Does anyone want to explain this "RCI" thing in simple terms????

[ekball]

I'm suprised no one has responded yet. I will give it a try. I'm sure others could do a better job, but here goes.

One of your options with DVC is to exchange some of your DVC points to go to timeshare resorts outside of Disney. To get you a reservation outside of Disney, DVC contracts with an exchange company.

In the timeshare world there are 2 primary exchange companies, RCI (Resort Condiminums Internations) & II (Interval International).

Each of the exchange companies have there own group of resorts. Typically every timeshare belongs to either RCI or II, but there are some that belong to both.

When a DVC owner wants to go to go somewhere outside of Disney, DVC deposits a unit with the exchange company and the exchange company gives the DVC member access to a unit that someone else has deposited with the exchange company.

This is a really big deal because to some people and a non issue to others. You get the best value from your DVC membership by using your DVC points at DVC resorts. But its nice to be able to go somewhere else.

For example: Maybe you want to go to Williamsburg, VA. In my opinion the two best places in Williamsburg are Marriott Manor Club at Ford's Colony & Wyndham Governor's Green, but they are both only available thru II. Once DVC swithes to RCI, you will not be able to use your DVC points to stay at either of these resorts. But RCI does have a number of resorts in Williamsburg but they are not up to the quality of the II resorts.

I would not use my DVC points to stay in Williamsburg, its just not a good value. I would use one of my other timeshare to exchange into Williamsburg. But if you only have one timeshare, and you want to go to williamsburg, I would want to stay at the top resort in Williamsburg, which happens to be only available from II.

Now, if you look at the exchange companies as a whole. There are a number of locations where RCI has better resorts. But most of the top resorts choose II because the other top resorts are available there.

Hope this helps. Ask any questions.

Matthew

Thank you Matthew. Your explanation was very helpful!

I'd agree with this, with one addendum. If you want to stay somewhere other than a DVC resort, and you want to use points to do so, it is almost always better to rent out your points on the open market, and use the proceeds to rent a unit from someone who owns where you want to go. In almost all cases, you'll have money left over this way.

Ooh - great information (must record this in the official know-nothing notebook).

Yay,can I join?

Of course - there seem to be a large group of unofficial know-nothings lurking around. Come out of the closet and join us! (it feels so liberating, doesn't it?! )

PLEASE COUNT ME IN.....just when I think I know DVC this is thrown in there.

Oh we have soooooo much to learn (especially if they keep changing and adding and selling and developing...)

I would say the quality of RCI's resorts is just one problem. I own 20 timeshares. (Yes, really!) Besides my DVC week, I own several weeks that trade in II, plus some that trade in RCI Weeks and some that trade in RCI Points. I get good trades through all three exchange companies, but I find RCI much harder than II to use. (Although DVC members will probably not deal directly with RCI, which helps.) Other problems are that RCI has high fees (although DVC members may not pay the usual fees) and that they tend to have poor customer service. Plus, many RCI members suspect that RCI is taking the best deposits and renting them to the general public, rather than making them available for trade. In fact, RCI settled a class action lawsuit from its members a few days ago, regarding renting out of weeks instead of giving them in trade to their members. It amazes me that DVC would join RCI when that just happened.

One of the big problems with RCI, as I see it, is that they often only allow trades into the most desirable resorts once every four or five years. This is especially a problem in Mexico, where most of the nicer RCI resorts are managed by the same company (Grupo Mayan), and RCI members are allowed to go only once every five years to any of the 30 or so resorts managed by this company.

That said, all this is only an issue if you want to trade your DVC points to another resort. Most DVC members use their points at DVC resorts, so for them, it doesn't matter what exchange company DVC uses.

As I mentioned earlier in the thread, I know nothing (but am learning) about the timeshare world, other than the fact that I was sucked in by those gracious DVC folks (what's that you say? Gift Card!! Free Ice Cream!! Free child care!!! I'M IN! ) HOWEVER, I have stayed in 3 RCI timeshares (2 family members own RCI weeks) and were wowed by none of them. Two were downright gross, and one was just 'eh. I'm sure they are not all like that (bad luck on our part?), but I will say I was really surprised to read my DVC email the other night about the partnership with RCI.

I have a lot to learn, but you all have been very helpful so far. We know-nothings do so appreciate your time.

 

[hakepb]

Rentals are balanced by two main sources of inventory: developer deposits and RCI Points members who use their points for things other than lodging.

What other things can RCI Points members use their points for?

 

[Brian Noble]

Non-timeshare lodging, airfare, rental car, Disney tickets, a few other things. But, if you look at the point cost carefully, they are mostly things that would be less expensive to just pay for with cash.

 

[Dean]

How is the RCI rentals a balacned system. You deposit inventory, RCI gets a cahs rental so your unit is used, but what do you get? How can they have more inventory than exchanges?

In theory RCI (and II) should only be renting weeks gotten from developer for rent, weeks given up by members for cash type options, weeks legitimately secured by RCI's points they own themselves or points given up by the members for cash options and truly excess inventory. The concern many have (I'm still on the fence personally) is that RCI is stealing the good weeks to rent for cash that should legitimately be available for exchange. There is some circumstantial evidence that this may be true but I remain unconvinced personally as I simply don't have enough info to know reasonably for certain.

 

[hakepb]

Thank you Dean and Brian.
It is not a bad thing having non-lodging options for points, I understand not the best value.

On the DVC side, it is to members advantage to sell our points (Disney Collection) for higher cash CRO rooms, but there's usually no conflict because CRO high and DVC high are usually different. The more cash CRO gets, the fewer points trading out costs. I do understand the RCI conflict, though. Hopefully DVC understands that difference between their system and RCI.