Anyone used II for DVC?

[Zoemakes5]

I've asked the question on the DVC board, but I wanted to come here, as I know there's lots of II people out there!
Was wondering about some of the "rules" with II and DVC. Do you have to check in and out on specific days? Or will any day do?
Do you still get Magic Express?

Weird glich has happened and I "might" have a week of II to use, and looking to trade in late this summer instead of Christmas......but wanted some info. first.
Thanks!

 

[spiceycat]

will it should be any day - but I have only seem Sat, Sun.

kept in mind very, very few 2-bedrooms. studios and 1-bedrooms are what is generally out there.

if you can change it you have a greater chance in Sept then summer.

yes you get Dme, all the on resorts stuff, even DDP if you want it. the DVC resorts are WDW resorts on better. My opinion....

 

[welovedisneyx4]

I would die to be able to exchange my II week for a Disney unit!! I never have had any luck.

It is even harder for us now, b/c we will have to go in the summer.

Good luck!!

 

[goudaman40]

The trick to trading into DVC through II is to be flexible. Put in a date range of 6 months when you are looking. I booked our May trip this year back in November. We have May 12 - 19 and May 19 - 26 in Studios (both) at the Wilderness Lodge (this one is really hard to trade into).

I have seen for July - September of this year various weeks (all studios and 1 bedrooms) for SSR, OKW, and an occassional Boardwalk. We have traded into 2 bedrooms at OKW in September with success, but we booked those back in March of the same year. We have also stayed at Boardwalk in a Studio in August without a problem.

All of our dates have been extremely flexible. I always look at the II site for Exchanges in Orlando, first thing Monday morning and do a date range from the Saturday of that week until about 6 months out. (i.e. April 28 - Nov 17). The only days we have ever checked in have been on Saturdays and yes, you can use DME and the DDP can be added to your reservation up until 48 hours before you check in and you pay for it when you check in.

Also, keep in mind that Disney charges an additional resort useage fee of $95 in addition to the fee you pay II.

Hope this helps!

 

[Zoemakes5]

Would anyone be willing to look for a 2br in August for me? Anytime? Any one of the resorts?
This would be a gift from my parents, so I can't sign on and look at all. You could PM me or post here.
thanks!

 

[goudaman40]

This is what is currently showing:

Disney's Saratoga Springs
07/22 - 07/29 Studio
09/07 - 09/14 1 bedroom


Keep in mind that this changes all of the time, some people have requests in a year in advance and they will get the week and unit they want before it shows up on line. I'm sure this will change again on Monday (at the beginning of this week there were about 8 different weeks open at the various resorts - all studios and 1 bedrooms though).

There are plenty of openings for the Marriot's and Shearton's if your are interested in exchanging into those.

 

[Zoemakes5]

This is what is currently showing:

Disney's Saratoga Springs
07/22 - 07/29 Studio
09/07 - 09/14 1 bedroom


Keep in mind that this changes all of the time, some people have requests in a year in advance and they will get the week and unit they want before it shows up on line. I'm sure this will change again on Monday (at the beginning of this week there were about 8 different weeks open at the various resorts - all studios and 1 bedrooms though).

There are plenty of openings for the Marriot's and Shearton's if your are interested in exchanging into those.

Thanks for checking for me. We have 5 just with us and 7 with my parents (who are planning to come, too) so we'd definitely need the 2BR.
To make it work, we'd need to be onsite, or have a shuttle service everyday, and I don't think any of the II's exchangable have shuttles, do they? We stayed at the Horizon's a while back and really enjoyed it. My parents' (the ones gifting it to us vs. the other set who are coming with us!) home is Palm Desert, and we've been there before too.

 

[Janet Hill]

You may have better luck if you were willing to go in Sept. I saw a 2BR Old Key West for Sept about a week ago. These go fast. Is there anyway that your mother would give you her log on so that you could search about 5-6 am. This is when DVC usually hits II. I check DVC availability nearly everyday.

Check in is almost always Sat or Sun, though I do have a Friday check in in December this year.

I plan my Disney trips around DVC availability. I get the trade then plan the trip. You may also consider Disney Vero Beach resort. Of course without a car this may not be possible. Great resort and no $95 resort fee.

 

[welovedisneyx4]

goudaman40,

Any reccommendation for depositing our week a year in advance, hoping for something in mid June-July of 2008?

We have never done the deposit w/ II, but am wondering if this would be a better way to go in hoping for a Disney resort.

(We own at Westgate Vacation Villas)

 

[Janet Hill]

I think there is a regional block and that you cannot exchange an Orlando resort into DVC. I know someone will correct me if this is wrong.

If this is true, would you be able to do an internal Westgate trade to get a non-Orlando Westgate and then deposit that to try for DVC? Don't know if this is possible.

 

[welovedisneyx4]

I think there is a regional block and that you cannot exchange an Orlando resort into DVC. I know someone will correct me if this is wrong.

If this is true, would you be able to do an internal Westgate trade to get a non-Orlando Westgate and then deposit that to try for DVC? Don't know if this is possible.

I have heard this, but don't know the truth about it. It will let me look up exchanges in the Orlando area.

I am so tired of this condo. There are so many other options in the area and we are stuck paying the maintanance fee for Westgate. I've got to work much harder on renting and/or selling it.

 

[goudaman40]

You can go ahead and place your request one year in advance - be sure to do a span for the entire months of June & July and have them place all DVC properties on your list.

With having your request in early, you will get the exchange before it makes it to the II exchange website. Back in November/December there were alot of studios and one bedrooms for June and July and there were also a couple of 2 bedrooms for OKW and SSR.

If you are flexible (not locked into a specific week) it is easier to get the exchange. We figured for the cost of 1 night ($135 exchange and $95 Disney fee) to get a week at a DVC is great. There have been a couple of times that we booked a studio (with a studio) then saw a 2 bedroom come up for the same week we were already booked; and just paid another exchange fee to II to get the 2 bedroom. This is also an option if you see it is available. It doesn't always work, but it can sometimes.

 

[goudaman40]

As far as the regional block it depends on if you have points or a week.

We own at Fairfield Star Island (points) and use this for our DVC exchanges without a problem. The reason is because we are exchanging our FF points and FF determines which resorts they want to use for my exchange.

 

[welovedisneyx4]

As far as the regional block it depends on if you have points or a week.

So if you have a week, you can't do an exchange w/ in Orlando?

(I know I should probably call II and ask them, but I don't want to get into all that right now.)

 

[goudaman40]

All we were ever told is that it is easier to do the exchange into Orlando with an Orlando owned timeshare if you have points. The reason is because the points are tied to the parent company of the timeshare and not a specific timeshare.

I would say to ask whomever you do your II exchange through - If you have to book directly through II, then ask them - they can tell you if there is a blackout in that area.

I hope this helps . . . I can't answer fully with specific weeks being owned, since we are points owners and just put up the amount of points we want to exchange, instead of a specific week (they always show up as week 53 during exchanges).

 

[welovedisneyx4]

I hope this helps . . . I can't answer fully with specific weeks being owned, since we are points owners and just put up the amount of points we want to exchange, instead of a specific week (they always show up as week 53 during exchanges).

Thanks! Any info does help!

I am going to look into the deposit first for next summer. Your explanation on that was very helpful.

 

[utahkennedys]

We own DVC and just bought another resort for trading via II. I agree that so far I have not seen or heard about many 2 BRs at all., but I have seen some...there are 1BR and studios all of the time for various dates. My 2BR splits into 2 one bedroom units, so I plan to just exchange into 1BR units and then if my parents come, use my DVC points for a studio and hope that MS can accomodate my request to put these together into a 2BR.

 

[spiceycat]

if you only own Westgate then you can't trade into Orlando.

If you own others - then yes you can trade into Orlando.

Westgate is not good enough to get the Marriott or DVC in Orlando.

believe me I tried!!! Although it did get me a Marriott In hh.

been trying to sell my Westgate for a while. and guess who kepts ending it Westgate. I really, really, really hate dealing with these crooks.

you realize that now you must go thru Westgate to get access to II. I really hate that.

 

[spiceycat]

Zoemakes5 - if you have a reasonable week go place it on the renting/trading board for DVC - here.

Don't let anyone tell you, it won't get anything.

I have been amazed at what some members were willing to trade.

now this only works if you are willing to accept 5 days Sun-thurs (leaving on Frid) instead of a full week.

it can be a much lessor timeshare but in an area that member wants to go too.

 

[welovedisneyx4]

if you only own Westgate then you can't trade into Orlando.

you realize that now you must go thru Westgate to get access to II. I really hate that.

That sucks about not trading into Orlando!

Yeah, I just had to do that today w/ II. Is it only Westgate? That makes no sense!

Spiceycat, how does Westgate keep ending your sale?