New timeshare owner here - can I get Vistana thru RCI?

[bizeemom4]

I just picked up a timeshare from a friend at work. She rescued it from collections for her inlaws & was going to donate it because she couldn't sell it. So, I basically got it for practically nothing. Just had to pay for the deed transfer, etc.

It's a "white" week and all the Orlando hotels are red. I spoke to RCI before I "bought" it and they said that I would have no trouble booking a red resort if I did it well in advance. Does anyone have experience with this? I assume that 'well in advance' means a year or so.

Forgot to say - it's a 2bed/2 bath sleeps 6 unit & we'll want to exchange it for a similar setup.

 

[Lisa P.]

If you want a popular holiday week or school break week, then you may want to search a year ahead. If you want any other time, you'll have no trouble at all. Just join RCI, deposit your week and search online. Tougher trades will likely require searching 12-24 months ahead. But Orlando for most of the year is pretty easy only 6-10 months out, even with a white week. Same is true of Branson and Williamsburg, which both also have many lovely timeshare resorts.

Before you confirm an exchange, learn about the resort to make sure it will suit your family. I'd strongly encourage you to join TUG (see my sig) so that you can read the timeshare resort reviews by other exchangers and choose well. Be selective in Orlando, where there are so many great places to choose from. Vistana Resort is much larger than Vistana Villages, which is newer. Vistana Resort and Orlange Lake Country Club are probably the largest resorts in the region, so they tend to have plenty of units available year round, lots of owners who like to try new destinations and trade out. You'll have no problem getting in with a little planning, if you want.

Also, look into "Last Call" vacation weeks for RCI members only, after you log in as a member. $99/studio, $149/1BR, $199/2BR rentals within the last 45 days and no deposit week is required. Some amazing deals to other destinations there! Regular extra vacation week rentals for members cost at least $400. Welcome to timeshare!!! We love ours.

BTW, where do you own? Which resort?

 

[bizeemom4]

WOW. Thanks for the information. Did you say $199 for a Week in a 2br? That is UNBELIEVABLE.

We have a place at Silverwoods at Treasurelake. It's in PA (a few hours away from where we live) and is near Punxatawney during the week of Groundhogs Day. LOL. We definitely will not be going to our home resort but using it for exchanges.

Thanks again. I'm thrilled.

 

[HappyLawyer]

congrats, where do you own at, i own at OLCC but we don't do the red, thing, i have no idea what that is, i own 2 weeks there, congrats again.

 

[MiaSRN62]

Happy Lawyer says : i own at OLCC but we don't do the red, thing, i have no idea what that is, i own 2 weeks there

If you own a Red week timeshare it usually means "high demand". White means "average demand" and Blue means "low demand". Most FL timeshares are either red or white. OLCC is red. I don't think bizeemom4 will have trouble trading into Vistana or other Orlando area timeshares because there are so many of them. She may have a little trouble trading into a Hawaii red week timeshare because her timeshare is of average demand. Heck, even FL redweek timeshares can have trouble because there's just so many of them that it's not really too difficult for people to secure them. Usually supply outweighs demand in the Orlando area.

We have a place at Silverwoods at Treasurelake. It's in PA (a few hours away from where we live) and is near Punxatawney during the week of Groundhogs Day. LOL.

A little OT, but I just drove past here last week bizeemom4 while gong to my ds's freshman college orientation. Beautiful up there. Enjoy your timeshare and hope you get to exchange into Vistana (it's where I own). Congrats !

 

[spiceycat]

remember that alot of the timeshares in Orlando have either a 1 in 3 or 1 in 4 year rule.

Sheraton and HGVC have the one in 4 rule because there are 2 of each.

this rules says that you can only EXCHANGE into a resort 1 year in 3 or 4 years. this is not a problem - there are a ton of great resorts in Orlando.

now in some cases RCI is also applying it to the extra vacation (getaways) and final call (last minute deals).

there are very, very few final calls for Fl.

however sometimes RCI is having a sale on a resort - it has happened to OL and SVR. So on the extra vacations I would call RCI and see what they can offered.

 

[gjw007]

congrats, where do you own at, i own at OLCC but we don't do the red, thing, i have no idea what that is, i own 2 weeks there, congrats again.

OLCC is red. All Orlando timeshares to the best of my knowledge are red all year round. OLCC is also a Gold Crown (so is Vistana), the highest ratings in RCI's system. In addition, according to RCI, there are only 5 resorts worldwide that have a RCI office on the resort. Both Vistana Resort and OLCC have a RCI Office onsite.

In regards to the initial question, the OP should be able to get a room but as also noted probably not during seasons such as Xmas, Easter, Spring Break, etc. If they're flexible, they should find somthing.

OLCC and Vistana have the 1 in 4 rule (unless you are an owner, you can only exchange a room into the resort once every 4 years) that Spiceycat mentioned but the extra vacations don't fit under that rule. The rates of these vary with the season but again you can find some of these really cheap. I stayed at a 1-bedroom for the week at OLCC for $150 a few years ago during December. It is worth checking out the xtra vacations especially if you are flexible.

 

[bwvBound]

Congratulations on your new purchase! We love owning and using timeshare and hope you will, also.

Once you've joined RCI -- don't forget to check their "Extra Vacations" (inexpensive rental weeks available up to a year from travel) and "Last Call" (cheap, cheap, last minute rental weeks). Depending on the season, you can find many great values for Vistana, Hilton, Summer Bay, and other lovely resorts in the WDW area.

You may want to join the Timeshare User's Group (TUG) in order to access the collection of resort reviews and to learn from timeshare experts.

 

[webprinter]

I agree that you shouldn't have a problem trading into Orlando. We have traded into OLCC and Vistana Villages with a blue one bedroom week. Vistana Villages is one of the nicest timeshares I have stayed in. Congratulations on your timeshare acquisition. We own many weeks and love timesharing. I agree with the post on joining TUG. It is the smartest thing you could do. You will learn a lot. Debby

 

[NJOYURLIFE]

I agree that TUG is a great resource. Also trading into Orlando should be no problem even during prime holiday weeks with advance planning.

As far as the 1 in 3 or 1 in 4 rules, there are so many nice resorts in Orlando that you can just try them all out and rotate each year.

Congratulations on your new timeshare ownership!