Is this a good DVC exchange?

[Cinderella]

Hi am trying to get an II exchange thru DVC (I had banked points I needed to use). Is this a good exchange - Fairfield Royal Vista, Pompano Beach, Fort Lauderdale, mid August 2 bedroom for 200 points.

Is it a nice resort? Also, how about the area? Is it safe? I noticed that it is quite close to Miami. Is there much to do with young kids, 7 and 5? How far is it to Walt Disney World from there?

I really wanted a Hilton Head Resort but, nothing is coming up yet.

 

[DownNeckBoy]

Is HH sold out for that period? S-Th is 165 points. Just curious.

 

[Dean]

Since Cindy has already deposited with II, she doesn't have the option of using other points options. I haven't been to the Fairfield property but it is highly rated at 9.0 and the reviews are positive. If you can get air fare, I'd give it a try. I'm not sure the distance but would assume arbout 4 hours. There are 2 BR units now at Marriott's Ocean Pointe and Marriott's Beachplace towers, both better resorts from what I can gather.

 

[nuthut]

Consider your 200 points are worth a minimum of $2000. I would not rent the timeshare you mentioned for $2000. I would think it could be rented for less than $700 on ebay or at the timeshare user group. In my honest opinion, any DVC member who would trade their week with member services for another with II is really trading down and losing money.

 

[Anita Williams]

I traded 55 points for a studio at The Four Seasons in California two years ago. Since the rooms there go for anywhere from 350 a night for a standard and up from there, I guess I made money on my trade. My 55 points were "worth" $550, which would have gotten me one and one half nights. I spent 7 nights in a wonderful resort and had a great time. Nobody can tell me that I don't get my money's worth no matter what I do with my points,
DVC or somewhere else. As long as I have a great time in a nice place, I'm happy.

 

[Cinderella]

Thanks everyone. Dean - they are still telling me there is no availability at Hilton Head but, the guy today put me on hold and when he came back told me this was the only place anywhere near a beach in America that he could find for July, August or beginning of September, so I am not sure if he was being entirely honest. He also said he couldn't put it on hold, as I already had the Gran Canaria booking but, I think he was fibbing as the girl the other day put Marbella on hold (I decided not to take it as I really didn't want late September).

Maybe I should keep calling. I would really like Hilton Head. I emailed them a few days ago and asked them if they would put me on one of those ongoing searches but, they haven't got back to me.

The details for my original booking in Gran Canaria came today and I definitely want to swap, as there is no oven, just microwave and rings and we like to eat in the rooms quite a bit. European accommodations just don't seem to come up to the same standard as American ones.

To the person who suggested I was wasting my money - I have to say that I couldn't use these points at a Disney resort before August and didn't want to go on a wait list for July at Hilton Head or Vero incase I didn't get lucky. With hindsight, I could have waited and banked my points with II later but, I panicked at the thought of getting nothing and losing my points. I did consider renting but, unfortunately put the points up for rent at the time when the boards crashed for ages, so i did not have any replies until much later, when i had already deposited the points. Anyway, I did worry that if I rented my points out, say for a July ressy, that the renter might back out and I would end up losing them.

Hopefully, some of those rooms will come up at Hilton Head soon anyway, if no Marriott members want them. I know the Marriott and Four Seasons resorts look just as nice as the Disney ones and I will be very happy if I can get a Hilton Head 2 bedroom in August for only 200 points. I think it would have cost me closer to 300 points at Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort.

 

[Dean]

Cindy, those Marriott weeks may still be in their 24 day holding period where only Marriott and Horizon members have access. Frankly, I'd call back and ask if they'd give you one of them and if not take the Fairfield if air fare works out. While late August HH may come available, it might not work with air fare. Good luck.

 

[downontheBW]

We were in Pompano Beach a few years ago with 2 teenagers. Pompano seemed safe to me; the coastal area seemed more like a town to me, not a city - the real city must be a bit more inland. The Fairfield is right on a very nice beach, I read that some units are ocean view and some are not, maybe you could ask ahead for an oceanview. I found this link to a slide show and video guide to the resort: http://www.resortview.com/default.asp?_pi=p&pid=113

Have you looked at Fairfield's site? http://www.efairfield.com/inside/resorts/0039.asp

Here's another link with some area info: http://www.rcim.com/Resorts/FairfieldRoyalVista.htm

It looks like a nice place and the rating of 9.0 on TUG is very good. We are planning a trip to Miami, Ft. Lauderdale and the Keys in April so I've been looking around a bit online. From what I've read, Miami has a great zoo, and also Parrot Jungle and Monkey Jungle might be worth a visit with kids. There are many sightseeing boats and glass bottom boat rides in the area. The Florida Keys are within a day's drive as well.

Here's a couple more area links:
http://www.flausa.com/
http://www.southfloridavacation.com/index.html
http://www.all-ftlauderdale.com/index.htm

I think the resort is about 15 miles from the Ft. Lauderdale airport, the Miami airport would be about 25 miles further. The other area airport is Palm Beach and that is probably 45 miles also. So you have a few choices when you check around for the best airfare. You will have plenty to do with the kids. Good luck!

 

[Cinderella]

Thanks Dean - will do that tomorrow. Thanks for all the great info and links Heidi. If those Hilton Head weeks still aren't available tomorrow, think I will go with this one. With all those airports so close, it will be a lot easier to pick up a reasonable flight too.

For anyone who hasn't read about it on here yet and thinking of trading, you really should look at the tug website: www.tug2.net It is only $15 a year and the member reviews are brilliant.

 

[PamOKW]

One thing you might want to keep in mind, Pompano will be VERY hot in August. You will get some ocean breezes but the ocean water could feel like a bathtub. Most Southern Floridians try to flee elsewhere in August.

 

[Cinderella]

Pam - I never thought about the heat. Does the sea really get that hot? What places are good to go in August - anywhere in America? HH was top of my list but, if that doesn't come up we will need to look at somewhere else. The kids want to be near the sea but, to be honest, I don't think they would know the difference between a lake and the sea. Have always wanted to go to Mont Tremblant. Would that be warm enough? Is there anywhere else where it's nice weather but, not to hot? High seventies, low eighties would be lovely? Thanks.

 

[Werner Weiss]

Originally posted by Cinderella
What places are good to go in August - anywhere in America?

The West Coast (coastal California, Oregon, and Washington) has a wonderful summer climate. The New England states (Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Connecticut) are far enough north where they enjoy nice summers. I've never been to northern Michigan, but it's home to many summer resorts.

The southern and southeastern states can be very hot and humid in summer. But the good news is that you'll find air conditioning everythere. We always avoided WDW in the summer, but we went in August 1999. I was surprised that it really wasn't as bad as I thought it would be because it's easy to cool off.

Also, consider Canada, including British Columbia (Western Canada). There's beautiful scenery and a favorable exchange rate that lets you stretch your money.

 

[EROS]

Cinderella, I'd second the comment about avoiding Florida in August. Tooooooooooooooooo HOT!!!.

Of course, I would recommend that you head directly to CALIFORNIA. San Francisco is EXQUISITE. Beautiful beaches up and down the coast. Don't forget DISNEYLAND IN L.A.!!!!!!!

 

[PamOKW]

I'm not sure where you might find exchanges but places to consider that would be on the ocean might be Cape Cod, Massachusetts or the New Jersey shore -- Ocean City and Cape May come to mind. Werner has also given lots of other suggestions....and of course, Eros' California idea. These places will also be warm -- more like 80's-90's -- but far more comfortable than the humidity in Florida. It's true, that you'll find a/c everywhere in Florida but the idea of sitting out all day on the beach can be tough to handle. It's more like running from a/c car to a/c store. In Palm Beach, most of the boutiques close up for the month of August since it's too hot to walk the street.

 

[Dean]

OK guys, you are making this harder on Cindy. She has a confirmed reservation with II that is not working out for her and she would like to change it to a beach area for July-Sept of this year. She will not be able to use the points for anything else and she will not be able to do an ongoing search. Basically she can call and change the reservation if anything is available while she's on the phone. That doesn't give her a lot of choices. Her choices are further reduced by the DVC resort exchange options. I've looked online and all I've seen that seems to fit her bill are several South Florida options, Myrtle Beach area, Gatlingburg, Several MX areas, CA desert and the like. Nothing for Europe at all, no HI, nothing for CA beaches, nothing for HH. She's in the UK so air fare is an issue. I'm sure she'll welcome any constructive suggestions.

 

[Werner Weiss]

Originally posted by Dean
OK guys, you are making this harder on Cindy.

Dean, you're making a good point, and you did a good job describing Cinderella's position succinctly.

But please also consider that Cinderella asked about cooler August destinations ("High seventies, low eighties would be lovely") So some of us felt obliged to answer. Also, other people read these threads, so some of the information really applies more to other people than to Cinderella.

Dean, you raised an interesting issue when you wrote, "She will not be able to use the points for anything else and she will not be able to do an ongoing search. Basically she can call and change the reservation if anything is available while she's on the phone. That doesn't give her a lot of choices." Of course, I understand the part about not being able to use the points, but you're also saying that it's not possible to turn back in an II exchange and start a new ongoing search? Is that an II rule? Or a DVC rule? Or just a statement about Cinderella's position because she wouldn't want to relinquish her original exchange before she's found something else? (I realize there'a another fee, and you only have 12 months, but I wasn't aware that you couldn't do an ongoing search.)

 

[Cinderella]

Werner, one CM told me she could do an ongoing search but, another said he couldn't and that he couldn't even hold anything for me for 24 hours whilst I checked flights.

I really wish I hadn't traded my points to II now. You see, I had some points I had borrowed, some that needed to be banked before end of January and some that I couldn't bank at all. I wanted to go on a waitlist for Hilton Head or Vero Beach in July but, the girl on the phone said that it might never come up and I would lose my points. With hindsight, I should have waited a while, then put my points into II if the wait list didn't come through but, I assumed that I had to put my points into II before the end of January.

There was only one accommodation available in Europe that I could book so I took it but, now that I have found out that it will be in the high nineties, flights are expensive and there is no oven in the villa - I am hoping to swap!

Thank you everyone for all your help. Am going to try again and see if they will let me have one of the Marriott's that Dean found but, I am checking through all the places you all listed right now and looking for the ratings on tug, so that I will be armed with a heapful of places I would be willing to consider when I call them!

 

[PamOKW]

I'm not at all familiar with how these types of trades work. I'm just curious whether you are working off the places that are offered in the DVC info or if you are able to choose from other II destinations?

If all else fails, the Pompano vacation could work. Lots of people seem to enjoy their summer vacations in Vero and if this resort looks nice, I'm sure you'll have a good time. I've just found August to be pretty oppressive and thought you should know that it's "low" season.

 

[downontheBW]

I forgot to mention how hot it is in Florida in August; I assumed you knew how hot it would be at WDW so would beabout the same in Pompano (except that you're at the beach and that's better for hot weather). I've always wondered why WDW is so crowed in the summer but that's the vacation season. I'd rather be by the ocean when it's hot.

I'm not trying to give you too many options but I'm sure you would like to get as much information as possible to make your decision. I think Mont Tremblant would be beautiful in August - I'm from northern New York State, not too far from the Canadian border and Montreal, it gets plenty warm during the summer. I'm not sure what there is to do with kids, though.

I agree with most of Werner's picks: New England (you could fly into Boston, MA or Providence, RI). Boston is a great city with much to do for the kids. It will be plenty warm in New England in August. California would be nice but I'm not sure if the coasts of Oregon and Washington wouldn't be near 80 but it would be warm enough and even warmer inland.

If you're having a difficult time finding a resort with availability, there are quite a few II resorts on the DVC list in Lake Tahoe on the California/Nevada border (Reno, NV is the closest airport, I think). I don't know the area very well, but when I had called MS looking for availability, there was usually something there. You would be by a beautiful lake (not the ocean), the weather should be nice and it's not too far to drive to Yosemite and see some of America's National Parks.

If you want to check on average temperatures in any of these areas, try this link:
http://www.weather.com/common/home/climatology.html

 

[Dean]

Werner, she could cancel and then do an ongoing search. The II credit would then expire in a year. I was working from what was showing up on II online search rather than a general list of where she might want to go with II-DVC resorts. Part of her issue is really air fare, otherwise the Canary exchange would probably suit her just as well.