Is Marriott's Willow Ridge a good trader?

[kenie]

I know the mantra is buy where you'll stay, but what we want is something that will give us more trading options than the developer weeks that we purchased several years ago, pre-tug enlightenment

Due to our location in BC, we factor our air costs into our trips and try and stay for 2 weeks to average the cost down.

Is a Willow Ridge 2 bdr Platinum lock-off a good trader if we want to try Hawaii and the other hard to get spots?
The lower M/F makes it seem like an attractive option, much like a Sheraton Desert Oasis.

We are considering 1 of each and then giving away or selling our developer weeks which are paid for. Any lock-off fees and II charges would be similair to what we pay now. We think we would end up with 2 better options for not much more than we pay now.

What am I missing?

Thanks

 

[dougp26364]

I know the mantra is buy where you'll stay, but what we want is something that will give us more trading options than the developer weeks that we purchased several years ago, pre-tug enlightenment

Due to our location in BC, we factor our air costs into our trips and try and stay for 2 weeks to average the cost down.

Is a Willow Ridge 2 bdr Platinum lock-off a good trader if we want to try Hawaii and the other hard to get spots?
The lower M/F makes it seem like an attractive option, much like a Sheraton Desert Oasis.

We are considering 1 of each and then giving away or selling our developer weeks which are paid for. Any lock-off fees and II charges would be similair to what we pay now. We think we would end up with 2 better options for not much more than we pay now.

What am I missing?

Thanks

Let's see, Branson MO for Hawaii. I haven't tried it but, you're probably reaching with that one. Branson is a drive to destination limiting it's appeal and, it's VERY over developed IMHO.

Having said that, I get reasonable exchanges out of our 1 bedroom non-Marriott Branson week but, I'm not trying to get difficult exchanges with it either. I would never recommend Branson as a strong exchanger into difficult places that are popular and/or have limited availability.

 

[Stefa]

I own a platinum EOY at Willow Ridge and have traded both sides of the lockoff for Kauai Beach Club in low season. If you want to go to Hawaii and are flexible, Willow Ridge should get the job done. However, if you want tougher Hawaii weeks you may need something better.

 

[MichaelColey]

If you're flexible, there are often decent Hawaii units available 45 days out (at which point ANYTHING can trade into them). I traded a bad week in a 1BR side of an Orlando lockout (which "conventional wisdom" says is even more worthless than a Branson unit) for a 2BR in Kauai, 45 days out.

As for trading value out of Branson, the week makes a huge difference. I've already got some FABULOUS trades out of my Branson deposits (of good weeks), and can see good inventory (not quite a "tiger", but close).

Branson also has the advantage of having cheap maintenance fees (and divide that by two for a lockout!). There's nothing like exchanging into something and realizing that (with your maintenance fees and exchange fees), you paid less than almost everyone else there.

 

[jlf58]

Not unless they move it's location

Is a Willow Ridge 2 bdr Platinum lock-off a good trader if we want to try Hawaii and the other hard to get spots?




Thanks

 

[dougp26364]

I own a platinum EOY at Willow Ridge and have traded both sides of the lockoff for Kauai Beach Club in low season. If you want to go to Hawaii and are flexible, Willow Ridge should get the job done. However, if you want tougher Hawaii weeks you may need something better.

If you're flexible, there are often decent Hawaii units available 45 days out (at which point ANYTHING can trade into them). I traded a bad week in a 1BR side of an Orlando lockout (which "conventional wisdom" says is even more worthless than a Branson unit) for a 2BR in Kauai, 45 days out.

As for trading value out of Branson, the week makes a huge difference. I've already got some FABULOUS trades out of my Branson deposits (of good weeks), and can see good inventory (not quite a "tiger", but close).

Branson also has the advantage of having cheap maintenance fees (and divide that by two for a lockout!). There's nothing like exchanging into something and realizing that (with your maintenance fees and exchange fees), you paid less than almost everyone else there.

I think what I've put into bold are the key statements. Short notice or flexchange, anything can see what's leftover. Low season is also an option (there is actually a low season). But you won't have your choice of weeks and, if you need to travel during the busy tourist times you chances are slim.

FWIW, week 22 in Branson is listed has the strongest week according to I.I.'s TDI (travel demand index). I still don't recommend Branson as a strong exchange week but, it does better than many people would expect. I don't own Branson to exchange but, I have exchange one of our two Branson weeks frequently since buying it on a whim. I still would never recommend someone buy into the Branson market with the express desire to make difficult exchanges on a regular basis. Flexchange (short notice) and low season aren't difficult exchanges for any area so long as the week you reserve is a strong week for that area. Exchanging even a strong week in an overdeveloped area for a high demand week in a popular destination with limited inventory won't ever be a gimme and you'll likely be dissapointed.

If you want to exchange into high demand weeks on a regular basis, it's probably best to bite the bullet and buy one of those hard to get, high demand weeks. Yes it's more expensive but, you'll be buying what you want and, in most cases, owning what you want leads to better satisfaction than trying to go cheap and hope you can get what you want.

Looking at the Interval TDI, low season in Hawaii would be weeks 34 through 50 and weeks 15 through 21. If that range works for you're travel plans and, if you deposit and request early, it might (not the word might, no guarentee's when asking for Hawaii) work for you. One last caveet is you may have to consider steping down in unit size to studio or one bedroom units from two bedroom units.

 

[sdtugger]

I've traded Marriott Branson for Marriott Maui Ocean Club 7 times all outside of flexchange and all holiday weeks. I traded Marriott Branson for Koolina at 11 months out. Branson is not bad at all.

 

[abdibile]

Willow Ridge being a Marriott has Marriott priority for a really low price and low MF.

So compared to the low costs it is an extremely good trader.

Of course there are better traders, but tehy would cost a multiple to buy and 1.5 to 2 times the MF.

I always got what I tried to exchange for, also in high season.

But I never tried to shoot for the impossible.

 

[normab]

Last year we traded our silver Branson for week 1 at Kauai Beach Club, about 4 months out. Week 1 didn't seem to be a "high" demand week within the platinum that Hawaii is year round.

We also did accept a 1 BR for a 2BR since we didn't lock off last year. But comparing what we pay for MF to what the KBC MF is, we still made out.

I agree with Stefa. If you are flexible you can definitely trade for Hawaii--you have a Platinum week and that has more pull than our lowly silver.

 

[dougp26364]

Last year we traded our silver Branson for week 1 at Kauai Beach Club, about 4 months out. Week 1 didn't seem to be a "high" demand week within the platinum that Hawaii is year round.

We also did accept a 1 BR for a 2BR since we didn't lock off last year. But comparing what we pay for MF to what the KBC MF is, we still made out.

I agree with Stefa. If you are flexible you can definitely trade for Hawaii--you have a Platinum week and that has more pull than our lowly silver.

IMHO, that is a GREAT exchange no matter how you look at it.