Interval International Owner Trying to Trade into DVC- Opinions, please!

[Nom]

I have put in a request to try to trade my Marriott timeshare into DVC for next Oct. I have given a very wide parameter of dates (3 weeks in Oct) and have said I can arrive any day and will take any DVC resort. The Interval International person told me it is very hard to trade into DVC.

Does anyone know if this will be possible? Given that you are all probably DVC owners you probably won't know, but I figured I would ask. My reuquest has been in for a month now, and I am wondering if I should just give up and book into my home resort (Grande Vista). After reading some posts here that most of you plan your trips 11 mth in advance, I am wondering if I even have a chance.

TIA for any thoughts around this!
Noelle

 

[littlestar]

Grande Vista cannot trade into DVC in Orlando (if that's the Marriott you're trying to trade in with). There is a regional block on other Orlando timeshares trading into DVC Orlando. You could try to trade into Disney's Vero Beach resort or Disney's Hilton Head resort with Grande Vista, though. Just not a Walt Disney World DVC.

 

[mj2vacation]

if your grande vista week is a part of the Marriott Florida Club, try reserving a week at BeachPlace or Ocean Pointe. This will overcome the regional block.

It will not overcome the fact that trading into disney is difficult. Not impossible, but not easy.

 

[Dean]

Trading in during Oct is not that difficult. Just start the search soon and ask for all properties as it appears you have. As noted, GV is a problem. I agree with the suggestion of booking using the FL club and any resort for Gold or higher should be enough. Let us know back what happens please.

 

[Nom]

Grande Vista cannot trade into DVC in Orlando (if that's the Marriott you're trying to trade in with). There is a regional block on other Orlando timeshares trading into DVC Orlando. You could try to trade into Disney's Vero Beach resort or Disney's Hilton Head resort with Grande Vista, though. Just not a Walt Disney World DVC.

That was what II initially told me, but then I called Marriott and they said it was fine, and I put in my request. When I called II to put in my request for DVC, they said there was no issue. My parents specifically asked if they could trade into DVC and were told yes, so I was going to be very upset if they were scammed by the salesperson... so I am assuming that since I put my request in, and it was accepted, that there is not an issue.

This is so weird, that there are so many conflicting stories.... I may just put a call into II tomorrow just to confirm that there is no problem. I wonder if they put my request in, but it was some unknowing newbie customer service rep, and that my request is in a black hole that will never get serviced. hmm. I am glad I posted here!

 

[Nom]

if your grande vista week is a part of the Marriott Florida Club, try reserving a week at BeachPlace or Ocean Pointe. This will overcome the regional block.

It will not overcome the fact that trading into disney is difficult. Not impossible, but not easy.

Sorry to serial post, but can you explain this a little more... if there is a regional block, can I trade into one of the two properties you mentioned, and then trade again to try to get DVC? I am new to this...

My parents bought this marriot one on their own... we are all WDW fanatics, and I think they were sucked into a sales pitch. If anything, they should have bought the DVC!!! We love staying onsite, and as nice at the GV is, it is not the Grand Floridian (where we always used to stay). I am trying to make the most of a bad situation for them.... they miss being onsite.

Thanks so much for your advice- I so appreciate it!!!

 

[Dean]

That was what II initially told me, but then I called Marriott and they said it was fine, and I put in my request. When I called II to put in my request for DVC, they said there was no issue. My parents specifically asked if they could trade into DVC and were told yes, so I was going to be very upset if they were scammed by the salesperson... so I am assuming that since I put my request in, and it was accepted, that there is not an issue.

This is so weird, that there are so many conflicting stories.... I may just put a call into II tomorrow just to confirm that there is no problem. I wonder if they put my request in, but it was some unknowing newbie customer service rep, and that my request is in a black hole that will never get serviced. hmm. I am glad I posted here!

I can tell you that you will not be able to trade GV in to DVC. This is called a regional block and is based on the destination resort. Marriott said OK because they have nothing to do with it. DVC does utilize this options and will not let Orlando resorts trade in to DVC WDW resorts nor will they let HH resorts trade in to DVC HH. ASAMOF, you could get a match then have it pulled out from under you later even at check in. The previous advice for the florida club is your best option.

Sorry to serial post, but can you explain this a little more... if there is a regional block, can I trade into one of the two properties you mentioned, and then trade again to try to get DVC? I am new to this...

My parents bought this marriot one on their own... we are all WDW fanatics, and I think they were sucked into a sales pitch. If anything, they should have bought the DVC!!! We love staying onsite, and as nice at the GV is, it is not the Grand Floridian (where we always used to stay). I am trying to make the most of a bad situation for them.... they miss being onsite.

Thanks so much for your advice- I so appreciate it!!!

Part of GV owners are in what's called the FL club. There are yearly mandatory dues regardless of whether you ever use it or not. It gives you the option of reserving at other resorts in the club which i believe includes Legends Edge, Ocean Pointe, Beach Place and Doral. For a 2 BR lockoff you can do 3 days one place and 4 days another for a 2 BR OR a studio one place and a 1 BR another for the 7 days. I think you can only do reservations up to 6 months out. Not all GV owners are in the FL club but most are. It's only the early owners that are not.

 

[david roberts]

I own at Grande Vista and am a member of the Florida Club. The Florida Club option may not work because all the good weeks in the winter at those other resorts have probably already been reserved, and you cannot yet reserve a summer week because you can only reserve six months out in the other Florida Club resorts. You did not say what size room you need (2BR? studio?) One option may be to simply rent the points from a DVC member, and then pay for at least a good chunk of it by giving your Grande Vista week to Marriott to rent out for you.

FYI - I did exchange a Grande Vista studio for a studio at Disney's Vero Beach for Easter week. I know you want to stay in Disney World, not Vero, but I just wanted you to know that such trades are possible.

 

[Dean]

FYI - I did exchange a Grande Vista studio for a studio at Disney's Vero Beach for Easter week. I know you want to stay in Disney World, not Vero, but I just wanted you to know that such trades are possible.

That trade is possible because it's not involving the regional block. It's Orlando for WDW and HH for HH. I don't think they block VB at all but I am not certain as there are only a handful of resorts that it would even apply to. Actually I wouldn't be surprised if there were good weeks for Ocean Point, Doral, Legends Edge or BeachPlace that will work now or within the next month or two. The only way to find out would be to call Marriott Customer services to see.

 

[Nom]

THank you all for your posts and explainations! It sounds like my parents did indeed get scammed, in that they can not trade into Orlando DVC . WHat a shame for them. Oh well, at least we know what our options are now.

I find it odd that they accepted our request when there is a block, but maybe it was just an inept worker.

Either wya, thank you and Happy Thanksgiving!
Noelle

 

[Dean]

THank you all for your posts and explainations! It sounds like my parents did indeed get scammed, in that they can not trade into Orlando DVC . WHat a shame for them. Oh well, at least we know what our options are now.

I find it odd that they accepted our request when there is a block, but maybe it was just an inept worker.

Either wya, thank you and Happy Thanksgiving!
Noelle

II will accept just about any trade if you have a deposit or request first you can search with. The advisors get paid based, in part, on how many transactions, deposits, exchange requests and actual exchanges they make. Thus they will manipulate what they tell you accordingly. Say you want to make a difficult exchange, they may tell you you have a good chance when you set it up but later tell you there is almost no chance. Then they'll keep calling you offering resorts or weeks you don't want to try to get you to take something. They've even been know to go ahead and complete an exchange that didn't fit the parameters of the match.

I know this sounds doom and gloom and like II is a crook. I do not believe that. They are simply a big company with a lot of people working for them that are in a position where what they get you to do or not to do determines what they get paid. Just like not all DVC guides have been on the up and up over the years while most are.

A lot of people have been sold timeshares retail over the years. In almost all cases it was a bad deal though some much worse than others. The Marriott system is a great one overall. Assuming they are too late to cancel, they should learn it and make the most of it. But how did they get scammed? This is likely not a direction appropriate for DIS but you are free to contact me by email, PM or by phone if you will to try to figure out how to use it to your family's advantage.

 

[Nom]

By scammed I mean that they specifically asked if they could trade into DVC, and were told yes. However, they are older and I was not with them- they seem to think they were promiced a lot of things that turned out not to be true- so maybe they were just wrong. Who knows? They are very overwhelmed about this whole thing.

That is interesting to know why the II people put requests in that can not be fullfilled. You are right, they keep calling and offering other things!

Anyway, we do like GV, so we will be keeping the timeshare and will just make the best of it... thank you all for clarifying what can and can not be done. I really appreciate it, and will stop going OT to the forum now.

Thanks again everyone and happy thanksgiving!

 

[Chuck S]

It isn't too far off topic, as it does deal with trading in to DVC. Thank you for posting your experiences Nom. I've been following the thread, but have no personal experience using II, but was aware of the Orlando area trade block.

Your posts serve as a great reminder for all potential timeshare owners, including DVC, to make sure they clarify everyting...maybe ask twice on issues that concern them, before plunking down $$.

Marriott has a decent reputation in its timeshare division, I'm sure you and your parents will enjoy using it.

 

[Mary Ellen]

By scammed I mean that they specifically asked if they could trade into DVC, and were told yes.

They can trade into DVC - just not at WDW. What they needed to ask was "Can we trade to on-site WDW DVC properties?" Then you could use the term 'scammed'. If they didn't ask the right question (for what they wanted to know), they share the blame with the salesperson. Sorry.

 

[littlestar]

Most people that buy into Marriott do it because they want to take advantage of being in the Marriott system (they have some fantastic resorts in a lot more locations than DVC does). And usually, somebody that buys DVC does it because they want to spend the majority of their vacations on Disney property. DVC is really kind of a small fish in a big pond if you compare the two of them. Marriott Vacation Club is in places like Aruba, Hawaii, etc. And Marriott owners get preference in II when booking at another Marriott. There are some definite advantages to being a Marriott owner if you want to travel other places besides Disney.

I like both systems and own with both of them.

I would say probably most timeshare sales people don't even know how trading within Interval International works.

 

[Dean]

By scammed I mean that they specifically asked if they could trade into DVC, and were told yes. However, they are older and I was not with them- they seem to think they were promiced a lot of things that turned out not to be true- so maybe they were just wrong. Who knows? They are very overwhelmed about this whole thing.

That is interesting to know why the II people put requests in that can not be fullfilled. You are right, they keep calling and offering other things!

Anyway, we do like GV, so we will be keeping the timeshare and will just make the best of it... thank you all for clarifying what can and can not be done. I really appreciate it, and will stop going OT to the forum now.

Thanks again everyone and happy thanksgiving!

I doubt they knew about the regional block but technically one could trade to HH or VB. Or in to WDW as noted with the FL Club.

 

[Nom]

They can trade into DVC - just not at WDW. What they needed to ask was "Can we trade to on-site WDW DVC properties?" Then you could use the term 'scammed'. If they didn't ask the right question (for what they wanted to know), they share the blame with the salesperson. Sorry.

The only reason I use that term is that they came out of the sales pitch expecting a lot of things that ended up not to be true. It totally could have been them, because as I said they are older and I was not with them... but it is odd how many things they claim they were promiced that were not true. If it was just one thing they misunderstood, that would be expected--- but it has been multiple things. It's not just this one thing. They have a bad taste in their mouth over the whole experience.

They do not even know the term 'DVC', so I am sure what they asked was if they could have traded into a WDW resort. However I was not there, so I don't know this for sure... but they would not have asked 'can we trade into DVC'. That is why I have a feeling they were misled, if indeed they did ask the question about WDW resorts, as they told me they did.

Anyway, sorry to cause any controversy, I just had to respond to that. Thanks again everyone for all the information. Have a great holiday!

 

[Dean]

The only reason I use that term is that they came out of the sales pitch expecting a lot of things that ended up not to be true. It totally could have been them, because as I said they are older and I was not with them... but it is odd how many things they claim they were promiced that were not true. If it was just one thing they misunderstood, that would be expected--- but it has been multiple things. It's not just this one thing. They have a bad taste in their mouth over the whole experience.

They do not even know the term 'DVC', so I am sure what they asked was if they could have traded into a WDW resort. However I was not there, so I don't know this for sure... but they would not have asked 'can we trade into DVC'. That is why I have a feeling they were misled, if indeed they did ask the question about WDW resorts, as they told me they did.

Anyway, sorry to cause any controversy, I just had to respond to that. Thanks again everyone for all the information. Have a great holiday!

I will tell you that in most circles, trading in to a "Disney" resort is simply getting a resort in the Orlando area, and I've been chastised for saying it isn't so. Sales is just that. While both Marriott and DVC tend to be several cuts above the usual timeshare sales level, they are not perfect and both have had rogue sales staff that have been less than honest. Think of them like used car salesman where some are a lot better than others.

 

[tomshortridge]

I'm a Marriott Time Share owner. My home resort is in Palm Desert, California (Shadow Ridge)

I locked off my unit and am trading the bigger half for a week at Grande Vista this coming April.

I agree with the comments people have made here about Marriott vs DVC. If you really want WDW and a timeshare, do DVC.

If you want to travel all over the country/world and even into non-time share Marriott properties (Marriott, Courtyard, Residence Inn), the get a retail Marriott timeshare and get very active in Marriott Rewards.

 

[nezy]

to OP Nom:
Have you considered going to the rent/trade boards and offering a direct exchange with a DVC member who may want to go to a marriott resort-not in Orlando. I know that MVC owners get a preference over other II trades if it is into a Marriot resort. Maybe you could book a week w/ your timeshare in St. Thomas for example and a DVCer can then book a week in Oct. for you.

If course thsi could get complicated, but with alot of planning it may work.

or rent out your Marriott week and use the money to rent points from a DVcer-again on the DVC rent/Trade boards.