RCI booking 1 year out???

[Cathie Starr]

My friends and I love the Boardwalk, but don't own there. We have been able to stay there many times in the past. This time we got on the wait list. Now this wouldn't bother me except with the exception of OKW and SSR all the other resorts were completely booked. And those only had a room or two available. So we booked at OKW and are happy with that. What I am not happy with is that one of the ladies going with us owns RCI and she booked at WDW last year 1 year out. Now we can only book 11 months or 7 months out depending on where we own. But RCI cost a lot less than Disney and it seems that they get preferred when it comes to booking. Are the resorts really this booked because of this or have they simply over sold DVC and there really isn't the supply to meet the demand?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

But RCI cost a lot less than Disney and it seems that they get preferred when it comes to booking.

No way do they get preference. How DVC recapture rooms for cash booking and RCI trade is a mystery, but it can extend further out than 11 months based on the mysteries of the exchange systems. But to exchange into DVC from RCI tends to take decent trade power, a lot of flexibility and a lot of luck.

 

[Dean]

My friends and I love the Boardwalk, but don't own there. We have been able to stay there many times in the past. This time we got on the wait list. Now this wouldn't bother me except with the exception of OKW and SSR all the other resorts were completely booked. And those only had a room or two available. So we booked at OKW and are happy with that. What I am not happy with is that one of the ladies going with us owns RCI and she booked at WDW last year 1 year out. Now we can only book 11 months or 7 months out depending on where we own. But RCI cost a lot less than Disney and it seems that they get preferred when it comes to booking. Are the resorts really this booked because of this or have they simply over sold DVC and there really isn't the supply to meet the demand?

If she booked a full ear out through RCI (which I doubt), it must have been for cash for something owned by DVD. It's been some time since I've seen anything more than 7 months out. My bet is they went on the wait list a year out and matched later.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

If she booked a full ear out through RCI (which I doubt), it must have been for cash for something owned by DVD. It's been some time since I've seen anything more than 7 months out. My bet is they went on the wait list a year out and matched later.

Nonetheless, I am challenged to consider RCI booking preferential. What DVD pulls for cash and when is a mystery, but RCI booking is really about waitlists, hope and flex.

 

[Dean]

Nonetheless, I am challenged to consider RCI booking preferential. What DVD pulls for cash and when is a mystery, but RCI booking is really about waitlists, hope and flex.

Obviously there has to be a certain amount of trust in the system to participate. Any timeshare is one sided and at best, they are a benevolent dictatorship. It's the same discussion as cash availability either before the 11 month window or where there is no points availability. Generally before 11 months, it'd have to be DVD owned and not declared into DVC. I know they can anticipate breakage inventory but I don't think they can do so ahead of the 11 month window. Otherwise it's just them using the points they control (either own or exchanged in some way) to reserve something for RCI, CRO, etc. As for the other side with RCI, it's mostly about understanding the system and realistic expectations.

 

[Cathie Starr]

This lady said it was 1 year out but maybe she was actually 11 months. I don't know for sure since I didn't go with her or help plan her trip. But I do know she only paid around 4k for her RCI and I know I paid a lot more than that for my DVC. I pay about half of that in dues yearly to DVC. She did book in April though, so maybe it wasn't as packed then. Not sure. Thank you all for your answers. I do feel a bit better. It may have been luck that got her in and she did stay at SSR which I believe is the largest.

 

[Dean]

This lady said it was 1 year out but maybe she was actually 11 months. I don't know for sure since I didn't go with her or help plan her trip. But I do know she only paid around 4k for her RCI and I know I paid a lot more than that for my DVC. I pay about half of that in dues yearly to DVC. She did book in April though, so maybe it wasn't as packed then. Not sure. Thank you all for your answers. I do feel a bit better. It may have been luck that got her in and she did stay at SSR which I believe is the largest.

Even though I'm an owner, almost all of our trips are on exchanges that cost us likely a lot less than this lady paid. IMO it's all about understanding how the system works and what we bought into just like when cash villas are available but not for points.

 

[Brian Noble]

one of the ladies going with us owns RCI and she booked at WDW last year 1 year out.

She is embellishing or mistaken. RCI has not deposited much farther out than about 5 months since late 2014.

I am challenged to consider RCI booking preferential.

Once upon a time, it might have been, but definitely not for the past few years. With the later deposit window, Members have a solid 2-3 months (or more) to reserve inventory before deposits are made to RCI, so the latter is getting only the "leftovers" now.

 

[Dean]

Once upon a time, it might have been, but definitely not for the past few years. With the later deposit window, Members have a solid 2-3 months (or more) to reserve inventory before deposits are made to RCI, so the latter is getting only the "leftovers" now.

While they are likely reserving later, they could also reserve then deposit later, possibly for villas offered to CRO but unused.

 

[Brian Noble]

Perhaps, but there's probably a reason we're seeing mostly SSR, some OKW, and a very few AKV deposits to RCI. Reserving later is the most likely explanation.

 

[Dean]

Perhaps, but there's probably a reason we're seeing mostly SSR, some OKW, and a very few AKV deposits to RCI. Reserving later is the most likely explanation.

Sure but the best explanation overall is the idea that they're trying to maximize the benefits and minimize the impact on members. Regardless of how they're doing it. I was simply pointing out there were other possibilities. Historically they've taken this general approach with cash exchange rentals but they're no reason they have to as long as they reserve within the rules themselves. At one point they were required to deposit the home resort of the DVC member exchanging.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Could be either. It doesn't take having full booking data with timelines to know SSR, OKW and AKV are last to fill.

 

[Cathie Starr]

In order to get a clear answer on this I asked a friend of mine to try to book at any Disney resort for 2018 and she was able to book in any of them that were listed in the RCI book for any date in 2018 as long as she had paid her dues. Plus if she prepaid her dues she could book even further out.

 

[Dean]

In order to get a clear answer on this I asked a friend of mine to try to book at any Disney resort for 2018 and she was able to book in any of them that were listed in the RCI book for any date in 2018 as long as she had paid her dues. Plus if she prepaid her dues she could book even further out.

I'm sure that's not accurate. Being able to search and actually securing the reservation are 2 different things. I'd bet they are saying they can list them, not that they actually see them available. I had both a weeks and points account with RCI and currently there are no weeks available to secure as an exchange.

 

[Cathie Starr]

She said she called them and was able to make them. This is the 2nd person who has told me that they were able to book them. She did say she had to have prepaid her dues.

 

[Dean]

She said she called them and was able to make them. This is the 2nd person who has told me that they were able to book them. She did say she had to have prepaid her dues.

I have a ton of RCI experience and I don't believe this at all. Unless they are able to actually secure them, I wouldn't believe it. OTOH, if options were available at 11 months out, that would be items that were either not in the system or was secured by points owned by DVC/DVD and that would be OK.

 

[purplejam]

We own in RCI and are planning a trip to WDW in August. Availability in RCI this year has been very limited. There has only bee SSR and OKW available.

We managed to get one week at OKW - booked at the end of March
2 weeks booked at SSR - both booked towards the end of April

We have had an ongoing search in place since last September but it took that long for a match to come up.

I think the chances of getting any other resorts apart from SSR or OKW are more or less zero these days.

In 2012 - we got 3 weeks in August at SSR booked around the October before so around 10 months ahead

Before that in 2011 and 2012 we managed to book into BLT, BC WL and AK all at around 11 months before.

I feel that the availability through RCI has pretty much dried up in comparison to a few years ago and I was beginning to think that this year we were going to be unlucky however I think my chances of ever getting resorts other than OKW and SSR are now more or less zero - I've seen one or two week available at AK but they have been very late availability - about 10 days to check in.