RCI for DVC trades - 1 in 4 rule ?

[BoardwalkSuzy]

Here's an article found about the 1 in 4 rule...
http://timesharetidbits.com/timeshare-vacations-the-1-in-4-rule/

Just wonder how this may work with Disney. My friend was thinking of buying DVC but of course realized how expensive the buy-in and MFs were and is looking at alternatives. Now looking at the Hilton's vacation club - HGVC, as there's an option to buy points for 1 week at HGVC resort outside the 30 mile limit of Orlando, then trade using RCI into DVC. She could purchase a HGVC contract 2BR, 1 WEEK, platinum season, that would exchange into DVC for 2BR, 1 WEEK, any season, with points left over. 7000 points HGVC = 5800 RCI points = ~350 DVC points we learned, all for 1 week stay in 2BR. So for $5000 HGVC purchase price (about going rate for 7000 HGVC points), and about $800 dues each year, she could have the benefits of DVC - but could this be done each year?

Does the 1 in 4 rule apply for DVC as a whole, or if she picks a different DVC resort each year, could she work around that limitation? I've read stories about RCI canceling reservations when they learned that it hasn't been 4 years since last stay at same resort.

 

[chalee94]

Now looking at the Hilton's vacation club - HGVC, as there's an option to buy points for 1 week at HGVC resort outside the 30 mile limit of Orlando, then trade using RCI into DVC.

due to HGVC operating as a quasi-points system, i'm pretty sure you can buy an orlando HGVC and still trade into DVC without regard to the typical orlando resort limitation. i looked into HGVC at one point.

not sure whether DVC is limited by a 1-in-4 or whether only SSR would be limited to the 1-in-4 (for example), though. sorry.

 

[Brian Noble]

DVC has not yet asked for the 1-in-4 rule. I believe the PP is correct about HGVC---you can own at an Orlando resort. As far as I know, the same is true for any mini-system that trades in through its own point-based portal, including Bluegreen, Wyndham, and WorldMark.

However, buying to exchange into a specific resort (or small resort system) is generally considered a no-no in the timeshare world. For example, if DVC switches back to II (or HGVC does) your friend will be out of luck.

 

[littlestar]

Hilton has been actively exercising ROFR. I don't think 7000 points would pass for that low.

If they primarily want DVC, I'd buy DVC.

 

[Dean]

RCI's standard available restriction is the 1 in 3, 4, 5 years. This is normally resort specific, the only real exception I can think of are the Grupo Mayan resorts where it's 1 in 5 at any of their resorts. Even then it only applies to RCI weeks trades and not to RCI points trades so not sure it even applies to DVC though giving 600-900 DVC points for a week you can easily get otherwise doesn't make much sense to me. It also doesn't apply to independent exchange companies. DVC has one of the few area restrictions in RCI, it was 45 miles in II and now 30 miles in RCI, not that it really matters much. I doubt you'll see both and my guess is you can't combine the 2 with RCI and make it even more restrictive. Making this assumption they're better off with an area restrictions than the 1 in 4 or so, even if they made it apply to any resort in the system for a single exchange.

While DVC has generally not restricted mini systems with resorts in Orlando, they certainly could if they wanted and given they've been pretty aggressive in this area so far, I wouldn't want to take too many chances if DVC exchanges were a major goal. They've even held that having an Orlando resort in your listing for RCI points was a disqualifying event, I can't think of any other system offhand that restricts exchangers through RCI points.

Hilton has a good system but there are other choices that might offer benefits and be significantly cheaper, esp Wyndham and Bluegreen among a number of others.

 

[Brian Noble]

While DVC has generally not restricted mini systems with resorts in Orlando, they certainly could if they wanted

Not without financing a significant upgrade in RCI's internal computer systems (or threatening RCI they'd leave otherwise). The current mini-system portals do not track sources of point deposits. Once points from one of these systems are deposited, there is no way for RCI to know where they came from other than doing it by hand. And, that's why these portals exist in the first place, to eliminate the old "by hand" tracking of point-backed deposits.

It could happen, but I would not bet on it.

 

[Dean]

Not without financing a significant upgrade in RCI's internal computer systems (or threatening RCI they'd leave otherwise). The current mini-system portals do not track sources of point deposits. Once points from one of these systems are deposited, there is no way for RCI to know where they came from other than doing it by hand. And, that's why these portals exist in the first place, to eliminate the old "by hand" tracking of point-backed deposits.

It could happen, but I would not bet on it.

My understanding is they don't track RCI points home resorts either but they have restricted those exchanges, the only company that I'm aware of that has, maybe you know of others. Actually there are several ways and variations they could do in this regard. I doubt they'd restrict the entire system but what they could do would be to restrict deposits from Orlando resorts and anyone who has a listing that is tied to an Orlando resort within RCI's system. As to whether they will, I don't know, frankly I'm surprised they have done as much as they have, esp blocking RCI points trades with Orlando resorts listed.