Our Exchange Came Through!

[teo403]

I just found out that we are going to Cancun next April. MS just called and said that we have a 2BR unit at the Royal Mayan! I requested the exchange about a month ago and didn't expect to hear from them until the late fall, at the earliest! I can't wait to tell the kids when they get home from school!

 

[SleepyatDVC]

Congratulations!!!


Happy vacation planning!!!

 

[dianeschlicht]

CONGRATULATIONS! Be sure to come back and do a trip report when you return!

 

[spiceycat]

Great news!!!

I bit your entire family is thrilled!!!

now you have to start the search for good prices on airline tickets....

 

[momsully]

How many points were required for the exchange?

 

[happyrebster]

Congrats! Glad to hear that it was so quick and easy! Have a great time!

 

[disney4me4ever]

Good for you! We just completed an exchange for Marriott Desert Springs Villas (II) in Palm Desert CA for next year. I have about given up on getting a Caribbean exchange and thought CA would be fun. We'll be about 2 hrs from Disneyland. Can't wait for that! Have a great time in Cancun, and according to Dean, the Royals should be a good exchange.

Nancy

 

[Dean]

What unit number, do you know or can you find out?

 

[Synonymous]

We just got the exact same exchange, also waited about a month. It cost 160 pts (1 bedroom rate), even though it's a 2BR unit. MS didn't mention what unit, but we will get a confirmation directly from II, and maybe that will list it.

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by Synonymous
We just got the exact same exchange, also waited about a month. It cost 160 pts (1 bedroom rate), even though it's a 2BR unit. MS didn't mention what unit, but we will get a confirmation directly from II, and maybe that will list it.

You'd likely have to ask them to find out.

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by Synonymous
We just got the exact same exchange, also waited about a month. It cost 160 pts (1 bedroom rate), even though it's a 2BR unit. MS didn't mention what unit, but we will get a confirmation directly from II, and maybe that will list it.

Were you searching for a 1 BR? You always pay the rate what you're searching for on an ongoing request. If you take an instance match, you pay the rate for what you acccept.

 

[Synonymous]

Yeah, we had asked for a 1BR. So, if I had asked for a studio, would I have gotten it for studio points?

 

[teo403]

I don't know the unit number yet. I will check with MS on that. Thanks.

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by Synonymous
Yeah, we had asked for a 1BR. So, if I had asked for a studio, would I have gotten it for studio points?

Yep, but you may have gotten a studio. The points are not that much less for a studio than a 1 BR under the circumstances. This is just another reason to find out the specifics about any resort you are requesting. In some cases you might be better off asking for a smaller unit, just be sure not to ask for anything you are not going to be happy with. If a resort has a lot of 2 BR units and not many 1 BR, that's a perfect situation to ask for a 1 BR and hope to get a 2 BR. Remember that most studios exchange for 2 people, 1 BR for 4 and 2 BR for 6. If you know need 8 and they only have sleep 6 units, that may be a problem. Even though the above is the usual exchange numbers, and all you can ask for when searching, many times they will actually sleep more. II also makes a distinction between kitchen and no kitchen. They will not however draw a line between kitchen and partial kitchen. As a rule, DVC will not let you search for less than a resort can offer. So if a resort only has sleep 6, 2 BR units and nothing smaller, they will not let you search for a 1 BR unit for less points, even if you really only need a 1 BR. OTOH, they will frequently offer you a larger unit on an ongoing search and, as noted above, you only pay the points for what you search for.

II has changed they way they let people search such that they essentially only let you search for a unit matching the private occupancy of the unit being given up. For a studio at DVC, that likely means 2 people even though they will sleep 4. Always list the number of people that fits the Max for the smallest size unit you are willing to accept. So if you are looking for a studio and DVC allows you to search for 2 or 4, always put 4. You can't have a mixed request. That means you can't ask for a 1 BR at one resort and a 2 BR at another on an on going request. You can ask MS to look in the II computer for different size units. Also remember there's no reason you can't have multiple requests at the same time. Say a 1 BR at resorts A, B and C plus a separate request for a 2 BR at X, Y & Z.

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by teo403
I don't know the unit number yet. I will check with MS on that. Thanks.

For some fixed unit resorts II will tell you the unit, for others, II doesn't tell you. With the Royals, they usually tell you the unit though the resort has the right to change it. The Royals usually give you the unit deposited and matched so if you can find out the unit, we can figure out how good the view is likely to be.

 

[Synonymous]

That's interestng, Dean. We really only needed the 1BR, so we asked for that. But, hey, extra space can't hurt, right?

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by Synonymous
That's interestng, Dean. We really only needed the 1BR, so we asked for that. But, hey, extra space can't hurt, right?

Absolutely. This is only one of the reasons I tell people to investigate their resort choices. A good example is La Cabana in Aruba. The studios and 1 BR units are the exact same square footage and the studio actually has a slightly better kitchen but the 1 BR has a better sleeping arrangement. There are twice as many 1 BR units as studios. So if you ask for a studio and get a 1 BR, no big deal either way. Also, if you ask for a Friday to Sunday start and avoid the Thursday, you avoid the garden view units and assure yourself of a pool and/or ocean view though some are better than others. There are other similar examples of special situations where you can tilt the scales in your favor with a little trivial knowlege or more likely, avoid a potentially not happy situation.

 

[Synonymous]

I received my confirmation for this trade, and it includes a unit number (and the name of the person who made the trade). It also says, though, that it's not guaranteed that I'll get that unit. Should I expect to get it, not expect to get it, or is there just no telling?

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by Synonymous
I received my confirmation for this trade, and it includes a unit number (and the name of the person who made the trade). It also says, though, that it's not guaranteed that I'll get that unit. Should I expect to get it, not expect to get it, or is there just no telling?

The Royal resorts usually give you the unit deposited. What waas the unit number?

 

[Synonymous]

Thanks again, Dean. It's unit B504.