Not sure if this is the right place to post? Question about RCI weeks and DVCs

[ahill004]

PLEASE help me figure this out. My inlaws have offered me a weeks stay during early November at one of their RCI resorts. I think I read that RCI trades with DVC now? How does this work? They are on a weeks system and not points (on the RCI website some resorts state POINTS and others don't say anything). They are VIP so that gets them some kind of extra benefits. I would love to stay at a DVC but I don't know if it is possible or if it costs extra or how it works????

 

[chalee94]

if the RCI resort has enough trading power to pull a DVC trade (from what i've read, RCI weeks resorts need to be a lot stronger than RCI points resorts to pull DVC)

AND if there is a DVC resort available for the week you are traveling,

then someone with an RCI resort could trade into DVC (by paying for RCI membership of $90ish + trade costs of $189 + $59 for a guest certificate + $95 to DVC for resort fees in addition to their normal annual dues for their resort.)

trading is a bit of a hassle and it is a bit more expensive.

i would probably just plan to appreciate whatever they give you...but if you decide to buy your own timeshare, those are some of the issues you'd be looking at...

 

[freeplaxicoburress]

I have Marriott (Interval affiliates) timeshare and my parents have some timeshares that have RCI affiliations. Before DVC switched over to RCI, I had no troubles with trading into the Wilderness Lodge in '08, but I made my request over a year in advance and requested several properties and dates. I have helped my parents with a trade through RCI this year and got a 1 BR at Old Key West. For that stay, I also placed the request nearly a year in advance.

If you're looking for an RCI trade, I would recommend placing your request very far in advance and be flexible with dates and locations.

 

[culli]

if the RCI resort has enough trading power to pull a DVC trade (from what i've read, RCI weeks resorts need to be a lot stronger than RCI points resorts to pull DVC)

AND if there is a DVC resort available for the week you are traveling,

then someone with an RCI resort could trade into DVC (by paying for RCI membership of $90ish + trade costs of $189 + $59 for a guest certificate + $95 to DVC for resort fees in addition to their normal annual dues for their resort.)

trading is a bit of a hassle and it is a bit more expensive.

i would probably just plan to appreciate whatever they give you...but if you decide to buy your own timeshare, those are some of the issues you'd be looking at...

Yes it can be hard to trade into DVC but more expensive? more expensive than what? If you can trade into DVC more than likely you are saving over owning DVC. The hassle part of getting something that will trade into it and what is available can be a pain........but not cost unless you have a very expensive MF TS that you are trading into it with. I just traded into DVC thru RCI and with all my costs and figuring what it would have been in DVC pts........equivalent was $4.30 per equiv DVC pt. That is cheaper than my average DVC MFs and includes all the RCI etc costs.

OP - When you say they are VIP, it lends me to believe that they own Wyndham points and deposited into RCI. If this is the case it will be very hard to get a DVC trade with a Wyn deposit, and I don't think their VIP status will do anything for you with an RCI trade. VIP is a controversial "bogus" thing set up by Wyndham to make people feel comfortable about paying 99% more for their retail purchases and make resale owners feel like low lifes. Not impossible as I have gotten two but it was a downgrade in size and took lots of searching and some luck. Generally Wyndham doesn't trade well in RCI, there are some exceptions of course.

I do admit that trading and getting good deals does take a knack and research to get what you want at a good cost. Many don't want the hassle while others (like myself) look at it as a fun hobby and love the "thrill of the hunt" so to speak.

 

[ahill004]

I know its a long shot. Would it be better if he asked for a 1 bedroom rather than a 2 bedroom. He said something about getting automatically upgraded to a 2 bedroom??

 

[culli]

I know its a long shot. Would it be better if he asked for a 1 bedroom rather than a 2 bedroom. He said something about getting automatically upgraded to a 2 bedroom??

Yeah this sounds like he is a Wyndham owner and doesn't understand how trading through RCI works. If he is VIP (and they do have different levels of VIP) he would possibly be able to get upgrades in Wyndham's internal exchange system. RCI is a different ball game, VIP may have some benefits but I really don't think they do with RCI. Wyndham and RCI are owned by the same parent company, which is a little surprising that Wyndham usually gets poor trading power in RCI. Ask him where he owns or what system and what it is he trading into RCI with, then look at the tug (timeshare users group) to get more info. Here is the direct link to the Tug Wyndham boards http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=47

Trading into DVC with Wyndham is difficult but not impossible. It really depends on what he is using for a trade. Once you figure out what he has to trade with, post a question on the tug boards. You will probably get some more direct answers as for the most part the DIS DVC boards are mostly just DVC TS owners. Tug has owners of all different types of TS units and different experiences.

Good luck

 

[chalee94]

Yes it can be hard to trade into DVC but more expensive? more expensive than what? If you can trade into DVC more than likely you are saving over owning DVC.

the options presented in the OP were:

1) inlaws offered a stay at their resort (presumably their home resort so trading costs = 0)

2) tell them nah...but could you spend a little more time and money since i'd rather stay at a DVC resort.

neither the OP nor their inlaws were looking at owning DVC, are they? not sure where that comment comes from...

 

[culli]

the options presented in the OP were:

1) inlaws offered a stay at their resort (presumably their home resort so trading costs = 0)

2) tell them nah...but could you spend a little more time and money since i'd rather stay at a DVC resort.

neither the OP nor their inlaws were looking at owning DVC, are they? not sure where that comment comes from...

trading is a bit of a hassle and it is a bit more expensive. Is what I was talking about, I may misread the intention of the post. I thought you meant vs owning DVC outright, my mistake. But yes trading is more expensive then using the week at home resort or if Wyndham the internal trading system.

One option if it is indeed Wyndham (which I can be entirely off base and wouldn't be the first time!) is check into Bonnet Creek. This is as close and in some cases closer to any parks as some of the Disney resorts. Of course you don't get the "on property" benefits but I heard wonderful things about this place, and it is also in RCI that one can trade into. Some prefer this place over any of the DVC resorts.

 

[Starr W.]

trading is a bit of a hassle and it is a bit more expensive. Is what I was talking about, I may misread the intention of the post. I thought you meant vs owning DVC outright, my mistake. But yes trading is more expensive then using the week at home resort or if Wyndham the internal trading system.

One option if it is indeed Wyndham (which I can be entirely off base and wouldn't be the first time!) is check into Bonnet Creek. This is as close and in some cases closer to any parks as some of the Disney resorts. Of course you don't get the "on property" benefits but I heard wonderful things about this place, and it is also in RCI that one can trade into. Some prefer this place over any of the DVC resorts.

We stayed at BC in January, yes with a car you can get to some of the parks faster than Disney transportation(DH timed it). It would be my first choice if I was short on DVC points.

From what I've poked around in RCI with my good not super trader, it was easier for me to get 2brs at the Hiltons than get a 2br at BC for when I would want to go to WDW(October-May) I could only see BC 2br's in times like August, September since 5/30.