? about dining plan when trading in from RCI

[Dean]

I really appreciate your replies! I am so new at this!!! I tried to look again, but Lake Buena Vista was not an option. I set the filter to Florida, and underneath, where you can choose the cities appear to narrow the filter, Lake Buena Vista was not there... Maybe it is a trading power issue for me. I will wait it out and see what happens. I hope to know something in the next few months as if I get a 1 or 2 bedroom, we may invite my DH's brother, SIL and newphew, but I hate to make plans and not have a place to stay...

Are there any ongoing RCI/DVC threads for clueless folks like me?

Thanks again for the replies and suggestions. We'll see how it all plays out.

Stacie

You have to click on the left side menus. First Click FL, then when that comes up, click Orlando. I now see 61 resorts but all DVC resorts are still there. Once you're in Orlando, you can then click on Lake Buena Vista on the left as well to narrow down further.

 

[Brian Noble]

However, you won't see Lake Buena Vista if you don't have sufficient trade power to exchange for any of the resorts there.

That might be the problem.

 

[postesf]

However, you won't see Lake Buena Vista if you don't have sufficient trade power to exchange for any of the resorts there.

That might be the problem.

I think that must be the problem though I don't understand why they came up before.

I was still hoping even if the DVC resorts wouldn't come up that the Wyndam Bonnet Creek would since it is so close, but it's not available either... bummer.

If I click on Florida, then Orlando area, 50 resorts come up and it will allow me to narrow it down to Kissimmee or Orlando. Lake Buena Vista is not there...

I know with the week I'm searching against right now, I deposited it right before we were supposed to use it so I'm thinking that has decreased my trading power. I just deposited another week (6 months out of the use date) so maybe that one will have more trading power. I'll just have to wait and see...

I really do appreciate all the conversation about this.

Stacie

 

[Brian Noble]

I think that must be the problem though I don't understand why they came up before.

I'm sure you were looking at rental inventory by mistake.

I deposited it right before we were supposed to use it so I'm thinking that has decreased my trading power. I just deposited another week (6 months out of the use date) so maybe that one will have more trading power.

If you deposited something right before use, it will have very very poor trading power. Six months is still "late"---RCI puts full value on weeks deposited a year prior to use. Even then, some weeks just won't be "good enough" to see DVC.

Wyndam Bonnet Creek

Depending on when you checked, there might just not have been any. WBC just deposited September '09 sometime this afternoon.

 

[larrytau]

We are enjoying the discussion, but I think we need some specifics. What type of unit(s) are you all depositing with RCI to see various DVC availability? In particular, what would it take to see a two bedroom or a studio?

I am guessing a two bedroom at a GC resort during a red season would be sufficient - deposited about 11 months out. I had deposited a one bedroom deluxe Bluegreen GC red week about 8 months out and saw absolutely nothing at DVC - not even studios. I would have thought it would have pulled a DVC studio. Of course, it was my first attempt at RCI, so I might not have been using the best search technique, but I thought I was exhaustive in my search.

Guess I need bigger bait for the big fish? Recommendations using BG properties?

Thanks!
Larry

 

[Dean]

We are enjoying the discussion, but I think we need some specifics. What type of unit(s) are you all depositing with RCI to see various DVC availability? In particular, what would it take to see a two bedroom or a studio?

I am guessing a two bedroom at a GC resort during a red season would be sufficient - deposited about 11 months out. I had deposited a one bedroom deluxe Bluegreen GC red week about 8 months out and saw absolutely nothing at DVC - not even studios. I would have thought it would have pulled a DVC studio. Of course, it was my first attempt at RCI, so I might not have been using the best search technique, but I thought I was exhaustive in my search.

Guess I need bigger bait for the big fish? Recommendations using BG properties?

Thanks!
Larry

Larry, I don't think GC, 1 BR and red season is necessarily quite enough. I think you also need a bright red week. For BG we're talking MB or Big Cedar during summer type demand. But you should deposit as close to 11 months out as possible, the extra couple of months will make a big difference in your situation. Currently when I sign in to my RCI weeks account and click on exchange your unit, then my single deposit, I get 171K weeks available. When I had 2 and 3 BR bluegreen weeks that were red and GC, I only saw about 89-90K. This is a good way to judge the trade power of your unit though your best bet is to put in an ongoing search.

 

[Brian Noble]

"Gold crown red" can mean a lot of things. For example, Williamsburg is "red" for the bulk of the year, but a late-september week at Parkside wouldn't be anywhere close to the trade power that is required for DVC.

One other note: as far as anyone knows, DVC is all or nothing. No one has yet reported a deposit that sees smaller units but not larger ones, or low-season weeks but not in-demand weeks. That may change going forward as RCI better learns the demand curve for various units.

 

[Lisa P.]

Is the dining plan available for purchase for RCI owners staying on Disney property? My inlaws were going to stay at Bonnet Creek but may try to trade into AKL where the remainder of us are staying. My FIL was interested in the dining plan. Thanks in advance for any info!!

Yes, as posted, folks exchanging into DVC resorts through RCI are able to add the dining plan to their stay by calling DVC Member Services with their confirmation number at least 3 days prior to checking in.

It's been a while since you posted this. However, IF your inlaws are still booked at Wyndham Bonnet Creek AND IF the rest of you are still booked at AKL AND IF an AKL room among them is not at full occupancy AND IF the people staying in that room will be getting the dining plan as well, there may be another option for getting the dining plan for your inlaws while they stay at Wyn BC. The people in that room could just tell Disney that your inlaws will be staying in the room with them, enabling them to purchase the dining plan too. Your inlaws could then receive AKL room keys that have the dining plan included and just use them for that, while actually sleeping and staying at Wyn BC. If you all are staying on cash nights at AKL, then this may require an extra-adults fee. But if you are staying on points, then there's no added cost for them to be listed as additional adult occupants. Just a thought.

 

[tkitty]

I just booked AK yesterday through a RCI trade. I was told by both RCI and DVC that there is a $95 resort fee for those trading in from RCI that covers bus transportation (around the resort and from MCO), EMH and the ability to add on the dining plan. We own DVC and have part of our stay booked through them and part through RCI. I was told by member services that our RCI reservation will also show up on their computers so that I can link the reservations together. Member services also said that I would receive a letter from RCI directing me to call member services to give all of our information and at that time we could add on the dining plan.

If you are a DVC member, you may want to call them to confirm. We are planning on adding on the dining plan for our entire stay and were told that we would be able to do this.

Ditto! My DD booked us all (2 different 1 bdrm villas) trading through RCI, for Oct, and we were told exactly the same thing. We will pay the $95 at check-in, and will be able to add dining to our res.

 

[Dean]

Ditto! My DD booked us all (2 different 1 bdrm villas) trading through RCI, for Oct, and we were told exactly the same thing. We will pay the $95 at check-in, and will be able to add dining to our res.

It should work like any other DVC reservation made from multiple accounts. You can link the rooms and it will be counted as one. The room types will have to match up exactly but if they do, you can link them so you don't have to move and can add the DDP for the entire stay.