Swapping my DVC Boardwalk July 4th week for Harborside Gold week

[icydog]

You are all under the impression that I want to swap like for like. I don't really want to go in the summer since it is so hot. We went to Puerto Vallarta in the beginning of June and then Longboat Key at the end of June and I thought I fried my brains. Never again, in the summer to anywhere hot. NO matter if it is Atlantis or not. How about a Thanksgiving week. What's it like then? Is that a good time there? We were considering May of 2009 since 2008 is completely booked up until after September of 2008. If I want the larger one bdrm he offered to arrange his points so I can stay six days rather than seven during platinum time (he's gold).

I am not so concerned about the size of the unit now. What bothers both my DH and me is that he let me go on, and on, and on, about how we didn't want the small side and he assured me it was not the smaller one. He also claimed ignorance of the size of the villas since he is a new owner. How can anyone NOT know if he bought the smaller or larger one bdrm? That's what irks me now. If I hadn't gotten the information here on tug about the room size I would have arrived in Nassau believing I was in the bigger unit. In all the other timeshares we have visited the A side is always called Deluxe and the B side is called regular or the small one bdrm. I figured this was the same with Starwood. Obviously I should have done more research but I believed him. Duh!

The deal would be okay but I feel now that he was trying to snow me. I had been very honest with him about the difference between a studio and a one bdrm since I can describe each to a T. But how can he snow me about the size of his Starwood unit since he owns there? Didn't he read his contract to know the size of his unit. Didn't he see both units. I think he assumed we were novices at timesharing other than DVC, dumb, old and stupid, illiterate, or any combo of these things.

I love the idea of Harborside. I want to go there desperately but is this the right swap? I don't know; you tell me!

 

[myip]

If it is too hot for the summer, go in May or October. Thanksgiving week will be hard to book. Since you hestiate and not excited about the exchange, this may not be right for you. -- I am sure other starwood owner would like to exchange with your dvc week.

 

[tomandrobin]

When went in early June last year and it was almost too hot. I am not sure we could tolerate July temps either. If we were going to Harborside with just the two of us, we could stay in the deluxe unit. But unless it was our only choice, I wouldn't stay in that unit with more then 2 people.

I still think the deluxe unit swap for a DVC studio is a good deal for you. You are getting the better unit, at the more in demand resort. But if July is not good for you, go in the fall or spring.

 

[jerseygirl]

My experience:

January -- nice break from the NE chill, but the pools were way too cold and at least half the fun of Harborside is water-related

April -- much warmer, but I still found the pools too cold ... very crowded (but it was Easter week so we were expecting it)

November -- we swam, but I was a little chilly -- it wasn't ideal

September -- loved it ... not crowded at all, water and air temperatures were perfect, but it rained for about 2-3 hours on 3 or 4 of the 7 days .... hurricane risk, etc.

Bought the week before Memorial Day -- hoping it's the best of all worlds

Disclaimer: I like WARM water (e.g., Aruba is perfect for me). My daughter had no issues with the November or April temperatures ... but even she wouldn't swim in January.

 

[Time2Ponder]

I still think the deluxe unit swap for a DVC studio is a good deal for you. You are getting the better unit, at the more in demand resort. But if July is not good for you, go in the fall or spring.

I agree.

I actually think it's rather easy and perhaps more common than you might expect for new owners (especially those who have purchased through resale) not to be entirely aware of exactly what they have purchased. (I think that many of the posts on TUG are indicative of this fact. Some people go ahead and buy without due diligence. It might not be the brightest thing in the world, but it's not a crime.)

If you're not comfortable with the trade, don't do it. (And at this point, it sounds as if there's really nothing that he'll be able to do to make you comfortable, so why waste any more time over it? Just move on.)

 

[arlene22]

Marylyn,
The 6 day solution worries me, because I'm not sure he'll be able to deliver what he's promising. Partial weeks can only be booked 90 days prior to checkin and it is very difficult to do it at all at Harborside, because everything is long gone by then. What happens when he is unable to make the reservation?

If you do this, please have him make a reservation for the deluxe side one year in advance. Then, 90 days prior to checkin, have him call to see if the premium side is available for 6 days. Otherwise, you may be stuck with nothing

If he requests a deluxe corner unit, and you get one, I think you will find it very pleasant and roomy enough. The regular deluxe units are pretty decent, especially the larger ones in phase one.

You are exchanging between my two favorite timeshares! :whoopie: What a dilemma! I hope it works out for you.

 

[tomandrobin]

If I want the larger one bdrm he offered to arrange his points so I can stay six days rather than seven during platinum time (he's gold).

While that would be great to do, I am not sure it can be accomplished during Platinum season, at the 90 day mark. If he owns a deluxe unit gold and wants to trade up to a platnimum premium unit, a gold deluxe unit is 44,000 the platinum premium unit is 81,000 options.

 

[gcole]

Right, I need a daily chart.

Isn't summer very hot in the Bahamas. Why would anyone want to go then? I should explain, we are retired-- no kids. Or maybe we should bring along our grandkids?

I love it in the summer. It is not any hotter than Ohio but with a breeze. The water is warm and very clear. The bahamas are cool in the winter (like florida can be). The water is to cold for me to get in and many of the pools are not heated.

 

[gcole]

Yikes what did I do-- and I can't cancel his confirmation. On the other hand I can cancel it but I have to use those points by Aug 2008 with no banking. I should be able to use 134 points by then but I was so looking forward to going to Atlantis but 505 sq feet is a very small space.

The units are not really small. A trip to the Atlantis is a tirp of a lifetime!