Timeshare classification systems - what are prime weeks?

Ask the Timeshare Crusader / July, 2010

I am very confused by the weeks classifications — red, yellow, green, etc. Do all resorts follow the same classification system? If not, how am I supposed to know which are "prime" weeks?

I can understand your confusion with the colors at the different resorts. Interval International wisely did away with their red, yellow, and green color codes some years ago and replaced them with the vastly improved and accurate "Travel Demand Index." I would not be surprised at all to hear that RCI does away with their red, white, and blue color coding system in the next year or two.

Some of the rationale for designating a week or a season "prime" is common sense. Week seven, for instance, in Daytona Beach is "Race Week" and has incredibly high demand. Week 42 (mid-October) would be considered a "non-prime" week based on general travel patterns.

One of the main reasons II did away with the color coding system is to prevent consumers from being misled by the old standby, "we're all red all of the time." Since I don't like the words "always" and "never" I will say that with only a very few exceptions, there is no destination that is all red all of the time, as anyone who has spent any amount of time in Orlando in mid-August can attest to.

If you have RCI (or other) points, you can easily tell the difference in the seasonality of a specific resort by the amount of points required to stay there that specific week. Another really easy way to determine "prime" or not would be to do a simple Google search to find out what special events are going on in that locale during that time period. In lieu of Google, a call to the local Chamber of Commerce can get you that same information.

If you are looking to purchase at a resort and want to have the best chances of going back there year after year for a specific "hot-ticket" time, it is best to purchase that prime week. However, if you are looking more to trade/exchange, then you need to look at both where you want to exchange to as well as what week you end up purchasing.

Thanks for the great question and happy vacationing!