# Hgvc Open Season



## pharmlivin (Aug 7, 2007)

Not sure if I understand the Open Season completely.  At 30 days out you could reserve something (whatever might be available) for either HGVC Points or pay a discount rate?  
If so, seems like buying as little as 3500 points with this feature might be worthwhile.  (If just two of us traveling and very flexible time...although air fares could be a problem with short notice).  Just looking to see if I understand this correctly.  As always, thanks for so much advice here. (I am really a member but for some reason have Guest as my designation).


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## Sandy VDH (Aug 7, 2007)

pharmlivin said:


> Not sure if I understand the Open Season completely.  At 30 days out you could reserve something (whatever might be available) for either HGVC Points or pay a discount rate?
> If so, seems like buying as little as 3500 points with this feature might be worthwhile.  (If just two of us traveling and very flexible time...although air fares could be a problem with short notice).  Just looking to see if I understand this correctly.  As always, thanks for so much advice here. (I am really a member but for some reason have Guest as my designation).



Yes but often at 30 days there are only partial weeks available.  If you are only interested in a few days at a time, and are very flexible, it could be in your favor, especially in off season.  However in prime season and full weeks or longer stays there is often NO availablility.

You will also be very limited to HGVC build resorts for the bulk of the inventory.  If you want mostly Vegas, Orlando and to a lesser degree Hawaii you will be ok.  Often there is NO inventory or very little, like a day or two at some of the associate resorts.


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## UWSurfer (Aug 7, 2007)

You got it.  Open season = "Left Overs" (my term) which for whatever reason is still open at the resorts.  Don't expect to get hot periods, high demand or long continous blocks of time UNLESS it's the off season for that resort.    

Still, things do come up and it's another plus.


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## pharmlivin (Aug 7, 2007)

*Thanks for replies*

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply and for the valuable information.


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## JonathanIT (Aug 8, 2007)

Open season is great!  I've used this primarily instead of spending points.  Yes, there is limited availability at many properties... but also it changes on a constant basis.  Booking is done through the website, and you can see at any given time what's currently open in a snap.  I check not only on a daily basis, but many times throughout the day. It works out for someone like me who enjoys going on most trips at the last minute.  I scan what's available ("ooh, a one bedroom in Miami Beach this weekend!) then check airfare ... and I'm off!  

If you need a longer period, the hard part is waiting until the full week (or whatever you're looking for) is open to book.  In other words, the check _out_ date has to be within 30 days as well, not just when you check in.

There are many cancellations even at prime resorts in the highest season.  I saw the week between Xmas and New Year's open up in a 2BR at the Valdoro Mountain Lodge in Breckenridge just before last Xmas.  Would have been great, could have been mine... but we just had other commitments at the time so I passed.  It was gone in a matter of minutes too, so remember to think quickly and decide fast.  Peak inventory will not last long.

Las Vegas and Orlando always have openings... so as a rule I would _never_ spend points at either destination.  No need.

All Vegas, Orlando, and Hawaii properties are online.  Also Breckenridge, South Beach, and Los Cabos (Fiesta Americana).  They just added Acapulco and Cancun as well, though it's a little glitchy right now.

The two Scotland properties and all the rest of South Florida are listed with dates, but you cannot book online.  You have to call HGVC to book.

Unfortunately, none of the Intrawest properties are listed yet.  It's basically whatever you can book online up to 9 months in advance, those same properties are online for open season also.  But, properties only show up when there's availability, so don't expect to see all properties listed on the page at once.

I say don't spend the points if you don't have to!


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## dpavid (Aug 8, 2007)

JonathanIT said:


> Las Vegas and Orlando always have openings... so as a rule I would _never_ spend points at either destination.  No need.
> 
> All Vegas, Orlando, and Hawaii properties are online.



Thanks for info. You sound like an open season pro. With that, how hard would it be to get Waikoloa for a 2 bedroom during open season? What months would be the best to take a chance on in your opinion?

Thanks in advance.


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## dpavid (Aug 8, 2007)

Another quick question...

If I were to check for dates during open season and cannot find a complete stay for 3-4 consecutive day, can I book a few days and add more as they become available. If I do, do I need to keep paying the $49 every time I add to this reservation?

How do the open season pros do it to get what they want?


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## chesterbhoy (Aug 8, 2007)

If paying cash the $49 fee does not apply, only if you are using points. Hence, if using cash, then you book the rooms as with any on-line hotel system, book 3-4 consecutive days and then possibly book more if they become available....however, this may mean that you might need to change rooms during the holiday (after your initial 3-4 days), but a nice word with reception on check-in might prevent this.


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## Spring Training Fan (Aug 9, 2007)

I have been considering purchasing HGVC points, and saw this thread.  Is open season like the RCI last call?  How much of a discount are the nights/weeks?  Also, if you want to use points, are the discounted where you don't have to use as many points as it would normally cost?  Thanks!


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## linsj (Aug 10, 2007)

Spring Training Fan said:


> I have been considering purchasing HGVC points, and saw this thread.  Is open season like the RCI last call?  How much of a discount are the nights/weeks?  Also, if you want to use points, are the discounted where you don't have to use as many points as it would normally cost?  Thanks!



I don't know anything about RCI last call, but HGVC open season is set nightly rates (excluding tax):

Midweek (Sun-Thu) / Weekend (Fri-Sat) 
Studio   $60/$80 
One Bedroom   $80/$100 
One Bedroom Plus   $100/$120 
Two Bedroom   $100/$120 
Two Bedroom Plus   $120/$140 
Two Bedroom Premier   $140/$160 
Three Bedroom   $130/$150 
Three Bedroom Plus   $190/$210 

Points are not discounted.

Most of the time when I've checked open season rates, there are no weekends available, so you can't count on getting a whole week.


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## opusX (Aug 10, 2007)

You can almost alway get open season at Orlando and Las Vegas for partial weeks, we have been sucessful in booking open season weekends in Miami too. For three years in a row we booked four nights open season at Marco Island during spring break. I was very diligent about calling twice a day to get the Marco Island bookings. I called twice a day for about ten days and seemed to get lucky. You have to be very flexible but it can work.


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## nazclk (Aug 10, 2007)

*HGVC*

What is the website for HGVC, just bought one and haven't gotten the package from them yet. TIA


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## PigsDad (Aug 10, 2007)

nazclk said:


> What is the website for HGVC, just bought one and haven't gotten the package from them yet. TIA



www.hgvc.com

Kurt


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## ricoba (Aug 10, 2007)

Club owners website  

www.hgvclub.com


You will need to register to use this site.


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## dappledwilly (Aug 12, 2007)

*Open Season and Guests?*

I am just in the process of buying HGVC so I am not very knowledgeable about it yet.

Can I buy and book 3-4 days in Open Season for someone else or does it have to be me that uses the days?


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## ricoba (Aug 12, 2007)

dappledwilly said:


> I am just in the process of buying HGVC so I am not very knowledgeable about it yet.
> 
> Can I buy and book 3-4 days in Open Season for someone else or does it have to be me that uses the days?



You must be present at check in.  Hilton doesn't want owners renting out Open Season.  It's designed to be an owners only perk.


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## dappledwilly (Aug 12, 2007)

Thanks for the info. I can understand the no-rental part. Do I undersand it correctly then in the following senario? 

If we was going to Vegas for 3-4 days along with another unrelated couple, I could book and pay for 2 one bedroom units and let the other couple stay in one of the units. Is that correct? 

(I know there are probably better/cheaper options such as booking a two BR unit and I know that it is all subject to availability - but the above example is just for clarity.)   

Thanks


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## ricoba (Aug 12, 2007)

dappledwilly said:


> If we was going to Vegas for 3-4 days along with another unrelated couple, I could book and pay for 2 one bedroom units and let the other couple stay in one of the units. Is that correct?



I have never done that, but to my understanding the answer is yes, just as long as you are there with them at check in.  

I would call HGVC first before I did this though, just to make sure.


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## Spring Training Fan (Aug 12, 2007)

What about using open season if you have an EOY membership?  Could you use it only on the year that you have points, or could you use it on the off year also?


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## dvc_john (Aug 14, 2007)

On a somehat related note: Does anyone really know how open season inventory is determined (other than it is 'leftovers')?

The reason I ask is that for a recent 5-day stay in Las Vegas, I had intended to use open season. At about 2 months out, I checked availability, and of studio, 1-br, and 2-br at all 3 resorts, only a 1-br at HGVC-Hilton was available for all 5 nights. So I booked it using points.

Then at 30 days out, I checked open season availability, and virtually everything was available at all 3 resort for all 5 nights. 

I was wondering why something not available at 60 days out on points would be available at 30 days out on open season?


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## PigsDad (Aug 14, 2007)

dvc_john said:


> On a somehat related note: Does anyone really know how open season inventory is determined (other than it is 'leftovers')?



I don't know for sure, but there are a couple of factors that _may_ have contributed to what you saw.  First, the cancellation penalties increase quite a bit at 30 days out.  Maybe there is a rash of cancellations with people changing their reservations.

Second, in open season the minimum reservation is 2 nights, vs. 3.  Don't know if that would make a significant difference, but you might see more availability due to the smaller time slices.

You have to wonder if they hold back some inventory specifically for open season, though.

Just some thoughts...

Kurt


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## Shamrock (Aug 14, 2007)

dappledwilly said:


> If we was going to Vegas for 3-4 days along with another unrelated couple, I could book and pay for 2 one bedroom units and let the other couple stay in one of the units. Is that correct?



Yes, I done exactly that this year


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## linsj (Aug 14, 2007)

dvc_john said:


> On a somehat related note: Does anyone really know how open season inventory is determined (other than it is 'leftovers')?



It's only leftovers and often only two days together since you have to book a minimum of three days with points. Availability can fluctuate a lot, depending on what owners have booked or cancelled. 

If you have a reservation, you can click on history to change it (you don't have to make the change) and see what's really available that doesn't show up under normal reservations. For example, I want to use bonus points to add two days to a December reservation in Honolulu. I can't use those points until 30 days out, so I've been checking availability by faking a reservation change. The two days are there and won't ever show up for those booking reservations because there are only two, not the minimum of three.


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