Yhm
YGPM! Thanks for the info!
On a similar note, I am an owner at the Harborside Resort at Atlantis. We are headed there next month...first time for us personally using it since we bought it. I had seen similar referral programs for "friends" for Harborside and referred a couple friends last year; however, at the beginning of this year (which was really months ago for the lead time in booking) they changed the offer tremendously; it used to be closer to this; around $749 for 4 nights at the Harborside Resort - the timeshare part of Atlantis; but now, if I recall correctly, it is closer to $1199 for 5 nights in the Beach Tower; I am not 100% on that but I recall that in general, it was only mildly better than rack rate and not nearly as worth it.
Anyways - to me the beauty of SVO is the ability to exchange. Yes, the maintenance is high. I have been looking at purchases to add to my StarOptions pool and have noticed a tremendous variation in the yearly maintenance fee; in other words, I kinda am getting pummeled by the Bahamas maint fee b/c of the hurricanes, etc. We pay nearly $800/year for the smallest unit, which is the same, as mentioned earlier, as the largest unit in Arizona. If I were to buy for the sake of getting exchange options instead of a place to visit yearly, if maint fee is a concern clearly based on the pricing SVO has given me, Arizona is the place to buy. Florida locations are cheaper but have higher maint fees.
Anyways - so far we are a fan of SVO. $800/year plus the original purchase price buys us 7 nights at Atlantis every year...or more if we go in mid or low season.
Good luck to all!