RCI - How does it work trading to DVC?

[sonofanarchy]

We tried this a couple years back and I swear we were told, you could trade in weeks you owned at RCI to get a discount off of DVC rooms. We called last night and were told that since we own a 2 bedroom villa at Vistana, if available, we could get a 2 bedroom Villa at a DVC Resort for the same amount of time that we own at Vistana. We just have to wait until Disney notifies RCI with the inventory they will have. So, a couple of questions:

1.Is this true or does the RCI agent have no idea what she is talking about?
2.If looking to book 11 months in advance, what are the odds of getting the resort at Disney we want?

 

[Deb & Bill]

We tried this a couple years back and I swear we were told, you could trade in weeks you owned at RCI to get a discount off of DVC rooms. We called last night and were told that since we own a 2 bedroom villa at Vistana, if available, we could get a 2 bedroom Villa at a DVC Resort for the same amount of time that we own at Vistana. We just have to wait until Disney notifies RCI with the inventory they will have. So, a couple of questions:

1.Is this true or does the RCI agent have no idea what she is talking about?
2.If looking to book 11 months in advance, what are the odds of getting the resort at Disney we want?

If you own in Orlando, you can't trade into DVC.

 

[sonofanarchy]

Does that go for both points and weeks?

 

[Deb & Bill]

Does that go for both points and weeks?

Yep. No trading into DVC with a local timeshare.

 

[sonofanarchy]

Yep. No trading into DVC with a local timeshare.

That sounds familiar. I remember reading (or hearing) about it a while back, but had forgotten about it. Odd that the woman from RCI had no idea what she was talking about. Maybe she worked at Disney first.

 

[wdrl]

Odd that the woman from RCI had no idea what she was talking about. Maybe she worked at Disney first.

Keep in mind there are four DVC resorts not located at Walt Disney World. If the OP didn't specifically ask about trading into a DVC resort at WDW, the RCI rep may have assumed they were asking about one of the non-WDW DVC resorts.

 

[chalee94]

Keep in mind there are four DVC resorts not located at Walt Disney World. If the OP didn't specifically ask about trading into a DVC resort at WDW, the RCI rep may have assumed they were asking about one of the non-WDW DVC resorts.

The location restriction does not apply to some points based systems like Hilton and Wyndham, so the rep may have been confused.

But RCI does collect fees whether your trade works out or not, IIRC, so you never know.

 

[sonofanarchy]

Keep in mind there are four DVC resorts not located at Walt Disney World. If the OP didn't specifically ask about trading into a DVC resort at WDW, the RCI rep may have assumed they were asking about one of the non-WDW DVC resorts.

No, she definitely asked about WDW resorts - Boardwalk specifically.

 

[sonofanarchy]

Well, someone either on here or at RCI is wrong. We just got off the phone with a woman at RCI who has worked there for 21 years and she says she has never heard of that policy. She can't speak for I.I., the company that previously worked with Disney, but she said owners of Vistana are trading their weeks all the time for DVC Rooms inside of WDW. She checked all our information and said we were on the wait list. If there was any restriction, it wouldn't allow us to be there.

 

[crisi]

Even if you can, your chances of getting a BWV room are pretty slim. DVC doesn't deposit that many rooms into RCI, and few BWV rooms. They show up, but they go fast.

 

[sonofanarchy]

Even if you can, your chances of getting a BWV room are pretty slim. DVC doesn't deposit that many rooms into RCI, and few BWV rooms. They show up, but they go fast.

We're on the waiting list for BWV, BCV, WLV, BLT, AKV, OKW in that order.

This is my in-laws membership. I've always thought it was a long shot, and don't know much about it. Just going by what the RCI rep said. She said since we're looking so far in advance, she thinks something will be available. I have no idea.

 

[Dean]

We tried this a couple years back and I swear we were told, you could trade in weeks you owned at RCI to get a discount off of DVC rooms. We called last night and were told that since we own a 2 bedroom villa at Vistana, if available, we could get a 2 bedroom Villa at a DVC Resort for the same amount of time that we own at Vistana. We just have to wait until Disney notifies RCI with the inventory they will have. So, a couple of questions:

1.Is this true or does the RCI agent have no idea what she is talking about?
2.If looking to book 11 months in advance, what are the odds of getting the resort at Disney we want?

You may be able to get a discount on hotel rooms, I'm not sure. You can't trade an Orlando resort for WDW DVC options. If you're a member of starwood, you may or may not be able to do so using points. It's always subject to availability.

 

[Dean]

We're on the waiting list for BWV, BCV, WLV, BLT, AKV, OKW in that order.

This is my in-laws membership. I've always thought it was a long shot, and don't know much about it. Just going by what the RCI rep said. She said since we're looking so far in advance, she thinks something will be available. I have no idea.

They'll encourage you to put in an ongoing request even if they know there's not chance of success. I know of a couple of people that had an RCI points exchange to DVC that were later canceled due to the stated restriction.

 

[sonofanarchy]

You may be able to get a discount on hotel rooms, I'm not sure. You can't trade an Orlando resort for WDW DVC options. If you're a member of starwood, you may or may not be able to do so using points. It's always subject to availability.

She owns weeks, not points. I don't get it. Both reps at RCI said they were positive she could trade for DVC inside Disney (based of course on availability.)

 

[Dean]

She owns weeks, not points. I don't get it. Both reps at RCI said they were positive she could trade for DVC inside Disney (based of course on availability.)

They get paid to get you to put in an exchanges and again to get you to accept something. Once you have an exchange request in, the chances of you accepting something and them getting to keep the money is very high. The exchange reps are often not very knowledgeable in areas such as this.

From RCI:

There is an area ownership restriction at this resort. If you made this reservation using points from an Orlando ownership or a resort within 30 miles of Disneyworld resorts in Orlando, it will be cancelled and you will be notified about rebooking a non-Disney property.

 

[sonofanarchy]

Just got off the phone with a supervisor. Their reps were wrong - You can not book a DVC Resort if you own within 30 miles of WDW. Disney's policy. RCI will make a reservation for you (why, I have NO idea since they know it will be cancelled), and then Disney will cancel it on you.

A.I don't blame Disney at all. Smart policy on their part.
B.Perfect example of why I would never buy a timeshare.

 

[Disney Doc]

A.I don't blame Disney at all. Smart policy on their part.
B.Perfect example of why I would never buy a timeshare.

C. Don't ever doubt Dean...

 

[chalee94]

B.Perfect example of why I would never buy a timeshare.

ehhh...more like, you really have to do your homework. i've been very happy with both my DVC and unbranded timeshares but i've put in some time making sure i understood what i was getting and where the risks were.

if someone cheerfully and uncritically accepts whatever the salespeople tell them, whether the salespeople are wearing disney shirts or sheraton, they are going to run into trouble...

 

[Dean]

Just got off the phone with a supervisor. Their reps were wrong - You can not book a DVC Resort if you own within 30 miles of WDW. Disney's policy. RCI will make a reservation for you (why, I have NO idea since they know it will be cancelled), and then Disney will cancel it on you.

A.I don't blame Disney at all. Smart policy on their part.
B.Perfect example of why I would never buy a timeshare.

C. They'll let the request sit there then offer you other options hoping you'll take it so they can keep your exchange fee. I take it you don't own DVC, a timeshare. While I probably wouldn't buy a timeshare just to to trade to DVC, I agree with Chalee, it's all about up front investigations, knowledge and good choices. Here's an example. I went to MX a few years ago for 2 weeks staying at the same top notch resort. My cost was about $600-700 for the 2 weeks total (including indirect fees). That same exchange using DVC would have been 1500 points through RCI. I've also traded to DVC many times in addition to owning there. I can give you many other examples where owning something else was better than owning DVC. You must do your homework though and it's possible things could change with all timeshares in such a way you get burned, DVC included.

C. Don't ever doubt Dean...

LOL, No one is always right and I do understand how it is when you're getting conflicting messages. We have to all stick together and pool our knowledge for our common good.