Can someone please do an RCI exchange search for me?

[MaMudduck]

If someone would be kind enough to do an RCI exchange search for any DVC properties (any size), 1 full week, between Nov 19/09- Jun 30/10. This would be a weeks exchange not points.

I use to be with II but it's time to book my 2010 Mexico timeshare for trade and have to decide to go with II (for non DVC) or to become a member with RCI so I can trade into DVC.

It was so easy with II to get the weeks I wanted for Disney. I was able to do 4 trades into BC (2x) and bwv(2x). I hope it's going to be as smooth with RCI.
Any feedback from anyone that's used both would also be greatly appreciated! Thanks

 

[Inkmahm]

I'm curious if the RCI full weeks have to run Sun to Sat or some other timeframe. Is a Tues-Monday timeframe possible?

 

[bwvBound]

I'm curious if the RCI full weeks have to run Sun to Sat or some other timeframe. Is a Tues-Monday timeframe possible?

Each RCI Weeks exchang into DVC starts either on Fri, Sat or Sun.

OP: There have been a steady stream of DVC sightings posted on The Timeshare Users Group (TUG) website. Sorry, I can't search for you -- my dual affiliated (RCI/II) timeshare allowed me to search online with II but forces me to phone my requests to RCI. Booking my first DVC exchange through RCI was easy enough (though done over the phone) and I got my "1st request" after only a short waitlist. Good luck!

 

[ccgirl]

Hi there,

Sorry...I cannot search RCI as I have nothing banked at the moment. As you know, it depends on where you own as to what comes up. I own Hawaii and was able to trade in to a 2BR at the BWV for May 1 - May 8, 2010. There was a ton of availability when I searched against Hawaii. I would think Mexico would be similar. Also, as a PP stated, the week begins on Fri, Sat or Sun. I own at a weeks resort too. SOunds like you are very flexible so you shouldn't have a problem.

 

[Brian Noble]

As of yesterday afternoon, there were about 70+ units from January through August in Weeks.

However, I would advise you to see if you can find someone at TUG or Timeshare Forums who owns at your resorrt/area, and can give you a sense for what sort of trade power you can expect at RCI. DVC requires a very strong week, particularly for larger units and/or the more in-demand resorts. I would not assume Mexico and HI are similar; Mexico has much more inventory in RCI.

 

[MaMudduck]

Thank you all!

bwvBound- thanks about TUG board, I was a member and let my renewal expire and I had totally forgot about TUG thanks for the reminder.

do you mean because you have dual memberships you could ONLY book with RCI on the phone? Is it you personally or your home resort that has dual? RCI phone C/S is so annoying sometimes.

Brian- I think my resort & floating "gold" weeks have pretty good trading power, most of my trades with II have come up with really good choices but I will take your advice. I'm not planning on using my home resort next year so I rather deposit so I can use it somewhere else up till 2013

 

[Dean]

Thank you all!

bwvBound- thanks about TUG board, I was a member and let my renewal expire and I had totally forgot about TUG thanks for the reminder.

do you mean because you have dual memberships you could ONLY book with RCI on the phone? Is it you personally or your home resort that has dual? RCI phone C/S is so annoying sometimes.

Brian- I think my resort & floating "gold" weeks have pretty good trading power, most of my trades with II have come up with really good choices but I will take your advice. I'm not planning on using my home resort next year so I rather deposit so I can use it somewhere else up till 2013

As a rule, MX resorts do not trade well enough to trade into DVC. I'd heed the advice of finding someone with the same or a similar resort, unit size and week and see if they can see the DVC units that are there or not. My guess is they will not be able to but it's worth a try. I'd be very hesitant to join RCI simply for DVC exchanges with a MX option, esp if it's a 2 BR.

 

[bwvBound]

do you mean because you have dual memberships you could ONLY book with RCI on the phone? Is it you personally or your home resort that has dual? RCI phone C/S is so annoying sometimes.

Good questions ... lots of pieces to the answer:

• I have personal-level memberships with RCI, II, and a few smaller exchange companies. DVC is my only timeshare using the company-level relationship over individual-level. My others include one that is II only; one is RCI only and one that is affiliated with both RCI and II.
• My dual-affiliated timeshare allows individual owners to maintain their own relationships with RCI/II. It also ...
  • Allows "search first" with both RCI/II. Similar to DVC, I may request exchanges and not deliver any points until a match is found.
  • Supports "deposit first" if I wish to bank points, converted to a specific week, into either system.
• II allows me to search online using either "search first" or "deposit first" methods.
• RCI allows me to search online only if I "deposit first." I must use a special RCI phone line to use "search first."

So my present status is that I have only weak weeks from South Africa on deposit right now with RCI. They only pull the rare OKW/SSR studio. I do not have any deposits from either my stronger, dual-affiliated product or my strongest RCI-only timeshare and, thus, cannot search for DVC online in RCI.

As for experiences using RCI to exchange into DVC, I have one vacation booked: I opened a search in January 2009 over the phone for BWV Jan 2010; the search hit a match by mid-March 2009. While I enjoy searching online and booking online -- I have no complaints over the "ease of booking" through RCI. In many ways it was easier than booking the same reservation using II.

Edit to add: Agreeing with Brian and Dean -- try to find someone with similar timeshare and week.

 

[Dean]

One thing to keep in mind is that after the initial hunk of deposits to RCI weeks, it appears to me (and I have some independent confirmation) that the bulk of new deposits to RCI is going to the RCI points side, esp for the larger units. Certainly a fair amount of units are still going to the weeks side but not nearly as many as before it seems.

 

[MaMudduck]

[*]II allows me to search online using either "search first" or "deposit first" methods.
[*]RCI allows me to search online only if I "deposit first." I must use a special RCI phone line to use "search first."[/list]
I have no complaints over the "ease of booking" through RCI. In many ways it was easier than bookking the same reservation using II.

Okay now I get it, it makes perfect sense the way you explained it.

BTW - I just resigned up at TUG- Thanks