# Orlando Owners How's Your Trade Power?



## Polly Metallic (Sep 2, 2014)

I've owned my one bedroom Westgate VV week 46 since 1997 and have traded with both RCI and II over the years, but just with II in more recent years. I always used to trade up to two bedroom units most everywhere in shoulder seasons, and I got good exchanges considering Orlando is overbuilt. (I often do not use ongoing searches for off season, just grab an exchange online). 

I've noticed, however, in the last 3-4 years, my trade power has plummeted. II shows me mostly studios for exchange, even in Orlando, and even at my own resort!!! What's up with that? My maintenance fees are $700+/- and I don't appreciate being offered only lesser units.  I've managed to pull some decent exchanges by being very proactive, and usually traveling in shoulder seasons but I feel like it's a struggle to get something reasonably equal, and it never used to be that way. 

Am I alone in this? Is it a Westgate-related problem? Or is it all of Orlando?


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## DeniseM (Sep 2, 2014)

Florida is overbuilt with timeshares, so there is more supply than demand, and that hurts trading power.


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## Polly Metallic (Sep 2, 2014)

DeniseM said:


> Florida is overbuilt with timeshares, so there is more supply than demand, and that hurts trading power.



I totally agree, but the same was true in 1997 when I bought the unit and it has only been the last few years II had been trying to get me to take studios.


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## Polly Metallic (Sep 4, 2014)

Update: I paid my MF early and deposited over one year in advance. I am pulling up much more selection and larger units than I was when looking at "request first" selections prior to depositing my week. I feel much better now! 

I'm still interested in hearing whether Orlando owners see any significant change in their trade power in the last few years. Just curious as more and more resorts are being built in an already over-built area.


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## dougp26364 (Sep 4, 2014)

Polly Metallic said:


> I've owned my one bedroom Westgate VV week 46 since 1997 and have traded with both RCI and II over the years, but just with II in more recent years. I always used to trade up to two bedroom units most everywhere in shoulder seasons, and I got good exchanges considering Orlando is overbuilt. (I often do not use ongoing searches for off season, just grab an exchange online).
> 
> I've noticed, however, in the last 3-4 years, my trade power has plummeted. II shows me mostly studios for exchange, even in Orlando, and even at my own resort!!! What's up with that? My maintenance fees are $700+/- and I don't appreciate being offered only lesser units.  I've managed to pull some decent exchanges by being very proactive, and usually traveling in shoulder seasons but I feel like it's a struggle to get something reasonably equal, and it never used to be that way.
> 
> Am I alone in this? Is it a Westgate-related problem? Or is it all of Orlando?



We do not own in Orlando but, over the years we've done a reasonable amount of exchanging. What I've noticed over the last few years has been a general decline in exchange avaliability.

Like you we've done a reasonable amount of trading up in size. almost all of our exchanges have been through I.I. and have been instant online exchanges. We've had a S. Florida MVCI studio that we use to exchange all the time and were able to get 1 and sometimes 2 bedroom exchanges with that studio unit. A few years ago I stopped locking it off and keep the unit intact. It's partly because we haven't needed the exchanges and partly an exchange value issue. 

The one change to the timeshare landscape over these last few years has been more management companies moving into internal systems. It give the management company better control over inventory and, many of them now operate on a points based reservations system. 

Points based systems give the owner more flexablity and it gives the management company better inventory control. It also creates broken weeks when owners elect to take weekend getaways vs full week vacations. Broken weeks are of little value in a weeks based exchange system such as I.I. 

My presonal feelings are that these internal exchange systems are creating less deposits into the larger exchange companies. Orlando, Williamsburg, Branson and Las Vegas have been "over built" for years and I've not seen the low exchange value many tuggers go on about. But these last few years as the larger players have moved into internal points based programs, I've seen fewer exchange options. I think it's more of the changing landscape of timeshare usage than any exchange power issues. If the units aren't deposited, no amount of trade power is going to get an exchange.


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## schiff1997 (Sep 4, 2014)

Our RCI trade power is top notch for our Orlando weeks, but only because  our unit floats and our home resort allows us to book  Christmas or New Years week and then they actually deposit it to RCI for us.


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## csxjohn (Sep 4, 2014)

My trade power is great but I don't use II or RCI, I use DAE and the Orlando area is, at least for now, considered a "prime time" area.  

When they run specials for prime time areas I qualify with my 3 br lockoff and get 4 exchanges for my 2 deposits.

Then with DAE everyone, even non members, can see their entire inventory and I select what I want.  I do pay an upgrade fee if I take a larger size unit than I deposit but I get to see it all and make that choice.


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## Pompey Family (Sep 4, 2014)

We haven't been exchanging long but the exchanges we have had with our Harbour Lake have served us well. We don't lock off so the following exchanges have been with a full 2 bed......

Marriott Fairway Villas
Marriott Grande Ocean
Marriott Mountainside
Ridge Tahoe
Marriott Ocean Pointe

These have all been prime August weeks. I believe Grande Ocean was a result of a bit of backroom dealing on Interval's behalf due to a cock up they made as I've never seen a prime summer beach Marriott available in August save some of the Florida ones.


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## Sea Six (Sep 4, 2014)

I don't totally agree that Florida is overbuilt.  Yes, there are too many units, but there is a shortage of upscale resorts.  Many of the units in inventory are less desirable because they are converted motels, etc.  Good luck getting a nice place in SW Florida.  Remember what's his name chanting about not being able to get resorts on the beach?   Your trading power depends on what you own.  If there wasn't a demand for high-end, Disney would not have built more time-shares at the Contemporary, the Animal Kingdom, and the Grand Floridian - all in short order, by the way, and all hard to get.  Sure, you can get a place in Florida, but it may not be what you hoped for.  I have no trouble at all getting larger units with my Vistana Villages lock-offs.


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## Polly Metallic (Sep 4, 2014)

Sea Six said:


> I don't totally agree that Florida is overbuilt.  Yes, there are too many units, but there is a shortage of upscale resorts.  Many of the units in inventory are less desirable because they are converted motels, etc.  Good luck getting a nice place in SW Florida.  Remember what's his name chanting about not being able to get resorts on the beach?   Your trading power depends on what you own.  If there wasn't a demand for high-end, Disney would not have built more time-shares at the Contemporary, the Animal Kingdom, and the Grand Floridian - all in short order, by the way, and all hard to get.  Sure, you can get a place in Florida, but it may not be what you hoped for.  I have no trouble at all getting larger units with my Vistana Villages lock-offs.



I don't think Florida in General is over-built, just Orlando. And I wouldn't add Disney DVC resorts into the equation as they're in a category by themselves due to being on Disney property and eligible for the Disney benefits that offsite resorts can't participate in.


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## dougp26364 (Sep 4, 2014)

Pompey Family said:


> We haven't been exchanging long but the exchanges we have had with our Harbour Lake have served us well. We don't lock off so the following exchanges have been with a full 2 bed......
> 
> Marriott Fairway Villas
> Marriott Grande Ocean
> ...



FWIW, August isn't prime season for any of those locations except for maybe Grand Ocean. Trading within the MVCI system with MVCI exchange priority can also scew the results. Marriott to Marriott trades are typically easier than trading into MVCI with something else. The Ridge Tahoe has been typically an easy exchange. We've traded up in size into that resort a few times during the summer months.


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## dougp26364 (Sep 4, 2014)

Sea Six said:


> I don't totally agree that Florida is overbuilt.  Yes, there are too many units, but there is a shortage of upscale resorts.  Many of the units in inventory are less desirable because they are converted motels, etc.  Good luck getting a nice place in SW Florida.  Remember what's his name chanting about not being able to get resorts on the beach?   Your trading power depends on what you own.  If there wasn't a demand for high-end, Disney would not have built more time-shares at the Contemporary, the Animal Kingdom, and the Grand Floridian - all in short order, by the way, and all hard to get.  Sure, you can get a place in Florida, but it may not be what you hoped for.  I have no trouble at all getting larger units with my Vistana Villages lock-offs.



While I agree that high quality resorts in prime locations will always have good demand despite the total number of units in an area, don't confuse the developers need for demand as to sales with an owners need for demand in terms of exchange. All the developer cares about is if there's enough tourism to push sales. They don't care if they sell more units than there is demand for exchange. 

For an example, look at HGVC. They continue to build in Oahu, Las Vegas and Orlando. Not because they're owners demand they have more units in those locations but because they know they can sell units in those locations.


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## Polly Metallic (Sep 4, 2014)

dougp26364 said:


> For an example, look at HGVC. They continue to build in Oahu, Las Vegas and Orlando. Not because they're owners demand they have more units in those locations but because they know they can sell units in those locations.



This is so true, and ALL the branded companies are guilty of this, whether Marriott, Starwood, Hilton, HGVC etc. They tend to build in an area that is popular, and then keep building newer developments in the same area. That's one reason I am not keen on any of the major "brand names." I think companies like Worldmark and Wyndham have an advantage in that they have diverse locations, sometimes with just one resort. Every resort doesn't have to be in a world class location. There is so much within the US to explore where there is natural beauty, history, and enough activities to warrant a timeshare, but the bigger companies aren't likely to build anywhere that isn't a major tourist area.


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## Sea Six (Sep 4, 2014)

Polly Metallic said:


> I don't think Florida in General is over-built, just Orlando. And I wouldn't add Disney DVC resorts into the equation as they're in a category by themselves due to being on Disney property and eligible for the Disney benefits that offsite resorts can't participate in.



Why not include Disney - I can trade into there using RCI.  A little beach-front resort in Marco Island gets me units at DVC.  I call that good trading power from a Florida resort.


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## Polly Metallic (Sep 4, 2014)

Sea Six said:


> Why not include Disney - I can trade into there using RCI.  A little beach-front resort in Marco Island gets me units at DVC.  I call that good trading power from a Florida resort.



This discussion is not about Florida trade power. Only Orlando trade power. My point about DVC is that it is not over-built in the same sense that Orlando off-Disney property resorts are. Demand for DVC units is always far higher than supply. The opposite is true for offsite Orlando units which have more supply than demand with the exception of holiday weeks etc.


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## Pompey Family (Sep 5, 2014)

dougp26364 said:


> FWIW, August isn't prime season for any of those locations except for maybe Grand Ocean. Trading within the MVCI system with MVCI exchange priority can also scew the results. Marriott to Marriott trades are typically easier than trading into MVCI with something else. The Ridge Tahoe has been typically an easy exchange. We've traded up in size into that resort a few times during the summer months.



I meant 'prime' as in school summer holiday period but yes, August in those resorts isn't prime season.


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## ducote (Feb 8, 2015)

Yes I agree that in the last 3 years II is offering very little for my Orlando Westgate exchange. This is the reason that I gave my unit back to Westgate. Quit Deed


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## silentg (Feb 16, 2015)

I own 2 weeks in Orlando area A 2 bedroom at OL and a 1 bedroom at Summer Bay.
Trading power for OL is 24  Summer Bay is 21. OL trading power has dropped I used to get 28 it is a week in October. Summer Bay is floating EOY this year is Beginning of December.


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## csxjohn (Feb 16, 2015)

silentg said:


> I own 2 weeks in Orlando area A 2 bedroom at OL and a 1 bedroom at Summer Bay.
> Trading power for OL is 24  Summer Bay is 21. OL trading power has dropped I used to get 28 it is a week in October. Summer Bay is floating EOY this year is Beginning of December.



Terry, you can deposit in DAE and get 2 for 1 on your Orlando deposits.  Although I don't know how that stacks up against the TPU your getting but the exchange fees are lower for sure.


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## Icc5 (Feb 16, 2015)

*Own at OL*



Polly Metallic said:


> I've owned my one bedroom Westgate VV week 46 since 1997 and have traded with both RCI and II over the years, but just with II in more recent years. I always used to trade up to two bedroom units most everywhere in shoulder seasons, and I got good exchanges considering Orlando is overbuilt. (I often do not use ongoing searches for off season, just grab an exchange online).
> 
> I've noticed, however, in the last 3-4 years, my trade power has plummeted. II shows me mostly studios for exchange, even in Orlando, and even at my own resort!!! What's up with that? My maintenance fees are $700+/- and I don't appreciate being offered only lesser units.  I've managed to pull some decent exchanges by being very proactive, and usually traveling in shoulder seasons but I feel like it's a struggle to get something reasonably equal, and it never used to be that way.
> 
> ...



We haven't seen this with ours but our week is 4th of July most of the time.  In general though we run into the same problem at our other resorts.  RCI has just figured out how to again get more money from people by making us combine points for what we used to get for a few less points.


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## bellesgirl (Feb 16, 2015)

schiff1997 said:


> Our RCI trade power is top notch for our Orlando weeks, but only because  our unit floats and our home resort allows us to book  Christmas or New Years week and then they actually deposit it to RCI for us.


I agree.  We have excellent trading power with RCI but we also own Chrismas and New Years.  We get 51 TPUs for our 2br which allows us to get 2-3 excellent exchanges per week. Our week 26 only gets 30 TPUs but that also often translates into 2 trades in shoulder season which is when we usually prefer to travel.

I will say that we used to get more.  When RCI started the TPU system we were getting 56/38 for what we now get 51/30.  But I am not complaining.


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