• The TUGBBS forums are completely free and open to the public and exist as the absolute best place for owners to get help and advice about their timeshares for more than 29 years!

    Join Tens of Thousands of other Owners just like you here to get any and all Timeshare questions answered!
  • TUG started 29 years ago in October 1993 as a group of regular Timeshare owners just like you!

    Check out our happy birthday post here: Happy Birthday TUG!
  • TUG has a YouTube Channel to produce weekly short informative videos on popular Timeshare topics!

    Come check it out for a chance to win a Free TUG membership (or renewal) just for helping out!

    Read more here
  • TUG has now saved timeshare owners more than $21,000,000 dollars just by finding us in time to rescind a new Timeshare purchase! A truly incredible milestone!

    Read more here: TUG saves owners more than $21 Million dollars
  • Follow the TUG Member Banner as it travels the world on vacation with Timeshare owners! Also sign up to get the banner sent to you so you can submit a photo of your vacation with the banner to share with TUG! Banner Thread
  • Sign up to get the TUG Newsletter for free! 60,000+ subscribers! Latest resort reviews and the most important topics discussed by owners during the week!
  • Our official "end my sales presentation early" T-shirts are available again! Also come with the option for a free membership extension with purchase to offset the cost!

    Read more Here
  • A few of the most common links here on the forums for newbies and guests!

Strategies for booking in HGVC

kool_kat

TUG Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2008
Messages
208
Reaction score
7
Points
228
Location
Knoxville, TN
Resorts Owned
HGVC at Tuscany and HGVC at Flamingo; DVC at Bay Lake Towers
Hi all,

I've owned my timeshare since 08, but have only booked through Hilton one time (everything else was RCI exchanges). That one time dates were available, so no problem getting in.

Now, I am thinking of trying to go to HHV the week between Christmas & New Year (I know a hard get), but don't really understand the best way to book it. Can someone give me the low down?

It looks like it's 276 days before checkout, but doesn't that give people who are staying shorter period of time an advantage because they can book a couple days before someone staying a couple days longer? I thought I had read about booking at three days & then each day adding a day...can someone explain.

Also, do I need to be up at midnight?

If someone could explain how this works, I'd greatly appreciate it.
 

GregT

TUG Member
TUG Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2007
Messages
7,128
Reaction score
1,883
Points
599
Location
Carlsbad, CA
Resorts Owned
Marriott: Maui Ocean Club Lahaina Villas (3BRx5), Ko Olina, Shadow Ridge II, Willow Ridge, Aruba Ocean Club, DC Points HGVC: Flamingo, Sea World, I-Drive, Starwood Bella (x4), SDO, TradeWinds, Worldmark
Hi all,

I've owned my timeshare since 08, but have only booked through Hilton one time (everything else was RCI exchanges). That one time dates were available, so no problem getting in.

Now, I am thinking of trying to go to HHV the week between Christmas & New Year (I know a hard get), but don't really understand the best way to book it. Can someone give me the low down?

It looks like it's 276 days before checkout, but doesn't that give people who are staying shorter period of time an advantage because they can book a couple days before someone staying a couple days longer? I thought I had read about booking at three days & then each day adding a day...can someone explain.

Also, do I need to be up at midnight?

If someone could explain how this works, I'd greatly appreciate it.

A more experienced HGVC'er will chime in, but I'll try (and let's see how accurate I am).

I believe best opportunity to get high demand ressie is to book a changeable reservation online -- exactly at 12:01am ET.

Let's say you want to go Saturday the 24th thru Saturday the 31st.

Once you hit nine months from check-out on Tuesday the 27th, you book a 3 night stay, checking in on Saturday December 24th.

The next night (at 12:01am ET), you change your changeable reservation to a 4 night stay, checking in Saturday December 24th.

The next night (at 12:01am ET), you change your changeable reservation to a 5 night stay.....etc etc etc

Until you have your 7 nights stay, checking in on Saturday, December 24th.

I've "practiced" with this during the summer, because I'm a curious guy. It looks possible, but there is risk. Yes, you definitely need to be up at midnight -- I noted that within an hour, alot of the inventory was gone.

Also, it is possible that you might get 4 nights in a 2BR+, but when you go to get that 5th night, there isn't any 2BR+ categories available.

Accordingly, it may not work as designed.

Thoughts from others? And did I accurately get the process down?

Best to all,

Greg
 

sml2181

TUG Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2007
Messages
694
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Location
The Netherlands
Greg, I think that would be the way to make the reservation, especially during the hard-to-get weeks.

The weeks 51 and 52 are event weeks at HHV and so they may not be available at 9 months out; you will have to wait until an owner does cancel his/her reservation. (I never tried to get it at 9 months out so maybe it isn't a big deal, it's just my guess.)

I have found availability for these weeks every year, but that was more at 4 months out or so.
 

kool_kat

TUG Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2008
Messages
208
Reaction score
7
Points
228
Location
Knoxville, TN
Resorts Owned
HGVC at Tuscany and HGVC at Flamingo; DVC at Bay Lake Towers
A more experienced HGVC'er will chime in, but I'll try (and let's see how accurate I am).

I believe best opportunity to get high demand ressie is to book a changeable reservation online -- exactly at 12:01am ET.

Let's say you want to go Saturday the 24th thru Saturday the 31st.

Once you hit nine months from check-out on Tuesday the 27th, you book a 3 night stay, checking in on Saturday December 24th.

The next night (at 12:01am ET), you change your changeable reservation to a 4 night stay, checking in Saturday December 24th.

The next night (at 12:01am ET), you change your changeable reservation to a 5 night stay.....etc etc etc

Until you have your 7 nights stay, checking in on Saturday, December 24th.

I've "practiced" with this during the summer, because I'm a curious guy. It looks possible, but there is risk. Yes, you definitely need to be up at midnight -- I noted that within an hour, alot of the inventory was gone.

Also, it is possible that you might get 4 nights in a 2BR+, but when you go to get that 5th night, there isn't any 2BR+ categories available.

Accordingly, it may not work as designed.

Thoughts from others? And did I accurately get the process down?

Best to all,

Greg

ok that makes sense, but boy that is a lot of work, especially if in the end you can't get all your days and have to cancel the whole thing and lose your fee. I'll try this & let you know what happens.

Thanks!
 
Top