Why Aren't We Talking More About This? Inner Circle

[dioxide45]

I've been seeing articles popup through my Google Alerts for Marriott Vacations. They officially launched Inner Circle. Here is one of the articles.

https://www.travelandtourworld.com/news/article/l98ybs810qjh/

Is this just a rebrand of the Owner Events? It seems like it. Perhaps there are new options? There is now a duck sponsoring the events. I suspect we have Mike Flaskey to thank for this as I think these events are through his company, MF Entertainment. Though Marriott Vacations isn't listed as a client on the MF Entertainment website.

 

[Hindsite]

... And the first rule of xyz flash sounding groups is?

 

[TUGBrian]

very much reminds me of the holiday inn "once in a lifetime" experiences!

they looked neat when i saw the brochure during our stay at cape Canaveral, but not at the expense of paying full retail =D

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Yep this is Flaskey. This started into HGVC after the DRI acquisiton. The events we attended (F1 music food and viewing, and NYC dinner and a show) are quite good with premium food and alcohol. The only downside is that they require you to attend a preso but the presos were quite short and not pushy because they had to process a lot of attendees and we are good at saying no thank you.

Will be interesting to see if MVC requires a preso.

 

[dioxide45]

Yep this is Flaskey. This started into HGVC after the DRI acquisiton. The events we attended (F1 music food and viewing, and NYC dinner and a show) are quite good with premium food and alcohol. The only downside is that they require you to attend a preso but the presos were quite short and not pushy because they had to process a lot of attendees and we are good at saying no thank you.

Will be interesting to see if MVC requires a preso.

I understand that the Owner Events required a presentation, I don't see these being any different. These types of things seem to turn out much higher conversion rates. Is it the euphoria of the whole thing that makes people willing to plunk down tens of thousands of dollars more?

 

[WBP]

Yep this is Flaskey. This started into HGVC after the DRI acquisiton. The events we attended (F1 music food and viewing, and NYC dinner and a show) are quite good with premium food and alcohol. The only downside is that they require you to attend a preso but the presos were quite short and not pushy because they had to process a lot of attendees and we are good at saying no thank you.

Will be interesting to see if MVC requires a preso.

I watched Mike Flaskey and Diamond Resorts destroy Club Intrawest. Flaskey was at Diamond when Diamond acquired Club Intrawest, and remained at Diamond Resorts until Diamond was acquired by Hilton Grand Vacation Club, in fact, Flaskey was promoted, at that time, while he was at Diamond. Watch, carefully, what Flaskey does at Marriott Vacations Worldwide; you can’t change a zebra’s stripes. I am incensed that Flaskey’s priorities show no evidence of focusing on the operations of MVW’s vacation experience, including the resort experience, owner services, MVW technology, including the MVW website and App, and to bringing integrity to the sales and marketing process. In fact, what I see of MVW’s current sales and marketing processes are Diamond Resorts’ sales and marketing strategies, rekindled.

 

[WBP]

I understand that the Owner Events required a presentation, I don't see these being any different. These types of things seem to turn out much higher conversion rates. Is it the euphoria of the whole thing that makes people willing to plunk down tens of thousands of dollars more?

In my experience, MVC/MVW’s “owner experiences” can be purchased on the retail/open market for a fraction of the valuation associated with using Abound points.

 

[dioxide45]

In my experience, MVC/MVW’s “owner experiences” can be purchased on the retail/open market for a fraction of the valuation associated with using Abound points.

I suspect so, but MVC seems to over value these events. They used to list the retail price for the owner events and when you worked out the price per point one could often get over $1 per point on these events. I expect these are kinda like sweepstakes prizes, show a huge MSRP to plump up the value of what they are offering. Pricing these things out individually may be difficult because they often include dinners, VIP access at events (though you can pay cash for this stuff now), cocktail parties, transfers, room and more.

 

[rthib]

I understand that the Owner Events required a presentation, I don't see these being any different. These types of things seem to turn out much higher conversion rates. Is it the euphoria of the whole thing that makes people willing to plunk down tens of thousands of dollars more?

Just looked at the one for Epcot food and wine. 2500 includes 3 days. 1 day dinner, day 2 Epcot and then magic day 3 adventure

• Your 90-Minute Personal Sales Presentation of the Marriott Vacation Club Destinations® Program or Sheraton® Flex Program (based on currency type used for the package: Club Points or StarOptions)
  Discover the newest travel opportunities available through your ownership and the Abound by Marriott Vacations® exchange program.

 

[BigDawgTUG]

So, let's look at the value of that one. If you booked Marriott's Cypress Harbour separately for those three nights, you'd need only 675 Club Points (without taking into consideration any owner level benefit discount). That means you are "paying" 1,825 points for the added benefits: (i) Welcome Dinner at Sixty Vines; (ii) EPCOT® International Food & Wine Festival, plus $100 Visa; and (iii) Dessert Party and Fireworks Viewing. For (i), I'm going to say $200 is probably over-valuing, but let's go with that. For (ii), admission looks like $129 per person, for a total of $260, and, with the $100 Visa, let's say $360. For (iii), $179 per person for a similar experience - see https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/epcot/geo-82-fireworks-experience/ - but probably overvaluing that one as I also found this one for only $79 per person - see https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/epcot/spice-road-table-fireworks-dinner-package/! In total, $720 to $920 for (i), (ii) and (iii). Maybe add in $100 for transportation to (i), (ii) and (iii), and you are getting about $820 to 1,020 of value for 1,825 Club Points, or $0.45 to $0.56 per point. So, not as terrible as some of the other redemption values, and there are obviously some intangible benefits such as having everything arranged for you and hanging out with other owners, but you are still way below the typical MFs for trust points.

My recollection is that when the Owner Events first came out, some of them were just a little more than what it would have cost to just book the room making them a better value at that time.

 

[dioxide45]

So, let's look at the value of that one. If you booked Marriott's Cypress Harbour separately for those three nights, you'd need only 675 Club Points (without taking into consideration any owner level benefit discount). That means you are "paying" 1,825 points for the added benefits: (i) Welcome Dinner at Sixty Vines; (ii) EPCOT® International Food & Wine Festival, plus $100 Visa; and (iii) Dessert Party and Fireworks Viewing. For (i), I'm going to say $200 is probably over-valuing, but let's go with that. For (ii), admission looks like $129 per person, for a total of $260, and, with the $100 Visa, let's say $360. For (iii), $179 per person for a similar experience - see https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/epcot/geo-82-fireworks-experience/ - but probably overvaluing that one as I also found this one for only $79 per person - see https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/epcot/spice-road-table-fireworks-dinner-package/! In total, $720 to $920 for (i), (ii) and (iii). Maybe add in $100 for transportation to (i), (ii) and (iii), and you are getting about $820 to 1,020 of value for 1,825 Club Points, or $0.45 to $0.56 per point. So, not as terrible as some of the other redemption values, and there are obviously some intangible benefits such as having everything arranged for you and hanging out with other owners, but you are still way below the typical MFs for trust points.

My recollection is that when the Owner Events first came out, some of them were just a little more than what it would have cost to just book the room making them a better value at that time.

This is what MVC is valuing the event for in October.

 

[mjm1]

This is what MVC is valuing the event for in October.
View attachment 126987

That’s interesting. So that equates to $0.826 per point but you also have to attend a sales presentation for which you don’t receive any additional benefit. It would have to be an event we would really want to attend.

 

[dioxide45]

Some fluff marketing videos about Inner Circle. Was anyone here in any of these videos?

 

[jellen613#]

I looked at the Inner Circle events on the MVC website, they have just rebranded the Owners Events (and there was another name for some of them as well). I had looked at these before, some seem to be a better deal than others. I didn't see anything new that I hadn't seen before.

 

[rthib]

One thing when you look at value is remember to calculate the giftcard or points you are not getting for attending the mandatory "update." Since I usually get plus points when I tour, that makes the cost of these 500 more in points by my math.

 

[DRH90277]

I think the smart ones in Vacation Club are the ones who try to isolate themselves off in a corner with great owned weeks. Hopefully, we are less apt to experience the whims of the public company attempts to lessen our vacation experience in the name of increasing their profits. One should consider new programs in the light of the motivations for the change.