May I blame the DC? No availability for Thanksgiving week

[Ann in CA]

For the last 10 years I have had no problem booking Mountainside for Thanksgiving week. Sometimes I had to take Friday, but always got close to what I wanted.

This morning, I went online just for a practice run, as I had been checking the calendar to be sure it had not opened up earlier, since Fri & Sat were week 46 and Sun week 47. However, the adviser with whom I spoke said there was no availability whatsoever. She said people had been calling for the last several days, to find out if it had opened, and they told them today, because of leap year. I know I probably should have confirmed my plan (tomorrow, Thursday, 6AM with both phone and computer) earlier, with TUG or our vacation adviser and that's why I called today...but not at 6AM.

She said I could check back for cancellations, but that is not likely to happen even if I called every day. I have left a message with our vacation adviser, but would be surprised if he could pull it out of his hat, even later as a cancellation. I'd had an email from him earlier reminding us to book, and had emailed him back that we were waiting for Thanksgiving week. If I had talked to him in person, he probably (?) would have mentioned leap year.

So I'd love to blame the DC, instead of myself for not checking sooner. After all these years of booking I thought I knew what I was doing, and leap year never entered my mind, although I did think about posting on TUG for any new advice. I'd really like to know what would have happened if I had been on the phone and computer at 6AM this morning...maybe there would have been "no availability" even then. Did anyone get Mountainside Thanksgiving booking this AM? Or has the DC had a feast on Thanksgiving weeks?

 

[klpca]

I don't know if Mountainside is different from DSVII, but for Thanksgiving week, our call in day was Tuesday, 11/15. (Which I thought was weird since the check in days are Th, Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon - where does Tuesday fit in to that??). I had a tough time getting logged in right at 6am (Pacific time), and once logged in I noticed that Friday check-in wasn't available.

Bummer about not getting the week that you wanted. That would be quite disappointing.

Note: I see that the Mountainside reservation date was in fact today! How frustrating for you!

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

I don't know if Mountainside is different from DSVII, but for Thanksgiving week, our call in day was Tuesday, 11/15. (Which I thought was weird since the check in days are Th, Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon - where does Tuesday fit in to that??). I had a tough time getting logged in right at 6am (Pacific time), and once logged in I noticed that Friday check-in wasn't available.

Bummer about not getting the week that you wanted. That would be quite disappointing.

Interesting posting.

Now, just for the heck of it, why don't you find out if it is available using the Destination Club and let us all know what they tell you.....




.

 

[Ann in CA]

Interesting posting.

Now, just for the heck of it, why don't you find out if it is available using the Destination Club and let us all know what they tell you.....




.

We didn't join the DC, but if anyone else wants to check that would be interesting.

 

[yumdrey]

I thought Thanksgiving week was not a prime (high demand) week in Park City.
If it happened for ski weeks, I do understand, but it is a Thanksgiving week.
pretty weird.

 

[klpca]

Interesting posting.

Now, just for the heck of it, why don't you find out if it is available using the Destination Club and let us all know what they tell you.....




.

We're not in the DC either. It is an interesting question though. I hope that someone will test this and let us know the results.

 

[Ann in CA]

I don't know if Mountainside is different from DSVII, but for Thanksgiving week, our call in day was Tuesday, 11/15.
Note: I see that the Mountainside reservation date was in fact today! How frustrating for you!

Where did you go to see the reservation date? I was just checking the calendar at myvacation club, but should have checked Mountainside, or is there a chart of all the reservation dates?.

 

[klpca]

Where did you go to see the reservation date? I was just checking the calendar at myvacation club, but should have checked Mountainside, or is there a chart of all the reservation dates?.

When you log in there's a blue box in the middle of the page with a link to the reservation dates for each property.

 

[fern817]

I don't know if Mountainside is different from DSVII, but for Thanksgiving week, our call in day was Tuesday, 11/15. (Which I thought was weird since the check in days are Th, Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon - where does Tuesday fit in to that??). I had a tough time getting logged in right at 6am (Pacific time), and once logged in I noticed that Friday check-in wasn't available.

Bummer about not getting the week that you wanted. That would be quite disappointing.

How is your call in day Tuesday, 11/15? I thought we could only check 1 year before desired check in date? I was online this morning at 6am for DSVI and refreshed constantly for 45 minutes and nothing ever popped up for Friday the 16th. This is actually my first time requesting this week and it's only because I want to increase my trading power. I was planning on trying again tomorrow at 6am for a Saturday the 17th check in and keep trying the next few days hoping I will get luckier the next few days. Or is that not how this system works? Does calling in yield better results? I read that online was faster. Am I just spinning my wheels and lost my chance at still getting Thanksgiving week?

 

[Ann in CA]

I thought Thanksgiving week was not a prime (high demand) week in Park City.
If it happened for ski weeks, I do understand, but it is a Thanksgiving week.
pretty weird.

Actually we have had pretty good snow several years, and if our boys can't get away, or if the weather looks like it won't work out, it has also been an awesome trader, even the lock off.

 

[klpca]

How is your call in day Tuesday, 11/15? I thought we could only check 1 year before desired check in date? I was online this morning at 6am for DSVI and refreshed constantly for 45 minutes and nothing ever popped up for Friday the 16th. This is actually my first time requesting this week and it's only because I want to increase my trading power. I was planning on trying again tomorrow at 6am for a Saturday the 17th check in and keep trying the next few days hoping I will get luckier the next few days. Or is that not how this system works? Does calling in yield better results? I read that online was faster. Am I just spinning my wheels and lost my chance at still getting Thanksgiving week?

The reservation dates have something to do with the check in days. Check out the information in that blue box on the marriott site to see the explanation and links to the individual property reservation days.

 

[Ann in CA]

How is your call in day Tuesday, 11/15? I thought we could only check 1 year before desired check in date? I was online this morning at 6am for DSVI and refreshed constantly for 45 minutes and nothing ever popped up for Friday the 16th. This is actually my first time requesting this week and it's only because I want to increase my trading power. I was planning on trying again tomorrow at 6am for a Saturday the 17th check in and keep trying the next few days hoping I will get luckier the next few days. Or is that not how this system works? Does calling in yield better results? I read that online was faster. Am I just spinning my wheels and lost my chance at still getting Thanksgiving week?

Actually, you can book any of the check in days on the first available call in day. This year, because of leap year apparently, our day was moved back to Wed., and yours was moved to Tuesday as you have Thursday checkin, and Mountainside only had Friday check in. So you will probably have to do what we may have to do, and try for a cancellation later, or go back and chose another week from what is left in the rest of the year.

 

[klpca]

The reservation dates have something to do with the check in days. Check out the information in that blue box on the marriott site to see the explanation and links to the individual property reservation days.

So I went back in and checked, and first of all, it's a gray box (oops, lol).

Here's the link to the letter (Not sure if it will open or not).

https://www.my-vacationclub.com/en-us/owners/2012_leap_year_email.html

 

[klpca]

How is your call in day Tuesday, 11/15? I thought we could only check 1 year before desired check in date? I was online this morning at 6am for DSVI and refreshed constantly for 45 minutes and nothing ever popped up for Friday the 16th. This is actually my first time requesting this week and it's only because I want to increase my trading power. I was planning on trying again tomorrow at 6am for a Saturday the 17th check in and keep trying the next few days hoping I will get luckier the next few days. Or is that not how this system works? Does calling in yield better results? I read that online was faster. Am I just spinning my wheels and lost my chance at still getting Thanksgiving week?

If you don't get Thanksgiving, you will probably still have pretty good trading power. I locked off my unit this year using an Oct. 22nd week and traded the 1 bedroom side into the Wyndam in Kona (via SFX) and traded the studio into Marriott Grand Residence in Tahoe next Dec, and also got an xyz week at Grand Chateau this December.

 

[wvacations]

As far as DSV I and II, they allow Thursday check in days. Therefore all check in days for the week of thanks giving 2012 would be released on Tuesday November 15, 2012. 2012 is a leap year making November 15, 2012 a Thursday and the first check in date for Thanks Giving week. Does not matter if you want thur, fri, sat, or sun, they were all released tuesday morning.

 

[fern817]

As far as DSV I and II, they allow Thursday check in days. Therefore all check in days for the week of thanks giving 2012 would be released on Tuesday November 15, 2012. 2012 is a leap year making November 15, 2012 a Thursday and the first check in date for Thanks Giving week. Does not matter if you want thur, fri, sat, or sun, they were all released tuesday morning.

I guess I learned this the hard way! I was a day late and missed the entire party! I should have called ahead of time and found out the scoop and not taken the standard info on the website for fact. I called in after I saw this post and a very nice VOA confirmed that they released all the days yesterday. She said that was unusual but also that for highest trading power, I was better off confirming the week before Thanksgiving rather than taking a chance on waiting if someone cancels because the week before is the next highest demand week. Apparently a lot of owners request the prior week so they can have 2 weeks back to back. I would have never thought of that.

Only time will tell if this actually gives me better trading power for a 2bdrm in Ko Olina!

 

[dioxide45]

You should always be double checking the inventory release calendars for each resort.

 

[fern817]

You should always be double checking the inventory release calendars for each resort.

Thank you for that! I would have not known that existed. This is my first time picking my specific week I want to trade. I usually just let them give me a week...which is probably why I've had very poor luck exchanging! I'm very grateful for TUG! I'm slowly learning how to maximize use of my timeshare. I was clueless about the whole process for so many years :zzz: I'm even considering purchasing another one in the future...but in a location I want to go to...and of course it will be a resale!

 

[SueDonJ]

You should always be double checking the inventory release calendars for each resort.

I love this link; it takes all of the guesswork out of the "Which Day Do I Call?" question. Plus, I find that when you're trying to figure it out without the link, it helps to NOT focus on the day of the week for check-in and call-in but rather on the dates.

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

I love this link; it takes all of the guesswork out of the "Which Day Do I Call?" question. Plus, I find that when you're trying to figure it out without the link, it helps to NOT focus on the day of the week for check-in and call-in but rather on the dates.

Sue; I agree. Well put.





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[ConejoRed]

Dsvii

I recently closed on my DSVII and was worried about being able to book a Thanksgiving week if escrow was not completed by the reservation date so had asked the closing company to book if if it was not. Escrow was completed in time and my Marriott account set up about two weeks ago and the closing company's reservations person was good enough to let me know that it was Tuesday the 15th this year as she had it on her ticker file in case it was not completed in time. Logged on just before 6:00 (on the west coast) refreshed a few times and was able to get my preferred Saturday checkin date. My email confirmation had the time as 6:00 on it so it paid to be sitting at the computer ready and waiting (which was not that easy seeing it was 6:00 am!).

 

[davidvel]

All of this leap-year, check-in calendar stuff that I read here always confuses me. People make it so complicated.

Just check the FIRST check-in day for the week you want (ie. Nov 16, 2012) then try to reserve at 9am Eastern on that date the year before (ie. Nov 16, 2011) for any of that week's checkin days.

Got thanksgiving at 1 second past 6am PST this am.

 

[dioxide45]

All of this leap-year, check-in calendar stuff that I read here always confuses me. People make it so complicated.

Just check the FIRST check-in day for the week you want (ie. Nov 16, 2012) then try to reserve at 9am Eastern on that date the year before (ie. Nov 16, 2011) for any of that week's checkin days.

Got thanksgiving at 1 second past 6am PST this am.

It is that easy, but people get used to calling in on a Wednesday or Thursday for three years, then for one year they have to call on a Tuesday or Wednesday. People bring day of the week in to the mix when it isn't necessary.

 

[dioxide45]

I thought Thanksgiving week was not a prime (high demand) week in Park City.
If it happened for ski weeks, I do understand, but it is a Thanksgiving week.
pretty weird.

Thanksgiving may not be high demand over the year, but where does it lie within it's season. Think Thanksgiving in Orlando. It isn't a peak demand week, but within the gold season which it falls, it is in rather high demand. The same could be said for the last two weeks of August in Myrtle Beach, not the highest demand, but very hard to reserve for owners of that season because within the season that they lie, they are the highest in demand.

 

[m61376]

Keep on checking. It is surprising to me, but I have seen completely booked holiday weeks pop back up, as people change their minds. I also suspect that with cancellation fees being covered if you are a member of the DC, that some people may make an earlier reservation and then cancel/switch because they can without penalty. So if you really want the date keep on checking.