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Accommodation Certificate Question

NJDave

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There is currently an offer to obtain an Accommodation Certificate with an exchange. We currently have several certificates that appeared in our Marriott Corporate account for no apparent reason. We find these to have little value.

Are the certificates offered for an exchange similar? I believe all certificates are either equal or about the same. Any experience that those offered for an exchange are any better?
 

VacationForever

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The AC that I got for an exchange is even weaker than the freebies deposited by II, the only plus side is that you can put an ongoing search on it. I haven't been able to use any of the ACs todate except for one that I exchanged into Orlando during last year's hurricane.
 

NJDave

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The AC that I got for an exchange is even weaker than the freebies deposited by II, the only plus side is that you can put an ongoing search on it. I haven't been able to use any of the ACs todate except for one that I exchanged into Orlando during last year's hurricane.


Thanks. I am probably going to extend a week using e-plus. The week expires the end December. I was considering trading for a week now rather than waiting until October (i.e. prior to 60 days out) in order to obtain the AC. If I exchange now to obtain the AC, I am giving up a right to place an ongoing search using the expiring week. However, it is a nice feature to be able to place an on-going search with the AC.
 

Steve Fatula

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The AC that I got for an exchange is even weaker than the freebies deposited by II, the only plus side is that you can put an ongoing search on it. I haven't been able to use any of the ACs todate except for one that I exchanged into Orlando during last year's hurricane.

We used one this year for Branson, it was cheaper than getaways at the time. They are not as good as they used to be, but, we've used probably a dozen over the years. We love Branson.
 

VacationForever

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We used one this year for Branson, it was cheaper than getaways at the time. They are not as good as they used to be, but, we've used probably a dozen over the years. We love Branson.
When is the best time to go there? My husband has been talking about visiting there.
 

Steve Fatula

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When is the best time to go there? My husband has been talking about visiting there.

If you like shows, or with kids, it's a great place to go. Spring is typically not the best time unless you can go last minute (think tornado). Fall is our favorite time, temperate, no storms, and, less crowds. Summer is pretty busy and traffic is awful. It's only a 5 hour drive for us, so, very convenient. To us, having been to both, pretty much on par with Vegas shows. They don't always have all of them in early spring or late fall though. Lots of kids stuff too.
 

VacationForever

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If you like shows, or with kids, it's a great place to go. Spring is typically not the best time unless you can go last minute (think tornado). Fall is our favorite time, temperate, no storms, and, less crowds. Summer is pretty busy and traffic is awful. It's only a 5 hour drive for us, so, very convenient. To us, having been to both, pretty much on par with Vegas shows. They don't always have all of them in early spring or late fall though. Lots of kids stuff too.
Thanks. Sounds like Fall it will be. No kids but we will check out the schedule for shows.
 

ahdah

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I just won the jack pot with an AC last week. It has been a few years since I have found anything with an AC. Last week I was looking and there was Marriott's OceanWatch Villas at Grande Dunes. Check in was less than a week. I took it and gave it to a friend, who is very kind and let's us use her Master's tickets for a day. (we only pay the face value) so I was happy to give her a little something. So I still believe in AC. I am going to deposit my Marriott before the end of June and II will give me an AC. Maybe I will get lucky again.
 

jme

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I just won the jack pot with an AC last week. It has been a few years since I have found anything with an AC. Last week I was looking and there was Marriott's OceanWatch Villas at Grande Dunes. Check in was less than a week. I took it and gave it to a friend, who is very kind and let's us use her Master's tickets for a day. (we only pay the face value) so I was happy to give her a little something. So I still believe in AC. I am going to deposit my Marriott before the end of June and II will give me an AC. Maybe I will get lucky again.

ACs are nothing more than excess inventory. That's a nice way of saying nobody wanted them---
Too "off-season"? too remote?? too last-minute?? lots of reasons.

Occasionally (more often, rarely) things happen, whether a last minute cancelation or whatever, and a week will show up.
That week will be invariably noticed by the Interval stalkers and snapped up (I used to be one!).
If they last more than 24 hours now it's a miracle. I still have TUG friends who tell me about a fortunate "get" within the last 2 years.

I used to peruse Interval more than I do now, because as everyone knows very little is usable or even desirable.
In the old days, we got "off-season" weeks at Hilton Head on a regular and predictable basis, Myrtle Beach, Williamsburg, Ocean Pointe, and many others. If any weeks are ever available at Hilton Head now (whether possessed by Marriott or Interval), regardless of the month, they are blacked out, because the fringe time frames have become so popular and desirable that Marriott knows they will be able to rent them. Haven't seen a HH week via AC in several years, and looking back at my Interval history, we used AT LEAST one AC week annually. The cost used to be very cheap too, and sometimes I'd buy one or two and give them away to family or friends. Those days are certainly gone. Doing a search on Interval now for a decent AC week is an effort in futility, and borders on the insulting. I guess they are hoping somebody has a wild hair and bites---it's one less week's maintenance fee they have to pay.
 

cyntravel

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Hi Jme
I was very fortunate with my last AC from Interval. I got a 3Bed Surfwatch in Hilton Head for Sept. Very excited. I was able to put in an OGS. They seem to work the best for me.
 

jme

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Hi Jme
I was very fortunate with my last AC from Interval. I got a 3Bed Surfwatch in Hilton Head for Sept. Very excited. I was able to put in an OGS. They seem to work the best for me.

Chances are you won't ever see that one online, so the OGS was the right way to go.
When they become available suddenly it will invariably be a time you're not looking, so it goes away fast.
Congratulations, that was really a great one, considering the 3BR.....and definitely the exception.
 

NboroGirl

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I never knew you could put in an OGS with ACs. Hmmm.... Good to know! I learn a lot on TUG!
 

mdurette

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I never knew you could put in an OGS with ACs. Hmmm.... Good to know! I learn a lot on TUG!

Not all AC have the OGS feature. The ones for deposit can and are good for a year.

I remember the good old days when the ACs would pull DVC! Yeah...they are not like that anymore, but for some they can be excellent!

My most recent AC usage:
Nov 2016: Got 2 2BR units at Grand Vista
Aug 2017: Custom house (big score)
Feb 2018: 2 BR at Pollard Brook, Lincoln NH - ski week
 

hajjah

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What has happened to the inventory for the AC's? I have two ending in July, but the units are very slim. There was so much inventory two weeks ago. Well, ok, many folks take vacations with the children during this time.
 
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