DVC to add RCI as trade

[Dumbo]

Well it looks like it's time to buy another cheap South African timeshare.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

...IMHO, I don't consider Hilton a high-end brand. Many of their hotels are tired construction from the 70s and 80s, long past their prime. Some of the worst hotel experiences I've had have been at Hiltons. If that is the best I can hope for with RCI, I will never deposit my points with them. This is a big disappointment.

The "Hilton" we're talking about here is Hilton Grand Vacations Club, the timeshare segment of Hilton, not regular Hilton-branded hotels. (Yes, I've stayed in some very tired, old Hilton hotels too.)

See http://www.hiltongrandvacations.com/

With the switch from II to RCI, we DVC members should gain Hilton Grand Vacations Club as part of the new World Passport Collection. Unfortunately, we're essentially losing Marriott Vacation Club, Four Seasons Private Residence Clubs, Hyatt Vacation Club, and Westin Vacation Ownership. Again, these are timeshare vacation condos, not regular branded hotels from these companies.

 

[culli]

I can't believe they would go to RCI.......access to many junk resorts! Marriott's are really nice and like someone else mentioned all that will be available are the older ones. I sent MS an email stating my opinion......doesn't hurt to try and voice the displeasure?!?!?! It will be interesting see the DVC salesman spin the trade into RCI as a sales pitch

I have a personal II account and RCI and II has so many more nicer resorts. They don't have the volume but if most of the volume is junk who cares?

 

[marshmallow]

I think RCI has all the Wyndham properties. I understand that Bonnet Creek is pretty nice, and I've thought about trying to book back-to-back weeks -- one at Bonnet Creek and one at WDW -- since I already belong to RCI. We've been doing RCI vacations for over 20 years with mixed results as far as the quality of the properties go, but that's probably the case with II as well.

RCI is a sister company to Wyndham Vacation Ownership. Both are under the Wyndham Worldwide Organization.

 

[jamstew]

It does appear to me they are replacing II with RCI. But reading between the lines it appears that DVC will become a member of RCI points, not RCI weeks. I wonder if they will allow crossovers to the RCI weeks .

Oops, I didn't think about that. When we bought our first timeshare back in 1980, I don't think there was a points system. At least it wasn't offered at our resort.

 

[jamstew]

RCI is a sister company to Wyndham Vacation Ownership. Both are under the Wyndham Worldwide Organization.

Thanks for the info. I had no idea

 

[tomandrobin]

Thanks for the info. I had no idea

http://www.wyndhamworldwide.com/about/

 

[Brian Noble]

I think RCI has all the Wyndham properties.

There are a few that aren't. Star Island in Orlando, and Governors Green in Williamsburg (the best of the three Wyndhams in Wmbg, IMO) are both II. Wyndham owners get either RCI or II as their primary external exchange company, determined by their first home resort.

Like DVC, Wyndham controls all points-based deposits, and most of the newer/better Wyndhams are entirely points. Like DVC, Wyndham gives its owners first crack at reserving, and only deposits weeks that have not been in high demand by the owners.

As a result, most of the Wyndham weeks deposited to RCI tend to come from older resorts, shoulder-season time, or both.

 

[dvc-NE]

This is really too bad if no more II (Interval). No more Westin, Hyatt, high end Sheratons, or high end Marriotts for DVC trades. The only really high end major brand that RCI has is Hilton.

Sounds like we may be getting a downgrade.

 

[tjkraz]

I have a question for those of you who know more about RCI.

One of the big criticisms we've often heard about Interval is that DVC resorts don't have great trading power. My understanding is that the large volume of Orlando-based timeshares combined with the fact that II doesn't really weight DVC as an elite resort means that many of the peak demand periods and best resorts are largely off-limits to DVC members.

If that's true, could this move be designed to help DVC members gain access to more destinations? I see the list of big chains that are in II, but if members don't have a realistic ability to book many of those resorts, then we really aren't losing anything.

I'm not trying to put DVC on a pedestal here. Clearly there are better resorts. But it also seems that II may have DVC weighted a bit lower than it should be. I often hear stories of people booking INTO DVC from (what I perceive to be) lesser resorts, while the stories of DVC members getting great II trades seem few and far between.

Any thoughts?

 

[BWV Dreamin]

I have a question for those of you who know more about RCI.

One of the big criticisms we've often heard about Interval is that DVC resorts don't have great trading power. My understanding is that the large volume of Orlando-based timeshares combined with the fact that II doesn't really weight DVC as an elite resort means that many of the peak demand periods and best resorts are largely off-limits to DVC members.

If that's true, could this move be designed to help DVC members gain access to more destinations? I see the list of big chains that are in II, but if members don't have a realistic ability to book many of those resorts, then we really aren't losing anything.

I'm not trying to put DVC on a pedestal here. Clearly there are better resorts. But it also seems that II may have DVC weighted a bit lower than it should be. I often hear stories of people booking INTO DVC from (what I perceive to be) lesser resorts, while the stories of DVC members getting great II trades seem few and far between.

Any thoughts?

Disney has had poor trading power thru II because Disney has made it that way. As DVC members, we never had the full privledges of trading thru II. Only what DVC negotiated with II. That is why we had such limited access to trades. Give us full privledges, there will be no problem. That is the big question with RCI.....to what ability or terms will be have exchange privledges?

 

[tomandrobin]

One of the big criticisms we've often heard about Interval is that DVC resorts don't have great trading power. My understanding is that the large volume of Orlando-based timeshares combined with the fact that II doesn't really weight DVC as an elite resort means that many of the peak demand periods and best resorts are largely off-limits to DVC members.

If that's true, could this move be designed to help DVC members gain access to more destinations? I see the list of big chains that are in II, but if members don't have a realistic ability to book many of those resorts, then we really aren't losing anything.

I'm not trying to put DVC on a pedestal here. Clearly there are better resorts. But it also seems that II may have DVC weighted a bit lower than it should be. I often hear stories of people booking INTO DVC from (what I perceive to be) lesser resorts, while the stories of DVC members getting great II trades seem few and far between.

DVC is not a terrible trader, just not a top tier trader as we are told by DVC. But all timeshare salesmen over sell the trading potential of their units. For example, I own Starwood timeshares. Every sales center has these big pictures of St John and Atlantis on the wall. Every sales pitch at Starwood will tell you how easy it is to internally exchange into those resorts. Even as a Starwood owner, it is very unlikely to get into those resorts.

DVC members get a ga-ga about BCV, because its close to Epcot, and has access to SAB. VWL is nice theming and access to the pool at WL, and close to MK. However, both of these resorts lack in resort amenities, room size, activities other then the parks, etc. When compared to a top Marriott, Westin, Four Seasons resort, DVC falls really short. Being attached to a Hotel does not make it a great resort, it makes it convenient to visit.

 

[culli]

When compared to a top Marriott, Westin, Four Seasons resort, DVC falls really short. Being attached to a Hotel does not make it a great resort, it makes it convenient to visit.

So true......we don't own DVC because of the great resort, we own because it is a cost effective way for our family to get nice accomidations staying ON GROUNDS at WDW. As a resort it lacks in size and quality to many top tier resorts. Don't get me wrong we love our DVC but because it is on WDW grounds not because they WOW us with other features.

 

[lisareniff]

In fairness to DVC, we need to see what the details are later this month to read the details of the "significantly broader range of resort experiences, length-of-stay options (including more nightly exchanges) and more."

I agree. Although I dislike how they let members know about changes, I'm hanging around to hear how you knowledgeable traders feel about this change.

 

[Brian Noble]

Disney has had poor trading power thru II because Disney has made it that way. As DVC members, we never had the full privledges of trading thru II. Only what DVC negotiated with II. That is why we had such limited access to trades.

That's a quality filter. Trade power is all about supply and demand. What Tim is asking about is the relative supply/demand curve for DVC weeks.

DVC's supply/demand curve just isn't ever going to be as good as you'd want, because (a) it's in overbuilt Orlando, and (b) the timeshare demographic overall is less likely to be coming with younger kids, and so isn't as wedded to the Mouse as the average Orlando-area visitor, so its on-property status isn't the end-all be-all for inbound exchangers. And, it's the on-property status that makes DVC what it is, not the resorts themselves.

What's more, while DVC is growing, the overall demand for inbounds to DVC is not growing as fast. So, over time, DVC's supply/demand curve should slip. Objectively that's been happening---it's been much easier to get DVC exchanges as time goes on, though that could also be related to leisure travel demand generally.

RCI is just as over-saturated with Orlando resorts as II is. But, even though DVC won't have the most attractive supply/demand curve in the system, it should have two advantages in RCI that it didn't enjoy in II. The first is that there are fewer "comparable" Orlando resorts with good availability in RCI than there are in II. The second is that, in RCI, the waiting list is organized primarily by request date, whereas in II the waiting list is organized primarily by the supply/demand curve. So, as long as you get your requests in early enough, and you have enough trade power to pull the week you want at all, you have a good chance of matching.

 

[tomandrobin]

So true......we don't own DVC because of the great resort, we own because it is a cost effective way for our family to get nice accomidations staying ON GROUNDS at WDW. As a resort it lacks in size and quality to many top tier resorts. Don't get me wrong we love our DVC but because it is on WDW grounds not because they WOW us with other features.

Ditto...We own DVC to be able to go to Disney and stay on-site.

I can trade into Orlando anytime I want, but its not in Disney World and get the perks of being on property.

 

[Anal Annie]

This is really too bad if no more II (Interval). No more Westin, Hyatt, high end Sheratons, or high end Marriotts for DVC trades. The only really high end major brand that RCI has is Hilton.

Yay, according to Dean, more options in Cabo.... but does anybody know what this will leave as options on Maui???? We were really hoping for a week at either the Marriott or the Westin in a couple of years!

Also, what does this leave as options in Aruba??? We went there on our honeymoon and I was hoping to go back one day on a trade.

Now...why don't I get these emails??? I have accepted the option to receive them more than once on the DVC member site...

 

[WolfpackFan]

I wonder how hard/easy it will be to do an exchange at the Hilton Hawaiian Village under RCI?

 

[jamstew]

Yay, according to Dean, more options in Cabo.... but does anybody know what this will leave as options on Maui???? We were really hoping for a week at either the Marriott or the Westin in a couple of years!

Also, what does this leave as options in Aruba??? We went there on our honeymoon and I was hoping to go back one day on a trade.

Now...why don't I get these emails??? I have accepted the option to receive them more than once on the DVC member site...

There are 32 Maui properties in the RCI directory. The only Aruba property is Royal Palm Club at the Aruba Grand.

 

[Anal Annie]

There are 32 Maui properties in the RCI directory. The only Aruba property is Royal Palm Club at the Aruba Grand.

But are there any GOOD ones on Maui? I stayed in one once many years ago that was pretty much a slum. I guess each unit was decorated and maintained by the individual owners...more like a condo than a timeshare I guess. Anyway, it was nasty and I would never go that route again. Bummer about Aruba only having 1 option...