trying to get some info. regarding RCI and a Florida trade for next Easter...

[lilycase Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close lilycase]

I tried asking this question on the DVC and TUG boards but no one seems to have anything to offer. I'm hoping someone who hasn't seen my question yet can help me on this board.

I called member services for DVC and requested a search using our DVC points...for a week's stay next Easter somewhere on Sanibel, Marco or Longboat Key. I was told that I should call back in a few weeks to check again to see if anything has come up. Apparently nothing was showing for anywhere in Florida.

Shouldn't I be waitlisted for the resorts I'm interested in and if nothing is showing up, add more choices to my request? I haven't done trades before and I thought I would be immediately put into the system to start a search rather than having to call again in a few weeks.

I guess I'm confused as to how it works.

Thanks for any tips,

Deb

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

Are you trading with RCI or DVC?

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

As I have searched SW FL in Snowbird Season through RCI almost every day since RCI.com began, you can forget about that request.

None of those areas have anything for Easter week.

[lilycase Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close lilycase]

Thanks for the reply JLB. I saw your other posts and was hoping you might have some insight.

That's kind of disheartening...especially since as DVC members, we're led to believe that we have a solid chance of getting anything we want because of the great trading power our points have.

Do you think I'd have better luck switching to one week earlier...the week before Easter? I've also considered President's week in February since our kids have a few days off then as well. I've also thought of expanding to any coastal area of Florida but I'm not really familiar with the quality of all the other resorts.

Wish I could get a better handle on it but I obviously don't have the ability to search RCI myself since we're not members.

We love our DVC points but thought it would be nice to go somewhere else for a change.

[bevvy5 Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close bevvy5]

I've gotten some February and March exchanges into Marco Island, but have gotten those exchanges almost two years to the day ahead of time.

That being said, I believe that the available exchanges for that area have significantly decreased in the last three years. You won't get an exchange if there are not deposits, and I think that's the problem.

My suggestion - rent something that you can cancel and hope for an exchange.

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

Thanks for the reply JLB. I saw your other posts and was hoping you might have some insight.

That's kind of disheartening...especially since as DVC members, we're led to believe that we have a solid chance of getting anything we want because of the great trading power our points have.


In other words, what all timeshare owners anywhere were told to get them to buy.

Do you think I'd have better luck switching to one week earlier...the week before Easter? I've also considered President's week in February since our kids have a few days off then as well. I've also thought of expanding to any coastal area of Florida but I'm not really familiar with the quality of all the other resorts.

Actually there has not been anything in March for quite some time. February is even worse, if it can be worse than nothing. It is because there is even less likely chance of anything becoming available in February. Those weeks are just so valuable and so many of those owners own to use, that not much gets deposited.

The week after Easter, 4/10, had more available, but still nothing on the caliber of what you are expecting.

You are right that the other coastal areas are not as desireable, but the next one in the pecking order would be SE.

Since RCI has such a nifty search engine now, here is what is available where for 4/2/10:

Fort Lauderdale [1]
Fort Walton Beach [1]
Kissimmee [1]
Orlando [1]
Pompano Beach [2]
Sebastian [1]
Titusville [1]
Vero Beach [3]
Weston [9]

4/3/10:

Bradenton Beach [1]
Charlotte Harbor [1]
Cocoa Beach [1]
Daytona Beach [2]
Daytona Beach Shores [4]
Destin [1]
Fort Lauderdale [1]
Fort Walton Beach [1]
Kissimmee [13]
Lehigh Acres [1]
North Redington Beach [2]
Orlando [1]
Ormond Beach [5]
Pompano Beach [2]
Sebastian [1]
Sebring [5]
St. Augustine [1]
Titusville [3]
Vero Beach [2]
Weston [9]

and 4/4/10:

Key Largo [1]
Kissimmee [9]
Orlando [3]
Weston [7]

[lilycase Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close lilycase]

wow, JLB, that is a huge help..thanks so much for taking the time to do that, I really appreciate it!

That actually gives me a bit more to go on. The gal I talked to today told me she didn't see anything, but then again, she may have been looking strictly in the gulf areas I mentioned earlier.

Does the North Redington area include the Redington Ambassador as one of the options? We might consider that. Or maybe we'll try Destin or Weston since we've never been to those areas.

The only Lauderdale resort we have listed as an option is Costa del Sol in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea. As DVC members, we only have 39 available options in FLorida to trade into.

Thanks again, you've been more help than anyone else has and based on your posts, you've got a good handle on it all....it's much appreciated!

Deb

Deb

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

wow, JLB, that is a huge help..thanks so much for taking the time to do that, I really appreciate it!

That actually gives me a bit more to go on. The gal I talked to today told me she didn't see anything, but then again, she may have been looking strictly in the gulf areas I mentioned earlier.

Does the North Redington area include the Redington Ambassador as one of the options? We might consider that. Or maybe we'll try Destin or Weston since we've never been to those areas.

The only Lauderdale resort we have listed as an option is Costa del Sol in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea. As DVC members, we only have 39 available options in FLorida to trade into.

Thanks again, you've been more help than anyone else has and based on your posts, you've got a good handle on it all....it's much appreciated!

Deb

Deb

No problem . . . slim's friends at RCI make it so easy now.

Grand Shores West (#0428) 3 available units
North Redington Beach
FL, 33708 USA
Available Unit Size
Studio (4 max)
Studio (2 max)
04/03/2010

Smuggler's Cove Resort (#0765) 1 available unit
Bradenton Beach
FL, 34217 USA
Available Unit Size
Studio (2 max)
Check-In Date
04/03/2010

Coral Tides Condominiums (#0413) 1 available unit
Pompano Beach
FL, 33062 USA
Available Unit Size
Studio (4 max)
Check-In Date
04/03/2010

Wyndham Sea Gardens (#2890) 1 available unit
Pompano Beach
FL, 33062 USA
Available Unit Size
Hotel (2 max)
Check-In Date
04/03/2010

Driftwood Inn Resort (#0299) 2 available units
Vero Beach
FL, 32963 USA
Available Unit Size
Studio (4 max)
Check-In Date
04/03/2010

Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort (#2121) 1 available unit
Fort Lauderdale
FL, 33304 USA
Available Unit Size
1 BR (6 max)
Check-In Date
04/02/2010

Lighthouse Cove Resort (#0766) 1 available unit
Pompano Beach
FL, 33062
Available Unit Size
Studio (4 max)
Check-In Date
04/02/2010

Wyndham Sea Gardens (#2890) 1 available unit
Pompano Beach
FL, 33062 USA
Available Unit Size
Studio (4 max)
Check-In Date
04/02/2010

Driftwood Inn Resort (#0299) 3 available units
Vero Beach
FL, 32963 USA
Available Unit Size
Studio (4 max)
1 BR (4 max)
Check-In Date
04/02/2010

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

Yeah, you didn't get much help OY.

I don't know why folks would guess and speculate instead of taking a look.

[lilycase Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close lilycase]

wow, there's the problem...none of the resorts you mention are on the list that DVC can trade into.

Bummer...but I'll keep trying...thanks again JLB!

Deb

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

wow, there's the problem...none of the resorts you mention are on the list that DVC can trade into.

Bummer...but I'll keep trying...thanks again JLB!

Deb

Really!!!

There must be some sort of quality block, so that DVC owners do not have to slum it, and be upset.

Speaking of which, I saw the following on my morning walk. It was there before, but I did not share it cuz it's so far below your expectations:

Charlotte Bay Resort and Club (#5107) 1 available unit
Charlotte Harbor
FL, 33980 USA
Available Unit Size
2 BR (6 max)
Check-In Date
04/03/2010

The same resort is the only one that has been available for the week we need, to go with another lesser resort we already have for the following week.

In a nutshell, without having to read my SW FL in January blog, that is how it is now, scrambling to settle for stuff we never would have considered five years ago, and feeling lucky if we can get the right dates at a lesser resort.

Since I am now trading with a peak season, 2-bedroom Gold Crown, with a fairly high maintenance fee, that bites.

Makes me wanna rant incoherently.

[lilycase Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close lilycase]

That does bite! I guess if nothing shows up, we can always go back to Plan B and stay at one of the Disney resorts...there's always Vero Beach and Hilton as options which we've never tried.

We've had DVC since 2003 and since our kids are young, it's always been a choice to spend time there. But I do love the coasts...been to Marco once, Madeira Beach and St. Pete area several times and several times on the Atlantic side. Never in a TS though, that's why I came over to this board to see if I could get some insight.

I've bookmarked, so I'll be reading this thread on a regular basis...thanks for all the info! And I'm still going to try for something next April

Deb

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

Hi Deb,

If you wouldn't mind staying in Destin, FL, I'd check with DVC Member Services and see if you can book through the Buena Vista Trading Company selection at Club Intrawest in Destin. It's set up on a per point basis per night like DVC - the weekends are higher.

If you log onto the DVC site, you can find the point charts for Club Intrawest by clicking on World Passport Collection, then Buena Vista Trading Company. You'll have to scroll your PDF document to the bottom of the page to see Destin's points.

Club Intrawest is supposed to be very nice.

JLB knows about availability in SW Florida extremely well. I"ve been known to pick his brain on Branson.

[lilycase Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close lilycase]

Thanks littlestar! I actually thought about Club Intrawest in Destin....it looks pretty nice! I might consider that as well if nothing else works out. It's good to have people here throw out their knowledge and experiences.

I do wish there were more choices through Buena Vista Trading in the FL area but Destin is a definite possibility!

Deb

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

That CI Destin resort looks very very nice....