Planning Hawaii Trip 2013 To DC or Not DC

[wvacations]

We have been going to Hawaii every summer for the last 12 years. The last 3 years, since buying our first Marriott have all been exchanges to Ko Olina, Kauai Beach Club and Maui Ocean Club. 2012 will be a break from the normal routine as we decided on an Alaska Cruise over Hawaii.

Now we are beginning to plan for 2013 and plan to head back to Hawaii. I can convert my 2 DSV weeks to enough DC points for 11 nights at Ko Olina GV or 9 nights in OV in 1BR. We just have 3 of us so a 1BR will do but really prefer to have a 2BR as that allows my son to bring a friend. We would fill out the rest of the 2 weeks with MRD points at Waikiki Marriott. The DC option of course is the easiest but also the most expensive. We give up 2 - 2BR weeks for less than 2 weeks in a 1BR, but we call 13 months out and most likely will be all set.

Other option of course would be put in a request to II 13 months in advance. I could put in the 2BR units and request 2BR in exchange. This is best value but no view guarantee, but we are rarely in the room anyway in Hawaii. This option, if successful, gives me the whole 2 weeks in Hawaii and saves my MRD points. I could also score 2 XYZ 2-For-1 exchanges.

Last option would be place request for a 1BR with the 1BR portion of DSV and then request Studio for the Studio portion of DSV. I could do this with both DSV weeks to attempt to get my 2 weeks in Hawaii. I have heard it is easier to get 1 BR's and Studios than it is to get a 2BR. This option, if successful, would also allow for 4 XYZ 2-For-1 exchanges.

Ko Olina is our preferred resort with second choice being Kauai Beach Club, followed by Maui.

Any thoughts?

 

[m61376]

Personally, I would try with the full 2BR as an exchange, trying at 13 months. If you do not match after a few months, you can always keep calling II and if there are a 1BR an studio for the same dates they will give you both for the 2BR (there have been many posts about people doing that in the past). Once you split the week you can't place an ongoing request for Ko'Olina for a 2BR.

Matching a second week may be hard, but many have done it. Once you get your first week then of course you'll have to limit the date requests for your second week. However, even if you only get the single week, and have to use MRP for the second, you will have only given up a single week and still have a 2BR for that week, rather than giving up 2 2BR's to get 9-11 days in a 1BR.

Of course, the ease of the trade will depend on what weeks you are depositing- hopefully you can reserve high TDI weeks in your season; it goes without saying that you'll fare better with better trading weeks.

Others may feel that getting the reservations easily and guaranteeing the view are worth giving up 2 weeks for 9-11 days, but that, coupled with getting a 1BR in exchange for the 2BR, seems like too high a price- but that's my opinion.

 

[csalter2]

What's important to ya'!

It will depend on what's most important to you. If an ocean view is that important to you then use the DC points. I think that those units during summer could be difficult to get, especially since Marriott controls II inventory too. If the view is not as important, I would do the exchange. Ko Olina has a new building opening and there will more than likely be more inventory.

If it were Maui, I would tell you to use DC points without hesitation as Napili and MOC are hard to get.

Good luck.

 

[GregT]

Good advice already from Marilyn and Carlito.

There is a hybrid option too -- you could put in a Request First for Ko Olina and start looking at 13 months out. If by the time you reach September, you've not gotten the matches you want, you could convert your weeks to DC Points and book the space via DC.

The obvious risks here are 1) airfare (did you need FF awards?) and 2) the space that is available may not be the dates (or property) that you want.

I just checked Ko Olina Summer 2012 (1BR MV) and there was nothing in July or early August. There was space available in June (up until the last Monday of June) and then again in mid-August, when school schedules re-enter the picture. But this is also six months later than you would be looking.

The Trust is deep in Ko Olina and it is a property that it might be worth gambling that the space will be there in Sept 2012 if your trade doesn't come thru. And if your trade does come through for one of the weeks, you could still redeem the other week for DC Points and get individual nights to extend the reservation since you're within 10 months. Final option would be to rent your points out -- and then rent a Ko Olina week directly from an owner.

Lots to consider -- and no obvious choice. Good luck and let us know what you decide!

Best,

Greg