# Floating Weeks just go away??



## spthomas (Oct 22, 2014)

I'm not new to TS but new to Floating Weeks.  

I called the resort owner and asked to bank my floating weeks.  We're just into 4th quarter and it's evident we won't be able to use them, so I'll just bank them and use them next year.  NOT!

They told me "sorry, your resort is full, you just lose your weeks".  WHAT??  I have two deeded weeks.  And I don't want to stay there, but need to get them assigned so I can bank them.  

I asked if they had oversold the resort, and she said no.  I told her that two weeks of the inventory at that resort were mine, and I haven't used them yet, so they should be available, unless they've sold them to someone else. She of course didn't get it at all.

For years, we had fixed weeks, and I knew that I had week 28 in two specific condos, period.  Now this floating stuff was supposed to be "flexible", but it looks like a way to sell units TWICE!   

I thought having deeded weeks meant something, but according to her they can say at any time of the year "oops, no weeks left" and we're just out of luck.


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## HudsHut (Oct 22, 2014)

Please tell us what resort you own, and what season in order for us to help you.


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## AwayWeGo (Oct 22, 2014)

*That's About The Size Of It.*




spthomas said:


> They told me "sorry, your resort is full, you just lose your weeks".


Upside of floating timeshare weeks is flexibility -- you're not locked into the same calendar week year in & year out. 

Downside is the risk of getting shut out completely if you wait till too late in the year to reserve your floating week(s). 

So you wait till mid-October or later to ask for a floating week reservation, & when you call they say all remaining weeks are reserved & there's nothing left for you.  In that case, what happened to your fully paid-for timeshare weeks that you're entitled to?  

The answer is that back in January or February (or any time, really) when there were unreserved units at the resort that nobody ever checked into -- weeks that went to waste because the units stayed empty all week -- some of those were yours.  

To prevent that, owners of floating timeshare weeks have to remember to plan early & make reservations early.  

It's like a game of musical chairs.  Every week that passes means that fewer weeks are left to reserve.  Wait too late & none are left when you call. 

Sometimes when that happens, shut-out owners are irate if they see a week offered for rent or exchange at the same resort where they were just told that they were shut out.

What's up with that ? 

When that happens, it means somebody reserved a week before they were all gone, then deposited it with RCI or I-I or put it up for rent privately.  Those weeks are not available to owners still looking for reservations late in the year, simply because they were grabbed up early in the year by other owners at the resort. 

It's a painful lesson.  Sorry you learned it the hard way. 

Next year, get out your vacation calendar early & make your floating week timeshare reservation as early as you can -- before the choicest weeks are gone, or (worse) before nothing is left to reserve. 

_Full Disclosure*:*_  We own a floating timeshare week.  We have never been shut out from getting a week to use.  But we have taken a "surprise" vacation once during the only week that was still available to reserve, simply to avoid being shut out altogether.  Live & learn. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## ronparise (Oct 22, 2014)

Alan is right and has explained it perfectly. You may have a deeded week and unit but that doesn't mean you will ever stay in it

I also own at a floating weeks resort . And I learned the hard way too 
Thanks for the reminder I need to pay my 2015 fees and make reservations


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## tschwa2 (Oct 22, 2014)

If you are not sure if and when you want to use your float week, it usually makes sense to book the most popular time as soon as it becomes available, which for most resorts are 1 year out, although some allow 2 years and others less than 1 year.  If you don't know when the booking window opens, you should take the time to find out.  If you are exchanging, than a popular week deposited  is going to get you more trading power.  If you decide you want to book another week you can call up and see if your alternate is available.  Most resorts won't charge you to rebook as long as you do so 60 or 90 days in advance.  

You can keep checking at your resort to see if they have any cancellation but even if they do and you can deposit it with an exchange week it is likely to have fairly poor trading power as it will probably be a low demand week deposited fairly late.


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## DaveNV (Oct 22, 2014)

In order to reserve the floating week I want at my home resort, I need to submit my request SIXTEEN MONTHS ahead of time.  At 14 months out the resort makes the confirmed reservation, and sends me the notice of assignment. Then I know that I have the week I asked for.  It's then up to me to use it at the resort, rent it out, or deposit it to an exchange company.

If the exchange company you're using happens to be RCI, if you wait till this late in the year to deposit a 2014 week, you're going to lose all trade value for the week, and get very little credit for what you deposit. That's just a sheer waste of your deposit.

Tuggers regularly say to plan ahead to make the most of what you own.  Unfortunately, in this case, you've just learned the hard way why that credo is so important.  Sad to say, but this is a lesson I'm sorry you've had to learn the hard way.

Dave


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## pacodemountainside (Oct 22, 2014)

Alan nailed it. While Wyndham UDI points can be  deposited with RCI  until  end of day on 31st,  once  weeks go unused they are lost.

Pay those estimated 2015  HOA fees now and nail  prime  week.

Also, remember  the earlier you deposit with RCI the better!

And, RCI requires  60 days of useful life remain.

With TSs generally  earlier is better.


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## Bill4728 (Oct 22, 2014)

Just an FIY to all of you out there like me how own points. Thius same thing can happen to you with points. If you do not bank them to next year early enough, there may not be rooms available for you to use your points this year. 

I made a reservation just 61 days before checkin at the only resort in my point system with a full week left so I then could deposit that week with II and still get credit for a "regular" deposit if I had waited just two more days I'd have gotten a late deposit and only be able to use my week with 59 days of travel.


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## Egret1986 (Oct 22, 2014)

*Also keep in mind that some resorts will choose the week if it is being deposited.*

I have heard this before on TUG.  You can choose a week within your float period to use personally, but if you choose to deposit with an exchange company, the resort will choose the week to be deposited.   I choose not to own float weeks.  I did it at a couple of resorts years ago, but found that fixed weeks work best for me personally.

I asked if they had oversold the resort, and she said no. I told her that two weeks of the inventory at that resort were mine, and I haven't used them yet, so they should be available, unless they've sold them to someone else. She of course didn't get it at all.

Unfortunately, you did not learn the policies of your resort with reserving and depositing your float weeks.  She got it I'm sure.  She's probably experienced it before.  Owners that don't understand their ownership and blaming the resort. Your best bet is to call back to the resort in order to find out how things work with reserving your week and depositing with exchange companies.  Also, most resorts require that the maintenance fee be paid prior to reserving the week.  There's resorts that require calling in or being at the office by a particular time in order to reserve the week during prime seasons.  I've heard of a resort that has floating weeks and they float a different season each year.  This year you can reserve a red week, next year your float is a blue week, etc.  Just because one resort handles it one way, doesn't mean another resort handles it the same way.

Gold Key Resorts in Virginia Beach have fixed weeks (float units by type).  They require that you submit your usage (owner use, guest use, split lock-out use, etc.).  They do remind you prior to the cut-off date.  I have read reviews where folks failed to submit their usage and lost their weeks.  I can understand that with float weeks, but really can't understand the loss of your week if you fail to submit your usage for a fixed week.  But that's there policy.  

Hard and expensive lesson, I'm sure; but realize that it is up to you as the owner to know what you own and how it works.  Get prepared for next year now by contacting Owner Services at your resort and learning how their float week program works.


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## bogey21 (Oct 22, 2014)

I started out with 3 Marriott Floating Weeks (Sabal Palms, Harbour Club and Heritage Club).  After a few years I decided I didn't want to have to spend a lot of time managing a moving target (In addition Marriott was changing the rules regarding their Rental and Resale Programs) so I sold and bought 7 Fixed Weeks at HOA Controlled Independent Resorts.  For me it was one of the best moves I ever made.

George


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## Saintsfanfl (Oct 23, 2014)

You can't bank what doesn't exist. There has to be a reservation week available in order to bank it. 

Look at it this way. The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Qtr went by. Some of those weeks went completely unused. No banking or anything. They just sat empty. Now in the 4th Qtr all the available weeks are either booked or banked, which means 100% remaining are "claimed". 

Where did your weeks go? They were the ones that went unoccupied earlier in the year. They didn't "go away", they just went unused.


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## AwayWeGo (Oct 24, 2014)

*What Oft Was Thought But Ne'er So Well Expressed.*




Saintsfanfl said:


> You can't bank what doesn't exist. There has to be a reservation week available in order to bank it.
> 
> Look at it this way. The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Qtr went by. Some of those weeks went completely unused. No banking or anything. They just sat empty. Now in the 4th Qtr all the available weeks are either booked or banked, which means 100% remaining are "claimed".
> 
> Where did your weeks go? They were the ones that went unoccupied earlier in the year. They didn't "go away", they just went unused.


You are correct, sir.

That's approximately what I was trying to say.  

You just said it better. 

And shorter. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## csxjohn (Oct 24, 2014)

And to add numbers to explain it;

If your resort has 100 units and 52 owners for each unit there would be
5,200 weeks that people could reserve and use.

Let's say you own at Ocean City and the first week of Jan only 25 people reserve a week and 75 units sit empty.

Come week two there are 5,175 people wanting reservations for the remainder of the year but only 5,100 units available for the remainder of the year.

This is what happened to you, each unit that goes unused results in one more person not being able to reserve a week later in the year.  You waited too long.


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## Rent_Share (Oct 24, 2014)

I was going to so the math, but I had a headache . . . .


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## AwayWeGo (Oct 24, 2014)

*I Resemble That Remark.*




Rent_Share said:


> I was going to so the math, but I had a headache . . . .


That's about the size of it. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## spthomas (Oct 24, 2014)

If I had a retail store,  and I sold out of products 3/4 of the way through the day, and yet people had already paid for them... 

Now maybe I'm out of Cheerios later in the day,  so for the last 1/4 of the day they get Cornflakes.  But they paid for something,  they should get something.   
I can sort of see it if you show up December 21st looking for a week.  But this was early October. 

no wonder people hate timeshares.


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## AwayWeGo (Oct 24, 2014)

*Selling Goods Does Not Work The Same As Booking Vacation Accommodations.*




spthomas said:


> If I had a retail store,  and I sold out of products 3/4 of the way through the day, and yet people had already paid for them...
> 
> Now maybe I'm out of Cheerios later in the day,  so for the last 1/4 of the day they get Cornflakes.  But they paid for something,  they should get something.
> I can sort of see it if you show up December 21st looking for a week.  But this was early October.
> ...


Sometimes people pay for stuff that's out of stock.  Usually they get offered their choice of a refund or receiving the item(s) later on backorder.  

That works OK with stuff -- Cheerios, corn flakes, electronics, clothing, office supplies, etc., physical things rather than intervals of time.

Timeshare accommodations can't work that way.  The inventory consists of specific weeks in particular units.  Once the week is past, those weeks in those units are over & done.  _Mox nix_ whether anybody was actually staying there during the weeks gone by.  They're gone regardless.

If nobody buys my Cheerios this week, no problem -- I can sell'm next week or the week after that.  Ditto file folders, No. 2 pencils, cans of beans, bed pillows, bars of soap, sneakers, sox, & I don't know what-all

If nobody ever checks into a timeshare unit during some particular week, however, then the opportunity to use that week is gone.  Over & done.  Wasted.

The floating-weeks timeshare system does not extend the shelf life of those perishable timeshare weeks.  Use'm or lose'm. 

That's just the way it is. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## csxjohn (Oct 24, 2014)

spthomas said:


> If I had a retail store,  and I sold out of products 3/4 of the way through the day, and yet people had already paid for them...
> 
> Now maybe I'm out of Cheerios later in the day,  so for the last 1/4 of the day they get Cornflakes.  But they paid for something,  they should get something.
> I can sort of see it if you show up December 21st looking for a week.  But this was early October.
> ...



People who don't understand how to use their timeshares may hate them but I love them.

It happens sooner than Oct in some resorts.  Resorts with high occupancy rates will run out of ressies sooner than the less popular ones.

Every time a unit goes unoccupied another person doesn't get a ressie later in the year. It goes into cyber space and can't be brought back no matter how badly you want it to.

Where or how do you suggest your resort come up with a week for you?  They are gone.

Why would you think it would take until late Dec to start shutting people out.

Many people have tried different ways to explain it and I don't know how else we can lay it out for you.


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## pacodemountainside (Oct 24, 2014)

TSs are NOT  full service travel agents, rather DIY.

If not willing to  get in right ball park  and learn rules of game then will never be happy with!

That is why TUG is popular as  sharing  knowledge/experiences  enhances one's  vacations.


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## theo (Oct 25, 2014)

*Timeshares are not Cheerios or Corn Flakes...*



spthomas said:


> If I had a retail store,  and I sold out of products 3/4 of the way through the day, and yet people had already paid for them...
> 
> Now maybe I'm out of Cheerios later in the day,  so for the last 1/4 of the day they get Cornflakes.  But they paid for something,  they should get something.
> I can sort of see it if you show up December 21st looking for a week.  But this was early October.
> ...



A resort cannot, by law, sell more "floating" week deeds than the numerical maximum of potential occupancy (i.e., number of units times 51 or 52 weeks, minus the number of "fixed" week ownerships at that particular facility). Numerically speaking, there is a week potentially available for each and every owner at any given facility.

That being said, the nature of "floating" weeks obviously requires floating week owners to be proactive and make their own reservation(s). The earlier they do so in any given year, the more remaining date and inventory options remain from which to choose. Each day that goes by in the year (and each unit /week that goes unused) means that the remaining numerical possibilities for occupancy decrease day by day. At some point, the proverbial "No Vacancy" sign must go up because every remaining unit / week has been reserved.

I am sorry for your unfortunate situation, but it is frankly a classic example of "If you snooze, you may well lose". In the future, a smarter approach would be to make *some* kind of reservation much earlier in the year. That way you have *something* in hand to either use, or rent out to someone else if you don't want to use it yourself, or to "deposit" with an exchange company to later reserve a future week somewhere else instead.

We've been involved with timeshares for over three decades now. We like it, enjoy it, certainly don't hate it (although we admittedly don't choose to get involved with any "floating" week ownerships). Floating week ownerships, by definition, require considerable advance planning and effort. With all due respect, yours was plainly inadequate for this calendar year. The resort can't now just magically create vacant space; it simply doesn't exist at this late date, with fewer than 90 days remaining in this calendar year. 

It's too late; all remaining units /weeks have now been claimed. The facility is "full" for the rest of this year and the 'No Vacancy' sign is now out.


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## Here There (Oct 25, 2014)

*I did snooze, but didn't entirely lose...*

There was a stretch where my life was so crowded that several months had slipped by before I realized that I was asleep at the reservations wheel.  It was tough to accept that I had paid MFs for 2 weeks (at 2 separate resorts) for naught.  

So I reached out and pleaded with the managers in charge of reservations at each of the resorts, and I am grateful that each offered me an off-season week (which most likely would have been bulk deposited) that I was able to bank to make good for missing out on my red week.  

It was a good occasion to connect personally with someone running the show, as many years later I reached out to these same managers and persuaded them to accept back my deeds when I got tired of owning those float weeks.


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## csxjohn (Oct 25, 2014)

Here's a thread about a fixed week owner not getting his week.

http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=218528

Know the rules and how to use your TS before you start to "hate."


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## laura1957 (Oct 25, 2014)

Here There said:


> There was a stretch where my life was so crowded that several months had slipped by before I realized that I was asleep at the reservations wheel.  It was tough to accept that I had paid MFs for 2 weeks (at 2 separate resorts) for naught.
> 
> So I reached out and pleaded with the managers in charge of reservations at each of the resorts, and I am grateful that each offered me an off-season week (which most likely would have been bulk deposited) that I was able to bank to make good for missing out on my red week.
> 
> It was a good occasion to connect personally with someone running the show, as many years later I reached out to these same managers and persuaded them to accept back my deeds when I got tired of owning those float weeks.




My first timeshare week was a floating week at Massanutten.  I had this same experience, I don't understand how it works - but they assigned me a week that had been been bulk deposited.  Whatever it was at least I did not lose the week I had paid for  

Got rid of the floating week. We are much happier with our fixed Massanutten weeks!


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## Ron98GT (Oct 25, 2014)

Bill4728 said:


> Just an FIY to all of you out there like me how own points. Thius same thing can happen to you with points. If you do not bank them to next year early enough, there may not be rooms available for you to use your points this year.
> 
> I made a reservation just 61 days before checkin at the only resort in my point system with a full week left so I then could deposit that week with II and still get credit for a "regular" deposit if I had waited just two more days I'd have gotten a late deposit and only be able to use my week with 59 days of travel.



This is not the case with my RCI Points at the Grandview in Las Vegas. Unless otherwise requested (in case I wanted to use my week at the GV, which will never happen), my week is automatically deposited into RCI. Any time during the current year, I can use the following years points if needed: nice, no depositing.

My Marriott is another story. For this TS,I have to look ahead 1 year, reserve a popular/demanded week 52 weeks out, lock it off (so I can get 2 weeks), and then deposit both weeks into II. Use it or lose it.

With HGVC it's easier.  Just use your points in the current year or rescue them to the followig year.


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## SueDonJ (Oct 25, 2014)

Here There said:


> There was a stretch where my life was so crowded that several months had slipped by before I realized that I was asleep at the reservations wheel.  It was tough to accept that I had paid MFs for 2 weeks (at 2 separate resorts) for naught.
> 
> So I reached out and pleaded with the managers in charge of reservations at each of the resorts, and I am grateful that each offered me an off-season week (which most likely would have been bulk deposited) that I was able to bank to make good for missing out on my red week.
> 
> It was a good occasion to connect personally with someone running the show, as many years later I reached out to these same managers and persuaded them to accept back my deeds when I got tired of owning those float weeks.



When asked, Marriott will work with folks who purchase on the external market and are in danger of losing their first year's usage because the purchase date falls after the applicable Reservation Window has opened, usually by way of a replacement Week deposited to Interval Int'l that can be used for an exchange.  It's not a perfect solution but it's something.

They've also been known to work when possible with Owners who for one reason or another need a one-time exception from the rules.  It doesn't hurt to ask - and there are no guarantees - but I'd guess that they'd be much more receptive to somebody who acknowledges the system limitations and is pleading for mercy than to somebody who starts out the conversation ranting and raving about the inhumanity of it all.


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## spthomas (Oct 25, 2014)

So maybe a disclaimer:  WEEKS ARE SELDOM OR NEVER AVAILABLE AFTER MID YEAR, OR EARLIER.  not the less than helpful "reservations should be made early for best selection"  or other weasel language. They make you think the chance of not getting a week is small.  But come on,  with a full 1/4 of a year left,  a reasonable person (who is not very experienced in timeshares like the folks here) would expect to be able to book a week.  It's misleading. 

Your doctor will say "you'll probably be OK,  but here is a chance this hangnail removal may kill you".  There is disclosure and there is disclosure.


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## spthomas (Oct 25, 2014)

And it's not that I don't understand what's happening,  I do.  But I had no idea all the weeks would be gone 12 weeks before the end of the year.  And that fact would have made my decision to go to floating time a different one. Maybe that's the fact that should be disclosed: French resort,  what is the average date of full booking for a year?


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## riverdees05 (Oct 26, 2014)

Most of the floating resorts that I own publishes a calendar on the date you can reserve for the next year.  If not, then it is a resort that I can reserve one year in advance of the date I want.  Check with your resort and ask for a copy of their float reservation calendar and/or schedule.


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## csxjohn (Oct 26, 2014)

spthomas said:


> And it's not that I don't understand what's happening,  I do.  But I had no idea all the weeks would be gone 12 weeks before the end of the year.  ..?



Glad to know you understand it.  And I know that doesn't help your feeling of being misled.

What the sales people tell you is seldom the whole truth and often far from the truth.

What happened here is that you did not research the resort enough before you bought.

At Tropic shores this past summer we got a letter telling us that one of the reasons our MFs can be kept in line is our occupancy rate.  It was stated that after spring break there was no availability until week 50 and I imagine that filled up quickly.

I like floating weeks but I know I have to make my plans early and I reserve before the MF bills come out, often at the 52 week mark.


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## LLW (Oct 26, 2014)

spthomas said:


> And it's not that I don't understand what's happening,  I do.  But I had no idea all the weeks would be gone 12 weeks before the end of the year.  And that fact would have made my decision to go to floating time a different one. Maybe that's the fact that should be disclosed: French resort,  what is the average date of full booking for a year?



As an owner, the date of full booking is the least important amongst the following dates (in order of importance):
1. the date booking window opens, when you may book the best week, if you beat out other owners. If you bank this week, you will have the highest trade power which gets you the best available week at other timeshares. If you use this week, it's usually the week with highest demand, that fits most school/work holiday schedules. This universal desirability is what gives floating weeks the flexibility.
2. the date when your desired use week gets booked - by you or by others. This may vary by individual. 
3. the date when the last possible week that you personally can use is booked by somebody else, and
4. the date of full booking, when no more booking can be done. Even before this date, many or all of the weeks left are not desirable weeks.

Floating week systems are completely different from fixed week systems. Careful study/discernment should be done before purchase.

JMHO.


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## ottawasquaw (Oct 26, 2014)

Is this for your week at Hot Springs Village or somewhere else? If it's AR, honestly, I'm a bit suspicious about them being "sold out."

Please, please read your fine print. That's where your disclosures are. I am sorry for your loss! I had a surprise a few years ago when I tried to reserve my floating week for Oct just 30 days in advance. OK, I goofed. I bought my plane ticket before I reserved my TS. Luckily, I was able to use my week at the end of the year and took the Oct vacation, too. Still, lesson learned!
And, thanks for posting! As always, there are lots of good tips from other TUGgers in these threads!


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## b2bailey (Oct 26, 2014)

This thread has reminded me of the 'tight-rope' that week owners, such as myself, face when wanting to book a Platinum week at Marriotts Newport Coast. In this case, there are many owners wanting to book a summer week -- way more owners than weeks available. Do, we just let the summer pass by and then 'hope' we can reserve something when the booking window opens up in September? Do we check every single summer week as the window for that week opens -- only to be disappointed. It's a tough one there.


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## Maple_Leaf (Oct 27, 2014)

*French resort?*



spthomas said:


> Maybe that's the fact that should be disclosed: French resort, what is the average date of full booking for a year?



If the resort is near Paris I would expect weak demand in Q1, increasing demand in Q2, sky-high peak demand in Q3 followed by rapidly-weakening demand in Q4, kind of like Hilton Head.  However, at an all-floating-week resort the Q4 demand would be artificially higher due to better-late-than-never exchanger reservations.  You may want to check with the resort and see if you can reserve a high-demand week far in advance, then change the week later if your plans change.  Some resorts allow this at no charge as long as your desired week is available.


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## HudsHut (Oct 27, 2014)

Elsewhere, the OP mentions his resort was recently purchased by Festiva.
http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=217683

The only Festiva resort with French in the name is 

Frenchmen Orleans
519 Frenchmen Street
New Orleans, LA 70116
504-943-3100 Ext. 6106

spthomas:
Is this the resort about which you are inquiring?


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## Egret1986 (Oct 27, 2014)

*Let's all try to guess where the OP owns the timeshare*



hudshut said:


> Please tell us what resort you own, and what season in order for us to help you.






Maple_Leaf said:


> If the resort is near Paris I would expect weak demand in Q1, increasing demand in Q2, sky-high peak demand in Q3 followed by rapidly-weakening demand in Q4, kind of like Hilton Head.  However, at an all-floating-week resort the Q4 demand would be artificially higher due to better-late-than-never exchanger reservations.  You may want to check with the resort and see if you can reserve a high-demand week far in advance, then change the week later if your plans change.  Some resorts allow this at no charge as long as your desired week is available.





ottawasquaw said:


> Is this for your week at Hot Springs Village or somewhere else?





hudshut said:


> Elsewhere, the OP mentions his resort was recently purchased by Festiva.
> http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=217683
> 
> The only Festiva resort with French in the name is
> ...



C'mon, OP, give us a couple more hints; Hot Springs, France, New Orleans.....anyone else want to take a stab at it?


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## spthomas (Oct 27, 2014)

We didn't buy this as float,  we bought our resort on fixed weeks almost 30 years ago.  We trade out for other places almost every other year,  so committing to a week way ahead is a bit limiting.  Before,  on fixed,  as long as we   banked 30 days ahead I think we were ok.  Then we switched to float,  but "It's soo flexible,  and just don't wait till December 30,  you have all year to use it"  sounded good. 

Then,  to compound it all,  our resort (Escapes to Hot Springs Village) got bought by Festiva,  and do it's even more different. 

Life was simpler with fixed weeks!


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## csxjohn (Oct 27, 2014)

spthomas said:


> ....
> 
> Life was simpler with fixed weeks!



That's true but it's also boring IMO to go to the same resort at the same time every year.

Some people like it, I don't.  I owned a couple fixed week fixed unit TSs and one I always traded and the other I went to occasionally.  I did everything in the area I wanted to do and most of them more than once.

I now own floating weeks and like being able to go any time I want.

I do have to make my ressies very early if I want a popular week though and no later than Jan if I want anything decent.

When you owned the fixed week, by definition your plans were made way ahead of time.  I think you'll learn to like the float system when you get a handle on using it.


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## HudsHut (Oct 27, 2014)

We are currently in Timeshare week 43. The highest demand week for the remainder of the year, according to II's Travel demand Index for the geographic region in which the resort is located is week 47, Thanksgiving.


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## theo (Oct 27, 2014)

*The people factor...*



csxjohn said:


> <snip> ...boring IMO to go to the same resort at the same time every year.
> 
> Some people like it, I don't.  I owned a couple fixed week fixed unit TSs and one I always traded and the other I went to occasionally.  I did everything in the area I wanted to do and most of them more than once.



To each their own, of course, but one thing that I personally enjoy about returning to the "same place / same time every year" is reconnecting with other owners from various very different parts of the country who have become good "seasonal friends" over the years. In some instances we fish and / or boat together, in other instances we play music together --- and sometimes entertain others while so doing. In still other instances it's BBQ get togethers, or restaurant visits --- or just "cocktail hour". Certainly, none of our resorts are "upscale" in any way, but I always genuinely look forward to seeing and interacting with those good people every year (God willing). 

Of course, just escaping the ice and snow and cold of New England winters by migrating south for the "same weeks every year" has its' own inherent allure too.


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## Maple_Leaf (Oct 27, 2014)

*Hot Springs*



spthomas said:


> Then,  to compound it all,  our resort (Escapes to Hot Springs Village) got bought by Festiva,  and do it's even more different.



I like Hot Springs, Arkansas but it's no France.:rofl:


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## Tia (Oct 28, 2014)

There is a yahoo group for Festiva https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Peppertree-EquivestOwners/info 

I also think if a resort was originally fixed then some group comes in and starts offering float weeks, many owners don't opt to go float so not all weeks are available even to start. 



spthomas said:


> We didn't buy this as float,  we bought our resort on fixed weeks almost 30 years ago.  We trade out for other places almost every other year,  so committing to a week way ahead is a bit limiting.  Before,  on fixed,  as long as we   banked 30 days ahead I think we were ok.  Then we switched to float,  but "It's soo flexible,  and just don't wait till December 30,  you have all year to use it"  sounded good.
> 
> Then,  to compound it all,  our resort (Escapes to Hot Springs Village) got bought by Festiva,  and do it's even more different.
> 
> Life was simpler with fixed weeks!


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## mtforeman (Dec 10, 2014)

I realize this thread is a bit old, but I wanted to add a suggestion if ever a timeshare company reads it. 

It would be nice if resorts perhaps "required" 2-4 week notice for a booking (for floating weeks).  Then, all non-booked weeks would be banked into RCI or II.  This way, if at the end of the year someone "loses" his or her week, the resort could at least offer the (small perhaps) exchange value instead.  I believe someone else mentioned a similar thing, but this would be superb.

We own at Massanutten and are in the process of booking our 2016 week, 2 years in advance.  I knew what we wanted would take this kind of maintenance fee pre-payment and careful planning, but chose to do it since I didn't want to pay the extra cost of the fixed week I'd really like to have (week 52 or 53).


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## Steve NH (Dec 16, 2014)

Also own float as Massanutten
I remember having a conversation with them once - They told me that they actually automatically book some weeks with RCI - so that worse case scenerio - you call late and get a banked week. 
Never had that happen myself - I also book 2 yrs ahead (to the day)
(90% of the time we use the week ourselves)


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## TheViking (Dec 23, 2014)

riverdees05 said:


> Most of the floating resorts that I own publishes a calendar on the date you can reserve for the next year.  If not, then it is a resort that I can reserve one year in advance of the date I want.  Check with your resort and ask for a copy of their float reservation calendar and/or schedule.


Are most float weeks beginning of the year (January)?
DO most VO networks (Starwood, Marriot, Wyndam) for exapmle have the same calendar for all owned resorts?
Does anyone Have info regarding Westin Princeville?
TY…V


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## tschwa2 (Dec 23, 2014)

Westin Princeville was sold 1-50 float and weeks 51 and 52 were sold as event weeks.  There are definitely different calendars for different resorts in most systems.  Obviously what would be considered prime or platinum time would vary at different geographical locations. On the other hand if they sell a prime float season with several weeks that really aren't prime you can sell more prime weeks.


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## DeniseM (Dec 23, 2014)

TheViking said:


> DO most VO networks (Starwood, Marriot, Wyndam) for exapmle have the same calendar for all owned resorts?



On the contrary, most resorts have different seasons, because high season varies from one geographic location to another.

For instance: Hawaii is fabulous in July and August - Scottsdale, not so much.

In addition to this, Starwood acquired most of their resorts from previous developers, so the previous developers determined the seasons - not Starwood.


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