Hawaii Exchange

[dbkelly]

Has anyone ever gotten an exchange for a two bedroom at the Marriott Ocean Club or Hilton in Maui during July or August? I heard that it was impossible, but I would like to hear from someone who has tried.

Thank you,

Doris

P.S. I would be curious about Kaui as well for the same time frame.

 

[happymommy]

I am also curious. No, I don't own DVC, although I'm close to just buying it w/o DH's approval! I have friends who own Marriott at Ko Olina (Oahu) and they love it. I am just curious if you can trade very well in Hawaii (we used to live on Oahu, and like to go back every few years 'till we can move back )

Anyone?

 

[dvc_john]

There is no Hilton timeshare (Hilton Grand Vacations Club) on Maui. The HGVC resorts are located at Waikiki and Kona. And you can't trade to them in any case since they trade thru RCI, not II.

 

[SalandJeff]

So can you trade to anywhere in Hawaii? And has anyone been successful in doing this?

 

[NE14DisneyWorld?]

Has anyone ever gotten an exchange for a two bedroom at the Marriott Ocean Club or Hilton in Maui during July or August? I heard that it was impossible, but I would like to hear from someone who has tried.

Thank you,

Doris

P.S. I would be curious about Kaui as well for the same time frame.

I did not exchange points, but we did stay there in June this year. We had a one bedroom unit with the kitchenette and pull-out sofa in the living room area, and a gorgeous ocean view. They are in the process of building more upscale units. The area we were in are the older units; they are converted hotel rooms, but they were very nice. The pool area is wonderful, especially the pirate ship area for small children. We rented this room from an owner. Our week began on Sunday, and we flew over on Saturday and stayed one day at the Grand Wailea on points. This was a very EXPENSIVE stay for points, but worth every one. The pool was unbelievable!

We did trade some points and are going to Aruba in about 10 weeks. It was very easy. The trade was available the day I called.

 

[mopee]

I did not exchange points, but we did stay there in June this year. We had a one bedroom unit with the kitchenette and pull-out sofa in the living room area, and a gorgeous ocean view. They are in the process of building more upscale units. The area we were in are the older units; they are converted hotel rooms, but they were very nice. The pool area is wonderful, especially the pirate ship area for small children. We rented this room from an owner. Our week began on Sunday, and we flew over on Saturday and stayed one day at the Grand Wailea on points. This was a very EXPENSIVE stay for points, but worth every one. The pool was unbelievable!

We did trade some points and are going to Aruba in about 10 weeks. It was very easy. The trade was available the day I called.

When you say "very EXPENSIVE stay for points", what do you mean? Was is it a bad exchange?

M

 

[NE14DisneyWorld?]

When you say "very EXPENSIVE stay for points", what do you mean? Was is it a bad exchange?

M

Not a bad exchange at all, but it was 78 points for ONE night! I believe it was worth every point, because it was just so beautiful. I could not do this every year, but every now and then... Many folks may think it was a waste, but we had such a great time, and isn't that what our membership is for?

 

[mopee]

Not a bad exchange at all, but it was 78 points for ONE night! I believe it was worth every point, because it was just so beautiful. I could not do this every year, but every now and then... Many folks may think it was a waste, but we had such a great time, and isn't that what our membership is for?

I am with you, only problem being not enough time and points and tooo many places to see.

m

 

[dbkelly]

Anyone else out there????? If the lack of response is any indication, my guess is that it is very difficult to exchange for Hawaii.

I may be forced to rent through an owner as well, but I was hoping to do it through II.

Doris

 

[Dean]

I own DVC, Marriott and other timeshares both with II and RCI. I look online essentially every day multiples times per day most days including very early AM. I see few units for MMO and most are studios with a few 1 BR units from time to time. Most of those are at or under 60 days out. About the only times I've seen 2 BR have been short notice (usually 30 days or less) and the first half of Dec. There may have been one or two outside those parameters but not enough to speak of. 2 BR units are difficult for HI no matter what the resort. They do come up from time to time but most are in second tier resorts like SOK and the Maui Schooner both nice enough and worth staying at but certainly down trades for DVC.

I suspect the OP was referencing the Westin rather than Hilton and there are even fewer weeks for that resort. I've seen VERY few online and all were studios.

Having said that, neither are impossible to get if you plan far ahead and place an ongoing search. Most great trades are gotten either short notice or with ongoing searches. I have an exchange to the Westin through II (non DVC exchange) for late Jan, 2008 in a 1 BR and a 1 BR at the Wyndham the week before for Oahu through RCI. I had exchanged a Marriott studio for a studio at MMO for next month for my daughter and just this AM retraded it for a 1 BR at MMO. Well worth the extra $89 exchange fee to upgrade from the studio to the 1 BR IMO.

If one is interested in this trip there are several approaches one could take. Here are a few thoughts.

• Plan far ahead, at least 13 months but preferably 24 months would be the best.
• Shoot for the moon, ask for a 2 BR at the Westin or Marriott's in question. If you don't get it this time, try again for the following year and the year after that.
• Rent your points and pay cash.
• Look for direct exchanges.
• Try for two 1 BR or a 1 BR plus a studio as separate exchanges. Accept the 1 BR and try for a retrade as the trip draws near, esp if you can make do with a 1 BR. Or simply rent a studio to accompany a 1 BR exchange.

DVC doesn't work as well with retrades since you have to call each and every time and during business hours and can't look online to see what's there. I've gotten most of my great retrades on shorter notice and at about 5:30-6:45 AM. I simply lock them in with another unit and then call when II opens to change it over to replace the previous trade and reinstitute my week and/or ongoing search for the unit I used that day. Don't forget one can trade through other exchange companies that tend to get a lot of HI traffic. It might cost a few more points but it could be worth it for many.

 

[Snookies]

I own DVC, Marriott and other timeshares both with II and RCI...

Dean, this is another great, informative post about trading. Thank you for taking the time to share insight like this. Since similar questions about DVC trades, particularly to Hawaii, seem to appear regularly, I wonder if some of these could be compiled into a sticky thread. It could be a Dean's Greatest Hits thread.

 

[ccigliano]

Thanks Dean - didn't think to do the upgrade trade - so glad you took the time to explain it. I own Marriott Aruba Ocean Club and Hanalei Bay in Kauai and so all this information on trading is great. For the original poster - I have never traded any of my Disney points but I have traded Hawaii for Hawaii and have trouble trading Aruba for Hawaii. Good Luck.

 

[dbkelly]

Dean,

I was hoping you would reply. Your information is extremely helpful and I appreciate the time you spent to post the reply.

Doris

P.S. You are correct I meant to say the Westin and not the Hilton.

 

[Dean]

Dean,

I was hoping you would reply. Your information is extremely helpful and I appreciate the time you spent to post the reply.

Doris

P.S. You are correct I meant to say the Westin and not the Hilton.

I'm glad to help. Please post what you decide and any details that might be helpful to others. The one thing that is lacking is actual exchange experience which is the only way to truly judge trade power and the real chance of success with a given venture.

 

[dbkelly]

Dean, I just read that the Westin's new section will accomodate 6 in a one bedroom (2 double beds & one sleep sofa). Is it just as difficult to get a one bedroom in Hawaii? My guess is that a 2 bedroom must have a higher demand, thus making it more difficult to get than a 1 bedroom.

Doris

 

[Dean]

Dean, I just read that the Westin's new section will accomodate 6 in a one bedroom (2 double beds & one sleep sofa). Is it just as difficult to get a one bedroom in Hawaii? My guess is that a 2 bedroom must have a higher demand, thus making it more difficult to get than a 1 bedroom.

Doris

I'm not sure about the third section which is not officially listed for II exchanges for anyone as of yet. It's Code is KA1 which has been removed from the II online directory since it is not yet available for exchange. Remember that DVC has generally not added new resorts to their exchange listing for a couple of years and this includes new sections of existing resorts on the list. I had a discourse with someone recently trying to get into the Westin Kierland where II had plenty of inventory in the NEW section but nothing in the older section. The new section is not on DVC's exchange list so they could not get the exchange. It's interesting that the resort would likely put you in the other section that wasn't on DVC's exchange list anyway. The Westin on Maui actually has 3 sections now with one still under construction. DVC only lists the single older section and that's all DVC members could exchange to. My exchange for Jan is in the KAA portion, we'll see where they put us. I'll have to see what the unit situation is. I don't know if I'd have any success stating that I exchanged to KAA and they had to put me in that section.

Sorry I don't know if the new section truly has sleep 6 one BR units and I'm not sure it's a good thing if they do. Here's why. Say you are exchanging a 2 BR unit and realizing that technically DVC 2 BR only trade for 6, trust me on this one. Might you be confirmed to the 1 BR when you were searching for a 2 BR. If the 1 BR truly was for 6 under II's occupancy rules, the answer is yes. They have the right to match you to any unit that fits the occupancy you agree to accept up to the occupancy of what you give them. That is 6 for a DVC 2 BR as they use private occupancy which is 2 people per private BR access. I think it's unlikely a 1 BR would have a sleep 6 privately rating and that's all that would save you in this situation.

1 BR units are easier to get but if you say you'll accept a 1 BR, you are saying you'll accept any 1 BR at that resort code. Say the same resort had two different 1 BR units some with 2 queens plus a pull out sleep 6 and some with a King plus a pull out sleep 4. Since to II they would both have the same private sleeping capacity, kitchen and resort code so you would not be able to search for one unit and not the other. The only two things you could do would be to search for a 2 BR but put a note in the comments section that you'd accept the sleep 6 1 BR or you could hope to find an instant match if you could tell from the listing which unit was the one you wanted. Even those are perfect as the resort has the right to give you a unit of their choosing and in the case of this 1 BR question they could reallocate you to a 1 BR sleep 4 just as easily if they wanted.

 

[disneydenisel]

Dean, I just read that the Westin's new section will accomodate 6 in a one bedroom (2 double beds & one sleep sofa). Is it just as difficult to get a one bedroom in Hawaii? My guess is that a 2 bedroom must have a higher demand, thus making it more difficult to get than a 1 bedroom.

Doris

Doris, where did you read that the new Westin will accommodate six?

We own at the "original" Westin Ka'anapali and I have never heard that the "North" villas will accommodate six. I do know that there are a few villas at our resort that accommodate more people, but those villas are the exception for Japanese owners. We were once assigned a "sleeps 10" when we made our annual owner reservation, and I had to call them back once I received the email confirmation (DH and I don't want to sleep in double beds, we like our king bed!).

Most all of the one bedroom villas will have a king-sized Heavenly bed and a sleeper sofa. While there may be a few with double beds, these would be on request for owners first, and I'm not sure if II would ever receive that inventory.