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Wristbands at MGV

NboroGirl

NboroGirl

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Jul 7, 2009
Messages
1,293
Reaction score
331
Location
Massachusetts
Resorts Owned
Marriott Grande Vista
We just got back from our week at Grande Vista. I posted previously how we didn't get any of our room location choices initially until I asked for something in one of two buildings and they found a room in one of the two (that didn't have any view to speak of).

Anyway, we golfed on our final day there and like always, we charged it to our room. When we returned to our villa I noticed that we didn't get the owner's discount . (I requested the discount when I made the online reservation, just as I had the other 2 times we golfed). When I called the club house to inform them, the woman who answered asked "Where you wearing your wristbands?" I asked "What wristbands?" "The blue wristbands that owners get when they check in." That was news to me - we hadn't received any wristbands when we checked in, and we never had them before. She suggested we go down to the front desk and request them, because they allow us a 10% discount on everything on property. Once we had them, we could come back with our receipt and get a refund. So that's what I ended up doing.

I just wanted to inform Grande Vista owners to make sure you get these blue wristbands when you check in. It's something new, and they might save you some money. Luckily we hadn't done much at the resort during this trip besides golf, so it didn't matter. It was only that final time we golfed when we didn't receive the discount and had to go back for a partial refund.
 
Like going to a high school dance

BeachPlace is doing the wristband thing too. It's like going to a high school dance. Lots of complaints. Mickey mouse. Really big and ugly, put on the left wrist so you have to change a watch to the right arm. Color changes very week. Women very upset if they wear jewelry. They said its only for this month of spring breakers, but I doubt that's true. They have to be worn all the time you're there...and cut off when you leave.

Also have signs posted you could only put a towel on lounges for 45 minutes or they'd be taken away for others to use. They never did that so seat stealers had the best locations.
 
We ran in to this on our last visit to Grande Vista last year. They did give us the writ bands at checkin though. I just forgot to wear it most time since it is really only used for the discount. I forgot it once at the Marketplace, but it would have only saved us $0.50 or so. It is good that they offer a discount to owners, but they should be able to do this based on your keycard or villa.
 
Just got back fom Beachplace and they are doing the wristbands because of spring break influx. We just cut ours off and carried in pocket/beacbbag. They did not have any problem with that approach, as long as you have them with you.

They are enforcing the 45 minute rule and I am glad they did....there were several instances of lounge hogs who put stuff on lounges and did not retrurn for over an hour.

I felt they did a very good job in controlling the spring break affect....not easy to do because of the way BP is on figured.
 
It should be noted that it isn't required that you wear the MGV wristbands around the pool. They are only given to owners apparently and are just so you can get 10% off at concessions.
 
dioxide45 said:
It should be noted that it isn't required that you wear the MGV wristbands around the pool. They are only given to owners apparently and are just so you can get 10% off at concessions.
Click to expand...
Definitely different than the Marriotts in Hawaii and the Surf Club in Aruba, which all required the use of the wristbands.
 
Ron98GT said:
Definitely different than the Marriotts in Hawaii and the Surf Club in Aruba, which all required the use of the wristbands.
Click to expand...

It hasn't been very often that the Orlando properties require use of wristbands. I have only seen this one time at Lakeshore Reserve when they were giving out wristbands over the Memorial Day weekend. Though there didn't seem to be anyone enforcing it.
 
The wristbands in use at Barony and SurfWatch during busier seasons are like LiveStrong and other bracelets, silicone that can easily be removed. Now they're also offering the new key-coded ones for a fee that's donated to their charity but those are also removable. At both resorts you don't have to actually have them on your wrists at all times but they need to be carried because Security/Venders will ask to see them.

I can't figure out what's being used at BeachPlace - they have to be CUT off?!?! Like hospital bracelets?! Those sound even more cheap and tacky, if you already think bracelets are tacky. MVW is buying the silicone ones by the thousands so I can't imagine BPT is saving any significant money using something different.
 
At BP they are the cheap, tacky ones (like hospital wristbands)....they planned to use a different color each week. That's why we opted to cut them off. They also had the better looking (?) ones that you could get for a donation to the Children's charity like being done at other locations.
 
I thought that as long as the concession was Marriott owned you would get the owner discount just by charging to room. I should pay more attention to these things.
 
I think we're discussing two different kinds of wrist bands. I've had the cut-off kind when staying at various Marriotts. Basically they're to identify you as Marriott guests so you can use the pool and get pool towels. The color changes each week, and you cut them off when you check out.

The ones I was referring to at Grande Vista are silicone, just like the Live Strong ones, as SueDonJ mentioned. You can easily slide them on and off. Their purpose is to identify Owners at ther resort (enabling us to receive discounts at the restaurants, golf, and the MarketPlace). I was told they began using these last May. I asked if we should bring them with us next year, and was told "I guess so."
 
NboroGirl said:
I think we're discussing two different kinds of wrist bands. I've had the cut-off kind when staying at various Marriotts. Basically they're to identify you as Marriott guests so you can use the pool and get pool towels. The color changes each week, and you cut them off when you check out.

The ones I was referring to at Grande Vista are silicone, just like the Live Strong ones, as SueDonJ mentioned. You can easily slide them on and off. Their purpose is to identify Owners at ther resort (enabling us to receive discounts at the restaurants, golf, and the MarketPlace). I was told they began using these last May. I asked if we should bring them with us next year, and was told "I guess so."
Click to expand...

At SurfWatch and Barony the silicone ones or the new keyed ones being sold for charity are given to every guest (owner, exchanger, renter, etc) at check-in. During high-demand periods if you're not wearing it Security will ask to see it, and nicely remove you from the property if you don't have one. The new ones can be re-coded and -used at any participating resorts but the older ones can't.

I've never seen a cut-off type wristband or been given anything that proves ownership for on-property discounts, either at my home resorts or any others. I've always thought the same as Fairwinds, that any owner discounts on-property are automatically applied to the folio when owners charge things to the room? To get the off-property discounts (the concierges will give you a list of participating vendors) you have to show your keycard or keyed bracelet.

Count me in with those who think an un-removable wristband is tacky and cheap. :(
 
I have never seen a situation where concession discounts are given by simply charging items to your villa. I have always had to show something to prove I was entitled to a discount. Either a card that they give you at checkin, a wristband or our owner card. Though most of the people working the concessions are confused by our owners card, likely because they never see them.
 
dioxide45 said:
I have never seen a situation where concession discounts are given by simply charging items to your villa. I have always had to show something to prove I was entitled to a discount. Either a card that they give you at checkin, a wristband or our owner card. Though most of the people working the concessions are confused by our owners card, likely because they never see them.
Click to expand...

At Grande Vista, I always just said "I get the owner's discount" and no one ever questioned me. I usually charged stuff to my villa and assumed they looked up my room number to make sure my name was associated with it, and that it was marked somehow as "owner".

(Owner card?? I don't have one of those. When/where did you get one?)
 
This was attached to my MGV vacation preferences request. It shows the Children's Miracle Network bracelets which apparently are available for purchase and can be used to lock/unlock your room instead of a key. Proceeds go to CMNH.

However, tt sounds like there is a second wristband which is free and provided to MGV owners for discounts on food, golf, etc?



On-Site Promotion

PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE THE MIRACLES ARE
CMN Miracle Band Key
Purchase a wristband key and help us make miracles happen for sick and injured children. Wristband keys are a convenient way to unlock your villa during your vacation, plus they can be reprogrammed for use at over 30 Marriott Vacation Club® resorts.

Wristband keys are available for purchase at the Front Desk for $10 each or $15 for two. All proceeds go to Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.

To learn more, view this video. https://vimeo.com/123104256
 
hangloose said:
This was attached to my MGV vacation preferences request. It shows the Children's Miracle Network bracelets which apparently are available for purchase and can be used to lock/unlock your room instead of a key. Proceeds go to CMNH.

However, tt sounds like there is a second wristband which is free and provided to MGV owners for discounts on food, golf, etc?



On-Site Promotion

PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE THE MIRACLES ARE
CMN Miracle Band Key
Purchase a wristband key and help us make miracles happen for sick and injured children. Wristband keys are a convenient way to unlock your villa during your vacation, plus they can be reprogrammed for use at over 30 Marriott Vacation Club® resorts.

Wristband keys are available for purchase at the Front Desk for $10 each or $15 for two. All proceeds go to Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.

To learn more, view this video.
Click to expand...

I think I saw them while we were there, but no one asked if we wanted one. (Not surprising, since we didn't even get one of the 'regular' ones.)
 
Wristbands are discriminatory and dehumanizing. They allow some guests to be given perks and or discounts to some, and not to others staying at the same resort.

I HATE WRISTBANDS!

Jim
 
NboroGirl said:
At Grande Vista, I always just said "I get the owner's discount" and no one ever questioned me. I usually charged stuff to my villa and assumed they looked up my room number to make sure my name was associated with it, and that it was marked somehow as "owner".

(Owner card?? I don't have one of those. When/where did you get one?)
Click to expand...

We got an owner card when we bought our first week in 2007.
 
dioxide45 said:
We got an owner card when we bought our first week in 2007.
Click to expand...
Yes, we too received a card way back when we first bought.
Describing it as a card is very generous though.
As I recall, it was a fairly flimsy 'press out' from a sheet of paper.
I am sure I still have it somewhere, but I have never taken it on any of my stays.
 
bazzap said:
Yes, we too received a card way back when we first bought.
Describing it as a card is very generous though.
As I recall, it was a fairly flimsy 'press out' from a sheet of paper.
I am sure I still have it somewhere, but I have never taken it on any of my stays.
Click to expand...

I would agree, certainly a far cry from a card. It is the shape of a card, but not a hard plastic one. As you say, pressed out from paper, though it is somewhat heavy card stock.
 
dioxide45 said:
I would agree, certainly a far cry from a card. It is the shape of a card, but not a hard plastic one. As you say, pressed out from paper, though it is somewhat heavy card stock.
Click to expand...

I'll have to look to see if I got one. We bought our first week in 2003 (EOY), then completed the other EOY 12 mos. later. I think we bought our 3BR a couple of years after that. I'm sure if I do have one, I've never brought it with me when we stayed at our resort.
 
My cousins are there now and say it's as bad as Westgate and needs paint all exterior surfaces and in villa furnishings are old and unattractive. I'll ask if they have to wear those ugly wristbands.
 
We were there over Thanksgiving and it was beautiful! Both inside and outside! Can't wait to go back!
 
Carol C said:
My cousins are there now and say it's as bad as Westgate and needs paint all exterior surfaces and in villa furnishings are old and unattractive. I'll ask if they have to wear those ugly wristbands.
Click to expand...

I think a lot depends on where the building is in the refurbishment cycle. If it is coming due for a refurb, it may look tired and worn. The units at Grande Vista take a lot of abuse. They usually have fairly high in unit occupancy with families and such. We stayed in a newly refurbed building last April and it look fantastic inside and out. Even a fresh coat of paint on the outside.
 
We were there in late February and it was very nice, both inside and out.
 
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