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Re: Exchange companies. (by Alison J.):

I am a member of DAE. This is a very rewarding club to be in. www.daelive.com is the website. Membership is FREE. Just check the website contacts to join up. There are offices in UK, Australia and NZ, Mexico and recently a new one in Arizona. Two years ago, after waiting for several months for RCI to help, I exchanged into Scotland at a few months notice through DAE at premium time, June, receiving a good sized unit sleep 6 in exchange for my own similar one in New Zealand. Since then, from the website I regularly access the BONUS WEEK list, (just follow the easy directions after you have logged in). These Bonus weeks are short notice 7day stays, costing from $110NZ ($US70) to $380NZ/week and only available over the next 8 week period, so I check every week. This is great for people who cannot book a year away. Obviously, the easiest bonus weeks to book are the studios or 1BR. However, you just research the resort to find if the amenity level is satisfactory. You are NOT required to exchange anything for a Bonus week - just pay. I have booked 2 weeks for myself in our winter (ski area), and 2 different weeks for my married sons. These 4 weeks cost me $690NZ - about $US470 total. Bonus weeks are available in all other countries. If you watch every week you get familiar with what is happening according to the seasons, school holidays, skiing, etc. and your SPEEDY DECISIONS DO COUNT. Obviously, winter breaks are easier to find than summer. I find that bonus weeks are so cheap that I can pay for 7 days, but only take a long weekend and it is still more economical than a hotel/motel, usually with extra room and amenities. You may search and confirm your own exchange holidays, purchase bonus weeks or book rental weeks on line. By the way, I still belong to RCI (just in case!) and my parents have membership with II. We always like to have 1 weeks banked with RCI or II for any long-term as yet unplanned holiday, as they still command the largest worldwide inventories. Its just that DAE gives us the best of both worlds - shortplan bonus holls - and longterm bookings of 'exchange weeks' where you DON'T HAVE TO BANK YOUR OWN WEEK into the system until DAE have confirmed your holiday. This effectively means you can have two legs in two different camps until you have confirmed your choice. There may be a considerable advantage in having less members, in that there is less pressure on good holiday picks.