Wyndham VIP Members - Why do you do it?

[Cain_Dogg]

So I understand that VIP status at any level is not available when you buy resale. And most posters here at TUG seem to think VIP is not worth the price you have to pay at retail when resale is 1/10 the cost. So why do I see some users with VIP Platinum status? What added benefits do you get with VIP status at any level (Please don't mention reward points which are definately not worth the inflated cost of retail)?

I am on day 3 of a first purchase from developer and finding out alot. I am seriously considering recission based on everything I have learned in the last 2, to be followed up by purchasing resale! Can ANYONE suggest ANY reasons to NOT recind? Will this choice affect credit ratings?

 

[DeniseM]

Can ANYONE suggest ANY reasons to NOT recind? Will this choice affect credit ratings?

No and No!



Rescind!

This rescinding FAQ was written for a different TS company, but besides that everything applies to your situation.

 

[Jya-Ning]

If all you afraid is the lossing of VIP, you miss a big picture. That is, you may not like Wyndham product at all.

If after you read it, and decide you do want VIP, you can alway go back and buy all the points that good for you to reach the VIP point level you want.

VIP has its advantage. It definite not worth to pay all the retail money just for that. It defenite not worth to pay all the retail money just to own points that not enough to VIP level and just be owner for a long long time with no money to help you reach higher level.

Jya-Ning

 

[bnoble]

Some people obtained VIP under obsolute rules, when it was less expensive to do so. Others purchase from the developer, and did not find out about the resale market until it was too late.

Most VIP members enjoy their benefits, and make good use of them.

On the other hand, most VIP members will tell you that, if faced with a purchase decision today, they would probably go the resale route.

Only you can decide what's best for you---but, don't make that decision under time pressure. Rescind, and research at your leisure. Then, make an informed decision you can feel good about.

 

[NJCOBRA10tha]

Well said. Coming from a VIP owner - VIP is not worth the difference between retail and resale because the only differences are discounts on points, free upgrades, free guest confirmations, and ability to choose specific unit. All but the last one are moot points because buying resale you can buy so many more points that it doesn't matter if you could have gotten 50% the required points for a reservation with VIP Gold.

However if you have already purchased retail and are at a point where adding some more retail points would get you to VIP or VIP Gold it may be worth buying those others retail. Others will disagree vehemently.

My last purchase was a tier 2 Wyndham corporate resale that was a lot cheaper than regular retail but still a lot more than resale. If you are going to buy from Wyndham ask about Tier 2 Wyndham resales and if those count towards VIP as it could save you $$$.

-DAn

 

[Cain_Dogg]

Thanks for your replies. I am becoming much more informed after reviewing forums and reading through about half of the immense amount of paperwork given at the point of sale (the other half tonight - BTW, Is there any key information to find in the very thick public offering statement?).

Sorry for so many questions in one post - So here's a few more, which I think I already know the answers to:

1. If I buy 154,000 points from developer and 154,000 resale, may I achieve VIP status?

2. If I recind and rebuy resale, where can I get the vacation planners books which they give you at retail?

3. The retail we got is partnered with RCI. Can I get RCI partnership, II partnership, or anything else similar when buying resale?

4. How does VIP affect ARP? Someone mentioned having an ARP point for VIP status gives 1 month ARP. Is that at any resort, or just home base? Is there a maximum ARP attainable through different tiers of VIP?

5. When at the meetings, salespersons will offer the world. If I really want the overvalued benefits of buying retail, do you think the salesperson would ever double points purchases (in order to make VIP status), at no additional cost, upon threats of recission?

6. What is Tier 2 developer resale?

Please don't read into this that I find VIP to be THE reason to stick with retail. And what from what I have learned and our personal circumstances, I really like what Wyndham has to offer. I know about and am prepared for recission (I have 10 calendar days to post-mark all paper work). While I am learning alot, I still realize that there is alot to learn, which is why I am here.

 

[lprstn]

If you want VIP the cheapest way to do it is...

Buy resale UDI (FSP) resorts only not a converted week. Then have them roll all of your deeds into the new one and you only have to purchase 105K points to do this.

Why did I do it...

- Roll all deeds into 1 (I purchased 205,000pts resale) and upgraded with 105K pts to Bonnet Creek.
- It lowered my MFs
- I use the VIP Benefits so it works well for me
- It took my properties and gave me enough points at the 1 resort I wanted ARP
- I use the discounted points and free upgrades (I do this 4 to 6 times a year)
- I didn't find TUG first....and even though I did, I still think I would have done it
- Unlimited Guest Certs
- reciprocal 13 month reservations on 2 resorts
- I was able to PIC in my Sheraton Vistana for even more points

- Also, I did purchase 2 resale points resorts with UDI FSP and they rolled all of them up and gave me VIP and with my PIC that gave me VIP gold and I love the benefits of that program

Would I do it again...maybe

Do I love it now...definitely (but I am paying for it...)

Would I advise someone to pay full price for it...NO WAY purchase your resale points first them upgrade IF you want VIP Gold...don't settle for just VIP if you go that way get the GOLD.

Would I advise a friend to do it at full price...NO WAY

** If I had it to do over again...I would have had purchased my 105K at one of the Hawaii resorts and had all my deeds rolled up there so I would have had the benefits of the Outrigger club also...but we live and learn.

 

[photosmike]

Thanks for your replies. I am becoming much more informed after reviewing forums and reading through about half of the immense amount of paperwork given at the point of sale (the other half tonight - BTW, Is there any key information to find in the very thick public offering statement?).

Sorry for so many questions in one post - So here's a few more, which I think I already know the answers to:

1. If I buy 154,000 points from developer and 154,000 resale, may I achieve VIP status?

2. If I recind and rebuy resale, where can I get the vacation planners books which they give you at retail?

3. The retail we got is partnered with RCI. Can I get RCI partnership, II partnership, or anything else similar when buying resale?

4. How does VIP affect ARP? Someone mentioned having an ARP point for VIP status gives 1 month ARP. Is that at any resort, or just home base? Is there a maximum ARP attainable through different tiers of VIP?

5. When at the meetings, salespersons will offer the world. If I really want the overvalued benefits of buying retail, do you think the salesperson would ever double points purchases (in order to make VIP status), at no additional cost, upon threats of recission?

6. What is Tier 2 developer resale?

Please don't read into this that I find VIP to be THE reason to stick with retail. And what from what I have learned and our personal circumstances, I really like what Wyndham has to offer. I know about and am prepared for recission (I have 10 calendar days to post-mark all paper work). While I am learning alot, I still realize that there is alot to learn, which is why I am here.

1. The short answer is no.

2. The seller should provide the guide. If not, it is available on-line at the Wyndham web site.

3. RCI membership will come with resale. This is part of the FSP fee.

4. VIP is unrelated to ARP at 13 months. I believe Gold (1) and Platinum (2) get Reciprocal Advance Reservation Priority. Also, there is Advance Reservation Priority for Associate Locations, 2 for VIP, 4 for Gold and Platinum unlimited.

5. No. Have you considered PIC.

6.Don't know.

Mike

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Should you decide to buy points from Wyndham (or not rescind your current purchase) to attain VIP status despite the contrary recommendations here, you should get written assurances of the benefits provided to VIP owners and that those benefits cannot be changed without your consent.

Otherwise you are subject to the whims of Wyndham, and at Wyndham's whim those winsome perks would be withdrawn willy-nilly, whilst one whistles in the wind.

Get it in writing if it's important to you. Even if you decide not to rescind, threaten to rescind if they won't guarantee that the program will continue as described. Tell them that if the program is that valuable to justify buying retail instead of resale, then it's critical to you that you be able to rely on their representations. That's a good place to remind them that they gave you paperwork, which you signed, attesting that any oral representations made during the presentation are not binding - the only thing that counts is what is in writing. So if they want you to base your decision on the benefits of VIP, then those VIP benefits need to be guaranteed in writing.

BTW - "in writing" doesn't mean a written description of the VIP program. It means a written guarantee that those benefits cannot be changed without your approval. And that's a guarantee that I doubt you will ever get.

 

[acesneights]

Thanks for your replies. I am becoming much more informed after reviewing forums and reading through about half of the immense amount of paperwork given at the point of sale (the other half tonight - BTW, Is there any key information to find in the very thick public offering statement?).

Sorry for so many questions in one post - So here's a few more, which I think I already know the answers to:

1. If I buy 154,000 points from developer and 154,000 resale, may I achieve VIP status?

Maybe, but for $35,000 at least buy 850,000 resale and try for Platinum.
But remember, VIP is subject to CHANGE AT ANY TIME. Wyndham does not honor contracts. What can you do, sue them?

2. If I recind and rebuy resale, where can I get the vacation planners books which they give you at retail?

When you buy resale you get them when they process your new ownership.

3. The retail we got is partnered with RCI. Can I get RCI partnership, II partnership, or anything else similar when buying resale?

Yes, you always get ONE of RCI and II. Depends on first purchase location. Almost always RCI but you can get II at GG and a few others.

4. How does VIP affect ARP? Someone mentioned having an ARP point for VIP status gives 1 month ARP. Is that at any resort, or just home base? Is there a maximum ARP attainable through different tiers of VIP?

Gold gets one RARP good at 11 months, Platinum gets 2. Limited use considering the price you pay. The owner's ARP gets priority at 13 months, 11 months is useful only to avoid the 8am stampede at 10 months in a few locations. Most of what you'd want goes at 13 months.

5. When at the meetings, salespersons will offer the world. If I really want the overvalued benefits of buying retail, do you think the salesperson would ever double points purchases (in order to make VIP status), at no additional cost, upon threats of recission?

Almost certainly NOT. Maybe if you paid $200/K they might double, because 100K is still a good deal for the salesperson. What's the point? Buy resale first and try to get VIP.

6. What is Tier 2 developer resale?

What they offer if you don't bite at $200/K

Please don't read into this that I find VIP to be THE reason to stick with retail. And what from what I have learned and our personal circumstances, I really like what Wyndham has to offer. I know about and am prepared for recission (I have 10 calendar days to post-mark all paper work). While I am learning alot, I still realize that there is alot to learn, which is why I am here.

RESCIND, RESCIND, RESCIND. You can save 95% at resale.

Stan

 

[Kozman]

The real rub of buying retail to get the VIP status is that the points will be worth ebay prices when you go to sell the points package since the VIP does not transfer via resale. Passing the contract on to your family might be an exception.

 

[Jya-Ning]

6. What is Tier 2 developer resale?

I thought it is called tier 3, when does it get upgrade? It means all the contracts they get from the equity transfer which belongs to older resorts that they don't have any aggresive sale dept there.

On the other hand, I am pretty sure for the saleman, if your points is not deed on the resort he/she is selling, it is all tier x resorts.

Jya-Ning

 

[vacationhopeful]

As OP stated in another thread, he has two other Wyndham points contracts that have been "tagged" on the Wyndham database as "Resale Contracts". I believe this is happening almost all the time now when a contract is changing ownership/title. Wyndham has an actual field on the first page of each contract and its history (prior owners, etc). Wyndham has invested A LOT of $$$$ in these data bases; once flagged, it will not go thru as a trade in, no matter how devious a resort's sales staff is, said it is, or how many it seems to have gone thru ... that is why a company has auditors and new procedures.

So, what rolled 4 years ago won't today; Wyndham is not stupid. Let's get a poster who has brought resale in the past year and has trade in that deed for VIP in the past 4 months - and I hope that TUGGER posts under a totally NEW and nontracable ID, for Wyndham might strip them of VIP (leaving them with a big debt due to their recent points purchase).

Look how much OP "wants" VIP; let Cain_Dogg say that, after his bonus points expired, the sales staff didn't have him hooked as a "VIP Junkie" (to the ego trip of being a VIP Owner including early checkin, special checkin line, newspaper at door, possible unit upgrade, discounted vacations).

Why does he think the sales division created "Bonus Points" and temporary VIPs? That they were giving away a bonus because "it was your day"? NO - it was a hook just like those "Free Dinners", "Free T/S Vacations", or my favorite, "Free Breakfast". A more elaborate and addicting hook and maybe one of the most successful (I really should not discount its cousin, the Discovery Program Pkg - that may truly be the all time winner for Wyndham).

So, Cain_Dogg, do you have enough TOTAL points with or w/o this developer purchase to get in the vacations you want? IMHO, you should rescind, READ more, Learn much more, go and use your resale points that you already own, and find out if you really NEED (not want) more points (and the associated maintenance fees, special assessments, travel costs). You haven't even started to look vacations thru exchanging which can cost ONLY 28,000 Wyndham points and a low $164 exchange fee (about $300 total cost per week).

So much more to learn in how to work the system fully,

 

[Charlie D.]

Linda,

Well said!!

Charlie D.