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II Inventory--fewer prime resort sightings in recent weeks or my imagination?

tegs_1980

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We always use our summer marriott newport coast and winter hyatt high Sierra lodge weeks ourselves but ALWAYS exchange our marriott timber lodge gold season 2bd lockoff on II for obvious reasons.
I have a pending request searching for Thanksgiving and xmas weeks at highly wanted locations resorts (good luck to me right??), but I also frequently scan the instant II inventory including early in the morning. I have not seen any prime resorts and units during prime weeks as of recent (e.g. MM1, marriott newport coast summer weeks, nanea, marriott timber lodge summer weeks, any good summer weeks period.). What gives?? In the past years there would always be so many last min cancellations that you could almost count on finding the resort and week you wanted a few days before the trip (e.g. we have found a 2bd MM1 few days prior to our trip last July). I also never see Welk Resorts/Hyatt North Star anymore, where last spring kept seeing it a lot or Nanea). I am imagining things or are there just fewer great finds on II instant inventory these days? Thank you!!!

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Panina

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We always use our summer marriott newport coast and winter hyatt high Sierra lodge weeks ourselves but ALWAYS exchange our marriott timber lodge gold season 2bd lockoff on II for obvious reasons.
I have a pending request searching for Thanksgiving and xmas weeks at highly wanted locations resorts (good luck to me right??), but I also frequently scan the instant II inventory including early in the morning. I have not seen any prime resorts and units during prime weeks as of recent (e.g. MM1, marriott newport coast summer weeks, nanea, marriott timber lodge summer weeks, any good summer weeks period.). What gives?? In the past years there would always be so many last min cancellations that you could almost count on finding the resort and week you wanted a few days before the trip (e.g. we have found a 2bd MM1 few days prior to our trip last July). I also never see Welk Resorts/Hyatt North Star anymore, where last spring kept seeing it a lot or Nanea). I am imagining things or are there just fewer great finds on II instant inventory these days? Thank you!!!

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I think it can be a combination of things. My take are more people are vacationing and not canceling because the economy is doing better. Also weather has been good in most areas. With the increased accommodation certificates those last minute finds are probably being seen by lots more people and disappearing quickly. Ogs is the way to go. I have seen many future good weeks in open inventory, that are for next year, taken a few myself.
 

klpca

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We always use our summer marriott newport coast and winter hyatt high Sierra lodge weeks ourselves but ALWAYS exchange our marriott timber lodge gold season 2bd lockoff on II for obvious reasons.
I have a pending request searching for Thanksgiving and xmas weeks at highly wanted locations resorts (good luck to me right??), but I also frequently scan the instant II inventory including early in the morning. I have not seen any prime resorts and units during prime weeks as of recent (e.g. MM1, marriott newport coast summer weeks, nanea, marriott timber lodge summer weeks, any good summer weeks period.). What gives?? In the past years there would always be so many last min cancellations that you could almost count on finding the resort and week you wanted a few days before the trip (e.g. we have found a 2bd MM1 few days prior to our trip last July). I also never see Welk Resorts/Hyatt North Star anymore, where last spring kept seeing it a lot or Nanea). I am imagining things or are there just fewer great finds on II instant inventory these days? Thank you!!!

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
Welk has moved to RCI and North Star is available only through the Registry Collection. I have two weeks there next month - looks like it will be our last visit. Oh well. I am still seeing good inventory in II though. You should check the sightings board for the latest bulk deposit for Nanea etc. and what last minute inventory has been available with the II certificates.
 

tegs_1980

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Welk has moved to RCI and North Star is available only through the Registry Collection. I have two weeks there next month - looks like it will be our last visit. Oh well. I am still seeing good inventory in II though. You should check the sightings board for the latest bulk deposit for Nanea etc. and what last minute inventory has been available with the II certificates.
Great idea. How do I access the sightings board?

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klpca

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JanT

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You have to be a paying member to see the sightings board.

klcpa provided the link here: Go to the forums list and scroll all the way to the bottom of the list. It is listed under private forums (sightings/distressed): https://tugbbs.com/forums/index.php

Great idea. How do I access the sightings board?

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jackio

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I had had a search in for a summer week at Marriott Fairway Villas. A couple of weeks ago I gave up booked something else. Today someone posted a sighting for it, the first week in August.
 

dougp26364

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I feel that the instant exchanges for larger units has been getting more scarce as far as Marriott units are concerned. I have an exchange that was a match from a deposit first request into Lake Tahoe for the first week of June, but it’s a Sunday arrival and that’s not appealing to us. So I’ve been watching the online availability to see if we can swing a retrade for a Saturday arrival. The first week of June is certainly NOT high season for Lake Tahoe and use to be fairly easy to find something for June. So far it’s been all studio units with the occasional 1bedroom.
If I’m looking for studios and 1 bedroom units, online availability isn’t to bad, but I feel there are fewer 1 bedrooms than before. 2 bedroom units with Marriott have all but disappeared from the landscape in most instances.
 

klpca

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I feel that the instant exchanges for larger units has been getting more scarce as far as Marriott units are concerned. I have an exchange that was a match from a deposit first request into Lake Tahoe for the first week of June, but it’s a Sunday arrival and that’s not appealing to us. So I’ve been watching the online availability to see if we can swing a retrade for a Saturday arrival. The first week of June is certainly NOT high season for Lake Tahoe and use to be fairly easy to find something for June. So far it’s been all studio units with the occasional 1bedroom.
If I’m looking for studios and 1 bedroom units, online availability isn’t to bad, but I feel there are fewer 1 bedrooms than before. 2 bedroom units with Marriott have all but disappeared from the landscape in most instances.
Agree. Two bedrooms don't seem to show up in instant exchange any more, even if you are willing to pay. Maybe folks have figured things out and are locking off more than they used to. We didn't get into timesharing until 2011, and at first it was like shooting fish in a barrel. Trading was so easy. It's not nearly as easy as it used to be, but with an OGS or a lot of watching, there is still value to be had.
 

dougp26364

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Agree. Two bedrooms don't seem to show up in instant exchange any more, even if you are willing to pay. Maybe folks have figured things out and are locking off more than they used to. We didn't get into timesharing until 2011, and at first it was like shooting fish in a barrel. Trading was so easy. It's not nearly as easy as it used to be, but with an OGS or a lot of watching, there is still value to be had.

More than people getting wise I think that timeshare management had gotten wise.
More timeshares than ever are on a point based reservation system. People reserve what they want but the management comianies also gain control over inventory, specifically what gets placed with the exchange companies for exchange purposes. I suspect they got tired of only 2 people occupying 2 bedroom units. Splitting those units might mean more guests (4 instead of 2) and more residual income from resort fees, money spent at restaurants, bars and gift shops. Maybe the management companies have the opportunity to rent those studios for income. Plus it’s one more chance to rope someone into a presentation.
 

rickandcindy23

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I think the eplus retrade option has hurt lower season weeks and has generally hurt the online availability. It's the people that happen to get online at the exact right time that get the amazing inventory.

I have noticed a lack of inventory for my 2 bedroom Gold Willow Ridge week, and I have it reserved for a very popular date for Branson. There are some dates in Gold season that are in high demand. So I see it as a combined exchange power for my week, even though it's reserved for a high demand week. I think II just sees it as off-season.

We live in Mountain Time, so when people post those sightings at 7 AM Eastern Time, most are snatched up by the time I get up two hours later. This is why ongoing searches are so important, but it's also why retrade sometimes doesn't work for me because I just don't stay online enough to get that inventory.

I did figure out how to set up the bot to keep me logged into II, even if I leave my computer to do laundry or vacuum a room, etc. I go back to my laptop and am still on the screen where all of the destinations available for my dates and unit are listed, and I can continue my search. So basically it doesn't log me out anymore, as long as I keep it on the refresh screen. It refreshes every 30 seconds. I don't like logging in and out of II. It's a major lag time between log-in and getting to a screen to choose a unit for the search.
 

TravelTime

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I just exchanged a week in my studio lock off at Marriott Ko Olina for a studio at Grande Bay Resort in St. John for summer 2019. It was the exact week I wanted since I already have the week before reserved at the Ritz Carlton in St Thomas. It was the only week available at this resort for an exchange on II and it just happened to coincide perfectly with our trip. I did get eplus but I suspect I am happy with this exchange since the location and date is perfect. I would have have preferred to pay the upgrade fee for a one bedroom so I may keep looking to see if a one bedroom comes up. I think this is a good exchange. What do others think?
 

TravelTime

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TravelTime

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I think it can be a combination of things. My take are more people are vacationing and not canceling because the economy is doing better. Also weather has been good in most areas. With the increased accommodation certificates those last minute finds are probably being seen by lots more people and disappearing quickly. Ogs is the way to go. I have seen many future good weeks in open inventory, that are for next year, taken a few myself.

How does OGS work? Is it available using eplus to upgrade to a bigger unit or trade for another unit?
 

TravelTime

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Question already answered
 
Last edited:

klpca

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How does OGS work? Is it available using eplus to upgrade to a bigger unit or trade for another unit?
No ongoing searches work with eplus. One you start retrading you have to search manually.

Go to the forums list and scroll all the way to the bottom of the list. It is listed under private forums (sightings/distressed): https://tugbbs.com/forums/index.php
 

Panina

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How does OGS work? Is it available using eplus to upgrade to a bigger unit or trade for another unit?
OGS means ongoing search. Instead of just looking in open inventory for weeks this gives you the option of putting in a request. Most great weeks are taken with ogs and never get into open inventory. RCI points week will not match in an ogs, only tpu weeks will.
 

PDX Matthew

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My home membership is APVC in Australia, I find that having an OGS for specific resorts for specific weeks works for us. For example, we were in Aruba in the last week of November last year and decided to book the same week at a different resort for this year. We went online to check the reviews for all the resorts available and made a request for those resorts for the week following Thanksgiving. II phoned almost immediately to offer a different resort which we declined (worst reviews of any on the island) and said we’d wait. We got confirmed for a 2 bedroom at Marriott Surf Club in April, for our preferred week. We were also able to get our preferred flights, last year we missed one night because flights were booked out. I find it is better to be request early and be patient - I’ve yet to be disappointed.
 

b2bailey

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I have been an II member since 1999. I have never placed an ongoing search because past years have resulted in nice exchanges done manually -- Aruba, St. Thomas, Hawaii, for example.

Currently I have on deposit a Marriott Newport Coast summer week -- which has not resulted in any interesting/comparable units while searching manually for more than one year. I guess it is time for me to learn how to use OGS.
 

pedro47

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I feel more millennial are staying more family vacations to the Caribbean, the mountains, the west and east coast resorts.
 

krj9999

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I suspect the biggest driver has been the strong economy which is reducing exchange availability (compared to several years ago). Followed by the shifting of certain systems towards points.

Nanea sightings for non-Vistana owners may become very sparse going forward.
 
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