How to Procure a Whistler Ski Week?

[spoon]

For my son's 40th birthday, I would like to obtain a ski week at Whistler for the last week in February 2013. I happen to be a RCI points member. I have just gone into RCI's website to do an online search. I noticed that there was no availability for Whistler whatsoever for any time in Febraury which sort of surprised me. There are 29 Whistler resorts, 5 of which are "points" based. It is my understanding with points that if you do not reserve your home week unit during or by the 10th/11th month then it becomes open to all other points members for potential selection. Is this correct? If so then shouldn't I have seen a couple of Whistler units available for the 2nd week in February? I know it is hard to get a ski week in Whistler but it shouldn't be impossible. At the moment, it appears I have a better chance of winning the lottery. Can anyone offer some advice, tips, tricks in procuring a Whistler ski week? Also, is there a trick in doing an online search to capture a highly desired unreserved/expired points week?

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

For my son's 40th birthday, I would like to obtain a ski week at Whistler for the last week in February 2013. I happen to be a RCI points member. I have just gone into RCI's website to do an online search. I noticed that there was no availability for Whistler whatsoever for any time in Febraury which sort of surprised me. There are 29 Whistler resorts, 5 of which are "points" based. It is my understanding with points that if you do not reserve your home week unit during or by the 10th/11th month then it becomes open to all other points members for potential selection. Is this correct? If so then shouldn't I have seen a couple of Whistler units available for the 2nd week in February? I know it is hard to get a ski week in Whistler but it shouldn't be impossible. At the moment, it appears I have a better chance of winning the lottery. Can anyone offer some advice, tips, tricks in procuring a Whistler ski week? Also, is there a trick in doing an online search to capture a highly desired unreserved/expired points week?

As you note, that is a very high demand period.

First note that most of the resorts that are listed as Raintree/Whiski Jack were sold fixed weeks during ski season. And most of the people who bought those units use them almost every year. Those are probably among the least deposited weeks in the timeshare system, ranking right there with Mardi Gras weeks in New Orleans.

Then you have the resorts that are part of a club or mini-system, such as Worldmark, Mountainside Lodge, and some Raintree inventory. Most of the Whistler availability in February for those operations gets scarfed up by the members of those clubs or mini-systems and never makes it into an exchange pool.

Finally I'm sure there are lots of people who have on-going requests for exchanges at that time. So whatever inventory does make it to the Spacebank (and doesn't get siphoned off by RCI as a rental) will go almost to someone with an ongoing request.

There certainly are stray weeks that show up now and then, but they don't last long.

*********

Frankly your best option for getting into Whistler at that time of year is a rental. There is a very strong and active rental market in Whistler. If you want to go that route I suggest vrbo.com and alluradirect.com. I have used alluradirect.com many times. In fact I have had so much success with alluradirect that I sold te Whiski Jack fixed week I once owned because I could do better renting instead of owning.

 

[spoon]

Thanks Steve

Thanks Steve for your reply. Your comments clearly explains why getting a Whistler ski week is so hard. I will try going the rental route that you have recommended and utilize the websites you posted in your reply. Thanks again for your help.

 

[icul8rg8r]

For my son's 40th birthday, I would like to obtain a ski week at Whistler for the last week in February 2013. I happen to be a RCI points member. I have just gone into RCI's website to do an online search. I noticed that there was no availability for Whistler whatsoever for any time in Febraury which sort of surprised me. There are 29 Whistler resorts, 5 of which are "points" based. It is my understanding with points that if you do not reserve your home week unit during or by the 10th/11th month then it becomes open to all other points members for potential selection. Is this correct? If so then shouldn't I have seen a couple of Whistler units available for the 2nd week in February? I know it is hard to get a ski week in Whistler but it shouldn't be impossible. At the moment, it appears I have a better chance of winning the lottery. Can anyone offer some advice, tips, tricks in procuring a Whistler ski week? Also, is there a trick in doing an online search to capture a highly desired unreserved/expired points week?

We are usually able to get an RCI **WEEKS** Exchange at Whister every year by doing an ongoing search (and flexible with our dates - I tell them anytime between December and March). We've been able to snag a reservation ourselves (without the help of the search team) for mid-December and then again in mid-April (and there was plenty of snow both times). But for those high-demand months, the search option was the only successful way for us to get a reservation - and again, it was weeks, not points. I'd think it would be easier for points?

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

We are usually able to get an RCI **WEEKS** Exchange at Whister every year by doing an ongoing search (and flexible with our dates - I tell them anytime between December and March). We've been able to snag a reservation ourselves (without the help of the search team) for mid-December and then again in mid-April (and there was plenty of snow both times). But for those high-demand months, the search option was the only successful way for us to get a reservation - and again, it was weeks, not points. I'd think it would be easier for points?

mid-December and mid-March are relatively easy times to get in to Whistler. Even early January isn't too difficult. mid-Jan - mid-March are the highest demand times, with February weeks probably being the most demanded (and week 7 is the absolute peak. (Week 7 is actually a bad time to go because it's so crowded.)

 

[icul8rg8r]

mid-December and mid-March are relatively easy times to get in to Whistler. Even early January isn't too difficult. mid-Jan - mid-March are the highest demand times, with February weeks probably being the most demanded (and week 7 is the absolute peak. (Week 7 is actually a bad time to go because it's so crowded.)

Hmmm....that might explain why we've never gone in February! We love going right before Christmas and/or Spring Break.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Hmmm....that might explain why we've never gone in February! We love going right before Christmas and/or Spring Break.

December ahead of Christmas week is a pretty nice time. Not too crowded, and relatively easy to exchange in. There is a bit of risk of not having good conditions - some years the big snows don't come until New years or later. I've skied there on some pretty awful conditions in December; one year it was so bad we left early and returned home after getting drenched with rain and skiing on slush = even one the snowfields below the Saddle.

The other difficulty with December and January skiing is that the twilight starts to arrive about 3:30. Although it's still daylight outside the details in the snow fade and you can't see bumps and dips until you're right on top of them.

 

[aliikai2]

If you want a prime Whistler Ski week

Owning one may be the best way. There are some WVC units around for free , just pay the annual fee and the transfer. Then you can book a prime week every year.

Greg

 

[spoon]

Thanks

Thanks again for everyone's responses. I really don't want to buy another timeshare. I already own 3 now. The desire to go to Whistler is a one time thing. My son is a skier and this is where he wants to go for his big 4-0. While I would prefer to do an exchange via RCI or II, I am not opposed to procuring a rental for that week. Since my son is a teacher and his school's winter break always falls on the last week in February, I do not have much flexibility in which ski week to procure.