How do the RCI exchanges work with DVC?

[kidsister]

My waitlist didn't come through for my upcoming Disney vaca, so I booked off-site using timeshare exchange with II in a 2/2 Star Island for Sept 28-Oct 5.

Now my friends who exchanged INTO DVC through RCI might have to cancel their same time ressie at AK. Unless they have insurance, I think that means they 'lose' their ressie.

So here's the question: since they are an exchange, is there any way I can 'take over' their ressie with my DVC points?

Or, can they just add me to their ressie? If so, it seems that when they exchange through RCI, they pay Disney $95 at check in. If I paid that, would I still get my DVC member benefits?

Very confusing, and I'd have to eat the week's booking that I made at Star Island, but I'd sure rather stay onsite in a Kidani 1 bedroom!

 

[JimMIA]

No, you can't convert their RCI exchange back to DVC inventory and take it over with your DVC points.

I don't believe they can just add you to the reservation. They have to check in. What they could do is to purchase an RCI Guest Certificate for you and transfer the AKV reservation to your name. Trying to circumvent the Guest Certificate requirement could cause cancellation of the reservation, so I wouldn't try anything cute. You would pay the DVC $95 extra fee on arrival.

Not sure about member benefits in this situation, but I can't think of any reason why you wouldn't get them. You'd have a DVC room key and membership card. You'd also be staying on a points reservation in kind of a roundabout way.

I believe your friend already has listed their exchange reservation over on the TUG Sightings board trying to get someone to take it off their hands. At least there is an identical AKV reservation to the one you described offered there.

 

[kidsister]

Thanks, Jim...you're right, she did post it on TUGS distressed.
I still find it hard to believe that anyone would exchange their DVC points into RCI as opposed to renting them, but so eet goes.

I just wish I could get out of my other ressie, cuz i'd do this one in a skinny minute!

 

[JimMIA]

duplicate, please delete

 

[JimMIA]

I still find it hard to believe that anyone would exchange their DVC points into RCI as opposed to renting them, but so eet goes.

Well, not everyone wants to get into renting.

And apparently a decent number of DVCers are getting exchanges they like because there have been some pretty large DVC bulk deposits into RCI. We'll be at OKW in December in a 2 BR on a Wyndham/RCI exchange.

I would certainly argue strenuously against using the RCI option as even a partial justification for a DVC purchase, but if you have points expiring anyway it's there. Might not be someone's idea of the "best use of points," but neither is losing them due to expiration.

 

[Dean]

My waitlist didn't come through for my upcoming Disney vaca, so I booked off-site using timeshare exchange with II in a 2/2 Star Island for Sept 28-Oct 5.

Now my friends who exchanged INTO DVC through RCI might have to cancel their same time ressie at AK. Unless they have insurance, I think that means they 'lose' their ressie.

So here's the question: since they are an exchange, is there any way I can 'take over' their ressie with my DVC points?

Or, can they just add me to their ressie? If so, it seems that when they exchange through RCI, they pay Disney $95 at check in. If I paid that, would I still get my DVC member benefits?

Very confusing, and I'd have to eat the week's booking that I made at Star Island, but I'd sure rather stay onsite in a Kidani 1 bedroom!

If your friend is willing, you could pay their exchange fees and the $95 fee due on check in. You could have your friend call DVC and see if they can add you to the reservation, if not, you could pay for the guest cert fee as well. I'd say that an extra $300 or so would be worth it for a DVC exchange over star island even if that exchange were canceled short notice or went unused. It's illegal to rent it other than for the fees mentioned. As for benefits, some yes and some no. You would not get Pool Hopping but you would the discounts which you'd also get staying at star island.