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Interval....I can't quit you!

Wally3433

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Just when I thought I was getting out, they keep pulling me back in.

I always split my 2 Bedroom Surf Club in half, then trade into (2) separate 2 bedroom weeks. Usually once back into the Surf Club then once somewhere else.

This year, availability was looking bleak - and I was sitting on three deposits, and two more for 2019 coming whenever I wanted to book them. The prospect of sitting on 5 deposits was not fun.

Then some Surf Club availability started showing up, so we decided to go over Labor Day - 2018 Lockoff Studio for a 2 Bedroom.

Then, out of the blue, I see a Waiohai week right before Christmas show up. Booked it: 2017 1 Bedroom for a 2 Bedroom.

Then, we had another crew of family members that wanted to join us in Kauai for Christmas. I put in a request, which was filled on the second day for my exact dates: 2018 1 Bedroom for a 2 Bedroom.

Interval....still keeps chugging along for me, even with my skepticism.
 

dioxide45

TUG Review Crew: Expert
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Marriott Grande Vista
Marriott Harbour Lake
Sheraton Vistana Villages
Club Wyndham CWA
Then some Surf Club availability started showing up, so we decided to go over Labor Day - 2018 Lockoff Studio for a 2 Bedroom.
Perhaps we will see you there! We are going the same week. Also scored a 2BR using one of our Orlando studios.
 

dougp26364

TUG Review Crew: Expert
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Kansas
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Marriott Grand Chateau
Marriott Shadow Ridge
Marriott Ocean Pointe
Marriott Destination Club Points
Hilton Grand Vacation Club Las Vegas Blvd
Grand Colorado on Peak 8
Spinnaker French Quarter Resort Branson
Some trades are still fairly reasonable, especially in shoulder season and into resorts that don’t offer studio units. However your point about the pickings looking slimmer still resonates with me. Exchanging up in size in Breckenridge during October when trading one premium unit for another use to be as easy as falling off a log. I have an exchange for a 1 bedroom to 1 bedroom but continue to search for a 2 bedroom. So far nothing reasonable has appeared. This, of course is outside the MVC system.

We also exchanged a 2 bedroom for a 2 bedroom in South Lake Tahoe for the first week of June, which is a Marriott to Marriott exchange. We’re fine with the dates except it’s a Sunday arrival and we’d prefer either Friday or Saturday. I’ve been watching to see if we can retrade and get a better arrival date but, only studio and 1 bedrooms show up online. In the past I wouldn’t have even bothered with a request first. I’d have shopped for the online instant exchange.

The change I’ve seen with online availability is that most of the availability (not all but most) has been studio or 1 bedroom and that availability has been mostly shoulder or off season weeks. I’ve still had fine results using ongoing searches but the instant exchange availability has been less than before, even with the upgrade fee.
 

Panina

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Just when I thought I was getting out, they keep pulling me back in.

I always split my 2 Bedroom Surf Club in half, then trade into (2) separate 2 bedroom weeks. Usually once back into the Surf Club then once somewhere else.

This year, availability was looking bleak - and I was sitting on three deposits, and two more for 2019 coming whenever I wanted to book them. The prospect of sitting on 5 deposits was not fun.

Then some Surf Club availability started showing up, so we decided to go over Labor Day - 2018 Lockoff Studio for a 2 Bedroom.

Then, out of the blue, I see a Waiohai week right before Christmas show up. Booked it: 2017 1 Bedroom for a 2 Bedroom.

Then, we had another crew of family members that wanted to join us in Kauai for Christmas. I put in a request, which was filled on the second day for my exact dates: 2018 1 Bedroom for a 2 Bedroom.

Interval....still keeps chugging along for me, even with my skepticism.

Great trades, interval keeps on giving. I prefer Interval and always get great trades. Even though I changed my portfolio to use most of what I own I kept a couple to trade in Interval as I am addicted to Interval trades.
 

winger

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We purchased our timeshares to trade / exchange ... and II has been there for us for many years now.
 

gblotter

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Resorts Owned
Mountainside x 2
Maui Ocean Club x 2
Ko Olina Beach Club x 1
Interval continues to work for us as well.

We just confirmed an exchange into Waiohai for the highly-desirable New Years week. We traded 2BR for 2BR, but consider it bargain compared to the high DC points required to reserve that holiday week.
 

chemteach

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I just purchased Marriott resale, and am loving what I can see on interval. I should have bought Marriott much earlier, but I always thought it was too expensive to buy into resale units. (I was used to paying $100 or less for a timeshare on ebay. Spending $4000+ for a timeshare seemed crazy to me at the time - but now I've seen the light. :) ) I've been happy with my Westin/Sheraton units and the trades I could get, but now I'm sold on Marriott!
 

coachBoris

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Round Rock, TX
Resorts Owned
Hilton Grand Vacations Club Sea World
Hilton Grand Vacations Club Boulevard
Marriott Aruba Surf Club
Just when I thought I was getting out, they keep pulling me back in.

I always split my 2 Bedroom Surf Club in half, then trade into (2) separate 2 bedroom weeks. Usually once back into the Surf Club then once somewhere else.

This year, availability was looking bleak - and I was sitting on three deposits, and two more for 2019 coming whenever I wanted to book them. The prospect of sitting on 5 deposits was not fun.

Then some Surf Club availability started showing up, so we decided to go over Labor Day - 2018 Lockoff Studio for a 2 Bedroom.

Then, out of the blue, I see a Waiohai week right before Christmas show up. Booked it: 2017 1 Bedroom for a 2 Bedroom.

Then, we had another crew of family members that wanted to join us in Kauai for Christmas. I put in a request, which was filled on the second day for my exact dates: 2018 1 Bedroom for a 2 Bedroom.

Interval....still keeps chugging along for me, even with my skepticism.

I am a newbie to Marriott, just purchased a 2BR Gold OS at Aruba Surf Club. Is there a good tread on how to split a 2 BR and use II? Just hoping to understand the system.
 

coachBoris

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Round Rock, TX
Resorts Owned
Hilton Grand Vacations Club Sea World
Hilton Grand Vacations Club Boulevard
Marriott Aruba Surf Club
I just purchased Marriott resale, and am loving what I can see on interval. I should have bought Marriott much earlier, but I always thought it was too expensive to buy into resale units. (I was used to paying $100 or less for a timeshare on ebay. Spending $4000+ for a timeshare seemed crazy to me at the time - but now I've seen the light. :) ) I've been happy with my Westin/Sheraton units and the trades I could get, but now I'm sold on Marriott!

I just purchased a resale for 4400.00, it's Aruba Surf Club 2BR OS. I am hoping to get a good understanding of Interval as well.
 

winger

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Interval continues to work for us as well.

We just confirmed an exchange into Waiohai for the highly-desirable New Years week. We traded 2BR for 2BR, but consider it bargain compared to the high DC points required to reserve that holiday week.
Nice exchange! What did you use to trade with and how far in advance did you place your exchange request?
 

Wally3433

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I am a newbie to Marriott, just purchased a 2BR Gold OS at Aruba Surf Club. Is there a good tread on how to split a 2 BR and use II? Just hoping to understand the system.

Split your 2 BR unit in half at vacationclub.com. This creates two reservable weeks: One week in a (1) bedroom unit and (1) week in a studio.

Make a weeks reservation for each of those two units on vacationclub.com

Get an account with Interval.

Deposit each of those weeks with Interval.

Now you have two assets to trade with on Interval.

FYI - I also own Gold in Aruba since it opened. I have NEVER actually stayed in a week I booked through vacationclub.com. Every single stay has been on trade, and every trade has been into a 2 bedroom.

Good Luck!
 

AlmostRetired

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Grande Ocean Platinum, 2 x Grand Chateau 3 Bedroom (annual, EOY Odd)
Now with the merger, MVCI is going to close the door for all II exchanges into Marriott from Marriott for week owners. MVCI is going to announce super trust points that will have a higher priority than trust points and once announced at a much higher cost. Current trust points will be called legacy trust points and if purchased before super points are announced will be have the same trading power as super trust points so load up on destination points before this happens. Sorry, thinking of retiring and just in case Marriott monitors this thread, I don't want to miss an opportunity for a part time job in retirement if my wife continues to spend.

Back on point.
I am tied to a school schedule since my wife works in a school. In my 20 plus years of ownership, I have yet to see challenges with trades in II. I own a Grand Chateau 2 br that I always deposit as a 1 BR and studio. It was purchased as a pure trader. I have gotten some good trades.. studio for Ocean Watch during April (2019) school break. Studio for 1 br in March for Aruba (2018). I always take out ePlus and was able to see a 3 BR in August at the surf using instant exchange and actually re-traded for a 3 br at Surfwatch for last week August. Turns out my kids couldn't take off again this summer (we are going to Grand Ocean starting Friday with a Monarch to GO exchange) so this became the Ocean Watch mentioned above. No one knows what the exchange future holds but for me II exchange value has withstood the test of time.
 
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Safti

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We traded our Canyon Villas Gold using our master side we got a 2 bedroom at Barony over Labor Day....... and.... with our studio CV gold we traded and got a second two bedroom unit at Barony over Labour Day. As long as the hurricanes stay away then we are golden. Thanks II.
 

coachBoris

TUG Member
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Round Rock, TX
Resorts Owned
Hilton Grand Vacations Club Sea World
Hilton Grand Vacations Club Boulevard
Marriott Aruba Surf Club
Split your 2 BR unit in half at vacationclub.com. This creates two reservable weeks: One week in a (1) bedroom unit and (1) week in a studio.

Make a weeks reservation for each of those two units on vacationclub.com

Get an account with Interval.

Deposit each of those weeks with Interval.

Now you have two assets to trade with on Interval.

FYI - I also own Gold in Aruba since it opened. I have NEVER actually stayed in a week I booked through vacationclub.com. Every single stay has been on trade, and every trade has been into a 2 bedroom.

Good Luck!
Thanks for the info, I will have to become knowledgeable about Interval, we have owned HGVC for 17 years and I get the RCI side. Looking forward to visiting Aruba the most but love the idea of splitting unit.
 

coachBoris

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Round Rock, TX
Resorts Owned
Hilton Grand Vacations Club Sea World
Hilton Grand Vacations Club Boulevard
Marriott Aruba Surf Club
Now with the merger, MVCI is going to close the door for all II exchanges into Marriott from Marriott for week owners. MVCI is going to announce super trust points that will have a higher priority than trust points and once announced at a much higher cost. Current trust points will be called legacy trust points and if purchased before super points are announced will be have the same trading power as super trust points so load up on destination points before this happens. Sorry, thinking of retiring and just in case Marriott monitors this thread, I don't want to miss an opportunity for a part time job in retirement if my wife continues to spend.

Back on point.
I am tied to a school schedule since my wife works in a school. In my 20 plus years of ownership, I have yet to see challenges with trades in II. I own a Grand Chateau 2 br that I always deposit as a 1 BR and studio. It was purchased as a pure trader. I have gotten some good trades.. studio for Ocean Watch during April (2019) school break. Studio for 1 br in March for Aruba (2018). I always take out ePlus and was able to see a 3 BR in August at the surf using instant exchange and actually re-traded for a 3 br at Surfwatch for last week August. Turns out my kids couldn't take off again this summer (we are going to Grand Ocean starting Friday with a Monarch to GO exchange) so this became the Ocean Watch mentioned above. No one knows what the exchange future holds but for me II exchange value has withstood the test of time.

Thanks for the info on the II exchanges and the updated info on Marriott to Marriott for week owners. I guess I will see how it plays out but Aruba is our first choice; hence, the purchase.
 

Steve Fatula

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We all seem to get great trades in II... I wonder who gets the bad trades. Mmmm

Someone obviously does! They may not see it as bad though. To me, it's impossible to get a bad trade, at least for online trades since you have to agree to it. Why would you agree to a bad trade? It may be a bad trade from the point of view of worth, however, maybe you really want to go there so you accept it anyway.
 

AlmostRetired

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Long Island, NY
Resorts Owned
Grande Ocean Platinum, 2 x Grand Chateau 3 Bedroom (annual, EOY Odd)
Thanks for the info on the II exchanges and the updated info on Marriott to Marriott for week owners. I guess I will see how it plays out but Aruba is our first choice; hence, the purchase.
You mentioned you are new II and Marriott. The comment about the merger and super points is me poking fun at the Marriott sales presentation process. None of it true or at least not yet true.
 

AlmostRetired

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Grande Ocean Platinum, 2 x Grand Chateau 3 Bedroom (annual, EOY Odd)
We all seem to get great trades in II... I wonder who gets the bad trades. Mmmm

I am not sure one gets bad trades but maybe more like trades of on par value.

I used to own a resort world if Orlando 2 br purchased resale at the same time I purchased the Monarch resale in 1995. i gave away a few years ago. It was a trader and I never stayed there. Used it to trade into Marriott's the first 10 years. Unlike the Monarch, Resort World kept MF low and the quality of the resort suffered. The management changed a few times. My best trade in later years was the Marriott in Atlantic City during Christmas or a two bedroom for a studio. Bad no,,,like value yes.

My worst value trade was my oceanfront summer Monarch week for a Grand Ocean over New Years 2000. We took the kids to Hawaii the summer of 1999 using reward points for flights and a room at the Maui Marriott. 440k points got you 4 round trip tickets anywhere AA flew, 2 week Hotel stay and I think a free hertz car. Needed to do something with the Monarch and decided winter HHI. The indoor pool was a life saver. Turned out to be a really nice vacation with no crowds.
 

coachBoris

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Hilton Grand Vacations Club Sea World
Hilton Grand Vacations Club Boulevard
Marriott Aruba Surf Club
You mentioned you are new II and Marriott. The comment about the merger and super points is me poking fun at the Marriott sales presentation process. None of it true or at least not yet true.
Thanks, I was getting a little bummed about splitting my unit and booking Aruba through II.
 

coachBoris

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Hilton Grand Vacations Club Sea World
Hilton Grand Vacations Club Boulevard
Marriott Aruba Surf Club
Just when I thought I was getting out, they keep pulling me back in.

I always split my 2 Bedroom Surf Club in half, then trade into (2) separate 2 bedroom weeks. Usually once back into the Surf Club then once somewhere else.

This year, availability was looking bleak - and I was sitting on three deposits, and two more for 2019 coming whenever I wanted to book them. The prospect of sitting on 5 deposits was not fun.

Then some Surf Club availability started showing up, so we decided to go over Labor Day - 2018 Lockoff Studio for a 2 Bedroom.

Then, out of the blue, I see a Waiohai week right before Christmas show up. Booked it: 2017 1 Bedroom for a 2 Bedroom.

Then, we had another crew of family members that wanted to join us in Kauai for Christmas. I put in a request, which was filled on the second day for my exact dates: 2018 1 Bedroom for a 2 Bedroom.

Interval....still keeps chugging along for me, even with my skepticism.
Question, when you trade a studio or a 1BR and get a 2BR, is there an upgrade fee you pay II?
 

bazzap

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
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klpca

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SDO, Quarter House, Seapointe, Coronado Beach, Carlsbad Inn, Worldmark
We all seem to get great trades in II... I wonder who gets the bad trades. Mmmm
I have a friend who either loses weeks because she does a late deposit and doesn't like anything that she is offered (and won't pay to extend), or makes a regular deposit and settles for anything that is within driving distance. She really wants Maui in February but doesn't start looking until August and never gets around to setting up an OGS early enough to get what she wants. The funny thing is that she owns there (Maui) but never books @12 months so has to take any old week and deposit. I have sat down with her over and over and gone through the steps that she needs to take to be happy, but she sets up too many personal barriers ("How will I know that I want to travel on *those* dates?" "What if the airfare is high?") to be successful. Honestly I have given up. She usually deposits a Maui week and trades into Las Vegas. It's pretty painful to see.
 
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