Help! for getting Feb 2013 at MMOC 13 mod out??

[Southerngirl528]

Hello from a newbie!

Here's my dilemma. It's only my 2nd time to book our new TS at Marriott's Napili tower (float, oceanfront). I had carefully read and double checked with Owners Services for the first date I could book a Feb 1st, 2nd or 3rd arrival, 2013. Since we own 2 wks every other year, we can call 13 months in advance. I was dialing, dialing to be one of the first people to call on that date (earlier this week), the advisor said I was his 1st call of the day, and GUESS WHAT??? No availability. AT ALL. Yikes!!! Double yikes!!!

I am very frustrated. Had I waited a couple of days, I would not have been happy, but I would have understood. We paid an enormous amount of $ for this, and ONLY want to stay at our home resort of MMOC Napili. Not interested in trading.I've owned at DVC for almost 20 years, & understand supply/demand, but how in the WORLD can 50% of the total inventory be gone when I was the agent's VERY 1st call of the very 1st day I can book?????

I would be most grateful if any of you MMOC owners can help me book what I really want!!

Mahalo!
Southern

 

[puckmanfl]

good afternoon...

Some 3,4 and 5 week owners probably jumped ahead of you as they can reserve 13 months + 1,2,or 3 weeks in advance if they book consecutively....

I do feel your pain however...it really must sting a bit...

Greg, this is your home joint... Can u shed some light on this!!!!

 

[SueDonJ]

I'm not an owner there so can't help you book what you want, but maybe can answer the question about why there was no availability when you called. The rule is that 50% of the available inventory must be held back for reserving at the 12-mos mark. The remaining 50% of available inventory could be available to anyone who is eligible to use the 13-mos concurrent/consecutive weeks window. So, whatever was available could have been booked prior to the 13-mos window by multi-week owners who booked strings of consecutive weeks starting prior to the Feb 1/2/3, 2013 week.

For example, say there are only 24 available [Napili, float, OF] units for the week you want to begin your string. (Have no idea what the number is, just using this for the example.) 12 would be held for the 12-mos window. The other 12 could have been taken at any point by folks who are using them in a string that began prior to the week you want.

Your 13-mos window is still open, though, so you should call every few days to see if any of the previously-booked units become available through cancelations. As well, you can still be first in line when the 12-mos window opens to try to reserve the inventory being held back. Good luck!

For future reference, this link is excellent for confirming the Call-In Dates for any of the resorts. And this is the specific Call-In Date calendar for your resort.

 

[thinze3]

Susan is correct. Keep trying.

Some people even reserve their second choice weeks first so that they can call back and reserve their first choice later. If they are successful they then release their second choice week.

This happened to me in 2009 when I traded my Waiohai with a Westin owner. The Westin owner was successful after someone released a week.

Because Marriott DC still owns some of those weeks, they may actually hold a few premium weeks back for the DC.

Good Luck

added

(v) Inventory Management – Enables MVCI to most efficiently manage available inventory to facilitate Owner benefits such as Marriott Rewards® points exchange and deposit of unreserved weeks with Interval International® for Owner access.

 

[thinze3]

Thursday check-ins

Don't forget that owners of other resorts like DSV II, Grande Vista & Branson who also own at MOC and are reserviing weeks consecutively, can call and reserve one day earlier than those using only MOC weeks because those other resorts have Thursday check-ins days.

 

[Southerngirl528]

Thank you Puckman, SueDon & Thinze!

Wow, fast replies!! Thank you. Thinze, not sure what "Marriott DC" unless it's the Marriott Developer inventory.

SueDon & Puckman, that's the only thing I could figure, was that other multi-week owners had started their res's in Jan, and continued on into Feb. What scares the stuffin's out of me, is that when I try again when the 12 mo window is opened, EVERY OWNER will be able to book! Not just "multi-week" owners. And if I couldn't get desired dates being 1st call on 13 month, I need some Prozac!!! :rofl:

And Thinze, were you trying to trade directly with an owner of another TS other than Marriott rather than booking through Marriott Owners services or II?

I've been calling back frequently to see if someone dropped/cancelled for my desired dates, in fact I'm on the phone with them right now, to no avail.

Thanks all!! I appreciate any and all info!

 

[thinze3]

DC is Destination Club. It's a generic name for their new points program.

Yes it was a direct trade. Obviously other timeshare companies have the same problem.

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

Thank you Puckman, SueDon & Thinze!

Wow, fast replies!! Thank you. Thinze, not sure what "Marriott DC" unless it's the Marriott Developer inventory.

SueDon & Puckman, that's the only thing I could figure, was that other multi-week owners had started their res's in Jan, and continued on into Feb. What scares the stuffin's out of me, is that when I try again when the 12 mo window is opened, EVERY OWNER will be able to book! Not just "multi-week" owners. And if I couldn't get desired dates being 1st call on 13 month, I need some Prozac!!! :rofl:

And Thinze, were you trying to trade directly with an owner of another TS other than Marriott rather than booking through Marriott Owners services or II?

I've been calling back frequently to see if someone dropped/cancelled for my desired dates, in fact I'm on the phone with them right now, to no avail.

Thanks all!! I appreciate any and all info!

Marriott DC is the "Marriott Destination Club"




.

 

[Southerngirl528]

Oh my goodness!!! Thinze, are you kidding me???!! Oh.....my....goodness. (I know you're not kidding, Thinze, I am beyond upset about that.) So it appears we should have bought far cheaper weeks at those resorts (I assume cheaper than $60,000!) to have an advantage over owners at MMOC Napili/Lahaina towers. Wow. I was so, so, SO clear on this with our salesperson. Being a longtime TS owner through Disney, we talked at LENGTH about our goal of ONLY booking at Napili, and wanting an advantage to do so by purchasing there. I cannot express my frustration and feelings of being "sold a bill of goods".

But again, I am taking to heart ALL of your tips, dear TUGs folks. I sincerely appreciate it!

 

[SueDonJ]

Thank you Puckman, SueDon & Thinze!

Wow, fast replies!! Thank you. Thinze, not sure what "Marriott DC" unless it's the Marriott Developer inventory.

SueDon & Puckman, that's the only thing I could figure, was that other multi-week owners had started their res's in Jan, and continued on into Feb. What scares the stuffin's out of me, is that when I try again when the 12 mo window is opened, EVERY OWNER will be able to book! Not just "multi-week" owners. And if I couldn't get desired dates being 1st call on 13 month, I need some Prozac!!! :rofl:

And Thinze, were you trying to trade directly with an owner of another TS other than Marriott rather than booking through Marriott Owners services or II?

I've been calling back frequently to see if someone dropped/cancelled for my desired dates, in fact I'm on the phone with them right now, to no avail.

Thanks all!! I appreciate any and all info!

The other thing, if you do end up going all the way through the 13-mos window with no availability and have to use the 12-mos Call-In Date - remember that while 13-mos reservations must be made over the phone, at the 12-mos mark they can be made through your online account. That's much quicker - most folks log in a few minutes before 9AM on the day so that they have a little bit of a jump on others by beginning the process through the first few screens. Do that as well as having the phone in your hands and ready to go - every little bit helps. Good luck!

 

[gblotter]

We have heard this complaint before about difficulty in reserving the Lahaina/Napili towers at Maui Ocean Club. This problem pre-dates the introduction of the DC points program. It is impossible to know what is exactly happening under the covers, but I have speculated that the inventory is disappearing because Marriott is claiming those weeks for their own use (i.e. rentals). When Marriott owns a big chunk of the inventory, the possibility exists that Marriott will claim the best weeks before regular owners even get a chance.

The same problem exists at Newport Coast Villas whose owners cannot reserve prime summer weeks, but magically there are plenty of units for rent at marriott.com for the same period. Marriott owns a lot of the inventory at Newport Coast Villas as well.

My opinion is reinforced when you consider that reservations are much easier to obtain at MMO (original Maui Ocean Club building) than at MM1 (new Lahaina/Napili towers). Marriott owns relatively little inventory in the original building compared to the new towers.

We have some friends who paid the big bucks to upgrade their Maui Ocean Club ownership from the original building to the new Lahaina/Napili towers when they were first offered for sale. Our friends now have major regrets because they can no longer get the reservations they want in the new towers. Their feeling of betrayal is even more stinging because weeks in the Lahaina/Napili towers are the most expensive in the entire Marriott system. Sadly, this is not a very nice way for Marriott to treat its most lucrative customers.

 

[thinze3]

Oh my goodness!!! Thinze, are you kidding me???!! Oh.....my....goodness. (I know you're not kidding, Thinze, I am beyond upset about that.) So it appears we should have bought far cheaper weeks at those resorts (I assume cheaper than $60,000!) to have an advantage over owners at MMOC Napili/Lahaina towers. Wow. I was so, so, SO clear on this with our salesperson. Being a longtime TS owner through Disney, we talked at LENGTH about our goal of ONLY booking at Napili, and wanting an advantage to do so by purchasing there. I cannot express my frustration and feelings of being "sold a bill of goods".

But again, I am taking to heart ALL of your tips, dear TUGs folks. I sincerely appreciate it!

Yes it has been discussed here many times that a "silver" or "gold" week at Branson can give one a big advantage when trying to reserve very difficult weeks, especially at resorts like Newport and Hawaii (all) where the platinum season is greatly extended.

 

[thinze3]

Wait until next week and see all the confusion.

The 13 months and 1 week prior to Presidents Week check-in (Friday, February 15, 2013) falls on a Sunday (January 8, 2012).

Monday morning will be crazy, and I'll be one of them.

 

[Southerngirl528]

Thanks, Gblotter & Timetraveler, Thinze, do you also own in Hawaii? Which locale?

 

[gblotter]

Thanks, Gblotter & Timetraveler, Thinze, do you also own in Hawaii? Which locale?

Owner of 2BR Ko Olina and 2BR Maui Ocean Club (MMO - original building).

 

[Southerngirl528]

Cool, Gblotter! I really appreciate your insights, ( & everyone else's too!), especially since you do own at MMOC. How do you fare when trying to make a res at MMOC?

Also, everyone, is February like the month MOST in demand or something?? I know Christmas &/or Easter may be as bad or worse?

 

[gblotter]

Cool, Gblotter! I really appreciate your insights, ( & everyone else's too!), especially since you do own at MMOC. How do you fare when trying to make a res at MMOC?

Also, everyone, is February like the month MOST in demand or something?? I know Christmas &/or Easter may be as bad or worse?

I am in the habit of making my reservations at exactly the 12-month mark when the phones first open up. With that strategy, I have never been denied the reservation I was seeking.

I would not expect February to be the highest demand time for Maui Ocean Club - that honor goes to Christmas, Easter/Spring Break, and the summer months. That makes your difficulty all the more vexing.

Keep in mind that a big chunk of the Lahaina/Napili inventory was sold as fixed weeks. Therefore those weeks are not available for floating week owners to reserve. I'm sure that must is a complicating factor in your scenario as well.

 

[MOXJO7282]

Cool, Gblotter! I really appreciate your insights, ( & everyone else's too!), especially since you do own at MMOC. How do you fare when trying to make a res at MMOC?

Also, everyone, is February like the month MOST in demand or something?? I know Christmas &/or Easter may be as bad or worse?

I own at MOC and always go for the week before and President's week using my Aruba Surf first and then my Maui unuts for Pres. week.

I've never had a problem in the past reserving what are very high demand weeks at the MOC.

 

[Southerngirl528]

Aloha Moxjo & Gblotter,

Gblotter, I am exactly like you, I want to call in the very first nanosecond inventory is opened, which is precisely what I did. I called at the very moment Owners Svcs opened, 9am EST, and was told I was the very 1st call that advisor had, so I KNOW I was one of the first calling, but to no avail. Good point, Gblotter, I did indeed think about the fixed week thing, but I was still blown away that I was told there was "zero" inventory since I had called at the first possible moment.

Moxjo, are you allowed to call to book MMOC more than 12 mos. in advance since you own 2 weeks? in the Marriott system? I just spoke to Sales, and they told me what I was told when I bought, that no one except MMOC owners AT Napili oceanfront multi week, could be booking there until the 12 mo. window. From what I am understanding here, anyone that owns ANYWHERE multi-week w/Marriott could have been booking that same first moment as myself?

Thank you again, everyone for your answers and patience. Mahalo!!!

 

[MOXJO7282]

Aloha Moxjo & Gblotter,

Gblotter, I am exactly like you, I want to call in the very first nanosecond inventory is opened, which is precisely what I did. I called at the very moment Owners Svcs opened, 9am EST, and was told I was the very 1st call that advisor had, so I KNOW I was one of the first calling, but to no avail. Good point, Gblotter, I did indeed think about the fixed week thing, but I was still blown away that I was told there was "zero" inventory since I had called at the first possible moment.

Moxjo, are you allowed to call to book MMOC more than 12 mos. in advance since you own 2 weeks? in the Marriott system? I just spoke to Sales, and they told me what I was told when I bought, that no one except MMOC owners AT Napili oceanfront multi week, could be booking there until the 12 mo. window. From what I am understanding here, anyone that owns ANYWHERE multi-week w/Marriott could have been booking that same first moment as myself?

Thank you again, everyone for your answers and patience. Mahalo!!!

Yes you've discovered a questionable loophole in the reservation system that many of us are already aware of.

That is some sales contracts state that to take advantage of the 13 month reservation window you need to own 2 weeks at the same resort, like 2 MOC or 2 of whatever.

What we have found is you don't necessarily need to own 2 weeks at the same resort, just two Marriotts of the same season and you can string them to reserve 13 months out as well.

 

[jpc763]

Southerngirl,

Do heed the advice given about the online booking. I have owned for 10+ years and have always gotten the weeks I wanted.

Last year I was at Ko Olina when the week I wanted for 2012 opened up. 3AM Hawaii Time I was on the laptop booking Easter week for 2012 at both Ko Olina (to occupy) and Imperial Palms (to Trade)!

John

 

[dioxide45]

Don't forget that owners of other resorts like DSV II, Grande Vista & Branson who also own at MOC and are reserving weeks consecutively, can call and reserve one day earlier than those using only MOC weeks because those other resorts have Thursday check-ins days.

This shouldn't have been an issue, at least not yet. Looking at the call in calendars for resorts with Thursday checkin and those with Friday. The call in day is Monday on both. This is the case for checkins up to the end of February. After February the call in date for resorts with Friday checkin goes back to "normal" and is a day later than those with Thursday. It probably has something to do with the leap year.

We usually hear stories every year about Maui and this issue. I think BocaBoy had a similar issue reserving last year. Here are some possible causes.

• People who own two weeks can potentially lock off both and reserve four consecutive weeks.
• People who own three or more weeks can reserve one week earlier than the OP. It only gets worse the more weeks that people own.
• Marriott has rights to a certain percentage of weeks, either that they can rent or are part of the DC trust. If they are holding back a pro rata share, then those weeks are not reservable by owners.

It seems that February is a very popular time in Maui and getting these prime weeks are not easy.

 

[m61376]

Yes you've discovered a questionable loophole in the reservation system that many of us are already aware of.

That is some sales contracts state that to take advantage of the 13 month reservation window you need to own 2 weeks at the same resort, like 2 MOC or 2 of whatever.

What we have found is you don't necessarily need to own 2 weeks at the same resort, just two Marriotts of the same season and you can string them to reserve 13 months out as well.

Just so there is no misunderstanding by the OP- you don't need to have weeks that are the same season (as in Plat./Gold/etc,), just where the available booking times overlap; you can link a Plat. and a Bronze week together if the dates work out so that the reservation period for Bronze falls out just prior to the Plat. week you want, for ex..

 

[MOXJO7282]

Just so there is no misunderstanding by the OP- you don't need to have weeks that are the same season (as in Plat./Gold/etc,), just where the available booking times overlap; you can link a Plat. and a Bronze week together if the dates work out so that the reservation period for Bronze falls out just prior to the Plat. week you want, for ex..

This is true. Good clarafication.

 

[GaryDouglas]

Over the last 8 reservation periods, we've reserved at 12 and 13 months at either or both of our villa and suites without any problems. Based upon what I've read, similar to this thread, eventually we will have some problem, but not yet.

The most intangible part of the equation is the:

• Marriott has rights to a certain percentage of weeks, either that they can rent or are part of the DC trust. If they are holding back a pro rata share, then those weeks are not reservable by owners.

I would like to see some transparency here, but will not hold breath...