Only DVC can trade into BWV

[Dumbo]

Dear fellow DVC members,

My family and I just returned from 5 nights at Disney's Hilton Head Resort yesterday. While there I happened to go by one of those DVC kiosk things where they have all those brochures about buying into the Disney Vacation Club. I picked up one of those brochures and read it at night back at our 2 bedroom villa. Here's what I read in it:

DVC is advertiseing in it's sales brochure that the Disney Vacation Club is the only timeshare vacation club that you can exchange into Boardwalk Villas. I take that to mean that DVC is blocking Interval International exchange members from tradeing into Boardwalk Villas. Sure, they can trade into Old Key West, Villas at Wilderness Lodge, Hilton Head, or Vero Beach. But not Boardwalk Villas.

I thought that was interesting, so I'm passing this info on to you.

Dumbo

 

[Dean]

DVC is not blocking trades into BW. However, the functioning of the trading system currently make it unlikely you'll see BW or WL show up as an II trade. The reason is that DVC will always deposit the lowest points for an exchange. That is usually OKW or sometimes HH. In this scenario, the only time you'll see the higher points properties show up is if nothing is available for exchange at a lower cost resort. Remember that the 7/11 months window and banking/borrowing rules apply to exchanges as well.

 

[Dumbo]

Dean,

I agree with what you are saying and I'm also aware of how DVC trades with II. But I thought it was interesting to see that DVC is advertiseing in it's sales material that the only way to get into BWV is through DVC or a cash reservation.

Dumbo

 

[bicker]

Could that be in resposne to word that some other timeshares are prominently promoting their participation in II as a means to get their buyers on-site WDW accommodations?

 

[Dean]

bicker, I doubt it. I suspect it wasn't even directed at other timeshares, only that the BW is sold out except for resales. The number of DVC units available for II members is pretty small period.

 

[Diznut84]

I would be surprised if II would be happy about DVC marketing in this manner. The notion of an exchange company is that it works both ways. DVC must give units to receive units. Boardwalk owners should not be able to exchange out without someone being able to exchange in. Are there any other timeshares that work in this manner? What if Marriott Cypress Harbour owners could request whatever they wanted but the only unit that Marriott would exchange would be at a different resort?

Furthermore, I don't think DVC helps itself by prohibiting members to use their DVC memberships to join II. II would almost certainly give DVC members bonus weeks for depositing, and where resorts only have 2BR units, would allow DVC members to search with only studios and 1BR units in exchange. II members would also have access to Getaways as well. The disadvantage would be that interested DVC members would then have to join II (and pay the annual membership fee). Of course, all of these options are still available with the smaller exchange companies.

 

[Dean]

Greg, the reference is to internal trading which is outside of II and does not affect them in any way. I'm sure that what ever DVC does is ok with II, they want to be able to put them in the book even if no one ever gets an exchange there. In general II (or RCI) doesn't much care what the resorts do as long as they get their listings and aren't overtly and agressively counter productive to what the exchange company plans to do. DVC, Marriott, etc. use the exchange company to their best advantage but not always to the advantage of their members. Remember that the system has changed slightly over the past 2-3 years to the advantage of the members. There was a time not long ago when the search first was limited to 18 mo out and studios could not be exchanged.

One of DVC's themes from day 1 has be exclusivity. Whether with II or RCI, they have always limited DVC exchangers to the cream of the crop, outside of Orlando. Their stated reason is to ensure a quality experience and I believe that is accurate. I, for one, don't like to be coddled so would prefer they left me to my own accord.

I agree with you in that the advantages of a direct membership with II out weigh the increased cost, at least for my family. The ability to deposit a Christmas studio and search for a 2 BR, bonus weeks, cash getaways, the wish book, etc. would make a welcome addition to many DVC members. The downside would likely be standard exchange fees ($109-124), no more search first 2 years out and the yearly membership fee. For the casual exchanger, this would eliminate them from exchanging. For the aggressive and knowledgeable timesharer, this would create a great opportunity.

Don't forget the independent exchange companies like SFX who will gladly accept DVC deposits, allow you to use a 1 BR to search for a larger unit and give a bonus week. Yearly membership is cheaper than II, you can do request first and they get access to inventory that II does not. SFX will not accept studio in Orlando however, which surprised me. I understand in general why but expected they'd bend any rules available to get a DVC deposit, I was wrong. I didn't deposit DVC with them but have since joined and using them to look for HI. Got an Embassy 1 BR on Kaanapali beach and am currently looking for a matching KI unit.

 

[Diznut84]

Hi Dean.

I'm not sure that the advertisement does refer to internal trading. Doesn't it suggest that DVC does not actually free up BWV units to II? That has certainly been understood by non-DVC timeshare owners, but the fact that DVC advertises the fact may be taking it to another level. I entirely agree with you that II will do anything to show the DVC resorts in their book (regardless of the tremendous difficulty getting an exchange). Doesn't it seem a bit unethical, though, to allow a company to list all of their properties in their book when they in practice will not exchange into them? What if Marriotts only deposited Birch at Vail units?

BTW, I also agree with you about using SFX rather than II. With the tremendous popularity of DVC, you would think that a studio would routinely be able to trade in for a 2BR unit. You and I both know of many studio units that are powerful traders (owned by TUGgers). I am surprised that SFX will not take your studio deposits.

 

[Dumbo]

Greg,

I think Fairfield does the same thing as DVC. If a Fairfield owner wants to exchange his points outside of the Fairfield system into RCI, what Fairfield does is deposit Fairfield points from another resort, not necessarily the owners resort, into the RCI pool.

Dumbo

 

[Diznut84]

Interesting, Dumbo. As I've been thinking about it, it is also very common to place exchangers into certain sections of a given resort. I just wasn't aware that entire resorts were categorically eliminated. It still strikes me as a bit disingenuous. Imagine II sending you a catalog showing you the beautiful resorts you can exchange into. Of course, none of them accept exchanges. They just exchange out. However, we do have a couple of units available on a nuclear waste site in Toxic Town.

 

[Dean]

Greg, it's not to say that DVC never gives up BW or WL, just that Member services searches to find a unit to deposit that's the lowest points. How often is it going to be that the lowest points available for a DVC member to deposit is BW or WLV. The only ways it would happen would be for only BW to be open, or nothing inside the 7 month window for a . My assumption was that II allowed this to try to get more deposits from DVC and I think it's been mildly successful. I've always viewed this as a light form of bulk spacebanking, only in reverse. The only difference is that it doesn't directly affect you trade value. II must give DVC a generic trade value. Dumbo is correct about FF and there are other resorts that do the same with RCI. Can't think of any others off hand that do that with II but I'm sure there must be.

It must refer to internal trading as DVC members cannot trade for other DVC properties through II, part of the rules.

As for violating the spirit of exchanging, many companies have an internal exchange system either outside of II like DVC, Fairfield, Bluegreen, Intrawest, etc or within II like Marriott. Don't think that you'll see Grande Ocean summer or Marriott HI open to non Marriott owners. There are many examples of resorts listed that will never be seen by the rank and file II member so I don't see this as any different.

The reason SFX said they wouldn't take the studio was that Orlando was a family vacation spot. I only asked once and it was a couple of years ago and things apparently change faster at the smaller companies than II and RCI where the rules are different every time you call depending on which VC you get. It's unlikely I'd exchange a DVC 1 BR unless I were getting a top 2 BR in return. Since I've recently joined SFX as a Platinum member, I'll ask them again when the need arises.

 

[Dean]

Greg, your last post brought to mind the Lawaii Beach Club where each building is listed separately with II (has it's own code) and they routinely put exchangers in the Coral building (worst building) even if the exchange was a match with one of the other buildings. The Cliff's club is similar as are a number of other resorts.

 

[Dumbo]

Dean,

Just to clarify. Here are the exact words from the sales brochure that I am holding in my hand:

"But even if you prefer to stay close to home, remember: ours is the only vacation ownership plan in the world that let's you enjoy vacation savings at Walt Disney World Resort Hotels like Disney's Boardwalk Villas and Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa."

Dumbo

 

[Diznut84]

Dean, I have no problem with the scenario that you have described, and that is the way that I have thought the system worked as well. But internal rules that govern deposits still strike me as being fundamentally different than advertising that DVC is the only timeshare club that can trade into Boardwalk. The rules that you discussed are the traditional view held by many TUGgers that accounts for why there are typically only OKW deposits. It virtually is always the case that OKW units will require less points and be more readily available than other resorts. Theoretically though, it is possible for BWV to be exchanged. I agree with you that this approach is very similar to Marriott creating a 21 day reservation window exclusively for other Marriott owners. As a result, GO summer weeks will probably never be exchanged into by non-Marriott owners. Nevertheless, the opportunity exists (and the availability is quite easy for off season).

In contrast, DVC seems to be advertising now that although BWV is in the II directory, non-DVC members have NO opportunity to get into the resort during any season. It is not a byproduct of some legitimate rules that govern external exchanges, but rather restricted by definition. In my opinion, that crosses the line for inclusion in II. II should only be able to display resorts that accept member exchanges.

Didn't someone on TUG recently indicate that Boardwalk units were deposited with II? I wonder if this is a change in policy...

Just read Dumbo's last post... Now I get it. So it still is theoretically possible to exchange into BWV timeshare units (just like it is possible to win the Powerball)!

 

[Dumbo]

Dean and Greg,

Just another thought from an elephant who eats too many bad peanuts:

Not all of the Interval International resorts are available for us DVC members to trade into. For whatever reason we are being blocked out of these resorts. Maybe DVC feels or has an agreement with II to do the same. Maybe it is a mutual agreement between them both.

Dumbo

 

[WebmasterDoc]

"But even if you prefer to stay close to home, remember: ours is the only vacation ownership plan in the world that let's you enjoy vacation savings at Walt Disney World Resort Hotels like Disney's Boardwalk Villas and Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa."

I think semantics may play a big role in this thread, but the above does NOT exclude any exchange- we are reading that into the statement.

We all know that GF is unavailable as an II exchange, but BWV is available as an exchange to DVC members on an as available basis at 7 months- while an II exchange is ONLY available if a BWV member exchanges out (and if DVC releases a BWV villa for exchange),

Since the DVC policy is to maximize the exchange benefit for DVC members- OKW or HH may well be more utilized as the exchange medium, but we have had reports here of BWV exchanges thru II.

Enjoy!

 

[Diznut84]

You hit the nail on the head, Doc! We were under the impression (until Dumbo's last post) that DVC would not allow ANY exchanges into BWV. The language on the actual brochure seems to indicate that DVC is the only vacation club that allows you to use your vacation ownership at Disney hotels.

It was interesting!

 

[Dean]

Greg, there was a person who recently posted that they had excahnged into BW in the past. Since the current policy of depositing the least points has only been in place for 2 or 3 years, my impression was that the exchange into BW happened before the current policy. I have not heard of anyone exchanging into BW since the procedural change of how the deposit is determined. That makes WL even more unlikely as will BCV be. Virtually all II deposits will be HH Adventure season and OKW Adventure and Dream with a few OKW magic. I would suspect that the only way VB, BW, WL and BC would show up realistically would be for deposit first using the 11 month home priority window. By rule DVC does not give up Premier season (Xmas, Easter) for II though no exclussion for independent exchanges.

There are a number of systems, Sun Club, FF for example that tend to deposit weaker resorts and weaker seasons than that owned or requested by the member. I'd hardly call any of the DVC resorts a true step down and the season is set by DVC-II contract. True if one wants BW or WL, not much hope but it's hardly like DVC is offering a lessor product.

Dumbo thanks for posting the info, doesn't sound like it's refering to exchanges at all.