Worldmark Newbie

[tahoeJoe]

I am interested in having regular access or owning at the Woldmark in Windsor CA (Wine Country). What is the cheapest (MF and purchase costs) way to do this?

1) Buy a resale week at the Worldmark Windsor resort?
2) Buy a resale week at another Worldmark resort with lower MFs and trade in?
2a) "Buy" a resale week an Wyndham with the lowest MFs and trade in?
3) "Buy" a resale Wyndham Club points?
4) But resale Worldmark club points?

I see from the bargain deals section a lot of folks are giving away Wyndham timeshare weeks/points with various associated point values. Not many Wordmark resorts on the bargain deals board. Any thoughts or suggestions or advise?

 

[DaveNV]

Worldmark is a pure points-based ownership. There are no underlying deeds. So you can't buy anything WorldMark at that resort. If you want to stay there inside the Worldmark system, you'll need to buy a Worldmark account. It will cost you a minimum of 7000 credits for a Studio for a week, up to 18000 for a 3 bedroom Presidential unit. Other sizes range in the middle somewhere.

So your choices 1, 2, other 2, and 3 are not viable options. Your choice number 4 is the only predictable way to stay at the Worldmark Windsor resort. You could try renting time from a WM owner who made a reservation there for you, or perhaps find an exchange into that location with one of the exchange companies (possible, but not common.)

Do some research into WorldMark, then buy resale. it's not overpriced to get into, and there are more than 90 WM resorts located (mainly) in the western USA. There are many right there in California. If you want that regular access to the WM Windsor, that's going to be your easiest way to get it. Bonus: With WorldMark, you can stay for as little as one night, and as long as you want, if you have the credits for it.

Hope this helps.

Dave

 

[tahoeJoe]

Worldmark is a pure points-based ownership. There are no underlying deeds. So you can't buy anything WorldMark at that resort. If you want to stay there inside the Worldmark system, you'll need to buy a Worldmark account. It will cost you a minimum of 7000 credits for a Studio for a week, up to 18000 for a 3 bedroom Presidential unit. Other sizes range in the middle somewhere.

So your choices 1, 2, other 2, and 3 are not viable options. Your choice number 4 is the only predictable way to stay at the Worldmark Windsor resort. You could try renting time from a WM owner who made a reservation there for you, or perhaps find an exchange into that location with one of the exchange companies (possible, but not common.)

Do some research into WorldMark, then buy resale. it's not overpriced to get into, and there are more than 90 WM resorts located (mainly) in the western USA. There are many right there in California. If you want that regular access to the WM Windsor, that's going to be your easiest way to get it. Bonus: With WorldMark, you can stay for as little as one night, and as long as you want, if you have the credits for it.

Hope this helps.

Dave

Dave, Thank you for the information. If Worldmark is a pure points (or trust type) program with no underlying deeds, how are MFs calculated? Is is X dollars per point? That is is the MF on 7000 points half that of 14,000 points? Are the fees themselves based upon the total cost to maintain all the resorts, both new and old? Elaborate resorts and simple properties?

 

[tahoeJoe]

....... If you want to stay there inside the Worldmark system, you'll need to buy a Worldmark account.

Dave

What about the Club Wyndham point system? Does Club Wyndham have equal access to Worldmark properties?

 

[ecwinch]

Dave, Thank you for the information. If Worldmark is a pure points (or trust type) program with no underlying deeds, how are MFs calculated? Is is X dollars per point? That is is the MF on 7000 points half that of 14,000 points? Are the fees themselves based upon the total cost to maintain all the resorts, both new and old? Elaborate resorts and simple properties?

There is a base membership fee for the first 5k credits ($541 for 2019), and then a fee for every 2500 credits. So the more credits you have, the lower the fee per credit - as the base membership fee is spread over a larger number of credits.

Yes, the fees are based on the entire cost (budget) to operate the Club, maintain all the resorts, and fund the reserves.

 

[ecwinch]

What about the Club Wyndham point system? Does Club Wyndham have equal access to Worldmark properties?

Club Wyndham does not have equal access to the Worldmark resorts; and only Club Wyndham owners with developer points can book Worldmark inventory. Worldmark owners can book WM resorts 13 months out. Club Wyndham owners (with developer points) can start booking Worldmark resorts 9 months out. Which means for high-demand resorts - especially in peak season - it can be very difficult for Club Wyndham owners to book Worldmark resorts.

 

[DaveNV]

@tahoeJoe: Eric knows WorldMark much better than me. Glad he stepped in.

Short answer: If you want to book a WorldMark resort, buy into WorldMark. That was your very first sentience in this thread: "I am interested in having regular access or owning at the Worldmark in Windsor CA." The only way to do that with regularity is to own WorldMark. When you own WM, you can book Windsor as often as you'd like.

And Eric may want to correct me, but I think dollar for dollar, owning WorldMark is cheaper than any option that might be able to touch WM locations.

Dave

 

[ecwinch]

I am interested in having regular access or owning at the Woldmark in Windsor CA (Wine Country). What is the cheapest (MF and purchase costs) way to do this?

I see from the bargain deals section a lot of folks are giving away Wyndham timeshare weeks/points with various associated point values. Not many Wordmark resorts on the bargain deals board. Any thoughts or suggestions or advise?

The cheapest way to have regular access to the Windsor resort is to buy a small (6k-10k credits) account.

Windsor is a fairly large resort (227 units), and is relatively easy to book. Below is what the reservation calendar looks like for 2BR Twin units for the next 4 months. Weekends always go first, but as you can see there is a good amount of inventory available for the peak season. By comparison I have attached the reservation calendar for a more popular resort (Depoe Bay).

The other unique thing about WM, is that owners have a variety of cash booking options. So even with a small account, it is not that difficult to save your credits and book for cash. And the rate is very similar to what you pay in dues especially when you consider that cash booking options include housekeeping. In most systems, once you have used up your allotted time you have few options. Not so with WM.

So a small account can go a long way.

 

[geist1223]

Spend some time on www.wmowners.com/forum. It is site by owners for owners. You can join for free. WMTC and Wyndham are not involved. There is a lot of information on that site. Spend some time there reading up on Worldmark. If after you done an intensive review you have questions the folks on that site will be happy to help, just like here. So as Dave said do more research before you make any decision.

 

[lauramiddl]

Also Worldmark owners can get on a waitlist if their dates aren't available .Since Worldmark has a generous cancellation policy, this often works out. I don't know if wyndham owners can take advantage of that.

 

[ecwinch]

Also Worldmark owners can get on a waitlist if their dates aren't available .Since Worldmark has a generous cancellation policy, this often works out. I don't know if wyndham owners can take advantage of that.

No - Club Wyndham members cannot waitlist for WM units. And since it requires you to call in to check for availability - it puts Club Wyndham owners at a disadvantage trying to catch cancellations before they go to the waitlist or get snatched up.

 

[tahoeJoe]

Thank you everyone for the great information. As I was reviewing the websites and information on this post a couple more questions came to mind,

1) Do the quarterly MFs amounts include the WM club membership fee or is that a separate fee on top of the MFs like HGVC?
2) Does the WM club include a corporate membership to RCI (like HGVC) or is that a separate and optional fee?
3) Where can one look up the stated cash rates?

 

[ecwinch]

1) The MF's are all-in. There is a seperate fee for the developer program (Travelshare) which developer purchased credits can be enrolled in.

2) Travelshare includes a free RCI membership, the Club does not provide free access. But both RCI and Interval are exchange programs you can join for a fee. Unlike Club Wyndham which is generally only RCI.

3) There are cash rates are subject to change. Here are the 2019 numbers - 0.069 cents and 0.08 cents.

Now consider that dues on a 10k account which includes one hk token are $870 or 0.087 cents a credit.

 

[geist1223]

People have suggested you do more research/investigation. Patti suggests that you go to a Worldmark Presentation ASAP as part of your research into WMTC. We have all been pretty polite but it appears you really do not have any knowledge or understanding about the Worldmark System. Again go to www.wmowners.com/forum and spend several weeks reading all the different threads.

 

[ecwinch]

Tahoejoe - WMOWners is a good resource, but can be a little difficult to navigate and sort thru what information is still applicable. So feel free to continue to answer questions if that is what works for you. One of my goals is to update the WM info here on TUG, and I find it easier to answer questions.