Florida Block

[TEK224]

I saw on another forum someone talking about a "Florida Block" with Marriott. Is that the same for all resorts? I've owned a week (not Marriott) in the Orlando area for the past 20 years. I usually deposit and exchange it with II since I had subsequently purchased DVC to use for my Disney trips.
But I plan on going down in Feb. and was looking to book a non-Disney resort for our stay. Since I've already banked my week with II, will I be able to exchange it for another Orlando area timeshare?

 

[HudsHut]

Test it and see.
Exchange >
My Units >
Select the deposit >
Press Vacation Exchange blue button >
Search All Destinations
Earliest travel date: Enter today's date
Latest travel date: Enter 2 years from today (system will shorten if your deposit isn't valid that far)
Leave Adults at 1, Children at 0
Continue
All the geographical Destinations which have something availalbe right now will appear
Click on Florida, Orlando
Scroll through the resorts

To streamline this next time,
Make a list of the resorts that you prefer by writing down the 3 digit resort code.

Next time,
instead of "Search All Destinations", Select the dot next to Resort Name, Code, or Map
Enter the list of resort codes, separated by a comma: PCC, VIT, SVV, VBR

The rest of the steps are the same

 

[sponger76]

I saw on another forum someone talking about a "Florida Block" with Marriott. Is that the same for all resorts? I've owned a week (not Marriott) in the Orlando area for the past 20 years. I usually deposit and exchange it with II since I had subsequently purchased DVC to use for my Disney trips.
But I plan on going down in Feb. and was looking to book a non-Disney resort for our stay. Since I've already banked my week with II, will I be able to exchange it for another Orlando area timeshare?

Marriott doesn't have a "Florida Block" in II, but DVC does have a regional block where you can't exchange into their Orlando resorts using a week from another Orlando-area resort, including but not limited to Marriott resorts. There may be other timeshare systems that have something similar, but not Marriott.

 

[Hindsite]

In addition to the DVC Orlando regional Block, MVC block Westgate Orlando area resorts, I'm not sure if that is reciprocal from Westgate. Other braids in the orlando area seem to be fine.

 

[sponger76]

In addition to the DVC Orlando regional Block, MVC block Westgate Orlando area resorts, I'm not sure if that is reciprocal from Westgate. Other braids in the orlando area seem to be fine.

That is weird. I wonder why only Westgate? Does Marriott block Westgate exchangers in other areas of overlap?

 

[Hindsite]

That is weird. I wonder why only Westgate? Does Marriott block Westgate exchangers in other areas of overlap?

Usually its reciprocal, I can't remember if Westgate Orlando owners can see MVC exchanges or not.

I don't have Branson to check, someone else might be able to assist with that.

 

[sponger76]

Usually its reciprocal, I can't remember if Westgate Orlando owners can see MVC exchanges or not.

I don't have Branson to check, someone else might be able to assist with that.

Yeah, I don't own any regions of overlap, and my points products don't trigger regional blocks. Both MVC and Westgate have resorts in Park City, so that's another potential data point to check.

 

[TEK224]

Thanks for the replies.

 

[dioxide45]

In addition to the DVC Orlando regional Block, MVC block Westgate Orlando area resorts, I'm not sure if that is reciprocal from Westgate. Other braids in the orlando area seem to be fine.

I don't think it is Marriott blocking Westgate. I think Westgate has a similar regional block like DVC does. Can non-Marriott Orlando resorts exchange into Westgate?

 

[Hindsite]

I don't think it is Marriott blocking Westgate. I think Westgate has a similar regional block like DVC does. Can non-Marriott Orlando resorts exchange into Westgate?

I don't have any to check.

 

[dioxide45]

I don't have any to check.

I checked a non-Orlando Marriott and it can indeed exchange into Westgate resorts in Orlando and elsewhere. So the block seems to be with Westgate blocking other resorts in Orlando. I think Westgate thinks they are on the same level as DVC. It has been that way for years.

 

[Greg G]

Marriott doesn't have a "Florida Block" in II, but DVC does have a regional block where you can't exchange into their Orlando resorts using a week from another Orlando-area resort, including but not limited to Marriott resorts. There may be other timeshare systems that have something similar, but not Marriott.

Not sure to what extent they enforce the DVC regional block in the Orlando area against non Disney resorts in Orlando because I have a no brand resort in Orlando that has been able to see DVC resorts in Orlando.
Here are the ones I have seen just in the past few months (and those were seen 1 month, to 5 months out)

DAA Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge Kidani
DBW Disney's Boardwalk Villas
DWL The Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge

 

[dioxide45]

Not sure to what extent they enforce the DVC regional block in the Orlando area against non Disney resorts in Orlando because I have a no brand resort in Orlando that has been able to see DVC resorts in Orlando.
Here are the ones I have seen just in the past few months (and those were seen 1 month, to 5 months out)

DAA Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge Kidani
DBW Disney's Boardwalk Villas
DWL The Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge

You've seen these with your Star Island deposits? I have not been able to see DVC deposits using our Orlando Marriott weeks.

 

[Greg G]

You've seen these with your Star Island deposits? I have not been able to see DVC deposits using our Orlando Marriott weeks.

Yes

 

[Greg G]

You've seen these with your Star Island deposits? I have not been able to see DVC deposits using our Orlando Marriott weeks.

They go pretty quickly.

 

[dioxide45]

They go pretty quickly.

I honestly haven't checked recently with our Orlando weeks, but yes they do get snapped up fast. We were able to exchange one time into DVC using our Orlando Grande Vista week but that was very early after DVC moved to II and they hadn't implemented the block yet. I will check when the next DVC drops happen. Perhaps there is an issue where Star Island isn't coded correctly as a property that should be blocked from DVC.

 

[Greg G]

Saw this Xmas DVC very early this morning, and it lasted a few minutes.
Disney's Boardwalk Villas Dec 19 - Dec 26 2025 1 BR

 

[tschwa2]

Marriott doesn't have a "Florida Block" in II, but DVC does have a regional block where you can't exchange into their Orlando resorts using a week from another Orlando-area resort, including but not limited to Marriott resorts. There may be other timeshare systems that have something similar, but not Marriott.

Marriott does have an Orlando block. They block Westgate and a few other developers with resorts in Orlando. You may have never noticed because even if you own an Orlando Marriott, you never wanted to or noticed that you were blocked from some Orlando resorts. DVC is the one people want to exchange into so it is the one people notice.

 

[tschwa2]

I checked a non-Orlando Marriott and it can indeed exchange into Westgate resorts in Orlando and elsewhere. So the block seems to be with Westgate blocking other resorts in Orlando. I think Westgate thinks they are on the same level as DVC. It has been that way for years.

It is hard to say if Westgate blocked Marriott first or Marriott blocked Westgate first. It isn't just in Orlando. It is both ways in Williamsburg too. I would imagine it is in any place that II allows regional blocks but someone with Marriott and/or Westgate would have to test that.

 

[sponger76]

Marriott does have an Orlando block. They block Westgate and a few other developers with resorts in Orlando. You may have never noticed because even if you own an Orlando Marriott, you never wanted to or noticed that you were blocked from some Orlando resorts. DVC is the one people want to exchange into so it is the one people notice.

But it's not Marriott that is blocking Disney - it's Disney that blocks Marriott (and pretty much every other company) resorts in Orlando from exchanging in. Marriott isn't prohibiting anybody except to reciprocate when they have regional blocks. And at the very least it's not a "Florida" block screening out the entire state.

 

[dioxide45]

Saw this Xmas DVC very early this morning, and it lasted a few minutes.
Disney's Boardwalk Villas Dec 19 - Dec 26 2025 1 BR

@Greg G Are you able to see Marriott resorts in Orlando?

 

[dioxide45]

It is hard to say if Westgate blocked Marriott first or Marriott blocked Westgate first. It isn't just in Orlando. It is both ways in Williamsburg too. I would imagine it is in any place that II allows regional blocks but someone with Marriott and/or Westgate would have to test that.

So we need to find an Orlando Westgate owner who trades through II. I may check in one of the WG Facebook groups.

 

[Greg G]

@Greg G Are you able to see Marriott resorts in Orlando?

Typically I don't look for those unless there is a sightings request in the table but I did see one in May for a sightings request for Oct
MGK Marriott's Lakeshore Reserve 2025-10-25 2Br

Also, Marriott preference does apply so I can't see units until they are out of all preference.

 

[dioxide45]

Typically I don't look for those unless there is a sightings request in the table but I did see one in May for a sightings request for Oct
MGK Marriott's Lakeshore Reserve 2025-10-25 2Br

Also, Marriott preference does apply so I can't see units until they are out of all preference.

Many of the Orlando deposits are out of preference. At any given time, if there isn't a regional block, you should be able to see deposits available at resorts like Grande Vista or Harbour Lake.

 

[jwalk03]

Unless it has recently changed (like within the last month) the Disney Orlando block is still in place.

I frequently search with Willow Ridge, Harbor Lake and Grande Vista. I can only see Disney inventory with the Willow Ridge deposit and not with the Harbor Lake or Grand Vista deposit.

Now if I switch the GV to be one of the other Florida Club options (BPT, OP, Doral or LE) than I can see Disney inventory even though the underlying ownership is GV since the deposit itself is not GV in that scenario.