[2014] Likelihood of successful trade: Mountainside for Ko'Olina

Planning for 2015 ...

I am hopeful to trade my 2BR Mountainside July 4 week for a 2BR Ko'Olina Spring Break week.

According to the DC points chart, the equivalency of this trade is good (Mountainside=4450 , Ko'Olina=4050).

My summer Mountainside week can only be redeemed for 2475 points, so a full-week Interval trade is the only way to go.

From your trading experience, can anyone help me with predicting the success of this trade? Do I have a good chance?

Is your spring break the week before Easter next year, the week after or an entirely different week? Have you already put in the request using your 2014 week or do you have to wait until you reserve your 2015 week?

One more. How much ahead of time would be the minimal you would accept? 6 months, 3 months, less than 2 months?

My spring break week is immediately before Easter.

I have not yet made my 2015 Mountainside reservation. I am able to reserve at the 13-month mark, so I am fairly confident about getting the July 4 week at Mountainside.

After I make my 2015 Mountainside reservation, then I will place the trade request with Interval.

I would need a Ko'Olina trade confirmation at least 6 months ahead of time for booking reasonable airline tickets.

I don't think your chances are that good. You are requesting 9 months ahead and need to be confirmed within 2 months. You have one resort only and one week only. Marriott deposits seem very late (but very plentiful for Hawaii). There were several sightings for this week (the week before Easter) in the last 3 weeks. Owner deposits are going to be 13 months or 12 months prior if they are exchanging through II -not that many do to the likely downtrade in II- minimally they will lock off and then deposit or elect DC points. I don't think there will be very many deposit between 9 and 6 months prior either. I think owner deposits would be fairly late - but not as late as Marriotts.

To top that off many wanting Spring break already have their requests in. So I think there will be a fair number of people with equal or better deposits ahead of you in line for the few deposits that will be made during the time frame you are looking at. I know I always but in my Spring break requests for HHI 12-18 months in advance but I often only deposit a one bedroom.

I have a different opinion than most. If I took the advice that my chances were slim, we probably wouldn't have confirmed half the exchanges we've made.

Having said that, the landscape, IMHO, has changed with the introduction of the DC. The DC appears to have a deal in place with I.I. giving them first choice at exchanges on weeks deposited with I.I. by giving I.I. an "equivelent value". Whether that's a week of "equivelent value" or a few lower value weeks that equal an "equivelent value" could be debated. For that matter I'm not 100% certain this is fact or just something I've read on TUG that's assumed.

In the event that the DC has first crack any weeks deposited with I.I., I think I'd be looking at request first exchanges. In that manner the DC only gets a shot at a desirable week if they confirm the requested exchange. Seems like it might increase your chances.

Another issue you're likely to run into is if you request one specific week at one specific resort. The only exchange I've had difficulty confirming was that sort of exchange. Ours was complicated a little further in that I'd only accept a Friday check in day. It took nearly 6 months before the exchange was confirmed and it trading from a higher value season to a lower value season within the MVCI system.

I say give it a shot but, have a back up plan. If it were me I'd confirm a week I could use at my home resort, then do a request first exchange. If I got down to less than 5 months before our desired travel date I'd consider other options. If possible I'd request any of the MVCI resorts in Hawaii to increase our chances.

This is what we did when we exchanged a March Grand Chateau 2 bedroom week for a March 2 bedroom Waiohia week. BTW, the exchange was confirmed the first week our requested week was available for owners to deposit at the 12 month mark. The TUG concensses was we'd have a tough time exchanging Vegas for Hawaii during spring break (our spring break is in March).

I agree that the landscape has changed with the introduction of the DC and this does seem to have negatively impacted II exchange success rates, so I now apply similar tactics to you with my exchange requests.
Whether the DC has a deal in place with II, in the way you suggest, I guess it will be nigh on impossible to know but for sure some form of change is in play.

dougp26364 said:

I have a different opinion than most. If I took the advice that my chances were slim, we probably wouldn't have confirmed half the exchanges we've made.

Having said that, the landscape, IMHO, has changed with the introduction of the DC. The DC appears to have a deal in place with I.I. giving them first choice at exchanges on weeks deposited with I.I. by giving I.I. an "equivelent value". Whether that's a week of "equivelent value" or a few lower value weeks that equal an "equivelent value" could be debated. For that matter I'm not 100% certain this is fact or just something I've read on TUG that's assumed.

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Another way

Something else to consider is to rent the unit on Marriott.com using the MOD rate or more if you are Premier or Premier Plus. Then when your trade comes through you just cancel or if not then you can rent out your unit. You could also rent out the points if you are a DC member.

Based on the past two years - you should be able to get the week before Easter as these are the weeks I traded for last year and this year. Most probably it will be about 2-4 months in advance but not 6-12 usually. As long as you are ok with getting closer to the date, you should be able to get what you need.

Not sure if you have other units to trade but both years I used studio units to trade for 2 br units with instant exchanges. No need to use a 2br to trade for it.

Quadmaniac said:

Based on the past two years - you should be able to get the week before Easter as these are the weeks I traded for last year and this year. Most probably it will be about 2-4 months in advance but not 6-12 usually. As long as you are ok with getting closer to the date, you should be able to get what you need.

Not sure if you have other units to trade but both years I used studio units to trade for 2 br units with instant exchanges. No need to use a 2br to trade for it.

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You traded a studio unit for a 2 br @ Ko Olina during spring break! two years in a row!! Make me immediately regret buying there .

magicjourney said:

You traded a studio unit for a 2 br @ Ko Olina during spring break! two years in a row!! Make me immediately regret buying there .

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Actually, to tell you the truth it was 2 weeks in a 2br in Ko Olina using two studios each year. This week and next week and last year was this exact time as the LPGA was being played at Ko Olina Golf course just like it is this week.

Ko Olina is much easier to get than Maui and I usually get a 2 br whereas I mostly get 1 br in MMO. I prefer Ko Olina now as there are more choices for places to eat and easier to get larger units in a greater choice of dates. Much less crowded too.

I've had an ongoing request for several months trying for a 2BR mid-March week 2015 (our Spring Break) at either Waiohai or Maui Lahaina and have had no luck yet. Obviously the so-called 12 month deposits have already come and gone to no avail.

I am using a 2013 week 49 Waiohai as my deposit. It was deposited around May 2013.


P.S. - I've also had 5 mid summer 2014 weeks at Grande Ocean on that search with no luck.

I just got my Interval International exchange confirmation today for a Ko'Olina 2BR unit. I traded 2BR Park City Mountainside during the summer for a 2BR Ko'Olina during spring break.

Although others might have urged me to try trading only the studio portion for a 2BR unit, I am very happy with the exchange.

So I have a few questions for the experienced exchangers.

Is there any way of knowing before actual check-in what view category I will be getting. My Interval International certificate says: "This certificate does not guarantee a view or location."

Do exchangers automatically get an island/mountain view unit? We own five weeks (including one week at Ko'Olina). We also have Destinations Club Premier status and Marriott Rewards Platinum Elite status. Will any of that influence the unit assignment for this exchange?

gblotter said:

I just got my Interval International exchange confirmation today for a Ko'Olina 2BR unit. I traded 2BR Park City Mountainside during the summer for a 2BR Ko'Olina during spring break.

Although others might have urged me to try trading only the studio portion for a 2BR unit, I am very happy with the exchange.

So I have a few questions for the experienced exchangers.

Is there any way of knowing before actual check-in what view category I will be getting. My Interval International certificate says: "This certificate does not guarantee a view or location."

Do exchangers automatically get an island/mountain view unit? We own five weeks (including one week at Ko'Olina). We also have Destinations Club Premier status and Marriott Rewards Platinum Elite status. Will any of that influence the unit assignment for this exchange?

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If you look in your II exchange history, it tells you the view category. That said, you will receive an email within a couple weeks of check in from Marriott asking for your preferences that will also tell you to expect a mountain view assignment. In my case, I requested a dedicated 2br ocean view in the Naia tower and fortunately received a 6th floor dedicated 2br ocean view. Granted, occupancy is lower in January, so maybe that has something to do with it.

gblotter, did you just get the exchange or did you get it the 6 months+ you were hoping?

I'm not sure if ko'olina is one thAt they generAlly keep the view from the exchange or automatically default you to island view.

tschwa2 said:

gblotter, did you just get the exchange or did you get it the 6 months+ you were hoping?

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I just received the exchange confirmation today (not in the 6 months+ window I was hoping for).

tschwa2 said:

I'm not sure if ko'olina is one thAt they generAlly keep the view from the exchange or automatically default you to island view.

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Because I traded Mountainside for Ko'Olina, there is no view category at Mountainside to carry over. I don't know if that works for me or against me in this case.

gblotter said:

I just received the exchange confirmation today (not in the 6 months+ window I was hoping for).

Because I traded Mountainside for Ko'Olina, there is no view category at Mountainside to carry over. I don't know if that works for me or against me in this case.

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It doesn't matter what view your deposited week had. II doesn't give you any preference based on what view you own.

Beefnot's instructions are to look at your exchange history on your II account. There should be a 4 or 5 letters (ZZAB or ?) that indicate the view on the week you have exchanged into.

However, Ko'Olina doesn't always follow the view designation on exchanges. I'm Marriott platinum and have usually received my assigned view. For awhile I was getting great views on high floors. However my last 2 stays (in 2014) were both on lower floors (3 & 4) with very limited views. It seems like they have started giving exchangers the units with a poor or limited view.

It's a great property and the grounds are beautiful. You'll enjoy it, regardless of the view from your unit.

Beefnot said:

If you look in your II exchange history, it tells you the view category.

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My Interval International exchange history shows "ZZBA (2 bedrooms)" as the unit type. Perhaps some tugger can tell me what view category is ZZBA.

Beefnot said:

That said, you will receive an email within a couple weeks of check in from Marriott asking for your preferences that will also tell you to expect a mountain view assignment.

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Very helpful information. So ZZBA really does not matter in any case. This is what I suspected/expected.

Beefnot said:

In my case, I requested a dedicated 2br ocean view in the Naia tower and fortunately received a 6th floor dedicated 2br ocean view. Granted, occupancy is lower in January, so maybe that has something to do with it.

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I may get lucky (as in your case), or I may be overlooking the dumpsters. You pays yo money and you takes yo chances.

I think the trend to getting these types of exchanges at 60 days out is continuing. We secured our 1/31 check in to Marriott Waiohai at just over 60 days out (using a White week Shadow Ridge) and it looks like this is about the same time frame. We also traded a 2-Bedroom since we knew we had to have that size of a unit and did not want to risk not getting the trade based on unit size (or a smaller unit we could not use). We made a backup reservation just in case so we could book FF tickets ahead of time as the savings of the flights would have paid for the backup reservation if needed (but we did not need the reservation in the end).

gblotter said:

My Interval International exchange history shows "ZZBA (2 bedrooms)" as the unit type. Perhaps some tugger can tell me what view category is ZZBA.

Very helpful information. So ZZBA really does not matter in any case. This is what I suspected/expected.

I may get lucky (as in your case), or I may be overlooking the dumpsters. You pays yo money and you takes yo chances.

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Take a look at post #197 in this thread. ZZBA is a lock-off penthouse unit, ocean view!! You scored big-time!! I hope they give you the view & penthouse unit. You'll love it!
http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=163130

LAX Mom said:

Take a look at post #197 in this thread. ZZBA is a lock-off penthouse unit, ocean view!! You scored big-time!! I hope they give you the view & penthouse unit. You'll love it!
http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=163130

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Yes - I noticed that.

However, I also noticed that resort management reserves the right to completely ignore that unit designation when making room assignments for Interval International exchanges.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for the best unit possible.

I have stayed in a mountain view penthouse unit before and the high ceilings do make a big difference.

gblotter said:

Although others might have urged me to try trading only the studio portion for a 2BR unit, I am very happy with the exchange.

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You did good. You likely hopped the queue in front of many others who were only trading studios and 1BRs and secured a fantastic unit.

Hope you end up getting the view category specified!

-ryan

LAX Mom said:

It doesn't matter what view your deposited week had. II doesn't give you any preference based on what view you own.

Beefnot's instructions are to look at your exchange history on your II account. There should be a 4 or 5 letters (ZZAB or ?) that indicate the view on the week you have exchanged into.

However, Ko'Olina doesn't always follow the view designation on exchanges. I'm Marriott platinum and have usually received my assigned view. For awhile I was getting great views on high floors. However my last 2 stays (in 2014) were both on lower floors (3 & 4) with very limited views. It seems like they have started giving exchangers the units with a poor or limited view.

It's a great property and the grounds are beautiful. You'll enjoy it, regardless of the view from your unit.

Click to expand...

I have gotten lower floors on almost every exchange. Have very rarely gotten units above the 5th floor at MKO. I have only gotten a floor above 5th once in over 26 weeks last year.

gblotter said:

Yes - I noticed that.

However, I also noticed that resort management reserves the right to completely ignore that unit designation when making room assignments for Interval International exchanges.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for the best unit possible.

I have stayed in a mountain view penthouse unit before and the high ceilings do make a big difference.

Click to expand...

This never used to be the case. These 2 weeks we had an oceanview code and got assigned mountain view 5th floor twice. Started happening about august of last year when they added the wording to the preferences email. Used to almost always get the right view code. Now with the II wording it seemd exchangers can get moved at will. Weather the resort is very busy (during christmas week) or empty (like now) the front desk always tells me the resort is at capacity so that is the only room available. This is from a front desk manager. Hopefully they come true with your room assignment.

I traded a 1 bedroom starwood property for a 1 bedroom Lahaina & Napili villas for a stay this past December. We got 9th floor oceanfront. The code indicated oceanfront on the reservation. I got an email a couple weeks before checkin saying the view is not guaranteed and that owners had priority, but then got a phone call a few days before checkin and the individual indicated that we were indeed oceanfront.

We then stayed at Ko'Olina on a very last minute retrace. Got a studio not he 3rd floor that was ocean view, but really it was pool view. The II confirmation did indicate an ocean view room.

But, and this is purely speculation....I as told I may be given a very nice room because we were not Marriott owners and they would want to lure us in.

This gives me some hope...still waiting.

Just a quick update ...

We are at Ko Olina this week. Marriott did honor the ZZBA view category and we were assigned a very sweet lock-off Ocean View Penthouse unit on the 16th floor of Naia tower. Impressive. Even the front desk agent was surprised about that room assignment given that it is an II exchange.

Sometimes you get lucky.

gblotter said:

LAX Mom said:

Take a look at post #197 in this thread. ZZBA is a lock-off penthouse unit, ocean view!! You scored big-time!! I hope they give you the view & penthouse unit. You'll love it!
http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=163130

Click to expand...

Yes - I noticed that.

However, I also noticed that resort management reserves the right to completely ignore that unit designation when making room assignments for Interval International exchanges.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for the best unit possible.

I have stayed in a mountain view penthouse unit before and the high ceilings do make a big difference.

Click to expand...