Owners of traditional timeshares - I need some advice

[littlestar]

I know there is a lot of knowledge on these boards so I'm asking for some advice for my sister. She just bought my parents' timeshare for Sands of Kahana on Maui. She's a little disappointed with her first attempt at using her timeshare. She's been trying to get her week at Sands of Kahana for either March or April of 2004 and has had no luck. She started trying for this in November. I told her that I hear from you guys on the boards that you plan pretty far out to get what you want when it comes to Hawaii. This is an every other year week timeshare.

I know a lot about how our DVC works, but I don't know what to tell her or how to encourage her on how to use a traditional timeshare.

Thank you for any help for her.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Not sure how the Sands of Kahana does their ressies, but I would assume that you would need to do it much more than 3-4 months out to get those dates. That is a very popular time to go to Hawaii, so I would assume you would need to book at your earliest booking window. I don't know if that is a year out or not, but that does seem to be the norm.

 

[RobDoc]

A "traditional" timeshare usually means that they would own a specific week to use each year. (Week 10, Week 37, Week 47)

If they still need to call to make a reservation, it sounds like they may either own a "floating" week or are actually using points- like DVC.

Some timeshares also allow cash rental of available time.

If it's a fixed week, they shouldn't have to reserve anything at all. If it's a floating week, there is usually a timeframe when they can call for each specific week they want to try.

Sounds like they may need a lesson in how their resort handles the time they own.

Good luck!

 

[spiceycat]

It depends upon the resort - I like floating weeks (they are cheaper and easier fit my schedule) - so most of my weeks are floaters -

with one I have to do it at midnight the Wednesday plus a year before the week I want. -

with another one they assign the weeks to trade

you know the way that DVC works.

she could always just get any week and then try to trade back to the week she wants using II or RCI - just depends upon how badly she wants it. this also costs more.

some resorts are very strange if you don't made it on the day that they set asize to do it - they will tell you impossible - no matter how many rooms go empty.

 

[littlestar]

Thanks for all the replies.

I found out more info. Mom said it's a "floating" week and if you use it at Sands of Kahana on Maui she says it has to be used on even years. So I guess that means 2004, 2006, etc. if I understand this correctly?

I wondered if my sister could book a week somewhere else for some other time in 2004 and then trade directly with somebody that already has Sands of Kahana booked for the week she's looking for? Is that possible? Or spiceycat, do you mean trade back through Interval for what she wants? Or, as it gets closer to March and April, do more weeks come up available if people cancel, etc.? This is all new for me and her.

I probably sound pretty dumb on all of this, sorry.

 

[RobDoc]

The "floating" week must be converted to an actual (fixed) week, by calling at a prescribed time for each week. It appears that the prescribed time has already past for the week she wants- and isn't likely to become available under any circumstance.

It also appears that they actually own a week (floating) every other year and cannot use it on odd numbered years (someone else has the same arrangement using the odd numbered years).

I'd call the resort or association and see if someone can fully explain the way their system works- most floating systems are certainly different from our point based system.

We own one where all floating week owners participate in a lottery for the available weeks. The resort provides a list each year of the available weeks and the number of requests for each week in the last few years. You can list your first 6 choices- if you aren't successful getting one of those- or if you don't submit a lottery request, a week will be assigned to you. There are the same number of floating owners as available weeks, but if everyone wants Easter week- several will be disappointed if there are 125 requests for the 17 available villas.

We own another where we must call 1 year and a week in advance for the following year to reserve the week. Once it's been reserved we convert it into points to use like DVC points, at their collective group of participating resorts. We try to get Thanksgiving or Christmas week each year- since those convert into more points than the 2nd week in January.

Each one is a little different and your family will have to become familiar with the little nuances of the system they own.

Good Luck!

 

[littlestar]

Thanks Doc.

 

[Dean]

Your sister needs to learn the rules for Sands of Kahana and use it to the max. I'd not expect to get anything for the busiest time of the year at 3-4 months out. I'd reserve the best week they can get later in the year and try to exchange back in through II to SOK or any other resort or do a direct exchange with another owner. She could also keep trying back to see if there's a cancellation for what she wants. She might also talk to other exchange companies like Trading places, Platinum Interchange and San Francisco exchange.

 

[littlestar]

Thanks Dean.

You guys are the greatest!

 

[Lisa P.]

Sands of Kahana trades through both II & RCI. I don't know which gets more trade inventory but the resort could tell her, so she could choose the best exchange company for a trade back in.

This resort is part of a larger group of Hawaii resorts, so it may be that your sister needs to reserve quite early for her preference. At most floating time resorts, it's not uncommon to be able to book your preferred week a full year or more ahead of travel. So at this point, it's probably a reasonable idea for her to try to reserve a great trade week (Christmas week, 2004?) and try to trade back in for her desired week.

The exchange companies do tend to give home resort priority, meaning her request would move to the front of the line, IF her desired week is subsequently deposited. She could also include other acceptable resorts in her exchange request, to maximize her chances for a successful trade (that's why a popular, strong trade week would help). Fortunately, a lot of people seem to think to deposit their week right after they pay their annual maint fees. Since many resorts bill their owners in December or January, more weeks are deposited in the first 2 months of the year than any other times - improving her chances of an exchange confirmation somewhat.

She'll also need to find out when she'll be able to request her 2006 vacation week. Then she can put a note on her calendar to call for her reservation request efficiently, next time. HTH!

 

[littlestar]

Thank you Lisa! I'm passing this thread on to my sister.