Trading DVC

[john23tc]

If you ever want to trade your week at DVC to say a week in Hawaii at a Marriott or something similar do you have to reserve a week at your home resort to trade or can you reserve a week at another DVC resort that cost less points for the trade? If you request a 2BR, do you deposit a 2BR or can you deposit something smaller and still get the bigger unit? I thought I heard that II will take a smaller unit in trade if the unit that you are trading in, is really in high demand, which DVC is. Thank you in advance, John

 

[Dean]

John, a lot of variables packed into your small paragraph. You need to forget what you know about II from any source other than DVC, it just doesn't work the same. By DVC-II rule, you can only search for the same size unit as you are giving up, they might offer you a larger unit but don't hold your breath for HI. That also means you can't search for a 1 BR unit at resorts that only have 2 BR units. II has a rule you cannot request a unit that holds more people than the unit you are giving up.

As for Marriott in HI, again, don't hold your breath. Marriott is held by II for now 24 days to be picked over by ANY Marriott member and now Horizons member before it would be elibible to go to any other (including DVC) II member. For HI, that means you might get a studio if you're lucky (no kitchen at all).

I'll try to sumarize how the DVC-II exchanges work for request first, you call and tell them what you want and when you want to go. They will do the search and if they find anything, they will call you and ask if you want it at the same time telling you exactly how many points it will cost. If it's available when you call, you can complete the transaction then, if not they enter an ongoing search. They might offer you a unit larger than you request, depends on the situation. They will usually give you a day or 2 to check on air fare and the like. I won't discuss deposit first.

That means that for a HI 2 BR request you can assume it will be around 263-296 points (OKW for dream or magic). The exceptions would be for about 3 weeks in Oct (which is adventure) and if you were searching for a smaller unit and they offer you a larger one. Remember that a lot of the units in HI are smaller or lockout units so your chances of getting a 2 BR is much lower than something smaller.

You cannot actually reserve a DVC week then deposit it with II or use it for an exchange. DVC must actually find the week at the time of exchange. Usually that works out ok but lets assume you had a week with points that were expiring and the time was booked up at DVC. You then decided to do an exchange. They would then cancel your reservation but the time would then go to those waiting on the waiting list first.

Remember that there are other options to include independent exchange companies as well as direct member exchanges.

Dean

 

[john23tc]

Thank you for the reply. I am still a little confused. I thought if I was trading a week at Disney for a week somewhere else I could use the points from adventure season for the week that I was requesting(less points). I read on another board that the only weeks that ever come available at Disney are in Jan and Sept., which would make me think that DVC owners are depositing the weeks that cost the least amount of points. Thanks again, John