The we loooooove Club Wyndham Bonnet Creek Part 4

[TJsMomSarahJane]

Hi all, we're looking at 2 weeks in early December. Has anyone done that and were you on a single reservation?

Thanks,

We've got 14 nights booked starting November 30th. We booked through Koala.

 

[OSUZorba]

Check-in will only take a couple of minutes so long as there isn't a line of people.

LOL, that is a good one.

 

[OSUZorba]

Looks like the anti-guest policies have been extended through 2023: https://clubwyndham.wyndhamdestinat...rces/reservations/owner-priority-reservations

Starting to think this isn't going to be "temporary." Good reason to never buy your own points, when the management companies can change policies on a whim that devalue your points.

 

[Lisa P.]

Some owners (like us) see the limitations on prime-time guest certificates (and rental restrictions) as a positive. It increases availability of prime-time inventory for owners to reserve for themselves and their families. We bought our points to use and only rent out very rarely. So we don't see this policy as devaluing our points at all, nor a reason to avoid owning (resale, of course). Renting/gifting with a guest cert is still allowed a couple times per year during prime-time and unlimited the rest of the year. Timeshare ownership has plenty of other negatives but I don't believe this is one, at least for us. YMMV.

 

[Brian Noble]

Starting to think this isn't going to be "temporary."

Current management has made it very clear that they intend to make life difficult for those who make a business out of renting. This is part of that, but it's not the only part. For example, they've also been sending certified cease-and-desist letters to some owners that they believe are renting "commercially."

So I would expect these rental restrictions to continue for the foreseeable future.

Good reason to never buy your own points, when the management companies can change policies on a whim that devalue your points.

That depends on why you own.

As Lisa P. says above, many of us see these as at least neutral if not positive. As an owner who doesn't do a lot of rental business, they are a positive for me. I bought points to take vacations with family and friends, and this policy doesn't negatively impact my ability to do that at all. As long as I'm traveling with my guests, I can book as many units for guests as I want*. If I want to send someone on vacation without me, I can do that twice per year with no restrictions. In the 15 years I've owned Wyndham, I've never sent a guest to a resort on their own more than two or three times total, and never twice in the same year let alone three times.

I know that Wyndham's motivations aren't entirely pure here. But, I am not upset that the policy is designed to favor owners (like me) who personally use their owned time with friends and family. I suspect the majority of owners feel the same way.

As an aside, they've been doing the same thing with exchange company deposits. They have not deposited any Bonnet Creek units with check-ins after February '22 to RCI; I check regularly. As an owner, that's great news. As an exchanger, it's less great.

For someone who wants to visit Bonnet Creek (or another restricted resort) regularly, it could be a good reason to buy some (resale!) points, because it has become more difficult to get a bargain on a Bonnet rental. I built a portfolio with a negative acquisition cost and an exceptionally low fee ratio. Some of this was dumb luck that I couldn't replicate if I tried, so the details aren't particularly important. But, I can book units in advance and know I have the vacation I want at a price less than pretty much any rental.

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*: There are some limits on how many units you can book at a time in the same resort, but they are generous. I don't recall what they are off the top of my head, but when they came out I remember thinking I'd never even come close to them.

 

[EllenMurphy]

Ken Price emailed me and I am now able to get a two bedroom for my entire stay. I had posted above that I was limited to a one bedroom presidential for two days.

So, I will have a two bedroom for my family and my parents will have a one bedroom for themselves. Are we able to request that both units are as close as possible together? We will be checking in at the same time

 

[Brian Noble]

See what they can do when you check in. There are a *lot* of 2BR units, so chances are you will be at least in the same building if not the same floor.

 

[KristinU]

Current management has made it very clear that they intend to make life difficult for those who make a business out of renting. This is part of that, but it's not the only part. For example, they've also been sending certified cease-and-desist letters to some owners that they believe are renting "commercially."

So I would expect these rental restrictions to continue for the foreseeable future.


That depends on why you own.

As Lisa P. says above, many of us see these as at least neutral if not positive. As an owner who doesn't do a lot of rental business, they are a positive for me. I bought points to take vacations with family and friends, and this policy doesn't negatively impact my ability to do that at all. As long as I'm traveling with my guests, I can book as many units for guests as I want*. If I want to send someone on vacation without me, I can do that twice per year with no restrictions. In the 15 years I've owned Wyndham, I've never sent a guest to a resort on their own more than two or three times total, and never twice in the same year let alone three times.

I know that Wyndham's motivations aren't entirely pure here. But, I am not upset that the policy is designed to favor owners (like me) who personally use their owned time with friends and family. I suspect the majority of owners feel the same way.

As an aside, they've been doing the same thing with exchange company deposits. They have not deposited any Bonnet Creek units with check-ins after February '22 to RCI; I check regularly. As an owner, that's great news. As an exchanger, it's less great.

For someone who wants to visit Bonnet Creek (or another restricted resort) regularly, it could be a good reason to buy some (resale!) points, because it has become more difficult to get a bargain on a Bonnet rental. I built a portfolio with a negative acquisition cost and an exceptionally low fee ratio. Some of this was dumb luck that I couldn't replicate if I tried, so the details aren't particularly important. But, I can book units in advance and know I have the vacation I want at a price less than pretty much any rental.

-------------------
*: There are some limits on how many units you can book at a time in the same resort, but they are generous. I don't recall what they are off the top of my head, but when they came out I remember thinking I'd never even come close to them.

100% agree. I do appreciate the ability to rent, as that's how we were introduced to Bonnet Creek and Wyndham in general. We obtained our own resale points several years back because we like to control our own reservations and knew that we liked the Wyndham product after having rented a few times. I've rented out a couple of times since we've owned (mostly extra covid-era points when we couldn't travel), but that's not at all why we got into it. It has been a great move for us, and we've been a lot more places with our points than only WBC...which has been a pleasant broadening of our travel horizons. We still do looooooove Bonnet Creek!

 

[LaurEm378]

Sooo excited for my first stay at WBC in October! I booked through Ken and Denise at Vacation Upgrades and I can’t wait to experience this resort. I’m wondering if housekeeping is available upon request, even if for a fee?

 

[lscrivan18]

Why does the room size vary so much on the Club Wyndham site? I see this for every room type with the Deluxe's having the biggest range.

 

[Upatnoon]

Why does the room size vary so much on the Club Wyndham site? I see this for every room type with the Deluxe's having the biggest range.

There are 1, 2 and 3 and 4 bedroom units at Bonnet Creek.

The towers at Bonnet Creek were built over several years and there are some minor design differences between them.

All the 2 bedroom units seem about the same in size to me and I have stayed in all the towers. I have not stayed in the main check-in building, so can't comment on that.

All these units have been renovated a few times as well, so that may have created some minor differences. Also, over time it wouldn't surprise me if some differences have appeared just from typos of people entering the square footage, etc. and passing it down from document to document.

 

[Brian Noble]

I'm fairly sure some of the numbers on the Club Wyndham web site are incorrect. I don't think there are any 2BR DLX units that are only 760ish sq. ft.

 

[lscrivan18]

I'm fairly sure some of the numbers on the Club Wyndham web site are incorrect. I don't think there are any 2BR DLX units that are only 760ish sq. ft.

We're in a 1 bedroom and the site states the room size is anywhere from 753 - 1482. I assume it's closer to the 753 sq ft?

 

[Upatnoon]

I think the 1BRs are about 900 square feet.

The 2BRs 1,200, the 3 bedrooms 1,500 and the four bedrooms 2,000.

These are ballpark figures. The units are not small, hotel-size rooms.

 

[Biggen]

We have been staying at WBC for about 8 years now and we are not owners. We generally go once a year and even twice occasionally. I have thought about purchasing on the resale market since we go so often. But even with the price increases for non-owners renting, it's so much easier to simply not own. We use to go in October but moved that to November since October is reserved for owners now. We actually found we liked November even more since it's a bit cooler and we get to see the setup for Christmas.

I still think renting is the way to go if you are somewhat flexible in your dates vs owning outright. Either way, it's still orders of magnitude cheaper to stay in a WBC 3-bedroom unit for 5 days than it is to stay in three 1-bedroom units for 5 days at any Disney hotel property.

 

[wdw&sonny]

Did the second bedroom in a 2br pres have two double beds in the past? This one only has one queen. Fine for us for this trip since our DS (18) didn't bring a friend along, but it would have been less than ideal if he had a bud with him... maybe that's why they now have a pullout in the living room??? I'm not a fan of using the living room for sleeping if we can avoid it.

I will say, I'm sitting on the couch right now and it is comfortable to me. DH also looks pretty comfortable...and he just confirmed, lol.

Is there a "standard" bed configuration in the 2BR Deluxe? I have four adults. I just assumed 2 beds in the 2nd BR. Is that correct? Or do I have to request that at check in?

Also, what's all this about "owners only"? I rented a 2BR Deluxe in Sep through Vacation Strategy as I have done in the past, and had no issues.

 

[Brian Noble]

Is there a "standard" bed configuration in the 2BR Deluxe?

2BR DLX units sleep 8, so that pretty much guarantees that the 2nd bedroom has at least two double beds. A single bed in the 2nd BR would only sleep six (as would two twins).

Also, what's all this about "owners only"? I rented a 2BR Deluxe in Sep through Vacation Strategy as I have done in the past, and had no issues.

There are certain resorts and times of year within the Wyndham system when we owners have some restrictions on our ability to send guests without traveling with them. At Bonnet Creek, most of September is not one of those times of year. The exception is Labor Day Weekend.

 

[chris1212]

It’s been a few years since we have visited, thanks Covid! We are not owners and would just like to book a 2 bedroom, is this still possible with all the restrictions I am reading about? Where is the safest place to book through? Thanks! Excited to think about travelling again!!

 

[Bre23]

I’ll be traveling down there in august we are staying for a week and we’ll be relying on Ubers and Lyfts to get around. Our flight gets in pretty early in the day and check in isn’t til 4 is there a place at the resort I can leave my luggage until check in since we won’t have a car?

 

[Upatnoon]

I’ll be traveling down there in august we are staying for a week and we’ll be relying on Ubers and Lyfts to get around. Our flight gets in pretty early in the day and check in isn’t til 4 is there a place at the resort I can leave my luggage until check in since we won’t have a car?

Yes, the resort has luggage storage. When you arrive at the lobby, go to the front desk and check-in. They will likely do it but your room will likely not be ready until the afternoon. They will hold your baggage in storage while you go to the parks or use the pool and other resort facilities.