VRI*ety exchange rules

[w879jr1]

On the vriresorts web site www.vriresorts.com/ExchangeGuide.html contains the new exchange rules. I would like the opinions of fellow Tuggers with MROP or ORE properties on a possible implication of changes from the previous rules. The changes seem to be to accommodate the new rolling 18 month reservation period.

Until now the earliest a week could be banked in the exchange system was mid June in the year prior to the scheduled reservation, logically because this was when MROP weeks were allocated. The earliest time is now 18 months before the scheduled reservation, again with some logic for MROP weeks. (ORE week owners know their allocated weeks well in advance and so will be able to bank an unwanted week at this time if they wish to.)

At the moment I would like to know whether it was possible in the old system to bank a 2008 week and take an exchange week in the last six months of 2007? If so, it may now be possible that a January 2010 week could be banked and used for a reservation in 2009!

I have a number of questions that I will phone VRI for answers to, but I would appreciate hearing what others think (or know) the answer on this point will be.

 

[chemteach]

It was possible in the old system to bank a week for the next year and make a reservation in the current year. It ought to be the same. If there is a 2008 week sitting in the bank when you deposit a 2010 week 18 months out, you can reserve the 2008 week. There were no trade value restrictions in the old system, just color: red for red, blue for blue, or white for white. There was a $25 fee to get anything larger than the smallest size from any particular resort. It sounds like VRIety has different rules about that, but I don't know what they are yet. I'll check out the details from the site you have.

Until they get the site back up online for exchanges it will be difficult to figure out if it is a decent new system. I often would not deposit a week unless I saw something I wanted online.

 

[chemteach]

Just looked at the site.

"Deposited weeks expire on December 31st of the year following the start date of the deposit"

not as good as RCI - you have 2 years after the start date before the week expires.

The following does not make sense to me:

For long term requests:

"The earlier a week is deposited before its start date, the higher the request priority"

followed later by:

"Priority in the exchange is based on the deposit date"

So it sounds like if two people are requesting the same place/week, the person who deposited their week the farthest before its start date will get the week, not the person who placed the request first. This is completely counter to the old system, where the person who placed the request first was able to get the week...

For short notice requests, the rules do state it is a first come, first serve basis - but I don't know what the point of short notice requests are - there used to be bonus time - but this doesn't sound like bonus time. There is no mention of bonus time on the VRIety exchange sheet.

 

[Bwolf]

FWIW, Cape Winds is now "in" the exchange program, so we attempted to exchange our 2009 unit. We learned that June 1 is the earliest we may exchange it. Apparently, they are in a mad rush to handle 2008, so they just aren't taking 2009 requests now. This matter will work itself out as the program matures.

Also, RCI representatives handle this for VRI. I spoke to a very pleasant young lady. It makes me wonder what I've been missing all these years as an II member.

 

[JudyS]

FWIW, Cape Winds is now "in" the exchange program, so we attempted to exchange our 2009 unit. We learned that June 1 is the earliest we may exchange it. Apparently, they are in a mad rush to handle 2008, so they just aren't taking 2009 requests now. This matter will work itself out as the program matures.....

Well, VRI*ety is the successor to the old MROP/ORE exchange system. In that system, reservations for the next year couldn't be made before mid-June. So, what they are doing now is transitioning from the old system, where, say, January 2008 reservations couldn't be made any earlier than June of 2007, and a new system where you will be able to reserve up to 18 months in advance (or 20 months at your home resort.)

For us existing MROP/ORE owners, the change has been very sudden. They (MROP/ORE/VRI) took down the website for the old system just a few weeks ago, before they even told us that there would be a new system. You can expect mass confusion this first year as MROP/ORE owners scramble to learn the new rules.

I just got my Spring 2008 MROP newsletter today, and it says that Brewster Green, Capistrano Surfside Inn, Beach Club I in Fort Myers, and Sunburst Resort in Steamboat Springs are now in VRI*ety. It didn't mention Cape Winds, although it did say that 150 resorts will be available by the end of 2008.

....
Also, RCI representatives handle this for VRI. I spoke to a very pleasant young lady. It makes me wonder what I've been missing all these years as an II member.

Not much! It does seem that VRI is trying to make the RCI reps toe the line and give good customer service. However, in general dealing with RCI is a pain. So far, I've spoken to two VRI*ety reps. One was very nice. The other kept trying to pressure me into renting a week, depositing more weeks (gee, I have only 8 weeks sitting in my RCI account as it is), etc. RCI reps work on commission, and some of them can be quite pushy.

 

[brg850]

MROP e-mail newsletters

John,

I just noticed that finally the MROP members can sign up for e-mail newsletters at the MROP members only web site.

http://members.multi-resorts.com/home.php

The login password has just been changed. It is on page four of the newsletter just received. Let me know if you need it, or you can also use the following link to sign up.

https://app.expressemailmarketing.com/Survey.aspx?SFID=44012

brg

 

[anne1125]

Why are the VRI resorts not included in the list on the website?

 

[Bwolf]

Why are the VRI resorts not included in the list on the website?

Cape Winds is listed. Any not listed are probably in-line to be added. Keep checking.

 

[ausman]

MROP Strategy

The earlier a week is deposited before its start date, the higher the request priority


So it looks like for the MROP people with home resort priority, who trade, the best thing if wanting to use within VRI*ety is to reserve a home resort week, the latest available dates for your colour and deposit it immediately into VRI*ety. Same strategy for those at the 18 mth mark.

Is that how the rest of you interpret this.

Still trying to sort this stuff out assuming they do some involved legal thing to get around the Articles issue.

 

[w879jr1]

My view is that things may become less fractious when there is an online system to support the new VRI model. It may make initial week choice and exchange availability more transparent. For 2009 we are in the hands of (RCI trained) "reservationists", the saints preserve us!

My first thoughts are the same as yours, i.e get a good week and deposit immediately. I figure that this is what VRI/RCI would like, because there is then an exchange payment to be made (but I could be too cynical). I reckon that everyone will be grabbing an insurance week to exchange later, those $75-$99 exchange fees will roll in.

My resort priority is red week at Mexico resorts, which I feel unlikely to visit, and I don't think that they are good traders so I am not intending to use my priority status this time around. I will try for an acceptable red week later in another VRI resort, but think that my chances of grabbing one will be very small. Hanging on the line from the UK may be costly.

Those of us who are upset by recent developments need to express ourselves in the thread started by chemteach in the Exchanging forum and try to agree how best to try to influence the members and board of MROP.