OWNERSHIP & TRAVEL Page 27 Jul / Aug, 2026 | TimeSharing Today
resort every year. Later came floating weeks, which provided more flexibility. Eventually, points systems transformed the industry by allowing owners to customize vacations more freely.
“ At first I didn’ t understand points at all,” Gayle admitted.“ But eventually I realized points gave us flexibility instead of locking us into the same weeks every year.”
One of the family’ s major purchases came after visiting Marriott’ s Summit Watch in Park City, Utah. The location and quality impressed them enough to purchase two weeks immediately. Those weeks later became especially valuable because Marriott-to-Marriott exchanges allowed Gayle to stay in Palm Springs for the annual California State Math Conferences at little additional cost.
Eventually, Gayle converted much of her ownership strategy toward points systems. Today, she holds approximately 2 million Hyatt Vacation Club points, in addition to Marriott-, WorldMark-, and Wyndham-related ownerships.
Family Experiences That Defined the Value
For Gayle, the real value of timeshare ownership cannot be measured solely through resale values or maintenance fees. Instead, she measures success through family experiences.
Her daughter Kathleen recently took Gayle’ s grandchildren— Angelina, Matthew, and Tim— to Disney World for two weeks using the family’ s timeshare ownership. The family stayed at Vistana for one week before moving to a Marriott property for another seven nights.
“ Cheapest Disney hotels can run four hundred dollars a night,” Gayle explained.“ That alone becomes thousands of dollars.”
The family also traveled to Yellowstone, staying at a WorldMark property in West Yellowstone, where nearby hotel rooms were charging approximately $ 500 per night during peak season.
Ten-year-old Matthew has already visited Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, Disney World, Hawaii, cruises, and numerous national parks through vacations organized by Gayle.
“ That’ s the investment to me,” she said.“ The experiences.”
Gayle also described how her son Brian once used family ownerships to host an
Gayle With Her Grandchildren.
entire wedding party in Costa Rica inside a three-bedroom timeshare unit.
Maintenance Fees and Practical Realities
Gayle openly acknowledges that maintenance fees have risen substantially over the years. Today, her combined annual fees total approximately $ 15,000 across multiple ownerships.
However, she carefully budgets for those costs through a dedicated maintenance savings account while maximizing travel usage throughout the year.
“ When you add up what we would have spent otherwise, we at least doubled or tripled the value,” Gayle said.
She also strategically uses reward credit cards to pay fees and earn cashback incentives.
For Gayle, ownership works only when owners actively learn to use their memberships effectively.
“ You can’ t just buy it and put it on the shelf,” she explained.“ You have to learn the system.”
Cruises, Flexibility, and the Future
One of Gayle’ s favorite recent developments has been the ability to exchange timeshare points for cruises. Living near Long Beach, California, allows her family to board cruise ships without expensive airfare.
She believes cruises have become one of the most attractive new uses for pointsbased ownership because meals, entertainment, and activities are largely included.
Mini vacations have also become increasingly important. With Hyatt properties located within driving distance of Southern California beaches and attractions, Gayle frequently uses shorter stays around holiday weekends to maximize value.
For Gayle, timeshare ownership ultimately represents freedom, flexibility, and family connection.
“ The more knowledgeable you are, the better your vacations become,” she said.“ Be adventurous. Ask questions. Learn your system. Most importantly— enjoy what you own.”
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