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Feeling frustrated -- anyone else??

R

RandRseeker

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
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I have been perusing the II site looking for a possible late spring week away. Interested in beachy type places like Mexico, Carribbean, Hawaii, etc.... Well, there aren't a lot of choices available to me as exchanges -- I guess due to the fact that I don't have a great exchanger. However, when I look at the getaways available, there are oodles of them in the locations I mentioned.
Does II keep deposits and then sell them as getaways? If not, where do they come from?
It doesn't seem fair that I am paying close to $1000/year for maintenance and exchange fees, but I can only exchange during off season or flexchange for a decent trade, yet there are dozens of great getaways out there if I want to buy one.
:wall:
 
This is the problem - the online inventory is the LEFTOVERS after all ongoing requests have been filled.

The best exchanges never make it online - they are snagged with ongoing requests.

I recommend that you put in an ongoing request ASAP.
 
Also, II gets deposits later than RCI so there is still hope. Funtime
 
Randseeker... there have been lots of deposits in II for late spring in Mexico, Hawaii etc for the past 6 months or longer but most of them are gone now. You may be looking too late. The other issue is as you've mentioned is that you may not have a strong enough trader.
 
Definitely put in an ongoing search request - as mentioned, you are seeing leftovers. At least if trade power is not an issue, you'll be in line for something.
 
I just did a quick II search... several availability at Westin Maui up till May 25 2012 including 2 bedrooms. Lots of availability in Cancun till June - Royals and Westin. Why don't you call II up and ask for specific areas and period?
 
Where do you own?
Mexico is generally pretty easy to get on exchange.Just put in an ongoing search, and you'll get it.

I don't follow the Caribbean as a rule, but I do know that some islands are easier to get than others. Where do you want to go?

May in Hawaii is pretty easy to get. Especially on Kauai. Especially during flexchange. I have had resorts match right at the 58/57 day mark. There is still plenty of time to get decent airfare.

At any given point in time, there is nothing available online for Hawaii. People get discouraged. The fact is, many weeks are matched to ongoing searches each and every night, so they are not going to show up online-- they're gone.

Set up your search today. I think you'll be happy you did.
 
RandRseeker said:
I have been perusing the II site looking for a possible late spring week away. Interested in beachy type places like Mexico, Carribbean, Hawaii, etc.... Well, there aren't a lot of choices available to me as exchanges -- I guess due to the fact that I don't have a great exchanger. However, when I look at the getaways available, there are oodles of them in the locations I mentioned.
Does II keep deposits and then sell them as getaways? If not, where do they come from?
Click to expand...

The Getaway and exchange inventories are separate, though at times they may overlap. Most of the Getaway inventory comes direct from the resorts who give them to II to sell. Most exchange inventory comes from those of us who deposit our resorts looking for an exchange, though some of that also comes from resorts.
 
RandRseeker said:
However, when I look at the getaways available, there are oodles of them in the locations I mentioned.
Does II keep deposits and then sell them as getaways? If not, where do they come from?
Click to expand...

the resort itself typically owns some weeks (unsold or foreclosed on usually). they have the right to try to rent those weeks for cash and aren't obligated to put them in the exchange pool. II's getaway offers are one means of making those rentals available...
 
Thanks everyone for your good advice and information. My problem with putting in a request is that I don't get my annual vacation approved until January. I will put in a request at that time, knowing that I'm pretty late into the game.
Your answers about the getaway inventory make sense -- I was feeling sorry for myself seeing all those great getaways on the II website, but not seeing many trades (1 bdrm or greater - I'm not interested in a studio) available to me.
I must say, I've gotten some good trades during flexchange, the challenge is to also get airfare at a good price that close to travel dates. :)
Again, thanks everyone!
 
RandRseeker said:
Thanks everyone for your good advice and information. My problem with putting in a request is that I don't get my annual vacation approved until January. I will put in a request at that time, knowing that I'm pretty late into the game.
Click to expand...

Do you get the vacation week you request at work at least 50% of the time? If so, I wouldn't wait until Jan. to put in your ongoing exchange request. Put it in as early as possible. If you don't get the vacation week you requested at work, you can simply modify your on-going request. Or, if you've already gotten the exchange by Jan., cancel it, pay a new exchange fee, and put in a new ongoing request.
 
Last edited:
I second Denise's advice.

Put in the request now. You may not match before January (it's only 39 days away). If your vacation doesn't get approved, modify the request to whatever week did get approved. I have a search going almost all the time, and modify it as my plans firm up.

If you get very lucky, and you get a match, but don't yet have approval, then cancel the exchange. You can ask them to leave the search active, and modify the search request to eliminate the week/resort that matched.

You don't want to get stuck with an Exchange you cannot use. So, be aware, once you enter the search request, you must be alert. Check your email every day, and/or check the "My Units" every day in II. When you get a match the "pending request" will no longer be there under My Units. You never know when a match will occur, and it's most likely to match the day you don't look. (Murphy's Law)

Where do you own?
 
hudshut said:
I second Denise's advice.

Put in the request now. You may not match before January (it's only 39 days away). If your vacation doesn't get approved, modify the request to whatever week did get approved. I have a search going almost all the time, and modify it as my plans firm up.

If you get very lucky, and you get a match, but don't yet have approval, then cancel the exchange. You can ask them to leave the search active, and modify the search request to eliminate the week/resort that matched.

You don't want to get stuck with an Exchange you cannot use. So, be aware, once you enter the search request, you must be alert. Check your email every day, and/or check the "My Units" every day in II. When you get a match the "pending request" will no longer be there under My Units. You never know when a match will occur, and it's most likely to match the day you don't look. (Murphy's Law)
Click to expand...
I would agree with Hudshut & Denise's advice, but with a twist: try to make your initial request for something that's impossible to get. Four Seasons Aviara (FSA) for July would probably work. This will get your request "in the queue" to be filled. Then, in January when you find out your vacation dates, modify your request to what you actually want.
 
Judy - That will help some, but he will still lose out on anything that is deposited before January.

The most effective strategy would be to request what he really wants, as early as possible.
 
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