II provides Bonus Weeks? Quality of bonus weeks?

[travelSFO Member Find all posts View Profile Close travelSFO]

We are considering joining II to deposit our Week 52 in Orlando (Gold Crown, 1 bedroom.) Can someone tell us whether II membership gives us access to bonus weeks? If so, what is the "caliber" of the II bonus weeks.

For example, we are also RCI and SFX members and find RCI bonus weeks to be almost useless and SFX bonus weeks are excellent (same quality and approximate cost of regular exchange weeks.)

Any idea how a week 52 1 bedroom (2007) would trade? Would we be able to trade up in unit size? Should we hold out and wait for II to offer us a bonus week before depositing?

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

Have you spoken with II yet?....If you call them and ask if your week will receive an AC, they should be able to tell you. Normally, even if it is early, they will tell you if it received an AC last year, and make a judgment call on whether it will receive one this year, based on past history of the week.

The bonus weeks (Accommodation Certificates) in II vary on the week deposited. I have gotten great deals with AC's using my Marriott's, such as Disney's Boardwalk, and Marriott Aruba Ocean Club, etc.

I believe the price for a two bedroom is $299.00 for the week, and a one bedroom is $249.00. You can choose anything that you can see, other than your home resort.

If you have received an AC for a one bedroom, you can still use it on a two bedroom if one is available. I have successfully done that just last week.

Although not all AC's are necessarily given the same choices, I think their choices are very good. I have always been happy with the selection......

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

Call II first.
There are very few ACs given out for Orlando.
I own at Marriott Grande Vista in Orlando and received an AC for my 2006 deposit - they were only for Feb 1 thru Easter week.

[travelSFO Member Find all posts View Profile Close travelSFO]

Thanks :-) I will call II then.

II Customer service sent me an email message with some basic info and suggested that I would have to wait for a mailer to qualify for the AC -- however, wouldn't I have to join to get that mailer??

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

ACs are way better than RCI's pointless bonus weeks. JMHO.

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

Thanks :-) I will call II then.

II Customer service sent me an email message with some basic info and suggested that I would have to wait for a mailer to qualify for the AC -- however, wouldn't I have to join to get that mailer??

In order to actually get an AC, you'd have to hold off depositing your week until II was offering an AC for it -- lately, that's been about a year before check-in. But II could probably tell you if ACs had been offered for your week in the past.

A problem for you would be that II has a huge oversupply in Orlando. I know that RCI does, too, but in II's case, the resorts are really top-notch. For example, most times of year, there are lots of Orlando Marriott weeks just sitting there unclaimed online.

Generally, II Orlando weeks can't trade back into Orlando. This restriction would probably be true for your AC, too.

I've found my ACs to be excellant. An AC can trade for almost anything (other than, say geographically restricted areas and a few deluxe resorts like the Four Seasons Aviara) 59 days or less before check-in. Further out, trades are generally restricted to areas that have a surplus of timeshares. Apart from those restrictions, the AC should trade the same as the underlying week that was offered it. I've used the two ACs I've received to trade into Disney's Boardwalk and Disney's Beach Club. Unfortunately, the Orlando geographic restriction will probably prevent you from doing that.

I think it would be worth it for you to join II for a year and see what is offered for your week. Unlike RCI, you don't have to actually relinquish your week in order to search.

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

Thanks :-) I will call II then.

II Customer service sent me an email message with some basic info and suggested that I would have to wait for a mailer to qualify for the AC -- however, wouldn't I have to join to get that mailer??

As Judy stated above, call I and ask what the history for ACs is for your resort and unit/week. Before I bought at Foxrun, I had asked for and got the info from II about what weeks were offered ACs for the last 3 years.....There is a LOT of inventory in Orlando - they really don't need to offer ACs to get the deposits.