Ins and outs of Interval. It is what it is.

[bnoble]

Daytona Rep: I don't have any skin in this game, but from where I sit, you are doing yourself more harm than good with your attitude. It wasn't perhaps the warmest welcome, but new folks here from "the industry" are always examined with a jaundiced eye---and, history shows that this is often with good reason.

There are others here---a few---who make their living in the timeshare industry and are also highly valued, because they give sound, objective advice without regard to their own personal gain. There are many many more who come and go and are clearly doing nothing than promoting their own businesses. If your words show that you are one of the former, you will be welcomed. If you plan to be one of the latter, you won't find it very pleasant here, and you won't be missed when you inevitably leave.

[Justjean]

Please do walk us through browsing for specifics at II when you have not yet deposited your week. Would love to know how to do this.

[Ryne08]

We are Gold Members and we enjoy the Get A Way Special Feature.

[Justjean]

[quote=GrayFal;331656]II is the polar opposite of RCI - all your resorts/weeks are listed in your account.

You click on the 'exchange' screen and
1. click on 'search all destinations' (or single destination or resort codes)
2. Travel window - dates and
3. number of guests - I always leave it on the default 1 - and then hit continue.

You are brought to a page which lists all your ownership weeks -
you click on 'Vacation Exchange' and you are then brought to the next page that has all the availability for the time frame using that particular unit.....

//

Ok, my experience has been different. After the page which lists any available ownership weeks [any you have paid your maintenance on] with your home resort, it asks you to select which week you would like to exchange.

THEN I get a page asking for a reservation number. Someone has suggested you use a dummy number such as 9999999, but there is no public suggestion like this for the average owner. [Why not?] If you don't list a number you can go no further.

Also, if you are trying to research in advance, but have not paid your maintenace fees way in advance there is no way they will let you look around. If I am wrong, please let me know.

[GrayFal]

Originally Posted by Justjean

Ok, my experience has been different. After the page which lists any available ownership weeks ... with your home resort, it asks you to select which week you would like to exchange.

THEN I get a page asking for a reservation number. THIS IS WHY I SAID THERE WAS 'VARIETIES' AND I JUST CHOSE THE EASIEST EXAMPLE - I OWN SEVERAL MARRIOTT WEEKS - MARRIOTT RESERVATION NUMBERS START WITH AN "8" AND ARE 8 DIGITS LONG - SO 89897898 OR 81234567 WILL WORK

Someone has suggested you use a dummy number such as 9999999, but there is no public suggestion like this for the average owner.
EACH "SYSTEM" IS DIFFERENCE - YOU NEED TO TELL US WHAT U OWN SO WE CAN HELP YOU
[Why not?]
BECAUSE U DIDN'T ASK US
If you don't list a number you can go no further.
THAT IS CORRECT

IT IS ALSO OKAY TO USE A REAL RESERVATION NUMBER YOU RECEIVED FROM YOUR RESORT WHEN U MADE A RESERVATION - EVEN IF IT IS LAST YEARS...THIS WAY U KNOW U HAVE THE CORRECT FORMAT.

Also, if you are trying to research in advance, but have not paid your maintenance fees way in advance there is no way they will let you look around.
THAT IS NOT CORRECT - II HAS NO WAY OF KNOWING IF U PAID YOUR FEE OR NOT.
THEY DO NOT VERIFY THAT U HAVE PAID YOUR FEE UNTIL U DEPOSIT YOUR WEEK OR IF YOU DO AN EXCHANGE ONLINE BEFORE DEPOSITING.
LAST YEAR, I USED A WEEK I HAD NOT DEPOSITED OR PAID THE FEE ON TO MAKE AN INSTANT EXCHANGE ON II - THIS WAS AT 8 PM.
AT 9 AM THE NEXT DAY, I CALLED MY RESORT AND PAID THE FEE - THIS WAY WHEN II VERIFIED MY DEPOSIT WITH THE RESORT - IT SHOWED AS PAID AND THE EXCHANGE WAS FINALIZED

If I am wrong, please let me know.SEE ABOVE

[GrayFal]

duplicate post

[GrayFal]

Originally Posted by Justjean

Please do walk us through browsing for specifics at II when you have not yet deposited your week. Would love to know how to do this.

Please see the below post

Originally Posted by GrayFal

II is the polar opposite of RCI - all your resorts/weeks are listed in your account.

You click on the 'exchange' screen and
1. click on 'search all destinations' (or single destination or resort codes)
2. Travel window - dates and
3. number of guests - I always leave it on the default 1 - and then hit continue.

You are brought to a page which lists all your ownership weeks -
you click on 'Vacation Exchange' and you are then brought to the next page that has all the availability for the time frame using that particular unit.....

You click on the area u like and if u see something you want you can then exchange - or not.

This is a simple explanation/version
but that it is.....

More info from II website

Q. How do I "search" for an exchange?

It's easy, and you don't have to deposit a week before you start your search. On the vacation exchange page, just select where and when you'd like to travel and click continue.

Select the previously deposited week or available week you'd like to use for your exchange.

If you are using a week still available to you (not yet deposited), you may be asked to provide the check-in date and/or reservation number before you continue.

Then you'll be shown a list of units available for exchange for your specified date and destination.

AND

How do I make an instant exchange confirmation online?

Simple instructions are provided to guide you through the entire process, but your first step will be to select a destination and a time period during which you'd be willing to travel.

Then you'll need to deposit the unit you'd like to exchange.

Based on the vacation parameters you've chosen and the week you've deposited, Interval's computers will search for exchange possibilities. A selection of resort weeks will display from which you can instantly confirm an exchange.

You can cancel the transaction any time prior to selecting "Submit" on the payment information page.

You'll receive a confirmation number after submitting your payment details.

[dougp26364]

Originally Posted by d1950m

How do you "browse" through what is available without depositing your week?

Never mind, I see this question has been adressed quite nicely. Amost all of our exchanges have been done as request first and usually using I.I.'s online search feature. It's really very simple if you spend a little time learning how to use Interval's web site.

[dougp26364]

Originally Posted by Justjean

...... After the page which lists any available ownership weeks [any you have paid your maintenance on] with your home resort, .......

This depends on the HOA of the resort you own. For instance Marriott resorts do NOT require pre-payment of next years MF's to exchange.

THEN I get a page asking for a reservation number. Someone has suggested you use a dummy number such as 9999999, but there is no public suggestion like this for the average owner. [Why not?] If you don't list a number you can go no further.

You'll need to know the format that your resort uses for resevation #'s. For instance, one of our resorts requires a 4 digit number AND a valid unit number to preform a search. Antother uses any 7 digit number. One other uses a 6 digit number that begins with 8. If you use the wrong format for that particular resort, the sytem recognizes that it can't be a valid number and kicks you out.

Of course, if you have a valid reservation number. It's a lot easier. Plus, with valid reservation number you can search and confirm exchanges. With a fake number you can only search.

Also, if you are trying to research in advance, but have not paid your maintenace fees way in advance there is no way they will let you look around. If I am wrong, please let me know.

This is just not true. We've owned since 1998 and have been exchanging through Interval since 2000. As I've mentioned above, most but not all of the resorts we own require pre-payment of MF's to CONFIRM and exchange. None require pre-payment to search.

Pre-payment of MF's is strictly up to you HOA. Our Marriott weeks do not require pre-payment. Our Diamond Resorts units do require per-payment to confirm but not to search. Our Grand Regency week in Branson only started requiring pre-payment this year because of defaults from owners on their MF's. Otherwise, Grand Regency did not require pre-payment to reserve or exchange.

[iconnections]

Originally Posted by Justjean

Ok, my experience has been different. After the page which lists any available ownership weeks [any you have paid your maintenance on] with your home resort, it asks you to select which week you would like to exchange.

THEN I get a page asking for a reservation number. Someone has suggested you use a dummy number such as 9999999, but there is no public suggestion like this for the average owner. [Why not?] If you don't list a number you can go no further.

Also, if you are trying to research in advance, but have not paid your maintenace fees way in advance there is no way they will let you look around. If I am wrong, please let me know.

I believe you are wrong. I searched yesterday with two resorts with a phony number that I haven't paid maintenance fees for or deposited either. One was a Marriott (MM1) and the other one was Laguna Surf (LAS). I know that I have to pay maintenance fees for LS, if I deposit but not for the Marriott, I believe. Am I right Pat?

It's all very confusing for me too as we seldom exchange but I still like to know how to do this myself. In the past, we have always called the exchange companies if we made an exchange.

I know one thing and that is that many people here know more than most people in the timeshare business and they share their information freely and are very helpful answering questions too.

Welcome to TS4MS, if you like to fit in.