Does anyone here trade with interval?

[melissamomof2]

If so, could I ask a favor? This is our 1st year owning a timeshare. I don't know what the heck I was thinking, but I deposited our week late, so now we can only travel in the 60 day window, which makes planning a disney vacation hard. So we were going to use a get-a-way, and just save our week. But our owneres assoc. said if we wanted to pay the following years maint. fee, we could use that years week, and just bank this years for an easier to last-minute-plan. Here is the thing.....if there is nothing good available through exchange, i don't want to spend that $$ now. BUT I can't get into the system b/c it says I only have a 60 day window. Can anyone look for me and tell me what is available May 10- 17th, or 11-18th??? I don't want to inconvience anyone, but am not sure what else to do.


Thank you so much


Melissa


firefly11@ivillage.com

 

[Lisa P.]

Melissa, you should still be able to book a stay further than 60 days ahead. Your late deposit would normally have terrible trade power (doesn't matter in the 60-day window anymore) but May is a slow month, usually with plenty of surplus Orlando inventory in II (which they rent out as Getaways). So even a late deposit week should pull most of the availability for that time period.

II also has a feature called "search first." With this, you are able to call II on the phone and ask them what is available. If they have something desirable, you are able to offer your trade week for it. They take your deposit and confirm the trade. Just call them. Truly, mid-May is so easy you ought to have a great selection to pick from.

I'd suggest that you consider one of the Marriotts, or Sheraton Vistana Villages, as a first choice. Don't settle for a unit smaller than a 2BR if you have children.

As a new timeshare owner who may want to doing occasional trading, you would find TUG - Timeshare Users Group invaluable! The bulletin boards have free registration to use them. But the real value there is in the Resort Ratings & Reviews. These are only accessible to members - joining costs $15/first year. It's the best membership money I've spent!!! Nothing like reading the reviews by other regular people to learn what a place is really like before you plan your exchanges to vacation there! Over 2,000 timeshare resorts are in their database. There are a ton for the Orlando area.

If you opt to join TUG, please use my name (Lisa Potter) as a referral, as it enables my to extend my own membership for 6 months free. Thanks - hope that helps! Welcome to timesharing. We love it!!! Enjoy!

 

[melissamomof2]

Thanks for the info, but I think our timeshare works a little different. we don't have to worry about trading power. Here is a brief summary.......We have 1 week/year at the new Boardwalk villas in VA beach, plus the availablity of 12 getaways per year. If we relinquish our week in VA, we pay around $120 to use that week somewhere else. BUT the week must be relinqished 60 days BEFORE the date of our owned week. So because I messed up and forgot to bank, we have to shop w/in the 60 day window. We could just use a get-a-way, BUT I thought if there was osmethig better being offered in the exchange section on their website, i would just do that.

Kind-of confusing. I have spoke with other people who trade through II, and it seems like different people have different "rules"


I have heard alot of good things about TUG, I'll let you know if I decide to join, I will probaly do it sometime today.

Thank you for teying to help.

Melissa

 

[Lisa P.]

we don't have to worry about trading power.

That is probably true if you are only trading internally back into your home resort or resort group (Clarion/Turtle Cay), but anytime that ANY owner trades within RCI or II, trade power matters... a lot! If your resort has excellent trade power (which I am quite sure that it does IF you own a beach weather week - beautiful place, btw), then you don't worry about it because the trade power will be fantastic... until you are stuck with a late deposit.

We have 1 week/year at the new Boardwalk villas in VA beach, plus the availablity of 12 getaways per year.

All timeshare owners who have a membership with either RCI or II may rent up to 12 Getaways per year from RCI/II. The sales people like to share that as a benefit of owning and it is, but it's not unique to your resort. You can call II to verify this if you like. Do you have an individual II account or does the resort have a corporate II account and everything must be done through them?

If we relinquish our week in VA, we pay around $120 to use that week somewhere else.

That's II's standard exchange fee & policy.

BUT the week must be relinqished 60 days BEFORE the date of our owned week.

Ah yes, II's FlexChange policy. I forgot about that. However, II tends to be quite loose in their enforcing of this policy. I once cancelled a September exchange in August and they allowed me to use the FlexChange week to secure a May Orlando trade immediately. May is just so slow in Orlando!

If you call II, ask about Getaways and see if they have a lot of availability. Then plead your case. Tell them it was your first year as an owner. Note the surplus inventory. Ask them to allow an early confirmation "this once." If you don't succeed, politely hang up and call back a little while later. Eventually, you will find someone who has no problem doing an override for this. Truly.

If you cannot get the help you need, call your resort's sales department, especially if you can speak with the person who sold you your week. Explain that you made the mistake but need help in securing an exchange now, using your FlexChange week for a quieter time in Orlando. They can usually get it through for you, if you can't do it yourself. In mid-May, most of the best resorts will actually be at least 30% vacant when you arrive. The less desirable ones will be more than half vacant.

Don't pay the higher Getaway rental price if you need to use up your week and can just pay the $120 exchange fee. If you discover that there are Marriott 2BRs for under $329 (as I expect), you might decide to keep your deposit for a possible future exchange anyway, and just rent. A phone call to II will tell you want you need to know.

 

[melissamomof2]

When we bought, we were told that trading power does not affect us. For example, we own a 1 bedroom, but could trade for a 3 bedroom, as long as something is avail. We have no "point" system. So if I had banked my week on time, then i just go to the on-line site, pull up May(under the exchange section) and I'd see what is available, and could book. We have an individual acct. through II.

I can easily pull up the get-a -way section, and I see that there is alot of avail. the week I am looking at. No Marriott's open though. But there are around 50 units avail. at other various places.


I was on the phone with II the other day, and the girl I spoke with said that there was no way of me knowing what was avail. until 60 days before my planned trip. She said that they could absolutly NOT secure a vacation for me until that time frame.

So I am confused. Do you mean That I should keep calling II to find someone who will let me book now through my exchange?

My husband thinks I should just pay next years maintance fee and use that week because I'll be able to see further ahead...


Sorry to ask so many questions.....I am just a bit confused. Like I said, both my home resort and II said they can not help me with the exchange untill 60 days before, but I can easily book a get-a-way.....

Ughhh...my head is spinning...


melissa

 

[Lisa P.]

I'm responding by email, Melissa, as all the details are less pertinent to this forum.

 

[melissamomof2]

was just stopping to post that I was joining TUG under your name.