DRI and II

[philsfan Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close philsfan]

After a few months with no matches on searches that were started for a trip to Hawaii next November, we got three matches today, all DRI units. Two at the Point at Poipu and one at Kaanapali Beach club. Does anyone know if it is typical of DRI to deposit some units a bit more than 12 months prior to check-in or do you think these are these just coincidental deposits from DRI members or other owners?

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

After a few months with no matches on searches that were started for a trip to Hawaii next November, we got three matches today, all DRI units. Two at the Point at Poipu and one at Kaanapali Beach club. Does anyone know if it is typical of DRI to deposit some units a bit more than 12 months prior to check-in or do you think these are these just coincidental deposits from DRI members or other owners?

Both of those resorts are bulk banking resorts, and owners are not allowed to reserve a unit and deposit that week with II.

Thus, what you are seeing is a bulk deposit from the resort, and, yes, bulk deposits are typically made about one year in advance.

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

After a few months with no matches on searches that were started for a trip to Hawaii next November, we got three matches today, all DRI units. Two at the Point at Poipu and one at Kaanapali Beach club. Does anyone know if it is typical of DRI to deposit some units a bit more than 12 months prior to check-in or do you think these are these just coincidental deposits from DRI members or other owners?

For these resorts to show up in II, it is the resort(DRI) that has made the deposit as it is THE Club that is affiliated with II, not the resort. The Club appears to make initial banking a year out but also subsequent bankings in agreement with II as Club members use more points in II, DRI will have to satisfy II with additional deposit from somewhere.

Both of those resorts are bulk banking resorts, and owners are not allowed to reserve a unit and deposit that week with II.

Thus, what you are seeing is a bulk deposit from the resort, and, yes, bulk deposits are typically made about one year in advance.

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

After a few months with no matches on searches that were started for a trip to Hawaii next November, we got three matches today, all DRI units. Two at the Point at Poipu and one at Kaanapali Beach club. Does anyone know if it is typical of DRI to deposit some units a bit more than 12 months prior to check-in or do you think these are these just coincidental deposits from DRI members or other owners?

This is normal opperating procedure for DRI.

The only thing I would question is that it's a bulk bank. The Point and Kaanapali have both DRI trust units, units in their points program THE Club and deeded weeks. Deeded weeks can't be deposited until reservations are available to their owners and, with DRI that's typically 12 months in advance. THE Club and DRI trust unit inventory appears to be controlled by DRI and can be bulk banked by DRI. However, inventory in both THE Club and THE Club are suppose to be available to owners/members in THE Club at the 9 month mark before check in. If DRI is bulk banking those weeks that far in advance, then those units were never available to THE Club members and that's a shame. That's suppose to be one of the advantages of being a member of THE Club and paying membership dues in THE Club.

My guess is these are deposits by deeded week owners who are bailing out of Hawaii due to the high price of airfare or the economy in general. Some of the units might be the contractual obligation between THE Club and I.I. for deposits to back up their point value for exchange but, I still think this may be deeded week owners.

[philsfan Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close philsfan]

Thanks guys, this is all good to know. My impression of II and II members are that deposits usually show up later than 12 months ahead and people make plans less than 12 months ahead. If I know that DRI stuff is likely to be out there are 12 months, I can have my search started in plenty of time and scoop all of those slow pokes.

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

My guess is these are deposits by deeded week owners who are bailing out of Hawaii due to the high price of airfare or the economy in general. Some of the units might be the contractual obligation between THE Club and I.I. for deposits to back up their point value for exchange but, I still think this may be deeded week owners.

Unless they've changed the program, Doug, that's not the way it works at Poipu and Ka'anapali, at least for deeded owners.

Deeded owners can not deposit weeks directly into RCI, II, and SFX (SFX is included because SFX is (or used to be) affiliated with Po'ipu and Ka'anapali. The resorts make bulk deposits to those companies based on expected requests. In practice, the resorts overweight deposits during lower demand periods, so that there will be greater availability for owners during high demand periods.

If an owner does attempt to deposit directly with the exchange company, the exchange is supposed to refer the owner back to the resort to initiate the deposit request, even if the owner has already reserved a week. The resort will then assign a week to the owner from the resort's account, and take back the week the owner has already reserved.

The bulk deposits are typically made monthly about 12 months ahead of check-in.

I don't know how the obligations between the Club and II work, but I expect the Club probably makes regular deposits to II on at least a monthly basis to maintain some kind of balance in the Clubs account to offset the weeks being taken out of II by Club members. Presumably some portion of that inventory will be Club inventory at Po'ipu and Ka'anapali.

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

Unless they've changed the program, Doug, that's not the way it works at Poipu and Ka'anapali, at least for deeded owners.

Deeded owners can not deposit weeks directly into RCI, II, and SFX (SFX is included because SFX is (or used to be) affiliated with Po'ipu and Ka'anapali. The resorts make bulk deposits to those companies based on expected requests. In practice, the resorts overweight deposits during lower demand periods, so that there will be greater availability for owners during high demand periods.

If an owner does attempt to deposit directly with the exchange company, the exchange is supposed to refer the owner back to the resort to initiate the deposit request, even if the owner has already reserved a week. The resort will then assign a week to the owner from the resort's account, and take back the week the owner has already reserved.

The bulk deposits are typically made monthly about 12 months ahead of check-in.

I don't know how the obligations between the Club and II work, but I expect the Club probably makes regular deposits to II on at least a monthly basis to maintain some kind of balance in the Clubs account to offset the weeks being taken out of II by Club members. Presumably some portion of that inventory will be Club inventory at Po'ipu and Ka'anapali.

Interesting. That's different than how DRI has always done things at Polo Towers. At the Suite's at Polo Towers it's rather simplistic. The weeks are fixed unit/fixed week with the reservation automatically made for you each year. Once your reservation is made (12 months in advance) you can deposit it for exchange with I.I.

At the Villa's, they are all floating weeks. Owners can allow DRI to choose the week for deposit once they decide they want to deposit for exchange or, they can reserve a specific week and deposit that week for exchange. I have never heard of DRI makikng buld deposits for deeded week owners at Polo Towers in the past.

I had assumed that, since DRI was now managing these resorts, they would handle reservations and deposits for exchange in the same manner as they had at Polo Towers. In the end I suppose it all comes down to how the contracts were written as to how deposits are made for those resorts.

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

I had assumed that, since DRI was now managing these resorts, they would handle reservations and deposits for exchange in the same manner as they had at Polo Towers. In the end I suppose it all comes down to how the contracts were written as to how deposits are made for those resorts.

They would have to change the program rules to accomplish that in Hawai'i.

I'm one of the few TUG regulars who believes that bulk banking is universally abhorrent. I have no problem whatsoever with a floating reservation system implementing a bulk banking program for the purpose of maximizing the ability of owners to reserve at the resort during peak periods.

If you buy into a resort with the intention of using the resort regularly during peak times, a bulk banking program such as I describe is an advantage. Meanwhile, those who buy with the intent of trading should simply either buy fixed weeks or buy at a resort that does allow owners to select the week for deposit. Bulk banking is not the black-and-white good vs. evil situation that some people seem wont to characterize it.