Buying a Float Week to trade

[cbyrne1174]

If you buy a Marriott float week resale and want to exchange it 75% of the time via II, does the underlying resort/season matter? I would use the week maybe every few years, but I mostly want to hop around every year for exactly 1 week in a two bedroom every year. There's no way I'll pay the DC fee to join. I mostly would want to trade into the other Orlando resorts (thinking of owning Cypress Harbour because of lower maintenance).

 

[Saintsfanfl]

For those purposes no it doesn't really matter. All Marriott's have pretty good trading power even places like Orlando and Williamsburg. On the flip side the power needed to trade into those locations is very low so you are set with this scenario. My only suggestion would be to consider a lock-off unit so that you have more flexibility. Depositing 12 months in advance and trading into Orlando you are going to see the same units whether you use a 2BR or a 1BR. You end up with the studio for free but like you said the fees at Cypress make it attractive.

 

[Berea1]

I own three off-season Marriott weeks at Hilton Head Island since 2004 that I use trade into mostly other Marriott's in Hilton Head Island or into Orlando or into Riveria Beach, FL. Orlando is the most overbuildt city for Marriott timeshare and I can trade into that almost any time I want using one of the many accomodation certificates and getaways that I get from belonging to Interval International. You don't need that week with its $1,500 maintenance fee that goes along with it. Use the getaways that are readily available. Patrick

 

[Saintsfanfl]

I own three off-season Marriott weeks at Hilton Head Island since 2004 that I use trade into mostly other Marriott's in Hilton Head Island or into Orlando or into Riveria Beach, FL. Orlando is the most overbuildt city for Marriott timeshare and I can trade into that almost any time I want using one of the many accomodation certificates and getaways that I get from belonging to Interval International. You don't need that week with its $1,500 maintenance fee that goes along with it. Use the getaways that are readily available. Patrick

I agree with your advice but why do you still own off-season Marriott weeks at Hilton Head? Isn't that exactly what you are advising the OP not to do? It doesn't get any lower demand than off-season HHI. Give those weeks away and save your maintenance fee money. There are much cheaper trading methods, or getaways, as you advised.

 

[tschwa2]

My feeling is Marriott exchangers are fairly expensive. If you have a lock off and plan to lock off keep in mind that the lockoff fee is either $80 or $90 and the studio doesn't exchange that well and you will have to pay upgrade fees on top of everything when exchanging into a bigger unit outside of flex. The difficult Marriott exchanges are still difficult and the easy ones are easy enough that you don't really need Marriott priority. If you have some specific trades that are more likely to come through with Marriott exchanger like a late Spring, early/late summer and early fall in S Carolina or 2 BR at specific Hawaii resorts outside of prime time.

 

[Saintsfanfl]

My feeling is Marriott exchangers are fairly expensive. If you have a lock off and plan to lock off keep in mind that the lockoff fee is either $80 or $90 and the studio doesn't exchange that well and you will have to pay upgrade fees on top of everything when exchanging into a bigger unit outside of flex. The difficult Marriott exchanges are still difficult and the easy ones are easy enough that you don't really need Marriott priority. If you have some specific trades that are more likely to come through with Marriott exchanger like a late Spring, early/late summer and early fall in S Carolina or 2 BR at specific Hawaii resorts outside of prime time.

I agree. A 4BR lock-off non-Marriott is a much better value. I don't find priority to be that big of a deal. People tend to pull exchanges and then cancel later. I have gotten exchanges into Crystal Shores without a Marriott. That said I still like my Marriott lock-off trading but yeah, it gets freaking expensive.

 

[DeniseM]

The Sightings that were posted above have been moved to the Sightings Forum, per TUG policy.

 

[cbyrne1174]

I'm just trying to figure out if buying a resale Marriott float week or Worldmark resale is a better option to trade into a Marriott. I know Marriotts get preference in II. But to get a 2 bedroom trading WorldMark, I only need to use 10,000 Credits ($730 MF) instead of the $1250 MF of a cheaper Marriott unit.

 

[BreakingAway]

I'm just trying to figure out if buying a resale Marriott float week or Worldmark resale is a better option to trade into a Marriott. I know Marriotts get preference in II. But to get a 2 bedroom trading WorldMark, I only need to use 10,000 Credits ($730 MF) instead of the $1250 MF of a cheaper Marriott unit.

Years ago, before I dropped my Interval membership, I was offered two weeks for our Marriott Monarch Sport week if I deposited before a certain time. I don’t know if that is still the case. Does anyone know?

 

[Dean]

If you buy a Marriott float week resale and want to exchange it 75% of the time via II, does the underlying resort/season matter? I would use the week maybe every few years, but I mostly want to hop around every year for exactly 1 week in a two bedroom every year. There's no way I'll pay the DC fee to join. I mostly would want to trade into the other Orlando resorts (thinking of owning Cypress Harbour because of lower maintenance).

In general Orlando is an easy trade with a lot of very good to great resorts. One can trade easily and fairly cheaply in general. Marriott to Marriott is a little different but still an easy trade. Still IMO it's important to consider the underlying value AND trade value as well as the costs and fees. I'm a big fan of owning something you'll use so in part my suggestion would depend on what that is. Likely the best single option for this situation to get 2 weeks is Willow Ridge. The fees are similar and you will have the II membership fee, exchange fees and upgrade fees. Total cost owning WR exchanging to two 2 BR would be in the range of $2000 compared to $2400 just owning 2 CH weeks. If you only need one week in Orlando rotating resorts and that's it, I likely would rent or do getaways if you have an II membership already and not buy. If you decide to buy in Orlando, I'd put GV & HL as my top 2 choices because of the inherent options. GV would have the FL Club option in all likelihood and both resorts offered lockoff giving you additional options.

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

In general Orlando is an easy trade with a lot of very good to great resorts. One can trade easily and fairly cheaply in general. Marriott to Marriott is a little different but still an easy trade. Still IMO it's important to consider the underlying value AND trade value as well as the costs and fees. I'm a big fan of owning something you'll use so in part my suggestion would depend on what that is. Likely the best single option for this situation to get 2 weeks is Willow Ridge. The fees are similar and you will have the II membership fee, exchange fees and upgrade fees. Total cost owning WR exchanging to two 2 BR would be in the range of $2000 compared to $2400 just owning 2 CH weeks. If you only need one week in Orlando rotating resorts and that's it, I likely would rent or do getaways if you have an II membership already and not buy. If you decide to buy in Orlando, I'd put GV & HL as my top 2 choices because of the inherent options. GV would have the FL Club option in all likelihood and both resorts offered lockoff giving you additional options.

Be careful if buying at Grande Vista if you do want the Florida Club option. Most, but NOT all Grande Vista Villas do belong to the Florida Club.





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[Dean]

Be careful if buying at Grande Vista if you do want the Florida Club option. Most, but NOT all Grande Vista Villas do belong to the Florida Club.





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That's why I said in all likelihood.

 

[cbyrne1174]

As the OP, I decided to just use WorldMark credits and trade in II. Worldmark has insanely low maintenance relative to the resort quality (1/3 lower than Club Wyndham and 1/2 Marriott). I'm content staying in WM units. In my opinion, the 2 nicest non DVC resorts are Lakeshore Reserve and Reunion. With WM, I can book a 3 bedroom deluxe Christmas week at Reunion for $1,200 in MF. You can't beat that!

 

[Big Matt]

As the OP, I decided to just use WorldMark credits and trade in II. Worldmark has insanely low maintenance relative to the resort quality (1/3 lower than Club Wyndham and 1/2 Marriott). I'm content staying in WM units. In my opinion, the 2 nicest non DVC resorts are Lakeshore Reserve and Reunion. With WM, I can book a 3 bedroom deluxe Christmas week at Reunion for $1,200 in MF. You can't beat that!

Hate to burst your bubble, but I can get very similar trades in Marriott with my Grande Vista studio and 1BR for much less in fees.

 

[cbyrne1174]

I'm reading 2 bed lock off as $1,377, how is that cheaper? 2 Bedrooms with WM are $720 + exchange fee if you own 35,000 points.

 

[Saintsfanfl]

I'm reading 2 bed lock off as $1,377, how is that cheaper? 2 Bedrooms with WM are $720 + exchange fee if you own 35,000 points.

Because you take take a studio that cost around $540 plus exch fee and trade into the 2BR. If the studio can't pull it then the 1BR would cost a bit more.

 

[Dean]

I'm reading 2 bed lock off as $1,377, how is that cheaper? 2 Bedrooms with WM are $720 + exchange fee if you own 35,000 points.

For one 2 BR is isn't unless you have a plan for the second part of the lockout. Let's say you use it every 4th year and trade on the other 3 owning GV or Willow Ridge. Ignoring the II membership fee and assuming you're trading studio to 2 BR, the exchange fees on the Marriott side are $350 plus the applicable portion of the exchange fee. Then you have no exchange/upgrade fees but full maintenance fees on the year you use and don't exchange. Personally I'd not buy Marriott and exchange for 1 unit for Orlando but would if you would average 2 units/weeks a year. You might not get Marriott consistently exchanging (you might though) but there are other very good resorts in the area that could serve as backup.

 

[Big Matt]

I have always received a 2 or 3 BR for my studio and 1BR. Grande Vista is so huge that you can always reserve July 4th, Christmas, or Easter weeks. Those have maximum or close to maximum TDI in II. This includes places like Grande Ocean, Newport Coast, and Ocean Watch plus Lakeshore. My favorite trades have been a studio into a 3BR Grande Vista during the summer, a studio to Thanksgiving at Grande Ocean and a 1BR to 3BR Lakeshore. I get way more value than the 2750 Destination Club points for the same week. Please don't let my secret out........

 

[Steve Fatula]

I have always received a 2 or 3 BR for my studio and 1BR. Grande Vista is so huge that you can always reserve July 4th, Christmas, or Easter weeks. Those have maximum or close to maximum TDI in II. This includes places like Grande Ocean, Newport Coast, and Ocean Watch plus Lakeshore. My favorite trades have been a studio into a 3BR Grande Vista during the summer, a studio to Thanksgiving at Grande Ocean and a 1BR to 3BR Lakeshore. I get way more value than the 2750 Destination Club points for the same week. Please don't let my secret out........

Yep, been trading my DSV2 lockoff for over 20 years now, not once to a studio. A few times, back to the same resort just a 2BR, lol. Orlando easy to get into.

 

[jme]

As the OP, I decided to just use WorldMark credits and trade in II. Worldmark has insanely low maintenance relative to the resort quality (1/3 lower than Club Wyndham and 1/2 Marriott). I'm content staying in WM units. In my opinion, the 2 nicest non DVC resorts are Lakeshore Reserve and Reunion. With WM, I can book a 3 bedroom deluxe Christmas week at Reunion for $1,200 in MF. You can't beat that!

Hate to burst your bubble, but I can get very similar trades in Marriott with my Grande Vista studio and 1BR for much less in fees.

Ditto BigMatt.
All systems have their benefits, even Wyndham and Worldmark, but I'm not shy in concurring with you
in saying Marriott has some very good ones. Not meaning to "pile on", but I can go a step further to build on
your suggestion in reference to what we've done.

With my Marriott Platinum 2BR lockoff at Manor Club Sequel, by using the split lockoffs and trading each separately
and electing EPlus re-trade options (up to 3 re-trades),
I can get 2BR and even 3BR units at other Marriott resorts, even during platinum seasons.
My maintenance fee is about $1300 for the single week,
but each new trade week will now only cost $650. And I have two weeks to enjoy. That's two weeks of 2 or 33BR units
in good seasons and at excellent resorts.
Historically over the past 3-4 years I've chosen to shoot for Lakeshore Reserve in Summer for one of those weeks,
and have gotten it every time (all 2BRs there).

I've also sought Grande Vista 2 & 3 BRs during Spring and Summer. These were the ones I specifically wanted,
and could have requested elsewhere with similar results, but I wanted those.
I've also gotten an August Grande Ocean week using the master suite lockoff.
The Lakeshore Reserve and Grande Vista weeks were obtained with BOTH the Studio & the 1BRMaster and re-trading.
It really doesn't matter if I'm using the studio or the master 1BR,
in the end I've upgraded and gotten the 2 & 3BRs. The studio

Just yesterday, using the 2020 1BR Master, I received confirmation for a trade into Myrtle Beach's OceanWatch 2BR
for May31-June 6 of 2020, a highly sought-after summer beach location. I requested, actually added, MOW only 2 days ago.
Surprised to get that, but I'll take it.

I also got a mid-July 2020 Lakeshore Reserve 1BR using the Manor Club studio lockoff---I'll be upgrading that
over the next few months. I have another couple of trades for ongoing searches and won't be doing an EPlus.
I had the upgrade fee, but renting that with cash would be about
$2200-2500, so a small fee is negligible and welcomed, creating a wonderful value. It's that was almost every time using my two lockoffs.
Interval Int'l is not dead, it continues to perform for me in great ways. Last year I got a summer Barony week at Hilton Head using
that 1BR master and re-trading/upgrading twice.

 

[cbyrne1174]

So with the lock-off feature, you pay $80 (Dividing the unit), $99 (II membership), Maintanance fees ($1400 ish), Upsize fee ($99 per Step) and exchange fee ($154 per exchange) to get 2 weeks a year in the Marriott System?

Estimate: $2184 to trade into 2 two bedrooms a year


With Worldmark I calculated Maintenance fees ($1440), II membership ($99) and exchange fee ($189)

Estimate: $1917 to trade into 2 two bedrooms a year



So if my math is correct, the advantage of the lock-off method is that you get a 24 day Marriott priority and slightly cheaper exchange fee.

The advantage of the WorldMark method is that your underlying owned unit is deeded to over 90 resorts that you have equal booking priority to as all other owners and can effortlessly get into all resorts within its system and aren't restricted to 7 nights. It's also $200 cheaper to trade that way.

So ultimately it comes down to what is more important to the owner. I still think I'd prefer to use my own network of resorts and occasionally stay in a Marriott. Wyndham in recent years has been stepping up their quality to compete more with Hilton and Marriott. I think I would rather be deeded to a point system vs a fixed resort.

 

[Steve Fatula]

Or, you can just pay cash for a getaway and beat all those. Right now, Marriott Orlando is $237 for II platinum for a week. 2BR. We generally do not trade into Orlando since there's almost always a getaway.

 

[Saintsfanfl]

Or 4BR lock-off Williamsburg. $879 total annual fee. Zero lock-off fee and zero up-size fee. Using anything but dirt cheap traders, ACs, or Getaways is overkill for Orlando. This ownership also includes free $209+tax fixed fee ACs, which are good for off-season 2BR units on short notice, but not much else.

 

[Steve Fatula]

I see what you are getting at, but, for me, it's the opposite. Using any timeshare to trade into Orlando not worth it. Use it for more expensive places.

 

[Saintsfanfl]

I see what you are getting at, but, for me, it's the opposite. Using any timeshare to trade into Orlando not worth it. Use it for more expensive places.

I generally agree but if someone is really wanting to plan for a higher demand week an AC or getaway isn't going to cut it. The AC will be completely grid blocked. A getaway for the Spring or Summer weeks is going to be over $1,000. It is easy to say go when the getaways are $250-$450 but that only works if you aren't bound to school schedules. The same is true for HHI for Summer vs all the other weeks.