Welk Resorts is a family of five resorts located in San Diego, Cabo San Lucas, Palm Springs, Branson (Missouri) and Lake Tahoe.
Welk owners purchase a number of Platinum Points at a home resort within this network, which can be used towards reservations at any Welk resort. The amount of points needed to book a stay depends on the season and residence type. Previously, Welk sold timeshares on a fixed and floating basis. These timeshares are still available through the resale market.
Those who purchased a fixed or floating week on the resale market may only stay at their home resort. There are no significant restrictions for points purchased on the resale market. Owners may use their Platinum Points without limitations.
Currently, Welk owners purchase a set number of Platinum Points and receive a beneficial interest in the Welk trust. However, there are two exceptions. Ownership at Welk Desert Oasis is a leasehold interest, expiring September 13, 2061. Ownership at Welk Resorts Cabo is a trust interest expiring February 13, 2059. Purchasing Platinum Points entitles owners to reserve residences at Welk’s network of resorts. Booking a residence at Welk requires the use of a certain number of points, which are replenished annually or biennially, depending on the owner’s contract.
Originally, Welk ownership was based on the purchase of a fixed or floating week at a home resort. Fixed week owners received a deeded week for a specific residence at their home resort. They may reserve that residence on their assigned week or deposit it with an external exchange company.
Floating owners receive a deeded week for a residence type, rather than an actual residence. They can reserve this residence type for a week-long stay depending on availability. Floating owners may also choose to split their week into two stays. They can reserve one 3-night weekend stay (Friday through Sunday) and one 4-day mid-week stay (Monday through Friday).
The booking year lasts from January 1 to December 31. During this period, owners may use their allotted points or save them for the following year.
Fixed week owners can make a reservation at their home resort for their week and specific residence, as early as 18 months in advance.
Floating owners can make a full-week reservation as early as 15 months in advance. They may reserve any week during the year, depending on availability. Split-week reservations can be made as early as 12 months in advance. A week may be split into a 3-night weekend stay (Friday through Sunday) or a 4-night mid-week stay (Monday through Thursday). Split-week reservations cannot be made during holiday weeks.
Platinum Points owners may book a full-week stay at any Welk Resort up to 15 months in advance. Owners using banked or borrowed points to make a reservation may do so within 60 days prior to arrival.
The cost of reserving accommodations are the same at San Diego and Palm Springs. The Branson location is split between the Yellow Season (weeks 1 through 9) and the Red Season (weeks 10 through 52), with prices varying between them. For example, reserving a one-bedroom villa during the Yellow Season requires 120,000 points, while that same residence costs 150,000 points during the Red Season.
Platinum Points owners can reserve a split-week up to 4 months in advance. Reserving a night on Sunday through Thursday costs 10% of a seven-day, weeklong stay. Reserving a night on a Friday or Saturday costs 25% of a full-week stay. Split-week reservations for holiday weeks can be made for a minimum of 2 nights, and as early as 60 days in advance. Holiday weeks include New Year’s Eve and Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Welk allows owners to roll over all unused points to the next year or two years, depending on whether their point allotment is replenished on an annual or biennial basis. Banking points earlier in the use year allows owners to save a greater number of points for future use. Owners can bank 100% of their points, if they do so by August 31 of their current use year. From August 31 until December 31, owners may only bank 50% of their unused points. Banked points may be used towards extending the length of a vacation, upgrading to a more luxurious villa, or depositing with an exchange company.
Owners may borrow points from future use years. These points may then be used in the same way as banked points. Reserving with borrowed points is restricted to a 60-day reservation window.
Owners may transfer the use of their week to friends and family members by providing a written letter of consent stating the necessary information on their intended guest. Points may also be transferred to other members in the same manner. Both forms of transfer require no additional charges.
To stay at a resort outside of Welk’s network, fixed owners must contact their external exchange company. Floating and points owners must contact Welk, which determines the value of exchange and offers a standard conversion rate for exchanges.
Platinum Points owners may reserve a studio for 90,000 points, a one-bedroom for 120,000 points, or a two-bedroom for 240,000 points.
Owners of a Welk week, may deposit their week as far as 15 months in advance of their use year. Split-week deposits are unavailable.
Owners who change or cancel reservations 2 months prior to arrival will be returned all of their points without restrictions on future reservations. If a reservation is canceled or changed 2 months to 7 days prior to arrival, all points will still be returned to the owner. These cancelled points can only be used for reservations made within 60 days prior to arrival. Those wishing to cancel or change a reservation less than seven days before arrival will be returned 50% of their points to be used within a 60-day reservation period. All changes and cancellations are subject to a $50 fee.
Welk offers Platinum Membership for all owners purchasing points. As all new sales of Welk timeshares function through the points system, all new owners are considered Platinum Members.
All Welk owners with the exception of owners at Desert Oasis have access to the recreation facilities at San Diego and Branson throughout the year. However, reservations are necessary for day use during summer weekends and holiday weeks at the San Diego location.
Owners of a fixed or floating week can only make reservations at their home resort. If you are interested in converting a resale week to Platinum Points, please contact Welk Resorts for more information.
* Vacatia has compiled details about each club from multiple sources of information, such as member guides and owner manuals. Please note that details regarding any club, such as use rights, reservation policies, exchange privileges, etc., are subject to change from time to time. Please contact clubs@vacatia.com if you have suggested edits.
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