Do you get the same message when trying to search for a getaway?
Getaways seem to work for the Orlando area but not exchanges.
And you only own DVC?
Yes. I haven't booked anything but have been looking through the Getaways (also the ShortStay Getaways) and can see Orlando. I can't see Orlando for Exchanges.
This is what most of us were afraid of. More competition for getaways in Orlando.
But it was said that DVCers didn't want to leave the "bubble" and our lowly Marriotts and Sheratons wouldn't be up to standard.
To be honest, it really is one of the few things I might actually use II for. I'm not likely to use any point exchanges as they don't appear to be a good value (and obviously don't work in Orlando) but using a getaway in the Orlando area to extend a Disney/FL trip might make sense. I can rent out 75-80 points to pay for a week in a 2BR at a Marriott. I'd rather be onsite but if I'm just going to relax and enjoy not being in the Canadian winter, this could make sense.
Exactly the point @dioxide45 and myself have been making since the announcement. Of course we were “wrong”, as die hard DVC members would never dare stay offsite….. after staying at a few DVC resorts, I prefer to stay offsite. Having more competition for getaways will change how I travel to orlando. I will search more Airbnb’s from now on
When I'm actually going to WDW then I'm only doing that onsite. If I just want to relax then adding a few nights at a nearby resort could be nice.
That’s the point… more competition for Orlando Marriott getaways lol. We aren’t saying DVC members will use getaways instead of their points, they will be used in addition to.
I can certainly understand that concern. I really don't think many DVC members will use this (most really had no idea what RCI even was) but any percentage of owners using it still creates more competition. Most conversations on DVC boards simply write off any use of RCI (and now II) as a waste and as having poor quality resorts even though most people had never even looked at the exchange site. I've mentioned the Orlando Getaways and nobody seems to care or give it any thought. I hope you still get what you want!
I’d agree, I’d write off RCI as well if I owned DVC! However, interval offers better quality resorts. I think a DVC member can do very well exchanging into interval.
The sarcasm aside, I think your words are accurate looked at statistically, not because the resorts are of lower quality (some are, some aren't, and some are above) but because of location and the way DVC members as a whole approach this subject. Very few DVC members are likely to schedule Getaways for Orlando even if they are allowed. I still suspect this will not be allowed even though one can search for them currently.
I don't believe that's actually the case when one looks at the subject as a whole, esp when looking at those systems that don't have an internal priority. RCI has more resorts and more lower rated resorts but if you take MVC & Westin mostly out of the picture because of the internal priority, I think RCI stacks up very well. It does vary by location, II has areas they cover better and the reverse is true for RCI.
See below, experienced DVC’ers are starting to reconsider exchanging. My guess would be that most inexperienced DVC’ers exchanged in RCI and I Expect those DVC’ers will continue to exchange in II. However, Interval now has experienced DVC’ers saying “wait a minute, maybe there is something to these exchanges”. I expect more exchanges into II than there was in RCI and there were plenty of DVC rooms available in RCI.
I think there is still some nice availability in the Westin/Marriott resorts outside of priority. It will be interesting to see how well DVC trades. They may have excellent inventory available to them. We don’t know the terms of what was negotiated to get DVC back into interval. It seems that even the restriction on getaways in Orlando has been lifted so who knows what else will be given to DVC members. Marriott could have negotiated a side deal to give DVC members priority behind Marriott owners.
The way II's system works I truly expect them to trade just like Grande Vista except without the internal priority. I can't imagine any special availability options for DVC and their trade system is very punitive in some ways.
It seems like the comparatively tiny population of TUGgers is not representative of DVCers as a whole, just as TUGgers aren't representative of any of the bodies of ownership of the various systems. An experienced DVCer TUGger being interested in getaways is not indicative of DVC owners as a whole thinking the same way.
For September it is usually more like $350 to $400 there before tax for a two bedroom (it is early for getaway inventory for September right now). The middle of September is usually dead - kids back in school and summer over.
Perhaps, but let's say that 5% of DVC owners book an Orlando getaway. That is still new demand for an additional 11,000 getaways. Perhaps not a lot in the grand scheme of things, but still a lot of new demand.
Historically 5% haven't used the exchange system in total, It'll likely be less than 0.1% that would ever secure an exchange for Orlando even if they ultimately have that option.
I can see that for exchange, but is it about the same for cash bookings?
That info I've seen over the years would suggest that is a combined number and it's been under 3% until fairly recently including with II before. Remember that other than those of us that own both DVC and other options, most people who own DVC aren't the typical timeshare owner and often don't even see themselves as actually owning a timeshare. I can't count the number of times I've seen someone post that they never saw themselves owning a timeshare but DVC was different. Most don't own DVC as a way to see the world, just to go to the parks. Even the non park resorts have a cult following. It's very common for DVC members to not be worried about the "cost" otherwise they likely wouldn't have bought DVC to start with. I've seen few posts over the years about people actually booking getaways with DVC. In my mind most that would book them already have access independently because they play both sides already.