Need help from RCI expert!

[nifferearly]

We own at DVC but I'm usually borrowing points every year. My dad just said they have banked a few weeks at RCI that need to be used in 2011 or 2012 and we can have them. I'd like to use them for a stay at Disney but I know very little about RCI and my dad doesn't usually use it either.

Is it very difficult to get DVC through RCI? How far in advance can you do it? Are there special rules - like does it have to be a "red" week? Would it involve my dad having to check availability on a daily basis or can he just give them our dates? I would love to take advantage of this so I can catch up on my DVC points but I also don't want it to be a total pain for him.

Thanks for any advice!

 

[Catira]

Hi I am not an expert but hope I can answer your question. All RCI deposits are now assigned a trading power number. DVC units are usually assigned a TPU of 25. Sometimes a bit higher but that has been the average. From a studio to a 2 bedroom, they have usually been 25 TPU. You need to ask your Dad what his weeks are worth in RCI in regards to the TPU's. If he doesn't have a total of 25, but can combine them with two or more weeks, he can pay $99 to RCI to combine deposits. But, timeshares within 30 mile radius of Orlando are not elgible to be used to trade into DVC. Not sure when you were hoping to travel. Hope I have explained it to you a bit.

 

[aaronandterri]

YOu can check availbility online search resorts dv01 dv02 dv03 etc right up to dv09 , hell have to check daily and book as son as he sees them as they go quick, when we want one i check up to 10 times a day, theres a few on ther @ the moment maily july august and odd oct studio or 1bed around 25tp.
Any .? Just ask.

 

[nifferearly]

Thanks! Is there a certain time when you can start booking? Like at 7 or 11 mos for DVC?

 

[Brian Noble]

You can place a request up to two years prior to travel. DVC typically deposits time between five and ten months prior to use, but never more than eleven and rarely less than four.

 

[aaronandterri]

NO particlar time, be flex with dates and book as soon as you see, in my experience no point in waitlisting as they gobto quick and no one ever rings, i saw my own dates on there and hadnt been contacted, booked online myself, you can do a saved search that will email you but again no subsitute for looking frequently.
We normally book our dates by whats available then work round it
Good luck

 

[got4boys]

Old Key West and Saratoga Springs (studio and 1 bedroom) are easy to get with RCI Weeks. I have seen all but Bay Lake Towers and they go very fast.

Right now there is available for mostly June, July and August. The best time is about 10 months out, but I have seen availablilty 5 - 6 months out too.

Trade Power Unit (TPU) is 25 for most of the RCI Week trades for the Disney Resorts. The TPU is what your RCI Deposited Week is worth. To book into Disney, you have to make sure that you are not exchanging with a Orlando Unit (30 miles).

For example - Deposited Week A has TPU of 10 and Deposited Week B has TPU of 15, you will need to pay $99 to combine, plus the $179 RCI exchange fee, plus the $95 transportation fee - that is $373 fees plus what you paid for the maintenance fess for Deposited Week A, Deposited Week B and RCI membership fee.


They are also deposited into RCI Points. 2 bedrooms can be seen there. You would need to have a RCI Points account to access those.

 

[Dean]

Do look at the trade power issue but then put in an ongoing search for what will fit your needs, maybe even something you already have booked and then cancel the other if you get the exchange.

 

[wishicouldgomoreofte]

Old Key West and Saratoga Springs (studio and 1 bedroom) are easy to get with RCI Weeks. I have seen all but Bay Lake Towers and they go very fast.

Right now there is available for mostly June, July and August. The best time is about 10 months out, but I have seen availablilty 5 - 6 months out too.

Trade Power Unit (TPU) is 25 for most of the RCI Week trades for the Disney Resorts. The TPU is what your RCI Deposited Week is worth. To book into Disney, you have to make sure that you are not exchanging with a Orlando Unit (30 miles).

For example - Deposited Week A has TPU of 10 and Deposited Week B has TPU of 15, you will need to pay $99 to combine, plus the $179 RCI exchange fee, plus the $95 transportation fee - that is $373 fees plus what you paid for the maintenance fess for Deposited Week A, Deposited Week B and RCI membership fee.

Edit to add, need another $65 for the guest certificate or something like that?
Do they actually send her an actual certificate which she then needs to send to me to present at check-in?
Is it something that can be printed off from online site by me?

They are also deposited into RCI Points. 2 bedrooms can be seen there. You would need to have a RCI Points account to access those.

OK, I understand the $99 to combine and the $179 RCI exchange fee, but what is the $95 transportation fee?
Do you have to pay it on all RCI exchanges?
My stepmother says you have to pay even when you use your own unit with RCI (not talking about maintenance fees). Is that correct or does she remember wrong? She hasn't used it in some years apparently. If so, boy DVC sure sounds better!!!

 

[CarolMN]

OK, I understand the $99 to combine and the $179 RCI exchange fee, but what is the $95 transportation fee?
Do you have to pay it on all RCI exchanges?
My stepmother says you have to pay even when you use your own unit with RCI (not talking about maintenance fees). Is that correct or does she remember wrong? She hasn't used it in some years apparently. If so, boy DVC sure sounds better!!!

The $95 fee is charged by DVC. It applies to all who exchange into DVC from RCI, no matter how they did it.

 

[ldo]

I also own DVC and have "stretched" my DVC points with 2 RCI trades. Here is how it works:

RCI just changed to a new system in Nov.---he can call and ask an RCI rep. to assist him with the following, or he can do it online--it takes a bit of time, and is tricky if he is not computer savy. fyi--I have access to my parent's RCI online account and make all their trades for them, as they are not computer savy. Here is how it works:
1.check and make sure no weeks are in Orlando--there is a regional block. If they are Orlando weeks--you cannot trade for DVC.
2.check online and see what the trading power units *("TPU") are for the deposited weeks--they must be at least as much as the DVC unit you want--for a 1 BR, you need at least 25 TPU, if you have less than that, or want a 2 BR, then you must combine the weeks for $99-but make sure you do not add into the combo ANY Orlando weeks--or you will be blocked--so fine to combine Williamsburg and Ft. Lauderdale weeks--but not OK with an Orlando-Kissimmee week.
3. Start an ongoing search ASAP using a deposit that has at least the number of points that DVC requires---if the deposit is less points--you won't get a match. DVC deposits starting at 10 months out--but there will be others ahead of you in line with the searches---so don't delay---add all dates and all DVCs that you would take--there are a lot of Fri check-in, so include Friday in your search. This is the search that requires prepayment of exchange fee--ifyou are not prompted to pay the exchange fee, you did not start the search.
4. Select autoconfirm--if ANYTHING that matches your search is OK. Or, do not select autconfirm if you want a call saying there is a match and you want the option to keep searching for something different---but they only hold for 24 hours, so if you are not home for 1-2 days, you will lose the match.
5. SSR and OKW have the most availability.
6. all RCI trades to DVC-Orlando pay $95 extra. You pay at check-in.
good luck. Elaine

 

[nifferearly]

Thanks everyone for your help. I'm starting to think this isn't worth it - it's so confusing. On top of that, my dad's wife called RCI about the TPU and they told her that since they're using Wyndham points then they don't have a TPU but are eligible to book DVC resorts.

 

[Dean]

Thanks everyone for your help. I'm starting to think this isn't worth it - it's so confusing. On top of that, my dad's wife called RCI about the TPU and they told her that since they're using Wyndham points then they don't have a TPU but are eligible to book DVC resorts.

Have them put in the request and see what happens, you lose nothing.

 

[got4boys]

Thanks everyone for your help. I'm starting to think this isn't worth it - it's so confusing. On top of that, my dad's wife called RCI about the TPU and they told her that since they're using Wyndham points then they don't have a TPU but are eligible to book DVC resorts.

If they have Wyndham Points weeks already deposited before January 15, 2011, and they are not visible (meaning they cannot search, but would need to call) then there no visible TPU (even though there is if you ask) and cannot combine these.

If they have Wyndham points and use the online system, yes you can book through the Wyndham website using their points through the RCI exchange. There is an RCI exchange portal that just went into effect this month.

They would need to click on RCI exchange to see if they have a RCI account linked to their account, if not, they would need to call Wyndham to make sure one is set.

They can search on the Exchange tab - without depositing their Wyndham Points. The studios and 1 bedrooms at Old Key West and Saratoga Springs for July and August for those two. It takes 143,000 Wyndham points for those. I can see 3 weeks at Old Key West and 8 weeks at Saratoga Springs.

The cost per point for Wyndham runs about 5.0 - 6.0 cents per point. I do not know what their maintenance fees are, but remember, there is still the exchange fee, transportation fee and guest certificate fee for these.

If they are not using them, this would be a good option.

Just another note - if they are Wyndham Points - Wyndham Bonnet Creek is on the Disney Grounds and they can book that for you. Note (135,000 points can get you a 2 bedroom Sunday through Friday Prime time - 5 nights) You just do not get the Extra Magic Hours.

Wyndham Points are not the same as RCI Points. They are two different systems.

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

No, it's easy to get DVC through RCI. Almost everything is a flat 25 TPUs. How many TPUs does your dad get per year (weeks can be combined)?

 

[wishicouldgomoreofte]

got4boys---

How much for the guiest certificate? Is it an actual peice of paer mailed to the RCI owner, who then nneds to send it to their guest? Can the guest print it off from online?

Thanks for all the info.

 

[got4boys]

No, it's easy to get DVC through RCI. Almost everything is a flat 25 TPUs. How many TPUs does your dad get per year (weeks can be combined)?

Her parents has Wyndham Points. Unless the deposits he has are visible, they can be combined. (Can use the web to exchange and reserve)

Most deposits before 1/15/2011 that were deposited through Wyndham are invisible deposits (you have to call RCI and make reservations) and you cannot combine these.

Guest Certificates through Wyndham Points (unless they are VIP) gets 1 free guest certificate per year, 2nd one is $99.

RCI Weeks charges $59 per guest certificate.

Yes, you would need a guest certificate to check in.

 

[Dean]

RCI Weeks charges $59 per guest certificate.

Yes, you would need a guest certificate to check in.

To add one piece of info that DVC members may be interested in. My understanding is that DVC members who trade out get free guest certificates. Not much but it's something.

 

[nifferearly]

Got4boys--

Thanks for all the info - you really know your stuff! I'm still feeling overwhelmed on this, but I think I'm making progress!

My parents have offered to give me their sign on to check daily, but I know they deposited their points prior to 1/15/11 so it sounds like it has to be done over the phone. People have said it's best to check daily but can I put in a request for the week and hope for the best? We can vacation elsewhere for the week I picked - I was just trying to help them use their weeks that they thought they'd lose.

They are VIP at Wyndham but I'm pretty sure the points are already in RCI (they had to cancel a trip with multiple condos so I think they had no choice but to bank with RCI). So would I just have to pay the $59 fee to have it in my name? In addition to the $179 and $95 fees? If we stayed non-DVC, then we'd just drop the $95 fee?

Thanks!

 

[nifferearly]

One more question - can you purchase the dining plan on an RCI reservation?