Access to RCI "Last Call" Deals

[NewDCLGuy]

As DVC members, do we have access to RCI's last call deals? I have a coworker who has gotten some great deals

 

[CarolAnnC]

I doubt we have this access as we are not considered RCI members. I am sure one of our timeshare experts will chime in here though.

 

[Dean]

As DVC members, do we have access to RCI's last call deals? I have a coworker who has gotten some great deals

There are several negatives with DVC having a corporate membership. No ability to uptrade, no online access, no direct access, no access to last call or even Extra Vacations, no 24 hour cancelation window and DVC limits which resorts we can trade to. OTOH, most RCI members don't have free RCI membership, cheaper exchange fees for everything or request first with RCI. Some have RCI membership included but it's not really free, in DVC's case it really is free and not rolled into our dues though I'm sure we pay some or all of the personal costs. All total, the current system is best for those that want top end options or nothing, don't want to put time and effort into learning about something else and will only trade once or twice at most in their lifetime. OTOH, DVC would jump to being a great exchange ownership if you could have direct access to II or RCI with the other options that non DVC RCI (or II) owners have..

 

[ziravan]

According to the last DVC newsletter, DVC now has access to RCI last call and extra vacations starting this month. (I know it's a short zombie thread.)

 

[mrsg00fy]

According to the last DVC newsletter, DVC now has access to RCI last call and extra vacations starting this month. (I know it's a short zombie thread.)

View attachment 273548

Thank you for this. I went into the DVC website and there was a link to RCI but it looked as if you actually need to register or even enroll in RCI to access the search engine. I only own DvC and no other timeshares.

 

[bwvBound]

Thank you for this. I went into the DVC website and there was a link to RCI but it looked as if you actually need to register or even enroll in RCI to access the search engine. I only own DvC and no other timeshares.

If you access RCI through the DVC Member website, your DVC credentials will be passed to RCI, invisible to you, for authentication. Be sure you are already logged into the DVC Member website first.

@ziravan : Thanks for posting this update! Great news for DVC owners!

 

[ziravan]

I went peeking through and some great stuff there.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

If you access RCI through the DVC Member website, your DVC credentials will be passed to RCI, invisible to you, for authentication. Be sure you are already logged into the DVC Member website first.

@ziravan : Thanks for posting this update! Great news for DVC owners!

I did this is yesterday through the members website but it still asked for a login and password. How to I get to see see last minute deals?

 

[ziravan]

 

[Dean]

I did this is yesterday through the members website but it still asked for a login and password. How to I get to see see last minute deals?

I'm not sure what you're doing but sign in to DVC the under "Plan your Vacations" select Book Online: RCI. It should go to a DVC page titled "RCI® – How to Book". Select the "Book RCI Online". This should give you a popup titled "Redirecting to RCI" with a toggle to select contract if you have more than one. Once you click "continue", it should take you to an acknowledgement screen. Check to accept and OK. This should sign you in to RCI, DVC style. If you have another RCI account, your browser may be trying to remember other pages or sign on's that are conflicting this route. Is so, clearing your cache's may help. And make sure you're not signed in to RCI otherwise with an active sign on. Sometimes even if you've closed a browser, RCI (& II) your current session will remain active for a while.

 

[mrsg00fy]

If you access RCI through the DVC Member website, your DVC credentials will be passed to RCI, invisible to you, for authentication. Be sure you are already logged into the DVC Member website first.

@ziravan : Thanks for posting this update! Great news for DVC owners!

I'm not sure what you're doing but sign in to DVC the under "Plan your Vacations" select Book Online: RCI. It should go to a DVC page titled "RCI® – How to Book". Select the "Book RCI Online". This should give you a popup titled "Redirecting to RCI" with a toggle to select contract if you have more than one. Once you click "continue", it should take you to an acknowledgement screen. Check to accept and OK. This should sign you in to RCI, DVC style. If you have another RCI account, your browser may be trying to remember other pages or sign on's that are conflicting this route. Is so, clearing your cache's may help. And make sure you're not signed in to RCI otherwise with an active sign on. Sometimes even if you've closed a browser, RCI (& II) your current session will remain active for a while.

Thank you both. This is a great addition. I poked around just a bit and noticed there were no Orlando options in there. Not a surprise I guess since Orlando owners can't trade into dvc.

I will be spending more time exploring some other destinations though.

Thanks again.

 

[ziravan]

There's nothing last call in the Orlando area, which kind of surprised me.

Is there a blackout restriction for Orlando because DVC is located there?

 

[ziravan]

I have Wyndham points but I still have never figured out how to properly access RCI that way. And I've tried.

I've never considered trying to use DVC points via RCI. I know too many people with other timeshares that troll RCI looking for DVC. And besides. I use all my points and then some.

So even though I have RCI access via two timeshare systems, up until now I've completely dismissed its utility.

This will probably be a game changer for that. There's a Wyndham timeshare in the vicinity of my out of state brother. We've stayed there before on points. There seems to be plenty of last call there. I'd much rather pay $319 for a 2br for a week than use points.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

I have Wyndham points but I still have never figured out how to properly access RCI that way. And I've tried.

I've never considered trying to use DVC points via RCI. I know too many people with other timeshares that troll RCI looking for DVC. And besides. I use all my points and then some.

So even though I have RCI access via two timeshare systems, up until now I've completely dismissed its utility.

This will probably be a game changer for that. There's a Wyndham timeshare in the vicinity of my out of state brother. We've stayed there before on points. There seems to be plenty of last call there. I'd much rather pay $319 for a 2br for a week than use points.

I need to look into Wyndham....

 

[bwvBound]

I have Wyndham points but I still have never figured out how to properly access RCI that way. And I've tried.

I've never considered trying to use DVC points via RCI. I know too many people with other timeshares that troll RCI looking for DVC. And besides. I use all my points and then some.

So even though I have RCI access via two timeshare systems, up until now I've completely dismissed its utility.

This will probably be a game changer for that. There's a Wyndham timeshare in the vicinity of my out of state brother. We've stayed there before on points. There seems to be plenty of last call there. I'd much rather pay $319 for a 2br for a week than use points.

Your Wyndham account includes a RCI access, paid through your dues. I would think you would find a greater number of RCI cash-based offers through the Wyndham>RCI login than the DVC>RCI login. The Wyndham>RCI access should give you visibility to all the cash offerings whereas the DVC>RCI access offers only "select" locations and the prices are fixed according to the DVC grid.

As such, I'd suggest it might be worth taking some time to document the Wyndham>RCI login process for your login?

FWIW, I've held a personal RCI account since 2000. I can login directly to RCI.COM for my personal account; login through the Worldmark website for the Worldmark>RCI portal; or login through the DVC website for the DVC>RCI portal. Each gives me slightly different interfaces and reservation options.

 

[Dean]

There's nothing last call in the Orlando area, which kind of surprised me.

Is there a blackout restriction for Orlando because DVC is located there?

DVC has a regional block, they have historically not allowed exchanges within a certain radius, didn't with II either. So getting something in Orlando or close isn't going to be an option with DVC. Also can't trade back in to DVC using DVC. My take on cash options whether it be short notice or otherwise cash or points is that it's almost never a good choice. By definition the things available with cash are either going to be things being rented out by companies or things that are available short notice and thus not overly difficult or desirable (or both). This really doesn't add much to DVC just like it doesn't add much to any other timeshare exchange program though it's nice to have options that might help a few here and there. Occasionally one can find something that's a great option by chance but it's rare. Where it works best is where one has lower resort expectations, every short notice and/or for places easy to exchange to anyway like Orlando (& LV, Williamsburg, Branson, Mx). Using DVC, Orlando is off the table already.

I signed in to RCI through Wyndham without issue through the Wyndham site just now.

 

[ziravan]

DVC has a regional block, they have historically not allowed exchanges within a certain radius, didn't with II either. So getting something in Orlando or close isn't going to be an option with DVC. Also can't trade back in to DVC using DVC. My take on cash options whether it be short notice or otherwise cash or points is that it's almost never a good choice. By definition the things available with cash are either going to be things being rented out by companies or things that are available short notice and thus not overly difficult or desirable (or both). This really doesn't add much to DVC just like it doesn't add much to any other timeshare exchange program though it's nice to have options that might help a few here and there. Occasionally one can find something that's a great option by chance but it's rare. Where it works best is where one has lower resort expectations, every short notice and/or for places easy to exchange to anyway like Orlando (& LV, Williamsburg, Branson, Mx). Using DVC, Orlando is off the table already.

I signed in to RCI through Wyndham without issue through the Wyndham site just now.

Tried just a bit ago:

I was able to sign into RCI through the new website. The old website didn't have a place for me to sign in and there only so many hour long phone waits to be told, "We're working on it," that I have in me.

I couldn't find last call on Wyndham but I found several last minute Orlando rooms there under a last minute extra vacation offer. Including both Star Island and Cypress Palms that we're familiar with through Wyndham.

My work schedule is such that last minute trips are very doable. My actual timeshare points in both systems require far off planning to maximize use, so it's nice to have a last minute/no planning alternative.

Besides, both the Wyndham and DVC sites have tons of last minute Texas timeshares that would be the equivalent of a weekend getaway.

I can see some real value here.

 

[Dean]

Tried just a bit ago:

I was able to sign into RCI through the new website. The old website didn't have a place for me to sign in and there only so many hour long phone waits to be told, "We're working on it," that I have in me.

I couldn't find last call on Wyndham but I found several last minute Orlando rooms there under a last minute extra vacation offer. Including both Star Island and Cypress Palms that we're familiar with through Wyndham.

My work schedule is such that last minute trips are very doable. My actual timeshare points in both systems require far off planning to maximize use, so it's nice to have a last minute/no planning alternative.

Besides, both the Wyndham and DVC sites have tons of last minute Texas timeshares that would be the equivalent of a weekend getaway.

I can see some real value here.

If last minute low level options work for you, you're likely better off with another approach. Texas this time of year will have a fair amount of availability. The locations I mentioned are the ones that are notorious for a lot more availability than demand but off season in general often has availability. Other systems will be cheaper than DVC by far for last minute exchanges. For this type of exchange, my Bluegreen membership is my best option at 3000 points for a full week and no exchange fee, often better than a bonus week. I think though that unless you're very flexible and traveling off season to the lower level resorts, you won't find a lot you can actually use over time.

 

[ziravan]

If last minute low level options work for you, you're likely better off with another approach. Texas this time of year will have a fair amount of availability. The locations I mentioned are the ones that are notorious for a lot more availability than demand but off season in general often has availability. Other systems will be cheaper than DVC by far for last minute exchanges. For this type of exchange, my Bluegreen membership is my best option at 3000 points for a full week and no exchange fee, often better than a bonus week. I think though that unless you're very flexible and traveling off season to the lower level resorts, you won't find a lot you can actually use over time.

Yes. Yes.

I take "Last Call" to mean stuff we couldn't dump off anywhere else. It's the scrapings from the bottom of the barrel.

But. If it works, great! If not, no harm, no foul.

In my case, one of the reasons I bought into Wyndham is that there's a resort near an out of state brother, Wyndham Fairfield Bay. During my off period next month, there's a 2 BR avail for $319 plus $66 housekeeping for a week.

$55/night for a 2 BR in this case where I want to be? A bargain over using points.

And I'm sure the Lake Conroe timeshares in Texas will be frequently available and those would function as weekend getaways. I have a friend whom owns a timeshare on Lake Conroe and she says almost everybody tries to trade out to Galveston, Orlando, etc.

 

[Dean]

Yes. Yes.

I take "Last Call" to mean stuff we couldn't dump off anywhere else. It's the scrapings from the bottom of the barrel.

But. If it works, great! If not, no harm, no foul.

In my case, one of the reasons I bought into Wyndham is that there's a resort near an out of state brother, Wyndham Fairfield Bay. During my off period next month, there's a 2 BR avail for $319 plus $66 housekeeping for a week.

$55/night for a 2 BR in this case where I want to be? A bargain over using points.

And I'm sure the Lake Conroe timeshares in Texas will be frequently available and those would function as weekend getaways. I have a friend whom owns a timeshare on Lake Conroe and she says almost everybody tries to trade out to Galveston, Orlando, etc.

I never find anything that works better for cash options than my other options but then I have sufficient volume and cheap deposits that I can do ongoing searches far cheaper. And my RCI points account is much cheaper for short notice options as well. I find Bluegreen works much better for me than Wyndham since I get a regular RCI weeks account that they cover rather than a locked in corporate account and I can deposit bluegreen to II and RCI very easily (did both today). I do even better with II using Marriott at times, esp trading to other Marriotts and I consistently have bonus weeks available in II. In a sense for those without other options the changes in RCI offer some MINOR benefit but there's still significant limitations more than some of the other RCI accounts. The risk is that members will do things that are extremely poor choices not realizing, like trading to cheap MX options using DVC points and the like.