The first and best option for any owner is to remain healthy and interested in keeping their timeshare until the expiration date. In the case of Vacation Villas at FantasyWorld, that expiration takes place at the end of 2030. Unfortunately, the realities of life sometimes interfere with the best plans and an owner might need to find an alternate solution. Below are some options available to owners needing to end their timeshare early.

It is a complex question, but the short answer is that there are five options: sell, gift, donate, consume it faster, or let someone maintain it while it sits empty. We will provide a brief explanation of each option below. Email any specific questions to: OwnerServices@FantasyWorldTimeshare.com

Selling a timeshare is similar to selling a vacation home or any other type of property. It involves marketing to attract potential buyers, selling to convince buyers to spend their money, negotiating a fair price, and paperwork to finalize the sale. Unfortunately, these steps are not easy, and they are time-consuming. Please be aware that many companies offering to market or sell your timeshare for you are scams. 

Giving your timeshare as a gift to someone who will appreciate it is much easier than selling. There is no need to convince the potential buyer to spend their money, and there is no negotiation of a fair price. The need to market to potential new owners and the need to properly prepare the transfer paperwork remains the same as selling.

We understand that there are some charities that will accept ownership of a timeshare as a donation. Other charities may accept the donation of a pre-paid vacation week (but not ownership). Many charities raise funds by auctioning off donated items, and a pre-paid vacation is an ideal auction item. Consult your tax advisor to understand better how this type of donation may benefit your income tax situation. If you are willing to pre-pay the remaining maintenance fees, this could be a good option.

There are 7 years of usage left before 2030. If you pay for your remaining weeks of vacation now and agree to use them all between 2024-2025, you can surrender your deed to the Association and be done sooner. We call this the Speed-Up Plan and it works for owners who would prefer using multiple weeks in the next couple of years. The Speed-Up Plan is based on annual usage only. Biennial owners can take advantage of this plan at the annual rate. Biennial owners who speed up in a year in which they do not get to use the timeshare will receive a credit for the maintenance fee paid in the year they speed up and did not get to use.

Are you done vacationing? If you pay the 2024 maintenance fee and an additional $3,320.32 today, you can surrender your deed to the owners’ association today. Your last vacation at the resort will be in 2024. Use, rent, gift, exchange, or donate usage of the week as you see fit. Your fellow owners will use the money to cover your share of the expenses until 2030. This is likely the cheapest way to end early because only the fixed costs need to be paid when your townhome is empty. There are no variable costs while the townhome sits empty. If you are planning ahead, you can choose for any year between now and 2030 to enjoy your final vacation so you can choose how many more annual vacations you want to have. We call this the Wind Down Plan and it works for owners who need to be done sooner.