Welcome to the fabulous reality of the Marriott rewards program!!

So easy to earn, so heard to use if you actually want a redeem at a property in their "high season", i.e., Florida in the winter, Northeast in the summertime.

Yes, you might get lucky if you haven't planned well in advance but be prepared for a lot of work and disappointment in the meantime.

Hey, I got a great idea, lets give away free instant Gold status so more and more points can fight each other for redemption!