How does II work?

[karebear06]

How does II work? In particular, how many points is it for Westgate in the Smoky Mountains?
Thanks

 

[karebear06]

Where is the thread moved to?

Nevermind, I found it.

 

[Dean]

How does II work? In particular, how many points is it for Westgate in the Smoky Mountains?
Thanks

Not very well for DVC members I'm afraid. The process is you contact DVC MS exchange department and tell them when and what resorts or area you want. If it's there you say OK, they take your points and you're set. Those points are gone forever. If it's not sitting there, which it usually is not, you can start an ongoing search for anything you want. You'll pay the exchange fee up front and if they find what you ask for, they will confirm it automatically and again, your points are gone forever. If you don't match or you cancel, it's refundable and you still have your points.

As for how many points, it varies by resort and region and the truth is you won't know for certain until you get the match. MS can tell you what past experiences is and generally what to expect. I would think that summer and Fall colors will be HIGH season DVC so 160 for a 1 BR and 270 for a 2 BR. Of the 3 on the list, Westgate likely is the best but the other two are fine as well. All have smaller and larger units which can sometimes be an issue, esp for HH. IMO, Gatlinburg is a very questionable trade value using DVC as you can get in there cheaper by renting from others either in a condo or a timeshare but if you don't want to save the points for something else or rent them, at least you have a choice.

 

[Brian Noble]

If you are looking for summer 2008, you are probably too late absent some last-minute owner deposits. There are a few leaf-peeping weeks in late October, but that's probably well-past peak. A few late September weeks, but that might be too early. Thanksgiving '08 has only a studio available. Christmas and New Years are not there.

If you are looking for summer 2009, there are several 1 and 2BR units available---2BRs are only in early/mid-June, and mid-July on, but there are 1BRs during the entire summer. I agree with Dean that the value may not be there for a DVC exchnage, though there are surprisingly few rentals for WSM this summer on redweek.

 

[JudyS]

... I would think that summer and Fall colors will be HIGH season DVC so 160 for a 1 BR and 270 for a 2 BR. Of the 3 on the list, Westgate likely is the best but the other two are fine as well...

Is the list of resorts approved for DVC trades still online? I just looked for it, and couldn't find it.

I'm not sure where the Smokey Mountains Westgate is located, but I know that Foxrun in Lake Lure NC is on the DVC-approved list, and it currently has an August 23rd week available at Interval. But, there is no way I'd ever give up 270 points for a week's stay at Foxrun, and I say this as a Foxrun owner! For what you'd get in cash for renting out 270 DVC points, you could buy a Foxrun week and have enough money left over to pay several years of annual fees there.

Mountain Loft in Gatlinburg also has some August 2008 weeks available in II, but again, you should be able to buy a week there for less than the value of 270 DVC points (and I'm not sure if it's on the DVC approved list.)

 

[Dean]

Is the list of resorts approved for DVC trades still online? I just looked for it, and couldn't find it.

I'm not sure where the Smokey Mountains Westgate is located, but I know that Foxrun in Lake Lure NC is on the DVC-approved list, and it currently has an August 23rd week available at Interval. But, there is no way I'd ever give up 270 points for a week's stay at Foxrun, and I say this as a Foxrun owner! For what you'd get in cash for renting out 270 DVC points, you could buy a Foxrun week and have enough money left over to pay several years of annual fees there.

Mountain Loft in Gatlinburg also has some August 2008 weeks available in II, but again, you should be able to buy a week there for less than the value of 270 DVC points (and I'm not sure if it's on the DVC approved list.)

Westgate is just past Mountainloft on 321. ML is not on the DVC exchange list. Only Treetops, Westgate and Gat Town Square are right now. The list is still online but I don't have access to my links from this computer.

 

[karebear06]

We live about an hour from Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, so we like to visit every now and then for just one night. Do you have to do the whole week or can you exchange for one night? If we can only do a week than we will be better off renting a cabin.

Thanks

 

[bwvBound]

We live about an hour from Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, so we like to visit every now and then for just one night. Do you have to do the whole week or can you exchange for one night? If we can only do a week than we will be better off renting a cabin.

Currently, DVC's "Short Stays" program through II has a 3 night minimum.

You might want to consider renting through ResorTime which, although unrelated to DVC, allows nightly rentals to a wide collection of timeshare resort properties. Their website shows two in Gatlinburg and one in Pigeon Forge.

 

[Dean]

Currently, DVC's "Short Stays" program through II has a 3 night minimum.

You might want to consider renting through ResorTime which, although unrelated to DVC, allows nightly rentals to a wide collection of timeshare resort properties. Their website shows two in Gatlinburg and one in Pigeon Forge.

You can also rent any of the resorts that work on points from owners there as well. The two Bluegreen resorts (Mountain Loft and Laurel Crest) have a 2 night minimum for points reservations and can be really cheap for none weekend stays.