Interval International Waitlist Question

[David in Manassas]

I know that when you are on a waitlist for a Disney resort, at the magic 30 day months, some people might cancel as they can still get their points back and then availability might open up again.

Is there any similar with an Interval waitlist? Is there a period of time before a week where you are waitlisted where things might open up again...or is the chance basically about the same no matter what.

(I have serveral searches in for an August week, but so far no luck. I did put them in late so I am not complaining or anything, but I was curious if there was some kind time where people canceled their II weeks without penalty)

David

 

[spiceycat]

where are you going? what resorts are you looking for?

 

[Dean]

You put in an ongoing request and pay the $75 fee. They will call you if you get a match. If you get a match, you will still be able to turn it down but may forfeit your exchange fee. Once you accept a match, you are stuck. If you cancel, you have a year to exchange again and complete any travel. You pay another fee. If you cancel within 60 days, there are even more restrictions.

 

[David in Manassas]

Thanks for the information.

We are on the waitlists for HH and VB and have ongoing searches for the Marriotts in HH and the Hyatts in Key West and Coconut Beach. Destin was also booked for that week. I was surprised that nothing was available in KW as August is sort of Hurricaine season and it is so hot down there. We might look to see if the Marriott in NJ is available as we could probably combine that with a trip in to NYC for a day to see a show.

David

 

[dianeschlicht]

HH and VB are not II exchanges. Part of the issue you are having is that you are trying for a specific week. Exchanging is much more difficult under that scenario.

 

[David in Manassas]

Thanks,

I meant to say that I'm on the waiting list for the Disney locations in HH and VB. I wish that DVC would let us look at what our units could pull up in II so we could make a decision on whether we wanted to go with a "second tier" facility instead of calling MS over and over again to add different locations.

 

[idofabric]

The code for II for Disney Vero Beach is DVB, and the one for Disney Hilton Head is DVH.
I just did a quick search for avail. and this is what came up... it is more then has come up for ME in the last week...
Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort • DVH
Hilton Head Island, SC, USA
Resort Details & Photos

Oct 13 2007 - Oct 20 2007 0 2 4 024 3,500 Points
Oct 19 2007 - Oct 26 2007 0 2 4 024 3,500 Points
Oct 21 2007 - Oct 28 2007 0 2 4 024 3,500 Points
Nov 03 2007 - Nov 10 2007 1 4 4 144 5,500 Points
Nov 04 2007 - Nov 11 2007 2 6 8 268 6,500 Points
Nov 09 2007 - Nov 16 2007 1 4 4 144 5,500 Points
Dec 14 2007 - Dec 21 2007 1 4 4 144 3,500 Points
Dec 29 2007 - Jan 05 2008 1 4 4 144 5,500 Points
Jan 27 2008 - Feb 03 2008 1 4 4 144 3,500 Points
This shows that on Nov 4 there is a 2 bed room, for 6,500 points.

I was told by a fellow DISSER that the way to search is to go in to the "Exchange" and in the first "date" box to use the next day, so just now I put in tomorrow, May 10,2007. And in the second date box I put in as far out as Jan. 2009. I ignored the number of people going, # adults, and # children... and then hit search.
For a few months I was looking several times a day. I haven't seen any dates for Aug for a few weeks... but did not always check Disney Hilton Head. Never did check Vero Beach.
I am FAR for an expert on this! But hope I was a little help! Best of luck!
I did get the 2 dates I wanted for WDW from II... a 2 bed at Old key West in July, and a 2 bed at Wilderness in Sept! It did take a while and the Wilderness one was a fluke!
II has also lost my Disney res. 2 times in 2 years, both times they claimed that it was "ghost" avail. from Disney and that it was not there fault.... But they had issued me confirmation letters both times. And they showed the Disney res. both times, but a few weeks I doubled checked the II site and saw that it had been changed to Daytona! It was not fun... so I am holding my breath this year. I was told that it is rare that that happens...

 

[Dean]

KW is tough anytime due to the relatively high demand and low number of units plus the fact that many of them are Hyatt's so there's another group that has the option at those units prior to them going to II.

As for August, it depends on what time in August. If you're looking at the last two weeks, you might have some chance for HH. Otherwise I doubt you'd have any chance unless you were searching using a Marriott week since Marriott deposits are held for other Marriott owners to pick from for 24 days prior to when you'd have access to them. I have run a search almost every day for the past 4 years or so for DVC. The list idofabric found is pretty typical. This morning there were a number of units for DVC for Feb/March of 2008.

idofabric, occasionally you'll find different inventory if you put in different parameters. Sometimes if you put in specific dates you'll see inventory that you didn't see the way you are currently searching. As for your reservations that weren't, hopefully you'll have better luck this time as that seems to be a very rare occurance. I seem to recall there were red flags in those reservations, wasn't one for a 3 BR?

 

[idofabric]

Hi,Dean! Yes the one 2 years was for a 3 BR villa at Old Key West. The one last year was a 2 BR, and that is when II subbed the Daytona unit.... This years are both 2 BR, and one was made by our SunTerra agent talking to the II people... the other was what I found online. At least Sunterra gave me a unit FREE for the week both years, which was very nice, but not on Disney... still, free is good!
And I am also checking each day, and if I really want to find something I do a few different searches, like you said to do! I either put in different days, time lengths, or the order I put the DVCs into the search field.
And I learned it all from you! Thank you, again, for all the help you were last year! I was, and still am, amazed that if you change just one thing then you get different units popping up- sometimes!
Still hoping for the elesuvice week-befor- Christmas... but it has been an almost daily search for 3 years... I guess I could put in a reserv. for it and have Sunterra look for it... but it is kinda fun to see what is available, and when it pops up.
BTW... I found the 2BR at Wilderness for Sept, and when I called my husband to check if that was a good week I lost it!
So I waited 15 min and restarted the search again, and then did it at about 19 min... I did that because the system was telling me that you have 18 min to finish the res. and if you don't or if you accidently clicked on it, then it will re- appear. And that is what happened for the Wilderness 2 br. So it showed back up when I re-re-search for avail 19 min latter.
Patience and good luck sometimes wins out. I just hope I didn't take someone elses ress! Didn't think of that till now.

 

[3DisneyKids]

I read all of the threads about exchanges as I learn each time. We are getting ready to buy another timeshare to supplement our DVC so that we have direct access to II.

 

[Dean]

idofabric, glad to be of help. We were at SSR for 16-23 Dec in a 2 BR, that week does get deposited from time to time. Put in an ongoing request, you'll have a much better chance of success. If you even have the problem where you closed your browser or something else happened within the 18 min window, call II immediately if they are open. They can ofter retrieve the unit for you. Of course looking when it comes off the hold as you did will get it often as well.

 

[JudyS]

I read all of the threads about exchanges as I learn each time. We are getting ready to buy another timeshare to supplement our DVC so that we have direct access to II.

3DisneyKids, I did this, too. Have you decided what you will buy yet? www.tug2.net is a great place to research your options.

 

[eaglerock]

The code for II for Disney Vero Beach is DVB, and the one for Disney Hilton Head is DVH.
I just did a quick search for avail. and this is what came up... it is more then has come up for ME in the last week...
Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort • DVH
Hilton Head Island, SC, USA
Resort Details & Photos

Oct 13 2007 - Oct 20 2007 0 2 4 024 3,500 Points
Oct 19 2007 - Oct 26 2007 0 2 4 024 3,500 Points
Oct 21 2007 - Oct 28 2007 0 2 4 024 3,500 Points
Nov 03 2007 - Nov 10 2007 1 4 4 144 5,500 Points
Nov 04 2007 - Nov 11 2007 2 6 8 268 6,500 Points
Nov 09 2007 - Nov 16 2007 1 4 4 144 5,500 Points
Dec 14 2007 - Dec 21 2007 1 4 4 144 3,500 Points
Dec 29 2007 - Jan 05 2008 1 4 4 144 5,500 Points
Jan 27 2008 - Feb 03 2008 1 4 4 144 3,500 Points
This shows that on Nov 4 there is a 2 bed room, for 6,500 points.

HOW MANY DVC POINTS EQUALS 3500 Interval International points??

 

[Dean]

HOW MANY DVC POINTS EQUALS 3500 Interval International points??

I'm not a Sunterra expert but I'd assume this is that standard number of points required for a trade with their system. 3500 for a studio, 5500 for a 1 BR and 6500 for a 2 BR. Maybe idofabric can explain a little more about their system. Questions like are all trades these # of points, are off season weeks less points, how many points within 60 days out. Comparing the info in this thread to the DVC trade system I'd say the break between a 1 BR & 2 BR is pretty small with being under than a 20% more points for a 2 BR compared to a 1 BR.

 

[idofabric]

Just a few things to think about... with my Sunterra points I do not own a fixed week, the points can be used all year, kinda like cash. I can either call Sunterra and have them do an ongoing search for any place in the Sunterra OR the II data base, and they will do the work. Or I can do it my self. There are certain levels of ownership within Sunterra, we are "Silver Elite" because of the # of points we own, and part of a Land Trust and something else. But what that means is that we are able to take advantage of 1/2 points booking under 30 days. Which I do alot!

Having said all this keep in mind that I am NOT an expert and all the following is what I have found to be true for useage by me...
Also we did own Fairfield points at one time, but, for us, they were not as usable as our Sunterra ones have been. I do know many people that love the Fairfield system. We just didn't have any luck when we tried to use them and because we got a few great resales we saved a ton of money when we got the Sunterra points...

So...

The number of points needed to book in to DVC using my Sunterra membership is Sunterra points. I am "spending" them, so the figures in that post was what it would cost me out of my Sunterra account. It is just about as much as if I was to book into Sunterra's Cypress Point, (CP1 or the CP Grand Villas, where we usually stay) if I made the ress over 30 days out like I did for my 2 ress in DVC this summer/fall.

I have tried several times to get both Sunterra and DVC employes to answer the question of how each point adds up to each other and to II. Never have gotten the same answer, but I think that is because it is so different for each company. The best I was able to do, several years ago, was to figure the cost per point(at the time of purchace, and at that time/date), and then figure out how much it was "costing" me to use the points.

I can tell you that with Sunterra I am NOT using any more points to stay at a DVC property then I would in a Sunterra property,and if I was staying at Sunterra Grand Beach it could cost up to 13500 Sunterra points. And for ANY ress. made with in 30 days we get them at 1/2 the points, II ress included. So if I find a DVC opening I want for less then 30 days from now it would cost me 1/2 of what the points normally would be. That is a GREAT value!
I usually don't make plans farther out then 3 weeks, mostly for work/school, or availabilty of resort reasons. And I like saving the 1/2 points when I book a ress. under 30 days.

Hope I was marginally clear on this, sorry if not!
Let me know if you need any more info, or if you need to call me, send a PM.

 

[Dean]

idofabric, II, DVC nor Sunterra will be able to give you a direct comparison. You actually have more info in that area than they do. Do what you've done already. Look at how many points in each system it costs to reserve a high and low demand week/resort for different unit sizes. Compare that to how many points it costs to exchange vs reserve directly. Then compare your cost per point plus your yearly fees. That should give you an idea of the relative value of each system in terms of both direct usage and exchanging. Directly comparing one point in one system to one in the other only has meaning for the BVTC where each side is using points directly to reserve in the other. And if you look at the number of points for a week at a comparable property, that should give you a reference for how many DVC points equals how many Sunterra points. Also take into account the individual quirks and benefits of each system. For example, with BG I can cancel until 10 days out with no penalty.

 

[JudyS]

.... There are certain levels of ownership within Sunterra, we are "Silver Elite" because of the # of points we own, and part of a Land Trust and something else.....

I haven't figured out the Sunterra system yet.

When you say you have points from a "Land Trust", is that the 21 Sunterra resorts in Florida? Is that what Sunterra calls "Sun Options" and is it different from "Club Sunterra"?

What is the annual fee for, say, 6500 of your points?

Thanks!

 

[idofabric]

You know, I am going to have to go back on the Sunterra site and do so more reading!
But according to my DH, Sun Options are the points.
The Land Trust has locations in Fl, Gatlinburg, Tn, out west, and I think Hawaii... but we will have to find all the paper work... or I will need to check the site... which could take a while today, as I get to do Moms day stuff.
Club Sunterra is where you are not locked into using your points in a trad. week way, we have the option of using the points anyweek we want...with out having to match up the week to week trade. Again, we will need to check for you!
Sorry I haven't been alot of help... but I will check as soon as I can, which will not be till Tues/Wed, cause I am going to be off the puter for a day or 2.

 

[David in Manassas]

Well..after just a couple of weeks of adding Key West to my Internal Search, they came up with a match for me at the Hyatt Beach House Resort in Key West for August. It cost 270 points. We are looking forward to it. If anyone has been there, let me know. I've looked at the TUG reviews already. I'd love to hear of any hints for what to do in Key West...especially outdoor things like swimming and snorkling.

David