Ko Olina (MKO) upgrade through II - advice needed

[zentraveler]

[Sorry if this has been covered; I searched generally and on three boards but could not find references...]

Have a confirmed exchange for my FSA lock-off studio at MKO for a studio/efficiency during week 6. I would like to try to end up in a 1 BDRM and understand that the only way to do this is to check the website frequently or call. There is only so much time I can devote to this but have decided to call once a day during January....any suggestions about good times to call? Will also check the "sightings" board. Any other advice from those of you who are more familiar with this ??

 

[brigechols]

If you do not want to spend the time calling or checking the website on a daily basis, then try checking within the first hour that II phone lines open. You may be able to snap up a unit that was canceled overnight.

 

[DeniseM]

You can check II in about 3 min. a day - that's what I'd do. Either late at night or as soon as you wake up in the morning. I bet you can check online faster than calling.

 

[zentraveler]

You can check II in about 3 min. a day - that's what I'd do. Either late at night or as soon as you wake up in the morning. I bet you can check online faster than calling.

Thanks all. It seems rather like trying to hit a needle in a haystack with a b-b gun from several paces, but I guess that is how it is! I am not used to trying to achieve something in a way so random and impervious to a rational plan like some kind of waiting list, but will hope for the best

 

[readyalready]

Is there a way to complete that transaction yourself online, or must you do it on the phone? Checking late at night won't help you unless you can cancel the old one and rebook yourself, unless I'm missing something. I think your odds of success will go up in the two weeks before the travel date.

 

[daisy23]

My experience with II and booking and retrades

Hi - I recently had to/chose to check II online for about 2 months, looking for two 2 bdrms. at Desert Villas II, Palm Desert, for the week after Christmas. I checked usually 5-6 times a day, but I got the units 6 weeks and 4 weeks ahead of our desired date.

Both times I found them myself online at 3:30 am and 4 am, West Coast time. Now, I wake up early so it wasn't much hardship to me, even though that was somewhat earlier than normal. I just wanted to convey that wee hours or early hours seem to yield more.

In your case, if you find a good "retrade" unit, and want to grab it (using another unit in your II inventory), you can go ahead and click on it (the Exchange Button) and that starts the clock for 18 minutes, to complete the reservation. If II is open, you can call II right away and get their help --- but to be honest, I am not sure if I am correct on this. If you have started the transaction, I don't know if they can see the unit online at their end, during the 18 minutes. I only suggest that you call, because what you really want it is a retrade, not a new exchange, and if you get them on the phone you may be able to do that right then. One reason I suggest grabbing it is they sometimes do disappear so quickly.

NOTE: brigenichols is correct, in post 7 - thank you for the correction. If I were to "grab" and book a larger unit on my own, hoping to contact II later to do a retrade, I would have done it with another available unit in my II inventory, not with the original traded unit. Overall, best to be on the phone with II for this process.

BTW, you have 24 hours to cancel an II online transaction, if needed.

As I recall, they will only do a retrade once for you on a current exchange, and will charge another exchange fee.

You may feel most comfortable calling II ahead and verifying that they will do these steps for you - I can just relay my experience. We were very glad to have our son and DIL and grandkids with us for the vacation week, and all the checking online was worth it for us.

 

[brigechols]

Is there a way to complete that transaction yourself online, or must you do it on the phone? Checking late at night won't help you unless you can cancel the old one and rebook yourself, unless I'm missing something. I think your odds of success will go up in the two weeks before the travel date.

I do not think there is away to complete the transaction online. Even if the OP spots an upgrade online, a phone call to II is necessary to complete the upgrade. The exchange option is no longer available for that specific unit since the requested exchange was confirmed into the studio at Ko Olina.

 

[zentraveler]

I do not think there is away to complete the transaction online. Even if the OP spots an upgrade online, a phone call to II is necessary to complete the upgrade. The exchange option is no longer available for that specific unit since the requested exchange was confirmed into the studio at Ko Olina.

Thanks both of you. I did call II to ask about this because I was planning to have my assistant call every morning and wanted to know the procedure. They told me to have it put on a 3 hour hold (?). Maybe that is for an exchange and not a brand new reservation?? It is encouraging to know that with enough checking this may be possible!

 

[alwysonvac]

Hi zentraveler,

If you find something, use the Four Seasons week that you're searching with and book the unit immediately then call II within the 24 hour cancellation window (keep in mind II's office hours). I suggest calling as soon as possible.

Explain to the FS II rep that you saw the unit you wanted online and booked it but what you really want to do is to upgrade your previous exchange.

They will need to :
1st - cancel the reservation you just made and refund the exchange fee
2nd - grab the unit using the previous exchange reservation and take another exchange fee payment for the change/upgrade.


Just a thought.....

If your heart is not set on Oahu for this trip another option is to also include availability for larger units on Maui and Kauai for the same time period. You can easily get flights to/from Oahu. I'm sure you'll like the Westins on Maui and Kauai (II code: KAA, KAN or WPV) and the new Lahaina and Napili Villas at the Marriott's Maui Ocean Club (II code: MM1).

If you're interested in taking advantage of a II exchange to the other islands take a look at airfare and car rental rates to see if that will also work for you. You can check the rates once again before you call II to upgrade your reservation. If the rates are too high then just ask II to cancel the new reservation and keeping trying for the other islands.

Good Luck

alwysonvac

 

[zentraveler]

Hi zentraveler,

If you find something, use the Four Seasons week that you're searching with and book the unit immediately then call II within the 24 hour cancellation window (keep in mind II's office hours). I suggest calling as soon as possible.

Explain to the FS II rep that you saw the unit you wanted online and booked it but what you really want to do is to upgrade your previous exchange.

They will need to :
1st - cancel the reservation you just made and refund the exchange fee
2nd - grab the unit using the previous exchange reservation and take another exchange fee payment for the change/upgrade.


Just a thought.....

If your heart is not set on Oahu for this trip another option is to also include availability for larger units on Maui and Kauai for the same time period. You can easily get flights to/from Oahu. I'm sure you'll like the Westins on Maui and Kauai (II code: KAA, KAN or WPV) and the new Lahaina and Napili Villas at the Marriott's Maui Ocean Club (II code: MM1).

If you're interested in taking advantage of a II exchange to the other islands take a look at airfare and car rental rates to see if that will also work for you. You can check the rates once again before you call II to upgrade your reservation. If the rates are too high then just ask II to cancel the new reservation and keeping trying for the other islands.

Good Luck

alwysonvac

Thank you alwaysonvac . I had not really thought of the other islands for the same week but only because I had not remembered how easy it is to fly from island to island. Appreciate your comments about the process with II. One advantage to being on PST is that it is fairly easy to be awake during the off hours of II so although I do not keep "daisy23's" hours I can keep checking! Thanks again to all for the help.

 

[cp73]

Ko Olina Studio

Two years ago (January) I also had a studio and tried upgrading to a one bedroom at Ko Olina. I checked on line many times a day, in the middle of the night, and called a many times. It never came though. I must admit the studio was fine for three of us. After two weeks prior your almost wasting your time trying to trade up. After two weeks there is no incentive for the person to turn the week in. There is no trade given to them after two weeks. They would only trade it back if they wanted to allow someone else to use it. I even tried calling the day of my reservation and was unsuccesful. Good luck and keep trying because it could happen.

 

[alwysonvac]

Two years ago (January) I also had a studio and tried upgrading to a one bedroom at Ko Olina. I checked on line many times a day, in the middle of the night, and called a many times. It never came though. I must admit the studio was fine for three of us. After two weeks prior your almost wasting your time trying to trade up. After two weeks there is no incentive for the person to turn the week in. There is no trade given to them after two weeks. They would only trade it back if they wanted to allow someone else to use it. I even tried calling the day of my reservation and was unsuccesful. Good luck and keep trying because it could happen.

I agree in theory that one would expect nothing to show up within two weeks prior to check-in since no trade would be given. However that's not what is happening in II. I'm assuming it's last minute inventory that Marriott couldn't rent and has given to II

Here are some examples throughout the year from the sighting board. You can compare the post date to the actual check-in date.
(Note: links are only viewable by TUG members)

http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=112938
http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=109045
http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=95021
http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=97340
http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=88079
http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=100766
http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=83077
http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=111356 (scroll down in thread to see more examples)

 

[brigechols]

zentraveler,

Check the Sightings board for a 2BR Ko Olina

 

[dlpearson]

Careful about the 24 hour cancellation

I can't remember when this kicks in, but at some point (maybe 14 days out if I remember correctly) there is no 24 hour hold/cancellation option like normal. You book it on short notice, you're stuck with it.

David

 

[alwysonvac]

I can't remember when this kicks in, but at some point (maybe 14 days out if I remember correctly) there is no 24 hour hold/cancellation option like normal. You book it on short notice, you're stuck with it.

David

YIKES, I didn't know this rule existed Thanks for the heads up !! We need to update the II FAQ sticky too.

zentraveler, I found this Sept post.

If you cancel within 24 hours of booking, AND before 7 days, you will get the exchange fee and the credits refunded.

If you cancel within the last 7 days, you will not get a refund of anything, even if you are within 24 hours of booking, i.e. if you book within the last 7 days, if you cancel, you won't get the fee or credits back, nor will you get a replacement week. Essentially, there is no cancellation within the last 7 days.

If you cancel after 24 hours of booking, but before 7 days of check-in, you will lose the exchange fee, but get a replacement week.

 

[zentraveler]

I agree in theory that one would expect nothing to show up within two weeks prior to check-in since no trade would be given. However that's not what is happening in II. I'm assuming it's last minute inventory that Marriott couldn't rent and has given to II

Here are some examples throughout the year from the sighting board. You can compare the post date to the actual check-in date.
(Note: links are only viewable by TUG members)

http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=112938
http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=109045
http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=95021
http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=97340
http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=88079
http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=100766
http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=83077
http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=111356 (scroll down in thread to see more examples)

I feel like I am in Vegas ! Thanks all. Will post results...

 

[thinze3]

I suggest a phone call every morning when II opens. They always have some inventory that is not yet posted, and they are always willing to take another exchange fee.

 

[zentraveler]

Well, it looks like my dice rolling did not pay off . Called every morning just after II opened and checked frequently by phone and on the web at other times as well. Certainly worth trying, and I appreciate all the help and advice. Seems beyond unlikely now given that I am within the 7 day window. Looks like DH and I will have to negotiate our somewhat separate bedtime hours somehow .

Looking forward to our first stay at this resort and to a week in the tropical air!

 

[LAX Mom]

If you don't leave until next weekend I'd keep checking. I know it's unlikely, but I've seem great Hawaii units pop up at the last minute.

 

[zentraveler]

If you don't leave until next weekend I'd keep checking. I know it's unlikely, but I've seem great Hawaii units pop up at the last minute.

We leave on Friday and at this point my fingers just seem to type out the appropriate II sequence for this (thank you alwaysonvac ) periodically and I imagine stranger things have happened . Again thanks to all.

 

[winger]

We leave on Friday and at this point my fingers just seem to type out the appropriate II sequence for this (thank you alwaysonvac ) periodically and I imagine stranger things have happened . Again thanks to all.

Hey neighbor, have fun !