looking for summer 09 options

[nlbrown Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close nlbrown]

Hi! Brand new to this forum today! WOw am I seeing a lot of info I have never heard of before in just reading these posts!!! We have owned at Massanutten resort in VA for 2 years now. We've had some nice vacas by exchanging in RCI, and most recently booked and now cancelled a caribbean vaca due to the overall costs of airfare and economy! But now we've decided it's better to take our kids to the beach, otherwise, we won't get family time this summer and DD starts Kgarten in the fall. So now we are working around the school calendar.

We had deposited and split our 2 bd gold crown lock out unit a year ago and just now cancelled our July 09 vaca, but bought the insurance as to not lose the trading power. Kept our 2nd owner's week (after split) reserved at Mass week 43, but now doing an ongoing search through RCI for a summer beach vaca started yesterday in place of July 09 week. We also have two bonus weeks and were thinking to use one of those for our May anniversary, was thinking of NYC or Atlantic city or ME.

I am planning to deposit our weeks for 2010 now so can get a beach vaca summer 10, but I did that last year too and still seemed only thing available is off season. Not sure where my trading power ranks. Never thought of trading without using RCI and don't know how. Never knew of using other companies either.. can I do that? If my ongoing search produces nothing til summer, any suggestions? Am I doing things right? It's hard for me to plan so far in advance since DH owns his business and never know when's the best time to go. I"ll take any advice, suggestions, help to utilize what I have the best I can. I hate having to pay exchange fees to reserve my owners weeks and then use bonus weeks for my home resort! I pay fees to book all four weeks annually.

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

Welcome to timesharing, where the ins and outs are many, and frustration can run high!

With RCI, best thing you can do for yourself is to deposit early and start an ongoing search for where/when you want to go. Sounds like you did that, and scored a vaca that you had to cancel. I'm sorry about that, but high air is curtailing many a trip.

It could be very difficult to find a summer 09 week at this point, but don't give up. I expect there will be cancellations. There is also Last Call, RCI's last minute selloff space.

You could also try a direct exchange with a fellow owner that has what you want. It looks to me like a lot of owners aren't using their weeks this year so keep an eye on the rental pool, too. Yeah, no one wants to spend More Money, but if that's what it will take to get to the beach in July, at least it's an option.

Join DAE. Partially because it's free and partially because they have bonus weeks that are incredibly cheap. you can make a request through them without depositing a week. There is no trading power, either.

I hope you can get to the beach this summer. You deserve it!

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

maximize your trade power

I don't exchange in RCI much but have learned from reading posts that depositing early (at least 1 year out) gives you better trade power. Also, more desirable weeks gives you better power. Are you able to book summer weeks at your resort? I am guessing they would trade best. Are you splitting your week and depositing a studio and 1BR? It wasn't clear to me. A 2BR would pull more than smaller units.
In the last 45 days before checkin, trade power restrictions disappear, so for 2009 that would be an opportunity to book something good. For 2010, now is a good time to book something through an ongoing search.

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

Can you go on vacation in early to mid-June? If so, you will have a better shot at getting what you want.

Your trading power with Massanutten is probably not high enough to get you to the beach in the Northeast or Virginia in July or August--I have a Williamsburg summer week and I know I couldn't get it, and I suspect Williamsburg and Massanutten have similar trading power. What week at Massanutten did you deposit?

[nlbrown Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close nlbrown]

I don't exchange in RCI much but have learned from reading posts that depositing early (at least 1 year out) gives you better trade power. Also, more desirable weeks gives you better power. Are you able to book summer weeks at your resort? I am guessing they would trade best. Are you splitting your week and depositing a studio and 1BR? It wasn't clear to me. A 2BR would pull more than smaller units.
In the last 45 days before checkin, trade power restrictions disappear, so for 2009 that would be an opportunity to book something good. For 2010, now is a good time to book something through an ongoing search.

I really don't desire to go to Massanutten in summer at this point. We love to go there in the fall and winter where the leaves are awesome and snow sports are going! We split a week 43 (October/Nov) 2 bd lock out into two weeks so as to keep one at Mass in the fall and one to use elsewhere earlier in the summer. Unsplit, the week will sleep 12. We can go anywhere from May - mid Aug.

[nlbrown Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close nlbrown]

Welcome to timesharing, where the ins and outs are many, and frustration can run high!

With RCI, best thing you can do for yourself is to deposit early and start an ongoing search for where/when you want to go. Sounds like you did that, and scored a vaca that you had to cancel. I'm sorry about that, but high air is curtailing many a trip.

It could be very difficult to find a summer 09 week at this point, but don't give up. I expect there will be cancellations. There is also Last Call, RCI's last minute selloff space.

You could also try a direct exchange with a fellow owner that has what you want. It looks to me like a lot of owners aren't using their weeks this year so keep an eye on the rental pool, too. Yeah, no one wants to spend More Money, but if that's what it will take to get to the beach in July, at least it's an option.

Join DAE. Partially because it's free and partially because they have bonus weeks that are incredibly cheap. you can make a request through them without depositing a week. There is no trading power, either.

I hope you can get to the beach this summer. You deserve it!

Thanks for your info... I am unfamiliar how to direct exchange. Can I still do this since my week is deposited with RCI? If so what steps do I take and how do I find someone to trade? Does this cost extra $?

When I see on Ebay a timeshare week to rent for $600 in Aruba, I feel like selling my timeshare and just renting someone else's so I can bid and go when and where I want for not much $. Heck, I'd pay my MF, exchange fee and I'm already above $600, plus the mortgage I still owe!

[Lisa P Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Lisa P]

Welcome to the forum! In the future, you may find that you get the most responses by posting one or two specific questions at a time rather than a combining several into a longer post. Anyway...

We have owned at Massanutten resort in VA for 2 years now. ... now we are working around the school calendar. ... It's hard for me to plan so far in advance since DH owns his business and never know when's the best time to go.

This is a very tough place to be, in timesharing. You'll have the hardest time when working around school schedules and the easiest time when you can plan far in advance. If your kids' summer break includes late May or early June, try for then. If it includes late August, try for then. Late June through early August are the toughest weeks to get - when the whole country is out of school. When you need to cancel for DH's work schedule, then you'll be stuck hunting for an odd, late cancellation from someone else - rare at drive-to, beach destinations, because exchangers can usually find a friend, relative or coworker to take it.

Kept our 2nd owner's week (after split) reserved at Mass week 43, but now doing an ongoing search through RCI for a summer beach vaca started yesterday

Hope it works - it's a longshot. Week 43 is not prime travel season, so avoid reserving autumn weeks for exchanging if possible. Keep looking online daily as well and watch the Sightings forums diligently. Don't wait for the search to work for you when you're looking for a longshot.

We also have two bonus weeks and were thinking to use one of those for our May anniversary, was thinking of NYC or Atlantic city or ME. ... I hate having to pay exchange fees to reserve my owners weeks and then use bonus weeks for my home resort! I pay fees to book all four weeks annually.

Bonus weeks??? Are these just RCI rental getaways? Or are you able to actually book extra weeks at Mass to deposit for exchanges? What are the restrictions?

Don't think you'll be able to get a May week in NYC with either one. Perhaps with a prime summer week at Mass, deposited a year out, but I don't know if your trade power is strong enough or not. Atlantic City or Maine in May would be definite possibilities.

I am planning to deposit our weeks for 2010 now so can get a beach vaca summer 10, but I did that last year too and still seemed only thing available is off season. Not sure where my trading power ranks.

Are you able to reserve a prime summer (July) week for exchanging? Are your requested resorts and weeks very flexible? The more flexible you are able to be and the broader your request, the more success you'll have. Can you drive a little farther? How do you feel about taking a smaller unit? Is it worth taking a lesser preferred option if it means you get a beach vacation in the summertime at all or would you rather choose other inland destinations?

Never thought of trading without using RCI and don't know how. Never knew of using other companies either.. can I do that?

Yes and maybe. Some of the smaller companies are extremely limited in which resorts and seasons they'll accept. Others are wide open. Only RCI and II require resort affiliation contracts before you may deposit with them.

If my ongoing search produces nothing til summer, any suggestions?

Keep looking online at RCI daily, at different times of the day, for cancellations.
Watch the Sightings forum and be ready to pounce quickly if you see what you want.
Consider overbuilt destinations like the Poconos, Williamsburg, Branson, Orlando or standard (non-awarded) resorts. Note that Williamsburg is only 1 hour from Virginia Beach - a very easy daytrip.
Look for trades for the first and last weeks of your summer break.
Start planning NOW for 2010 summer, if at all possible.

[Lisa P Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Lisa P]

I really don't desire to go to Massanutten in summer at this point. ... We split a week 43 (October/Nov) 2 bd lock out into two weeks so as to keep one at Mass in the fall and one to use elsewhere earlier in the summer.

Are you able to split your week, deposit one week (say, in July) and keep one week (when you want to be at Mass)? You may not desire to go to Mass in summer but if you want your deposit to have maximum trade power, then you need to deposit a week when the most other people (i.e., those with children in schools) will want to be there.

[Lisa P Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Lisa P]

I am unfamiliar how to direct exchange. Can I still do this since my week is deposited with RCI?

No, direct exchanging would be an option for a future year. Once you deposit your week with RCI, you may only use it by taking exchange from them. To do a direct exchange, you would look for an owner who has what you want and who wants to vacation at your home resort. You would reserve their vacation, when they want it, at your home resort and they would do likewise for you.

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

No, direct exchanging would be an option for a future year. Once you deposit your week with RCI, you may only use it by taking exchange from them. To do a direct exchange, you would look for an owner who has what you want and who wants to vacation at your home resort. You would reserve their vacation, when they want it, at your home resort and they would do likewise for you.

with quite possibly no extra cash. Depends on what the two of you work out.

[nlbrown Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close nlbrown]

"bonus week" is what Mass called them, basically two "extra vacas" awarded to us each year as long as we keep our membership with RCI. Pay the exchange fee and go where we can in a 45 day window; very last minute. So far, we have transferred our owners week 43 to a summer (much desired) family vacation way in advance and used our bonus weeks to last minute go to Massanutten (our home resort) since this is more flexible for us. I'm not sure if I would deposit them and try to schedule a summer week at Massanutten; if then I could exchange it once again for a higher trade power??? Is that what you are suggesting? I know once I would book a bonus week (45 days out) I would pay an exchange fee because it is not my owners week even though it is my home resort...... all sooo confusing. Thanks for helping me try to sort this all out! There really is a lot I have to learn.

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

Do you own a fixed week 43, or can you reserve a different week for the one you "own" each year?

[nlbrown Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close nlbrown]

No, direct exchanging would be an option for a future year. Once you deposit your week with RCI, you may only use it by taking exchange from them. To do a direct exchange, you would look for an owner who has what you want and who wants to vacation at your home resort. You would reserve their vacation, when they want it, at your home resort and they would do likewise for you.

OK this makes sense, so for my 2010 week I could do this, for example, since I have not yet deposited it, but I was going to do that this week because of the timeframe. If I can find someone on your "sightings" forum (which I do not see here) I would contact them directly and work out a deal, is that right? Are there other places you can find people who want to trade other than on this website? So I would schedule them a week at my resort and they for me. Do I then have to tell MAssanutten that we will not be the ones coming and give them other other owner's info? I know there is something like a guest voucher to enable others to come for $50 I think. If there are extra costs for the exchange how is that payment usually made?

[nlbrown Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close nlbrown]

Do you own a fixed week 43, or can you reserve a different week for the one you "own" each year?

Our week is fixed #43. The only way I can get another week is by depositing my #43, paying the exchange fee and moving it. (this is what I understand at least)

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

Got it---I think some folks assumed you could reserve a different week, and that's why they were telling you to get the best one you can.

However, because your choice is between week 43 and...week 43, then that advice doesn't come into play.