New DVC/RCI

[Jemlawdm]

I agree with many that the only real reason to by DVC is if you love to stay at Disney. However, anybody who feels the value of our DVC membership hasn't decreased needs to really look at what is available under RCI and compare those to II. Under II there are many more quality resorts. The reason for the change is very easy to understand. As many people know Disney has change from RCI to II back to II. This is a trend I am sure will continue. What Disney is doing is hoping to get fresh people into the resorts so they can offer the DVC magic to new people. I guarantee there are many II members who no longer can trade for Disney who will look into possibly buying a DVC membership. My wife and I have traded a couple of times for different Marriott resorts and I am very upset I will no longer be able to trade for those resorts. So, just as I expect II people will be looking at DVC, my wife and I will be looking to by a membership in the Marriott Vacation Club. But as I stated in the beginning the only real reason we bought a DVC membership was to stay at Disney.

 

[Starr W.]

I agree with many that the only real reason to by DVC is if you love to stay at Disney. However, anybody who feels the value of our DVC membership hasn't decreased needs to really look at what is available under RCI and compare those to II. Under II there are many more quality resorts. The reason for the change is very easy to understand. As many people know Disney has change from RCI to II back to II. This is a trend I am sure will continue. What Disney is doing is hoping to get fresh people into the resorts so they can offer the DVC magic to new people. I guarantee there are many II members who no longer can trade for Disney who will look into possibly buying a DVC membership. My wife and I have traded a couple of times for different Marriott resorts and I am very upset I will no longer be able to trade for those resorts. So, just as I expect II people will be looking at DVC, my wife and I will be looking to by a membership in the Marriott Vacation Club. But as I stated in the beginning the only real reason we bought a DVC membership was to stay at Disney.

There will be plenty of Marriott owners wanting to do a direct exchange for DVC. I've been having conversations with someone about trading my points for a week in a 2br at WDW for her 2br at the Marriott Waiochai(Kauai, HI).

 

[WolfpackFan]

The change doesn't bother me at all.

 

[Dean]

I agree with many that the only real reason to by DVC is if you love to stay at Disney. However, anybody who feels the value of our DVC membership hasn't decreased needs to really look at what is available under RCI and compare those to II. Under II there are many more quality resorts. The reason for the change is very easy to understand. As many people know Disney has change from RCI to II back to II. This is a trend I am sure will continue. What Disney is doing is hoping to get fresh people into the resorts so they can offer the DVC magic to new people. I guarantee there are many II members who no longer can trade for Disney who will look into possibly buying a DVC membership. My wife and I have traded a couple of times for different Marriott resorts and I am very upset I will no longer be able to trade for those resorts. So, just as I expect II people will be looking at DVC, my wife and I will be looking to by a membership in the Marriott Vacation Club. But as I stated in the beginning the only real reason we bought a DVC membership was to stay at Disney.

Disney does not market to exchangers so I'm sure that had nothing to do with the decision. I'm sure DVD knew that RCI was a step down and thus it's very likely this decision was made based in large part on dollars unless there's something coming we don't yet know about. DVC was never a value for trading so this change really doesn't change the value of ownership other than in the mind of one who was planning to trade periodically, a poor choice anyway given those top resorts you refer to are generally not available to II outside other Marriott owners. I also doubt that this change will cause an influx of owners. Those trading in have other great options and many of them (us) have both II and RCI options. This will likely be a blessing for those looking to trade periodically as this will force them to look at other options, always a good move in this scenario. I'm sure there will be exceptions but it's more likely those who don't have RCI would be looking to add RCI than buy DVC.

 

[littlestar]

If you don't mind slumming, LOL. You didn't buy a 3 BR Platinum plus week for around $140K?

Oh, my gosh. Those Marriott platinum plus weeks go for that much money?

I wonder if the pricing at the new Marriott vacation club in Orlando (Marriott's Lakeshore Reserve) is going to be pretty high since it's on the grounds of the Ritz Carlton?

 

[Starr W.]

Oh, my gosh. Those Marriott platinum plus weeks go for that much money?

I wonder if the pricing at the new Marriott vacation club in Orlando (Marriott's Lakeshore Reserve) is going to be pretty high since it's on the grounds of the Ritz Carlton?

I don't think the Lakeshore is quite as expensive as the Marco Island resort. I saw the Lakeshore pricing and didn't think it was that bad.

I think being on the ocean and Marco Island trumps being on in the same development as a RC.

 

[Dean]

I don't think the Lakeshore is quite as expensive as the Marco Island resort. I saw the Lakeshore pricing and didn't think it was that bad.

I think being on the ocean and Marco Island trumps being on in the same development as a RC.

Lakeshore is not in the same price league. It's around the same price as GV finishing up. They have 3 membership levels there to correspond to the 3 unit sizes. They have a 2 BR/2 BA that locks off to a 1 BR and studio. They have a 2 BR/2.5 BA that locks off to two 1 BR and is slightly larger. Then they have a They have a 3 BR that locks off to a 2 BR and studio. With each cat they have a townhouse non lockoff feature and a lockoff floor plan more in a lodge setting. The one thing that raises the price is it's Platinum year around with a couple of platinum plus weeks. I'm thinking the prices for platinum were in the 24K, 26K and 33K when we toured in Oct but I could be off a little bit. A year and a half ago platinum 2 BR at Crystal Shores started at around $60K up to $80K depending on view. The 3 BR was ONLY fixed for platinum time and ranged from $100-138K depending on the week. Gold was $60K. How Lakeshore is nice and upscale though the rooms are a little smaller than GV if I recall.

 

[Starr W.]

Lakeshore is not in the same price league. It's around the same price as GV finishing up. They have 3 membership levels there to correspond to the 3 unit sizes. They have a 2 BR/2 BA that locks off to a 1 BR and studio. They have a 2 BR/2.5 BA that locks off to two 1 BR and is slightly larger. Then they have a They have a 3 BR that locks off to a 2 BR and studio. With each cat they have a townhouse non lockoff feature and a lockoff floor plan more in a lodge setting. The one thing that raises the price is it's Platinum year around with a couple of platinum plus weeks. I'm thinking the prices for platinum were in the 24K, 26K and 33K when we toured in Oct but I could be off a little bit. A year and a half ago platinum 2 BR at Crystal Shores started at around $60K up to $80K depending on view. The 3 BR was ONLY fixed for platinum time and ranged from $100-138K depending on the week. Gold was $60K. How Lakeshore is nice and upscale though the rooms are a little smaller than GV if I recall.

on those Lakeshore prices. I looked at the webite and they do look nice and the pricing is not bad.

Crystal Shores, when I read about the pricing I didn't even bother to look at pictures of the units. Yikes! Good luck to Marriott trying to sell those in this economy.

 

[Dean]

on those Lakeshore prices. I looked at the webite and they do look nice and the pricing is not bad.

Crystal Shores, when I read about the pricing I didn't even bother to look at pictures of the units. Yikes! Good luck to Marriott trying to sell those in this economy.

I don't think they've had much issues. It helps if you're in a market where any decent condo in a good location goes for several million. I've seen the unit mockups and they do look VERY nice. A little more upscale than most of the top Marriott's I've seen but only by a degree. Pretty high end appliances. I can send you some pictures I took in Oct if you want, just email me privately. Lakeshore looked very nice and I think I'll like the layout however the decor simply didn't grab me. A little modern for my taste, nice to stay a week but I wouldn't want to look at it all the time.

 

[M-I-C-K-E-Y]

The best indicator of whether RCI is better/worse than II is feedback. Once we start reading that feedback and - most importantly - once DVC receives that feedback, a better indication as to RCI's quality will be brought forth.

In short, let's give them a chance and then let our voices be a factor for the future of DVC exchanges.

 

[Deb & Bill]

on those Lakeshore prices. I looked at the webite and they do look nice and the pricing is not bad.

Crystal Shores, when I read about the pricing I didn't even bother to look at pictures of the units. Yikes! Good luck to Marriott trying to sell those in this economy.

We visited the model at Crystal Shores last June. They were absolutely gorgeous. But very modern and luxurious, too. And not all the villas had a dead on view of the Gulf. We had no idea they would be that high when we stopped to look. I think the saleslady must have seen our jaws drop when she casually mentioned the price.

We checked out some of the condos for sale at Marco, too, and were flabbergasted that they run in the multi-millions. We were wondering how the workers could even afford to live on Marco Island. They must all live in Naples.

 

[Dean]

We visited the model at Crystal Shores last June. They were absolutely gorgeous. But very modern and luxurious, too. And not all the villas had a dead on view of the Gulf. We had no idea they would be that high when we stopped to look. I think the saleslady must have seen our jaws drop when she casually mentioned the price.

We checked out some of the condos for sale at Marco, too, and were flabbergasted that they run in the multi-millions. We were wondering how the workers could even afford to live on Marco Island. They must all live in Naples.

Much of Naples isn't much better from what I've heard, I bet many of the worker bees live inland. Marriott uses the same labeling they do for places like MB with gulf side side, gulf view view and gulf front front plus the 3 BR gulf front PH units. MB also has Garden view units that are across the access road.

 

[Buckalew11]

I have a question. My mom owns RCI points. (They went to the points system last summer, I think) Can she now use her RCI points to trade into DVC?
Growing up, I stayed at RCI resorts every year for vacation. Most all of them were on the SC coast. Mostly HHI and almost all of them were very nice condos. I think we had one bad trade to Myrtle Beach the first year we traded (this was back in the 80s).
We've never traded out of DVC ourselves though.

Trading by owning DVC was really pushed during our talk 3 years ago. Actually, it was a lot of the talk. I wasn't too interested because I'm a Disney Girl but the option to trade out is a nice one to have.

 

[Dean]

I have a question. My mom owns RCI points. (They went to the points system last summer, I think) Can she now use her RCI points to trade into DVC?
Growing up, I stayed at RCI resorts every year for vacation. Most all of them were on the SC coast. Mostly HHI and almost all of them were very nice condos. I think we had one bad trade to Myrtle Beach the first year we traded (this was back in the 80s).
We've never traded out of DVC ourselves though.

Trading by owning DVC was really pushed during our talk 3 years ago. Actually, it was a lot of the talk. I wasn't too interested because I'm a Disney Girl but the option to trade out is a nice one to have.

Theoretically they will have the option but we don't know enough specifics yet to know how it will work.