Do you have a recommendation for learning how to use Interval International?

[kdj]

Do you have a recommendation for learning how to use Interval International?

I've been a DVC member for less than a year... would love to learn how to wisely use II...
Is there a you tube you'd recommend?
I wish there was a resource to learn how to use my DVC points with II...

Do you smart DVC'er have any help you can offer/. TIA!

 

[dioxide45]

Are you wanting to trade or just take advantage of some getaways. The best way to learn is just to go in and start searching. It is hard to pay for something by mistake. Here is a video on how to book and search getaways <<--This is not my video.

Generally most DVCers don't see value in Interval International. Using DVC points for II exchanges tend to be a poor value. You are usually better to rent your points for cash and then use that cash to go the other places you want to go.

 

[thadhouse]

For wisely using II with your DVC points, the answer generally is to not to. The amount of points it takes to trade into Interval generally isn't worth it, compared to renting your points in cash and using the proceeds from that for what you use for II.

We actually use one of our other timeshares to trade into Disney through II to get more weeks at Disney. II generally has studios and 1 bedrooms for OKW and Saratoga Springs anywhere between 4 and 6 months out, and fairly consistently too. Back when we first started, a year of dues was $1000, and was enough to trade into those DVC resorts. Now the dues for that same number of points goes for $1600, making it less of a deal, but still good. Especially when you can get the timeshare for free (People can't give them away even for free and paying the closing costs for the client).

To compare, if I were to trade back into my other home resort from DVC, its about 150 points for a 1 bedroom. That some room cash is about $1500. So MF of 150 DVC points + the Exchange Fee is pretty close, but you can usually rent out your DVC points for a least double MF's, which makes the math not worth it.

Doing the math, the cash value of our other timeshare has basically become worthless, as the MF's cost more than the rack rate of the room. The only way we get value out of it nowadays is trading it into something like DVC through interval.

 

[Simba's Mom]

On one recent DVC trip, I ran into another DVC member who loved using II. She told me that she uses it almost every year to go somewhere other than Disney. Like the OP, I could never figure out how to use II on my own, so we've never used it. And since we wanted to try it for going to Cape Cod next year, I wanted to learn. She gave me several tips to "help" me. I put the word help in quotes because after reading thadhouse's reply, I'm not sure it's such a good idea. Maybe I'll just stick with airbnb or weneedavacation or stay at a hotel.

 

[thadhouse]

One of the main tricks is to make sure you're exchanging with something marked as an "Interval International Elite Resort". Thats basically the only way you'll potentially get close to your monetary value out of it. But even still, if you do that, you want to check cash stay cost as well, because a lot of the elite resorts are still fairly cheap for cash stays.

For instance, a 2 Bedroom Villa at Marriott's Manor Club at Ford's Colony (A highly rated elite resort) for a week is 200 DVC points, plus the $300+ exchange fee. That same room, the same week bought directly through Marriott is $1313 after taxes. At minimum your dues + exchange fee on those $200 points are $1800.

Now the one thing I haven't done is international. It might be better for certain international destinations. A 2 Bedroom Villa at Marriott's Village d'Ile de France (10 minutes from Disneyland Paris) costs those same 200 DVC points but goes for $1,891 after conversion from euros to usd. Which is closer. But according to interval, you still have to pay a per person per night tax once your at the hotel. Whereas thats already included in the direct cost.

 

[zavandor]

Are you wanting to trade or just take advantage of some getaways. The best way to learn is just to go in and start searching. It is hard to pay for something by mistake. Here is a video on how to book and search getaways <<--This is not my video.

Generally most DVCers don't see value in Interval International. Using DVC points for II exchanges tend to be a poor value. You are usually better to rent your points for cash and then use that cash to go the other places you want to go.

This!
I've booked Getaways a couple of times for huge savings. Unfortunately availability is patchy anywhere not called Orlando (and maybe a few other overbuilt places like Las Vegas, I think), but if you can find a deal it's probably going to be very good.
I've stalked for a week at the Marriot near Disneyland Paris and got a 3BR for the week I needed for around $700, which I think is an amazing deal.

 

[Paul11231]

I've looked at it before, and the piece I struggle with on II is finding availability. If I understand correctly Vacation Exchanges can be booked up to 2 years in advance, and for a majority of locations that I've searched they've shown 0 availability for the next 2 years. If you thought finding DVC availability at 7 months is bad, I feel like II availability is 100x worse. It doesn't help that their website is also not very user friendly to use/navigate.

 

[CarolynFH]

I've looked at it before, and the piece I struggle with on II is finding availability. If I understand correctly Vacation Exchanges can be booked up to 2 years in advance, and for a majority of locations that I've searched they've shown 0 availability for the next 2 years. If you thought finding DVC availability at 7 months is bad, I feel like II availability is 100x worse. It doesn't help that their website is also not very user friendly to use/navigate.

The folks on TUG seem to depend more on placing ongoing searches than on one-time “look and book” for II exchanges. So you might need to choose some resorts and dates you want to visit and place an ongoing search for them.

 

[meekey7197]

The cash getaways in Orlando are very often a great deal I have a friend who is not DVC who has stayed at the Sheraton Vistana on my guest certificates a few times. It’s usually $80-100/night for a 1 bedroom with a full kitchen. Westgates can be even less than that if you book a studio room.

 

[thadhouse]

And just like that, Interval for us exchanging into DVC became a much worse deal. DVC 1 bedrooms raised from 1 year of points to 1-3/4 years of points. With seasonal adjustments as well, which internal never had before for our other timeshare. Time to figure out how to unload that and buy more DVC points.

 

[Brian Noble]

exchanging into DVC became a much worse deal

Let me guess: Hyatt?

 

[thadhouse]

Let me guess: Hyatt?

Yup. And exchanging through II was the only way it was work keeping. Now trying to figure out how to unload it, and buy more DVC.

 

[CarolynFH]

Yup. And exchanging through II was the only way it was work keeping. Now trying to figure out how to unload it, and buy more DVC.

Why not buy Marriott instead, for when you want to go somewhere other than Disney parks & resorts?

 

[dioxide45]

Yup. And exchanging through II was the only way it was work keeping. Now trying to figure out how to unload it, and buy more DVC.

How much was the week in DVC costing you through Hyatt with the cost of your points and the exchange fee and such. Another option is Sheraton Flex. Fees did go way up in 2024, but I checked and a mid tier 1BR would cost about $965 in maintenance + II membership + exchange fee. About $1,200 all in for a week in a 1BR. Some Marriott traders (Like Grand Chateau or Willow Ridge Lodge) may be economical traders over buying more DVC. Those will probably give you two weeks for about $1100 each.

 

[thadhouse]

Cost of points was about $1000, plus the $300 exchange fee and the $190 DVC fee. After todays changes, the cost of points is now $2500-$3000 depending on the season, plus the ~$500 fees.

120k points was about $1000. Now its $1600, and instead of being 120k to trade into a 1 bedroom its between 190k and 220k depending on season.

We only have 120k points every year, so instead of trading 1 year of points exactly into DVC, its now a year and half to 2 years. Unless we want to downsize to a Studio, which comes up way less. The 1 bedrooms at OKW and SSR were constantly available, and really were a great deal.

 

[dioxide45]

Cost of points was about $1000, plus the $300 exchange fee and the $190 DVC fee. After todays changes, the cost of points is now $2500-$3000 depending on the season, plus the ~$500 fees.

120k points was about $1000. Now its $1600, and instead of being 120k to trade into a 1 bedroom its between 190k and 220k depending on season.

We only have 120k points every year, so instead of trading 1 year of points exactly into DVC, its now a year and half to 2 years. Unless we want to downsize to a Studio, which comes up way less. The 1 bedrooms at OKW and SSR were constantly available, and really were a great deal.

Based on the numbers, it seems you owned Welk and they also changed the requirements for legacy Welk exchanges.

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

II Getaways are a great deal. You can get Sheraton Vistana Resort 2 bedroom units for $550ish for a week, Marriot Vacation Club Properties for only slightly more. I would never trade my DVC points in it, but the access to Getaways (as a gold member, which all DVC members are for free, you get an extra $25 off) is invaluable. I've used it to stay at Sheraton Vistana for a week for less than $600 twice now.

 

[Brian Noble]

You can get Sheraton Vistana Resort 2 bedroom units for $550ish for a week, Marriot Vacation Club Properties for only slightly more.

Seasonal caveats apply. Right now, a 2BR at Vistana for spring break season (P-Week through Easter Week) is just shy of $1,000/week all in, and a couple hundred more for Easter Week proper. Still a good deal, but don't count on rock-bottom pricing during peak seasons.