Interval Internation World - HELP!!

[TinaR]

My friend and her hubby inherited the timeshare from his father. They are trying to better understand it and asked me to help. I have Wyndham, So I'm used to that and RCI. They have float weeks. Does that mean they need to deposit those weeks before they can search?
I've seen posts about trading power? They are looking to exchange from either HI or Mexico (where their home resorts are) to Disney World. How do they know which one has more trading power?

Also why is there a membership fee? Is that additional to the Maintenace fees?

Any other useful tips would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[mdurette]

First, can you tell us exactly what they inherited? Resort name is a good start. And any other info you know.

 

[dioxide45]

Interval International has an annual membership fee. I beleive it is currently $99. They need to sign up for II and register their weeks there if they haven't already. Then in order to make an exchanger they will probably need to make a reservation with their home resort and either place ongoing requests or search for available inventory that might be sitting out there. DVC is not an impossible trade, but options are limited and mostly 1BR units, but 2BR units do show up from time to time. If they are okay just going to Orlando, they can book getaways probably much cheaper than trading their weeks.

 

[TinaR]

My friend and her hubby inherited the timeshare from his father. They are trying to better understand it and asked me to help. I have Wyndham, So I'm used to that and RCI. They have float weeks. Does that mean they need to deposit those weeks before they can search?
I've seen posts about trading power? They are looking to exchange from either HI or Mexico (where their home resorts are) to Disney World. How do they know which one has more trading power? Edit: 2 bedroom at Sands of Kahana Vacation Club & 2 bedroom at Villa gold Club in Puerto Vallarta.

Also why is there a membership fee? Is that additional to the Maintenace fees?​

Any other useful tips would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[TinaR]

First, can you tell us exactly what they inherited? Resort name is a good start. And any other info you know.

Thanks - i tried to edit my post - but it split it into two.. both are 2 bedrooms. Sands of Kahana vacation club & Villa Gold Club in Puerto Vallarta

​

 

[TinaR]

Interval International has an annual membership fee. I beleive it is currently $99. They need to sign up for II and register their weeks there if they haven't already. Then in order to make an exchanger they will probably need to make a reservation with their home resort and either place ongoing requests or search for available inventory that might be sitting out there. DVC is not an impossible trade, but options are limited and mostly 1BR units, but 2BR units do show up from time to time. If they are okay just going to Orlando, they can book getaways probably much cheaper than trading their weeks.

Thanks - it's just the two of them looking for Disney, so a 1 bedroom would be fantastic. only hold back is time of the trip. They are meeting cousins from England who've already booked specific dates.

 

[BJRSanDiego]

I own at the Sands of Kahana. It has reasonable trading power. But it doesn't have "preference" in chains like Marriott, Vistana, Disney, etc.

Some thoughts:
Sands trades in both RCI and Interval. I couldn't find Villa Gold Club and Google suggested Villa Golf.
It is best to reserve the highest demand (ii calls it TDI or Travel Demand Index) week at the Sands. That sometimes requires the owner to call in or log in at the 365 day point as soon as they open.
It is best to make your Sands deposit into interval as soon as possible. Don't wait a few months - - get your position in the ii queue.
The Sands requires the Maintenance fee to be paid in advance in order to make a reservation. If you don't, the res will be cancelled when ii tries to verify.
When placing a request in ii, make the request period as wide (calendar-wise) as possible, include as many pre-vetted resorts as possible. Consider shoulder season requests. Also, I have had the best luck getting a difficult exchange when I put in my request a year in advance. Why? I think that a lot of people deposit their units a year in advance - - so they show up for exchanges a year in advance.
Definitely put in a request as opposed to simply manually looking every week or month. Nothing wrong with manual searches if they are in addition to having an on-going request.

Your question about membership fee vs. MF ? Well, the Sands timeshare does not include a membership fee in either RCI or II. So, the only way to become a member of the exchange company is to pay for it.

 

[mdurette]

Assuming these inherited deeds are already in their name. There firs step is to open an II account and pay the membership fee. II will then verify their ownership. From there, they will deposit the unit(s) they wish to exchange. Depositing early is best, depositing a unit that has a check-in within the next 60 days is problamatic as they will be restricted in exchanging to only resorts in the next 60 days. II will verify the deposits and then they should put in an On Going Search for what they wish to exchange for, again the earlier the better.

You mentioned they seem to have a focus on DVC for a particular time period. What is that time period? We maybe able to assist in letting them know if even feasible. DVC has there deposits into II up until April of 2023.

 

[TinaR]

I own at the Sands of Kahana. It has reasonable trading power. But it doesn't have "preference" in chains like Marriott, Vistana, Disney, etc.

Some thoughts:
Sands trades in both RCI and Interval. I couldn't find Villa Gold Club and Google suggested Villa Golf.
It is best to reserve the highest demand (ii calls it TDI or Travel Demand Index) week at the Sands. That sometimes requires the owner to call in or log in at the 365 day point as soon as they open.
It is best to make your Sands deposit into interval as soon as possible. Don't wait a few months - - get your position in the ii queue.
The Sands requires the Maintenance fee to be paid in advance in order to make a reservation. If you don't, the res will be cancelled when ii tries to verify.
When placing a request in ii, make the request period as wide (calendar-wise) as possible, include as many pre-vetted resorts as possible. Consider shoulder season requests. Also, I have had the best luck getting a difficult exchange when I put in my request a year in advance. Why? I think that a lot of people deposit their units a year in advance - - so they show up for exchanges a year in advance.
Definitely put in a request as opposed to simply manually looking every week or month. Nothing wrong with manual searches if they are in addition to having an on-going request.

Your question about membership fee vs. MF ? Well, the Sands timeshare does not include a membership fee in either RCI or II. So, the only way to become a member of the exchange company is to pay for it./

Thanks - this is great information. Is it safe to say - like RCI there is an exchange fee. I did double check and it says Villa Gold Club. but in digging it looks like it's part the villa group.
Yes, I do the ongoing search for RCI and I've had some really good results with that. So it makes sense to that with II. This great for me, since I am a planner, but they don't plan as far out. I've had Newport RI planned for a year because I know I want to go and that it's high season there when I want to go.

I appreciate the information.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Thanks - it's just the two of them looking for Disney, so a 1 bedroom would be fantastic. only hold back is time of the trip. They are meeting cousins from England who've already booked specific dates.

I would join TUG and that gives access to sightings. Most of the inventory right now has been April-early May. Haven't seen much later than that, which is surprising to me.

 

[HudsHut]

The Sands of Kahana will have more trade power than the Mexico resort. Until they set up their Interval International membership and add their two resorts, they will not be able to tell whether the Villa Group has enough trade power to see the Disney Vacation Club resorts.

Interval International is a business. Some members join just to use the cash rentals, which Interval calls Getaways.
Interval has staff, computer systems, software programs, phone lines. All of that costs money.
The main revenue streams from Members are the annual membership fee (you must be a member through date of travel, so you likely need to start with at least a two year membership).
To confirm an Exchange, there is an Exchange Fee of $229 for each Exchange.

(Maintenance Fees are paid to the resort(s), not to Interval. )

Think of Interval as a bank depository for timeshares. Theoretically, each member deposits his resort/week. That creates the enormous pool of inventory. Members pay for access to Interval's inventory. They know that each week at each resort is actually available at the specified date. The Members are then able to select a unit into which to Exchange.

Members may use the Ongoing Search Request to let Interval know what Resort/Week/Unit size for which the member is searching. When a match is found, Interval emails the member the confirmation (reservation) which allows the member to check-in to the resort on the specified date.

Question:
Do you friends specifically want the Disney Vacation Club resorts? or would they accept a great resort such as a Marriott or a Sheraton in the vicinity of WDW? Both of their resorts could easily confirm a Marriott in Orlando, and nearly every week of the year would be available.

 

[TinaR]

Thanks appreciate the in sight. Unfortunately, they are looking for Disney only, as they are meeting cousins from England. But they may end up just booking the same value resort as the cousins for ease of it.

 

[HudsHut]

The "value resort" can always be cancelled if the Exchange comes through.

What dates do they need?

 

[TinaR]

Oct 20th through Oct 26th - approximately for check in. for a week.

 

[mdurette]

Oct 20th through Oct 26th - approximately for check in. for a week.

They should get their II account set up and put in an OGS for these dates. At the same time make the back up reservation at the value. If the OGS search matches, they can cancel the value. DVC has deposited inventory up until April only at this point.

 

[noreenkate]

Thanks appreciate the in sight. Unfortunately, they are looking for Disney only, as they are meeting cousins from England. But they may end up just booking the same value resort as the cousins for ease of it.

This may sound ridiculous- but right now the current UK residents specials are far better than the discounts for us…

honesty they may want to investigate having the uk cousins book the value room for them…

 

[TheHolleys87]

The period from mid-September through early January is known as "Fall Frenzy" because it's the period of highest demand by DVC owners. It's hard to predict whether or not DVC will deposit anything to II for checkin during that period. So I agree that they should book the value resort - but put in the ongoing search with II. Nothing ventured, nothing gained!

 

[callwill]

If they need to join interval, i have received a couple of membership mailings to join interval with a 3 yr base membership priced a $109. I called on the phone and asked for that special and got it. get 2xtra years for 10 bucks more...

 

[wackymother]

If they need to join interval, i have received a couple of membership mailings to join interval with a 3 yr base membership priced a $109. I called on the phone and asked for that special and got it. get 2xtra years for 10 bucks more...

Three years of Interval for $109? My membership has lapsed, and that would be a great price. Is there a name for the promo? Or any code? Thanks!

 

[noreenkate]

The period from mid-September through early January is known as "Fall Frenzy" because it's the period of highest demand by DVC owners. It's hard to predict whether or not DVC will deposit anything to II for checkin during that period. So I agree that they should book the value resort - but put in the ongoing search with II. Nothing ventured, nothing gained!

Ohh are they looking for September @ DVC ooof that might be tough as destinationD starts on the 8th…I know I picked up a room for those dates- if I can’t score tickets to the event it’s a super easy to rent…they may find rentals already out there…

 

[callwill]

Three years of Interval for $109? My membership has lapsed, and that would be a great price. Is there a name for the promo? Or any code? Thanks!

I threw out the mailings after i re upped. They didnt blink an eye or say anything when i said i had received an offer in the mail for 3 yrs at 109.

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

Thanks - i tried to edit my post - but it split it into two.. both are 2 bedrooms. Sands of Kahana vacation club & Villa Gold Club in Puerto Vallarta

​

Hi @TinaR
The Villa Gold Club Mexico is likely :
Villa Group Resorts - a gold membership.

Here is a link to their website- Villa Group Resorts

Villa is a well respected quality Mexican based Resort System that does not require paying All Inclusive fees to use.
Here are some links to TUG Mexican Forum threads about Villa
Villa Resale question - Oct 2022
Villa del Palmar & Villa Flamingos -Puerto Vallarta area
Villa Group Mexico

I hope this helps your friends

 

[TheHolleys87]

I threw out the mailings after i re upped. They didnt blink an eye or say anything when i said i had received an offer in the mail for 3 yrs at 109.

And this was for a new membership, not renewal? Were you previously a member and lapsed?

 

[callwill]

And this was for a new membership, not renewal? Were you previously a member and lapsed?

I re upped...meaning my previous membership had lapsed...
Either way it is worth a try if you want to join/re-up isnt it? 2 extra years for 10 bucks more...

 

[wackymother]

I re upped...meaning my previous membership had lapsed...
Either way it is worth a try if you want to join/re-up isnt it? 2 extra years for 10 bucks more...

I think you must have ownerships they love, @callwill! I called and the best they could offer was $50 off the price of a five-year membership, so $347 rather than $396. I decided to wait till it's closer to summer. Worth a try, though! Thank you for posting!