It's just impossible to exchange in Interval International!!

[DaveHenry Member Find all posts View Profile Close DaveHenry]

"Pulling" your deposite

In II, you can request before depositing (called "request first"). When Phil referred to "pulling" his deposit, he probably meant that he withdrew his "request first" request. Technically, he never deposited his unit.

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

In II, you can request before depositing (called "request first"). When Phil referred to "pulling" his deposit, he probably meant that he withdrew his "request first" request. Technically, he never deposited his unit.

Yup,

PHILL12

We bought our timeshare where we love to go each July 4th in Lake Tahoe so we only do request first.

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

We have had great dealings with II over the last twenty years minus ten years we left timsharing.

We bought our timeshare where we love to go each July 4th in Lake Tahoe so we only do request first. We have listed three to four resorts in a area like Maui and request something like April --Aug with check-in on Fridays or Sat and only one time we didn't get our choice.

We make it clear that these are our choices and we will take nothing else and also that within last two months before our use date July 4th week we will pull our unit to use.

Couple years ago we did pull our unit and within one week II was calling to offer us our first choice and great week. I thanked them and stated to bad you didn't do this when you had my request but now we have all our plans booked with dinner reservations at serval places and we will keep our unit!


PHIL

Phil, what do you mean you pulled your unit? Did you take it back after you deposited it with II? Do they allow you to do that?

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

Phil, what do you mean you pulled your unit? Did you take it back after you deposited it with II? Do they allow you to do that?

See posts #16 + 17.

[PHILL12 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close PHILL12]

Phil, what do you mean you pulled your unit? Did you take it back after you deposited it with II? Do they allow you to do that?

This is one of the great things about II and why we have been with them more than ten years with a eight to ten year break from timesharing.

As another member mention when you do a request first you pay your fee and you have your unit on hold with II. Once they match your choice your unit goes into II banking for other members to use and you have lost it for this year.

If at a point they came up with nothing you would except you can take your resort back to use yourself. II will refund your exchange fee's.

Simple terms is you give me what I want or I'll take my toys and go home.

Some say on timeshare forums that II gives deposited owners first priority but I can tell you only once did we not get our choice because they wanted our resort. As I stated in earlier post a week after us taking back our unit they came up with our first choice but we already made plans in Lake Tahoe.

Bottom line no matter what others say a request first either gets filled or they don't get your unit for other members and they work hard to get the exchange done.

This only works as I have recommend for years to new buyers and that is to buy where you would love to go every year and exchange is a good second use. This way you can limit your choices to a point and if it doesn't work out you still have your week to use.

We always take the week we want usually July4th so we win no matter what happens. To many owners will pick a holiday week which is good if you can use it.

This is our way and we will never be unhappy at vacation time!

PHIL

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

Sorry to hear!

We also own at Cibola Vista and we have been fortunate our first trade was to Tortola Long Bay Beach (BVI) but I suspect that happened cause Superbowl week. We have also trade to Cabo San Lucas. I suspect a trade to Disney may be tough especially on Disney Property itself. Good luck and dont give up. I am new and still learning.

[timeos2 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close timeos2]

II is a wannabe big player

I've owned a 2-bedroom "lockout" at a 5-star resort in Phoenix, AZ for 5 years and belong to Interval International. Despite depositing my week to II well in advance of planned vacations (up to TWO years in advance), I'm NEVER able to get the resort of my choice. Any advice? I must be stupid if I haven't been able to take a vacation yet. Wait! Come to think of it, when I call the representatives at II, THEY are unable to book vacations for me either. They ARE able, however, to SELL me a Getaway to the same locations that are not available for exchange. Hmmmmm. Help!!!!

Despite the ever present chorus of "it's not II it's XXX" that always seems to come up you have discovered exactly what is wrong with II. They simply don't have much inventory at the very locations they feature as representing the alleged "quality" they so smartly use as a slogan. What they actually have, especially after they attempt to fulfill all the special deals for priorities to virtually every good resort/brand they manage to snag, is a bunch of off season, small and often old resorts. They will do virtually anything to get you to deposit a great week then bombard you with "matches" that aren't in the resort you want, the size you want, the area you want or even the dates you want! It is pathetic really. The only hope you have is to be in one of the favored corporate accounts (which are usually free) OR, if you are silly enough to pay to be a third class member, only do request first so at least they can't give away your week until they have come up with something you feel you can live with.

Overall II simply isn't worth the hassle and effort IMO. If you ignore the small group that for some reason love to make excuses for this poor excuse of a trading operation you'll find the majority doesn't seem to think much of II's capabilities. They are a very poor second to RCI for a good reason. You are much better off with RCI OR one of the other third party exchange companies that may actually work to get you a fair and reasonable exchange without all the games, horrible and unreliable web site (and almost impossible to understand "guides") II has. We gave up our paid membership in 2002 and have never missed it after nearly a decade of trying to make it work. The same deposits with others that got us virtually nothing in II have been strong to great trades and that is the real bottom line. While we still use II as we have a (free) corporate membership through DRI, it is always our last choice when everything else failed as that is all they are really good for.

If you can drop II and look elsewhere unless you enjoy beating a dead horse for your trade attempts.

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

We also own at Cibola Vista and we have been fortunate our first trade was to Tortola Long Bay Beach (BVI) but I suspect that happened cause Superbowl week. We have also trade to Cabo San Lucas. I suspect a trade to Disney may be tough especially on Disney Property itself. Good luck and dont give up. I am new and still learning.

What was you impression of Tortola, and the Long Bay Beach resort?


The few times that I've seen this resort show up in II, I've wanted to grab it, but never did. The timing wasn't good.

I'd very much like to get there one day, tho.....Did you like the resort, and the island?

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

Despite the ever present chorus of "it's not II it's XXX" that always seems to come up you have discovered exactly what is wrong with II. They simply don't have much inventory at the very locations they feature as representing the alleged "quality" they so smartly use as a slogan. What they actually have, especially after they attempt to fulfill all the special deals for priorities to virtually every good resort/brand they manage to snag, is a bunch of off season, small and often old resorts. They will do virtually anything to get you to deposit a great week then bombard you with "matches" that aren't in the resort you want, the size you want, the area you want or even the dates you want! It is pathetic really. The only hope you have is to be in one of the favored corporate accounts (which are usually free) OR, if you are silly enough to pay to be a third class member, only do request first so at least they can't give away your week until they have come up with something you feel you can live with.

Overall II simply isn't worth the hassle and effort IMO. If you ignore the small group that for some reason love to make excuses for this poor excuse of a trading operation you'll find the majority doesn't seem to think much of II's capabilities. They are a very poor second to RCI for a good reason. You are much better off with RCI OR one of the other third party exchange companies that may actually work to get you a fair and reasonable exchange without all the games, horrible and unreliable web site (and almost impossible to understand "guides") II has. We gave up our paid membership in 2002 and have never missed it after nearly a decade of trying to make it work. The same deposits with others that got us virtually nothing in II have been strong to great trades and that is the real bottom line. While we still use II as we have a (free) corporate membership through DRI, it is always our last choice when everything else failed as that is all they are really good for.

If you can drop II and look elsewhere unless you enjoy beating a dead horse for your trade attempts.

It could be worse. They could be attempting to exchange through RCI. A company that would have the inventory if they weren't busy renting out owners deposits.

We have never had an issue exchanging with I.I. in the 10+ years we've used them. The two times we wanted to use our HGVC points to exchange for a Sept. week in Branson (definately NOT high time), it was a tough exchange for RCI. This is an exchange that is as easy as falling off a log with Interval and one we've made every year 2 or 3 times and, we've made the exchanges into various resorts. RCI lists a lot of timeshares but that's about as far as it goes. Lot's of pretty resorts, no availability and an exchange power that seems to be a moving target based on all the complaints I keep reading about RCI.

[Justjean Member Find all posts View Profile Close Justjean]

Makes me think

Your comments make me think the recommended way to exchange...to deposit first is merely for II's convenience. At least with the reservation first method they have an incentive.

[Anne1125 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Anne1125]

If my favorite resort traded through RCI, II would never see another penny from me. I have even tried to get management to add RCI but they missed the opportunity when their 10 yr. contract with II ran out and then automatically renewed itself. They said they couldn't do anything about it.

Another 10 years? I'm doomed.

Anne

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

Your comments make me think the recommended way to exchange...to deposit first is merely for II's convenience. At least with the reservation first method they have an incentive.

I completed two exchanges with I.I. these past few weeks. Both of them deposit first. I've utilized deposit first most of the time with Interval and have had great results. The only exchange in 11 years that I did not recieve was an exchange request into one of the Hyatt's in Key West.

The reason for that wasn't even Interval's so much as it was mine. Hyatt controls it's inventory and doesn't release much before the 6 months mark. That's after all Hyatt owners have had the chance to take what they want from the Hyatt system. During that time, I spotted another exchange that we new would be an ocean front unit in S. Florida so we took that instead.

The times we've utilized request first was for exchanges we thought might be tougher. One was into Marriott's Newport Coast and that one did take longer than any other exchange we've made. The other was into Kauia Hawaii, which turned out to be much easier than I anticipated. Otherwise, all the exchanges I can remember have been deposit first.

So let's see, 11 years of successful exchanges with only one request abanoned and that was because we found something we liked as well or better. I'd say both methods work very well thank you.

Those two recent trades I made, one was a 1 bedroom Marriott Grand Chateau unit for week 9 in Las Vegas for a 2 bedroom Marriott's Harbor Club at Harbor Town in HHI in late May. The other week was a week 22 1 bedroom Grand Regency at Thousand Hills Resort in Branson for a late July 2 bedroom week at The Ridge in Lake Tahoe. If you ask me, those were a couple of pretty decent exchanges.

If my favorite resort traded through RCI, II would never see another penny from me. I have even tried to get management to add RCI but they missed the opportunity when their 10 yr. contract with II ran out and then automatically renewed itself. They said they couldn't do anything about it.

Another 10 years? I'm doomed.

Anne

Funny, I feel the same about I.I. and RCI. In fact, my personal account with RCI, who by the way has been the only exchange company sued by it's members for exchange irregularities, was dropped last year. If RCI membership wasn't included with our Hilton ownership as part of their membership dues, we wouldn't have anything to do with RCI at all. As it is we do not exchange our HGVC unit anymore.

By comparison with our Interval exchanges, only TWO times have we attempted to exchange our HGVC points with RCI. Both times we had a choice of ONE resort offered in Branson, MO for our points.

Let me repeat that. RCI offered us a choice of ONLY ONE RESORT IN BRANSON, MO.

We travel to Branson between 2 and 3 times per year. Other than those two exchanges with RCI we've always used Interval. We know we're going to go there and are able to plan our dates easily a year in advance if we want. The two requests made for exchange with RCI were in shoulder season for Sept. to October stays and not the most demanded season of the summer month. Interval has always offered us a variety of unit sizes in a variety of locations. RCI offered us one unit size at one resort in shoulder season no less. This didn't happen just one year, it happened twice. And it's not like I was trading some dog unit either. At least I wouldn't consider HGVC points to be a dog trader through RCI.

So I'm just the opposite. I push for our resort to drop Rents Condo's Instead in favor of the exchange company that's worked well for us over the last 11 years. The company that hasn't continuelly changed the playing rules as an attempt to allow developers to squeeze more money out of us by setting up a "new" exchange program called points and then telling all the weeks owners they won't be able to get anything unless they pay thousands to join the new program.

Yep, you can keep RCI. I have no use for them.

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

I've had wonderful experiences trading with II. Consistently, when I trade my holiday week 1 bedroom lock-offs, I'm receiving upgrade trades into 2 and 3 bedroom units. Plus, II offers me bonus weeks (accommodation certificates for depositing). Count me as a very happy II exchanger.

I own DVC points so when I want to stay at DVC, I just book it with my DVC points. I kind of doubt I'll probably ever exchange my dual affiliated resorts through RCI since II gives me bonus weeks for my holiday weeks.

I get tremendous value for my maintenance fee dollar using II for my exchanges.

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

Undiplomatically, the answer(not the solution)to your problem is very simple. Owners of PRIME weeks either use or rent them. However with II you request first and if you can't get what you want you use your own TS.(can not be done with RCI). This is good if you want to use the TS but a conflict comes up and you don't want to lose your week.
Moral of the story: Buy where and when you want to go, do not count on trading.

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

Wow! It is nice that you were able to book that quickly. We own at Wyndham Bonnet Creek. My husband decided a month ago that he wants to go to DC and stay at the Old Town Alexandria. I have been trying to book for July 22-28 every morning at 7:00 since then. I really believe that persistance will pay off so I plan to call very morning until I have the reservations I want. "Gotta do what you gotta do"