# Expensive to Start Exchanging!



## MichaelColey (Jun 14, 2012)

I know a lot of this expense will cover multiple years and multiple exchanges, but I was a bit shocked at how much I spent getting started in Interval (which is even cheaper than RCI) as a second exchange company.

I've spent $902 with them since I joined 4 months ago, and haven't got a single exchange yet.

I paid $89 when I initially signed up for a year of membership.

When I realized I could only do an ongoing search within that year, I ponied up another $356 for a 5 year extension of my account.

I've set up 3 ongoing searches (one domestic one at $149 and two foreign ones at $154 each). None have hit yet, but I generally search for harder exchanges and fairly far out, so I'm giving it some time.

I know my ongoing expenses will be much more in line with what I actually exchange, but those upfront expenses sure add up.


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## Weimaraner (Jun 14, 2012)

And to top it off they'll want you to upgrade to a platinum membership...for an additional fee. Also I think I read in the Interval magazine that exchange fees are going up in August.

Update: here's mention of increase in *Interval magazine. New Fees: At Interval International, we are always striving to enhance our services and to make your membership more valuable. While we try to minimize the impact to our members, it is necessary for us to adjust our fees from time to time in order to offset increases in servicing costs. Effective August 1, 2012, the full-week exchange fee will be $174, regardless of your destination. And remember: You save $20 when you confirm any exchange online.*


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## Passepartout (Jun 14, 2012)

Not an II specific comment, but this is exactly why I harp on buying where you want to go, and using exchanging only for special vacations. And yet another reason to stick with the mini- systems with internal exchanges.

Even in RCI with $90/yr membership, $198 per exchange (or redemption of Points) fees, transportation and more, make a nice-size bundle or RCI Points or TPU's expensive to use. It is not much of a stretch to see that one could spend more with an exchange co. than MF if their bundle would allow 2+weeks' vacation.

I'll keep my VRI*ety and Trading Places.

Jim


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## csxjohn (Jun 14, 2012)

The above points are exactly why I don't belong to either of these systems.  

When I see the costs to join and then add in the cost of each exchange, it puts a vacation over what I want to spend on the lodging.

I prefer DAE, not cost to join, with $125 exchanges.  I sacrifice the number of available trades though.  While the big 2 have thousands of options to trade into I have way less.  However I always find places I like and as I've stated before, for me, it's the destination, not the lodging that makes my vaca.

I also use VREIety, free to join, and Donita's Vacations Unlimited, $25.  This keeps the cost of my vacas a lot lower.

Like they say, different strokes for different folks.


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## Keep Traveling (Jun 14, 2012)

Michael,

What were the three resorts.  I am too like you I generally search for the hard stuff and hope it hits.  At one time I had 9 searches going and of course mine are at least 2 bedrooms...Need the space  

KT


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## ronparise (Jun 14, 2012)

Im a buy where you want to go kind of guy too,..My gut feeling is that its probably more expensive than I would like; to exchange. I know the op does well with his rci membership, and I have no doubt that he will do well with II..but Im not willing to put in the time and effort looking for those good traders, and hoping there is something good to trade into when and where I want to go.

The only reason I have an RCI account is that I have no choice...it comes with my Wyndham points ownership... But I cant see paying for my wyndham points maintenance fees, plus an exchange fee to RCI when there are so many good choices within Wyndham,,,Thats why I bought Wyndham in the first place..

Its nice to have my gut felling verified.


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## maggiesmom (Jun 14, 2012)

This" NEW" PRICE is for International Exchanges right, not Domestic ??. 

maggiesmom

UPDATE: Just rec my Summer 2012 issue in the mail today(6/15), and found the anwser to my question.


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## K2Quick (Jun 14, 2012)

Passepartout said:


> Not an II specific comment, but this is exactly why I harp on buying where you want to go, and using exchanging only for special vacations. And yet another reason to stick with the mini- systems with internal exchanges.



If I bought only where I wanted to go, I'd be overpaying by a large margin.  Even after factoring in II membership fees and exchange fees, I've paid a small fraction of what maintenance fees were for the units I've traded into.  To the extent you're willing to travel at off-peak times, the "buy where you want to go" advice is far overdone.


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## WinniWoman (Jun 14, 2012)

Passepartout said:


> Not an II specific comment, but this is exactly why I harp on buying where you want to go, and using exchanging only for special vacations. And yet another reason to stick with the mini- systems with internal exchanges.
> 
> Even in RCI with $90/yr membership, $198 per exchange (or redemption of Points) fees, transportation and more, make a nice-size bundle or RCI Points or TPU's expensive to use. It is not much of a stretch to see that one could spend more with an exchange co. than MF if their bundle would allow 2+weeks' vacation.
> 
> ...



I'm with Jim. That's why I am not renewing with RCI. (And don't forget if you add in the insurance, it's like $400 per trade!).


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## WinniWoman (Jun 14, 2012)

csxjohn said:


> The above points are exactly why I don't belong to either of these systems.
> 
> When I see the costs to join and then add in the cost of each exchange, it puts a vacation over what I want to spend on the lodging.
> 
> ...



Who's Donita? And VREIety?


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## Carolinian (Jun 14, 2012)

A good mix of independents can often do the job at a lower cost.  Personally, I have deposited with DAE, SFX, and UKRE, and traded with the first two.  I just joined UKRE so I haven't traded with them yet.  There may be some things that RCI has that they can't get but there are also exchanges they can get and RCI cannot or RCI is much harder.  I got a trade for next year into a 2BR in London through SFX a couple of months ago.  I have gotten lots of great exchanges through DAE.  When I first got into the members area for UKRE, I found that UKRE had more total summer UK inventory than RCI.

The independents have also been a lot more stable, without the abrupt changes that have made RCI such a guessing game, and of course, when RCI merges Points and Points Lite in the not too distant future, that will mean more big changes and plenty of both winners and losers.  RCI used to have stability, but it does not anymore.  I suspect that there are probably changes contemplated at II that would create a shell game there, too, so I will stick with the known quantities of the independents.


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## siesta (Jun 14, 2012)

MichaelColey said:


> I paid $89 when I initially signed up for a year of membership.
> 
> When I realized I could only search within that year, I ponied up another $356 for a 5 year extension of my account.


 what are you talking about? I have an annual II membership, that I only renew for a year at atime, and have never been restricted to search within a year. I can currently search well out into 2014.


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## MichaelColey (Jun 14, 2012)

Exchanging works VERY well for me on RCI (where my typical total cost per exchange is well under half of what it would cost to own there) and I'm sure it'll work out just about as good at II.

It's just the UPFRONT costs that I'm pointing out.  I'm four months into my II membership, have sunk over $900 (and four deposited weeks), and haven't received my first exchange yet.

Give me a couple years, and I'm sure I'll be as ecstatic about exchanging on II as I am on RCI.


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## djs (Jun 14, 2012)

siesta said:


> what are you talking about? I have an annual II membership, that I only renew for a year at atime, and have never been restricted to search within a year. I can currently search well out into 2014.



I believe the restriction on searching has to do with the dates of the week you've deposited (I think you can exchange up to 2 years beyond the date of the week you've deposited).


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## siesta (Jun 14, 2012)

djs said:


> I believe the restriction on searching has to do with the dates of the week you've deposited (I think you can exchange up to 2 years beyond the date of the week you've deposited).


correct, it has nothing to do with years on your membership, and everything to do with your deposit. I'm not sure if Michael was given bad info from a rep or misunderstood.


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## MichaelColey (Jun 14, 2012)

Keep Traveling said:


> What were the three resorts. I am too like you I generally search for the hard stuff and hope it hits.


One of my searches has two resorts in it, so I'm actually searching for four.  My current II searches are for:

Marriott's Grand Chateau in Vegas (specific date)
Marriott's Village d'Ile de France (fairly wide open, during off season)
Marriott's Newport Coast Villas (specific date)
Harborside at Atlantis (specific date, plus a wide range of off season dates)


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## DeniseM (Jun 14, 2012)

siesta said:


> correct, it has nothing to do with years on your membership, and everything to do with your deposit. I'm not sure if Michael was given bad info from a rep or misunderstood.



With most II accounts, your exchanges must both be within the time frame of your membership.  In other words, if my membership expires at the end of 2012, I can't make a 2013 exchange.  This may be different for some systems that have their own portal into II.


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## MichaelColey (Jun 14, 2012)

siesta said:


> what are you talking about? I have an annual II membership, that I only renew for a year at atime, and have never been restricted to search within a year. I can currently search well out into 2014.


That's odd. It wouldn't let me search beyond my membership expiration date for my first deposit. When I tried to enter the search, it tried to add a membership extension in. I aborted out and bought the 5 year package (after trying all the 2 for 1 and 3 for $99 offers, none of which worked) for the savings.

The details are a bit fuzzy (it was four months ago), but I'm confident it wouldn't let me do it.

I wonder what the difference is.  Maybe your account is from one of the systems?


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## massvacationer (Jun 14, 2012)

MichaelColey said:


> I know a lot of this expense will cover multiple years and multiple exchanges, but I was a bit shocked at how much I spent getting started in Interval (which is even cheaper than RCI) as a second exchange company.
> 
> I've spent $902 with them since I joined 4 months ago, and haven't got a single exchange yet.



As others have said, this is why I like the Club Wyndham Points system:
No Exchange Fees; No Insurance Fees; Partial week reservations; Plenty of nice resorts; Better resort availability within the Club Wyndham system (and at closer-in times) than in the external exchange systems


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## gnorth16 (Jun 14, 2012)

To clarify, in II I can look at instant exchanges outside my membership time frame, but cannot place an ongoing request outside my membership time frame.  My membership expires in Aug 2013 and I am always looking out to 2 years for instant exchanges.


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## csxjohn (Jun 14, 2012)

mpumilia said:


> Who's Donita? And VREIety?



Donita Glitch operates DVU, Donita's Vacations Unlimited.  She owned the company that Dial an Exchange bought out here in the US.  She had a no compete clause for a few years and is finally getting back in the business.

I used her before she sold to DAE and while she was with them.  She's very knowledgeable about the business and has been doing it for some time now.  You get very personalized service with her.

http://www.donita.com/


VRI*ety is the exchange arm of Vacation Resorts International, or VRI.  If you own at a resort managed by VRI you are a member with no charge.  You can deposit your non VRI resorts with them also.  

http://www.vrietyexchange.com/

If you'd like to get a VRI property to start exchanging there, I have one in the TUGG classifieds for free .  PM me for details if you're interested.  Once you're a member you can deposit any of your weeks with them and use their "Hot Deals."  You need to sign in to see the hot deals.


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## siesta (Jun 14, 2012)

gnorth16 said:


> To clarify, in II I can look at instant exchanges outside my membership time frame, but cannot place an ongoing request outside my membership time frame.  My membership expires in Aug 2013 and I am always looking out to 2 years for instant exchanges.


Thisis my experience as well. My current II membership expires at the end of the year, but I can always search 2 years out with my SDO deposits. So no I'm not using a mini system or a portal or anything fancy.


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## BevL (Jun 14, 2012)

gnorth16 said:


> To clarify, in II I can look at instant exchanges outside my membership time frame, but cannot place an ongoing request outside my membership time frame.  My membership expires in Aug 2013 and I am always looking out to 2 years for instant exchanges.



You can look outside your membership range but if you try to confirm an instant exchange, you will need to renew you membership before it will allow the exchange to be made.


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## timeos2 (Jun 14, 2012)

The cost of membership & exchange is way too high to be a value as a regular way to use timeshare.  Some of the best advice I ever got in timeshare was buy to use not trade.  It became a much more doable plan when the larger systems became reality allowing many choices without leaving your "home" ownership or adding all the fees/costs. 

An occasional use of RCI/II for rental has become a great bargain compared to 15-20 years ago.  Trading with them has become an infrequent luxury compared to 15-20 years ago. But using what you own has never changed. it was good then and is good now.


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## DeniseM (Jun 14, 2012)

MichaelColey said:


> I know my ongoing expenses will be much more in line with what I actually exchange, but those upfront expenses sure add up.



They do add up - but since the actual usage will be spread over many years, it's not very expensive per year.

Buying where you want to go works in many cases, but for some destinations like Disney, and the prime Hotel-system resorts, it is far more cost effective to trade in.  If you know what you are doing, you can trade in for a tiny fraction of the cost of owning at the high dollar resorts.


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## siesta (Jun 14, 2012)

BevL said:


> You can look outside your membership range but if you try to confirm an instant exchange, you will need to renew you membership before it will allow the exchange to be made.


This makes sense: if confirming exchnage past current membership, they require you to extend membership. but michael saying he was unable to search past the timeframe of his membership doesn't, unless it was an ongoing search request and not instant exchange inventory.


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## DeniseM (Jun 14, 2012)

siesta said:


> This makes sense: if confirming exchnage past current membership, they require you to extend membership. but michael saying he was unable to search past the timeframe of his membership doesn't.



He was referring to "on-going searches."  You can't request an on-going search outside of your membership time frame.


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## siesta (Jun 14, 2012)

DeniseM said:


> He was referring to "on-going searches."  You can't request an on-going search outside of your membership time frame.


  really? You can assume he meant that, but reading his first post analytically, that does not seem to be definitive.

"*When I realized I could only search within that year*, I ponied up another $356 for a 5 year extension of my account."

Its not till the next line where he then mentions setting up ongoing searches, which may or may not have anything to do with what he was referring to before.


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## DeniseM (Jun 14, 2012)

Since you can do online searches outside your membership, but you can't do ongoing-searches, the only logical answer is that he was referring to on-going searches.


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## siesta (Jun 14, 2012)

DeniseM said:


> Since you can do online searches outside your membership, but you can't do ongoing-searches, the only logical answer is that he was referring to on-going searches.


 "No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical." - Niels Bohr


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## jdunn1 (Jun 14, 2012)

Interval is so different from RCI, it's hard to understand without using each system for a while.  With RCI a great deal of weight is put on how long you have been waiting for an exchange, and there are no internal trade preference peirods.  With II, it doesn't matter how long you have been waiting for an exchange is someone wants the same trade as you do and that person had a better deposit, they will get the trade over you every time.

I've been in II for just over two years with Marriott and just under two years with Worldmark, though it feels like much longer since trades are so far and few between in II.

As a Marriott owner, I really appreciate the trade prefernce we get.  As a Worldmark owner, I hate the Marriott and Starwood preference.  It is almost impossible to get a ski week in anything other than a studio and it is 100% impossible to get a Carolina summer beach week, and I would immagine a summer NCV week is out of the question, too.  My experience has been just plain aweful waiting and hoping a trade request will come through in Interval for a Marriott and Starwood week.  With that said, I am always looking for a summer week or a holiday week of some kind.  I would immagine other weeks are less difficult, but II will leave you high and dry for an exchange 8 out of 10 times, if you let them.

With Worldmark, I have done all but one exchange by finding it on my own in the on-line inventory.  The one exception for me was a presidents day week exchange for Marriott's Mountain Valley that I got this past February.  I got that exchange almost exactly 12 months out and it was a studio.  No luck trying to get a one bedroom.

Using my WorldMark account this year, I got a couple Marriott matches in II exactly 12 months before check-in date.  These were both holiday week matches, but in not prime Marriott resorts (Mountain Valley presidents day week studio) and (Legends Edge Easter week).  I didn't confirm the Legend's Edge week because the resort is not on the ocean and I was concerned the ocean would be cold the first week of April.

My experience in II this year when using WorldMark to exchange for Marriott has been this:  If I am going to get a match I get the confirmation exactly 12 months before check-in.  If my exchange request is even 11 months before check-in, I have missed the boat already on any possible exchange.  Kind of wierd, I know.  I even tried for an Easter exchange into Hilton Head this year within flex time (my exchange was started over a year ago) and I never got a match despite there beeing several matching weeks within 60 days of checkin that I could see with my Marriott account.

When using II with my Marriott weeks, it is an entirely different and much better experience.  Most times you will get a match in Interval if you are exchanging like size units.  You get matches at all times, not just 12 months out.  I got matched with my Easter 2012 Hilton Head week in July of 2011 using a Marriott deposit.  I had the same search request going in II using my WorldMark points and that exchange never happened, not even in flex time.

Interval and RCI are just so different.  In RCI you can have a bunch of garbage weeks, and combine them and then get on a waiting list and you can get the best weeks RCI has to offer.  With II, nothing could be further from the truth.  If you do not have a name brand resort in Interval, I just do not see how you can get Marriott and Starwood and Hyatt weeks via an ongoing search unless you are looking for Orlando or Vegas or the desert or way off season weeks at some the of the beach resorts.


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## travelguy (Jun 14, 2012)

MichaelColey said:


> Exchanging works VERY well for me on RCI (where my typical total cost per exchange is well under half of what it would cost to own there) and I'm sure it'll work out just about as good at II.
> 
> It's just the UPFRONT costs that I'm pointing out.  I'm four months into my II membership, have sunk over $900 (and four deposited weeks), and haven't received my first exchange yet.
> 
> Give me a couple years, and I'm sure I'll be as ecstatic about exchanging on II as I am on RCI.



No doubt you _*WILL *_be ecstatic about exchanging on II.

I'm doing just the opposite as you - I have justed gotten title to my CMV UDI but have been using II for several decades to exchange the other timeshares that I own (about 4 wks per year in II alone).  Can't wait to get the stockpile of weeks setup for trades in II.

I also try for very specific, high end resorts way in advance for semi-specific dates and have a pretty good "hit" rate in II.  I setup ongoing exchanges in RCI, II,  SFX and HGVC/RCI and then cancel the others when one hits.  Be patient and your investment in II should pay off.


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## Bourne (Jun 14, 2012)

jdunn1 said:


> Interval is so different from RCI, it's hard to understand without using each system for a while.  With RCI a great deal of weight is put on how long you have been waiting for an exchange, and there are no internal trade preference peirods.  With II, it doesn't matter how long you have been waiting for an exchange is someone wants the same trade as you do and that person had a better deposit, they will get the trade over you every time.
> ...
> ...
> ....
> Interval and RCI are just so different.  In RCI you can have a bunch of garbage weeks, and combine them and then get on a waiting list and you can get the best weeks RCI has to offer.  With II, nothing could be further from the truth.  If you do not have a name brand resort in Interval, I just do not see how you can get Marriott and Starwood and Hyatt weeks via an ongoing search unless you are looking for Orlando or Vegas or the desert or way off season weeks at some the of the beach resorts.



RCI used to be same like II until last year. Wyndham/Shell/Diamond etc internal priorities existed. 

To me, the new changes create an equitable playing field as well as the fact that nothing is hidden anymore. Many may call the current system flawed but you cannot ignore that fact that it is nore open now.


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## MichaelColey (Jun 14, 2012)

DeniseM said:


> He was referring to "on-going searches." You can't request an on-going search outside of your membership time frame.





siesta said:


> really? You can assume he meant that, but reading his first post analytically, that does not seem to be definitive.
> 
> "*When I realized I could only search within that year*, I ponied up another $356 for a 5 year extension of my account."


Sorry for the confusion.  I *was* talking about ongoing searches.



jdunn1 said:


> With II, it doesn't matter how long you have been waiting for an exchange is someone wants the same trade as you do and that person had a better deposit, they will get the trade over you every time.


Not necessarily what works best for me, but in a week-for-week system, that is certainly the most fair way to do it.  Thanks for the insight!


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## WinniWoman (Jun 14, 2012)

csxjohn said:


> Donita Glitch operates DVU, Donita's Vacations Unlimited.  She owned the company that Dial an Exchange bought out here in the US.  She had a no compete clause for a few years and is finally getting back in the business.
> 
> I used her before she sold to DAE and while she was with them.  She's very knowledgeable about the business and has been doing it for some time now.  You get very personalized service with her.
> 
> ...



Thanks for the info. As for a VRI property- no thanks. I use my 2 timeshare weeks every year now at my home resort and rent for extra vacations.


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## jdunn1 (Jun 14, 2012)

I never knew this.  Thanks.

...and Michael, I meant to add that if you can take a studio or even two studios, you can get those more frequently in II, even for prime Marriott weeks.  Most Marriott owners want one bedrooms or larger so if you find a resort that offers lock offs, the studios can usually be had outside of the preference period.  Larger units are really tough for many locations, but not studios. I also think you should land your Marriott Vegas week.  That resort has lots of availability in II outside of holidy weeks, and even then holiday weeks do happen.  



Bourne said:


> RCI used to be same like II until last year. Wyndham/Shell/Diamond etc internal priorities existed.
> 
> To me, the new changes create an equitable playing field as well as the fact that nothing is hidden anymore. Many may call the current system flawed but you cannot ignore that fact that it is nore open now.


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## Bourne (Jun 14, 2012)

Miss the good old days when a 1br crappy branson could pull a 3br Waterside in peak summer
or 
a 42K Wyndham deposit could pull Aug Wyn Ocean Blvd..

it was good while it lasted..

I am assuming this was the reason why Shell left RCI for II. They wanted the internal preference intact. It helps developers as they can sell off season weeks touting internal preference.


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## MuranoJo (Jun 14, 2012)

K2Quick said:


> If I bought only where I wanted to go, I'd be overpaying by a large margin.  Even after factoring in II membership fees and exchange fees, I've paid a small fraction of what maintenance fees were for the units I've traded into.  To the extent you're willing to travel at off-peak times, the "buy where you want to go" advice is far overdone.



+1.  At this stage in our lives, we like to explore.  You know, you can go 'all over the world' and visit any timeshare in the RCI Directory.  :hysterical: 

If a favorite location is within driving proximity, we'd probably take our travel trailer.

IMO, the ideal is a location you like to go to, AND one that is an 'event' or holiday week that exchanges well and rents for more than your m/f.


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## chriskre (Jun 14, 2012)

DeniseM said:


> If you know what you are doing, you can trade in for a tiny fraction of the cost of owning at the high dollar resorts.



Denise is right.  There is a learning curve in II but I'm sure you'll have no problem mastering that and you'll be telling us all about those great trades.  



travelguy said:


> No doubt you _*WILL *_be ecstatic about exchanging on II.
> 
> I'm doing just the opposite as you - I have justed gotten title to my CMV UDI but have been using II for several decades to exchange the other timeshares that I own (about 4 wks per year in II alone).  Can't wait to get the stockpile of weeks setup for trades in II.
> 
> I also try for very specific, high end resorts way in advance for semi-specific dates and have a pretty good "hit" rate in II.  I setup ongoing exchanges in RCI, II,  SFX and HGVC/RCI and then cancel the others when one hits.  Be patient and your investment in II should pay off.



It's surprising what nice weeks you will see with a CMV white week.  I think you need to do your own searching though as I'm not sure how good those ongoing searches do.  I see lots of goodies for next year but I can't plan that far ahead.  Still plenty of Marriotts to choose from including bigger units.   



MichaelColey said:


> I've spent $902 with them since I joined 4 months ago, and haven't got a single exchange yet..................
> I know my ongoing expenses will be much more in line with what I actually exchange, but those upfront expenses sure add up.



Look at it as an educational expense.   You can probably write an ebook with all you're gonna learn for that $900 course and if you average it out over 5 years it's really not that much considering all the great places you're gonna go to.


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## Carolinian (Jun 15, 2012)

Bourne said:


> RCI used to be same like II until last year. Wyndham/Shell/Diamond etc internal priorities existed.
> 
> To me, the new changes create an equitable playing field as well as the fact that nothing is hidden anymore. Many may call the current system flawed but you cannot ignore that fact that it is nore open now.



I have wondered if the European preference survived.  It used to be that RCI ringfenced some of their better European inventory that was only availible to European members.  I remember back when I switched my RCI account from North America to Europe, and suddenly there was quite a bit of better inventory availilbe that I had not been able to see before.

From some comments on another site, it appeared that preference may have survived.

There are good and bad aspects of the new system, and you have indeed identified one of the few good aspects of it in deleting developer preferences.  However, this is countered by RCI overpointing some favored developers, so they just find a different way to put their thumb on the scales for their friends.


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## Carolinian (Jun 15, 2012)

massvacationer said:


> As others have said, this is why I like the Club Wyndham Points system:
> No Exchange Fees; No Insurance Fees; Partial week reservations; Plenty of nice resorts; Better resort availability within the Club Wyndham system (and at closer-in times) than in the external exchange systems



For avaibilitiy in the UK this summer, UKRE will beat your Club Wyndham, RCI, or DAE, and probably all of them combined.  From what I see on another site from an II insider who posts there, I strongly suspect that II would be also on that list.


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## Carolinian (Jun 15, 2012)

I worked with Donita Cilch when she was at DAE - great lady with great timeshare connections.  Unfortunately, she is not doing much at the moment on European exchanges.




csxjohn said:


> Donita Glitch operates DVU, Donita's Vacations Unlimited.  She owned the company that Dial an Exchange bought out here in the US.  She had a no compete clause for a few years and is finally getting back in the business.
> 
> I used her before she sold to DAE and while she was with them.  She's very knowledgeable about the business and has been doing it for some time now.  You get very personalized service with her.
> 
> ...


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## MichaelColey (Jun 15, 2012)

jdunn1 said:


> I meant to add that if you can take a studio or even two studios, you can get those more frequently in II, even for prime Marriott weeks. Most Marriott owners want one bedrooms or larger so if you find a resort that offers lock offs, the studios can usually be had outside of the preference period. Larger units are really tough for many locations, but not studios. I also think you should land your Marriott Vegas week. That resort has lots of availability in II outside of holidy weeks, and even then holiday weeks do happen.


I never stay in a studio, unless it's somewhere (like NYC) where that's the only option.  2BR or larger for us.

I think the Vegas Marriott will be the easiest for me to get, but I think NCV and MVF (off season) are both pretty good odds as well.  Harborside at Atlantis is the only longshot.

And if I get all three of those, the $900 I sunk so far will be well worth it.


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## Margariet (Jun 15, 2012)

Carolinian said:


> I have wondered if the European preference survived.  It used to be that RCI ringfenced some of their better European inventory that was only availible to European members.  I remember back when I switched my RCI account from North America to Europe, and suddenly there was quite a bit of better inventory availilbe that I had not been able to see before.
> 
> From some comments on another site, it appeared that preference may have survived.
> 
> There are good and bad aspects of the new system, and you have indeed identified one of the few good aspects of it in deleting developer preferences.  However, this is countered by RCI overpointing some favored developers, so they just find a different way to put their thumb on the scales for their friends.



Nowadays it's more the other way around. Not all timeshare developers show all their property to the non-American market. Like Hilton who rather prefers American buyers and is not very keen on giving too much inventory to Europeans. The European market is much harder to get into when it comes to timeshare. Eurpean customers are reluctant to buy timeshare and are hard bargain hunters.


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## JeffW (Jun 15, 2012)

MichaelColey said:


> ... It's just the UPFRONT costs that I'm pointing out.  I'm four months into my II membership, have sunk over $900 (and four deposited weeks), and haven't received my first exchange yet.
> 
> Give me a couple years, and I'm sure I'll be as ecstatic about exchanging on II as I am on RCI.



So how is this any different from the timeshare purchase itself?  Even if it's from a $1 purchase (though many people have paid 4-5 digits), there's transfer and other fees, than your first annual maintenance.  Combined, I'm sure more than $900, getting you nothing more than the potential to travel.

I'm not saying the costs don't add up.  But if just your Harbourside exchange comes through, you can total the m/f for the unit you used for the exchange, and all the fees you've mentioned in this thread, and likely come out ahead compared to if you paid for a rental of the unit.

Jeff


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## Mel (Jun 15, 2012)

jdunn1 said:


> Interval is so different from RCI, it's hard to understand without using each system for a while.  With RCI a great deal of weight is put on how long you have been waiting for an exchange, and there are no internal trade preference peirods.  With II, it doesn't matter how long you have been waiting for an exchange is someone wants the same trade as you do and that person had a better deposit, they will get the trade over you every time.


I like RCI's system far better.  The oldest request with adequate trade power always gets the exchange.  Under the current system, if the the TPU required is 18, and there are 10 requests, the oldest request with at least 18 TPU gets it.  If someone with 17 TPU requested it 2 years out, they don't get it because they don't have enough.  If someone with 60 TPU (or a combined deposit with even more) requested yesterday, they don't get it because others with at least 18 requested before them.  Otherwise there would be a real imbalance because owners of multiple weeks would be encouraged to combine everything for a high enough TPU to move to the front of the line.  Under II's system, someone with just enough trade power (the equivalent of a true like for like exchange) is contantly being cut in line by those with more trade power.  Add request first to the mix, and it hardly seems reasonable.



JeffW said:


> So how is this any different from the timeshare purchase itself?  Even if it's from a $1 purchase (though many people have paid 4-5 digits), there's transfer and other fees, than your first annual maintenance.  Combined, I'm sure more than $900, getting you nothing more than the potential to travel.
> 
> I'm not saying the costs don't add up.  But if just your Harbourside exchange comes through, you can total the m/f for the unit you used for the exchange, and all the fees you've mentioned in this thread, and likely come out ahead compared to if you paid for a rental of the unit.


Also, most new owners (those who would be starting up with either company) might renew for several years, but are not likely to be paying multiple exchange fees right away.  The problem isn't so much an issue of start-up cost as that Michael is jumping in with multiple trades, so is in effect paying multiple start-up costs, but in the end gets to divide that renewal cost among those multiple exchanges.  Neither of the big exchange companies are particularly cost-effective for those who only own one week.


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## MichaelColey (Jun 15, 2012)

JeffW said:


> So how is this any different from the timeshare purchase itself? Even if it's from a $1 purchase (though many people have paid 4-5 digits), there's transfer and other fees, than your first annual maintenance. Combined, I'm sure more than $900, getting you nothing more than the potential to travel.


It's not much different.  But in comparison with just sticking with RCI (which I'm already utilizing and will continue to utilize), it's entirely incremental costs.  I could have deposited those four units in RCI and set up ongoing searches at no upfront cost (with the current promotion, or $189 max the way RCI normally works).

In any case, I think I'll get good value out of II and that the extra flexibility, options and resort quality will be worth the extra expense.


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## JeffW (Jun 15, 2012)

I guess I never saw the "request first" fees as being a big deal.  When I'm seriously searching for an exchange, best case is you'd find a match immediately.  In this case, you're basically ready to part with your money right away.  So paying and not having an exchange immediately, just part of the process.

I don't know how others book trips, but there have been times I've booked airline tickets first while waiting for an exchange to come through (I know, risky).  In that case, already having made a committment on the air tickets, a couple hundred dollars charged to a credit card for the ongoing search isn't a major inconvenience.

Jeff


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## Saintsfanfl (Jun 15, 2012)

JeffW said:


> I guess I never saw the "request first" fees as being a big deal.  When I'm seriously searching for an exchange, best case is you'd find a match immediately.  In this case, you're basically ready to part with your money right away.  So paying and not having an exchange immediately, just part of the process.
> 
> I don't know how others book trips, but there have been times I've booked airline tickets first while waiting for an exchange to come through (I know, risky).  In that case, already having made a committment on the air tickets, a couple hundred dollars charged to a credit card for the ongoing search isn't a major inconvenience.
> 
> Jeff



I didn't realize you had to pay up front for an exchange request. I won't be doing it much because I am more interested in trying to up the size of my room rather than trying to book a prime week. What happens if you do not end up exchanging? Do you get a refund or credit?


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## DeniseM (Jun 15, 2012)

Saintsfanfl said:


> I didn't realize you had to pay up front for an exchange request. I won't be doing it much because I am more interested in trying to up the size of my room rather than trying to book a prime week. What happens if you do not end up exchanging? Do you get a refund or credit?



Yes, with both RCI and II, you have to pay the exchange fee upfront, to put in an on-going request - but not to search for an instant online exchange.

You can get a refund if you don't get the exchange.


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## JeffW (Jun 15, 2012)

DeniseM said:


> ...You can get a refund if you don't get the exchange.



With II, I believe they always refunded your fee.  With RCI, it used to be if you cancelled a search, they'd leave the funds as a credit in your account.  If you did a future exchange, it would use the credit first (I believe).  If you wanted a complete refund, you'd need to make a separate request for that.


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## Bourne (Jun 15, 2012)

DeniseM said:


> Yes, with both RCI and II, you have to pay the exchange fee upfront, to put in an on-going request - but not to search for an instant online exchange.



There is a difference and its what OP is highlighting.

With II, if you set up five searches, you pay 5X the fees. 
With RCI, you only pay the first. Rest ride on the first $189. 

Promotions come and go so I am not accounting for the fact that you can set up gazzilion searches in RCI right now for free.


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## Carolinian (Jun 15, 2012)

Margariet said:


> Nowadays it's more the other way around. Not all timeshare developers show all their property to the non-American market. Like Hilton who rather prefers American buyers and is not very keen on giving too much inventory to Europeans. The European market is much harder to get into when it comes to timeshare. Eurpean customers are reluctant to buy timeshare and are hard bargain hunters.



I was referring more to exchange inventory than developer inventory.

With RCI, it would be interesting to compare between US accounts and European accounts as to the total number of weeks availible.  I first picked up on the difference when a European Tugger was frequently posting of all the stuff she could see online with her account, and American Tuggers, even with tiger traders, often could not see much of it.


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## Carolinian (Jun 15, 2012)

Saintsfanfl said:


> I didn't realize you had to pay up front for an exchange request. I won't be doing it much because I am more interested in trying to up the size of my room rather than trying to book a prime week. What happens if you do not end up exchanging? Do you get a refund or credit?



One of the advantages of most of the independent exchange companies is that you do NOT have to pre-pay an exchange fee with them to search.  The fee is only charged when they can confirm an exchange for you.


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## Margariet (Jun 16, 2012)

Carolinian said:


> I was referring more to exchange inventory than developer inventory.
> 
> With RCI, it would be interesting to compare between US accounts and European accounts as to the total number of weeks availible.  I first picked up on the difference when a European Tugger was frequently posting of all the stuff she could see online with her account, and American Tuggers, even with tiger traders, often could not see much of it.



Last year we did a few comparisons. Sometimes there is difference, sometimes not. I have noticed that I often don't see the sightings members post for the USA or only see them later. So in return I asked if American Tuggers would tell the RCI availability for the USA but nobody responded. So I guess there is not much enthousiasm for it or interest in it. However I am always willing to perform a search for Europe if someone is interested.

You can find a few postings about the subject:

http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=154497
http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1172628#post1172628
http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1172703#post1172703


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## JudyS (Jun 16, 2012)

DeniseM said:


> ...Buying where you want to go works in many cases, but for some destinations like Disney, and the prime Hotel-system resorts, it is far more cost effective to trade in.  If you know what you are doing, you can trade in for a tiny fraction of the cost of owning at the high dollar resorts.


I definitely agree with this! I have done a pile of off-season trades to Orlando, almost all into DVCs, Marriotts, or Sheratons. My cost (MF, exchange fee, pro-rated cost of RCI/II membership fee) generally is less than half of the MF for a Marriott or Sheraton unit. For DVC, my cost is a bit more than half the MFs, but with DVC, you also have high buy-in costs.


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## JudyS (Jun 16, 2012)

Bourne said:


> ... I am not accounting for the fact that you can set up gazzilion searches in RCI right now for free.


I hadn't heard about RCI allowing searches to be set-up for free. Is there a thread about this?


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## MichaelColey (Jun 16, 2012)

Bourne said:


> There is a difference and its what OP is highlighting.
> 
> With II, if you set up five searches, you pay 5X the fees.
> With RCI, you only pay the first. Rest ride on the first $189.
> ...


It's actually even more flexibile than that.  The $189 covers all of those ongoing searches, but then if you get a match they use that $189 balance so the others you have out there are "free" (until you confirm a match).

As many exchanges as I do, my $189 never sits there for long.

And periodically (like now), they let you set up searches for free.



JudyS said:


> I hadn't heard about RCI allowing searches to be set-up for free. Is there a thread about this?


There is, but I don't think it got much response.


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## SOS8260456 (Jun 16, 2012)

Never knew about the additional RCI searches being free.  When the search comes through I guess they are pretty quick letting you know when they hit?


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## MichaelColey (Jun 18, 2012)

MichaelColey said:


> One of my searches has two resorts in it, so I'm actually searching for four. My current II searches are for:
> 
> Marriott's Grand Chateau in Vegas (specific date)
> Marriott's Village d'Ile de France (fairly wide open, during off season)
> ...





jdunn1 said:


> If you do not have a name brand resort in Interval, I just do not see how you can get Marriott and Starwood and Hyatt weeks via an ongoing search unless you are looking for Orlando or Vegas or the desert or way off season weeks at some the of the beach resorts.





jdunn1 said:


> I meant to add that if you can take a studio or even two studios, you can get those more frequently in II, even for prime Marriott weeks. Most Marriott owners want one bedrooms or larger so if you find a resort that offers lock offs, the studios can usually be had outside of the preference period. Larger units are really tough for many locations, but not studios. I also think you should land your Marriott Vegas week. That resort has lots of availability in II outside of holidy weeks, and even then holiday weeks do happen.





MichaelColey said:


> I never stay in a studio, unless it's somewhere (like NYC) where that's the only option. 2BR or larger for us.
> 
> I think the Vegas Marriott will be the easiest for me to get, but I think NCV and MVF (off season) are both pretty good odds as well. Harborside at Atlantis is the only longshot.


I got my first match on II. My worst trader (a 2BR "pink" CMV week deposited barely 60 days in advance) was able to pick up a 2BR Newport Coast Villas for a specific date early next year.

I should have known it was coming. I got two calls from II last week offering me some other Southern California resort. They specifically told me that NCV was hard to get into. 

I kind of figured the Vegas exchange would come first.

Now for the other two ongoing searches...


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## rickandcindy23 (Jun 18, 2012)

Newport Coast is great and very close to Disneyland.  It's less than 45 minutes each way, and you can use the carpool lane.  

Congratulations on a great trade.  I saw a bunch of early January weeks at Marriott's Newport Coast this morning with my Foxrun, but our vacations are getting too close to one another.   Rick is stopping me from booking more for early 2013, and he is iffy about anything in Orlando for late April-May.  

We are done with the Disney resorts from this point on.  Rick is tired of staying on site.  We are going back to the Marriott and Hiltons instead.  

We are really booked a lot for the next six-nine months:

It's Kauai for two weeks starting 8/3

We have Orlando for two weeks early October

Disneyland late October-early November for four nights

Orlando 12/10 

Orlando 1/14-1/28 

Maui 2/23-3/16


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## MichaelColey (Jun 18, 2012)

MichaelColey said:


> I got my first match on II. My worst trader (a 2BR "pink" CMV week deposited barely 60 days in advance) was able to pick up a 2BR Newport Coast Villas for a specific date early next year.
> 
> I should have known it was coming. I got two calls from II last week offering me some other Southern California resort. They specifically told me that NCV was hard to get into.
> 
> ...


What a difference four days makes!

I got my Vegas exchange, also.

Now my only ongoing search left is my longshot for Harborside.

Time to deposit some more weeks and set up some more searches!


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## MichaelColey (Jun 19, 2012)

Okay, I just can't stop.  I made my third II exchange, all within 24 hours.

Nope, not the Harborside longshot.  I still have that ongoing search running.  I noticed that there were still a BUNCH more NCV deposits, including one that was checking in the day we were checking out.  So I used another deposit to grab that.  Now, we'll be able to enjoy the Newport Coast Villas for two weeks instead of one.

So now I've investing $1050 into II (plus the MF value of the four deposits).  My membership runs for 6 years.  I've had three exchanges (two for Newport Coast Villas, one for Grand Chateau in Vegas) and I have an ongoing search for Harborside at Atlantis.  I'm feeling much better about things.  

I definitely need to deposits some more weeks...


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## Bourne (Jun 19, 2012)

Good for you  

June and under/Sept+ Four Seasons Aviara are possible too at the last minute.

For me, the best success I have had with II is 60 and under... My tiger traders are only for rental... .. And you will be amazed what those puny switch blade July 4 1br can pull. Better usage in II if you do not need to PFD them..


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## jdunn1 (Jun 19, 2012)

Off season Marriott weeks (just like any other resort brand) are very easy to trade into.  You are traveling in way off season to boot, so you should be able to get just about any resort you want.  There are some exceptions, like Crystal Shores, and Frenchman Cove, and some others, but if you continue to travel in off season, II will be very good to you.  Between Marriott, Hyatt and Starwood, Marriott is by far the easiest to get into in off season.  

...and the Marriott is Vegas is nice, but the Planet Hollywood and HGVC Famingo are much better, in my oppinion.  Also, the Polo Towers looks to have a much nicer pool complex and is in a slightly better location than the Marriott.  Although they only have one bedrooms, the Jockey Club is in a fantastic location and you have access to some of the pools at the Cosmo.




MichaelColey said:


> Okay, I just can't stop.  I made my third II exchange, all within 24 hours.
> 
> Nope, not the Harborside longshot.  I still have that ongoing search running.  I noticed that there were still a BUNCH more NCV deposits, including one that was checking in the day we were checking out.  So I used another deposit to grab that.  Now, we'll be able to enjoy the Newport Coast Villas for two weeks instead of one.
> 
> ...


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## MichaelColey (Jun 19, 2012)

jdunn1 said:


> ...and the Marriott is Vegas is nice, but the Planet Hollywood and HGVC Famingo are much better, in my oppinion. Also, the Polo Towers looks to have a much nicer pool complex and is in a slightly better location than the Marriott.


Where does Planet Hollywood trade?  I haven't seen that one yet.

I actually got HGVC Flamingo for my other Vegas trip, which works out great because the convention I'm going to is just across the street at Caesar's Palace.  HGVC Las Vegas Strip was another choice I could have made, but the Marriott looked better for families.

I stayed at Dessert Club last time I was there, and I LOVED it.  But I think that was primarily just because of the kitchen.  I'm a foodie, and it was awesome to have a gas stove and a large pantry.


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## chriskre (Jun 19, 2012)

MichaelColey said:


> Okay, I just can't stop.  I made my third II exchange, all within 24 hours.
> 
> I'm feeling much better about things.
> 
> I definitely need to deposits some more weeks...



I knew you'd get the hang of it quickly.  
II has some great gems once you learn to work it. 
Took me years to finally get the hang of it but thanks to my TUG and TS4M buddies I'm almost a pro now.     At least for the stuff that I want.  



MichaelColey said:


> Where does Planet Hollywood trade?  I haven't seen that one yet.
> 
> I actually got HGVC Flamingo for my other Vegas trip, which works out great because the convention I'm going to is just across the street at Caesar's Palace.  HGVC Las Vegas Strip was another choice I could have made, but the Marriott looked better for families.



Planet Hollywood had weeks in II.  It's not in RCI just yet although ya never know what an ongoing search will pull.  It's Elara with HGVC and Planet Hollywood with Westgate.  Same resort but different units being deposited depending on the exchange company.  Elara is not yet available for us HGVC owners yet but I'm sure it will be an easy exchange once the rooms open up.

I saw Planet Hollywood in II earlier this year but for 2013 weeks.  Maybe they are all gone by now.  I just checked and there are only studios and 1 bedrooms and now they are calling it Elara in II too.  Only one unit left for this year in Nov. and the rest is for 2013.  If the studios and 1 bedroom could work for you, you could do a 1 bedroom and a studio with an XYZ and have them combine the units to a 2 bedroom lock off before check in.  Hilton is very good about doing this, especially if you speak to a manager beforehand.


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## jdunn1 (Jun 19, 2012)

Planet Hollywood in II has done some HUGE bulk deposits in the past.  I got a May 2011 week in Oct of 2010 for my parents.  Got a massive 2 bedroom for them, and all it took was the studio portion of my Willowridge week.  When Planet Hollywood does a bulk deposit, they deposit hundreds of units.

The Flamingo is widely thought of as the best timeshare in Vegas.  Too bad there is the 1 in 4 rule.  I think any of the Hiltons would be better than the Marriott, actually.  Only problem with the Hiltons (Flamingo not included) is that they are way down the strip, not by the newer casinos.

If I had to bring my kids to Vegas (and it would take a lot for me to subject them to the strip), the Marriott is probably not a bad choice.  The Marriott is off the strip, so you don't have to see the bad parts of the strip and it is a lot more quiet where the Marriott is.  The Planet Hollywood gets loud and busy with newly 20 year olds and all that behavior that goes along with that age group.  

The Hiltons are in a pretty dead portion of the strip so that might actually shelter your kids from the more vulger aspects of Vegas that are just in your face at the Planet Hollywood and on the strip near the Marriott.

The Marriott in Vegas (and anything in II) is a much cheaper exchange for me than the Hiltons in Vegas or anything in RCI.





MichaelColey said:


> Where does Planet Hollywood trade?  I haven't seen that one yet.
> 
> I actually got HGVC Flamingo for my other Vegas trip, which works out great because the convention I'm going to is just across the street at Caesar's Palace.  HGVC Las Vegas Strip was another choice I could have made, but the Marriott looked better for families.
> 
> I stayed at Dessert Club last time I was there, and I LOVED it.  But I think that was primarily just because of the kitchen.  I'm a foodie, and it was awesome to have a gas stove and a large pantry.


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## littlestar (Jun 19, 2012)

I love my II platinum membership.  I just booked a Getaway at Club Intrawest SanDestin for my daughter for fall break in a 2 bedroom for a total cost of $529.  The same thing in RCI was around $1,500.  I could have traded into Club Intrawest (it was available for exchange too) but I'm saving my deposit for something else. 

With my platinum II membership I get free guest certificates and a free companion airline certificate once a year.  

I'm waiting for II to release another "Platinum member special" for the fall - I was able to book my best friend a one bedroom at Sheraton Vistana for around $71 for the week for an early May vacation on a platinum special.

I have an RCI membership included with our Wyndham points - I like both exchange companies for the variety but I get more value out of my II membership.  If I had to choose based on value, it would be my Interval platinum membership and my resale Wyndham points.


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## jdunn1 (Jun 19, 2012)

Club Intrawest Sandestin is not in II.  I know Club Intrawest just switched from RCI to II, but I just checked and still no Sandestin.




littlestar said:


> I love my II platinum membership.  I just booked a Getaway at Club Intrawest SanDestin for my daughter for fall break in a 2 bedroom for a total cost of $529.  The same thing in RCI was around $1,500.  I could have traded into Club Intrawest (it was available for exchange too) but I'm saving my deposit for something else.
> 
> With my platinum II membership I get free guest certificates and a free companion airline certificate once a year.
> 
> ...


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## jdunn1 (Jun 19, 2012)

Nevermind, I just found it.  



jdunn1 said:


> Club Intrawest Sandestin is not in II.  I know Club Intrawest just switched from RCI to II, but I just checked and still no Sandestin.


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## littlestar (Jun 19, 2012)

jdunn1 said:


> Nevermind, I just found it.



Yeah, it surprised me -  I couldn't believe it when I saw they had inventory in II!  It's been going fast, though.  I had never seen Cub Intrawest inventory in II before so I hope it's not just a temporary thing.


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## unomos (Jun 19, 2012)

The fees are too high for me, I like using my home resort. I am just looking into trying out TimeshareJuice.com, has anyone heard of or used that yet? Seems like a good exchange alternative to me.


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## icowboy (Jun 19, 2012)

*Expensive and unavailability*



MichaelColey said:


> That's odd. It wouldn't let me search beyond my membership expiration date for my first deposit. When I tried to enter the search, it tried to add a membership extension in. I aborted out and bought the 5 year package (after trying all the 2 for 1 and 3 for $99 offers, none of which worked) for the savings.
> 
> The details are a bit fuzzy (it was four months ago), but I'm confident it wouldn't let me do it.
> 
> I wonder what the difference is.  Maybe your account is from one of the systems?



I'm probably through with II when my membership runs out - have banked Christmas weeks in ski country Colorado trying for Branson MO in August - nothing available????? - THERE ARE LOTS OF ROOMS IN BRANSON and it should be the business of II to find some! Probably cheaper and easier to just rent a room from a tugger!


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## Saintsfanfl (Jun 19, 2012)

icowboy said:


> I'm probably through with II when my membership runs out - have banked Christmas weeks in ski country Colorado trying for Branson MO in August - nothing available????? - THERE ARE LOTS OF ROOMS IN BRANSON and it should be the business of II to find some! Probably cheaper and easier to just rent a room from a tugger!



That's actually not their business at all. The exchange fee is for exchanging for what is available. It is not for them to procure an unavailable week although sometimes they do try to do just that. That said your trade should be a cinch so maybe you are doing somthIng wrong. Did you put in a request? Also you are after something with very little advance which is hit and miss.


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## icowboy (Jun 19, 2012)

*fed up with II*



Saintsfanfl said:


> That's actually not their business at all. The exchange fee is for exchanging for what is available. It is not for them to procure an unavailable week although sometimes they do try to do just that. That said your trade should be a cinch so maybe you are doing somthIng wrong. Did you put in a request? Also you are after something with very little advance which is hit and miss.



I know exchanging is their business, but if it doesn't work better try to fix it.
I did place a request, several weeks ago - This is the last straw in a string of unavailabilities - I've actually lost banked weeks - Only had one exchange in years and it was an extreme off season - Their getaways are a joke, always off season or way out of way places - Looking into Wyndham points to have more availability and flexability.


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## big1ed (Jun 19, 2012)

*Exchanging with el cheapo MF's*

Buying where you want to go works in many cases, but for some destinations like Disney, and the prime Hotel-system resorts, it is far more cost effective to trade in. If you know what you are doing, you can trade in for a tiny fraction of the cost of owning at the high dollar resorts.

 __________________
    This is just my " two cents" on this subject. I own at one of those " high dollar resorts " ( Royal Resorts, and, at one time, DVC ) and, IMHO, it is a shame that they let exchange an " el cheapo" maint. fee for my much higher maint. fee resort, just for the $149 fee ( or whatever ). Royal Resorts has the right idea. They want the " exchangers" with no RR affiliation to pay like an all inclusive, hence evening out this practice. 
    I also belong to II, and, again IMHO, they are useless. To try to exchange with them to a place and time YOU want, is fruitless in most cases. The guy who already paid $900 for nothing, well, I am not going there.


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## tschwa2 (Jun 19, 2012)

big1ed said:


> This is just my " two cents" on this subject. I own at one of those " high dollar resorts " ( Royal Resorts, and, at one time, DVC ) and, IMHO, it is a shame that they let exchange an " el cheapo" maint. fee for my much higher maint. fee resort, just for the $149 fee ( or whatever ). Royal Resorts has the right idea. They want the " exchangers" with no RR affiliation to pay like an all inclusive, hence evening out this practice.


The developer at RR didn't do it to even out exchanges.  He did it to increase his sales and to make some extra on the AI fee on the side.  What it will do will make it a less desirable trade in to non owners and then when owners at RR need to exchange out (which happens sometimes even for owners who primarily own to use) will find that there trade power is even worse than before  and RR will be available during every month as an AC or an XYZ without having to use any deposit if the ii member is willing to pony up the AI fee.


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## MLR (Jun 19, 2012)

*Tons of Branson weeks for $199 on RCI Sale today*

I won't begin to say I fully understand how these exchange companies work. We joined RCI a few months ago and have had several nice trades since. Hate the fees though, and REFUSE to pay for an ongoing search - I'm just too cheap I guess. 

For the person who can't find anything on II for Branson in August - RCI has a sale for the next 3 days and I saw LOTS of weeks in Branson in August for $199. Nice resorts too - not dumps. So, go figure. 

For us - we kinda know WHEN we will be traveling and if I see something on RCI that looks good - I check regularly and always DELETE MY COOKIES PRIOR TO LOOKING - I jump on it - it's sorta like shopping at SAM's or COSTCO. If you see something you really want -  you better buy it now :0) because it may not be there next week. 

We did see a week on RCI for Royal Mayan  in April 2012 (a rare find I think)  but we went ahead and grabbed it and enjoyed the trip very much. I am thinking we booked it 9 months out.

Anyway - so far - we feel we have done 'ok' with RCI and for me ONE timeshare exchange company is plenty! We are fortunate to have a good trader (purely by accident). Got it from my sister and had NO KNOWLEDGE of timesharing whatsoever. But have sure learned a lot by following threads on TUG!


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## big1ed (Jun 19, 2012)

The developer at RR didn't do it to even out exchanges. He did it to increase his sales and to make some extra on the AI fee on the side. What it will do will make it a less desirable trade in to non owners and then when owners at RR need to exchange out (which happens sometimes even for owners who primarily own to use) will find that there trade power is even worse than before and RR will be available during every month as an AC or an XYZ without having to use any deposit if the ii member is willing to pony up the AI fee.

For your mis information, us RR members do NOT have to pony up any AI fee......Perhaps it is YOU that is misinformed. Anyone could see, after all this time, RR got fed up with the practices of II ( and others, including Expedia ). Who in their right mind would be a RR member, and VOLUNTEER to have AI fees, when most of us do not even go to the few restaurants RR has on property? You sir, are way misinformed. I bought into RR many moons ago, because I LIKE IT THERE. Not to exhange to some lower place. BTW, RR is also in the processs of dropping II for exchanging. ( GEE, I wonder why ).
BTW, I noticed you do not even have RR as a resort. Why start something you do not know anything about? No wonder I do not post here much.


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## dioxide45 (Jun 19, 2012)

big1ed said:


> For your mis information, us RR members do NOT have to pony up any AI fee......Perhaps it is YOU that is misinformed. Anyone could see, after all this time, RR got fed up with the practices of II ( and others, including Expedia ). Who in their right mind would be a RR member, and VOLUNTEER to have AI fees, when most of us do not even go to the few restaurants RR has on property? You sir, are way misinformed. I bought into RR many moons ago, because I LIKE IT THERE. Not to exhange to some lower place. BTW, RR is also in the processs of dropping II for exchanging. ( GEE, I wonder why ).
> BTW, I noticed you do not even have RR as a resort. Why start something you do not know anything about? No wonder I do not post here much.



I don't see anywhere in tschwa2's post that it was indicated that RR owners are mandated on AI when they visit. In fact, I would have to agree with much of the post. The move to AI appears to be a move to drive developer sales by making exchangers pay more. This will do nothing to help trade power for those resorts with the mandatory AI fee for exchangers. It won't matter if they are trading in II, RCI or somewhere else. Everything is based on demand, once potential exchangers see a mandatory AI fee, they will drop that exchange like a rock. If they were in RCI, I would expect a TPU below 10 most months of the year. No different than XYZs year round.


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## VacationForever (Jun 19, 2012)

icowboy said:


> I know exchanging is their business, but if it doesn't work better try to fix it.
> I did place a request, several weeks ago - This is the last straw in a string of unavailabilities - I've actually lost banked weeks - Only had one exchange in years and it was an extreme off season - Their getaways are a joke, always off season or way out of way places - Looking into Wyndham points to have more availability and flexability.



The issues that you are facing can be due to any of the following: 
- Quality filter-mismatch of what you are giving up and what you are requesting for.  II will match resorts of similar quality (up or down by 1 to 2 tiers).
- What you have requested for simply is not available in II inventory.  
- Too close to when you want to travel.  Putting in a request 12 months ahead helps.

My experience with II has been great but I have also been very flexible with the resorts and when I travel.


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## carl2591 (Jun 19, 2012)

csxjohn said:


> Donita Glitch operates DVU, Donita's Vacations Unlimited.  She owned the company that Dial an Exchange bought out here in the US.  She had a no compete clause for a few years and is finally getting back in the business.
> 
> I used her before she sold to DAE and while she was with them.  She's very knowledgeable about the business and has been doing it for some time now.  You get very personalized service with her.
> 
> ...



one question about VRI program. you were saying one can also deposit non VRI resorts into the program.. i went online and see this in the exchange sections. 

_VRI*ety™ Exchange
To be eligible for exchange you must be an owner/member at a VRI-managed resort or Multi Resort Ownership Plan (MROP)._

What constitutes a  MROP?? would some where like fox run, fox hunt or plantation resort be one?? now i am confused for sure.


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## tschwa2 (Jun 19, 2012)

big1ed said:


> For your mis information, us RR members do NOT have to pony up any AI fee......Perhaps it is YOU that is misinformed. Anyone could see, after all this time, RR got fed up with the practices of II ( and others, including Expedia ). Who in their right mind would be a RR member, and VOLUNTEER to have AI fees, when most of us do not even go to the few restaurants RR has on property? You sir, are way misinformed. I bought into RR many moons ago, because I LIKE IT THERE. Not to exhange to some lower place. BTW, RR is also in the processs of dropping II for exchanging. ( GEE, I wonder why ).
> BTW, I noticed you do not even have RR as a resort. Why start something you do not know anything about? No wonder I do not post here much.



Alas I never bought at the Royals despite the great reviews on TUG because my DH hates Cancun.  I'm not mis informed- I never mentioned that the mandatory AI was for members.  Sorry if you felt I implied otherwise. I  got my information from TUG by I reading threads like this one or others were many members complained about this change.  
And by the way Big1Ed I hope you enjoy the extra drunk exchangers at the Royals because with the limited restaurant choices at the Royals the people paying the mandatory AI fee of $150 for non members and the optional AI fee of $95 won't be getting there money's worth without drinking an awful lot or even better the developer can raise the MF's of the owners to upgrade the restaurants.
And just as an FYI the developer can't change the terms of your original deed and make member pay AI fees for their deeded weeks but if they chose to in the future they can make members pay mandatory AI fees when exchanging for another week through an exchange company.  Not saying it will happen but it could.


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## bum1952 (Jun 19, 2012)

massvacationer said:


> As others have said, this is why I like the Club Wyndham Points system:
> No Exchange Fees; No Insurance Fees; Partial week reservations; Plenty of nice resorts; Better resort availability within the Club Wyndham system (and at closer-in times) than in the external exchange systems



First time poster here so don't slam me. My sister-in-Law is a 500K Wyndham points owner. My problem with hers is she pays about $250 a month MF or $3000, ouch!

I on the other hand have 92,500 RCI points and seem to get more trips than her with only a $732 MF. Yes I have to pay an exchange fee but got 10 weeks last year off mine. I will say this, the last 2 resorts I've stayed at were Wyndham at Severville Smokey Mtns and Mountain Vista at Branson and they have the best customer service I've seen at any resort.

What I really want to know is if anyone does what I do to really know the cost of timeshare? When I bought my TS resale in 2005 I started a sheet listing EVERY penny that I spent on TS, exchange, RCI fees cost and MF.
Currently I'm averaging for 64 weeks $387 a week, that seems to be a pretty good cost for a week at a condo.

Might never find a response to this, Thanks!


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## MichaelColey (Jun 19, 2012)

bum1952 said:


> First time poster here so don't slam me. My sister-in-Law is a 500K Wyndham points owner. My problem with hers is she pays about $250 a month MF or $3000, ouch!
> 
> I on the other hand have 92,500 RCI points and seem to get more trips than her with only a $732 MF. Yes I have to pay an exchange fee but got 10 weeks last year off mine.


Two different ways to skin the cat.  Your costs actually aren't that different from hers.  $732 in MFs, $89 for RCI dues, and $1890 for 10 exchanges.  That's $2711 vs. her $3000.

If she's grabbing last minute exchanges (similar to what you're doing), she should be able to get close to 10 weeks as well.  If she books further out and picks a nice resort, she'll just get a week or two (similar to what you would get with yours, although you would pay much less in that case).

If you're in the $300-$350 range per week, you're certainly doing good.  That's about $50/night, which is about what a Motel 6 would cost.  There are some threads here somewhere, where people compare their costs per week.  Many of us have costs in that range (and some even less).  Some Wyndham Platinum VIPs who regularly book at the 60 day mark, for instance, have even lower costs per week.


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## MichaelColey (Jun 19, 2012)

icowboy said:


> I'm probably through with II when my membership runs out - have banked Christmas weeks in ski country Colorado trying for Branson MO in August - nothing available?????





icowboy said:


> I did place a request, several weeks ago


Maybe you're not requesting far enough in advance?  Summer in Branson is a fairly peak season.  I'm too new to II to know how their availability is, but I *have* been watching RCI's summer availability in Branson and there was PLENTY available further in advance, but not much good stuff available closer in.

Sometimes it takes time for ongoing searches to match.  The two II exchanges I got yesterday had been out there for a couple months.  Some of my best RCI exchanges took over a year to hit.  You have to be there waiting (through an ongoing search) when the deposit hits.


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## bum1952 (Jun 19, 2012)

One thing I failed to mention is that I paid $8000 for mine resale in 2005, I've seen it from $250 a few months ago to around $1500=$2000 lately. That makes the average much higher that it could have been, Love My Timeshare though, been to Hawaii for 16 days and Mexico 3 times for 2 weeks each time.

Enjoy reading all you pros posting although sometimes they are way over my head!


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## scobrn (Jun 20, 2012)

*RCI*

I use RCI for there last minute and extra vacations.  I was able to get 2 2BR at the Club Regina in Puerto Vallarta for half the price of my maint. fee at the Club Regina in Cabo, and for hundreds less then my owner rental program with Raintree.  I see they have a 3 day promotion now for $199 for a week at some nice places.  The exchange ability is just a bonus.  I was also able to get a 2BR at my home resort by banking a 1BR the same week.  So essential, for the exchange fee, I upgraded from a 1BR to a 2BR.  If I owned, the maint. fees would have been about $700 more between the two.


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## timeos2 (Jun 20, 2012)

At this point unless you have some type of preference in RCI/II the only real value is in the rentals. Since they pay nothing for the deposits and pay nothing to the resorts or owners they can price them at virtually give away prices.  Those can be great deals while trades are no longer the value they used to be IMO.  

You have to adjust your use to get the best value for your dollar. It doesn't stay constant. You may even need to adjust what you own to reflect how things are now and adjust again as they change later.


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## MichaelColey (Jun 20, 2012)

timeos2 said:


> At this point unless you have some type of preference in RCI/II the only real value is in the rentals. Since they pay nothing for the deposits and pay nothing to the resorts or owners they can price them at virtually give away prices. Those can be great deals while trades are no longer the value they used to be IMO.


I would have to disagree.  I get some pretty incredible trades where my cost (MF + Exchange Fee) isn't much more than (a non-sale) Extra Vacation at what is usually a far inferior resort.

Even just the exchanges I've listed in this thread...  Marriott's Newport Coast and Marriott Grand Chateau.  Can you even get those through Getaways?  How much?  (Checking...)

NCV, not found.  Nearest resort they have listed is Peacock Suites.  1BR for $729 and up.  I got a 2BR at a FAR BETTER resort and my cost was less than half of that.

MGC, not found.  For the same month as my exchange, there are only a couple 2BR Getaways listed in Vegas, and they're at inferior resorts and are priced at more than double my cost.

I'm sure Getaways, Extra Vacations and Last Call can work good for some people.  When I first got started in timeshares (was that really just 2 years ago?), that's what I planned on using almost exclusively.  What I find is that virtually everything out there at a reasonable price is garbage, and that I can get top quality resorts (for less than the garbage) by exchanging.

But in any case, I strongly disagree about that being the only value in RCI/II.  Many of us get tremendous value exchanging.


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## d2r4s (Jun 20, 2012)

*Cost of Using an exchange company*

There are lower cost ways of doing an exchange.  While I have also maintained multiple yiears of membership because it is cheaper and lets you search out a few years, the problem is usally with ones flexibility and ability to plan ahead.  This is what can drive the cost up, however if you do get the exchange you want or an exchange then that cost is the same and you just fronted the money.

The way around these expenses is to be in a tme share where there are multiple locations with exchanging within that company, or using one of the many other trading companies out there who do not charge an annual fee and perhaps even a lower exchange fee.

I can also say that companies like Diamond resrots and Wyndham to not have annual fees for II or RCI, even though it may be in the maintanence fee's.  One other advantage is to be able to search out all the available inventory and try to find something you would be interested in without a deposit and on going search which I personally rarely used as my expierence over the years has shown a low probability of getting what I wanted.


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## rickandcindy23 (Jun 20, 2012)

I cannot believe all of the varied posts on this thread.  It's opened a lot of different conversations.  

Congratulations, Michael, on these great trades you keep getting.  I know it's a hobby of yours to get vacations as cheaply as possible.  It's definitely a game for you, and I also play that game.  You still might want to consider a Sheraton to use for Starwood preference.  I don't know how likely it is to get a 2 bedroom at Harborside Atlantis without it.  There have been very few 2 bedrooms in II for even Starwood preference.


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## MichaelColey (Jun 20, 2012)

rickandcindy23 said:


> Congratulations, Michael, on these great trades you keep getting. I know it's a hobby of yours to get vacations as cheaply as possible. It's definitely a game for you, and I also play that game. You still might want to consider a Sheraton to use for Starwood preference. I don't know how likely it is to get a 2 bedroom at Harborside Atlantis without it. There have been very few 2 bedrooms in II for even Starwood preference.


I don't know that we would go to Atlantis every year, and it's a pretty hefty price to pay for "maybe".  If I can get the exchange with a (considerably cheaper) non-Starwood deposit, that's great.  If not, I could always try to rent from an owner.  If none of that works out, there are still tons of places to vacation.


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## timeos2 (Jun 20, 2012)

2 BR Grand Chateau LV 7 days <$450.  March / early April 2009.  Great resort. Easter dates that year. 

We have stayed in no less than 7 - 2 bedroom + resorts since last summer and the highest price we paid for any one of them was $350.  We just got an Oct date, 2 bedroom in Hawaii - 7 days - Kauai for $199.  

I can't possibly beat those rates when the exchange fee alone is at least $179 plus the maintenance fee(s).  Now is it every resort every time? No but neither by any means are trades. It's all seeing things at the right moment to grab them & looking for the great deals.  

We haven't done an actual exchange of our week(s) in over 5 years. We may never do another one if these deals don't dry up.


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## chriskre (Jun 20, 2012)

MichaelColey said:


> I don't know that we would go to Atlantis every year, and it's a pretty hefty price to pay for "maybe".  If I can get the exchange with a (considerably cheaper) non-Starwood deposit, that's great.  If not, I could always try to rent from an owner.  If none of that works out, there are still tons of places to vacation.



Michael, I have had Starwood owners offer me a direct exchange into Harborside  for a DVC unit from you know who.  
If you get creative you can get what you want without owning everything.   

The draw of the mouse is quite strong for the addicted.  :ignore:


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## Rmelnyk (Jun 20, 2012)

I guess I was fortunate when I bought my SA from Herb back in early 2005.  It included 10 years free membership with RCI, so I still have until 2015 before I make or break with RCI.
Roman


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## Carolinian (Jun 21, 2012)

dioxide45 said:


> I don't see anywhere in tschwa2's post that it was indicated that RR owners are mandated on AI when they visit. In fact, I would have to agree with much of the post. The move to AI appears to be a move to drive developer sales by making exchangers pay more. This will do nothing to help trade power for those resorts with the mandatory AI fee for exchangers. It won't matter if they are trading in II, RCI or somewhere else. Everything is based on demand, once potential exchangers see a mandatory AI fee, they will drop that exchange like a rock. If they were in RCI, I would expect a TPU below 10 most months of the year. No different than XYZs year round.



I expect you are right about how many points lite it will take to trade IN to Royals with a mandatory AI.  That is something that really hurts demand in a big way.  However, when it comes to points lite given for a deposit, that is another issue entirely.  When a big developer is involved, they can and likely will, do a deal with RCI to overpoint  their deposits, so that owners there regularly get more points lite for a deposit than it takes to trade in.  Developers who are selling weeks need to be able to show prospective buyers that their week can trade for good things so they need higher numbers than the facts on the ground can justify.  RCI has done this for many other developers, and there is little doubt they would to it for Royals.  Now II, on the other hand, still has hidden trading power, so neither they nor the developer have any incentive to do this.


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## csxjohn (Jun 21, 2012)

*Now I'm confused too.*



carl2591 said:


> one question about VRI program. you were saying one can also deposit non VRI resorts into the program.. i went online and see this in the exchange sections.
> 
> _VRI*ety™ Exchange
> To be eligible for exchange you must be an owner/member at a VRI-managed resort or Multi Resort Ownership Plan (MROP)._
> ...



I did a little searching and MROP looks to be a group of 58 affiliated resorts that hires VRI to run its daily operations.

http://www.multi-resorts.com/about.php

Click on the "resort locations" tab to see the list of resorts in MROP.

Fox Run townhouses in Lake Lure NC is a VRI resort, as listed on the VRI site, and not one of the MROP resorts.

What's got me confused is that the VRI*ety site doesn't state that you can deposit non VRI/MROP units for exchange, at least I don't see it right now but I've done it.  I'll check into that later today when they are in their offices.


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## icowboy (Jun 21, 2012)

*II exchanges - BAH*



timeos2 said:


> 2 BR Grand Chateau LV 7 days <$450.  March / early April 2009.  Great resort. Easter dates that year.
> 
> We have stayed in no less than 7 - 2 bedroom + resorts since last summer and the highest price we paid for any one of them was $350.  We just got an Oct date, 2 bedroom in Hawaii - 7 days - Kauai for $199.
> 
> ...



I'm with you on exchanges - just have not been able to do any good. Question is, where do you find your weeks - are they rentals, points purchase, etc.? I do not have RCI membership, can I still buy RCI points - am looking to buy Wyndham points to get more availability and flexibility - Comments?


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## icowboy (Jun 21, 2012)

*Branson availability*



MLR said:


> I won't begin to say I fully understand how these exchange companies work. We joined RCI a few months ago and have had several nice trades since. Hate the fees though, and REFUSE to pay for an ongoing search - I'm just too cheap I guess.
> 
> For the person who can't find anything on II for Branson in August - RCI has a sale for the next 3 days and I saw LOTS of weeks in Branson in August for $199. Nice resorts too - not dumps. So, go figure.
> 
> ...



I know there is availability in Branson - there are tons of rooms - but how do I find them? Tug only has a few and EBay just 1 or 2 - Am not a member of RCI so I don't understand their sale - How can I take advantage of their bargains?


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## icowboy (Jun 21, 2012)

*P. S.*

Can you enlighten me on deleting your cookies before you search?  Thanks


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## roach (Jun 21, 2012)

*Harborside Fees*

Michael,

Those are all good trades, and this thread has provided some II education to me as a brand new member.  Thanks.

I was wondering if your Harborside exchange comes through, will you have any additional fees due to the resort?  I looked at some rental sites that indicated they included all fees.  I assumed that meant there were costs to use the waterpark, taxes, electicity, and ??????.  This is one of my reasons for joining II, so thanks to anyone that shares their info.

Mark


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## csxjohn (Jun 21, 2012)

csxjohn said:


> ...What's got me confused is that the VRI*ety site doesn't state that you can deposit non VRI/MROP units for exchange, at least I don't see it right now but I've done it.  I'll check into that later today when they are in their offices.



After a phone call this morning it was confirmed that as long as you own one VRI resort, you can deposit your other resorts for trade.


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## HudsHut (Jun 21, 2012)

icowboy said:


> I know there is availability in Branson - there are tons of rooms - but how do I find them? Tug only has a few and EBay just 1 or 2 - Am not a member of RCI so I don't understand their sale - How can I take advantage of their bargains?



Do you have an ongoing search in II for Branson in August?
If so, how is it set up? What resorts, what dates, what size unit?

I will post what I currenlty see for August in Branson in the Sightings section.
However, an ongoing search is very likely to pick up larger units or other dates.


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## MichaelColey (Jun 21, 2012)

timeos2 said:


> 2 BR Grand Chateau LV 7 days <$450. March / early April 2009. Great resort. Easter dates that year.
> 
> We have stayed in no less than 7 - 2 bedroom + resorts since last summer and the highest price we paid for any one of them was $350. We just got an Oct date, 2 bedroom in Hawaii - 7 days - Kauai for $199.
> 
> ...


Those are some great rentals.  I haven't done anywhere near that well with Getaways / Extra Vacations.  I have done that good or better (except for the $199 Kauai rental) with some great exchanges.  But my most expensive stays have always been rentals.

The other huge difference between renting and exchanging is that I can set up an ongoing search to exchange, greatly increasing my chances of finding what I want.


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