How many times have you used points for RCI, or Interval Exchange?

[Arguetafamily]

We have what I would consider allot of points now and since we have spent a good amount on DVC I feel guilty not using the points.

I’ve been searching at the options on Interval Exchange, accommodation options seem to be at random times, random places, or both.
Has anyone had experience with this option, either with the quality of accommodations, or how far out booking would be ideal?

I would like to spend some time in Europe next year…honestly anywhere at this point that’s not the US
We’ve never been abroad and I think it’s time. - We purchased points for large family vacations and because Disney is my happy place. The contracts were a good deal and I want to visit Disney at least once per year.

 

[UrsulaWantsYourSoul]

I’d rent out your points and then you can just use the cash however you see fit.

 

[DisneyRegulars]

Agree with above. Every time I’ve looked at the exchange sites I come to the same conclusion. Rent out points and use cash as you’d like.

 

[GrumpyInPhilly]

I had points in that were going to expire a couple of years back. I used them for a reservation thru RCI at a Hilton timeshare in Washington DC. Quality of the accommodation was as good as DVC. On a separate note, I'm currently staying in a Marriott timeshare (Royal Palms 2BR) for a week thru Interval Getaways and the quality is again as good as DVC. Can't beat the price - $675 for the week!

 

[com_op_2000]

I have twice used points for stays at Ft. Myers and Ft. Lauderdale trades:
Ft. Myers I would not do again, place was old and not much to do around the area.
Ft. Lauderdale I would do again. Great location right across from the beach, close to everything, and it was navy weekend with lot of demonstrations of naval activities going on. Best was being on the 5th floor of the resort by the pool and looking down at an SR-72 plane flying by.

 

[BillPA]

Just 1 time, swapped a week at HHI studio (55 points) or a week in Breckenridge in peak ski season. Great deal.

 

[bwvBound]

I’d rent out your points and then you can just use the cash however you see fit.

Short answer: The reply I've quoted is likely your best answer, for now.

We've owned timeshare for 20+ years and have enjoyed dozens of trades through both RCI and II using our other (non-DVC) timeshares. But I will credit our success to years of study and work. We joined the Timeshare User's Group early on and "learned the ropes." Great trading isn't a "quick phone call to Member Services." It requires research, evaluating reviews, gaming the system (waitlists) and stalking. It is a game! It is a skill to be developed.

As for outlets for consuming DVC points ... during Covid closures, we used some for a Concierge Collection reservation. It was an awesome exchange - we were treated quite well at the destination. That same location is still available through the newish Interval International short-stay/Hotel Collection. If we find ourselves with a glut of points ... we'll do that again, I suppose.

We've also done two Disney-collection exchanges (both DCL). One worked great ... the other was a royal pain. Not sure I'd do that again ... which brings me back to the top of this reply: I agree with the quoted reply: Rent those points and use the cash as you see fit.

 

[bwvBound]

Best was being on the 5th floor of the resort by the pool and looking down at an SR-72 plane flying by.

OOOOOHHHHH -- AAAAAAHHHHHH! Love that!

 

[bwvBound]

On a separate note, I'm currently staying in a Marriott timeshare (Royal Palms 2BR) for a week thru Interval Getaways and the quality is again as good as DVC. Can't beat the price - $675 for the week!

Good for you! I was so happy when DVC finally allowed its members to use RCI's rental weeks. I'm especially glad that the practice/feature was carried over to II as it allowed me to let my personal II account expire. Whee!

 

[MICKIMINI]

We stayed at The Royal Garden next to Kensington Palace in London in the early 2000's and that is our only point exchange. It was a gorgeous stay and whatever we traded for points was worth it.

We got a week at a ski condo in NH by paying cash through RCI in 2020 and it was a total disappointment. This year we have a week at Marriot's Grande Vista in a 2 BR villa through II which was $455 cash plus tax through the Getaway program. Less than $70 a night on International Drive is a total bargain. We'll be searching for more of these deals for sure!

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

So I’ve tried to look on interval and find it much less easy to navigate than rci or the concierge collection. Is anyone else experiencing this?

 

[Minniesgal]

I really like the look of the hotel options through interval

 

[gharter]

We switched once when it looked like we had no other option. then Disney changed things, we moved the points back and rented them out. For us, a much better option.

 

[AnnaS]

Only once - many many years ago - The Royal Sands in Cancun. Interval before they switched to RCI (now back to Interval). I don't think it's worth it today because of the AI.

We loved our week at the Royal Sands.

Only once I rented out a few of my points. I would do it again if I had an excess of points and needed to.

I would exchange again if something caught my eye and worked out too. I am also a TUG member and check out reviews (besides TripAdvisor and the resorts own website).

We have used our points for Disney Hilton Head, Vero Beach and DCL cruises (combination of points and cash, points only, cash only).

We were thinking of using a few next year in Italy - but I don't think that will work out for where we want to go or the time we want to go .

 

[zavandor]

Never. But the getaway option (paying for cash for II weeks) look appealing. I'm monitoring the Marriot resort near Disneyland Paris if anything appears for dates I'd like and I'll probably book a week in Orlando for the non Disney part of the trip.

 

[calismic]

So we booked a Getaway at The Historic Powhatan Resort in Williamsburg. Beautiful resort, really enjoyed the trip. Until we got home........THEY WILL NOT STOP TRYING TO SELL ME A TIMESHARE. I've blocked the number so many times and they keep calling on a different line. I've had at least 20 calls from Hilton Vacations. Typically I just drop the call but lord they are persistent!

 

[FinnFogg]

We used DVC points through an RCI exchange to stay in a 1 bedroom at HGVC King’s Land on the Big Island before covid. Great property and kids loved it. We had a few expiring poijnt admiring covid that we deposited into RCI and used to book a 1 bedroom at the HGVC Bay Club (sister property to King’s land on the Big Island) for a stay next month (booked before the II switch). Really looking forward to it.

 

[Brian Noble]

You can make a good case for Hawaii via Worldwide exchange. The exchange point charts are favorable vs. Aulani.

 

[Rochester Disney Fan]

I had points returned to my account because I rented them through a broker and the the family never went because of covid. I never even noticed they were in my account until one day I randomly logged on to plan for 2021. I called the broker to see if they needed to re rent them( as I had done other times) and they said no the family never called them. Normally these points would have been forfeited but with covid Disney put then back in my account. It was too late to bank or use them so I booked an RCI 2BR Oceanfront ( that tuned out to be ocean view) at Myrtle beach for 2022. It was definitely a downgrade from what we get for a room size at DVC. I would not book this hotel again if I was going back to Myrtle Beach but it was OK since it was basically free ( I only had to deposit 20 points to the returned points to get the room). The second Bedroom only had a twin bed and there was no washer/dryer in the room. There was very little room left in the living room portion after we opened the sofa bed for the 4th person. Since I used the "free" points to stay here this year I was able to rent my points I would have used to stay at Disney this year all over again. It was nice to go somewhere else but it wasn't up to par with DVC. Who knows if I'll ever have to use II in the future.

The place we stayed at was called " A place at the Beach Windy Hill"

 

[mickeys girl 52]

I would also recommend renting my points and using the money as I see fit. I think there is more value in it that way.