dvc trading into RCI

[midisney]

I am currently a DVC member and I am thinking about trying to trade into RCI. I have used the website and I think that I have found somewhere I would like to go. I had a couple of question if someone could answer.

1. How far in advance can you book and RCI. The resort that I am looking at through the website only books like 6 months in advance. I was wondering if this is true and I should try and get on a wait list.

2.I was wondering how expiring points effects RCI exchanges. Can I book an RCI exchange technically after my points expire. the scenario being my points expire in March and I want to book in July. If I book make the exchange prior to march is this a valid transaction.

Any help would greatly be appreciated.

 

[erionm]

World Passport Collection booking windows:

 

[abdgeek]

DVC RCI availability changes daily and hourly. As the PP said, for weekly exchanges you can book two years out. That's how early I look for mine and have always gotten what I wanted about a year out(HGVC@Flamingo, Maui Lea@Maui Hill, and another Big Island resort) . MS will set up a waitlist for you, but I prefer to just look for myself. A lot of the properties now are showing availability for 2014 and 2015. You may need to be flexible with your travel dates and pounce immediately when you see the week you want. Don't call MS to book it--book it yourself on the website. I've lost RCI reservations before because I called MS to book them. You can bet I don't make that mistake now.

If you book an RCI reservation online, it will take a couple of days for it to go through. RCI first has to determine whether you have enough points in the use year of the trip to go. If you do, they will take the points. If you don't, MS will call you to see how you want to use your points for the trip.

To my knowledge, your points have to be valid to be used. For example, each year's points are good for two years if they are banked to the second year. If you have June 2013 points, they will be good until May 2015 if you bank any unused points by the deadline. If you have 2011 points that expire in Dec. 2013, but your trip isn't until the 2014 use year you wouldn't be able to use those points. I hope that made sense. MS may be able to explain it better.

 

[JimMIA]

To my knowledge, your points have to be valid to be used. For example, each year's points are good for two years if they are banked to the second year. If you have June 2013 points, they will be good until May 2015 if you bank any unused points by the deadline. If you have 2011 points that expire in Dec. 2013, but your trip isn't until the 2014 use year you wouldn't be able to use those points. I hope that made sense. MS may be able to explain it better.

Some of the terminology used here may be confusing or misleading.

Generally, when we use the term "bank" we are talking about banking current DVC points into the following Use Year with DVC. That has nothing to do with RCI. The RCI term is "deposit." If you have banked DVC points, they can still be deposited into RCI at any time prior to expiration.

I have never deposited DVC points into RCI, so I'm not sure DVC works exactly the same, but when I deposit Wyndham points, they expire the last day of the month 24 months from deposit. For example, I deposited some points into RCI in mid-December 2011 and they expire 12/31/2013.

When points in RCI reach their RCI expiration, I have the option of extending them for one year...for $99, I think. I assume DVC owners have the same option, but I'm not positive.

 

[JimMIA]

I am currently a DVC member and I am thinking about trying to trade into RCI. I have used the website and I think that I have found somewhere I would like to go. I had a couple of question if someone could answer.

1. How far in advance can you book and RCI. The resort that I am looking at through the website only books like 6 months in advance. I was wondering if this is true and I should try and get on a wait list.

I find the RCI website rather quirky sometimes. The problem is not your booking window -- it's either that there is no availability at those resorts beyond six months, or you may have some date range set as your search criteria. Check your search dates and either change them or click on the X next to the date to search all dates.

There is definitely a learning curve with RCI.

2.I was wondering how expiring points effects RCI exchanges. Can I book an RCI exchange technically after my points expire. the scenario being my points expire in March and I want to book in July. If I book make the exchange prior to march is this a valid transaction.

"It depends on what the meaning of 'is' is."

If you are talking about DVC points expiring the end of March, you can deposit them into RCI at any time prior to DVC expiration. They will be valid for 24 months after deposit as explained above.

If you already have points in RCI, you can probably extend them as explained above.

 

[abdgeek]

Some of the terminology used here may be confusing or misleading.

Generally, when we use the term "bank" we are talking about banking current DVC points into the following Use Year with DVC. That has nothing to do with RCI. The RCI term is "deposit." If you have banked DVC points, they can still be deposited into RCI at any time prior to expiration.

I have never deposited DVC points into RCI, so I'm not sure DVC works exactly the same, but when I deposit Wyndham points, they expire the last day of the month 24 months from deposit. For example, I deposited some points into RCI in mid-December 2011 and they expire 12/31/2013.

When points in RCI reach their RCI expiration, I have the option of extending them for one year...for $99, I think. I assume DVC owners have the same option, but I'm not positive.

I was using the banking term as it related to DVC. Although I never do it, I am aware that you can deposit DVC points into RCI. The initial poster may need to call MS to check all of the nuances of what he/she plans to do. The information provided was based on my dealings with DVC RCI.

 

[JimMIA]

The initial poster may need to call MS to check all of the nuances of what he/she plans to do.

This is great advice, and I would certainly call MS before making any final decisions...especially the first time.

I'm somewhat familiar with RCI, but not with DVC/RCI because I never deposited my DVC points into RCI. Others may have done so, but if their experience was a while ago, something might have changed.

So definitely call MS and run everything by them to be sure you understand what you're doing....BEFORE you do it!

 

[JimMIA]

Incidentally OP...sooner or later someone will tell you that using your points in RCI is "not a good use of DVC points" or "not as good a value as using your points at a DVC resort." IMHO, those statements are too broad to be universally true.

In general -- with anybody's timeshare system -- any time you exchange out, you will be getting less value than using your timeshare within your own system. But that doesn't mean you've made a bad exchange. You might not be staying in a 5-Star resort, but it still may be perfect for your needs, for that particular trip.

In addition, sometimes you actually get a good exchange -- more value than using your timeshare within the internal system.

I'll give you two personal examples -- one less value, but good exchange; and the other simply better value.

Less "value" -- When I bought my Wyndham timeshare in 2011, there was a loooonnnnnng delay in getting the account set up and I had a ton of points that we were unable to use during 2011 (our Wyndham UY is Jan 1). So, rather than having the points expire, I dumped them (I mean, deposited them) into RCI. I had no planned use for those points, just wanted to prolong their useful lives.

In October 2012, I booked two 1-bedroom units in a small timeshare on Cape Cod...treating family members to a joint vacation. The place is several notches below Wyndham standards, but the units were spacious and spotless, the "resort" had all the amenities we needed, the staff was friendly, gracious, and very helpful...and the place was 3 miles from our uncle's house.

In purely objective terms, was it "good value?" Naw, probably not. But for us, for that particular trip, it was absolutely PERFECT...and I got it with points I had no use for anyway.

Bottom line, that "poor value" RCI exchange turned out to be one of the better vacations we've had in a LONG time.

More recently, last week I booked a one-week stay in a DVC Old Key West 2-bedroom villa -- 12/14-12/21 -- using 126,000 Wyndham points via RCI. That's a full week in an OKW 2BR for just under $860 -- including my total Wyndham points costs plus the RCI exchange fee ($199) and DVC's "because we can" fee ($95). To me, that's one heck of a bargain. And you can occasionally find similar bargains exchanging DVC points via RCI.

So my advice is to look at each potential exchange in the proper context. Look at it in terms of how it fits your family's vacation needs for that particular vacation -- NOT whether some poster on the DIS thinks you are getting "full value."

 

[Sandisw]

Incidentally OP...sooner or later someone will tell you that using your points in RCI is "not a good use of DVC points" or "not as good a value as using your points at a DVC resort." IMHO, those statements are too broad to be universally true.

In general -- with anybody's timeshare system -- any time you exchange out, you will be getting less value than using your timeshare within your own system. But that doesn't mean you've made a bad exchange. You might not be staying in a 5-Star resort, but it still may be perfect for your needs, for that particular trip.

In addition, sometimes you actually get a good exchange -- more value than using your timeshare within the internal system.

I'll give you two personal examples -- one less value, but good exchange; and the other simply better value.

Less "value" -- When I bought my Wyndham timeshare in 2011, there was a loooonnnnnng delay in getting the account set up and I had a ton of points that we were unable to use during 2011 (our Wyndham UY is Jan 1). So, rather than having the points expire, I dumped them (I mean, deposited them) into RCI. I had no planned use for those points, just wanted to prolong their useful lives.

In October 2012, I booked two 1-bedroom units in a small timeshare on Cape Cod...treating family members to a joint vacation. The place is several notches below Wyndham standards, but the units were spacious and spotless, the "resort" had all the amenities we needed, the staff was friendly, gracious, and very helpful...and the place was 3 miles from our uncle's house.

In purely objective terms, was it "good value?" Naw, probably not. But for us, for that particular trip, it was absolutely PERFECT...and I got it with points I had no use for anyway.

Bottom line, that "poor value" RCI exchange turned out to be one of the better vacations we've had in a LONG time.

More recently, last week I booked a one-week stay in a DVC Old Key West 2-bedroom villa -- 12/14-12/21 -- using 126,000 Wyndham points via RCI. That's a full week in an OKW 2BR for just under $860 -- including my total Wyndham points costs plus the RCI exchange fee ($199) and DVC's "because we can" fee ($95). To me, that's one heck of a bargain. And you can occasionally find similar bargains exchanging DVC points via RCI.

So my advice is to look at each potential exchange in the proper context. Look at it in terms of how it fits your family's vacation needs for that particular vacation -- NOT whether some poster on the DIS thinks you are getting "full value."

Great advice and very important!! Just was discussing this with DH the other day that we do have that option if and when we ever want to use points that way...

 

[Dean]

I am currently a DVC member and I am thinking about trying to trade into RCI. I have used the website and I think that I have found somewhere I would like to go. I had a couple of question if someone could answer.

1. How far in advance can you book and RCI. The resort that I am looking at through the website only books like 6 months in advance. I was wondering if this is true and I should try and get on a wait list.

2.I was wondering how expiring points effects RCI exchanges. Can I book an RCI exchange technically after my points expire. the scenario being my points expire in March and I want to book in July. If I book make the exchange prior to march is this a valid transaction.

Any help would greatly be appreciated.

Your points will have to be available when you book much as you would book a reservation at DVC for yourself and in the applicable UY. You can book now for later but you must have the points now to do so. Since they don't take your points (unless you do deposit first) until you match, I always recommend not waiting on a potential match and risk missing a banking deadline. I would certainly waitlist because even though the resort may deposit at 6 months, others may be on the WL ahead of you.

Incidentally OP...sooner or later someone will tell you that using your points in RCI is "not a good use of DVC points" or "not as good a value as using your points at a DVC resort." IMHO, those statements are too broad to be universally true.

I think it's a universally true statement to say one should never buy DVC with the intent of trading with RCI (other than maybe to use points that are expiring as part of the transition). IMO, MOST RCI resorts on the DVC list are a downtrade using DVC. Some are simply too far below DVC, others are good resorts but seasonable locations. The list of resorts that are universally a reasonable trade is fairly small. I would always consider what one is getting in return. Look at the quality of a resort being considered, how well it fits one's needs and what it could be gotten for independently on cash. All Inclusive (AI) resorts are great examples. One can often get them cheaper direct with specials than simply paying for air and the AI fee basically throwing away the DVC points. Once one has the info and knowledge, it's up to them what they want to do with their points.

Here's a personal example as well. A few years ago we stayed 2 weeks in Cabo for a resort on the Signature RCI list. The exchange using DVC would have been 1500 points for 2 weeks. Our total cost including exchange fees was around $300 a week.

 

[JimMIA]

I think it's a universally true statement to say one should never buy DVC with the intent of trading with RCI ...

...or ANY OTHER system, unless you really, really know what you're doing.

Agree 100%, and it scares me sometimes to read the "justifications" people use for buying DVC (or buying DVC direct), saying they can use their points for a, b, and c.

There is a HUGE difference between using DVC points via RCI because you couldn't use them otherwise, or using them occasionally for another alternative, and buying DVC with the misguided belief that RCI will give you an equivalent (or even acceptable) value.

A DVC purchase decision should sink or swim on the merits of using the points at DVC resorts only. Anything else is just plain silly.

 

[Dean]

...or ANY OTHER system, unless you really, really know what you're doing.

Agree 100%, and it scares me sometimes to read the "justifications" people use for buying DVC (or buying DVC direct), saying they can use their points for a, b, and c.

There is a HUGE difference between using DVC points via RCI because you couldn't use them otherwise, or using them occasionally for another alternative, and buying DVC with the misguided belief that RCI will give you an equivalent (or even acceptable) value.

A DVC purchase decision should sink or swim on the merits of using the points at DVC resorts only. Anything else is just plain silly.

I do think if you know what you're doing, buy the right system and play it right one can do well trading with II or RCI. I do not believe that's the case with DVC. Now if DVC starts allowing members to become members of RCI directly and pick the week/resort to deposit, that would change. IMO even a lateral exchange is a downtrade due to the costs involved and lack of control, including unit placement.

 

[JimMIA]

I do think if you know what you're doing, buy the right system and play it right one can do well trading with II or RCI. I do not believe that's the case with DVC.

Agree about using DVC as a trading vehicle, or as a justification (even a partial justification) for a DVC purchase.

That said, I'm sure many DVCers get exchanges they're happy with. If not, there wouldn't be so much DVC availability in RCI.

 

[Dean]

Agree about using DVC as a trading vehicle, or as a justification (even a partial justification) for a DVC purchase.

That said, I'm sure many DVCers get exchanges they're happy with. If not, there wouldn't be so much DVC availability in RCI.

Ignorance is bliss.

 

[JimMIA]

Ignorance is bliss.

To me, a DVC owner who deposits points in RCI because they were about to expire, and then uses those points for a vacation that meets their family's needs is not "ignorant." In fact, they took a lemon and made lemonade -- which is way better than having the points expire unused.

A person who used DVC/RCI occasionally for a change of pace is not "ignorant." They are just doing a different vacation this year, using a prepaid option rather than spending additional funds.

Both used THEIR OWN points. If they are satisfied with the result, who am I to say they should have used them otherwise?

 

[Dean]

To me, a DVC owner who deposits points in RCI because they were about to expire, and then uses those points for a vacation that meets their family's needs is not "ignorant." In fact, they took a lemon and made lemonade -- which is way better than having the points expire unused.

A person who used DVC/RCI occasionally for a change of pace is not "ignorant." They are just doing a different vacation this year, using a prepaid option rather than spending additional funds.

Both used THEIR OWN points. If they are satisfied with the result, who am I to say they should have used them otherwise?

Ignorance is not knowing. My goal is that they have the info. There are those that do and make good trades. There are also those that are limited such as those that have expiring points. However, there is a significant portion of those that simply doesn't know enough about their options to realize how much their overpaying, doesn't know or realize what their risks are and doesn't know enough about the resorts they're looking at. What I've seen over the years would suggest that this group is the largest group, but a little less so for those that participate on DIS or similar. To me, that they're happy with the result does not automatically make it a great choice as well.

 

[JimMIA]

Ignorance is not knowing. My goal is that they have the info. There are those that do and make good trades. There are also those that are limited such as those that have expiring points. However, there is a significant portion of those that simply doesn't know enough about their options to realize how much their overpaying, doesn't know or realize what their risks are and doesn't know enough about the resorts they're looking at. What I've seen over the years would suggest that this group is the largest group, but a little less so for those that participate on DIS or similar.

I'd go a step further and bet that the largest group is probably the group that uses RCI, and/or "perks" of buying direct, as a justification or partial justification for DVC purchase...and then never use them. I'm reluctant to call anyone ignorant, but those folks clearly don't understand what they're doing. They just bought some timeshare salesman's spiel.

To me, that they're happy with the result does not automatically make it a great choice as well.

We're just looking at it from different angles. You are looking for the best possible outcome in terms of value, considering a myriad of avenues. I look at my own exchanges in a similar manner -- like getting an OKW 2 BR for a week via RCI for about half what it would have cost me with my OKW points...including the cost of my points and both the RCI and DVC fees.

When looking at other people's exchanges, however, I take a different perspective. They have purchased prepaid vacations. They are going to use those vacation opportunities with a complex calculus involving not only their knowledge, but also vacation scheduling issues, risk tolerance, time available for researching, planning and booking, and a raft of other considerations...many of which are unique to their family.

For example, I'm sure there are folks who take what I think is a "downgrade" with RCI -- when renting their DVC points and then renting a reservation from another timeshare owner on TUG or similar site might have been more "cost-effective." They might have gotten better accommodations for less, and had cash left over.

OTOH...not everyone wants that hassle on both ends of the transaction. Not everyone wants that risk on both ends of the transaction. Not everyone has the time or knowledge to do the necessary research, or search strategies to get a better exchange.

Many DVC owners might prefer to just put the points in RCI, book, and go.

To me, their points/their decision, and if they're happy, I'm happy. Obviously not everyone shares my point of view -- that's why we have discussion boards, and the wise reader will gain something from all points of view.

 

[Dean]

I'd go a step further and bet that the largest group is probably the group that uses RCI, and/or "perks" of buying direct, as a justification or partial justification for DVC purchase...and then never use them. I'm reluctant to call anyone ignorant, but those folks clearly don't understand what they're doing. They just bought some timeshare salesman's spiel.

Maybe, for sake of this discussion I am only addressing those that do exchange. As for the last statement, we're saying the same thing with the same meaning.

We're just looking at it from different angles. You are looking for the best possible outcome in terms of value, considering a myriad of avenues. I look at my own exchanges in a similar manner -- like getting an OKW 2 BR for a week via RCI for about half what it would have cost me with my OKW points...including the cost of my points and both the RCI and DVC fees.

No, not really. However, I would put a minimum reasonable floor on an exchange and many clearly fall below that level. Their choice and right of course.

When looking at other people's exchanges, however, I take a different perspective. They have purchased prepaid vacations. They are going to use those vacation opportunities with a complex calculus involving not only their knowledge, but also vacation scheduling issues, risk tolerance, time available for researching, planning and booking, and a raft of other considerations...many of which are unique to their family.

Agreed and have always said such. I think where we see it differently is that IMO this is an objective measure of what's truly reasonable which is different than one simply being satisfied with the exchange. To me they are not one and the same.

For example, I'm sure there are folks who take what I think is a "downgrade" with RCI -- when renting their DVC points and then renting a reservation from another timeshare owner on TUG or similar site might have been more "cost-effective." They might have gotten better accommodations for less, and had cash left over.

OTOH...not everyone wants that hassle on both ends of the transaction. Not everyone wants that risk on both ends of the transaction. Not everyone has the time or knowledge to do the necessary research, or search strategies to get a better exchange.

Many DVC owners might prefer to just put the points in RCI, book, and go.

I think it depends on the difference. I gave an extreme example of a 2 week stay at a MX RCI signature resort that would have been 1500 DVC points and my costs were under $1K for the 2 weeks. There is no example I can think of where that would have been a reasonable exchange.

To me, their points/their decision, and if they're happy, I'm happy. Obviously not everyone shares my point of view -- that's why we have discussion boards, and the wise reader will gain something from all points of view.

I agree however I'd still separate out the idea that just because one is happy doesn't mean it was a reasonable decision. Adults certainly have the right to make good and bad decisions, they do it all the time.