Trading into Interval International

[dclasen]

I have requested a trade through DVC customer service into Maui for March 2009 using my DVC points. We are trying to trade into a two week vacation. I requested this trade two months ago. The folks at customer service are unable to give me a feel for the odds of me getting this trade.

Anyone out there ever had results in trading into Westin Ka'anapali or Ka'anapali Beach Club (old Embassy Suite) resort?
I am making my request way in advance (8 months) am I just being impatient?
Any idea how far in advance these trades start to take place?



Don

 

[PEANUT1]

I was told most matches aren't found until 6-12 months before your trip....you just have to be patient and hope. Good luck.

We are hoping fo the same thing for Oct 09

 

[ACDSNY]

Our exchange for Kauai matched at 6 months out for a 2 bedroom unit at the Marriott Waiohai. We had our request in a year before it matched. Good Luck.

 

[Dean]

The actual chance of getting the exchange depends on several factors. First, you're very late and many of the potential deposits for those resorts have come and gone. Both rarely have 2 BR units for exchange and for the Westin, there is a priority of 3 days for other starwood members before you could get any given unit. March is also a high demand time for HI. For a 1 BR or studio you'd still have small chance, I'd say less than 5%. For a 2 BR, I'd say NO chance unless you can accept an exchange within 2 months out or less. It doesn't hurt other than the risk of not being able to get good air.

The other issue is how you requested for 2 weeks. If you requested as all or nothing, which many don't know you can do, then you have zero chance of success, IMO. You should at least add the Marriott to your list as it will give you a slightly higher chance of success. You should look for a private trade with a member at one of the resorts there.

The best chance of success for this type of exchange would be to request each week individually, ask for no more than a 1 BR and do so 2 years out and no later than 13 months out. While KBC weeks could be deposited 2 years out and Marriott's as early as about 14 months, you still want to be first in line requesting when the units start coming in. You still might not get it but you'll be ahead of a number of other requesters with similar trade power as yourself.

 

[Starr W.]

I'm a Starwood owner, and last week just saw a nice bulk bank of 2brs at the Westin in Maui that ran from Aug-Dec.

Who knows with economy/airfare right now. I know one of the Tugger ol' hands say she's never seen this much HI inventory show up in II.

 

[patriotsfan]

We put a request for Maui in April 08 for Sept 09 and have not heard yet. It is the luck of the draw I guess. Good luck.

 

[Billybob7]

We put a request for Maui in April 08 for Sept 09 and have not heard yet. It is the luck of the draw I guess. Good luck.

We have a request in for october, 2009 at the Mariott in Oahu. 1BR. We made the request in 2/08.

So far, no luck either. I'm trying to be patient.

 

[Starr W.]

Marriott owners can not make their reservation until 12 months out.

 

[Buckeye Fan]

...Who knows with economy/airfare right now. I know one of the Tugger ol' hands say she's never seen this much HI inventory show up in II.

We live in OH, and we can always grab a Southwest flight from CMH to MCO for $200 per person out the door. The cheapest I can find right now for Christmas is around $350.

I can't imagine what the flights to Hawaii would cost now!!!

To the OP, good luck getting the reservation you want! Even when flights were cheaper, my BIL/SIL have always had good luck. I will say, though, she's the ultimate planner (probably submitted a request 24 months out) AND is very flexible. She probably gave them a late June - early Aug timeframe for a 2-BR. They actually stayed in one hotel in a 2-BR for a week and then island hopped (I'm pretty sure) and stayed in another resort for a few more days. Not sure if they paid cash for this themselves or did it through DVC.

 

[Dean]

Marriott owners can not make their reservation until 12 months out.

Actually that's not quite accurate. One can only make a single reservation 12 months out but for a multiple week owner can make concurrent or consecutive weeks 13 months out FROM THE FIRST WEEK. I made SOME HH reservations for 2008 a full 14 months and one week out and 2009 reservations for 3 weeks for HH for the week of 20 June on 5 May of this year. I then promptly deposited one of the weeks into II a full 13 months out. I've since added another lockoff week (HI) and that will give me the potential for reserving an additional 2 weeks earlier if I choose. In addition, fixed week owners can deposit Marriott's 18 months out though there are less of these weeks than there previously were. As it applies to exchanging, you want to be searching before the next person and before any week is deposited with II. While not a first come first served situation overall, it is for those with similar trade power and priority.

 

[BearsFan]

We have a similar situation in trying to book 2 consecutive weeks in July of 09 in either the Marriott Ko Olina, Marriott Kauai Beach Club, Marriott Ocean Club or Westin Kaanapali. We submitted our request in July 07 and I'm beginning to think we should have heard something by now. This is our first attempt at an exchange and I don't have a good handle on our chances for success.

Does anyone have experience at requesting exchanges 2 years out for any of these resorts? Are exchanges based totally on your request date?

 

[Dean]

We have a similar situation in trying to book 2 consecutive weeks in July of 09 in either the Marriott Ko Olina, Marriott Kauai Beach Club, Marriott Ocean Club or Westin Kaanapali. We submitted our request in July 07 and I'm beginning to think we should have heard something by now. This is our first attempt at an exchange and I don't have a good handle on our chances for success.

Does anyone have experience at requesting exchanges 2 years out for any of these resorts? Are exchanges based totally on your request date?

I've exchanged to all 4 of these resorts but not using DVC. I wouldn't give up yet, your chances of getting a 1 BR are pretty good if you can ride until 3-4 months out. The order of preference for a given week is based on several factors. Think of a long line for concert tickets but the order in line is based on other factors than simply when you joined the line. For exchanges it's based on trade power and internal trading priorities. Your order in line is simply highest to lowest trade power with those of similar trade power being in order of when they joined the line. For Marriott deposits are held for 24 days where ONLY other Marriott members have a crack at it, the same for Westin but only for 3 days. You should not request these as a unit (2 weeks or nothing) as that would be certain failure.

 

[Starr W.]

Actually that's not quite accurate. One can only make a single reservation 12 months out but for a multiple week owner can make concurrent or consecutive weeks 13 months out FROM THE FIRST WEEK. I made SOME HH reservations for 2008 a full 14 months and one week out and 2009 reservations for 3 weeks for HH for the week of 20 June on 5 May of this year. I then promptly deposited one of the weeks into II a full 13 months out. I've since added another lockoff week (HI) and that will give me the potential for reserving an additional 2 weeks earlier if I choose. In addition, fixed week owners can deposit Marriott's 18 months out though there are less of these weeks than there previously were. As it applies to exchanging, you want to be searching before the next person and before any week is deposited with II. While not a first come first served situation overall, it is for those with similar trade power and priority.

For this discussion I just assumed a Marriott owner who would book their one week in Maui 12 months out. I don't think we need to get into the multiple week owner subject matter. Just wanted to point out that even if you did put a request into II back in Jan08 for Sept09, it's still early. And some people don't deposit into II ASAP.

I think the whole key is to point out that waiting for a request can cause anxiety for some, especially if you are not a patient person.

 

[Dean]

For this discussion I just assumed a Marriott owner who would book their one week in Maui 12 months out. I don't think we need to get into the multiple week owner subject matter. Just wanted to point out that even if you did put a request into II back in Jan08 for Sept09, it's still early. And some people don't deposit into II ASAP.

I think the whole key is to point out that waiting for a request can cause anxiety for some, especially if you are not a patient person.

To me it's critical for others who see this thread to know that Marriott can be deposited 14 months or more in some cases. You want to be searching when the first unit is deposited.

 

[Starr W.]

To me it's critical for others who see this thread to know that Marriott can be deposited 14 months or more in some cases. You want to be searching when the first unit is deposited.

Well if you request at 18 months out you'll be in a good position in the line. But Dean, you know as well as I do, it takes a lot of patience to wait for a request. And I don't think that a lot of DVC'ers understand that and I think it's even harder with the fact a DVC memeber can't search II themselves(you know sometimes something better comes along). I know that feeling I used SFX this year(no looking online).

I know I jumped off my request for this summer in Feb and picked another week at a different location(about 70%schedule change and 30% worry factor) guess what if I would have waited until May, I would have gotten my request.

I just got my 09 exchange, placed in mid April08 for 3 areas for all of next summer(6/13-8/8). It came through last Thursday and I was surprised I got a check in of July 4th.

 

[happymommy]

I don't own DVC, but was wondering, what do you trade? Is it a point value? Since DVC uses points rather than a week, or a split week, it is a bit confusing. Do you turn a certain amount of points into II, or make a reservation (for a 1br, 2br, or studio) then deposit that week? Do they generally trade a 2br for a 2br (with Marriott for example).

 

[Dean]

Well if you request at 18 months out you'll be in a good position in the line. But Dean, you know as well as I do, it takes a lot of patience to wait for a request. And I don't think that a lot of DVC'ers understand that and I think it's even harder with the fact a DVC memeber can't search II themselves(you know sometimes something better comes along). I know that feeling I used SFX this year(no looking online).

No doubt, that's why those of us who understand what's involved need to spread the word where applicable. But it's also important to teach them the best ways to be successful as in this thread. I can't tell you how many threads I've posted on over the years where people started a difficult to match search at under a year and only then are asking about their chances. It hurts to tell them they've already cut their chances of success dramatically. As a group DVC members tend to have the DVC mentality for exchanges also and it simply doesn't work very well for them. Still, if you can't plan far enough ahead you may as well not look to exchange.

I don't own DVC, but was wondering, what do you trade? Is it a point value? Since DVC uses points rather than a week, or a split week, it is a bit confusing. Do you turn a certain amount of points into II, or make a reservation (for a 1br, 2br, or studio) then deposit that week? Do they generally trade a 2br for a 2br (with Marriott for example).

The DVC members trades points but ultimately DVC gives II full weeks from various resort, sizes and seasons. They do try to match up somewhat unit sizes and demand of the weeks in question. Basically DVC pools the points that members give up then use points from that pool to reserve full week reservations that they give to II.

 

[dclasen]

DVC uses points, we exchange 134 points for week studio or 160 for a 1 bedroom. We have never transfered out of Disney so we are novices this time.

 

[Dean]

DVC uses points, we exchange 134 points for week studio or 160 for a 1 bedroom. We have never transfered out of Disney so we are novices this time.

Members use points but DVC uses weeks to trade to II.