Anyone with experience using points for overseas locations?

[derfolo]

Hello,

One of the attractions of a point-based timeshare for me is being able to spend points on a different destination somewhere else. Does anyone have some clear examples of how many DVC points would be needed to stay in a nice apartment somewhere in Italy for a week through Interval International, for example?

I am a prospective buyer and just want to understand how this all works. The only thing that I have heard clearly is that you get the best bang for your DVC points at Disney locations. This is understood, but I want to see exactly how bad the conversion is to non-Disney locations.

Thanks!!

 

[spiceycat]

the problem with II is not the points requirement - but the waiting and sometimes the disappointed when II can't make this happen.

II is an exchange company only - it owns no timeshares - so someone in the country you want must exchange their timeshares and you must be next in the list.

be aware that most non-Dvc exchanges aren't up to DVC standards.

you can get most places for 160 points or less. this is a 1-bedroom high season on II. plus you have to have the overseas charges $145? I know it is higher than $75 per US.

 

[spiceycat]

now the conceirge collections is very different - DVC can generally gets those for you - not a problem. more expensive - but not a problem.

 

[derfolo]

now the conceirge collections is very different - DVC can generally gets those for you - not a problem. more expensive - but not a problem.

Thanks a bunch, Spiceycat!

I found a great list of point exchanges for the Concierge Collection at:
Mouseplanet

...but I can't find anything similar for the "Adventure Collection" or the "World Passport Collection" (do these still exist?). Any help on these? Or websites I can look at?

 

[spiceycat]

here is the world passport (II)

low season 1-bedroom 125
med season 1-bedroom 144
high season 1-bedroom 160

low season 2-bedroom 207
med season 2-bedroom 252
high season 2-bedroom 270

the adventures collection is much longer.

the concerige collection has changed this year - the points have gone up and some resorts are gone - others have been added!

 

[Dean]

If you want to exchange, buy less DVC points and consider a regular timeshare. Much cheaper and MANY more options. There are few exchanges using DVC points that are worth it overall, especially in Europe and the like. Think of trading GF for the All Stars, you might have a great time at at AS but it would definitely be a trade down. The Concierge collection, Disney Collection and BVTC are all worse in terms of points exchange. I have the points tables for II exchanges for studios and 3 BR if you need them.

 

[sarhenty]

does anyone know what the date range on each season is for WP Collection? or is it varying on each resort?

 

[Dean]

does anyone know what the date range on each season is for WP Collection? or is it varying on each resort?

The season will vary per resort. I've been told that the destination resort actually makes the choice. In general assume any red time is at least medium season and any high demand time is High season. Caribbean is high from Xmas to Easter as is MX and south FL. HI is High most of the year except maybe Sept and October plus early December. But the points don't vary that much from low to high so it really shouldn't make any difference with the choices unless you simply don't have enough points to do what one wants. One can get the time that's red and some idea of the demand for a particular region from the II website.

DVC's II resorts
Interval International's visitors Resort Directory Which contains resorts not on the DVC list.
An example of the Travel Demand Index

You can also get the red, yellow green rating which is a rough idea of the demand for a specific resort for a week. I'd assume anything that's red will cost at least Med and anything that's not red will be low. This info is only available on the regular II listings and not on the DVC listing for the same resorts. One can further look at the Travel Demand Index to further improve the accuracy of the prediction. One can test the theory at the HI listings at HI Travel Demand Index

 

[derfolo]

Spiceycat, Dean,

Thanks for the replies, I learned a lot. It seems that the best idea for DVC owners to get some time elsewhere in a given year is to rent their points and use the cash to spend on the overseas vacation. The exchange rate is just too high.

Thanks again for your help!

 

[Dean]

Spiceycat, Dean,

Thanks for the replies, I learned a lot. It seems that the best idea for DVC owners to get some time elsewhere in a given year is to rent their points and use the cash to spend on the overseas vacation. The exchange rate is just too high.

Thanks again for your help!

In general I'd agree. But there are exceptions. It's is OK to shoot for the moon and it comes through, even better.