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Lockoffs and booking consecutive weeks

marmite

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I know some have been able to do so but the rules technically require you to be booking from multiple owned weeks to do 13 months out. Just booking 2 weeks using a lockoff from the same unit will not satisfy the 13 month requirement. Even if you own multiple weeks but you're only booking from one owned week, this is still not an option technically. From what I've seen it appears that customer service could actually do this even though it's outside the current rules which is likely why some have reported being able to do so.
So after I buy my first Marriott, that's when buying a 2nd unit becomes the 'obvious solution' to booking what I want. o_O
 

Dean

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So after I buy my first Marriott, that's when buying a 2nd unit becomes the 'obvious solution' to booking what I want. o_O
This was the route I took after our first purchase, I bought a second to get the 13 month window. Then as I added on other options, including trading weeks, I considered the 13 month window as part of the process. IMO there are some options where that is a need but as I understand it you're looking largely for exchanging and I would not buy a second week in that situation unless you need it. You might look into the future 5 & 10 years and make some judgements as to what you might consider in the future. Maybe you decide you want a week specifically to use that might be difficult to book or a second trading unit and if so, having both units you could book using the 13 month window is a major advantage IMO.
 

marmite

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This was the route I took after our first purchase, I bought a second to get the 13 month window. Then as I added on other options, including trading weeks, I considered the 13 month window as part of the process. IMO there are some options where that is a need but as I understand it you're looking largely for exchanging and I would not buy a second week in that situation unless you need it. You might look into the future 5 & 10 years and make some judgements as to what you might consider in the future. Maybe you decide you want a week specifically to use that might be difficult to book or a second trading unit and if so, having both units you could book using the 13 month window is a major advantage IMO.

As you were posting this I started another thread as I am now going off on this tangent... perhaps you could weigh-in on (my new thread) if you think my trade hopes can be met owning one unit or not? Always value your advice, Dean. Thank you so much for getting me this far in my decision making process!
 

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As you were posting this I started another thread as I am now going off on this tangent... perhaps you could weigh-in on (my new thread) if you think my trade hopes can be met owning one unit or not? Always value your advice, Dean. Thank you so much for getting me this far in my decision making process!



I would think you would want to attempt to obtain your specific reservations before you go rushing out to purchase a second week. Find out thru experience if you actually do need that second week.





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marmite

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I would think you would want to attempt to obtain your specific reservations before you go rushing out to purchase a second week. Find out thru experience if you actually do need that second week.
. I absolutely agree. But I don't even want to purchase that first week in the desert if it is unlikely that I can get a spring break reservation. I would just buy a 'trader' with lower MF's to get Marriott preference and hope for the best.
 

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I was always told that unless I was combining it with another MVC resort reservation, I had to book the consecutive lockoff and 1BR reservations individually at each 12 month point. I asked a few years ago if I could reserve at 13 months the following: 1BR Ocean Pointe, Studio Ocean Pointe, 2BR Oceana Palms. I was told I couldn't do this at 13 months, but I could do it if the Oceana Palms was the middle week. I'm not aware of any changes in this policy, but haven't tried to do it in the past few years.
I think you were given bad information. This is based on our years of booking 3-4 weeks at 13 months out. The only requirement we had was that at least one of the weeks in the string had to be from a second deeded unit. As an example, we own at both Ko Olina and Maui and we sometimes started with two weeks at one of these resorts (from the same deeded week) and followed it with one or two weeks at the second resort. Never had a problem.
 

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. I absolutely agree. But I don't even want to purchase that first week in the desert if it is unlikely that I can get a spring break reservation. I would just buy a 'trader' with lower MF's to get Marriott preference and hope for the best.
I'd get the one and see how it goes. If you have trouble booking the week you want, get a different reservation then deposit with II and request. It was my impression you were getting a week mostly to exchange anyway but to use some of the time. With this plan you shouldn't need a second week I wouldn't think.

I think you were given bad information. This is based on our years of booking 3-4 weeks at 13 months out. The only requirement we had was that at least one of the weeks in the string had to be from a second deeded unit. As an example, we own at both Ko Olina and Maui and we sometimes started with two weeks at one of these resorts (from the same deeded week) and followed it with one or two weeks at the second resort. Never had a problem.
That is my understanding on both counts. That you can book the 2 half consecutively starting day one 12 months out but you'd have to call to do it this way. My understanding is also that you can mix and match the weeks in a string from any resort assuming you meet the requirements for the first reservation and all weeks are bookable for the week applicable.
 

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. I absolutely agree. But I don't even want to purchase that first week in the desert if it is unlikely that I can get a spring break reservation. I would just buy a 'trader' with lower MF's to get Marriott preference and hope for the best.



Well, you could buy a Grand Chateau or a Grande Vista Platinum week and use that to utilize making your reservations at the 13 month mark.

Looking around, one bedroom Grand Chateau weeks can likely be had off of eBay for $100, and their annual maintenance fees run about $910.

Using this scenario you will be always able to call in February and make your 13 month reservations..... Bingo!





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marmite

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I'd get the one and see how it goes. If you have trouble booking the week you want, get a different reservation then deposit with II and request. It was my impression you were getting a week mostly to exchange anyway but to use some of the time. With this plan you shouldn't need a second week I wouldn't think.

I think it would end up being 1/2 and 1/2. I don't mind staying in a 1BR each year, but don't like studios so would likely trade that each year (or try to trade back in to Palm Desert but pay an uncharge for a bigger unit). Please tell me I can lock-off and only deposit one side into II?
 

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I think you were given bad information. This is based on our years of booking 3-4 weeks at 13 months out. The only requirement we had was that at least one of the weeks in the string had to be from a second deeded unit. As an example, we own at both Ko Olina and Maui and we sometimes started with two weeks at one of these resorts (from the same deeded week) and followed it with one or two weeks at the second resort. Never had a problem.
I hope that will work for me, since I would rather spend the two consecutive weeks at Ocean Pointe prior to moving to Oceana Palms. It would seem to be a reasonable policy to allow you to do 2 in a row at the same resort, but the agent told me that the first two reserved weeks would have to be at different resorts in order for the 13 month policy to apply. In the future, I will call back to speak with a different agent.
 

marmite

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Well, you could buy a Grand Chateau or a Grande Vista Platinum week and use that to utilize making your reservations at the 13 month mark.

Looking around, one bedroom Grand Chateau weeks can likely be had off of eBay for $100, and their annual maintenance fees run about $910.

Using this scenario you will be always able to call in February and make your 13 month reservations..... Bingo
.

But bottom line, it sounds like I would need to buy 2 separate units to make that happen.. so probably a Grand Chateau AND a Grande Vista.
 

TheTimeTraveler

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But bottom line, it sounds like I would need to buy 2 separate units to make that happen.. so probably a Grand Chateau AND a Grande Vista.


Why?

You own 2 weeks at Two Resorts. You meet the 13 month criteria for booking (assuming you own a DSV Villa).




.
 

marmite

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Why?

You own 2 weeks at Two Resorts. You meet the 13 month criteria for booking (assuming you own a DSV Villa).
No, I don't own a DSV Villa, I am looking to buy one. So if I do get one, I will still need something else to meet the 13 month criteria.
 

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I think it would end up being 1/2 and 1/2. I don't mind staying in a 1BR each year, but don't like studios so would likely trade that each year (or try to trade back in to Palm Desert but pay an uncharge for a bigger unit). Please tell me I can lock-off and only deposit one side into II?
If it's roughly half personal usage then I'd go for what I wanted. When you started I got the impression you were initially looking at trading only with maybe an occasional personal usage. Will you do enough trading to justify owning 2 weeks/resorts which would be as much as 7 exchange weeks every 2 years. If you just have the one week and use a one side EOY you'll still have 3 deposits every 2 years.
 

marmite

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You're right @Dean, I was thinking at first of mostly trading, and being able to also trade into DSVI or II (if I owned Orlando or Branson for instance). I do not need 2 Marriott units, not yet at least (when I retire though, I may need to ramp up my ownership!). At this point I think I only need a single 2BD Marriott lock-off to get myself 4 timeshare weeks a year (since I already have 2 Vistana weeks with my lockoff) and will try supplementing any additional weeks I may need by using the Getaways. I am really curious about what I will see for instant-trades having the Marriott priority in II. At my current rate of timeshare usage, I can tell I am ready for more weeks. I prepaid my MF's for 2020 and have already traded one side of my lock-off. I feel 'poor' having just one unit sitting there to trade with. What if a bunch of GREAT weeks come up and I can only pick one?! I don't know if I can handle that kind of stress and disappointment o_O
 

BJRSanDiego

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I'm still looking for the prevailing view on if owning the one unit I can call at 13 months or 12. o_O I would personally start in the studio while I have lots of energy and enthusiasm for exploring whatever area I'm in, and then settle into the 1-BR for some relaxation before returning home. I pretty much hate studios though, so want to get it over with!

If you own one unit, you can reserve at the 12 month point. It is my understanding that you can split and reserve the first "half" at the 12 month point and the other half for the same or following week. But this needs to be done via phone. The on-line reservation system only handles the 12 month reservation.
If you own two units, you can reserve at the 13 month point. You can reserve both for the same week or consecutive weeks. So, if you are reserving consecutive weeks, you'll reserve the first one at 13 months and the second at 13 months plus 1 week. Or if you own 3 weeks, the last res could be as far out and 13 months plus 2 weeks.

BTW, Marriott opens reservations for an entire week at a time. The week starts on Thursdays for DSVs. So, when you call in at the 365 day point for the week that starts on Thursday, you can reserve Thur, Fri, Sat, Sun and Monday (all are check in days). Once you are in the system you can look through the Marriott library documents for info like this. I suspect that some owners don't know this and call in, for example, a Sunday check in at 365 days before that Sunday check in. In actuality, that check in day was available three days earlier. Shhhh... don't let the secret get out.

With my white weeks, I split them and reserve all for Thanksgiving (for the highest TDI), then I exchange them. I always try to take the efficiencies and with the help of the ii upcharge and ePlus, I end up exchanging into a 1 or 2 BR - - often at DSV1, 2 or Shadow Ridge, Newport Coast, Timberlodge, etc.
 
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Dean

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You're right @Dean, I was thinking at first of mostly trading, and being able to also trade into DSVI or II (if I owned Orlando or Branson for instance). I do not need 2 Marriott units, not yet at least (when I retire though, I may need to ramp up my ownership!). At this point I think I only need a single 2BD Marriott lock-off to get myself 4 timeshare weeks a year (since I already have 2 Vistana weeks with my lockoff) and will try supplementing any additional weeks I may need by using the Getaways. I am really curious about what I will see for instant-trades having the Marriott priority in II. At my current rate of timeshare usage, I can tell I am ready for more weeks. I prepaid my MF's for 2020 and have already traded one side of my lock-off. I feel 'poor' having just one unit sitting there to trade with. What if a bunch of GREAT weeks come up and I can only pick one?! I don't know if I can handle that kind of stress and disappointment o_O
IMO the ongoing search put in early is the largest benefit of the II MVC exchange priority. Difficult AND great exchanges usually are gotten this way or last minute though there are exceptions.
 
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