New at this--RCI questions

[pcgmom]

I am still new to the whole RCI exchange process, and I need some opinions. For those of you who have more experience, is it normally very difficult to exchange for a property? There are several nice resorts in the Orlando area, so I am wondering how far in advance I should book? Is it the same way with other vacation spots? It seems right now that I have very little say-so in where I want to visit. I have not been able to get much information or tips from them over the phone. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

 

[spiceycat]

getting a nice exchange with RCI for Orlando is not difficult - just remember to do it early.....

lots of people have their 2007 already!

I don't because the places I want don't deposit until later!

go join this site

www.tug2.net - will cost you $15 to read the reviews - nothing to read their BBS forums

also this one
www.timeshareforums.com

Now other places that shouldn't be a problem are Branson, WIlliamsburg, and a few others that I don't remember....

I only go where I can drive....so that means the South. So I can't help with outside of the South.

 

[gjw007]

I am still new to the whole RCI exchange process, and I need some opinions. For those of you who have more experience, is it normally very difficult to exchange for a property? There are several nice resorts in the Orlando area, so I am wondering how far in advance I should book? Is it the same way with other vacation spots? It seems right now that I have very little say-so in where I want to visit. I have not been able to get much information or tips from them over the phone. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Hi;

I'm sure there will be others to assist you on this but in general, the answer is going to be 'it depends'. What do I mean. While Orlando is considered easy to get into, there are certain periods where it can be very difficult, especially on short notice. If you plan to go the week between Xmas and New Years, as an example, it is best to deposit your week with RCI well in advance and make reservations. On the other hand, some periods are slow and you can normally make plans very late. Early December is considered a slow time although it is my favorite time to visit Disney, Universal, and the other theme parks because of the Xmas themes. If you plan in advance, you should be able to get a variety of different resorts. If a specific resort is not available, you might wish to do a search and wait for its availability. I've done it both ways, selecting from a list of resorts that are presented to me or waiting until my search for a specific resort came through. There is no guarantee that the resort will come through when doing a search so it does add some uncertainty. Also, no resorts will show up until an owner deposits their resort so a plan well in advance may show no resorts but 6 months from now there may be several resorts. If you are flexible, you will find a wide array of different resorts. If you haven't used RCI's web page, it would be a good place to start exploring.

 

[spiceycat]

yes good suggestion

www.rci.com

 

[Lisa P.]

Welcome to timeshare trading! Once you get the hang of it, you'll probably visit some wonderful places. We sure have! Do join TUG (see my sig below). It's $15 very well spent because you'll learn to really get the most from your timeshare. The resort reviews (from timeshare exchangers) are extremely valuable in helping you to choose and to get the best confirmations. Often, the limited RCI photos alone don't give you an accurate feel for the places.

The hardest things to get used to are planning early and waiting for confirmations. Once you make a few trades, you'll relax more - it's well worth it.

RCI trading is pretty easy but usually requires advance planning. For most destinations (especially during school vacations), placing an ongoing search request as early as possible (over a year ahead, up to 2 years) is a good idea. But for overbuilt timeshare areas like Orlando, Branson & Williamsburg, you can usually choose from a decent selection of resorts well under a year out. If you want to travel during school break periods (especially major holiday weeks), try plan a year ahead anyway.

If you want to visit the beach during beach weather or ski resorts during ski season, plan as far ahead as possible, well over a year. The most appealing areas with only one or two resorts (very popular cities, beaches or islands) require the longest waits and you generally need to own a very desirable week at a top resort in order to confirm those. There are tricks to learn if you don't have a stronger week. You'll learn those on TUG's forums (like these at DIS but for timesharers). HTH!