Grande Ocean room assignment

[dmharris]

I just got a call from GO that they've assigned our room on a first floor Kingfisher room 1 nearer to Sand Castle. I was shocked that we could not get higher than first floor. They tell me that the resort will be occupied by 80% owners this coming week (Oct. 30). What do you think? Is that true? I wish there were a way to verify their statistics.

 

[riverdees05]

We are going over Christmas, is there an email address that we could our request in early?

 

[dmharris]

that makes no difference. you have to call them. as for me, it's a waste of time.

 

[jme]

That's not such a bad building or unit assignment. The big dolphin pool is right there, very convenient. close to grills, also right there. In exact middle of resort, next to indoor pool and convenient to front desk. If you look at layout of buildings, you're also closer to ocean than most.

https://www.my-vacationclub.com/common/respages/pdf/resorts/gr/gr_sitemap.pdf

And remember, 1st floor is NOT ground floor------it's actually one level above, since garage parking is ground level underneath building. We've had first floor assignments a few times over 13 years, and they were fine. (We've stayed at GO 58 times.) Kids enjoyed the quick dash up and down stairs to pools, instead of having to use elevators. Have fun----you could have done far worse than first floor Kingfisher.

P.S. I'm shocked they told you unit location , floor and building, as that's against policy. sounds sorta fishy to me.

 

[FlyerBobcat]

P.S. I'm shocked they told you unit location , floor and building, as that's against policy. sounds sorta fishy to me.

Marty,

I think this goes along with their rather new policy of notifying owners (or maybe all guests) if their request cannot be fulfilled.
(Too lazy to look it up, though).

 

[jme]

Marty,

I think this goes along with their rather new policy of notifying owners (or maybe all guests) if their request cannot be fulfilled.
(Too lazy to look it up, though).

Could be right Tom, but I have never heard of them actually stating what they'd RECEIVE. That violates their security protocol. Maybe they've changed that, who knows. (I still say try calling and asking straight out what bldg and floor that's been assigned.....i'll bet they won't tell you!!!)

I still find it rather odd. Why would they actually make a call to tell someone they didn't get a request? That's a lot of calls, as everyone wants "high floor, ocean view".

Tom, you stayed in Kingfisher last time I saw you there (elsewhere since then, I know) -----it was OK right? Not the very best, but better than some.

 

[dmharris]

Well they called and told me I got everything I requested except high floor. They told me Kingfisher, 1st floor (I probed for this), and the #1 unit nearer to the ocean than further (again I probed for this). They positioned it like, Hey, we did great for you, we got everything except high floor. (I asked for natural light, corner room, south side of resort, high floor.)

 

[FlyerBobcat]

Could be right Tom, but I have never heard of them actually stating what they'd RECEIVE. That violates their security protocol. Maybe they've changed that, who knows. (I still say try calling and asking straight out what bldg and floor that's been assigned.....i'll bet they won't tell you!!!)

I still find it rather odd. Why would they actually make a call to tell someone they didn't get a request? That's a lot of calls, as everyone wants "high floor, ocean view".

Tom, you stayed in Kingfisher last time I saw you there (elsewhere since then, I know) -----it was OK right? Not the very best, but better than some.

Kingfisher was just fine....

I got "un-lazy" and found this in the Oct 2010 newsletter for MGO (I forced the bold part, it was not like this in the newsletter):

Three weeks prior to your arrival please send an e-mail to mvcigorvillarequests@vacationclub.com or call 843-686-7343 with your villa request. Although we are not able to guarantee any request we certainly will do our very best. All guests whom requests cannot be honored will be contacted via phone or email approximately one week prior to arrival.

 

[riverdees05]

What buildings should we request? OK with an ocean view, know there is no way to get an ocean front.

 

[dmharris]

My thread has gotten hijacked here. So getting back on track, what I would like to know is: is it likely that 80% of the villas are occupied next week by MGO owners? Thanks!

 

[dmharris]

Here is some info that if any of you can interpret the code of the Unit No, I'd appreciate it. Thanks!

Unit No: HOCES
Size: 2 bedrooms
Sleeping Capacity: 6
Bathrooms: 2
Traveling party: Adults: exchangeTxn.getNumberOfAdults Children: exchangeTxn.getNumberOfChildren Average Monthly Temperature: 067 F / 019 C
Owner: DEVELOPER

 

[dioxide45]

Unfortunately for exchangers, the South Carolina resorts are the least exchanger friendly. It always seems that you get a poor unit placement regardless of the time of year you are traveling. This goes for all the SC resorts. Some people get decent unit assignments, but those are fewer than those that end up disappointed.

 

[MOXJO7282]

When they say 80% occupied I assume that means owners staying or those that rented their units, so there is a good chance that is correct.

What difference does it make honestly? There isn't anything you can do about it, especially as an exchanger so just look forward to an exceptional resort.

I certainly understand the disappoint, we got a 3rd floor in Aug in Laughing Gull, and we're an owner. It happened to be the last year of my OS units, which we have since sold but we was also disappointed when told upon arrival it was a 3rd floor because really anything less than 4 or 5 you won't get much of a view in the OS units.

To be honest after about 5 minutes it became a moot point to us because we realized we were still at the fabulous GO and the view wasn't all that bad.

 

[dmharris]

Joe,

It does matter to me. 3rd floor is immensely different than 1st floor. Much greater than the difference between 5th and 3rd floors where there are no trees obstructing views on either floor. On the 1st floor besides no view because of trees, there are privacy issues for me right where people can see into the villa form the ground. (I've looked when there in the past).

The person who called me said they are 80% OWNER occupied. Not 80% occupied. I have a hard time believing that 80% of the guests the first week of November are owners of Grande Ocean. I may be wrong but I'd love to see the data.

 

[dioxide45]

I find 80% owner occupied hard to believe for any resort except during prime times. They say that 30% exchange their weeks for MRPs, then there are a percentage that rent out through Marriott. Another percentage still, I think the number is close to 40% or more that exchange their week through II.

So we are looking at at least 70% of owners that have no plans to occuply their unit every year and we aren't even bringing DC in to this.

 

[RedHook]

Joe,

It does matter to me. 3rd floor is immensely different than 1st floor. Much greater than the difference between 5th and 3rd floors where there are no trees obstructing views on either floor. On the 1st floor besides no view because of trees, there are privacy issues for me right where people can see into the villa form the ground. (I've looked when there in the past).

The person who called me said they are 80% OWNER occupied. Not 80% occupied. I have a hard time believing that 80% of the guests the first week of November are owners of Grande Ocean. I may be wrong but I'd love to see the data.

Then I guess my question is, what would be their motivation for lying to you? Who would they be holding those prime villas for if they aren't being used by owners?

 

[MOXJO7282]

I find 80% owner occupied hard to believe for any resort except during prime times. They say that 30% exchange their weeks for MRPs, then there are a percentage that rent out through Marriott. Another percentage still, I think the number is close to 40% or more that exchange their week through II.

So we are looking at at least 70% of owners that have no plans to occuply their unit every year and we aren't even bringing DC in to this.

To me when an owner rents that is considered owner-occupied because they should get the same benefits as the owner so I'm sure GO classifies it that way. 80% may be inflated but I'd think not too much so.

 

[MOXJO7282]

Then I guess my question is, what would be their motivation for lying to you? Who would they be holding those prime villas for if they aren't being used by owners?

What I think is they may use that excuse but the truth may be the way the rooms become available and when people arrive. If they really tried to accomodate everyone by shuffling arriving guests and the rooms it probably becomes very challenging.

As an example, 3 garden view rooms become available, and 3 guests request a certain room or building. OK the first guy has 2 weeks, the second 3 weeks and the last an exchanger. First guy is offered room and doesn't like it so they tell him to wait for a better room. Do you know how many people would probably say that? And how much of a logistics nightmare that would be?

Just not feasible that way I can't imagine so they do their best when they reserve to give you the best room but I doubt they go crazy reshuffling things because it would just be too difficult to manage.

 

[dmharris]

I agree with Joe. It has to be a scheduling nightmare each and every week and I do empathize with them. However, we were there a year ago, a week earlier and got a better room. They told me we were at the end of their gold season so there were more owners there (in 2010) than there would be the very next week which started their silver season. So I think they say whatever they want to just to make us shut up.

 

[riverdees05]

Could they be calling resort owners and internal trade owners as owners instead of just folks that own that season at that resort?

 

[dmharris]

They could be, but then wouldn't I be in that pool? They made it seem that I was not in the 'owners definition'.

 

[pedro47]

October is great time to be on the island, perfect time to play golf and enjoy the ocean with less tourist walking on the beach.

Also school is in for most students. Less children in the pool and on the beach.

 

[aka Julie]

They could be, but then wouldn't I be in that pool? They made it seem that I was not in the 'owners definition'.

If you got the week through II you are an exchanger and unfortunately at the bottom of the pecking order at the HHI properties.

 

[dmharris]

Lower than a renter off the internet?

 

[dioxide45]

To me when an owner rents that is considered owner-occupied because they should get the same benefits as the owner so I'm sure GO classifies it that way. 80% may be inflated but I'd think not too much so.

But this time of year, I wouldn't expect owner rentals to be very high. In summer there may be a high percentage of owner rentals, but not in November. The demand just isn't there to garner the top prices.