Using II instead of DVC Points for a planned DVC vacation

[icydog]

I had a five night reservation at the BCV in a one bdrm reserved for
Nov 30- Dec 5th. We try to go to WDW for this week or the week after so we can see the decorations and lights and so we can go to the Candlelight Processional.

I was doing my Disney sightings search using a Marriott week and never noticed a SSR one bdrm sitting there for the exact same time (except of course it was for a full week) until Thirsty at timeshare4ums added it. I grabbed it and now I can cancel the 110 pt BCV reservation and use those points for my granddaughter's honeymoon in May. And I don't have to change our plane reservations, which were Friday Dec 5th, either since my nephew is always glad for a couple of free nights at any DVC resort. So I'll still be there from Nov 30-Dec 5th but my nephew can enjoy a free weekend there from Dec 5-7th. It's a win-win!!

Has anyone else had a lucky break like this?

 

[tomandrobin]

I consider ourselves "newbies" to timesharing. We have only owned for two years, but are quickly coming up to speed. I have mapped out the above strategy, but it'll be another year or so before I can start taking more advantage of II trades for DVC.

Either our trips are too short or we are stayin in a room category not obtainable via trade.

 

[icydog]

Any way I can save those precious points makes sense to me. I love the idea of seven vs five nights. We only stay for five to save those outrageous weekend points. I haven't ever stayed on cash for the weekends but we have bitten the bullet and stayed for a whole week 5 or 6 times.

 

[tomandrobin]

Our next trip is club level at Animal Kingdom. The next one is Vero Beach, Ocean View. The third one is Saratoga on developer points. The next one after that is also club level. Then the last one is during the wekk of NYE. These reservations will be difficult to replace with an exchange. Next year I do see oppurtunity to use an exchange for a stay.

 

[icydog]

Right no opportunity with those reservations. You did a good job. When you say Vero Oceanview how did you do that? The only way I know to guarantee OV is if you are in the hotel on points. My husband and I did that several times. The hotel units are lovely and much nicer than the studios imho. We had a Beach Cottage one year during Spring Break for five nights. It was a lot of points but totally worth it. That's why I have two Vero Beach contracts so that I can do that again. So far I haven't but the only way to get into one of them is to own there and do it a day at a time. Much like the GV at WDW.

 

[tomandrobin]

Right no opportunity with those reservations. You did a good job. When you say Vero Oceanview how did you do that? The only way I know to guarantee OV is if you are in the hotel on points. My husband and I did that several times. The hotel units are lovely and much nicer than the studios imho. We had a Beach Cottage one year during Spring Break for five nights. It was a lot of points but totally worth it. That's why I have two Vero Beach contracts so that I can do that again. So far I haven't but the only way to get into one of them is to own there and do it a day at a time. Much like the GV at WDW.

We are staying at the inn, ocean view room on points. Next spring I am going to try for an II exchange for DVC. I have a couple deposits to use, and like you pointed out more cost effective for the weekends.

 

[icydog]

We are staying at the inn, ocean view room on points. Next spring I am going to try for an II exchange for DVC. I have a couple deposits to use, and like you pointed out more cost effective for the weekends.

Don't give away Harborside, please:ignore: That resort and a few others are a waste for trading into DVC. You already know it is better to make an even exchange with a DVC member than to give up such a great Starwood week. Another like this would be the Westin in ST John's.

 

[tomandrobin]

Don't give away Harborside, please:ignore: That resort and a few others are a waste for trading into DVC. You already know it is better to make an even exchange with a DVC member than to give up such a great Starwood week. Another like this would be the Westin in ST John's.

Would not do that!

 

[alwysonvac]

Has anyone else had a lucky break like this?

Somewhat .....
I had an ongoing searched for a two bedroom but snagged a SSR on bedroom online for the week that I wanted then booked a studio with my DVC points. Well two weeks before my trip a two bedroom at SSR appeared online for the same exact dates. I upgrade my one bedroom exchange to the two bedroom. I had to pay another II exchange fee but it was worth it. My DVC points for the studio went into holding which was fine with me.

 

[icydog]

Good one!!!

I did that with the Hilton Head vacation we just left two weeks ago. We upgraded to a two bdrm from a one bdrm using an AC as the trade. I don't know if they charged me or not for the replacement week, but knowing II they did.

 

[WINSLOW]

Great to see the new DVC site!
Have a question but not DVC, will post here anyway seeing this is what your last posts were talking about.

How do you upgrade when you have a II echange already? Do you need to have another resort to trade up? Or does II let you trade up if you origonally used a 2 bedroom for 1 bedroom trade then find a 2 bedroom later?

Never done it (oviously)
Thanks for the help.

 

[M&M]

I
Has anyone else had a lucky break like this?

We found a BCV Studio on II for the exact week that we were already booked (on points) for this summer. I had a "left over" RSD studio that I used to grab the exchange. Now I have two studios, but will be cancelling the points ressie and save the poits for next year.

Mike

 

[icydog]

Great to see the new DVC site!
Have a question but not DVC, will post here anyway seeing this is what your last posts were talking about.

How do you upgrade when you have a II echange already? Do you need to have another resort to trade up? Or does II let you trade up if you origonally used a 2 bedroom for 1 bedroom trade then find a 2 bedroom later?

Never done it (oviously)
Thanks for the help.

That's exactly what happened to me. When a two bdrm showed up I called them and changed the reservation. Since it was an AC with the exchange price set in stone maybe they don't charge any add'tl fees. I really don't remember but they could very well have charged me something to upgrade to a two bdrm from a one bdrm.

 

[icydog]

We found a BCV Studio on II for the exact week that we were already booked (on points) for this summer. I had a "left over" RSD studio that I used to grab the exchange. Now I have two studios, but will be cancelling the points ressie and save the poits for next year.

Mike

That what happened with our dec trip except we already have airline reservations for five nights. I am going to see if our nephew wants to stay on the weekend for free.