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Re: Global Access thru Orange Lake Resorts (by Gary B.):
reneew13 wrote:rodneym42 wrote:Feb 2007reneew13 wrote:ley2 wrote:**approx $1700.....that is what I didI'd like to share my experience also about the Global Access.I have been an owner as Orange Lake Florida since 2000. I own a 1 bedroom in splash lagoon village. (Forgot it its west or north village.)
Anyhow I had not visited in 4 years. I'm actually here as I type. Basically at checkin I was identified as an owner. They offered me $50 gift certificates for use in OL and amusement park tickets at wholesale to listen to a 1 hour presentation. I agreed.
At the presentation they told me the story about OL not joining the points system when RCI had offered it to them years ago. OL was waiting to see how the points system would turn out. And now they are going to create their own OL points system to link into RCI instead. Hence the Global blahblahblah. Then they said 65% of the resorts in RCI are in points already and my week at OL would have limited trade in value because of this.
In the end you would only have to speak to an OL representative and they would handle all the exchange details whether within an OL affiliated resort or with RCI.
Then they took me on a tour of the new built buildings. Near River Island. (The 7+ story buildings.)
THEN they told me that my one bedroom had only ~77,000 points and they recommended that I should use the equity I had in my current 1 bedroom and purchase a 2 bedroom instead to get more points to use for the system. I think they quoted me about $16,000 or so for the upgrade which included the use of the equity of my 1 bedroom.
Basically sounds like OL is trying to make money off existing weeks owners by scaring them into thinking that they have to convert to points and that whatever unit they have they must upgrade to a larger unit. Funny thing is I never got the chance to ask them how much it would cost just to join the Global without upgrading my unit. Basically after I said no to the $16,000 upgrade, the OL rep said thank you and walked away and sent another guy in to give me the gift information.
How long ago was it that you got into global for $1700?
A few thoughts for your consideration before you make a decision…
Ask them to see the RCI directory of resorts that lists both POINTS and WEEKS. You’ll be surprised to see just how many ‘require’ points and the number of points required. I was surprised….MY GUESS IS LESS THEN 10% OF THE RCI RESORTS "REQUIRE" POINTS…and 77,000 RCI points is not a lot of points…(other places sometimes require a lot more for a week) and if you do find a week for less then 77,000 points, what will you do with the rest as they will expire. Weekends take a lot of points…mid week not as many…but you have to be able go in the middle of the week. Remember week owners can always trade for a week through RCI…even if it would require more points under the points system.
I have both weeks and points available…not through Orange Lake. My research shows me that Global Access is good for OL…they smile all the way to the bank. Owners with points MAY be able to trade for a week through RCI…or may not depending on where/when they want to go.
I agree with you…I believe OL is trying to ‘scare’ it’s owners into joining…they tried to scare me too when I went for an owner’s update. (Yes, I own a week at OL…and love it there…but don’t like what they doing to owners with the GA presentations as they don’t present the whole picture. I also own at another resort which allows me to transfer my week to RCI points should I need to...and it doesn’t cost me $1700, $5000, or $xxxx to join the point's system)