I.I. Online changes for DRI THE Club members

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

I've been watching the online exchange opportunities to see if the new points totals would be reflected once my 2009 points were showing as available to use. In addition to the new points structure for exchanges, there are now tabs online where members can select to use 2009, 2010 and even 2011 THE Club points for their exchange.

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

Wow, as quick as I saw those options there, they're not gone. Interesting little glitch in I.I.'s online exchange system for a moment.

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

I noticed the changes this morning. Two weeks ago, I was looking for a pink week which would cost me 5500 points. Took the risk and waited till the 59 days window. Didn't have no time to re-check though during Christmas till this morning. Guess what! The points required dropped to 1750, i.e. 50% plus the new changes according to the demand index.

Of course, I grabbed two weeks one bed room for a total of 3500 points. What a steal!!!

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

I noticed the changes this morning. Two weeks ago, I was looking for a pink week which would cost me 5500 points. Took the risk and waited till the 59 days window. Didn't have no time to re-check though during Christmas till this morning. Guess what! The points required dropped to 1750, i.e. 50% plus the new changes according to the demand index.

Of course, I grabbed two weeks one bed room for a total of 3500 points. What a steal!!!

The "new" DRI/I.I. exchange requirements work out only if you can travel during lower demand times. For us it's not going to make as much difference as I had hoped. I was looking at one of the Branson weeks I'd like in April and it's 6,000 points. In fact, almost everything we might be interested in will be either 6,000 points or 7,500 points.

Since there always seems to be good availability in Branson, I'll wait for the flexchange period to make my request. Under the new rules it will cost me 3,000 points instead of 3,250 points if we take a two bedroom unit. Not a lot of savings.

On the other hand, I use to see 3 bedroom units online for 6,500 points, just like the 2 bedroom units. I.I. has seen the light on that one and will be charging us 7,250 for mid season weeks, 8,750 points for high season and 10,000 points for peak season. That's could change my plans as there is one resort, Stormy Point Village, that offers a lot of 3 bedroom units. I'm not going to give up that many points just to stay in a 3 bedroom unit if that's all that's available at that resort. I suppose that, if we had family coming with us it would be less expensive than two 2 bedroom units but, in our case, that's not likely to happen.

I think overall this isn't going to be a good change for most DRI members. However, having thought about it I'm also not willing to put all the blame on DRI. I believe there may have been a good amount of negotiation on the part of DRI and I.I. with the ever changing landscape of timeshare and timeshare exchanges. Especially since there seem to be more 3 and 4 bedroom units that developers are building. The old system appeared to be set up for 2 bedroom units and nothing higher.

I suppose change had to occur. At least if change had to occur, DRI owners did get a small break if they can stay out of high or peak demand times. That's a lot better than one size fits all and an overall increase in the number of points required for any exchange. My savings in points isn't likely to be all that much but, if I save 250 points per exchange and make all low to mid season exchanges, that will save me 500 to 750 points per year and those points will go to offset the ever increasing fee's DRI is charging to be a member of THE Club. $25 to $37.50 isn't a great deal of savings but, it's still less money than before.

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

This morning I saw the 3 buttons again, each for 2009, 2010 and 2011 points.

I understand the new points requirements based on the travel index is not for everyone. Since I travel during low and shoulder seasons only, the changes fit me well.

With a two bedroom in Sedona Ridge (10000 points), I can exchange into a one bedroom and a studio for a total of 2 weeks holiday, via the traditional week exchange. With DRI, I have booked 3 weeks for 2009 (all one bedroom) in Marriott properties and still have 2500 points left.

What else can I ask for?

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

This morning I saw the 3 buttons again, each for 2009, 2010 and 2011 points.

I understand the new points requirements based on the travel index is not for everyone. Since I travel during low and shoulder seasons only, the changes fit me well.

With a two bedroom in Sedona Ridge (10000 points), I can exchange into a one bedroom and a studio for a total of 2 weeks holiday, via the traditional week exchange. With DRI, I have booked 3 weeks for 2009 (all one bedroom) in Marriott properties and still have 2500 points left.

What else can I ask for?

If you don't mind traveling in low season, the new points requirements work out great. If you travel in mid season there's nominal savings. I was hoping to get more benefit by traveling in low season but, most places we go will be mid season. So it's not such a big deal.

The owners/members I feel sorry for are those with children or jobs that make traveling during high or peak season mandatory. With the extra charges to be a member of THE Club and the decline in exchange value for their points, they'll have to take into consideration if it's worth it to remain a member of THE Club or to let that membership expire and go back to just trading their weeks through I.I.

I am glad to see the options for using 2009, 2010 and 2011 points available online. Not that I'm going to pay my DRI MF's that far ahead just to use my THE Club points but, it should make it easier on those who rely on THE Club for the majority of their exchange requests.

If DRI can learn to apply payments correctly then it might even lessen the calls to their call centers. However, in 10 years of ownership with them, I've had more issues than not with getting them to apply and recognize payments when it came time for me to reserve and deposit my units. At one point it became habit to get Polo Towers and I.I. on a confernence call with my confirmation #'s handy in order to get DRI to release my units to I.I.

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

IMO, DRI is looking a lot like Wastegate. Maybe even a little worse.

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

I am glad to see the options for using 2009, 2010 and 2011 points available online. Not that I'm going to pay my DRI MF's that far ahead just to use my THE Club points but, it should make it easier on those who rely on THE Club for the majority of their exchange requests.

Heck Doug if they keep making errors in billing, making you pay and then only issuing credits you'll be all paid up for those years! See, that is simplicity.

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

IMO, DRI is looking a lot like Wastegate. Maybe even a little worse.

I don't know - the fees where due at Wastegate by 1/2 - and what do you know, their website was COMPLETELY down for most of 1/1-1/2. And of course the phone wair wasn't minutes but nearly an hour. So even fr payments they screw things up. But DRI is sure making a good run for the title.

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

I don't know - the fees where due at Wastegate by 1/2 - and what do you know, their website was COMPLETELY down for most of 1/1-1/2. And of course the phone wair wasn't minutes but nearly an hour. So even fr payments they screw things up. But DRI is sure making a good run for the title.

I guess that's the difference between Westgate and DRI. DRI wants you money now more than they want to bill you for late fee's. But hey, I never did get through to DRI the other day. Life's to short to be left on hold for an extended period of time. I did not hang on for very long. I didn't want to see if DRI was going to be matching Wastegate for hold time.

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

Heck Doug if they keep making errors in billing, making you pay and then only issuing credits you'll be all paid up for those years! See, that is simplicity.

Next year I'll start my fight earlier. I'm thinking June just in case they meant 4 to 6 months instead of 4 to 6 weeks. Of course I haven't figured out how I'll take into account any changes in points requirements for reservations that may happen between now and the end of the year.

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

i am thinking of trying my luck next year and trying to pay just a tiny bit of my mf with points and see how it all works-see if i have the same issues poor Doug is having :-)
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[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

i am thinking of trying my luck next year and trying to pay just a tiny bit of my mf with points and see how it all works-see if i have the same issues poor Doug is having :-)
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Just start early. Based on my recent experience, I wouldn't go past the first week of October and expect the money to be transfered from THE Club to the HOA before the fee's are actually due. Now they can manage to get your points deducted before you're even off the phone but, as far as getting the money to your HOA they're just a little bit slow.

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

I will have a pretty good idea by about August 2009 what my 2010 pts usage will look like.

Question. If I have unused 2009 pts and plan to roll over into 2010, can I EASILY SPECIFY these pts be used to pay 2010 MF's or would I have to use 2010 pts to pay 2010 MF's ?
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[dale7 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dale7]

I will have a pretty good idea by about August 2009 what my 2010 pts usage will look like.

Question. If I have unused 2009 pts and plan to roll over into 2010, can I EASILY SPECIFY these pts be used to pay 2010 MF's or would I have to use 2010 pts to pay 2010 MF's ?
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If you transfer points over 2009 points then they become 2010 points and then they are all the same.