Can you give me the lowdown on WorldPassport and Concierge Collection point value?

[3kidz4dis]

We usually use our points to stay at DVC resort but was trying to understand the value of points using the other options available at non DVC points especially since we went from Interval to RCI. For those of us with 5 people who need a two bedroom, it looks as though the Concierge Collection is out....The exchanges through RCI seem to be a decent point value....a 2 bedroom mid season is 270 to stay at a place like Hilton Hawaiian Village in Oahu seemed like a decent way to spend points. Am I reading it correctly? What is a wise/unwise way to spend your points if you are staying at a non DVC resort? Thanks!!

 

[Dean]

We usually use our points to stay at DVC resort but was trying to understand the value of points using the other options available at non DVC points especially since we went from Interval to RCI. For those of us with 5 people who need a two bedroom, it looks as though the Concierge Collection is out....The exchanges through RCI seem to be a decent point value....a 2 bedroom mid season is 270 to stay at a place like Hilton Hawaiian Village in Oahu seemed like a decent way to spend points. Am I reading it correctly? What is a wise/unwise way to spend your points if you are staying at a non DVC resort? Thanks!!

IF (bid if) you can get something like that early enough to plan, I'd agree with you. As a rule you could get must things in RCI for pennies on the dollar compared to using DVC for the same purpose. And generally the things you look at and think "that's a great choice and value" aren't going to be available during higher demand times and for HI, not likely at all. Certainly no reason not to give it a try but just plan accordingly that you likely won't get such options. Plus it would be nuts to buy in for this purpose. At least you get the request first option and can get your fee back if you cancel or don't match.

 

[3kidz4dis]

IF (bid if) you can get something like that early enough to plan, I'd agree with you. As a rule you could get must things in RCI for pennies on the dollar compared to using DVC for the same purpose. And generally the things you look at and think "that's a great choice and value" aren't going to be available during higher demand times and for HI, not likely at all. Certainly no reason not to give it a try but just plan accordingly that you likely won't get such options. Plus it would be nuts to buy in for this purpose. At least you get the request first option and can get your fee back if you cancel or don't match.

Thanks....I was looking at the old DVC book when they were using Interval and Hawaii was 270 for high season as compared for 270 points for mid season with RCI. The problem sounds like you would wait to get what you want to travel elsewhere and it it doesn't work out, you would loose what you would want at Disney at the same time.

 

[JudyS]

Generally, trading through RCI is going to be a terrible value. Many of the nice Hawaiian resorts in RCI are unlikely ever to really be available, plus some of the high end resorts (like the Grand Mayan) cost outrageous sums of points.

As Dean said, you could put in a request if there's something you want, but it's almost never going to be a good deal.

A better approach would be to either rent your DVC points out and then rent what you want with the money you get, or to buy a resort just for trading. Excellent RCI traders can be had for under $1000 with annual fees of under $700, and some of them trade in II as well as RCI.

 

[Dean]

Thanks....I was looking at the old DVC book when they were using Interval and Hawaii was 270 for high season as compared for 270 points for mid season with RCI. The problem sounds like you would wait to get what you want to travel elsewhere and it it doesn't work out, you would loose what you would want at Disney at the same time.

HIGH is still 270 points. But over $3000 worth of points is not a good deal for all but a very select group of resorts and locations. For HI there are 2 resorts on Oahu and one on Maui worth considering and all but the Hilton are far below many of the II offerings. Plus in most cases you could buy a timeshare non DVC, pay 3-4 years worth of points, membership fees and exchange fees for that $3000 and have multiple exchanges with more and better options and actually have a better chance of getting the exchange.

The GM that Judy mentions is a good example. The cost through DVC for an exchange there is 600 points for a 1 BR and 900 points for a 2 BR during HIGH season. I'm pretty confident that next late Jan and early Feb will be HIGH season there. So my 2 weeks back to back would have been 1500 DVC points rather than the $300 per week including exchange fees that it actually cost me there. In addition I have a 3 BR at the Hacienda Del Mar that would have been another 349 DVC points for about the same cost to me. While this is the extreme example, it's a real situation plus the scenario and principles are valid on about 95% of all possible trades and where it's a wash, the regular non DVC RCI member actually has the better chance of being successful than does the DVC member in most situations.