Can't findanyone out there has good experience or good to say regarding Rci exchanges

[poppabear2011]

I'm trying to take in people's comments and most just say this is just for wdw usage. I understand, but is there no one here that has anything good to say or experience trying to trade with RCi?
Or even if you've tried and problems you have seen or had?
Thanks Joe

 

[Strawberry's mom&dad]

We belong to RCI through DVC and Worldmark. It is my understanding that If you put your DVC points on RCI you move to the front of the line for what ever you want to exchange. DVC credits are in such demand that you should have no problem getting your exchange.

 

[JimMIA]

We belong to RCI through DVC and Worldmark. It is my understanding that If you put your DVC points on RCI you move to the front of the line for what ever you want to exchange. DVC credits are in such demand that you should have no problem getting your exchange.

My understanding is it works a little differently than that.

 

[Dean]

We belong to RCI through DVC and Worldmark. It is my understanding that If you put your DVC points on RCI you move to the front of the line for what ever you want to exchange. DVC credits are in such demand that you should have no problem getting your exchange.

The idea that DVC is in high demand through RCI (or II before) is simply incorrect. It's a little better with RCI than II but not much. Not only does one not move up because you're trading DVC but somewhat the reverse. It should be a little better though with RCI's new system and the RCI points side.

I'm trying to take in people's comments and most just say this is just for wdw usage. I understand, but is there no one here that has anything good to say or experience trying to trade with RCi?
Or even if you've tried and problems you have seen or had?
Thanks Joe

There are decent options for RCI but they are not guaranteed and for the most part, are not likely to happen. Those who have been happy have generally had pretty meager expectations. Often they've gotten great resorts in shoulder season or lower or in places where there is a lot of availability (HI other than Maui/Oahu, Aruba during Spring to Fall). If you're looking to buy it, it's very simple, don't do it with the idea of using ANY of the exchange options. It's nice to have choices but these are high risk and/or high cost choices (RCI, DCL, CC, DC, etc).

 

[Cee]

I've always been happy with my exchanges. Some resorts have certainly been nicer than others, but we've always been satisfied.

 

[rentayenta]

We had a great trip to Cabo trading into RCI using our DVC. I posted about it so search my name- mind you it was March 2009.

 

[crisi]

poppabear, you are in the exploratory "I haven't purchased yet" phase.

DVC is an expensive timeshare to trade, and because DVC does not allow you a direct relationship, its a less flexible timeshare to trade. That doesn't mean its horrible for the "sometimes trade." But it isn't your best choice of timeshare for the "we want to travel the world." (Personally, I'm a cash traveller with the exception of DVC for my Disney trips).

If you owned DVC, had points, wanted to try something different, then its a little different asnwer - there are not a lot of people here who HAVE traded (we are a bunch of Disney nuts), but a few - the two above were happy with their trades - and Diane posted in the other thread that they liked their Hawaii trade. Most of the "timeshare" people on this board (rather than the Disney people) use another company's timeshare to travel places other than Disney. But you are looking to purchase, with trading being a criteria for purchase. You should know that as far as DVC and trading goes - 1) its expensive relative to other options 2) its much less flexible than other options and 3) in my ten years of membership - the options have changed fairly drastically several times.

Do not make the critical mistake during a purchase decision of letting the pixie dust get in your eyes and deciding DVC MUST be what you want it to be rather than what it is. What it is isn't bad - in fact for certain people its wonderful. But, to be deep for a minute - it isn't what it isn't, no matter how much some of us want it to be what its not. Be sure to understand what it IS and buy what it IS (unless you have money to throw around buying things that aren't what you think they are).

 

[Deb & Bill]

Excellent post, Crisi. That needs to be up in the sticky threads.

 

[rentayenta]

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2427045&highlight=playa+grande

 

[chalee94]

I'm trying to take in people's comments and most just say this is just for wdw usage. I understand, but is there no one here that has anything good to say or experience trying to trade with RCi?

keep in mind even with the successful trades:

*160 DVC pts will tend to cost you $8000-$16000 upfront with annual dues around $800 - if you were to rent those 160 pts for $10 per pt, you could get $1600.

*RCI resorts (even nice ones like playa grande) are often available on ebay for $1 upfront with annual dues that are lower than DVC - a weekly rental for cash for playa grande is available on ebay for $600 (many rentals would be available for cash for $500 - $1000 depending on the resort and season.)

so it's up to you. there is a simplicity to calling DVC, paying the $95 fee, and letting them manage the trade. but you will often find that you could rent your pts and pay cash and save quite a bit...

 

[Lynne M]

Just to expand on Crisi's excellent post a bit:

With DVC, you don't get your own membership in RCI. DVC holds the membership, and through DVC you get access to a limited number of RCI resorts. DVC is expensive, as timeshares go, even at resale. You're paying more for the access to the DVC resorts. In order to get a decent number of points to cover a DVC stay or a RCI trade every year, you'll be paying well over $10K to purchase.

Other very good timeshares offer you access to the full range of RCI resorts, and can be purchased at resale for a FEW DOLLARS. Really. I'm not making that up.

Would you rather pay $10K + for the privilege of trading into RCI on a regular basis, or a few dollars?

Now, that's certainly an oversimplification, but I do it just to illustrate what people mean when they say buying DVC to use for RCI trading is a poor value. As Crisi said, if you already own DVC, stay mostly at DVC resorts and decide one year that you'd rather trade out to the Caribbean, hey, that's not a bad deal at all.

But it sounds like you'd want to trade out at least as often as you would go to DVC resorts. That's where you'd be dramatically overpaying by buying DVC.

Many people here like to vacation at other places than DVC resorts, just as you would. What many do is buy just enough DVC points to cover their DVC stays (considering banking and borrowing), and then buy another timeshare that's a good trader at resale, for their other vacations.

If you do want to trade often, I'd strongly recommend that you consider doing just that. You'll save thousands of dollars, and you'll have a much larger selection of resorts to choose from.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Just to expand on Crisi's excellent post a bit:

With DVC, you don't get your own membership in RCI. DVC holds the membership, and through DVC you get access to a limited number of RCI resorts. DVC is expensive, as timeshares go, even at resale. You're paying more for the access to the DVC resorts. In order to get a decent number of points to cover a DVC stay or a RCI trade every year, you'll be paying well over $10K to purchase.

Other very good timeshares offer you access to the full range of RCI resorts, and can be purchased at resale for a FEW DOLLARS. Really. I'm not making that up.

Would you rather pay $10K + for the privilege of trading into RCI on a regular basis, or a few dollars?

Now, that's certainly an oversimplification, but I do it just to illustrate what people mean when they say buying DVC to use for RCI trading is a poor value. As Crisi said, if you already own DVC, stay mostly at DVC resorts and decide one year that you'd rather trade out to the Caribbean, hey, that's not a bad deal at all.

But it sounds like you'd want to trade out at least as often as you would go to DVC resorts. That's where you'd be dramatically overpaying by buying DVC.

Many people here like to vacation at other places than DVC resorts, just as you would. What many do is buy just enough DVC points to cover their DVC stays (considering banking and borrowing), and then buy another timeshare that's a good trader at resale, for their other vacations.

If you do want to trade often, I'd strongly recommend that you consider doing just that. You'll save thousands of dollars, and you'll have a much larger selection of resorts to choose from.

Great addition, Lynne. Stick that one, too!

 

[JimMIA]

We have two threads, by the same OP, asking almost identical questions which have led to two parallel discussions of the same topic.

Everybody would probably benefit if those threads were combined so folks wouldn't have to bounce back and forth.