DVC/RCI mystery solved -- NO ripoff! Update, Post #17

[Dean]

I don't think so. I believe their UY is September and they deposited in August because the points were just about to expire.

Your point is well-taken though. This is one of those "devil in the details" issues where it would be good to know exactly how that expiration date was established.

I don't know why RCI didn't do end-of-the-month two years after deposit like they do everyone else, but at least the way this appears it's a little better than everyone else gets.

In that situation it should have been a short notice deposit then (under 45 days). I can't say as to why they did it that way but my guess is that it was to keep it simple and void worrying about tracking each deposit individually.

 

[JimMIA]

In that situation it should have been a short notice deposit then (under 45 days).

I've seen you reference this "44 day rule" a couple of times and I have no idea what it is. I have a feeling it's something that applies to TPU traders and not to fixed-grid, because as far as I know it doesn't exist with Wyndham. (And DVC is a fixed-grid trader.)

I can't say as to why they did it that way but my guess is that it was to keep it simple and void worrying about tracking each deposit individually.

Probably right.

And if you think about it, that makes sense. Why track deposits closely when they are going to be snatched up within minutes of appearing in RCI bulk deposits? It's not like DVC deposits have long shelf-lives!

 

[Dean]

I've seen you reference this "44 day rule" a couple of times and I have no idea what it is.

From the same document as before.

2. Vacation Time must be deposited with DVC Member Services no more than 11 months (7 months if
the DVC Member is depositing Vacation Time from an Originating Resort other than his or her Home
Resort), before the commencement date of the deposited week. Deposits of Vacation Time received
by DVC Member Services from 45 days and until 14 days before the commencement date of the
Vacation Time being deposited also are accepted; provided, however, that such deposits can only be
used for an exchange that will occur from 44 days and until 24 hours in advance of the desired travel
dates.

 

[JimMIA]

From the same document as before.

Right, I misspoke. It's not a TPU thing.

I knew about the rule, but it's just gibberish to me. For example, LouisianaDisneyFan deposited points 15 days before the end of their UY. They deposited the points to avoid losing them due to a cancellation, so they currently have no "desired travel dates." What would be the restrictions (if any) on an exchange with those points?

 

[Dean]

Right, I misspoke. It's not a TPU thing.

I knew about the rule, but it's just gibberish to me. For example, LouisianaDisneyFan deposited points 15 days before the end of their UY. They deposited the points to avoid losing them due to a cancellation, so they currently have no "desired travel dates." What would be the restrictions (if any) on an exchange with those points?

AsI understand it they should not be able to deposit 15 days prior to the end of the UY for that UY points. My guess is they banked them (even if not technically bankable) and deposited something later. For a deposit between 14 & 44 days out all that should be available would be under 45 days.

 

[JimMIA]

AsI understand it they should not be able to deposit 15 days prior to the end of the UY for that UY points. My guess is they banked them (even if not technically bankable) and deposited something later. For a deposit between 14 & 44 days out all that should be available would be under 45 days.

So you're saying that RCI deposits have to be made 45 days or more before the end of your UY; otherwise they are restricted in a similar manner to regular DVC points in Holding Account?

I'm kinda struggling to see any logic there...other than to discourage last minute RCI deposits, but what's the benefit to DVC in that?

 

[bwvBound]

Just a thought regarding posts 19 and forward:

The document Dean quotes in post 23 refers to a window of time between the deposit and "the commencement date of the Vacation Time being deposited." That wording seems to refer to a fixed week, having been designated (resort, unit size, check-in date, length of stay) and then given to RCI for exchange. Perhaps the deposit we are discussing remains unquantified (resort/unit/week) at this point? Perhaps it is simply a debit/credit post on a ledger between RCI and DVC to be quantified later when the books are balanced?

FWIW, Worldmark has different types of exchange options to its members through RCI. Some are similar to the DVC/RCI relationship:

• Confirm First in RCI Weeks: This option allows the individual to open a request (immediate or 'open search') w/out dedicating any timeshare to RCI. Settling up "time for time" occurs on the backend of the transaction if/when the search is fulfilled. In the case of Worldmark, this uses a fixed grid on the RCI Weeks side (does not involve TPU). There is similar program through RCI Weeks with a set conversion factor between Worldmark "credits" and RCI Points.
• Deposit First, RCI Weeks: This requires the individual to dedicate a number of Worldmark Credits that are quantified by the WM Exchange Desk into a fixed week (resort/unit/week). The individual doesn't get to choose the deposited week. The week deposited on their behalf has a shelf-life of "1 year before / 2 years after" the actual travel dates for that week.

I kinda think DVC is playing a game similar to WM's Deposit first but possibly taking longer to choose its quantified weeks. Thus, the DVC member gets the "benefit" of an invisible deposit that will always be more than 45-days out -- thus avoiding RCI's restrictions on late deposits.

Comment?

 

[JimMIA]

That wording seems to refer to a fixed week, having been designated (resort, unit size, check-in date, length of stay) and then given to RCI for exchange. Perhaps the deposit we are discussing remains unquantified (resort/unit/week) at this point? Perhaps it is simply a debit/credit post on a ledger between RCI and DVC to be quantified later when the books are balanced?

The passage Dean quoted appears to me to say exactly what he says it says, but I think you may be right on the REAL meaning.

The reason I say that is putting any significant restrictions on exchanges makes no sense to me from either DVC's perspective, or RCI's. Both have a vested interest in the exchanges going through and people being happy with the result.

Happy DVC owner living it up in Vegas; happy Worldmark owner basking in pixie dust at VGF...perfect.

 

[Dean]

So you're saying that RCI deposits have to be made 45 days or more before the end of your UY; otherwise they are restricted in a similar manner to regular DVC points in Holding Account?

I'm kinda struggling to see any logic there...other than to discourage last minute RCI deposits, but what's the benefit to DVC in that?

This is consistent with RCI's normal cutoff of 45 days or longer from the start days being fully qualified (though reduced TPU), for II it's 60 days. I'll have to go back to to the old II info when I can and see what it said related to late deposits. The purpose is to get them time to get it to someone else and to discourage late deposits that are more difficult to move. They also tend to decrease TPU in this time frame for RCI and remove restrictions of home resort priority and other limitations for II.

Just a thought regarding posts 19 and forward:

The document Dean quotes in post 23 refers to a window of time between the deposit and "the commencement date of the Vacation Time being deposited." That wording seems to refer to a fixed week, having been designated (resort, unit size, check-in date, length of stay) and then given to RCI for exchange. Perhaps the deposit we are discussing remains unquantified (resort/unit/week) at this point? Perhaps it is simply a debit/credit post on a ledger between RCI and DVC to be quantified later when the books are balanced?

FWIW, Worldmark has different types of exchange options to its members through RCI. Some are similar to the DVC/RCI relationship:

• Confirm First in RCI Weeks: This option allows the individual to open a request (immediate or 'open search') w/out dedicating any timeshare to RCI. Settling up "time for time" occurs on the backend of the transaction if/when the search is fulfilled. In the case of Worldmark, this uses a fixed grid on the RCI Weeks side (does not involve TPU). There is similar program through RCI Weeks with a set conversion factor between Worldmark "credits" and RCI Points.
• Deposit First, RCI Weeks: This requires the individual to dedicate a number of Worldmark Credits that are quantified by the WM Exchange Desk into a fixed week (resort/unit/week). The individual doesn't get to choose the deposited week. The week deposited on their behalf has a shelf-life of "1 year before / 2 years after" the actual travel dates for that week.

I kinda think DVC is playing a game similar to WM's Deposit first but possibly taking longer to choose its quantified weeks. Thus, the DVC member gets the "benefit" of an invisible deposit that will always be more than 45-days out -- thus avoiding RCI's restrictions on late deposits.

Comment?

It may be a moving target but historically and as the rules are currently written it's based on an actual deposit. So that means there has to be a unit available and reservable a full week before the end of the UY as written. Some companies count all points used day 1 and that gives a little extra time, I know BG does, but DVC does not from a reservation standpoint. The other thing that I know BG and some others have done is they have developer deposits that they reassign when you deposit but since DVC doesn't do regular RCI developer deposits that is not likely either. The other variable, and likely the answer ultimately, is that since the points used do not match up to units to deposit. I've long suspected that what DVC does is transfer them into a separate account that acts much like another member and they make the deposits from there. Effectively separating somewhat the actual deposits themselves from the credit to the member. It may not be much different than how DVC does with the BVTC by each side drawing out and if they get out of balance, they that side holds off until the other catches up. Basically that RCI and DVC have a side agreement where RCI agrees to credit the member and DVC gives RCI a range of deposits with variable home resorts, times and unit sizes, essentially a barter system. I know RCI has used a barter system with other timeshare mini systems that provide a RCI membership where the system doesn't actually pay RCI for each account but promises other services, namely X number and type of deposits.