Forget RCI and II... DAE Came Thru For Us!!!

[bigeyes1 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close bigeyes1]

I am sooo happy!! I just wanted to give everyone a heads up that you don't need RCI or II to get a decent exchange. We were able to obtain a 2 bedroom at The Ridge at Sedona Golf through DAE. This was our first experience with Dial an Exchange, (any alternate exchange company, for that matter), and we are extremely happy with the results.

I want to thank Marc for making this exchange possible for us. We turned down several resort choices, but he never gave up. He kept looking and found an exchange that works perfectly for us.

This "one on one" personalized experience is so unique, but I love it!!! We will definitely use DAE again.

DAE Rocks!!!

Our Sincerest Thanks~

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

Trish.......That's great!!!! I'm glad to hear it, and will give DAE a look. Have a wonderful trip.

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

always glad to hear of a sucess with another company.

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

That's great to hear. How flexible did you have to be to get what you wanted? Just curious to see how hard it is to get something specific.

[grest Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close grest]

Good for you. Do you mind saying how long you waited?
Connie

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

I am hearing this more and more and I am happy to hear it. I have starting to slow down on my banking with RCI so I can start to use the Alternates myself.

[joycapecod Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close joycapecod]

We've had a good bit of luck with Dial an Exchange. I've gotten Greece for 2008 and we're going to Frnace in May with a Dial an Exchange exchange. I got a week in Scotland for a friend thorugh Dial an Exchange and I've done a few others too.

I like the fact that not all the weeks are timeshare, some are vacation homes and that can be very interesting.

The unit in France is in Honfleur and we will be able to see the northern coastal part of France.

The independent exchange companies fill a great void that had been missing with RCI and II for quite sometime.

Enjiy the Ridge at Sedona Golf. We have stayed there several times...you'll love it.

Joy

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

Trish!

Great news. We stayed in a 2BDRM Sunterra Ridge last April. Very large unit. Ask for building 14, 15, 16, top floor (even numbered unit) for great redrock views. I still have pictures of the unit in my album on the photoserver as well as a review here for that resort.

I am just beginning to dapple with independents so I love hearing the success stories.

[bigeyes1 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close bigeyes1]

Do you mind saying how long you waited?
Connie

I believe we've waited about 9 months for this successful exchange. (please read comment below) Having said, we were offered several resort choices prior to our finalizing the latest exchange. The other resorts offered weren't what we were looking for.

How flexible did you have to be to get what you wanted? Just curious to see how hard it is to get something specific.

At first, our request was for the Palm Springs area. Since I wanted to use my last spacebanked week through II, I went ahead and confirmed something thru them. Then I changed my DAE request to Arizona, (Sedona being our first choice) for either Sept. or Oct. Plus, we needed a two bedroom since my son and his friends were planning to come with us. And... the clincher... My husband wanted to be very close to a golf course.

DAE found us a 2 bedroom at The Ridge for early Nov. Didn't exactly meet our dates, but the date was so close to our original request, we simply couldn't refuse it. That is, once my husband looked on the vacation calendar at his job. It met ALL of our other requirements, though. We're definitely happy.

Ask for building 15, 16, 17 top floor for great redrock views. I still have pictures of the unit in my album on the photoserver as well as a review here for that resort.

Thanks for the unit advice. We've never "stayed" in Arizona (just passed through on our way to Vegas), so we're extremely excited about our exchange in Sedona.

I would LOVE to see your pictures!! Thanks in advance. Meanwhile, I'll check out the reviews here at TS4M's. Btw, does anyone have a property map of The Ridge at Sedona?


Thanks all for the well wishes. I just wanted everyone to know that it is possible to get a decent exchange through an alternate exchange company. We've become so fed up with RCI in the past few years, that we finally decided to give them the heave-ho. Our RCI membership was going to expire in 2022. I've requested a refund for the remaining years and in turn, our membership expired in Dec. '06. Good riddance.

Plus, I've already called II and requested a refund on the remaining years through them, too. They said we would have to wait and take our exchange first (which is coming up next month) before we can make a refund request. So, as soon as we get back from this trip, I'm canceling my II membership, too.

After our pleasant experience with DAE, we're never going back to RCI and II.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

]I would LOVE to see your pictures!! Thanks in advance. Meanwhile, I'll check out the reviews here at TS4M's. Btw, does anyone have a property map of The Ridge at Sedona?

I just might...let me check. Let's see if this attaches. If not I can e-mail it to you Trish.

My photos are here at TS4Ms as well: http://www.timeshareforums.com/photo...e=2&ppuser=244

[Carol C Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Carol C]

We've had a good bit of luck with Dial an Exchange. I've gotten Greece for 2008 and we're going to Frnace in May with a Dial an Exchange exchange. I got a week in Scotland for a friend thorugh Dial an Exchange and I've done a few others too.

I like the fact that not all the weeks are timeshare, some are vacation homes and that can be very interesting.

The unit in France is in Honfleur and we will be able to see the northern coastal part of France.

The independent exchange companies fill a great void that had been missing with RCI and II for quite sometime.

Enjiy the Ridge at Sedona Golf. We have stayed there several times...you'll love it.

Joy

I haven't gotten anything in Italy yet to piggyback with a Paris week I have for June 08. And RCI keeps kicking back a week I've been trying to deposit with them, a prime summer RCI tiger trader.

So, should I deposit with DAE and work with them instead? What is their exchange fee and annual fee? They specialize in Europe don't they? Are they likely to have anything good in Italy for early in June 08? (I know there's a DAE forum but I wanted to ask for candid opinions from those who've used DAE, not just get the company line on this. I want to deposit the week I have asap, cause maint fee has been paid for months, and the week comes up this coming August!)

[Laurie Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Laurie]

IMO for Italy June 08, you're better off depositing an RCI-tiger trader at RCI when your request is that specific. DAE has very limited inventory in Italy. Piggyback weeks are difficult either way, but that's my experience. DAE will work better shorter term, and better when you're not trying to piggyback with an exchange you already have. Also you don't have to deposit first with them, unless you want to put in a search - so if something shows up on line, call them asap and put it on hold, then you can rustle up a deposit. No membership fee, and the exchange fee is lower than RCI. So go ahead and get your membership at DAE set up.

Have you called RCI about the deposit? That happened to me recently, and it only resolved with a phone call.

[bigeyes1 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close bigeyes1]

I just might...let me check. Let's see if this attaches. If not I can e-mail it to you Trish.

My photos are here at TS4Ms as well: http://www.timeshareforums.com/photo...e=2&ppuser=244

Got the property map, Lawren. Thanks so much!

Gotta go look at the pics..

[Carolinian Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Carolinian]

That's great to hear. How flexible did you have to be to get what you wanted? Just curious to see how hard it is to get something specific.

So far, with requests, I have asked for a specific week and limited area, for honeymoons for family members, and they came through on both, one in the Caribbean and one in the Far East. For myself I have given them two requests that were narrowly limited on time and location, and they came through on both, one in the UK and one in France.

[barndweller Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close barndweller]

Congratulations!
I am relatively new to this timeshare thing and my first purchase got a 1 year membership at II included. I found TUG & then TS4Ms shortly therafter. People were so disillusioned with RCI that I shied away and joined SFX instead. Then a purchase at Desert Breezes lead me to TPI where my membership is free. I am extreemly happy with II so far & SFX has done pretty well for me, too. In the future we really want to go to Scotland so I'll be using DAE for sure.(I'll alert you all to my Sedona & Coastal Ca. deposits ) These alternatives are really filling the widening gap.
Julie