New criticism of OLCC on TUG

[4ARedOctober Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close 4ARedOctober]

When you have a specific exchange you are going for then post it and ask.....usually several people will give you advice on what your chances are of getting a good unit. There is no 'one way' to do it.......and nothing is guaranteed....but there are many ways to line things up in your favor....just ask....if you don't get advice then either people don't know or don't want to tell you....or if it is others who ask then perhaps some people handle it via PM....I know of several resorts how to do it and I usually handle it via pm since some people take pleasure in raining on everyones parade.

I never figured out how to 'work the system' of getting perfect exchanges. We were always lucky to get decent units in exchanges (except for Bonita Beach Club), but it wasn't because we learned any system or bribed anyone. Please tell me how to 'work the system' in order to be guaranteed a good unit as an exchange? We always took what we were assigned, in other words ALL our exchanges were a crapshoot as far as unit assignment.

[4ARedOctober Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close 4ARedOctober]

Wow I didn't know timeshareforums has been around for over five years.....guess I have been missing out......whatever.

I have been on timeshare forums for almost 6 years now and I have never seen a post on 'how to get your perfect timeshare unit' via an exchange. As a matter of fact, many of our RCI exchanges listed the unit already assigned on our confirmation. But if you know the 'system' then good for you.

[tonyg Goomba & Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tonyg]

It appears that the Orange Lake problem is all due to what I call prejudicial assignments. In timesharing, I believe that a deposited unit with the exchange company should be the unit given to the party confirming the exchange. It's a very simple and straightforward way to do things. When a resort assigns units on check-in, the possibility of giving exchangers getting inferior units exists and it makes for a confusing and hectic check in situation. When one has been around a while and paid attention, they know which resorts treat exchangers fairly and which ones do not or may not. Giving inferior units to exchangers will result in complaints which will possibly result in bad evaluations which may reduce VEP and demand. The worst case scenario is that only novices and people from low VEP resorts will exchange in and the resort will lose VEP and trade power. This is not the way I want my resorts to operate.

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

All this talk is making me want to cancel my 2007 exchange into OLCC while I can.

No way, When in Orlando how much time is spent in the unit? The resort itself is huge and it is great. So many different areas to play around in the resort itself. You could spend 4-5 days at each of the pools that are there. Don't let the room change your mind.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

I have been on timeshare forums for almost 6 years now and I have never seen a post on 'how to get your perfect timeshare unit' via an exchange. As a matter of fact, many of our RCI exchanges listed the unit already assigned on our confirmation. But if you know the 'system' then good for you.

and you never asked via post for information on the unit? Shame on you!

I have turned down plenty of exchanges because of the unit on the confirmation.

Even Sunterra Powhattan and Sedona Ridge which do not assign units on the confirmation gave me my "requests" made with information provided by folks like Spence or reviews or people that were kind enough to stop by and check out the resort for me.

Unfortunately, even armed with information for OLCC and prior requests did nothing to glitz up our accomodations as exchangers.

IMHO that is what these boards are supposed to be here for to give you an edge.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

What do other resorts do then? Are they ALL prejudiced against exchangers?

There are many exchangers (on this very board) that have gotten 3 bedroom units into the new East Village at OLCC and 3 bedroom units in the North Village (JLB being one), so how can you call OLCC's unit assignments prejudicial against exchangers. Or did they 'work the sytem' as October calls it?

All the 3 bedrooms are in the newer sections. The true exchanger gamble is when you accept a 2 bedroom 8/6 unit, particularly on a busy week.

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

Lawren, I couldn't have said it better myself

We don't need a three-bedroom, but it sounds as if they are all very nice, a guarantee of a much newer unit. I doubt that I will ever get one because our next OLCC trip will be a 7500 point exchange. So $219 for a full week, I will take a two bedroom.

I don't think I want a studio in the main building. During our 1991 tour, I thought those places were tiny.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

Information on a certain unit, no. I'm not sure anyone would know exact info on a given unit at every resort.

We never turned down any unit on our confirmation(s). We took our chances with what was provided us. I didn't even know you could turn down a pre- assigned unit unless you started your search over losing your exchange fee.

You'd be surprised what you can find out in the "no penalty" 24 hour hold phase...

as an example: I have a trade for 2007 last week June into Golden Strand on OBX. Easily found out our unit is a "partial" ocean view. Better than parking lot view and that is a very hard trade to get, so I took it. Being one of what I call my "location, location" resorts I don't expect more than clean and spartan but I am ON THE BEACH! with a partial view.

Usually the information is there if you look hard enough.

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

You got that right......I have seen the extremes in all the so called Gold Crown, RID or Silver Crown RCI ratings......a lot of variance and not really a strong standard IMHO......if the developer is still in sales then I am even more suspicious.

Edit: Oh and that goes for II ratings as well.

I agree with John, Gold Crown is meaningless..
Aquamarine Villas in Oceanside is "Gold Crown" Its far down on my list of So Cal Beach resorts.. many of which are not Gold Crown

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

Information on a certain unit, no. I'm not sure anyone would know exact info on a given unit at every resort.

I know all the details of every unit at So Cal Beach Club.

If I don't know details for a particular resort.. I ask on TS4M's, Tug and call the resort.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

This is exactly the position I put forward not long ago Over Yonder.

One of my points was the amount of labor it ties up when a resort has to assign every unit every week, especially when it amounts to several hundred units. I contacted OL and talked to them about it. They are normally responsive, but this is an issue they would not discuss. They actually said how they go about assigning exchanges is an RCI function. Period. They gave me an OL RCI number to call.

I did and talked to an RCI OL rep. All I wanted was for someone to say why it is they don't just let exchangers have the deposited unit. RCI didn't much want to talk about it either. Eventually the answer was because that's the way they want to do it. Period. When I asked about owners getting preferential unit assignment, and that possibly being the reason why OL is willing to do all the extra work involved in doing the unit assignment, I recall that the answer was Yes.

Of course when I explained these conversations Over Yonder I pretty much got the butt-out non-owner response.

I also sense a split personality at OL regarding RCI. Mostly OL wants RCI to have as little involvement as possible, yet they seem to want them around as someone to pass the buck to.

And, for the 1 millionth time (it seems), we have never gotten a bad unit at OL. We only get 3-bedroom units. But others we talk to when we're there have not been as happy as us.

It appears that the Orange Lake problem is all due to what I call prejudicial assignments. In timesharing, I believe that a deposited unit with the exchange company should be the unit given to the party confirming the exchange. It's a very simple and straightforward way to do things. . .

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

We don't need a three-bedroom, but it sounds as if they are all very nice, a guarantee of a much newer unit. I doubt that I will ever get one because our next OLCC trip will be a 7500 point exchange. So $219 for a full week, I will take a two bedroom.

I don't think I want a studio in the main building. During our 1991 tour, I thought those places were tiny.

$219 vs my total costs of +/- $600 for the week? Yeah plain vanilla is just fine. Otherwise you won't see me back there unless I can confirm a 3 bedroom even though we don't need that much room either.

Do you remember monkey? He was going on about how you could sleep like 30 people in some of those studios. ( of course I'm exagerating here but I think it was 8 ). No balcony, windows don't open and parking issues at all times. No thank you.

Orlando is not very high up on my "return" list anyway.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

I see there must be a discussion about calling RCI to see what unit(s) is/are available.

I do that frequently. The only reason I have not confirmed our Jan, 2008, SW Florida weeks is because we do not want to be in the units that are available. Who wants to look at a parking lot or a trash dumpster for a week when you could be looking at a beautiful bay/beach/ocean?

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

OL is the biggest feather in RCI's hat. There isn't anything that OL could do or not do to change that. If there was ever a case of the tail wagging the dog, this is it.

This is not just me blowing smoke, this is what sales people at OL have told us in their presentations. It's very similar to the mind-set at Westgate~~~you're either with us or you are ignorant, uninformed lowlifes.

You might as well take the surveys and complaint forms and put them in the trash.

For OL to maintain a GC rating through all these years i am sure that the people that are unhappy is very few.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

another sharp cookie

weren't we just discussing this?

http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24332