Strategies wanted! Trading into hawaii

[Lskip]

Hi all,
I know there are many posts about this and my keyword search is not helping at the moment so pls refer me to another thread if you know of one....

I am in the process of buying a platinum Marriott shadow ridge week (hoping it passes ROFR!) and wondered what my best strategy will be to try and trade into hawaii for 2024 - week 10-12 (would love two back to back weeks but I know this may be very difficult?!). I'm thinking MKO is my best shot given the high inventory but of course would be open to wherever. Probably same island back to back if it works out due to cost of flights.

I am not too too familiar with searching in ii as I only have limited experience with my parents timeshare and otherwise own two Whistler weeks which we use or rent. However, have been doing a lot of reading on here so know some things....

The high TDI weeks at Shadow ridge are weeks 6 through 14 so my idea for my 2024 week is to call Marriott 12 months out and book a week 6 there to maximize amount of time on the search market. Now, this is where I'm not as clear with ii searching....do I have to deposit this week into ii to submit an OGS? Or can you do the OGS as a search only and then deposit it once a match is found? Also, as we are limited to the weeks we travel (our spring break is weeks 10-12 depending on the year and hubby is a teacher as well as kids have school), would it be safer for us to book one of weeks 10 to 12 at our home resort and that way if I dont get a trade we'd be happy to go to Palm desert (or perhaps I would lock off and trade back into shadow ridge to have two weeks of two bedroom? Maybe this is difficult too). Would this lower my chances of getting into hawaii by taking a month or so off of my search?
Finally, we would of course love a 2 br in MKO but maybe this is a tall order. Would you lock off the shadow ridge into a studio/1br so I can get the two weeks or does the lesser trade value impact things too much. We would be willing to squeeze into a 1BR in Hawaii I think as we would spend very little time in there. Could pay for eplus and I am a happy multiple times a day searcher and could look for an upgrade, may even have better luck with that 60 days out if I keep looking?

Anyhow any step by step reco's would be gladly appreciated.
I.e. Lock off with Marriott, book week x 12 mos out (week 6 or 10-12?), deposit/or not, OGS w/eplus, etc.

Finally, a question about the purchase. It is already almost sept and if this sale goes through in the next month or so and there is a 2023 week available, what do I do with that? I suppose the high demand weeks (6-14), as they are early in the year, are already booked up. Do you think I should try and negotiate w/ seller to use/pay 2023 MFs and week? I suppose I could see if they have something reserved already.....


Thank you all!!!!

 

[Dean]

It sounds like you will have one week to play with and that is a lockout. Getting back to back 2BR weeks in HI that time will be a very difficult task, esp using the studio. It's possible but you don't have that flexibility. I'd decide what's important to you, back to back for 2 weeks in a 1 BR or a 2 BR for one week.

Personally I'd suggest getting the best week you can as a lockout, depositing ASAP and setting up a search. Assuming no more than 4 people, I'd likely go for the gold and use the studio for a 1 BR at Ko Olina and the 1BR for a 1BR (or greater) on Maui or Kauia but not KBC (YMMV for this resort). List all 3 weeks you can do for both searches then change the second search once you have the first match, change it don't cancel and restart. After that keep your eye open for a chance to retrade to a better options later.

A more conservative approach would be to use the 1BR to list all HI options and the studio for a all options as well, then changing once you match. A variation would be to use the studio for everything for a 1BR and the 1 BR for a 2 BR for everything and this is likely the route I would go as it'll likely get you a 2 BR at Ko Olina. Lot's of variations to this possibility, you'll have to decide value vs chance of success vs 1 BR vs 2 BR.

You can do a search first but you'll have to call II and set it up. It's called a special Marriott internal exchange request first. If you don't match or cancel the request before a match, you have your week and no cost other than joining II.

 

[BJRSanDiego]

If you want to have the ability to use your shadow ridge week if you can't get an exchange to MKO, then you do what is called a "Request First" and you don't make a deposit. You do give them the res #, etc., and if you get a match they'll collect your SR unit.

To increase your chance of an exchange, I would recommend a "shot gun" approach. Why not include all of the Marriotts, Sheratons, Westins and Hyatts in Hawaii. I believe that they all are under the Marriott umbrella so your exchange cost would be on the order of $155 or whatever.

On the question of 2023 usage - - that could be tricky. That is because the platinum season is 1-21 and 51/52. It is possible that by September weeks 1-21 may be gone/unavailable. That would leave weeks 51/52 as your only other option. Once you have your Marriott account set up, go to marriottvacationclub dot com and look under resources > Helpful tools > When can I book and see when you can reserve something in the week 51.52. Then set your alarm to get up early and both call in and try on-line to book. I live in Ca. so I have to be on the phone at 6 am when I try to reserve thanksgiving. But I have been successful doing that. One idiosyncrasy of Marriott is they open an entire week at a time. So that would mean opening Fri, Sat, and Sun on the same day.

 

[bnoble]

Probably same island back to back if it works out due to cost of flights.

If you are booking well in advance, these can be very affordable. I wouldn't necessarily rule out an island hop between weeks.

 

[Big Matt]

I like the shotgun approach. I also like taking what you can get and then looking to retrade. The only downside is that you have to look every day. I would also suggest that you look at non-Marriott family resorts also.

Finally, interisland flights are very reasonable. I would absolutely look at multiple islands.

 

[Lskip]

If you want to have the ability to use your shadow ridge week if you can't get an exchange to MKO, then you do what is called a "Request First" and you don't make a deposit. You do give them the res #, etc., and if you get a match they'll collect your SR unit.

To increase your chance of an exchange, I would recommend a "shot gun" approach. Why not include all of the Marriotts, Sheratons, Westins and Hyatts in Hawaii. I believe that they all are under the Marriott umbrella so your exchange cost would be on the order of $155 or whatever.

On the question of 2023 usage - - that could be tricky. That is because the platinum season is 1-21 and 51/52. It is possible that by September weeks 1-21 may be gone/unavailable. That would leave weeks 51/52 as your only other option. Once you have your Marriott account set up, go to marriottvacationclub dot com and look under resources > Helpful tools > When can I book and see when you can reserve something in the week 51.52. Then set your alarm to get up early and both call in and try on-line to book. I live in Ca. so I have to be on the phone at 6 am when I try to reserve thanksgiving. But I have been successful doing that. One idiosyncrasy of Marriott is they open an entire week at a time. So that would mean opening Fri, Sat, and Sun on the same day.
[/QUOTE

If you want to have the ability to use your shadow ridge week if you can't get an exchange to MKO, then you do what is called a "Request First" and you don't make a deposit. You do give them the res #, etc., and if you get a match they'll collect your SR unit.

To increase your chance of an exchange, I would recommend a "shot gun" approach. Why not include all of the Marriotts, Sheratons, Westins and Hyatts in Hawaii. I believe that they all are under the Marriott umbrella so your exchange cost would be on the order of $155 or whatever.

On the question of 2023 usage - - that could be tricky. That is because the platinum season is 1-21 and 51/52. It is possible that by September weeks 1-21 may be gone/unavailable. That would leave weeks 51/52 as your only other option. Once you have your Marriott account set up, go to marriottvacationclub dot com and look under resources > Helpful tools > When can I book and see when you can reserve something in the week 51.52. Then set your alarm to get up early and both call in and try on-line to book. I live in Ca. so I have to be on the phone at 6 am when I try to reserve thanksgiving. But I have been successful doing that. One idiosyncrasy of Marriott is they open an entire week at a time. So that would mean opening Fri, Sat, and Sun on the same day.

Perhaps a silly question, but is there a list somewhere of all the Hawaiian locations for my shot gun approach? Or ones that are reputable/nice (perhaps they all are)....

 

[BJRSanDiego]

If you are an interval intl member you just go to the on-line directory. I recall that you can also check out the directory without logging in or being a member. Just go to intervalworld.com and look around that page for the resorts directory.

 

[Pamplemousse]

One thing to keep in mind if you request first is your week will be automatically deposited into II as soon as you match.