If I do a search for Orlando from now to 60 days out, there are very few 2 bedrooms. After 60 days, there are many 2 bedrooms.
It's pretty obvious to me people are saving their upgrade fees and grabbing at 59 days. Makes it tough to get something last-minute.
I think there's been several changes over the last few years which have created a shift in available inventory. The upgrade fee is a part of that but, I would have expected to see more, not fewer, larger units as people refuse to pay an additional $99 per size upgrade. Going from a high season studio to a low season 2 bedroom just double in price when you add the $198 in upgrade fee's to the cost. I know I haven't taken a larger unit, or deposited a studio unit, with II since this fee wa implemented.
I think there's a different issue creating a shortage of available larger units than what might have been seen in the past and this goes back to the developer/management companies. In the past few years more and more companies have been at work creating "exclusive" clubs for their members. Internal exchange clubs where it's cheaper and easier for their members to get what they want. It's made it so owners within these groups are more reluctant to trade out of those clubs, thus denying II the variety of units once seen by everyone. Once Marriott went to its Destinations Club they gained a larger control over their inventory, giving themselves the ability to lock in the better weeks for Marriott owners and locking out everyone else. It gives their sales staff the ability to say you need to own with us to stay with us. It also gives them leverage against someone saying they'd rather own a cheap MF week and trade in vs buying a week with Marriott. Many developers seem to have adopted this tactic and, it very well may be working for them based on some of the posts I've seen here.
Which takes me back to my mantra of own where you're happiest staying or, with a group that provides you the destinations you desire most. Exchanging is like standing on shifting sands. What works today might not work tomorrow. You need to be able to adapt as they continue to change the rules. It's not a fixed target but one that keeps moving all the time. Since 1998 we've seen a lot of changes, going from fixed weeks to floating weeks to points to clubs, and it's required versatility, flexibility and persistence to continue to get what we want out of time sharing. In the past few years we've even divested ourselves of 3 timeshares which either no longer fit our needs or became to expensive with all their fee's and Club expenses that they no longer provided the value we demanded.
