Update on World Passport Collection reservations!

[Goldilocks07]

Hi All,

I spoke with my guide yesterday, who just found this out:

Starting in Spring '08, to vacation in the World Passport Collection you no longer are required to book for a week! You can book for 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 night vacations. In addition, we will be able to book/reserve from OUR OWN COMPUTERS in REAL TIME. This means that we will see live availability at the time we book. And, of course, the points will be less as well!

I must say that overall I haven't been real happy about the whole DVC thing, everytime I go to book something or look into a property, I run into another 'wall' and just get discouraged. I called my guide yesterday to complain, and most likely try and pull out, but after finding out this bit of juicy gossip, I am sticking with it.

 

[50 years Too!]

Sounds like a really desirable change. I hope that availability isn't sketchy.

Deb

 

[dianeschlicht]

WOW! I LOVE the idea of being able to book real time from home!

 

[Dean]

Certainly any details are sketchy about this system change. II is not currently set up to do stays other than a full week.

 

[Goldilocks07]

I know, the system isn't set up for it as of now. My guide said that they are working on the NEW system/program.

I will be SUPER excited to begin booking, knowing that I don't have to do that weird waitlist thing. Plus, it will take less points to book a 5 night vacation rather than a 7 night, and that is HUGE! More vacations per year for us!!!

 

[Dean]

I know, the system isn't set up for it as of now. My guide said that they are working on the NEW system/program.

I will be SUPER excited to begin booking, knowing that I don't have to do that weird waitlist thing. Plus, it will take less points to book a 5 night vacation rather than a 7 night, and that is HUGE! More vacations per year for us!!!

I think you're making way too many assumptions at this point. Don't be surprised if 5 nights under a new system is more than 7 nights is now and that a lot of the current possibilities are lost. Also, II can only give you what they have so I doubt the wait list will be a thing of the past. The reality is that II currently can't do what you seem to think is coming. BVTC can to a degree and II has been rumored to be headed towards a points system themselves but it would take time to implement plus you'd need willing resort partners as you can't simply take a week of timeshare and convert it to points without the cooperation of the depositing member and/or the destination resort. Many resorts also are not set up to handle those type and timing of check ins and additional housekeeping required.

Options I can think of that might accomplish this in 2008 are fairly few. They include an expansion of BVTC with other points or similar systems (Marriott, Starwood, Hilton, Hyatt, Wyndham, Bluegreen) possibly with the loss of II or a change to RCI points and away from II. On a longer term scale you could add II developing and implementing a points system. Conversion of RCI to points and some of the resort systems that have converted from fixed weeks to points suggests that any such change would have very limited resort options early on. Remember that BVTC is one prong of the WP system.

Bluegreen has just set up a system with Shell similar to the BVTC options that DVC has. Interesting that Shell was part of the BVTC year ago. Also realize that any system that gives DVC members access to other systems will do the same in reverse, possibly with a significant reduction of availability likely inside the 6 month window.

 

[Remoh76]

I just checked dvcmember.com under the news section and it does confirm that we will be able to book directly through II and shorter stays will be an option. It will be interesting to see how this works.

 

[Doctor P]

Hi All,

I spoke with my guide yesterday, who just found this out:

Starting in Spring '08, to vacation in the World Passport Collection you no longer are required to book for a week! You can book for 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 night vacations. In addition, we will be able to book/reserve from OUR OWN COMPUTERS in REAL TIME. This means that we will see live availability at the time we book. And, of course, the points will be less as well!

I must say that overall I haven't been real happy about the whole DVC thing, everytime I go to book something or look into a property, I run into another 'wall' and just get discouraged. I called my guide yesterday to complain, and most likely try and pull out, but after finding out this bit of juicy gossip, I am sticking with it.

According to the information released by DVC, there will be 3 and 4 night stays now available. Not sure whether you were just filling in what you thought was going to happen. My guess is that II is allowing the one week stays to be divided into one three night stay and one four night stay with fixed parameters as to check in and check out.

 

[Dean]

According to the information released by DVC, there will be 3 and 4 night stays now available. Not sure whether you were just filling in what you thought was going to happen. My guess is that II is allowing the one week stays to be divided into one three night stay and one four night stay with fixed parameters as to check in and check out.

It doesn't actually say the 3 & 4 night options will be with II but we shall see. I do know they've been working on enhancements with II which they thought would be out a year ago.

 

[Doctor P]

It doesn't actually say the 3 & 4 night options will be with II but we shall see. I do know they've been working on enhancements with II which they thought would be out a year ago.

I was going to agree with you until I went back and read the information again.

"World Passport Collection: Due to the increased popularity of Interval International® exchanges, 3- and 4-night exchange options will join the currently available 7-night offerings in 2008. Interval International continues to offer some of the most affordable options for Members who would like to explore vacation experiences around the world. As an added convenience, Members will be able to make direct Interval International exchanges online beginning in spring 2008." That certainly sounds like the shorter exchanges will be with II.

 

[PamOKW]

Now that is great news. I think I'll be able to make greater use of this option if I don't have to commit for a week. Although, as Dean mentions, I foresee that it may not be that easy to book. (It almost sounds as if they'll split a 7 night stay between two DVC members looking for the same resort). I wonder if II is going to offer their members this option as well?

 

[Dean]

I was going to agree with you until I went back and read the information again.

"World Passport Collection: Due to the increased popularity of Interval International® exchanges, 3- and 4-night exchange options will join the currently available 7-night offerings in 2008. Interval International continues to offer some of the most affordable options for Members who would like to explore vacation experiences around the world. As an added convenience, Members will be able to make direct Interval International exchanges online beginning in spring 2008." That certainly sounds like the shorter exchanges will be with II.

It certainly infers it but doesn't say that it will be with II. Since II hasn't done anything like this in the past if it's with II, it's likely to be limited initially. It will be interesting to see.

 

[Doctor P]

It certainly infers it but doesn't say that it will be with II. Since II hasn't done anything like this in the past if it's with II, it's likely to be limited initially. It will be interesting to see.

I agree with you completely.

 

[kapeman]

Does anyone know when the new points charts for World Passport will be up on the website?

We have 79 points we plan on using for a 3 or 4 night stay at a Club Intrawest resort this Spring.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Also realize that any system that gives DVC members access to other systems will do the same in reverse, possibly with a significant reduction of availability likely inside the 6 month window.

Dean, that is exactly my fear! I know that will mean less flexibility in our OWN system. Might be a "rob Peter to pay Paul" situation.

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

Does anyone know when the new points charts for World Passport will be up on the website?

We have 79 points we plan on using for a 3 or 4 night stay at a Club Intrawest resort this Spring.

If you are going to Destin, please post a trippie for the rest of us.

 

[Dean]

Dean, that is exactly my fear! I know that will mean less flexibility in our OWN system. Might be a "rob Peter to pay Paul" situation.

Obviously this could easily be a case of careful what you wish for. Besides access to unused inventory inside likely 6 months, the other issue, as I hinted earlier, was that the cost might be more in terms of points. Just look at the DC, CC or DCL as a reference. Even BVTC currently is more points overall but not as bad as some of the others. To a degree CI and Club Cordial already have direct access but it is controlled and limited so as not to get too far out of balance. I'd assume that would be the case with any changes as well. The devil is in the details and the program has to change a lot in favor of the DVC member to make exchanging a truly viable option. The easy changes would be reduced points within the 60 day window, access to getaways, bonus weeks and the ability to trade up on ongoing searches. All of these would be easily doable and within the way II functions for everyone else including other points systems.

 

[kapeman]

If you are going to Destin, please post a trippie for the rest of us.

We were just the in October.

Fall is one of the best times to go to the Gulf!

It was still warm enough to swim in the pool and at the beach.

I also love SanDestin!

 

[goldilocks_63]

I saw this post and thought, hey, I didn't post that.....

Close names...

At any rate, Welcome to the boards,

Goldi