Original Message:
We're considering adding Marriott Vacation Club points membership. Pros and cons? (by Sandy M.):
We are also owners of both DVC and Marriott. We love them both for different reasons but there are some things you should know. With DVC you have a home resort priority (11 month booking window). With MVC points, you don't have a home resort. Booking windows are determined by your level of ownership. Low level point owners book 12 months in advance and higher level owners (6,000 +) get 13 months. Higher level point owners also have additional options not available to lower level owners. With DVC if you want to stay at BC during wine festival, you need to own there. With MVC if you want to go to the Caribbean in the winter, you need to own more than 6,000 points. MVC has far more options than DVC, so you'll never get completely shut out but know that there will be limitations if you only get 2,000 points.
MVC maintenance fees are high (+/- $1,600 per week owned annually). DVC isn't cheap either. With DVC you have more room size options because all resorts offer studio, 1 bdrm, 2 bdrm and 3 bdrm. Some MVC resorts only offer 2 -3 bedroom units (Hilton Head and Orlando plus others), so you need more points to book them. MVC realizes they messed up on this and are now adding studio and 1 bdrm units to existing properties. Both require more points for Fri/Sat nights.
One big plus is that if you can convert your points or weeks to Marriott Rewards points, which never expire.
Like DVC did recently, MVC now limits access if you buy weeks through the secondary market. You are limited to the week you buy but can still exchange through Interval International. DVC goes through RCI. We don't ever do either because there is enough offered within each program to give you plenty of options. MVC has far more options though than DVC.
Hope this helps. Any more questions - let me know
We love both programs and have been in them since the mid 90's.