The answer depends on what you’re looking for. Fixed-week timeshares (or their slightly younger sibling, floating-week timeshares) offer a more solid property interest, whereas vacation clubs offer more ephemeral “vacation experiences” that can change every year. Of course, the vacation clubs also come with their own frustrations and costs.
This article will take a look at timeshare points vs. weeks and whether either is a wise way to spend your vacation money. Regardless of the type of timeshare you might have, if you need to get out, Centerstone Group is the top timeshare exit company in the world and can help you find a legal, ethical, and final exit to your timeshare, whatever form it might take.
What Are the Differences Between Timeshare Points and Weeks?
It seems that most modern timeshares are sold as memberships to vacation clubs, where you purchase “points” rather than a specific week at a timeshare resort. Below are brief summaries of these two types of timeshare purchases to better understand their differences.
1. Points/Vacation Clubs
Think of a timeshare points system as a kind of currency. When you sign a contract with a vacation club, you buy a number of points representing a certain amount of “purchasing power,” letting you vacation within their network of resorts and approved vendors.
For example, if you purchase 25,000 points, you could use 15,000 points for a week at a condo in Branson, Missouri, or all 25,000 for a four-night stay in Hawaii. You could even use your points for a tour through the French countryside — though it might cost more.
While these programs seem flexible, you’re essentially buying a limited vacation reservation system. Instead of paying a hotel or tour operator directly, you purchase currency from the vacation club for reservations within a limited inventory.
Even big brands, like Disney Vacation Club, have limited inventory. Owners compete for the best units and vacation experiences, and you may not get your first choice. Additionally, annual maintenance fees and other costs still apply.
2. Fixed-Week Timeshares
Week-based timeshares offer stability and predictability. With a fixed-week timeshare, you know exactly what you will get: a one-week vacation in your home resort at the same time each year. This is ideal if you enjoy a specific location, like Florida, Hawaii, or Las Vegas.
Another slight advantage is the potential for a timeshare resale. While selling a timeshare is generally difficult and not a sound investment (don’t expect profits), a set week tied to physical real estate is usually easier to sell than points.
However, timeshares tied to specific properties can generate additional bills for special assessments to repair and upgrade the property, on top of the annual maintenance fees.
If you want to vacation elsewhere, you’ll need to pay extra for timeshare exchange networks like RCI or Interval International, which operate their own points programs.
Are Points-Based Timeshares More Flexible?
In theory, timeshare points are more flexible. In reality, not so much.
The idea is that you’re supposed to have access to a network of vacation properties throughout the year, rather than a single week every year at the same property.
However, points-based vacation clubs often resemble a pricier version of hotel reservations. You must use the vacation club’s system or website to make bookings, competing with other “owners” for the best units at the most desirable times.
The internet is filled with examples of people who could not make reservations in points-based vacation clubs. For instance, one Hilton Grand Vacations member states that he has had “[a]bsolutely no chance to book a vacation anywhere we actually wanted to go. Horrible website, horrible customer service, I rue the day I sat and signed on the dotted line.”
Similarly, a Marriott Vacation Club member mentions that despite high maintenance fees, he couldn’t secure a reservation. He says there was simply “no availability” where he needed it, “and they attempted to relocate us to an entirely different state!”
These stories reinforce that points-based vacation ownership often feels far less flexible than advertised. It also doesn’t provide true ownership since you aren’t guaranteed the ability to use your points when or where you wish.
Timeshare Points vs. Weeks: Which Option Is Better for Long-Term Savings?
If you want to save money, asking about the merits of timeshare points vs. weeks is the wrong question. Neither of these options will save you a ton of money in the long run because they’re both subject to outrageous costs, including ever-increasing maintenance fees, special assessments, exchange club fees, and other amounts.
That said, from the perspective of keeping value, ensuring consistent availability, and any hope of resale value, a deeded week timeshare for a fixed week is preferable to a points-based system or vacation club. This is because, with a fixed-week timeshare, you or a buyer on the resale market know exactly what is being sold. This is just not the case with points-based systems.
However, if your main concern is getting the most options from your timeshare, a points-based vacation club would be preferable to a fixed-week timeshare. While it would not give you as many options as you would have just making vacation plans for yourself, it doesn’t limit you to the same place or timeshare report every year.
But remember, when it comes to long-term savings, you’d be better off booking your own vacation each year. This gives you the ultimate flexibility when it comes to choosing a destination. Plus, it allows you to adjust your vacation budget to meet your current needs. With a timeshare, you’re stuck in a long-term contract that is hard to get out of, and you end up paying annual fees that can become a strain on your budget.
The Bottom Line: Neither Timeshare Points nor Weeks Are a Good Deal
The question of timeshare points vs. fixed weeks is not a helpful one because both are frustrating in their own ways — and a strain on your wallet. If you’re thinking the grass might be greener on the other side, rest assured that it is not. A better option for timeshare owners is vacation freedom through a timeshare exit with Centerstone Group.
We have solutions for getting you out of any kind of timeshare in the United States or Mexico. Whether you need a timeshare rescission, a deed-back, a transfer, or something else, we have an A+-rated team accredited by the Better Business Bureau. Our satisfied clients have also given us a 4.77-out-of-5-star rating.
If you’re one of the many timeshare owners suffering under the weight of a deeded timeshare or points-based vacation club, contact us today for a free consultation, and let us show you how we can help.
The answer depends on what you’re looking for. Fixed-week timeshares (or their slightly younger sibling, floating-week timeshares) offer a more solid property interest, whereas vacation clubs offer more ephemeral “vacation experiences” that can change every year. Of course, the vacation clubs also come with their own frustrations and costs.
This article will take a look at timeshare points vs. weeks and whether either is a wise way to spend your vacation money. Regardless of the type of timeshare you might have, if you need to get out, Centerstone Group is the top timeshare exit company in the world and can help you find a legal, ethical, and final exit to your timeshare, whatever form it might take.
What Are the Differences Between Timeshare Points and Weeks?
It seems that most modern timeshares are sold as memberships to vacation clubs, where you purchase “points” rather than a specific week at a timeshare resort. Below are brief summaries of these two types of timeshare purchases to better understand their differences.
1. Points/Vacation Clubs
Think of a timeshare points system as a kind of currency. When you sign a contract with a vacation club, you buy a number of points representing a certain amount of “purchasing power,” letting you vacation within their network of resorts and approved vendors.
For example, if you purchase 25,000 points, you could use 15,000 points for a week at a condo in Branson, Missouri, or all 25,000 for a four-night stay in Hawaii. You could even use your points for a tour through the French countryside — though it might cost more.
While these programs seem flexible, you’re essentially buying a limited vacation reservation system. Instead of paying a hotel or tour operator directly, you purchase currency from the vacation club for reservations within a limited inventory.
Even big brands, like Disney Vacation Club, have limited inventory. Owners compete for the best units and vacation experiences, and you may not get your first choice. Additionally, annual maintenance fees and other costs still apply.
2. Fixed-Week Timeshares
Week-based timeshares offer stability and predictability. With a fixed-week timeshare, you know exactly what you will get: a one-week vacation in your home resort at the same time each year. This is ideal if you enjoy a specific location, like Florida, Hawaii, or Las Vegas.
Another slight advantage is the potential for a timeshare resale. While selling a timeshare is generally difficult and not a sound investment (don’t expect profits), a set week tied to physical real estate is usually easier to sell than points.
However, timeshares tied to specific properties can generate additional bills for special assessments to repair and upgrade the property, on top of the annual maintenance fees.
If you want to vacation elsewhere, you’ll need to pay extra for timeshare exchange networks like RCI or Interval International, which operate their own points programs.
Are Points-Based Timeshares More Flexible?
In theory, timeshare points are more flexible. In reality, not so much.
The idea is that you’re supposed to have access to a network of vacation properties throughout the year, rather than a single week every year at the same property.
However, points-based vacation clubs often resemble a pricier version of hotel reservations. You must use the vacation club’s system or website to make bookings, competing with other “owners” for the best units at the most desirable times.
The internet is filled with examples of people who could not make reservations in points-based vacation clubs. For instance, one Hilton Grand Vacations member states that he has had “[a]bsolutely no chance to book a vacation anywhere we actually wanted to go. Horrible website, horrible customer service, I rue the day I sat and signed on the dotted line.”
Similarly, a Marriott Vacation Club member mentions that despite high maintenance fees, he couldn’t secure a reservation. He says there was simply “no availability” where he needed it, “and they attempted to relocate us to an entirely different state!”
These stories reinforce that points-based vacation ownership often feels far less flexible than advertised. It also doesn’t provide true ownership since you aren’t guaranteed the ability to use your points when or where you wish.
Timeshare Points vs. Weeks: Which Option Is Better for Long-Term Savings?
If you want to save money, asking about the merits of timeshare points vs. weeks is the wrong question. Neither of these options will save you a ton of money in the long run because they’re both subject to outrageous costs, including ever-increasing maintenance fees, special assessments, exchange club fees, and other amounts.
That said, from the perspective of keeping value, ensuring consistent availability, and any hope of resale value, a deeded week timeshare for a fixed week is preferable to a points-based system or vacation club. This is because, with a fixed-week timeshare, you or a buyer on the resale market know exactly what is being sold. This is just not the case with points-based systems.
However, if your main concern is getting the most options from your timeshare, a points-based vacation club would be preferable to a fixed-week timeshare. While it would not give you as many options as you would have just making vacation plans for yourself, it doesn’t limit you to the same place or timeshare report every year.
But remember, when it comes to long-term savings, you’d be better off booking your own vacation each year. This gives you the ultimate flexibility when it comes to choosing a destination. Plus, it allows you to adjust your vacation budget to meet your current needs. With a timeshare, you’re stuck in a long-term contract that is hard to get out of, and you end up paying annual fees that can become a strain on your budget.
The Bottom Line: Neither Timeshare Points nor Weeks Are a Good Deal
The question of timeshare points vs. fixed weeks is not a helpful one because both are frustrating in their own ways — and a strain on your wallet. If you’re thinking the grass might be greener on the other side, rest assured that it is not. A better option for timeshare owners is vacation freedom through a timeshare exit with Centerstone Group.
We have solutions for getting you out of any kind of timeshare in the United States or Mexico. Whether you need a timeshare rescission, a deed-back, a transfer, or something else, we have an A+-rated team accredited by the Better Business Bureau. Our satisfied clients have also given us a 4.77-out-of-5-star rating.
If you’re one of the many timeshare owners suffering under the weight of a deeded timeshare or points-based vacation club, contact us today for a free consultation, and let us show you how we can help.