International RCI Resorts available with DVC membership?

[LouisianaDisneyFan]

Hi all,

I'm seeking help from anyone who has stayed at one of the RCI resorts available through the DVC membership. Specifically, we are interested in locations in Europe or Canada.

We had been planning to visit Europe for quite a while and had already banked quite a few points to RCI as part of our DVC membership (we had to cancel a trip last minute due to weather a year ago). Our plans had always involved waitlisting for the London location offered by RCI. Well, I called yesterday to get on the waitlist and was told that there are no longer any London resorts offered by Disney as part of the RCI Collection. Additionally, there is no availability at any of the German resorts (our second choice) for at least a year out. Now, we have no idea where to try. I tried to check availability yesterday (to know my choices) but the Cast Member sounded quite aggravated with that request! As there seems to be so little availability, even a year out, I didn't want to get my heart set on something that didn't offer a snowball's chance in Hades of happening (like the Hilton Club in NYC, which hasn't had availability for 5+ years, yet is still listed as a possibility!!!).

There seem to be a lot of other resorts offered throughout England, Canada and Western Europe. Can all of you who have stayed in one of these RCI resorts please provide feedback about where you stayed, what time of year, how far in advance you booked, etc.?

Thanks for any help you can provide!
~Evey =)

 

[abdgeek]

While I haven't tried to book a European RCI property yet, I have been looking. I did get a RCI reservation at Hilton Grand Vacation Club at the Flamingo for Easter Week 2013(March 31st). I started looking two years out. While they had other Vegas properties available then, they weren't the one I wanted. Each time I called, I was told that I could get on the waitlist. I declined to do this and just kept calling back. I finally got my reservation when I called on April 22, 2012.

When I was planning for the DCL Alaskan Cruise in 2011, I had planned to do my pre and post nights at Club Intrawest Vancouver(August-RCI). However, when I called MS they told me that the property was pretty far away from the port area where I wanted to do my activities and said that I might need a car or have to pay for taxis to get around. Instead, I decided to do the DCL Fairmont Pacific Rim.

London and Venice were two of the RCI properties I had looked at previously. When I went to the DVC website and looked at RCI today, it appears that the properties have changed. I didn't even see the property near Kensington Palace that I had looked at before. Maybe one of the non-London properties will be on the metro line and you can easily get to London from there.

Below are strategies I have used when looking for RCI accommodations when I call MS:
1) Ask them for a specific resort for a specific date.
2) Ask them what is available in a specific region for a specific month.

All of the RCI MS cast members I have spoken to have been very helpful. Hopefully, the next one you get will be more disney like.

 

[LouisianaDisneyFan]

Thanks for the response.

London and Venice were two of the RCI properties I had looked at previously. When I went to the DVC website and looked at RCI today, it appears that the properties have changed. I didn't even see the property near Kensington Palace that I had looked at before.

Yes, they were many were different than ones I had looked at just a few months ago. It's very frustrating to look at possibilities, do research on each of them, and then find out at booking time that they are no longer part of the DVC list of properties. From the look of things, it seems like DVC has been downgraded. The new listings do not appear to be as desireable as what we could trade for before.

Maybe one of the non-London properties will be on the metro line and you can easily get to London from there.

Good idea. Thanks!

Below are strategies I have used when looking for RCI accommodations when I call MS:
1) Ask them for a specific resort for a specific date.
2) Ask them what is available in a specific region for a specific month.

I tried both of those strategies. For #1, none of the resorts I requested were still on the DVC list of RCI choices! For #2, the Cast Member basically snarled at me!

I'll try again on Monday. I'm hoping someone on Disboards will have experience with some of the resorts that are on the current DVC list.

 

[Dean]

How many points did you deposit, when do they expire (have to complete travel by), do you have any restrictions (unit size, calendar) and what are you willing to accept? I'm just going to give you some thoughts, it's hard to put it together without some additional info. I don't know the resorts on DVC's list but in general European resorts are smaller and not as nice as US or Caribbean options. Your experience is one of the reasons I don't like the DVC RCI setup, no direct or online access to RCI. I'd suggest you join TUG (Timeshare Users Group) and investigate the resorts you will consider both on the BBS and the reviews then put in an ongoing request. Remember that many resorts can and do deposit a full 2 years out so for many resorts, a year out is short notice. Canada is a better choice but ski season will be almost impossible. Email me directly and I can check european or other availability in general for RCI.

 

[akl-fan]

We called a few years ago (When I was pregnant and couldn't travel to the US) and asked for an RCI exchange in Scotland any week of 2009. We were told that there was nothing available. We asked for England - nothing, Wales - nothing, Ireland - nothing and finally the whole of Europe - you guessed it nothing available for 2009 at all!! I was really miffed because although we had not bought to exchange we thought that the facility would be there if needed. Our guide had really pushed the fact that we could use DVC in Europe. We finally got an exchange in January of 2010 and we took out new DD to an RCI place in England. What a dump - the swimming pool was ancient and filthy. I would not let my DD any where near it. I could have cried. All my precious points had been exchanged for a place that I would rate a very poor 3 star.

Never again. If you are unable to use your points at Disney, I would rent them out and pay cash for your holidays.

 

[LouisianaDisneyFan]

We have a bit over 350 points deposited still. We have been able to use some for weekend stays at two U.S. spots, but haven't found a week somewhere we would want to go.

We didn't have a choice about depositing them. We had to cancel our trip a day before our reservation due to over half of our family being unable to fly in a year ago (due to weather). We learned the hard way that the trip insurance only covers if the owner of the trip insurance is unable to travel... not if the bulk of the party cannot come. So, hubby and I would have been in a 2-bedroom villa by ourselves. Birthday celebrations aren't nearly as fun when the birthday person can't come! So, we cancelled... and knowing that it is almost impossible to get a good short notice reservation at DVC, we transferred as many holding points as we could to the RCI program.

 

[Brian Noble]

Dean's advice is spot on:

I'd suggest you join TUG (Timeshare Users Group) and investigate the resorts you will consider both on the BBS and the reviews then put in an ongoing request. Remember that many resorts can and do deposit a full 2 years out so for many resorts, a year out is short notice.

For example, I confirmed an exchange for a 2BR at the Royal Regency in Vincennes, just outside the 14th Arr. in Paris, and a few blocks to the Metro/RER. That exchange is for travel in June 2013, and I confirmed the exchange in July 2011. This is a solid but not exceptional resort, with generally decent reviews, and currently listed as a Silver Crown in RCI. I was thrilled to be able to make that exchange.

But, even this resort is not included in DVC's set of "acceptable" resorts. In fact, when I looked there are *none* in France, anywhere. Some of that may be because of the Disney Collection resorts at Disneyland Paris, I'm not sure.

Here is the Directory for DVC exchanges:
http://b2b.rci.com/RDGateway/rdg/rdMain.do?clubId=102

 

[LouisianaDisneyFan]

In fact, when I looked there are *none* in France, anywhere. Some of that may be because of the Disney Collection resorts at Disneyland Paris, I'm not sure.

Here is the Directory for DVC exchanges:
http://b2b.rci.com/RDGateway/rdg/rdMain.do?clubId=102

Thanks for the link, Brian. It's a lot easier to look through them via that link than having to access it through dvcmember.com. I had found several that were attractive in the previous list, and we had actually waitlisted two years in advance for two resorts, but after more than a year on the list, none of the waitlists have come through. We really need to get something definite planned at this point, or our points will expire before we find a match (they must be used by December 2013). We've tried using them with nightly stays for shorter trips, not even being picky about where we were going... and still no luck. The whole process is incredibly frustrating.

The Cast Member I spoke with earlier today told me that Disney is planning to add the RCI booking process on dvcmember. com sometime within the next year. That would be a step in the right direction, but if we continue to be stifled with the very limited selection and practically nonexistent availability, it will continue to be a frustration rather than a perk to members.

 

[Dean]

We have a bit over 350 points deposited still. We have been able to use some for weekend stays at two U.S. spots, but haven't found a week somewhere we would want to go.

We didn't have a choice about depositing them. We had to cancel our trip a day before our reservation due to over half of our family being unable to fly in a year ago (due to weather). We learned the hard way that the trip insurance only covers if the owner of the trip insurance is unable to travel... not if the bulk of the party cannot come. So, hubby and I would have been in a 2-bedroom villa by ourselves. Birthday celebrations aren't nearly as fun when the birthday person can't come! So, we cancelled... and knowing that it is almost impossible to get a good short notice reservation at DVC, we transferred as many holding points as we could to the RCI program.

I'm confused. Generally the only options for deposit first are for full weeks. I'm wondering if you have 2 or 3 deposits and if by chance, none of them are for high season (160 one BR or 270 two BR). My worry is that you have 2 lower season deposits and if so, you would have been better off to lose some of the points and have higher season deposits. I'm also doubting you could use the points for nightly stays unless you traded a full weeks deposit for a shorter stay which would use all the points for the deposit and not the amount for the shorter stay used directly.

You should have ongoing requests and not be calling and seeing what's available as your main approach, regardless of the other information and situations.

 

[LouisianaDisneyFan]

I'm confused. Generally the only options for deposit first are for full weeks. I'm wondering if you have 2 or 3 deposits and if by chance, none of them are for high season (160 one BR or 270 two BR). My worry is that you have 2 lower season deposits and if so, you would have been better off to lose some of the points and have higher season deposits. I'm also doubting you could use the points for nightly stays unless you traded a full weeks deposit for a shorter stay which would use all the points for the deposit and not the amount for the shorter stay used directly.

You should have ongoing requests and not be calling and seeing what's available as your main approach, regardless of the other information and situations.

We deposited a full week for a two BR and a one BR. I have no idea what season it was. We were told that we had to deposit points in weekly increments, but that we could use them for whatever stay (nightly or weekly in any season) we wanted. We have used our RCI points twice for stays in studio units for long weekends. So, the number of points we have left can be used for one week and then a few extra nights. We had ongoing requests that have not been successful, and since we do not want those points to expire unused, I feel compelled to book SOMETHING at this point.

Disney does not allow members to submit an ongoing request for stays shorter than a week. I've consistently been told that inventory in the "Points" program can update at any time, and that my best bet to obtain those accommodations is to call back regularly.

Members are NOT required to use a full week's worth of points for a shorter stay in the "Points" program. The appropriate number of points for each night of your stay is subtracted from the point balance you have banked to the RCI side of your DVC account. The booking fee is the same, no matter how many nights you are booking for a stay (1 night is $95 to book, or a week is $95 to book).

I was just hoping to get some feedback on various resorts... but it appears that not too many Disboarders have experience with the current European and Canadian options listed among DVC's RCI choices.

 

[Dean]

We deposited a full week for a two BR and a one BR. I have no idea what season it was. We were told that we had to deposit points in weekly increments, but that we could use them for whatever stay (nightly or weekly in any season) we wanted. We have used our RCI points twice for stays in studio units for long weekends. So, the number of points we have left can be used for one week and then a few extra nights. We had ongoing requests that have not been successful, and since we do not want those points to expire unused, I feel compelled to book SOMETHING at this point.

Disney does not allow members to submit an ongoing request for stays shorter than a week. I've consistently been told that inventory in the "Points" program can update at any time, and that my best bet to obtain those accommodations is to call back regularly.

Members are NOT required to use a full week's worth of points for a shorter stay in the "Points" program. The appropriate number of points for each night of your stay is subtracted from the point balance you have banked to the RCI side of your DVC account. The booking fee is the same, no matter how many nights you are booking for a stay (1 night is $95 to book, or a week is $95 to book).

I was just hoping to get some feedback on various resorts... but it appears that not too many Disboarders have experience with the current European and Canadian options listed among DVC's RCI choices.

My worry is that nothing is HIGH season which will likely lock you out of any exchanges you want that are not under 45 days. 1 BR units are 124, 144 & 160 while 2 BR are 207, 252 and 270 points. I'm not aware that one can use the points for short stays without using the entire deposit but DVC generally excels at making things work so you never know. You can't do ongoing searches for short stays, that's true, but you can do ongoing searches for a full weeks and only use part of the week. While members can use less points, once you've deposited it's a different ball game. I think you'll find that you can't simply pull from the points to use for multiple short stays.

 

[LouisianaDisneyFan]

My worry is that nothing is HIGH season which will likely lock you out of any exchanges you want that are not under 45 days. 1 BR units are 124, 144 & 160 while 2 BR are 207, 252 and 270 points. I'm not aware that one can use the points for short stays without using the entire deposit but DVC generally excels at making things work so you never know. You can't do ongoing searches for short stays, that's true, but you can do ongoing searches for a full weeks and only use part of the week. While members can use less points, once you've deposited it's a different ball game. I think you'll find that you can't simply pull from the points to use for multiple short stays.

Dean, as I posted earlier... we ALREADY HAVE used smaller amounts of points for multiple short stays. I am quite positive that this is exactly how it works. Our initial deposits were 270 points + 160 points. We had to DEPOSIT the points in increments that corresponded to a week's stay, but DVC only looks at the point balance when USING the points. They do not look at what type of unit was deposited. After two short weekend stays in studios, I have 87 points left from one of our initial room deposits. I also have enough points left to book a second unit for a week's stay in high season. Obviously the 87 points will have to be used for additional short stays through the Points program.

 

[Brian Noble]

we had actually waitlisted two years in advance for two resorts, but after more than a year on the list, none of the waitlists have come through.

You may need to broaden your search somewhat. What about Hawaii?

 

[Dean]

Dean, as I posted earlier... we ALREADY HAVE used smaller amounts of points for multiple short stays. I am quite positive that this is exactly how it works. Our initial deposits were 270 points + 160 points. We had to DEPOSIT the points in increments that corresponded to a week's stay, but DVC only looks at the point balance when USING the points. They do not look at what type of unit was deposited. After two short weekend stays in studios, I have 87 points left from one of our initial room deposits. I also have enough points left to book a second unit for a week's stay in high season. Obviously the 87 points will have to be used for additional short stays through the Points program.

That is not how it's supposed to work based on the agreement between RCI and DVC. The questions is whether this is how they are routinely approaching this or whether they gave you additional benefits. I hope it's the latter because it gives other members more options if so. It also makes lower season deposits more useful potentially.

 

[LouisianaDisneyFan]

That is not how it's supposed to work based on the agreement between RCI and DVC. The questions is whether this is how they are routinely approaching this or whether they gave you additional benefits. I hope it's the latter because it gives other members more options if so. It also makes lower season deposits more useful potentially.

I've received the exact same information over several years time from many, many Cast Members. I am certain I am not receiving any different service than other DVC members. I also doubt that Disney has been breaking an agreement when providing all of their DVC members with RCI benefits.

It seems to me that Disney is providing their members with a hybrid combination of the Weeks and Points programs offered by RCI to non-DVC members. Perhaps you are misreading whatever you referenced with regard to the details of the agreement between DVC and RCI. RCI has over 4000 resorts and DVC members are limited to just 542 of those resorts for booking through DVC. From looking through the resorts we can choose, it's very obvious that these are not the best choices for resort or location that RCI offers to non-DVC members. DVC members also don't receive the additional RCI perks such extra vacation offers, last call opportunities, or trading points for other travel services. When a DVC member banks a week into the RCI program, we are providing a highly-desired week to the RCI portfolio with greatly reduced benefits provided to us compared to their non-DVC members... so I would think Disney would insist on some flexibility in how they administer those points in the process.



Brian, we've been to Hawaii and had hoped to see new places with our RCI membership. It's hard to imagine that a search that involves all of Canada and all of Europe would not be broad enough for success!

 

[Dean]

I've received the exact same information over several years time from many, many Cast Members. I am certain I am not receiving any different service than other DVC members. I also doubt that Disney has been breaking an agreement when providing all of their DVC members with RCI benefits.

It seems to me that Disney is providing their members with a hybrid combination of the Weeks and Points programs offered by RCI to non-DVC members. Perhaps you are misreading whatever you referenced with regard to the details of the agreement between DVC and RCI. RCI has over 4000 resorts and DVC members are limited to just 542 of those resorts for booking through DVC. From looking through the resorts we can choose, it's very obvious that these are not the best choices for resort or location that RCI offers to non-DVC members. DVC members also don't receive the additional RCI perks such extra vacation offers, last call opportunities, or trading points for other travel services. When a DVC member banks a week into the RCI program, we are providing a highly-desired week to the RCI portfolio with greatly reduced benefits provided to us compared to their non-DVC members... so I would think Disney would insist on some flexibility in how they administer those points in the process.

No doubt DVC is a hybrid and unique option within RCI also blurring the line between RCI weeks and points. I'm glad this is the info you've been provided. Having read through the released rules, this does seem contradictory but then again, we don't have the contract itself. DVC picks and chooses the resorts, normally they're the best options that are not in competition with DVC, esp Orlando. They also tend to not include resorts in construction and those with limited availability. I'm glad their doing this but it appears to be something they're doing on the fly and not as set up. As for the benefits that other RCI members get but DVC members don't, this is strictly DVC's choice, not a limitation of the setup or RCI imposed. There are other timeshares with corporate RCI connections that don't have the same restrictions.

 

[LouisianaDisneyFan]

DVC picks and chooses the resorts, normally they're the best options that are not in competition with DVC, esp Orlando. They also tend to not include resorts in construction and those with limited availability.

I'm not sure if this is still the case. Since we could not find anything among the international listings, we started looking at eastern U.S. areas. We were also bolstered by the suggestion that the resorts offered in the U.S. would be nicer than those offered in Europe. Currently, the DVC selection includes 13 resorts in Hilton Head Island... directly in competition with DVC HHI. That's a pretty big number of resorts for one town considering there are none offered in all of France or any of the primary tourist cities in Europe! Also, it doesn't appear that the best resorts are being chosen now. We found availability at The Highlands at Sugar (in North Carolina) and pulled up the resort's webpage to see what the rack rate would be. A 2-bedroom unit is 270 points through DVC/RCI, but to rent the same unit during the same week is $1225 to the general public. If we show our timeshare membership card, we receive another 15% off of that, so our cash price to stay there with no points spent would be $1041.25. The maintenance fees we paid on those 270 points is over $500 higher than the cash price we would pay for the stay... and that doesn't even factor in the $95 RCI booking fee or what we paid to purchae the points! Something is most definitely wrong with this picture. I have found similar situations with many of the resorts currently listed among DVC's RCI selections.

 

[Dean]

I'm not sure if this is still the case. Since we could not find anything among the international listings, we started looking at eastern U.S. areas. We were also bolstered by the suggestion that the resorts offered in the U.S. would be nicer than those offered in Europe. Currently, the DVC selection includes 13 resorts in Hilton Head Island... directly in competition with DVC HHI. That's a pretty big number of resorts for one town considering there are none offered in all of France or any of the primary tourist cities in Europe! Also, it doesn't appear that the best resorts are being chosen now. We found availability at The Highlands at Sugar (in North Carolina) and pulled up the resort's webpage to see what the rack rate would be. A 2-bedroom unit is 270 points through DVC/RCI, but to rent the same unit during the same week is $1225 to the general public. If we show our timeshare membership card, we receive another 15% off of that, so our cash price to stay there with no points spent would be $1041.25. The maintenance fees we paid on those 270 points is over $500 higher than the cash price we would pay for the stay... and that doesn't even factor in the $95 RCI booking fee or what we paid to purchae the points! Something is most definitely wrong with this picture. I have found similar situations with many of the resorts currently listed among DVC's RCI selections.

They limit all from Orlando for a radius of 30 miles IIRC. They also block exchanges from regional resort like other HH properties to HH DVC. HH has a number of good to great resorts, France is pretty limited in general with only 117 resorts and only 9 rated resorts. As for the rest of your post, that is par for the course for exchanging DVC where most all trades using DVC, or any other top tier option, is a downtrade. This is exactly the situation I've tried to get across to those interested in buying or using DVC to exchange. There are a few exceptions that are not a downtrade but very few. For the AI options it's often actually cheaper to get a package than the air and AI fee. In your case it was do this or lose the points as I understand it, the deposit was certainly better than loosing them. Besides resorts with limited availability and under construction, DVC also tends to wait a couple of years to add new resorts, I'm presuming it's due to waiting on rating info to become available. I would agree they even taking their criteria, there are times when I'd make different decisions but I don't have all the info they do.

Their stated goal is to get all the top resorts that are routinely available and not in the Orlando area and give members as many reasonable exchange options as possible. Since there are areas where there simply aren't sufficient top resorts, they do compromise to give as much coverage as possible without too much compromise. They also tend to not list resorts that are limited exchange which is likely why London is gone. In the past I've discussed with them about this process and adding other resorts but they're pretty resistant.

A side question to your situation is the following. As it's set up and how it worked with II, one would anticipate not being able to request a higher unit size or season than you have deposited. Say in your situation where you have 270 plus 87 points, what if you wanted a 3 BR at 349, could you also combine them in that way? I would have said no but your experience makes me wonder. Regardless this is good news for those that need to extend the life of points, it gives jut a little more potential value to depositing with RCI. I hope it continues and is the routine.

 

[Lil' Grumpy]

so sorry that this is so hard, & from reading your input,
you're @ an expert level , for example compare to a novice
( like us).

thanks for posting too! the dvc system from our experiences
....including their "products" they have been selling are very un~like
disney, because the trades are way below "fair trade" markets &
they are "pia" issues, even just trying to set one vacation up. i
think owners should expect better support.

all the time, others are posting how they wanting to trade their
rci for dvc. but very few are thinking that dvc owners are
not getting back. ( if this was corrected, i think there would be
more dvc rooms available instead of feeling like we're "mugged".
ps---that's from reading frustrated dvc owners posting, "they
will never do the rci trade again."

time & time again, when others seek something positive, there
are no feedback.

however, while i can't help with your trade, i would like to share
my secret , fairytale "dream" for my best friend in the world,
" my wife ". ( she "is" every good thing i can imagine. anyone
meeting her, always~100%, like her to be their friend.) psst,
i don't even break the 50% mark.

if you desire the once upon a life time , fairytale vacation, then
there is no better place to stay than in "garmisch". it is only appox.
60miles north of munich & in the heart of 5 major castles tours,
including the best ones-plus "the disneyland one". maybe older ( they
were old when i was a youngster there, back packing through
all of europe. ) and innsbruck, austria is a stone throw away.

to give a sample--the road leads to oberammergau, linderhof,
wies church, neuschwanstein, murnau,& as mentioned prior,
munich. ( in case, you're thinking about octo~beer!fest ).

there are the sheridan plazza, patton hotel, general abrams hotel,
von steuben hotel. while older, they had some really neat features
liked tunnels underneath. besides you are going for the experiences.

...my lil'helper was an older woman of "26" but had done many
tours from being an ice capades performer. and one secret she told
me, that many german families "rent" their homes/rooms for the
night. see? you get to share a family experience--so neat.

3 major mountains are there & one the tallest in the land,
zugspitze, + dreitorspitze, & alpsitze. this was the "site" of
the 1936 olympics...of course, an olympic ice stadium,
olympic ski stadium, & a bob sled run. and several "cable cars"
including one thru a tunnel.

i rented a bike and did my own tours but i was just a "kid"...
out to have some fun.

my wife is german. my family is strong "french connection".

while this may not be within a trade, i can't imagine any
better/more magical ways to do an european vacation.

hope this help if the others don't work out.

 

[bwvBound]

Hey, Lil' Grumpy - thank you for your suggestions above. Those are some really neat tips! Your post tickled my imagination for a new destination. Thank you!