at the time) acquired Wyndham

http://www.cendant.com/documents/CD_completes_Wyndham_acquisition_10-12-05.pdf

and renamed its hospitality division, Wyndham Worldwide

http://www.wyndhamworldwide.com/investors/show_release.cfm?id=63

Soon afterward, Cendant split into four separate companies, and Wyndham Worldwide was one of the four.

http://www.cendant.com/documents/07_31_2006_01.pdf

As I recall, Trendwest developed and sold timeshares, which were then owned by Worldmark, The Club. Buyers bought credits from the Club, not from the developer. These distinctions were blurred when Trendwest was renamed Worldmark by Wyndham.

With Fairfield/Wyndham, one buys points at a specific resort, either UDI points or a fixed week converted to points. You have can reserve at your home resort before anyone else can. I'm not a Worldmark member, but as I understand the system, Worldmark credits are not tied to a specific resort.

 

[kapish]

Threads answering your original questions

1. Who is Wyndham, who owns WorldMark, where did Trendwest go?
2. WorldMark/Wyndham Direct Exchange resorts 2007/2008

 

[EAM]

I went on the Worldmark by Trendwest website and compared resorts, it seems that Wyndam and Worldmark share a lot of the same resorts. Also, its obvious that we will not be able to transfer points between the two if she bough Worldmark. What resorts do they not share?

I think some of the newer resorts (Tahoe?) are being developed and sold both by Fairfield/Wyndham and Worldmark by Wyndham (Trendwest). They have also worked out a system in which Fairfield deposits some of its inventory in the Worldmark system in return for the deposit of some of the Worldmark inventory in the Fairfield system. The availability of Fairfield resorts in the Worldmark system is limited and vice versa.

Worldmark has more resorts in the west, Fairfield has more resorts in the east. I would recommend purchasing Worldmark if you live in the west and Fairfield if you live in the east, just because there would be more resorts in the system that are within driving distance.

 

[roadsister]

I think some of the newer resorts (Tahoe?) are being developed and sold both by Fairfield/Wyndham and Worldmark by Wyndham (Trendwest). They have also worked out a system in which Fairfield deposits some of its inventory in the Worldmark system in return for the deposit of some of the Worldmark inventory in the Fairfield system. The availability of Fairfield resorts in the Worldmark system is limited and vice versa.

Worldmark has more resorts in the west, Fairfield has more resorts in the east. I would recommend purchasing Worldmark if you live in the west and Fairfield if you live in the east, just because there would be more resorts in the system that are within driving distance.

Eam has given you good advice on the west coast/east coast scenario.

Listed below are the Fairfield Resorts that WM has exchange units in and are for one year and are subject to change at any time:

Flagstaff
Sedona
Pagosa
Waikki Beachwalk
Atlantic City
North Myrtle Beach
Smoky Mountains
Nashville
Destin
Riverside Suites in Texas
Williamsburg
Wisconsin Dells
Pampano Beach (Palm-Aire)

 

[acesneights]

Limited (non-existent?) WM in FF

LIMITED Worldmark inventory in FF is an understatement.

There is usually ONE UNIT of the WM in FF, so you have about a 1 in 10,000 chance of stumbling on that ONE UNIT at 8am on the day that it is put into FF inventory.

IF that one unit even makes it into general inventory and doesn't get snapped up by some corporate insider or friend of a VC who knows when the inventory is transferred.

The WM in FF is merely a sales tool, so that they can show an extra 40 (or whatever WM resorts are in the FF directory) ASSOCIATE resorts, that MAY (once a year) be available with FSP points.

DON'T BUY FSP POINTS BASED on getting access to the WM universe.

Stan

 

[LLW]

Ok, doing research on different parts of Wyndam formerly Fairfield. My mother-inlaw lives in MI and went on a tour with Trendwest or Worldmark, she mentioned both. Then she said that they were the same system. I wanted her to purchase Wyndam points so that we can transfer points between us for family use. I told her to purchase Wyndam resale because its cheaper and has more/if not just as many resorts than Worldmark. Not to mention that Wyndam is CHEAPER resale and I know how to use my Wyndam better than Worldmark. What is the difference between both? What is a better product to purchase resale? She thinks Worldmark, I think Wyndam because Wyndam is CHEAPER? but I don't know much about WM...

You already have access to Wyndham formerly Fairfield, but not access to Worldmark. As has been mentioned, Fairfield has more resorts in the East and Worldmark in the West. If you would like to have more locations where you can vacation, advise her to buy Worldmark. If you would like more Wyndham points so that you can vacation more in the locations that you can already vacation now, advise her to buy Fairfield. Note that in either case, you would probably vacation together more.

With Worldmark, you can reserve at any WM resort as well as anybody else can, whether you buy developer or resale, since WM credits are not tied to any specific resort. With Fairfield, it sounds like you can reserve at your home resort much easier.

Buying WM resale, an account with enough credits for a normal red 2BR week costs about $6,500, white $5,200, and blue season $3,900. Buying developer is almost 3 times as much.

 

[PerryM]

Who's on first?

There is the timeless comedy skit made famous by Abbott and Costello which Wyndham seems to use as a management tool - it's "Who's on first".


Sadly Wyndham did a lousy job of picking names for the new toy companies they bought 1) WorldMark by Wyndham and 2) Wyndham Vacations.

Take Wyndham Vacations:

1) There is a rental site for hotel/timeshares at http://www.wyndham-vacations.com
2) Then there is their hotel business at: http://www.wyndhamworldwide.com/
3) Then there is http://www.wyndhamvacations.com
4) Then there is www.vivawyndhamresorts.com
5) Then there is www.fairfieldresorts.com
6) Then there is www.wyndham.com
7) Then there is www.wyndhamworldwide.com
8) Then there is www.wyndhamvrap.com

For WorldMark:

1) www.trendwest.com/
2) https://www.worldmarktheclub.com/
3) http://forums.trendwest.com/

Misc:
https://www.residenceclubownership.com what used to be the TrendWest fractional division.

This mishmash of confusing names and overlapping identities is just plain sloppy management who plays fast and loose with facts.

 

[EAM]

With Worldmark, you can reserve at any WM resort as well as anybody else can, whether you buy developer or resale, since WM credits are not tied to any specific resort. With Fairfield, it sounds like you can reserve at your home resort much easier.

I would say earlier, not easier. Making reservations is not really difficult in either case.

With Fairfield/Wyndham you may reserve at your home resort 13 months before checkin. Reservations open up for all FSP owners at 10 months before checkin. If you own UDI points, you may reserve any available unit as long as you own enough points at that resort to make the reservation. If you own a fixed week converted to points, you may reserve that week/unit (and no other) between 10 and 13 months before checkin.

 

[lprstn]

She decided to purchase Wyndam FSP points as we will be transferring points between each other for family / friend travel and its easier to do it when we both own the same place.

We also chose Wyndam over Worldmark for the following reasons

- Resale price difference, Wyndam was cheaper
- Wyndam allows 13 month reservation at Home Resort, Worldmark doesn't and I have researched that this could be a frustration if you have a preference for a certain resort yearly and at peak time
- Wyndam had more resorts than Worldmark did (that we would use)
- Didn't like Worldmark's restrictions on limited to one Bonus Time "weekend only"

 

[LLW]

She decided to purchase Wyndam FSP points as we will be transferring points between each other for family / friend travel and its easier to do it when we both own the same place.

We also chose Wyndam over Worldmark for the following reasons

- Resale price difference, Wyndam was cheaper
- Wyndam allows 13 month reservation at Home Resort, Worldmark doesn't and I have researched that this could be a frustration if you have a preference for a certain resort yearly and at peak time
- Wyndam had more resorts than Worldmark did (that we would use)
- Didn't like Worldmark's restrictions on limited to one Bonus Time "weekend only"

A couple of clarifications:

* Worldmark does allow reservations at 13 months. The difference is Worldmark does not have home resorts, and everybody can book at 13 months. That is the cause of frustration. There are ways to get around it.

* "Weekend only" for Worldmark is defined as Friday and Saturday only. Thursday + Friday + Saturday is not "weekend only", Friday + Saturday + Sunday is not "weekend only", and Saturday + Sunday is not "Weekend only".


It is understandable that you would want to own in the same system.

 

[lprstn]

A couple of clarifications:

* Worldmark does allow reservations at 13 months. The difference is Worldmark does not have home resorts, and everybody can book at 13 months. That is the cause of frustration. There are ways to get around it.

* "Weekend only" for Worldmark is defined as Friday and Saturday only. Thursday + Friday + Saturday is not "weekend only", Friday + Saturday + Sunday is not "weekend only", and Saturday + Sunday is not "Weekend only".


It is understandable that you would want to own in the same system.

Thanks for clarifying that for me, because the only real information I got was from their website and one of their representatives.

 

[mshatty]

A couple of clarifications:

* Worldmark does allow reservations at 13 months. The difference is Worldmark does not have home resorts, and everybody can book at 13 months. That is the cause of frustration. There are ways to get around it.

* "Weekend only" for Worldmark is defined as Friday and Saturday only. Thursday + Friday + Saturday is not "weekend only", Friday + Saturday + Sunday is not "weekend only", and Saturday + Sunday is not "Weekend only".


It is understandable that you would want to own in the same system.

Thanks for clarifying that for me, because the only real information I got was from their website and one of their representatives.

One other clarification between WM and Wyn/FF is that outside of 90 days prior to check in, in WM you are required to book at least a 7 nights reservation during a red season period. The 7 nights have to be consecutive but can be at more than one WM resort.

In Wyn/FF, you can book a 3, 4, or 7 nights reservation during a prime or red season. Normally, there are requirements for a Friday, Saturday or Sunday check in or check out.

There is an exception in WM for red season reservations: if there are "stand alone" days (no units available before or after the reservation check in and check out) that are less than 7 nights, you can book just those days.