Thoughts on prime time II requests with DRI

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

In the last two years with DRI, I have never tried an II trade. Now, we are thinking about requesting three weeks worth in 2011, Easter Week, and July 4th week, and either one week before or one week after Jul 4th week.

I am thinking of requesting a higher end resort in the Southern California coast in or around the Los Angelese area, such as Marriott's Newport Coast Villas (NCV).

What are your thoughts on these three trades coming through for me?

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

I wouldn't make strong plans on getting NCV for the summer months. It's hard enough for owners at NCV that own Platinum season to get those months let alone an external exchange from outside the Marriott system. It took several months for me to confirm a March week at NCV using a 2 bedroom Platinum unit as a request first exchange. I'm not saying I woudln't give it a try but, I woudln't have my heart set on it and I'd have a back up plan in case it didn't come through.

On the other hand, Interval did call and offer us a Wyndham resort (ocean something) a few times before we told them NCV or nothing since it was a request first. So there are other resorts in the vicinity that might not be as tough a trade as NCV proved to be for us.

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

I wouldn't make strong plans on getting NCV for the summer months. It's hard enough for owners at NCV that own Platinum season to get those months let alone an external exchange from outside the Marriott system. It took several months for me to confirm a March week at NCV using a 2 bedroom Platinum unit as a request first exchange. I'm not saying I woudln't give it a try but, I woudln't have my heart set on it and I'd have a back up plan in case it didn't come through.

On the other hand, Interval did call and offer us a Wyndham resort (ocean something) a few times before we told them NCV or nothing since it was a request first. So there are other resorts in the vicinity that might not be as tough a trade as NCV proved to be for us.

That Wyndham "Ocean something" was that in the general facinity as NCV ?

Funny, I got Jul 4th NCV in 2009 and Thanksgiving week 2010 NCV within a week or two of the 12-month window opening up, I think (with my Plat MVCI 2BD week). But again, I deposited first more than 12 months out. How about you, how far out did you make your request?

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

That Wyndham "Ocean something" was that in the general facinity as NCV ?

Funny, I got Jul 4th NCV in 2009 and Thanksgiving week 2010 NCV within a week or two of the 12-month window opening up, I think (with my Plat MVCI 2BD week). But again, I deposited first more than 12 months out. How about you, how far out did you make your request?

We did a request first. The exhcange request was made apporx. 9 months in advance. The week we were requesting was one specific with with only one specific check in day. So we had very narrow exchange parameters. It was also the week that the majority of AZ schools were out on their spring break.

The other resort they kept offering was supposedly in the vicinity of NCV but, that's an interval rep talking. What they consider in the vicinity could be vastly different from what I would consider close. Since we had no interest in any resort other than NCV, we never even looked at the resort or paid any attention to it. After the third call we told them no meant no and not to call to offer anything other than NCV. It was a request first exchange and we were perfectly content to go to our home resort should the trade not come through. After that we never heard from Interval again until the exchange was confirmed.

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

Yeh, II can be kinda dense sometimes. Lawrence Welk seems to be the default fall back resort to check in with ppl waiting for an exchange to come through. I remember a couple separate times a few years ago they seem to keep "checking in" with me, once I also had NCV pending and the other time I had identified a set of other resorts in the Los Angeles area (with deposit first in each case).

I remember getting fed up with them one one of the occasions and got a little "feisty" and insisted they did not call me on Lawrence Welk openings anymore because that was in the San Diego area, and I wanted to go to the Los Angeles area (NCV is far enuf) !