Trading for Hawaii (long)

[jd99]

We are in the final stages of buying a small contract at BCV (150 points) and we know we made the right decision because we go to Disney once a year -- have been going for 4-5 nights, but as our kids get older (our oldest is going on 6) we know that those trips will stretch to a week or a little more. So we know that we will always have a yearly use for our points. My question is regarding trading to II. Everyone on these boards says that it is a bad use of points to trade out, but when I look at the book for the number of points needed to trade to places like the Marriott in Maui (where we have stayed before) and Aruba (also stayed there one time), it is about the same cost as a one bedroom at DVC. We looked at buying the Marriott Maui - and found it was much more expensive than what we just paid for our DVC contract. If we can trade a year of our DVC points plus a few (164 points I believe) for a week at the Maui Marriott, why then is it perceived to be more expensive to do so, when a one bedroom at BCV is 200 points? Even if I'm not remembering correctly and that 164 is for a studio, it is during high season which compares favorably to the 134 or 181 points for BCV studio at the busiest times. What am I missing?

 

[dianeschlicht]

I think the cost of dues is the issue. I think Hawaii is one of the places that is feasible for trading with DVC, because it too is a prime location that is hard to trade into (just like DVC). The problem with a small contract like yours is that it takes at least 160 points for a weeks trade into a 1 bedroom at Hawaii. If you only have 150 each year, you would have to guarantee more than one year of points before searching.

 

[joepoe]

Originally posted by jd99
We are in the final stages of buying a small contract at BCV (150 points) ... We looked at buying the Marriott Maui - and found it was much more expensive than what we just paid for our DVC contract. If we can trade a year of our DVC points plus a few (164 points I believe) for a week at the Maui Marriott, why then is it perceived to be more expensive to do so, when a one bedroom at BCV is 200 points? Even if I'm not remembering correctly and that 164 is for a studio, it is during high season which compares favorably to the 134 or 181 points for BCV studio at the busiest times. What am I missing?

From everyhting I have heard, getting into the Maui Marriott is difficult even for Marriott Vacation Club owners, who get first dibs. Couldn't hurt to try. It thought it took 270 points to trade through Disney, but that might be for a 2 br. Secondly, there was a Maui week on the rent/trade board where someone wanted to trade directly. You could check that out. It was less points than going through DVC.

 

[jd99]

but i'm not looking to do anything right now...as I mentioned we are using our points for disney these days...but was just curious about the concept and the perception of much higher cost for these types of trades. If availability is the issue, then that is a different story.

 

[CarolMN]

Trades via World Passport Collection/II can be a good value - better than any of the other non-DVC options, IMHO.

The "fly in the ointment" is actually getting an exchange for the time you want to go. Not as easy as some of the DVC guides make it sound. The good/popular selections always go quickly and there are not as many available as there are for the "not so special"places.

Best wishes -

 

[Dean]

Certain trades can be a good deal. The trick is trading for in demand properties for high demand seasons. The Maui Marriott certainly fits that bill but getting it is extremely difficult. And if you're thinking of using FF miles, forget exchanging DVC to HI. You should look at your options and decide what's worth it to you. Just make sure you investigate the exchange options prior to accepting any exchange.

 

[rocketriter]

Of course trading to Hawaii is doable, and of course it's possible to trade in a financially reasonable and responsible way. There are ways to more perfectly maximize your money, but they involve either acting as a points rental agent or owning several timeshares and trading back and forth. Are you willing to do that? We're not.

To make trading to Hawaii a success you need to be flexible either in the dates you'll travel or the resorts you'll travel to (preferably both). Start at least a year ahead, research your options (the TUG board is a good place to start--www.tug2.net--with an inexpensive membership), give MS several choices, and you'll do fine.

Dean is right, however, about the difficulty in using FF miles for your trip. You need to plan ahead exactly the right number of months to get those few FF seats that the airlines really make available, and you might not have connected for your resort trade by then.

 

[jekjones1558]

We decided that renting from a private party was the easiest and most cost-effective choice for us. We researched and chose the exact islands, locations and dates we wanted. We could rent our DVC points to get the cash for our Hawaii stay but decided against it. We think that we got good deals on the properties we selected.

 

[Bama Penguin]

I managed to obtain an II exchange for the Marriot Ko-Olina on Ohau for mid September 2004. It was a studio instead of a requested 1 BR. Cost 123 points. Wasn't exactly when or size I wanted, but it is considerably less than the # of points it would take to stay at either of the two Disney Concierge Collection locations (40-50 pts per night).

 

[JudyS]

Originally posted by jd99
... We looked at buying the Marriott Maui - and found it was much more expensive than what we just paid for our DVC contract. .... What am I missing?

I'm no expert on the Marriott system, but I suspect it really *isn't* more expensive to own there than at the DVC. In fact, I suspect in the long run it is much cheaper to own in the Marriott system than in the DVC, because the annual fees (or dues as Disney calls them) are lower with Marriott.

Also, Marriott resales are often available fairly cheaply. The Marriott Maui might be too new to have many resales, but there are other, cheaper Marriotts that give Marriott trade priority within II.

As several people have mentioned here, even owning DVC, you can't be sure of trading into the Marriott Maui. Trades from other Marriott resorts get first dibs.

 

[JimC]

I must be lucky if using FF miles for Hawaii is difficult. I have done it twice with no problems (once over the summer months and this time for September). We did Hilton points for Waikiki, Marriott points for Maui Ocean Club and FF miles for the airfare. Booked all three simultaneously, two on the internet and one over the phone.

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by JudyS
I'm no expert on the Marriott system, but I suspect it really *isn't* more expensive to own there than at the DVC. In fact, I suspect in the long run it is much cheaper to own in the Marriott system than in the DVC, because the annual fees (or dues as Disney calls them) are lower with Marriott.

Also, Marriott resales are often available fairly cheaply. The Marriott Maui might be too new to have many resales, but there are other, cheaper Marriotts that give Marriott trade priority within II.

As several people have mentioned here, even owning DVC, you can't be sure of trading into the Marriott Maui. Trades from other Marriott resorts get first dibs.

It depends on how you compare. If you look at enough points for DVC for a 2 BR or larger for a full week, DVC will be more at al turns. OTOH, DVC is far more flexible than Marriott. And owners at the HI Marriott's have thes same problem DVC owners do, that most trades are a signficant trade down.

If one wants to go to HI most years, buy there. If not, it's no more reasonable to own than DVC for exchanging. How about the 3 BR at Kauai Beach for about $100,000, I wonder what the dues are.

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by JimC
I must be lucky if using FF miles for Hawaii is difficult. I have done it twice with no problems (once over the summer months and this time for September). We did Hilton points for Waikiki, Marriott points for Maui Ocean Club and FF miles for the airfare. Booked all three simultaneously, two on the internet and one over the phone.

FF miles for HI is possible if you do it at 330 days out (or whatever your airline start date is) but not otherwise. I've done it also for four people directly into Maui. But if one is counting on using FF miles, you can't wait beyond the 330 days. IMO, for most people, the air fare is far more of an issue than the housing. Thus one looking to use FF miles should get them booked as soon as possible then book a cancellable housing options while searching for the time they need.

 

[JimC]

Thanks Dean. We do book those holidays at eleven months out. It also helps to have preferred status and to book FC on getting the air FF reservations.

 

[stlrod]

Originally posted by Dean
FF miles for HI is possible if you do it at 330 days out (or whatever your airline start date is) but not otherwise. I've done it also for four people directly into Maui. But if one is counting on using FF miles, you can't wait beyond the 330 days. IMO, for most people, the air fare is far more of an issue than the housing. Thus one looking to use FF miles should get them booked as soon as possible then book a cancellable housing options while searching for the time they need.

Not necessarily Dean. American generally has some good availabilty at about 3 months and again 1 month out. I just booked 4 friends on FF miles from Saint Louis for 7/31-8/6 (through San Jose.)

As for the original post, I suggest renting your points and using the cash for a place to stay. In my opinion, there are much better places to stay than the Marriott (and I am a Marriott owner.)

 

[Cora]

Personally, we bought our points to vacation. I know that using DVC points may not be the best use when you trade, however, as I said we bought to vacation. We've stayed at the Plaza in NY. We are leaving in 4 hours for the Marriott Ford's Colony in Williamsburg. Could we pay cash and have it cost less? Yes. But for us, knowing that at least one (generally two or three) vacations per year are paid for is wonderful for us.

My .02.
Cora

 

[jd99]

Even though we got a bit off topic here, my general question was answered. And Cora sums it up best in this last post coz I also bought my points as a prepaid vacation. We generally vacation 3 times a year. Last year, we went to the Caymans for a week in May, to Maui for a week in August and Disney for a week in November. I have enough points for my yearly Disney trip and if one year I decide to forgo Disney (or pay cash to stay at say, the Poly for a week) and want to use my points for a HI timeshare or one in the Caribbean, I am not going to be looking at it as a "bad trade" because it's all just about getting one of my vacations paid for every year. As to all the FF posts, I'm a frequent traveler with highest status on one airline and close to it on 2 others, but i still never count on being able to book those seats because the airlines have made it more difficult every year to do so. I will say, however, that I have been able to book my whole family (at the time wife and one one daughter since second just arrived a few months ago) to Hawaii twice and the Caymans once on FF seats, generally planning 3-4 months out. So it's never a guarantee but it's always worth a try.

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by stlrod
Not necessarily Dean. American generally has some good availabilty at about 3 months and again 1 month out. I just booked 4 friends on FF miles from Saint Louis for 7/31-8/6 (through San Jose.)

As for the original post, I suggest renting your points and using the cash for a place to stay. In my opinion, there are much better places to stay than the Marriott (and I am a Marriott owner.)

Delta and AA have not had much in the past at less than the opening window. Still, if one is trying to plan a vacation, you can't take much chances of not being able to get what you want.