Best exchange we ever got was in 2010, back when we were timeshare know-it-alls who thought we had mastered the entire system. For our 2010 off-season January timeshare vacation in Orlando, we snagged back-to-back 3BR-3BA timeshare RCI reservations via what was known at the time as
Instant Exchange -- 7,500 points + exchange fee for a whole week (7 days + 7 nights). That got us a fantastic 3BR unit at Grand Beach resort (our 1st & only stay at that resort) followed by an outstanding 3BR unit at Cypress Pointe Grande Villas. Ever since then, the best we've been able to do for off-season January is 1BR & sometimes 2BR timeshare units via
Last Call & straight-points exchange & RCI
Extra Vacation Getaways on sale.
For January 2018, we did very well also -- even though we did not snag 3BR units. Some months ago, Vacation Village At Parkway & Grandview At Las Vegas (both links in the same timeshare chain) were offering owner-members the chance to reserve an off-season timeshare week free -- no points, no fees, no tax, no nothing, completely
el freebo. We grabbed up 1 of those for the 1st of our 2 January 2018 weeks -- a Vacation Village At Parkway "B" unit, as it turns out.
For the week right before that, we snagged High Point World Resort (off Rt. 192 west of the Disney Gap) via RCI special sale. They were offering lots of 1BR weeks for $199 + tax along with fewer 2BR weeks for $229 + tax. As it turned out, a 2BR unit at High Point World Resort was available for the week following our planned free week in Vacation Village At Parkway, so we grabbed that up before it was gone.
Total outlay for the 2 January 2018 Kissimmee timeshare weeks is so low that we splurged on a 4-night Carnival cruise the week before we check in at High Point World Resort -- our initial luxury foray on the high seas. We're looking forward to the luxury cruise, although I have some anxiety that for a bigtime overeater me it will be the something like being trapped 4 days inside Golden Corral. If that's how it turns out, I will have only myself to blame.
Speaking of Golden Corral, our after-cruise week at High Point world resort coincides with the 2018 TUG get-together set for the afternoon of January 17, 2018, at Golden Corral, 8707 Vineland Avenue, Orlando FL 32821, (407-938-9500). Start time for the get-together is 2PM (I think) -- perfect timing to get the sr. citz. lunchtime price (but the TUG crowd doesn't quit till long after the dinner items are brought out).
Reuniting with the TUG folks is always a highlight of our whole January vacation in Florida. No sign-up is required. Just show up & join in the fun.
The Chief Of Staff & I are looking forward enthusiastically to seeing lots of our outstanding TUG-BBS friends in January 2018.
-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.