Can someone answer this RCI/DVC question for me?

[mphalens]

The ILs have RCI timeshare (they've had it for over 25 years if not longer) ... 2 weeks someplace...
In the past we've stayed at Bonnet Creek on their timeshare (which I know is Wyndham, not RCI) ... but I was wondering if anyone knows how it works when trying to use an RCI timeshare to get a DVC villa.

Does anyone know? Can you point me in the right direction for finding out info (without asking the ILs b/c they're hopeless)? Give me the scoop?

Pretty please?!?!?!

 

[grimley1968]

There is a DVC section of these boards which would be a better place to post this question. You should get answers there.

 

[chalee94]

complicated question. the short answer is that it is difficult to trade for DVC in RCI and requires some advance planning.

more complicated answers:

1) there is more DVC availability in RCI points than RCI weeks, so it depends how the timeshare is connected to RCI.

2) if the timeshare is based in or near orlando, you would probably not be able to trade for DVC due to a regional block

3) start requesting a year (or more, if possible) in advance for the best results

4) SSR and OKW are more commonly deposited in RCI than other resorts...remember that many/most DVCers do not trade into RCI at all, so DVC availability in RCI is relatively scarce.

5) if you trade into DVC with RCI, there is an additional $95 fee to be paid to the DVC resort

dean and brian noble over on the DVC boards may be able to provide more detailed info...or you could do a search over at TUG.

 

[ccgirl]

YOu can also do a search with the term "RCI" there have been many threads about it. As a PP pointed out, it depends on where you own and points or weeks. I traded in a Hawaii weeks resort no problem. Actually traded a studio for a 2BR BWV. I traded at 10 months out. If you own within 35 miles you absolutely will not be able to trade in due to the exclusion clause. The $95 fee is for ME and the transportation system. Considering the BWV was $800 a night I was okay with paying the $95 fee and the $125 trade fee (to RCI). Do a search and you will find a load of info. Where do the inlaws own?

 

[spiceycat]

my timeshare never traded with DVC thru RCI.

it was a white week - so really did not expect it to.

you need a true red week - high demand and good location to trade to DVC.

go ask on

www.tug2.net - their forums - they can probably say if your week is strong enough to trade into DVC>

with my white week - got Wyndham Bonnet Creek and Hilton Grand Vacation CLub - plus Orange Lake, the Sheratons. Cypress Pointe, Silver Lake, Westgate - and mostlly CWR because we had pets.

 

[mphalens]

They have two weeks in Hawaii at Christmas Think one of those weeks would get me what I want? I can totally handle the $95 and the $125 It would be an AWESOME savings

 

[shalom]

The ILs have RCI timeshare (they've had it for over 25 years if not longer) ... 2 weeks someplace...

If the ILs aren't on top of things then odds are they have weeks, not points. Get the name of the Timeshare and the dates they can trade, then check out TUG or Timeshare Forums and ask there whether their weeks will pull DVC, maybe they can tell you right off. Your odds of trading in are better if you can go off-season, and they're also better if there's an on-going search AND you keep an eye on things - DVC can be snatched up pretty quickly.

There's a pattern to when DVC is usually deposited, which can help. I know there are threads discussing trading DVC at Timeshare Forums in the RCI subforum and the points sub-forum as well. There are also people who post when DVC is deposited, divided by month - reading those threads will give you an idea of what's available and, if you have an RCI search going, will let you know whether your deposit will pull DVC or not.

 

[spiceycat]

what are the dates you are trying for? would you take any DVC or are you trying for one?

 

[mphalens]

what are the dates you are trying for? would you take any DVC or are you trying for one?

We're supposed to go Nov 27 - Dec 3 of 2011 ...


Their weeks are TWO WEEKS in HAWAII at CHRISTMAS (RCI Weeks)

We are considering DVC too ... just wasn't sure if this might be cheaper for us to go the RCI route... Why? Can you help?

 

[spiceycat]

some holidays Dvc does not release any days.

but what you want is not a holiday period. You should be able to get something - if you can't see the DVC on your own - would call RCI and ask why?

 

[Lynne M]

This is really a question for the DVC boards, so I'll move it over there.

 

[abouley]

I have points and was able to book a 2 bedroom villa at the Wilderness Lodge at 6 months out for 1st week of Oct. Right at the 6 month mark, I noticed a lot of availability. It was just too good to pass up

Alison

 

[ccgirl]

If the ILs aren't on top of things then odds are they have weeks, not points.

Just wanted to say that the ILs being 'on top of things' has nothing to do with it. Some resorts are strictly weeks resorts, not points. My Hawaii week is a 'week' and cannot be converted to points.

OP - I looked against my banked week and nothing is coming up thru all of next year. It is probably because the weeks you are looking for have not been deposited yet. A lot of people places searches too so the DVC weeks are snatched up before you can even see them. If you know the week you want to go, and the Hawaii week is already banked, then I would definitely initiate a search.

Good luck.

 

[Brian Noble]

They have two weeks in Hawaii at Christmas Think one of those weeks would get me what I want?

Probably, but never for certain. It depends on what the units are (studios vs larger units), where they are, etc. RCI values weeks based on relative supply vs. demand, and for the moment uses a "like for like" system---you have to give a good week to get a good week. While a lot of people want to go to HI, there are also a lot of resorts, and the older ones (which your ILs certainly own) are less desirable than newer ones, all things being equal. Likewise, week 51 is less valuable than week 52, and Week 50 (which is "close to Christmas") is worth *much* less than either.

You will maximize your success if you deposit more than nine months prior to use (so, the December '11 week prior to the middle of march), and then place an ongoing search for your dates ASAP. Because you have only one potential week *and* you are coming during a time of intense demand internally in the DVC system, you should be as flexible as possible about which resorts you would accept, what size unit you would take, and which check-in days of that week you are willing to travel for.

If they haven't already been deposited, don't bother with the 2010 weeks. Your trade power is almost certainly to be too low, as RCI penalizes for "late" deposits.

 

[mphalens]

So I've done a little more research into what they have ... Apparently they have two weeks in the BEGINNING of December, NOT at Christmas ... I don't know which resort and I don't know a whole lot more than that...

How do you do a search? I'm "timeshare illiterate" so a lot of these terms mean nada to me ... Is there a good place to go online to get the scoop???

She was going to call RCI and ask if it's even possible to attempt ... still waiting on her answer ...

But the more info I can get the better, so please, advice!!!

 

[mphalens]

Just wanted to say that the ILs being 'on top of things' has nothing to do with it. Some resorts are strictly weeks resorts, not points. My Hawaii week is a 'week' and cannot be converted to points.

OP - I looked against my banked week and nothing is coming up thru all of next year. It is probably because the weeks you are looking for have not been deposited yet. A lot of people places searches too so the DVC weeks are snatched up before you can even see them. If you know the week you want to go, and the Hawaii week is already banked, then I would definitely initiate a search.

Good luck.

WHERE did you do this search? My ILs are so weird - they won't give us access to their RCI stuff so THEY have to do everything (they won't even tell me which resort their weeks are AT ) ... but they don't really know HOW to do anything, so it's super frustrating!!!

They won't bank the Hawaii week(s) until they know if it's even POSSIBLE to trade for us ... they're using THIS YEAR's week and actually GOING ... so it'd be next year's weeks (2011) ...

 

[ccgirl]

So I've done a little more research into what they have ... Apparently they have two weeks in the BEGINNING of December, NOT at Christmas ... I don't know which resort and I don't know a whole lot more than that...

How do you do a search? I'm "timeshare illiterate" so a lot of these terms mean nada to me ... Is there a good place to go online to get the scoop???

She was going to call RCI and ask if it's even possible to attempt ... still waiting on her answer ...

But the more info I can get the better, so please, advice!!!

I went back and the week I traded previously was week 52. The week I have banked now is week 46 (Nov 13) and it is definitely not as powerful a trade as week 52. I have a username/password for RCI.com so I do all of my searches/transactions right on line. Your inlaws could call them directly too. I just prefer to do everything on line. Have your inlaws set up an account on the rci website; that way you can see all availability yourself. If this doesn't work; consider renting points from a DVC owner. Typically, owners will rent at $10 a point. Search the rent/trade board for more info on that.

Good luck.

 

[ccgirl]

WHERE did you do this search? My ILs are so weird - they won't give us access to their RCI stuff so THEY have to do everything (they won't even tell me which resort their weeks are AT ) ... but they don't really know HOW to do anything, so it's super frustrating!!!

They won't bank the Hawaii week(s) until they know if it's even POSSIBLE to trade for us ... they're using THIS YEAR's week and actually GOING ... so it'd be next year's weeks (2011) ...

If they are not using next years week, and have paid their maintenance already, they should bank it. The earlier you bank the more trade power you have.

Sounds like your hands may be tied a bit. I would look on ebay and see if you can pick up a timeshare yourself. There are some great ones to be had. Just do a lot of investigation before you purchase. A lot of people can no longer afford or want to pay their maintance fees so they are looking to dump them for dirt cheap. I have a friend that picked one up for $2,000 and uses it just to trade.

 

[ldo]

1st--there is no way to gaurantee that they can trade for DVC--and not knowing the name of their resort (there are a variety in Hawaii), it is even more impossible for anyone to give advice (TUG2.net is a great place to get advice about trading timeshares--post on the exchange BB or the DVC sub BB).
The only thing they can do is to deposit their week and try--but to get DVC, they really need to put in an ongoing search--they can't just look and see what's online--those are the left-over weeks that no one had a search for. The process is as follows:

1) IL must deposit their Hawaii week with RCI ASAP and start an ongiong search immediately. They should ONLY type in the DVC numbers for the search (such as DV01, DV02, etc.). DO NOT have them select "Orlando area"--they want to search only those specific resorts. It is all the way over to the right on the RCI screen. They will then have to pre-pay the exhcange fee (they get it back if search is not matched). If they say they have started a serach and they were not required to pay the exchange fee---then they did the search wrong and no search has been started inthe RCI system. They can also call RCI and do it over the phone---but they must be VERY specific that they only want those particular DVC resorts--make sure they do not include Vero and Hilton Head. Also, OKW and SSR have the most availability. If staying at DVC is important to you, you should include SSR and OKW in your search--if you limit to AKV, etc., you might end up with nothing.
2) IL have to call HAwaii resort and pay annual fee. Resort might not have 2011 rates yet--they will just pay 2010 rates now and then get billed for any increase. Virtually all resorts require pre-paying annual fees before releasing unit to RCI. This usually takes about a week or so to work thru the RCI system.
3) good luck! deposits from DVC for nov/dec should start appearing in Jan 2011.
4)ps--re. weeks vs. points. We're "on top of things" and have a "weeks" TS----we prefer a fixed week summer at the beach. Our "week" trades excellently.

 

[Brian Noble]

apparently they have two weeks in the BEGINNING of December, NOT at Christmas

Unfortunately, this is a lower-than-average time of demand in Hawaii. Depending on resort and unit size, you may not have sufficient trade power to make this exchange.