Use of Weeks (newbie)

[jpa2825]

We have had a week at OP for several years. We acquired via a hybrid purchase with intent to use for DPs (low MFs at the time) and have only done so to date.

We added a DSVII week (2BR, Red) via another hybrid purchase in the Spring. We really like DSVII and hope to use it for actual weeks. Since we've never actually used Weeks, I have a few questions:

1. If we reserve the week does that eliminate the ability to convert to points forever? (i.e., if we cancel the reservation before the conversion deadline, could we convert to DPs or has that been foreclosed?)
2. If we reserve the full 2BR for a single week does that eliminate the ability to lock off and reserve 2 separate weeks? (i.e., could we convert the 2BR reservation into just the Master or Studio and have the other in inventory to reserve another week; also, if we cancel the full 2BR reservation, are we able to "break the week into 2" via lock off and reserve 2 separate weeks with the week that is back in inventory from the 2BR week being cancelled?)
3. Is the process for "renting" the week reservations the same, easier or harder than doing so with DP reservations? My experience has been that MVC tightened the screws on changing names on DP reservations requiring some hoops to be jumped through via forms, etc. Not sure if weeks are different.

 

[sponger76]

If we reserve the week does that eliminate the ability to convert to points forever? (i.e., if we cancel the reservation before the conversion deadline, could we convert to DPs or has that been foreclosed?)

No. Each election is made for a specific Use Year.

If we reserve the full 2BR for a single week does that eliminate the ability to lock off and reserve 2 separate weeks? (i.e., could we convert the 2BR reservation into just the Master or Studio and have the other in inventory to reserve another week; also, if we cancel the full 2BR reservation, are we able to "break the week into 2" via lock off and reserve 2 separate weeks with the week that is back in inventory from the 2BR week being cancelled?)

You can lock off later after reserving. The only caveat is that I understand from some posts here on TUG that some resorts limit the amount of lock-offs for a given week, so if they are at that limit, you may not be able to. But I don't know if it really is that common of an occurrence.

Is the process for "renting" the week reservations the same, easier or harder than doing so with DP reservations? My experience has been that MVC tightened the screws on changing names on DP reservations requiring some hoops to be jumped through via forms, etc. Not sure if weeks are different.

I've only changed guest names on points reservations, so can't say with 100% certainty. But I can't imagine doing so on a week reservation would be any harder. And other than worrying about the timeframe on short notice before check-in, changing names on a points reservation has never seemed difficult to me.

 

[davidvel]

We have had a week at OP for several years. We acquired via a hybrid purchase with intent to use for DPs (low MFs at the time) and have only done so to date.

We added a DSVII week (2BR, Red) via another hybrid purchase in the Spring. We really like DSVII and hope to use it for actual weeks. Since we've never actually used Weeks, I have a few questions:
If we reserve the week does that eliminate the ability to convert to points forever? (i.e., if we cancel the reservation before the conversion deadline, could we convert to DPs or has that been foreclosed?)

I think if you cancel your weeks reservation you could then elect for points before the deadline. I have never heard otherwise.

If we reserve the full 2BR for a single week does that eliminate the ability to lock off and reserve 2 separate weeks? (i.e., could we convert the 2BR reservation into just the Master or Studio and have the other in inventory to reserve another week; also, if we cancel the full 2BR reservation, are we able to "break the week into 2" via lock off and reserve 2 separate weeks with the week that is back in inventory from the 2BR week being cancelled?)

If you reserve the full villa, you can later lock off (subject to availability) to 1BR and studio but only for that same week. You cannot later lockoff in to different dates unless you cancel and start over.

You can reserve just one side or the other for a specific date, then do the same for another date for the other half.

Is the process for "renting" the week reservations the same, easier or harder than doing so with DP reservations? My experience has been that MVC tightened the screws on changing names on DP reservations requiring some hoops to be jumped through via forms, etc. Not sure if weeks are different.

It is the same. Changing names on weeks reservation now needs the submission of the name change form same as points reservation.

 

[ljmiii]

I’ve canceled a reservation and then elected into Abound Points. The only ‘gotcha’ (other than being aware of deadlines) is that it takes a while for the week to reappear in the system after you cancel.

 

[jpa2825]

Bumping this back up as the situation has played out with additional facts.

• In the fall, we reserved full 2BR for w/o FEB 14 (Modernism Week in Palm Springs & Valentines Day)
• Deadline to convert to points has passed so that is no longer an option
• Once inside 60 days, we reserved a studio at DSVII with the 30% discount in case it is just the wife and I who end up going

Options

• If someone else joins us, we'll keep the Week and cancel the points (which will go into holding -- not a huge issue for us as they expire JUN 30)
• If it's just the 2 of us, we can either keep the Studio on Points or lockoff to create another week to use later in 2026. (Based on the comments above, I assume we'd call and the VOA would figure out how to get that done.)
  1. If we use Points, b/c they are expiring and we got 30% discount, options appear to be:
     • Try to rent the 2BR week (hopefully it is attractive)
     • Cancel and try to rebook later in 2026
     • Deposit into II with hopefully good trading power. If we did this, how long would we have to use the II cert created by the deposit?

 

[dioxide45]

Bumping this back up as the situation has played out with additional facts.

• In the fall, we reserved full 2BR for w/o FEB 14 (Modernism Week in Palm Springs & Valentines Day)
• Deadline to convert to points has passed so that is no longer an option
• Once inside 60 days, we reserved a studio at DSVII with the 30% discount in case it is just the wife and I who end up going

Options

• If someone else joins us, we'll keep the Week and cancel the points (which will go into holding -- not a huge issue for us as they expire JUN 30)
• If it's just the 2 of us, we can either keep the Studio on Points or lockoff to create another week to use later in 2026. (Based on the comments above, I assume we'd call and the VOA would figure out how to get that done.)
  1. If we use Points, b/c they are expiring and we got 30% discount, options appear to be:
     • Try to rent the 2BR week (hopefully it is attractive)
     • Cancel and try to rebook later in 2026
     • Deposit into II with hopefully good trading power. If we did this, how long would we have to use the II cert created by the deposit?

If you booked a home resort week, then "cancel and try to rebook" won't be an option since you can't cancel or modify week based reservations inside 60 days from checkin. I'm not even sure you can lock off an already reserved 2BR inside 60 days.

 

[jpa2825]

If you booked a home resort week, then "cancel and try to rebook" won't be an option since you can't cancel or modify week based reservations inside 60 days from checkin. I'm not even sure you can lock off an already reserved 2BR inside 60 days.

Ugh. Growing pains of a newbie. Can the week reservation be deposited into II at this point?

 

[dioxide45]

Ugh. Growing pains of a newbie. Can the week reservation be deposited into II at this point?

It can, just be sure to do it prior to 30 days from checkin so it doesn't end up with exchange restrictions in II.

 

[Hindsite]

In your MVC account under Resources there is Helpful tools an important dates calendar and other useful stuff. Take a look at that and ensure that you make a note of what happens when, according to when it is weeks vs points, as they are different!!

Then do similar for II by reading the FAQs that are at to bottom of any webpage in tiny writing.

Getting into the groove of how the various systems can work for your specific needs is most of the battle and its a bit jumbled until you do that, but quite normal.

All the best

 

[jpa2825]

It can, just be sure to do it prior to 30 days from checkin so it doesn't end up with exchange restrictions in II.

Appears they may have changed this to 60 days as well. Based on the "Weeks Owner Important Dates" @Hindsite pointed me to above, thanks for that, the following language appears.

Interval International will accept your Home Resort week as a deposit up to two weeks prior to check-in. However, currently, when you deposit from 59 days to 14 days prior to check-in, it may be considered a late deposit and may only be redeemed with Flexchange®.

I assume a deposit that can only be redeemed with Flexchange has much less trading value than one without such a restriction. If we did deposit this reservation into II, how and when would we know the value of what we deposited? (BTW - we have never successfully used II either. We deposited some expiring points into II after Covid backed up our usage, but they expired without finding a match we could use. We have focused on the DP "universe" and have gotten pretty good at dealing with all the parameters there, but as we try to understand weeks and II, we're off to a bumpy start. )

Assuming the value of depositing into II is low, our options appear to be:

1. Use the Week reservation and cancel the DP reservation. (We can call MVC to see if the Studio can be locked off from the 1BR inside 60 days but that seems unlikely. Even if it could be accomplished, I am not sure when we would get back to DSVII in 2026 to use the other reservation). OR
2. List the current Week in some of the Facebook groups or even venture into Redweek to see what it might yield. (I assume if we asked Marriott to rent it for us, the amount they would offer, if anything, would be low. )

Thanks for helping me learn. TUG is really supportive in that way.

 

[dioxide45]

Appears they may have changed this to 60 days as well. Based on the "Weeks Owner Important Dates" @Hindsite pointed me to above, thanks for that, the following language appears.

Interval International will accept your Home Resort week as a deposit up to two weeks prior to check-in. However, currently, when you deposit from 59 days to 14 days prior to check-in, it may be considered a late deposit and may only be redeemed with Flexchange®.

I assume a deposit that can only be redeemed with Flexchange has much less trading value than one without such a restriction. If we did deposit this reservation into II, how and when would we know the value of what we deposited? (BTW - we have never successfully used II either. We deposited some expiring points into II after Covid backed up our usage, but they expired without finding a match we could use. We have focused on the DP "universe" and have gotten pretty good at dealing with all the parameters there, but as we try to understand weeks and II, we're off to a bumpy start. )

Assuming the value of depositing into II is low, our options appear to be:

1. Use the Week reservation and cancel the DP reservation. (We can call MVC to see if the Studio can be locked off from the 1BR inside 60 days but that seems unlikely. Even if it could be accomplished, I am not sure when we would get back to DSVII in 2026 to use the other reservation). OR
2. List the current Week in some of the Facebook groups or even venture into Redweek to see what it might yield. (I assume if we asked Marriott to rent it for us, the amount they would offer, if anything, would be low. )

Thanks for helping me learn. TUG is really supportive in that way.

It was actually changed to 30 days. I think that is just where the MVC website hasn't been updated to match the new II policy on Flexchange.

 

[Hindsite]

As dioxide says, it seems that MVC's dates are wrong. I'll pop an email to customer advocacy to ask them to update the info.

Here is what is in the latest from the II buyers guide, it reflects the advice from dioxide.