Can you stand another RCI ? from me?!

[GoofItUp]

I have some more information and am considering some alternative options for trading RCI into DVC for our family vacation next summer. Would love to hear some opinions from the RCI experts!

We originally were only searching for a June 24-25-26 checkin, but have opened it up to include June 17-18-19 as well. We are currently searching for 2, 2-bdrm units at any DVC property. I found out that the home resort (a friend is letting us use her weeks) is Silver Leaf Holiday Hills in Branson. I'm thinking that probably is not going to have great trade power. My sister really wants to stay on-site, so I'm thinking of opening this up to 1-bdrm units to see if we have some success. Then I will have to rent some additional points to book 2 studios as well. I have been following bnobles posts on another board of availability for trades and have not seen much for these weeks.

Do you think this will come through as a 2-bdrm or should I open it up to 1-bdrm and plan on getting the extra studio rooms? What do you think my odds are of finding a 1-bdrm for that timeframe?

 

[Brian Noble]

Branson is pretty over-built, but I do know someone with a peak summer week there that can see some DVC. If you don't have peak summer, though, you are probably out of luck. Go search online right now, and see if you see any DVC resorts at all for any dates. That will give you a hint about your trade power.

Right this very second, I see 13 resorts, including one 2BR at OKW. Inventory moves quickly, so don't be surprised if you don't see that many if you look later today. If later today you don't see *any* 1BR units, you may as well start looking elsewhere now.

 

[ldo]

June DVCs were deposited in Aug. There will still be ongoing deposits, but if you had a search that was ongoing in Aug., and did not get matched up, then I expect you have a trade power issue. Over on TUG2.net, a timeshare group, we have concluded that in RCI, you to have a top tier resort to trade into DVC, esp. for a 2 BR DVC. In that case, I would add 1 BR to the mix.
Orlando is a very easy trade, other than DVC. There are many nice resorts--are they set on being onsite? you could easily trade into a very nice 2 BR TS and save a lot of $. We vacationed for years offsite at luxury timeshares and had a great time--of course, being at DVC is what we prefer now--but for the hassle of trying to get a 1 BR and then renting points to book 2 studios, I think I might just stay off-site.

 

[Melynny]

I have 2 RCI trades into DVC with my Silverleaf Holiday Hills 2 br and my Silverleaf Ozark Mountain 1 br. One for Vero beach Studio, Thanksgiving week and one for Villas of Wilderness Lodge, Studio, the week before christmas, checking in on the 17th? out on the 24th. Both of these trades are for 2010. Right now I can only see 1 br and studios at Saratoga and OKW in May 2011. I have not seen many 2 br at any DVC resorts, those only short notice. I check every day. When I see them, they go Really, Really quick!

 

[GoofItUp]

Thanks for the responses. I did catch the right time to call (I don't have web access since this is not my RCI account) and check trade power and - as Melynny posted - trade power shouldn't be the issue as I was able to see studios & 1-bdrms for May and late Aug. So, I guess it's just the time of year we're trying to go. One of our requests was open to all size units and I opened the other up to that as well. Even if we get 2 studios, I can use my DVC points to get the other studios (just have to rent some extra pts). Keeping my fingers crossed!

 

[Dean]

Thanks for the responses. I did catch the right time to call (I don't have web access since this is not my RCI account) and check trade power and - as Melynny posted - trade power shouldn't be the issue as I was able to see studios & 1-bdrms for May and late Aug. So, I guess it's just the time of year we're trying to go. One of our requests was open to all size units and I opened the other up to that as well. Even if we get 2 studios, I can use my DVC points to get the other studios (just have to rent some extra pts). Keeping my fingers crossed!

Your choice of course but I'd personally rather get two 2 BR units at a top off property resort than smaller units. Consider Bonnet Creek which is essentially on property as well as some of the Marriott's and Hilton's especially. Do make sure you cont with DVC options and that you're listing all DVC resorts.

 

[threedisprincesses]

I am also on RCI looking for a two bedroom for either next summer or summer of 2012. We have a 2 bed at world golf village, red week(s). Should I be seeing ANY two bedrooms on site? I have not been able to see any over the past 5 days. What is everyone else "seeing"?

 

[GoofItUp]

I am also on RCI looking for a two bedroom for either next summer or summer of 2012. We have a 2 bed at world golf village, red week(s). Should I be seeing ANY two bedrooms on site? I have not been able to see any over the past 5 days. What is everyone else "seeing"?

I don't have RCI web access, so can't tell you what's out there, but you can go to ts4ms.com and check out their Exchange Opportunities board. There is a post almost daily telling what's out there. You do have to have 30 posts or write a review (very easy -- do a DVC property!) to be able to view that section.

 

[mkarizona]

I did see a two bedroom yesterday.

 

[Melynny]

I agree with Dean, there are some really really nice 2 br units close, that are easier to get, and I get them all the time with my Silverleafs. The DVCs are available, but When I did my bigger family reunion, we had some folks that were interested in Universal, the pool ( and some of those have really neat pools) If it were me, I'd go for the space. If you have cars, a nice room and not being crowded can't be beat.

 

[Brian Noble]

There is a post almost daily telling what's out there.

For a while, I'd stopped posting daily, and instead only post when something "new" shows up. But, there's been a lot of churn over the past few days, so there has been more to post. Typically, I'll try to post at least once a week.

But, there is no substitute for looking on your own, often, to get a sense for how inventory comes and goes. You can really get a solid intuition about how the relationship works, and how it changes over time.

As for sizes---I also would rather be offsite than squeeze into a smaller DVC unit. I also don't even bother with studios; in many cases, it's competitive just to rent the points for a studio vs. the costs to exchange into one, but it depends on your underlying MFs and which season you are looking for.