Booking using points, MVC weeks, or II

[Brucedelta]

I have started looking at MVC as a timeshare option for us. I think I have a good understanding of how the points work and obviously that is what all the new owners have. The part I am having trouble getting my head around is the booking side of things. Hopefully, the questions make sense as this is that part I am not yet understanding. I know the advice from TUG is always rescind if you signed anything on a tour, and then buy a resale. For buying resale what differentiates a unit that is nearly given away for a low price vs spending thousands for higher-end places. Assuming I would be just as happy to stay at either I am trying to focus on trade value within MVC and II.

We want to try out an MVC experience and through TUG I found an owner to rent a week from in Hilton Head. The owner has a week that is already booked in April and they are a long-time owner at the property, so not using points. With the point charts, I can see April is shoulder season, the summer seems to be more points. The owner has a week booked and I asked him about moving it to a forward a week in April. They called and the answer is that April was fully booked and no availability at the resort.

1a) If I own a week and want to book at my home resort my understanding is this is relatively easy if you are booking 12 months out. At what point does it become hard to book. Is there a tool to easily see availability online? In this case, the spouse called while I was talking with them, so I was not sure if an online tool allows this to be easily seen.
1b) Again assuming I own a week on HHI and my home resort is fully booked. Could I go to any other resort on the island if available? Is this visible online easily?

2) If I were booking with points would the resort also be full? It looks like weeks start on a Friday or Saturday, but if booking with points can I start on any day of the week?

3) If I want to use II and deposit a week I see there is a concept called TDI that somehow accounts for higher demand. I have seen TDI mentioned and it always seems like it is a sense for the difficulty of booking, not relative value. When booking with II is there a difference in my ability to procure a week booking if I own at Grande vs Sunset. How is this difference accounted for?

4a) In the HHI example I looked at there is a big discrepancy in points between MVC resorts on HHI, how is this accounted for, and is going to a big destination like HHI any different than going somewhere else in the system. For HHI the high-end is Barony, Grande, & Surfwatch at 3450 pts, while Harbor and Sunset are around 1000 pts. If I own at Grande I assume I can trade into Harbor if I really want to go then, but I will "lose value". How about if I own at Sunset, can I book Grande, and how does that work when I attempt to "increase value"?
In this example, I am wondering if trading to the same destination makes any difference when compared to a different destination which is 4b.
4b) I think I read that if I own an MVC week and want to book another MVC week at a different property, it is done internally within Marriott and not using II. If this is the case, is there a benefit to owning at the Grande vs Sunset? MVC through the points assignment for weeks has a standardized way of comparing values that are at least easy to visualize. Does MVC prevent the owner of a week worth 1000 pts from trading into a week worth 4000 pts?

5) For II, how does this work sense of value work? I am wondering if can I be an owner at a lower value property like Sunset and want to trade into a higher value property like Grand and do I have a disadvantage vs an owner at Grade? If I own at a Grande level property does that give a leg up in trading with II to go to a similar level vs owning a lower level property

Hopefully, these questions make sense and thank you in advance for your patience in helping me learn.

Bruce

 

[igopogo]

I live these questions and as a new (about to be) owner I am looking forward to experienced answers.

 

[Pamplemousse]

I have started looking at MVC as a timeshare option for us. I think I have a good understanding of how the points work and obviously that is what all the new owners have. The part I am having trouble getting my head around is the booking side of things. Hopefully, the questions make sense as this is that part I am not yet understanding. I know the advice from TUG is always rescind if you signed anything on a tour, and then buy a resale. For buying resale what differentiates a unit that is nearly given away for a low price vs spending thousands for higher-end places. Assuming I would be just as happy to stay at either I am trying to focus on trade value within MVC and II.

We want to try out an MVC experience and through TUG I found an owner to rent a week from in Hilton Head. The owner has a week that is already booked in April and they are a long-time owner at the property, so not using points. With the point charts, I can see April is shoulder season, the summer seems to be more points. The owner has a week booked and I asked him about moving it to a forward a week in April. They called and the answer is that April was fully booked and no availability at the resort.

1a) If I own a week and want to book at my home resort my understanding is this is relatively easy if you are booking 12 months out. At what point does it become hard to book. Is there a tool to easily see availability online? In this case, the spouse called while I was talking with them, so I was not sure if an online tool allows this to be easily seen.
1b) Again assuming I own a week on HHI and my home resort is fully booked. Could I go to any other resort on the island if available? Is this visible online easily?

2) If I were booking with points would the resort also be full? It looks like weeks start on a Friday or Saturday, but if booking with points can I start on any day of the week?

3) If I want to use II and deposit a week I see there is a concept called TDI that somehow accounts for higher demand. I have seen TDI mentioned and it always seems like it is a sense for the difficulty of booking, not relative value. When booking with II is there a difference in my ability to procure a week booking if I own at Grande vs Sunset. How is this difference accounted for?

4a) In the HHI example I looked at there is a big discrepancy in points between MVC resorts on HHI, how is this accounted for, and is going to a big destination like HHI any different than going somewhere else in the system. For HHI the high-end is Barony, Grande, & Surfwatch at 3450 pts, while Harbor and Sunset are around 1000 pts. If I own at Grande I assume I can trade into Harbor if I really want to go then, but I will "lose value". How about if I own at Sunset, can I book Grande, and how does that work when I attempt to "increase value"?
In this example, I am wondering if trading to the same destination makes any difference when compared to a different destination which is 4b.
4b) I think I read that if I own an MVC week and want to book another MVC week at a different property, it is done internally within Marriott and not using II. If this is the case, is there a benefit to owning at the Grande vs Sunset? MVC through the points assignment for weeks has a standardized way of comparing values that are at least easy to visualize. Does MVC prevent the owner of a week worth 1000 pts from trading into a week worth 4000 pts?

5) For II, how does this work sense of value work? I am wondering if can I be an owner at a lower value property like Sunset and want to trade into a higher value property like Grand and do I have a disadvantage vs an owner at Grade? If I own at a Grande level property does that give a leg up in trading with II to go to a similar level vs owning a lower level property

Hopefully, these questions make sense and thank you in advance for your patience in helping me learn.

Bruce

Hi Bruce,
I’ll start- others will fill in more info I’m sure-

You can become a new owner by buying resale weeks, resale points or points or a hybrid package directly from MVC.

1 b) if you own a week you can only book your home resort in the season that you own directly.
The answer to 1 a is it depends/ varies by when/ where you want to go.

2) Different resorts have different check in dates. You can book any check in day/ any number of days and specific views with points. Views are not guaranteed with exchanges. I know HHI puts exchangers low floor back building, some other resorts honor the view that was deposited.

3) TDI means travel demand index- how popular a resort is in a given week. It is very relative and applies to a whole area not a resort. Try to book the highest TDI week in your season when depositing into II for maximum trading power possible for your week, but it’s not critical, a few points low doesn’t make a big difference, what matters is what you want needs to be available.

4) the difference is the ocean front resorts cost more points. If you own points you can attempt to book any resort you want. If you own a week you can attempt to use II to exchange anyplace you want- but an owner must have deposited their week in order for it to be available - requesting early and Marriott preference helps. You can only book your home resort in your home season directly if you own a week.

5) Trading power on II is a nebulous thing- unit size, resort rating and TDI matter, Marriott preference helps a lot, requesting early (12-13 months ahead do you have requested before deposits start) is key. But bottom line is someone must deposit what you want. Some owners of popular resorts find its more valuable to rent their owned week so less are available for exchange.

 

[Dean]

MVC has 2 products, points and weeks and there is the option for some owners who have weeks to also use points assuming they are enrolled which is big dollars at present. I would suggest you understand the system(s) well before buying anything so you don't buy the wrong thing and buy sufficiently to fit your needs going forward if you do decide to purchase. Usually this is best going the resale route. What I like to recommend to those just looking at timeshares is to first understand whether they are a good choice for them in general. You have to plan ahead, like a year or more in most cases. You might not get what you want, how flexible are you? Generally there is no housekeeping and often no restaurants on site or very limited. Then if in principle they still think it's a good idea, take those answers into account and look at likely travel locations, unit size, usual length of stay and quality expectations. Then look to see which system(s) meet those parameters. Only then is the specific choice on purchasing something to worry about.

Specific to your questions:
1. Some options can be difficult to book at 12 months even minute one either for weeks or points. Some owners can book at 13 months for either and for weeks, sometimes even more in advance. You can book online for most situations but not all. You cannot cancel or make changes online but can call or chat. For weeks you can only reserve at that resort and in the season owned. There are a few fixed week type situations but not many. Points can be used at any resort in MVC subject to availability and some limitations on when or length of stay required.
2. For weeks some resorts have a set day for check in, like Saturday only. This is mainly for older resorts. Newer resorts generally have several, some are Fri, Sat or Sunday and some add Thursday and Monday as options. For points it's any day but for older resorts availability still somewhat tracks the weeks system.
3. TDI is relative to that area, not a standardized trade power in general. Unit size, resort & week demand and resort rating all play into trade power and options.
4. Points costs tend to track the relative quality of a resort and demand for a given week. The cheaper resort at HHI are older and of relatively lower demand.
5. Trading is gambling in a sense, it's the Wild West and not for the faint of heart. Trading a lower demand and lower quality resort like Sunset Pointe to something like Grande Ocean is workable but not during peak times like summer other than possibly late August.

Just spend a few months exploring these concepts and things will become more clear to you.