Membership in Interval World...

[Staples5705]

My Fiance has a timeshare in Maine and today in the mail we recieved some information regarding the timeshare benefits which included exchanges. I went to the website, www.intervalworld.com and they listed the Disney Vacation Club resorts as locations we would have access to as members of Interval World.

Does this sound correct?

If so, I think my FI is in real trouble because I know where we'll be going on a much more regular basis. I better start preparing him

I think I need to get more information from him and find out how this works to exchange a week to go to Disney. I don't even care if it is the hotest time of the year, I can plan on WDW on a regular basis...

WooHoo. I'm actually beginning to think that his timeshare isn't a waste of money especially with access to WDW DVC

 

[yyzgurl]

It's true that they are listed but it is extremely hard to get one. I have NEVER seen a Disneyworld DVC available, and I've been a member for 6 years. DVC members have to trade out of Disney to another Interval resort in order for a unit to become available for a non-dvc interval member.

On the other hand, I have seen Disney's Vero Beach and Hilton Head available for exchange once in a while. These go really really fast and are usually studios.

They are never available as a getaway special, only exchanges.

 

[Caskbill]

In the past people have posted that they have requested exchanges into DVC from other timeshares for years, and have never gotten an exchange once.

Also, trying to exchange into DVC from outside depends very heavily on the 'exchange power' of your outside resort. If you don't know how timeshare exchanges work, basically the more valuable your resort is, the higher trading power you can get for it. DVC is right up there as the hardest to get. I have seen some reports from people who own at a high end resort in Hawaii, for example, getting an exchange.

There have also been some estimates that of all the annual requests to exchange into DVC, only about 1-2% actually get in.

DVC resorts only become available if someone who owns DVC actually exchanges out into Interval International (IntervalWorld is the name for their web site), and when they do, they're looking to trade into high end resorts themselves, such as Hawaii.

Also if your DF doesn't own a RED week, forget about it completely. And don't even think about planning to do it on a regular basis. Just isn't going to happen.

There's a reason DVC resales go for the prices they do. Resales of other timeshares often go for pennies on the dollar.

 

[yyzgurl]

I concur with the above poster. We own a two bedroom @ Marriott Grande Vista in a red week. We have no restrictions as to what we can exchange for. The fact remains that DVC at Disney World is one of those timeshare places that people WANT to go back year after year.

And for those who don't, it is more economical to rent out their points. In this case, the inventory stays within DVC and never goes into Interval.

 

[bwvBound]

Related threads:

Using II to get DVC

Getting into a Disney timeshare?

 

[Dean]

I have owned both DVC and other timeshares through II for a number of years. It's not uncommon to find DVC through II but it's usually off season avoiding holidays, mid summer and xmas. And you need a good trader. I've seen all DVC resorts at times and even done several trades myself including using a bonus week. And I've seen DVC for getaways but usually either HH off season or VERY short notice. Even then the prices were much higher than comparable options, even more so than the benefits of DVC, IMO.

It never hurts to put in a trade request but if you can't go off season, don't hold your breath.

 

[jmminarik]

Doesn't Disney charge other timeshare owners who trade in for 'transportation' or some such fee?

Do we get hit with a similar fee (not the one we pay to do the exchange) at other timeshares?

-Joe

 

[dianeschlicht]

When we first looked into DVC, we thought it was a bit pricey, so we went timeshare shopping. Every single one we looked at said we could trade into Disney, but upon closer investigation, I discovered it would be very difficult. We decided to buy where we wanted to stay, and bought into DVC at OKW. Don't plan on trades into DVC on a regular basis. It will be difficult not to mention the hassle factor of trading!

 

[spiceycat]

go join
www.tug2.net
you need to join - $15

then on the BBS board there is forum - sightings/distress - there is a very nice lady who puts up DVC resorts when she finds them - and boy she finds them alot!!!!

they are generally in Sept, May, Jan - a few in Oct and a few in Feb - sometimes Dec.

if you get one - sent her a note!!!

now you might have to give up a 2-bedroom for a studio.

most of these sights are studios and 1-bedroom.

2-bedroom DVC are rare.

 

[Dean]

Doesn't Disney charge other timeshare owners who trade in for 'transportation' or some such fee?

Do we get hit with a similar fee (not the one we pay to do the exchange) at other timeshares?

-Joe

DVC charges II members that exchange in a $95 "resort services fee". Some other resorts charge for parking, AC, etc but most don't and the ones that do are all different. You should be told up front about the big stuff but could get surprised with parking and the like. Also some countries charge fees to visitors which will not show up on the exchange info.

 

[pumpkinboy]

I swapped a 2 BR Blue week (Nov) at a nice Timeshare in Rhode Island (inherited from FIL) for a 1BR OKW this coming May, so it can be done. Notably, we deposited this RI 2BR back in November '04 and the match hit after New Years. Also note that we had essentially the whole year at any WDW DVC resort listed on our search, so we were waaaaaay flexible. I seem to have picked good weeks to trade at our RI timeshare and its reputation apparently give it decent trading power, given what we have gotten for matches so far.

So if your DFi's Maine timeshare is a pretty decent one and it's a good sized unit and a decent week, you might be able to trade into Disney especially if you are very flexible in terms of time and unit size. Not probable, but certainly possible.

Good luck!

 

[Staples5705]

I grew up traveling frequently and generally avoided Timeshares like the plague. However, since looking closer at my FI's timeshare and talking directly with the management company I'm starting to swing towards the idea that I like the options.

This is new to me, but I'm figuring it out. Even if we couldn't stay at a DVC, there were some really nice timeshares near Disney that would be available to us.

We also just went on our first cruise and have fallen in love with cruising. While talking with IntervalWorld, I found out we could exchange our timeshare towards booking a cruise. By doing it this way, balcony cruise prices definitely came down closer to what we can afford on an annual basis.

As for traveling... Our time is currently not as flexible, but I expect that to change within the next year after I quit my job. We also intend to homeschool when we have children so that will leave lots of flexibility for family vacations.

Pam

 

[JudyS]

I haven't been on the boards much lately, so I am coming late to this thread!

Last fall, I bought a timeshare that trades through II (Interval International, a.k.a. Interval World.) I am routinely offered DVC units in exchange for my week. I also receive an AC (accomodation certificate -- basically, an extra week) if I deposit my week with II. This AC also qualifies for trades into the DVC, but only during certain months. I used my AC to get a one-bedroom at BWV for this coming May. II charged me $249, plus I also have to pay a $95 fee to Disney. The week that I deposited is still available for me to trade and I might use it to trade for another week at the DVC.

The key to trading into the DVC is that the week you use for trading must be at a high quality resort, as rated by II. Because Orlando has a lot of timeshares, II doesn't care as much about whether your week is peak (red) season or not. In fact, the week I used is considered yellow (mid or shoulder season.) Although many high quality resorts are expensive in purchase price or annual fees, not all are. The resort I bought was not that expensive.

Also, I believe that resorts in Orlando are blocked from trades into the DVC. Someone said here that they couldn't trade in with Marriott Grande Vista -- this resort is in Orlando, and that was probably the problem.

As for TUG, there was a woman who was searching for DVC units every day and posting them on TUG, but she hasn't been doing that lately. TUG is great, but don't pay the $15 just in the hopes of getting DVC sightings! II still has DVC weeks available (there were five listed this morning, mostly studios) but they aren't being posted on TUG now.

I bought a 175 point contract at BWV last summer, and used it to stay at BWV last fall. I'm very happy with my purchase (especially since DVC points have been going up in price) but I'm not sure I would have bought if I knew that I could trade in so easily.

I am something of a timeshare addict, and I love discussing timeshares! So, if you want more information on trading into the DVC, feel free to send me an email or PM.

 

[DEff]

Gotta agree with that. If II is anything like RCI, Orlando TSs have very little trading power because there are so many of them. If you want to trade into DVC, it seems that you shouldn't buy an Orlando TS. What you should buy I don't know. I'm going down this same path myself -- small contract at DVC or something elsewhere. It really depends on what you can get and how much $$ it costs, especially factoring in maintenance.

What resorts are considered prime traders in terms of II?

Thank you.

Donna

 

[Dean]

Gotta agree with that. If II is anything like RCI, Orlando TSs have very little trading power because there are so many of them. If you want to trade into DVC, it seems that you shouldn't buy an Orlando TS. What you should buy I don't know. I'm going down this same path myself -- small contract at DVC or something elsewhere. It really depends on what you can get and how much $$ it costs, especially factoring in maintenance.

What resorts are considered prime traders in terms of II?

Thank you.

Donna

DVC actually blocks other Orlando timeshare from trading in, much like the RCI 1 in 4 rule. So it's not unlikely, it's impossible. That is unless you own a system where you can reserve elsewhere and then deposit, like Bluegreen.

As for top traders, that's a can of worms with II just like it is with RCI. One thing is that II puts a far greater emphasis on resort quality than RCI does. And unlike RCI, II won't let you search for a unit that holds more than the PRIVATE sleeping capacity of your unit. And II will automatically confirm all searches that meet your criteria, unlike RCI, and does not give you the chance to say yes or no (trading DVC is an exception). Although they will sometimes reverse it for free if you let them know within 24 hours of the match, not 24 hrs after you get the confirmation in the mail. I'd say buy a week that fits your needs to use and that you can trade part of the time. Marriott's and some of the other points systems may be the best for most that want to try different resorts. I'd suggest you spend 6 months with TUG getting acquainted and doing research to find what's best for you.