World Mark Owner- Need Help Navigating Exchanges!

[CaliMom]

Hello All,
Thanks in advance for your help! I'm a worldmark owner for some time now, but have never ventured out of the worldmark resorts. I have an upcoming trip to Kauai (in late Oct), and I'd really like to explore all my options. The main problem I'm encountering, when looking for info online and in forums is that it seems a lot of the exchange program data is outdated. So here are my main questions:
- I'm currently an RCI member as well (never purchase timeshares through them, just the $89 fee), but it seems when I log in there is much less inventory than I anticipated. Are Marriott resorts part of RCI? CAn you book hotel rooms in addition to resorts through RCI? Am I being limited on their inventory due to being a Worldmark Owner?
- Am I correct in thinking that when the new Wyndham Club Pass is introduced, this will still not grant access to ALL Wyndham Resorts (I did not see Wyndham Koloa Landing at Poipu Beach Wyndham Grand Resort for example).
- It seems my Worldmark account is not compatible with II ?
- Is there any exchange program to access any of the Kauai Marriot Resorts?
- I currently have 18500. points available for an exchange.

Thank you!!!!

Michelle

 

[VacationForever]

For starters, RCI does not sell timeshares. It is a timeshare exchange company, just as II is. Worldmark owners can join either RCI or II or both. There are also other smaller exchange companies. If you are looking for Marriott or Starwood, you should be looking at II.

 

[itchyfeet]

Try www.wmowners.com There is a wealth of info. there.

 

[HudsHut]

WorldMark can be exchanged through II, RCI, or any of the other exchange companies.

You have to call II and pay to become a member. Then you have your WorldMark account linked to II. Once that has been completed, you may search online, or you may set up an ongoing search.

Hawaii inventory is not sitting out there waiting for a casual exchanger to come along and take it. The best Hawaii inventory is obtained through an ongoing search. That means you may rarely see it online. Newbies to the exchange process look for Hawaii once or twice, see nothing available, and give up.

Marriott timeshare resorts trade through II*. The nicest resorts on Kauai are the 3 Marriotts and the Westin. For any of these, you will need to
1) join II
2) set up an ongoing search

*(There are approximately 10 Marriott resorts which are also in RCI, but none of those are in Hawaii.)

You will not be able to exchange into a Marriott hotel.

Exchanging has a steep learning curve. Congratulations on taking the leap. Many timeshare owners never do. We invite you to join us at www.wmowners.com and you'll get help from many expert WM owners.

Best regards,
Maria

 

[oceanvps]

Hi,
I have worldmark and marriott in my II account so I regularly can see what's available to the marriott owner via marriot pref and what's not see-able with the worldmark at the same time.

If I were you I'd do a ongoing search in II however I think it wouldn't match until closer to check-in and the searches stop within a certain timeframe - can't remember what it is?, best thing to do would be make a worldmark res in kauai for dates you are there and then try and do a last minute sighting of a marriott kauai..... it would be fairly close to check in though and it would have to work with the cancellation window for the worldmark res and you'd have to be okay with failing and staying in the worldmark. the good news is that if you did get a marriott kauai last minute in II it would only cost you 1 hskp and 4000 credits and exchange fee - within 45 days of check-in I think.

They don't pull the points on ongoing search or manual search until you've confirmed your res. however you do need to get a II account and have them add your worldmark membership to it before any of the above is possible.

J