Author: Staff Contributor

We are pleased to announce that William E. “Billy” Curran has been appointed to the Board of Directors for Sell My Timeshare NOW.

Billy Curran is the CEO of InnSeason Resorts® of West Yarmouth, Massachusetts and the founder of Curran Management Services. InnSeason Resorts®, is a regional brand of vacation resorts that combines the brand expertise of Curran Management Services and its founder, William E. “Billy” Curran, CEO, and the development and operations expertise of Dennis M. Ducharme, RRP, President.

Sell My Timeshare NOW and a Vision for the Future

As readers of The Timeshare Authority blog know, Sell My Timeshare NOW has exciting growth plans and a vision for the future of timeshare ownership, timeshare sales and rentals, and new opportunities for timeshare companies to better serve their member-owners. Billy Curran observes, “I am pleased to serve on this board because I think that in the long run this company will be instrumental in changing the landscape of the timeshare industry. Timeshare Owners are looking for change and for a secure way of reselling their product.”

This is an interesting time to be in business. But as CNN Money points out, historically, some amazing companies were founded or were in their infancy during a recessionary economy, including IBM, GE, General Motors, Proctor & Gamble, United Technologies Corp, and FedEx. Good company and great inspiration for the future!

Welcome Billy, to the Board of Directors at Sell My Timeshare NOW.

ARDA, the American Resort Development Association has announced an impressive line-up of Signature Sponsors for its 2009 American Resort Development Association (ARDA) Convention and Exposition to be held at the Orlando World Center Marriott in Orlando, Florida.

Among the 2009 ARDA Signature Sponsors are Group RCI, Holiday Inn Club Vacations, American Express, International Cruise and Excursions, Inc. (ICE), Interval International, Holiday Systems International (HSI), Textron Financial Corporation, Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., VacationGuard, Inc., and Whirlpool Corporation. The convention is scheduled for March 29 through April 2 and is the number one event held each year in which timeshare and vacation ownership companies and the industries that service them come together for education, networking, and the opportunity to learn about the most current trends in the timeshare and vacation industries.

ARDA President and CEO, Howard C. Nusbaum, says, “We are grateful for the 2009 Signature Sponsors whose support enables us to continue to bring cutting-edge programs and high-quality events.”

To learn more about this special timeshare industry event, contact Bob Craycraft at 202-371-6700, or bcraycraft(at)arda.org

Following yesterday’s news in The Timeshare Authority about reallocations of Disney timeshare points, comes this interesting news about a new Disney Vacation Club sales center.

Scheduled to open this summer, in Long Island, NY, is Disney timeshare’s new timeshare sales center, Disney’s Doorway to Dreams. The center will showcase the Disney Vacation Club resorts and feature model accommodations, discussion areas, and a supervised children’s play center; it will be located in the Roosevelt Field Mall.

Jim Lewis, president of the Disney Vacation Club says, “Our first Disney’s Doorway to Dreams location has been very popular and a great way for Chicago-area residents and visitors to learn more about the family vacation experiences available through Disney Vacation Club. We are now delighted,” he adds, “to bring Disney’s Doorway to Dreams to New York, which is one of the top markets for our rapidly growing membership base, so that more people can discover all that Disney Vacation Club has to offer.”

Good News for Timeshare Sales and Good News in the Job Market

Following weeks of The Timeshare Authority reporting on layoffs by Westgate timeshares, Marriott timeshare, Bluegreen timeshares and others, it is great to be delivering this news about a new timeshare sales center, which will no doubt mean the hiring of new timeshare sales staff. As Howard Nusbaum, CEO of the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) explains, “Disney has always been a unique and innovative leader in the timeshare industry. Now Disney’s Doorway to Dreams allows New York-area families the chance to experience how a timeshare ownership can help ensure years and years of memorable family vacations.”

And while we all know that the recession is not over yet, news like this is a very good sign for timeshare sales, the American family, and the big picture on the economy.

In the first change in timeshare points used at the Disney Vacation Club in over 18 years, the Disney Company is redistributing the number of timeshare points needed for lodging at its resorts. Points represent the timeshare owner’s percentage of ownership in the Disney Vacation Club properties.

Up until now, Disney timeshare required more points – almost twice as many – for weekend accommodations as for weeknight stays. The fact that weekday/weeknight timeshare stays required so many fewer timeshare points created greater demand for vacations Monday through Thursday than for accommodations on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights.

Now, Disney Vacation Club is redistributing (reallocating) throughout the week the number of timeshare points required to stay in their properties. Their objective is to more evenly distribute the occupancy levels for weekdays vs. weekends. In so doing, they are also taking away much of the consumer saving gained by avoiding weekend stays.

With the changes, weekday stays will still require fewer timeshare points, but will now be much closer in points required to weekends than in the past. Florida State law permits a timeshare company to make this type of reallocation to their points values during the year as long as the total number of timeshare points required for a timeshare week at a Disney Vacation Club or Disney resort property remains the same.

Interesting Info about Timeshare Points at Disney Vacation Club

Unlike many other types of timeshare, Disney Vacation Club membership is not held in perpetuity. Instead, Disney Vacation Club membership expires on January 31, 2042; timeshare membership at Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa expires on January 31, 2054; while timeshare membership at the Animal Kingdom Villas ends on January 31, 2057.

Disney Vacation Club timeshares is defined as a real estate interest and does carry a deed, deeded ownership at a Disney timeshare resort simply expires on the predetermined date.

Although you are buying a “real-estate interest” and your purchase is actually deeded, your ownership ceases to exist after these dates.

For many families, this time structure is ideal as it means that at a predetermined point in the future, they will be free from the commitment to their timeshare, after having had the benefit of enjoying it for many years.

Source: The Orlando Sentinel and others.