"sort of" Newbie with a question

Hi All!

We are currently at Ocean Watch on exchange from a non-Marriott unit and I must say this resort is absolutely beautiful!

We are thinking of picking up a Platinum week at Ford's Colony to get into the Marriott system because it's (much) cheaper than buying a platinum week at Myrtle Beach and a shorter drive from NJ. We need platinum because we are stuck with the school calendar.

If we deposit a summer week at Ford's Colony and put in a request 12 months out for Ocean Watch (with a date range from the end of June to mid August), what are our chances of getting our request? Would it just be better to buy a week here (NOT from Marriott directly but resale; could care less about the "perks" with Marriott Rewards)?

Any information would be greatly appreciated. We have learned a lot from TUG and we love coming here for knowledge and advice!

Gidkel said:

Hi All!

...

If we deposit a summer week at Ford's Colony and put in a request 12 months out for Ocean Watch (with a date range from the end of June to mid August), what are our chances of getting our request? ...

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Close to zero!

You may get something within 60 day window due to cancellations.

That's what I figured.....

From what I've read, the overwhelming majority of OW owners stay for their week(s) and do not trade out.

Now I just need to convince the hubby to buy a platinum resale week.

Any other suggestions for Marriotts in areas where there are lots of things for the kiddies to do, driving distance from NJ, and we won't have to give up our first born to get into the Marriott system?

Again, advice and suggestions are appreciated!

II allows you do to a "request first" which means you can keep a reservation at your home resort while searching for an exchange. You could put in a request for Ocean Watch and just go to Manor Club instead if the trade doesn't come through. Not sure if this works for you, but it is an option.

While summer weeks at Ocean Watch are hard to trade into, weeks are exchanged and if you make your request over 12 months in advance and deposit another strong Platinum week (and if you bought at Manor Club make sure to reserve one of the highest demand weeks like July 4th week) and request any week over the summer you have a decent chance. However, if your goal is to go there every year then you should look to buy a resale week there, since that would guarantee you being able to get where you want to go.

sjuhawk_jd said:

Close to zero!

You may get something within 60 day window due to cancellations.

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I would not say close to aero. I have been able to get almost all the trades I have tried for with my Manor Club. I always plan close to 12 months out. The one trade I did not get was I wanted Presidents Week (mid Feb) at Ocean Pointe. Other than that I have been happy. I have gone to Grande Ocean 2 times so far, in high season.

That said if you want to go to Ocean Watch every year buy that! Now it is a buyers market! Plus you would save about $160 / year on II fees and avoid the hassle and uncertainty.

Ray

In my experience, there are very few internal preference Marriott exchanges when the request is made far enough in advance and it's plat. to plat. season that is close to zero. Exchanges that some held the opinion of would be very difficult have been confirmed within a week including getting a two bedroom Hawaii week.

Maybe the best way to make the exchange using a Manor Club week would be to reserve a week you could use, then put in a request first for Ocean Watch. If you're driving it's not really going to make a lot of difference and you can sit on the request until it's time to travel.

That being said, I'm a firm believer in owning where you want to go rather than buying something else with plans to exchange into the resort you really want. First, you're a lot less likely to be dissapointed. Second, if you can't get the exchanges you want you'll still be happy with your home resort. Finally, as an owner at the resort you really want, you'll have owner preference when it comes time for unit placement (you'll have preference over exchangers for the best locations).

If Ocean Watch is what you really want, it might cost more but, you'll be happier in the long run. If it doesn't matter I'd never say it's impossible to exchange in. So long as you reserve and make your requests far enough in advance you should do fine IMHO.

Stefa said:

II allows you do to a "request first" which means you can keep a reservation at your home resort while searching for an exchange.

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Will your week loose its power as time goes by when you request first the same way of an undeposited week? Just wondering...

ldanna said:

Will your week loose its power as time goes by when you request first the same way of an undeposited week? Just wondering...

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I have been told tha your trade power is based on when you first made your request and will not drop-off over time. The thing I never understood/liked about request first is why you can not search beyond your weeks check-in date. I can understand why your search would terminate with 60 days of your check-in date, but until then why not let you search out farther?

Ray

I wonder why people say CLOSE to zero seems so drastic (no offense but I think close zero really misleads people). Anyways... we've own Marriott for almost 7 years. We take 4 timeshare vacations a year. I'd say on average we trade from 1 to 2 times a year. I think, I have 10-12 trades under my belt. I know it isn't a HUGE number as some people. Anyways.. I've gotten all of my trades including those to Hawaii. I travel school holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas & Summers. I don' think things are impossible if you plan well in advance. I never do request first because I'm afraid of missing the 12 month mark. With Request first your trade cannot be more than 12 months out. So, that means you'd have to call Marriott one morning to reserve your week at your home resort and then, immediately deposit the week in Interval. In my experience, I find if my week is sitting there ready to be exchanged I usually get the exchange 12 months out to the week. So, I like to put my request in as soon as possible like 14 to 15 months out. I think, it increases your odds. But in order to do that you cannot do the Request First. We've traded to those impossible places like Newport Beach (twice) & Ko'Olina (twice). I always try and remember who is telling me that it is impossible to trade. Many times it is a sales person trying to get you to buy a week.

I echo what has been said before ... buy where you would be happy going 3 out of 4 years. If it's the beach ... don't buy Manor Club. If it's free golf - buy Manor Club.

Suggest you take the time to 'think'. I usually hate the stress of trading, and it's so much easier to book the week you want 12 weeks ahead if you own there .. and if you own two weeks you could use in a row, it's even easier (13 months ahead). If the school dictates when you must go, don't count on trading unless you use request first so that if it doesn't come through you've still got a holiday at the time you need it.

Brian

FWIW, I have a Manor Club MMC Platinum resale week and had no problem exchanging for a MOW summer week. I deposited my MMC week in summer of 2007 in exchange for a July 11 2008 week at MOW. I had one of the buildings in the back on the upper floor with a great view of the Ocean. I deposited my 2008 MMC in early summer 2008 and got a spring 2009 easter week at Cypress Harbor. I deposited my 2009 MMC memorial day week for an Easter 2010 week at Ocean Point. That exchange hasn't come through yet :{ Bottom line, when exchanging, I think you need to deposit you platinum week during the week with the greatest demand at least 12 mos out to get the place you want. I'm in the process of buying a MFV platinum resale for 5k and plan to do the same thing. I live in Jersey so I can always split the week up into two vacations (3 night and 4 night) if I feel like seeing a show or losing $ in AC on two separate mini vacations.

Good luck!

Once again, thank you for all of the great responses! We are going to do some more research on the Marriott properties since this would be our second timeshare purchase (but our first Marriott). Time is on our side as it is a buyer's market. The "rewards points" (I don't mean any disrespect to those who like the points system) don't matter to us so we will definitely will buy resale, as we did with our first timeshare. The sales presentation was interesting (especially when the salesperson brought up the rewards points and I told him about all the "rumors" re: the new program/resales....he said he's never heard of the rumors). It felt great knowing all along there was no way we'd pay the developer price! We said, "No, thank you", took our $100 gift card and walked away.

Current prices for platinum season:
GV: 27,100
OV: 29,900
Platinum Plus OV: 30,900

Incentives were 200,000 Rewards points or 20% off purchase price...for anyone who is interested.

If you go to Dioxide's list:

http://dioxide45.tripod.com/cgi-bin/rofr.cgi

...you will see there 2 Platinum weeks that passed ROFR this year, all resales, one for for $14.5K (GV) and the other for $11K (OV).

Platinum weeks at OceanWatch (and HHI), don't come around very often, but if you can wait and keep looking, you should focus on OW. Don't be ashamed to offer a low price when you seen an offer, its a buyer's market.

ciscogizmo1 said:

I wonder why people say CLOSE to zero seems so drastic (no offense but I think close zero really misleads people)..........

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I often wonder that as well. So far we've received every exchange we've requested except for one. The reason we didn't get that one was becuase I spotted something we liked better online and took that instead. If I'd have waited it out, I'm sure that exchange would have been confirmed as well.

There are trades that can be difficult but very few are impossible. Especially when you're looking at an entire season and planning well in advance rather than short notice (less than 6 months IMO) or a very specific holiday week with a specific exchange day. The most difficult exchange we've made I requested one week and specifically a friday check in. I had to wait a few months for that one to come through.

We will keep watching and looking for resales...I posted the current developer prices since I have seen threads with others asking for the information (I guess for comparison??). There is NO WAY I'd pay developer price these days knowing I can get the same thing for much less!

What percentage below asking price would you offer (ballpark figure) without being "insulting" in general? I know there is a difference between people and what one thinks is a reasonable offer someone else might feel insulted. I already know to have a max amount I would want to pay in mind, and I know there is someone out there who would be willing to sell at my price.

Thanks again for any input...you all have been wonderful and I wouldn't expect anything less from fellow Tuggers!

PS When I get home, I will try and post pictures of the view from our unit. We are currently staying in the Maple Villa and while it's not oceanfront, we do have a nice view of the ocean. All I can say is I do not want to come home

Just keep in mind that, if you decide to buy Manor Club and exchange into Ocean Watch on occasion, almost all the advice here about being able to get the exchange is predicated on being able to plan well in advance. By well in advance we generally mean 12 months in advance. For timeshare, it's my opinion that anything less than 6 months is short notice when requesting an exchange. Not that you can't get some great exchanges at the less than 6 month point but, you generally need to be more flexible in where you want to go and when you're willing to travel.