It's really very simple. Buying DVC makes sense ONLY if you plan to use all of the points you buy at DVC resorts routinely would stay in a moderate or above and can pay cash. While there are some other nice options, they are no guaranteed, often very hard to get and usually far overpriced. That someone got a good HI option doesn't mean you will and the truth is, you likely won't but if you did you could get it cheaper with better options with other choices. IF buying makes sense, retail only makes sense for very small purchases or resorts not available otherwise (GF). Buying DVC to cruise or for RCI are extremely poor choices.
If you are just looking at current availability, you indeed will spend a LOT of time looking. You will have to be both patient and lucky.
Rescind, research and rent (you can rent a DVC vacation from a broker or Member) to decide over a few months if it is right for you.
Great analogy!
If you really want something that's high demand, it's very unlikely to get it without an ongoing search. One thing Jim, if I read your post correctly, the points are only taken and gone if you match, not when you start the search. The $95 fee is also refundable if you don't match or cancel prior to a match. You can even have an existing reservation then use those points if you match and this is a good approach for many interested in an exchange.
It sounds to me like you could teach the class. IMO, the only adjustment I'd make to your thoughts for one looking to buy in is to simply buy less points and not buy extra points to rent out (or use) for these type of exchanges. That way you don't have to worry about renting or the costs, risks and aggravations of exchanges.
As with most national parks, at Yellowstone, you are WAY ahead staying inside the park if you are there during the summer. Yellowstone is the second biggest park in the lower 48 states and there is quite a bit of driving within the park from one venue to another. 10 miles inside the park can be an hour or more drive time if there is a bear or bison jam. Adding 25 miles each way outside the park will make for some really long days.
I must have misunderstood. I've never done an ongoing search, but I thought you had to deposit your points into RCI first. If you can start the search without depositing, that is a much better alternative than I thought.
You can do deposit first but the request first is one of the few real benefits compared to other systems. Of course there's some question as to how it works. My guess is they put in an ongoing request for the weeks side and search manually on the points side just like you and I do but I do not know for certain. Deposit first can be a good option, esp since it was reported recently (I haven't tried to confirm otherwise) that they credit you with the points and you can use them in increments as if you hadn't deposited them.
See my previous post. Unlike with II, it looks like you could adjust your points later even if you did a deposit first. I haven't confirmed that you could deposit say 160 points and then add an extra 110 for a 2 BR later but this appears to be the case from the other info reported here. The only way to search without the fee is to do so manually, a far less efficient way to search with a much lower chance of success.
