Bookig DVC with RCI points

[bbak3030]

Hi all,
I know nothing about how timeshares work! My in-laws own through RCI and want to use points to hopefully get us a 3 bedroom villa at BLT next October. They met who someone this weekend and were told that they can book at 11 months out and shouldn't have a problem getting what they want.
Does this seem true? I always thought BLT was the most difficult one to get, especially if you are not an owner there.

 

[dbs1228]

If they are booking through RCI I would be shocked if they got a 3 bedroom villa at BLT anytime of the year but Oct is even far worse. Oct is during food and wine - the Epcot resorts fill up first then BLT since it is a monorail ride from EPCOT. I have only seen 3 bedrooms offered at SSR, OKW and AKV through RCI and it was always for off DVC times late Aug and Sept. I would not count on it happening JMO.

 

[cwdefouw]

Not impossible but unlikely. There are not that many 3 bedroom units at BLT. DVC members who own at BLT get first priority. They are usually snatched up immediately at 11 months, particularly during peak seasons and October is generally considered a peak season, not to mention that BLT is always in high demand for all villas due to location. If it was me, I would have a backup plan. Not really sure where the friend got the information that it should be no problem booking a Grand Villa at BLT in October as an RCI member, but DVC members would tell you that, in general, it really should and would not be easy.

 

[Chuck S]

As others have said, possible but EXTREMELY unlikely.

 

[bbak3030]

That is pretty much what I thought! I'm sure she will try, but we will be happy with anything on property

 

[ldo]

if you mean Oct 2015, she should set up an ongoing search with RCI now. It is first come/first serve, so having an older search is better. Your are unlikely to get ANY DVC 3 bedroom, but have a very good chance of getting a 2BR if you put ALL DVCs in the search. SSR and OKW have the most RCI inventory. If you get picky, you might not get anything. DVC usually starts loading into RCI at 5-7 months out.
If it is this Oct, many units have alraedy been loaded. She needs to start a search and also check RCI every frew days.

 

[disneynutz]

I would think that Disney would never release 3 bedroom GV's to RCI when they can release them for their own cash bookings.

Bill

 

[supersnoop]

I would think that Disney would never release 3 bedroom GV's to RCI when they can release them for their own cash bookings. Bill

Why would Disney trade cash rooms into RCI? I thought they only made rooms available that members traded out. So, wouldn't you need a BLT owner to trade some ungodly number of points into RCI in order for a grand villa to become available?

 

[bwvBound]

I would think that Disney would never release 3 bedroom GV's to RCI when they can release them for their own cash bookings.

Bill

Oh, but they do. TUG reports the occasional sighting of 3BR DVC units in both RCI Weeks and RCI Points ... and I've actually enjoyed staying in one booked via Exchange, RCI Weeks, SSR, Oct 2010.

 

[dbs1228]

I would think that Disney would never release 3 bedroom GV's to RCI when they can release them for their own cash bookings.

Bill

I have seen several 3 bedroom DVC villas through RCI for AKV, SSR and OKW so it does happen (so bummed I could not travel the dates they were available) but it does happen.

 

[disneynutz]

Oh, but they do. TUG reports the occasional sighting of 3BR DVC units in both RCI Weeks and RCI Points ... and I've actually enjoyed staying in one booked via Exchange, RCI Weeks, SSR, Oct 2010.

How far in advance of the check in date do they send them to RCI, it would be interesting to see how Disney's revenue accounting works.

Bill

 

[Dean]

Hi all,
I know nothing about how timeshares work! My in-laws own through RCI and want to use points to hopefully get us a 3 bedroom villa at BLT next October. They met who someone this weekend and were told that they can book at 11 months out and shouldn't have a problem getting what they want.
Does this seem true? I always thought BLT was the most difficult one to get, especially if you are not an owner there.

So unlikely as to not be feasible. A 2 BR is possible but still hit or miss. Plus one needs to be looking every morning early to snap up those units when they come on board to RCI.

I would think that Disney would never release 3 bedroom GV's to RCI when they can release them for their own cash bookings.

Bill

Occasionally but not that often.

How far in advance of the check in date do they send them to RCI, it would be interesting to see how Disney's revenue accounting works.

Bill

I've seen them any where from 6 weeks to 6 months out IIRC. It really doesn't go through the Disney Revenue issue but DVC/DVD directly. My guess is that the contract requires a few crumbs here and there in the form of the 3 BR units. Plus it's a good way to burn a lot of points giving less villas to RCI.

 

[abarnes64]

I would think that Disney would never release 3 bedroom GV's to RCI when they can release them for their own cash bookings.

Bill

Yes one would think so. I have heard of many 2 bd villas and I have also heard of the occasional 3 bd villa in RCI. I have been following along at TUG and have not observed any 3 bdrms yet but plenty of 2 bdrm villas. Weird. I don't understand how it is beneficial for DVC to release these to RCI either.

In my reading, I have also seen other forum members at TUG question this very thing with what drives the release of the villas into inventory. One would think it is driven by finances but I actually don't think it is. The amount if villas release may be in part of contract to RCI?

How was the exchange with II? Does anyone know if the villas were as plentiful?

 

[disneynutz]

I've seen them any where from 6 weeks to 6 months out IIRC. It really doesn't go through the Disney Revenue issue but DVC/DVD directly. My guess is that the contract requires a few crumbs here and there in the form of the 3 BR units. Plus it's a good way to burn a lot of points giving less villas to RCI.

DVD/DVC has their own revenue accounting group that decides what to release to CRO, RCI, and what to make available to DVC.

Bill

 

[bwvBound]

How far in advance of the check in date do they send them to RCI, it would be interesting to see how Disney's revenue accounting works.

Bill

For what it helps, here is a copy/paste from my RCI exchange history:

Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa (#DV06)
City: Lake Buena Vista State: FL
Country: USA
Unit Type: 3 Bedroom(s)
Start Date: 02-Oct-2010 End Date: 09-Oct-2010
Exchange Vacation Status: confirmed
Confirmation Date: 23-Mar-2010

So a little over 5 months from confirmation to travel.

 

[Dean]

Yes one would think so. I have heard of many 2 bd villas and I have also heard of the occasional 3 bd villa in RCI. I have been following along at TUG and have not observed any 3 bdrms yet but plenty of 2 bdrm villas. Weird. I don't understand how it is beneficial for DVC to release these to RCI either.

In my reading, I have also seen other forum members at TUG question this very thing with what drives the release of the villas into inventory. One would think it is driven by finances but I actually don't think it is. The amount if villas release may be in part of contract to RCI?

How was the exchange with II? Does anyone know if the villas were as plentiful?

From a members inventory and RCI exchange standpoint it's simply driven by 2 issues. One is the contract with RCI which I haven't seen and the other is how many points members give up for exchange. DVC is obligated to give that many points to RCI in the form of DVC villas. Actually a 3 BR eats up points better than anything else in the system giving RCI less total villas. They're also obligated to give the home in certain situations no matter the demand.

The following is partial or total conjecture on my part depending on the specific issue. I assume they must give WDW when the points come from there but I understand they are obligated to give red points for HIGH season exchanges. That keeps them from using HH low season to fulfill the RCI obligations. I also assume the contract requires a certain amount of variability of resort, times and unit sizes determined by the exchange match up (1 BR for 1 BR).

I exchanged in through II a number of times but there were a number of variations how how/what over time. Here's a simplistic historical look at how it has been at times.

• RCI was deposit first, your home resort (but there really was only one anyway)
• II initially you had to deposit your home resort
• then later with II you have the option of depositing your home resort before 7 months or anything that matched the II season at 7 months or later.
• Then the points grid came along but you're still limited to the home resort before 7 months.

DVD/DVC has their own revenue accounting group that decides what to release to CRO, RCI, and what to make available to DVC.

Bill

The point I obviously didn't make very well is that this is basically a points use decision and not a revenue decision. It's even less of a revenue decision than when DVC reserves rooms to rent using their points. IF they approached it from a revenue model mainly, it'd hurt members because they'd immediately book up all the best rental times limiting our availability.

 

[bbak3030]

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. They have set up a search and are hoping to book 2 2 bedroom villas. So we shall see how that goes.

They also keep saying how they have such an abundance of points and continue to offer them to us. So I gave them our January dates and maybe they can find something.

Cross your fingers for us!

 

[Dean]

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. They have set up a search and are hoping to book 2 2 bedroom villas. So we shall see how that goes.

They also keep saying how they have such an abundance of points and continue to offer them to us. So I gave them our January dates and maybe they can find something.

Cross your fingers for us!

Either have them keep checking online or give you access for you to do so. The ongoing search for an RCI points resort from RCI points is very limited and it's likely inventory will come and go without matching in this situation.

 

[JimMIA]

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. They have set up a search and are hoping to book 2 2 bedroom villas. So we shall see how that goes.

They also keep saying how they have such an abundance of points and continue to offer them to us. So I gave them our January dates and maybe they can find something.

Cross your fingers for us!

What timeshare system are they using to exchange? That may make a big difference in your success. Hopefully, they are experienced with RCI exchanges, although it doesn't sound like it.

If you want a 3 BR at BLT, I would put in an ongoing search (which you can only do in Weeks, I believe) for that alone and stick to it. If you have traveling date flexibility, that will improve your chances. If you get within 6 months and don't get a match, you can always broaden the search criteria or change the villa size without losing your first-come first-served priority.

If you have broad parameters on searches for two bedrooms, you are likely to get one at OKW and another at SSR or AKV, and probably for different dates -- which is certainly NOT what you want.

If you want two 2 BRs, I would do two identical and very narrowly defined searches -- same resort and same specific checkin dates, not a range of dates.

Incidentally, based both on our own experience and TUG sightings, I don't think you'll have any difficulty getting two 2BRs. We had a choice of several at OKW in mid-December at 5 months out. That's the busiest time of the year where booking precisely at 11 months is almost always required for regular points reservations; in other words, we got a RCI exchange reservation that would have been completely impossible using DVC points.

 

[bbak3030]

A 1 bedroom villa at Wilderness lodge is available! Have to decide by Monday night if we want to take it!