RCI Members please help

[magic kingdom park]

I have a friend who has about 5 timeshare weeks, she always sells me a week every year to go to disney, this year though she is saying nothing is coming open for the first full week of june in a 2 bedroom, the only thing in a two bedroom is Lifetime of Vacations at Grand Lakes, but this resort does not look that nice has anyone stayed there? Should I be getting worried that nothing in a two bedroom will become aval. for my week???

 

[spiceycat]

if you don't have it now - don't count on it showing up - RCI use to get more inventory at the 30 day mark - now it seems like that is going to skyauction.

I don't anything about that resort either - I think it is on US 192 West - across from the LaQunita - really close to the closed China Splendor. (I think)

 

[magic kingdom park]

I have never used skyauction, how does that work?

 

[spiceycat]

You find some great deals.

I don't bid on the Ready, Set, Go ones.

I bid on the ones with weeks at Resort I want. I try to find the resort listed. this takes patience!!!

www.skyauction.com
click on USA/Canada
Click on Florida (to the right)
click on hotels only (right bottom)

then see what you can find - this is pretty good for last minute - and I mean last minute - I got mind 10 days before we left. but also for a while before time.

 

[Tiger Fan]

We also frequently exchange into a 2 bedroom in early June. We own at Hilton Head Island and have never had a problem with a pretty good selection. This year we had a few choices, but not as many "good" ones like usual. We ended up pushing our vacation off until mid June and traded into Silver Lake (one of our favorites). I have a banked week and looked for exchanges over the weekend just to see what was now showing and it only returned 2 options, neither were places we'd consider so I'm glad we went ahead when we did. My point is there is not much out there for whatever reason. Good luck as you decide.
Lisa
Tiger Fan

 

[spiceycat]

boy I just looked in July - very slim pickin then too...

August looks better

these are 2 bedrooms
Sheraton Vistana starting on 8/27 and 8/28
Orange Lake 8/26. 8/27, and 8/28
Bryan's Spanish Cove 8/20 and 8/27
Hilton Grand Vacation Club at SW 8/28
Sheraton Vistana Villages 8/26. 8/28

there are several others - but those would be on the top of the list
if you want close to WDW
Cypress Point, 8/26 and 8/27
silver Lake (the points one) 8/26

 

[lawgs]

would like to thank Magic Kingdom for posting this thread

in going into Extra Vactions on RCI to check to see what was available in June 05 ( 46 resorts total with a fair number in Orlando/Kissimmee but per week rentals costs of over 600$.... )



i decided to check for september as we had booked a week at HVGC - International Drive last week for 500$

lo and behold the cost for the two bedroom unit had come down to 259.00 for mid september, thus i called RCI to see what we could do about it.....was even ready to eat the cancellation fee if necessary to still get a lower cost than the 500$

she was able to pull HGVC up too but her rate was even cheaper 195$ which she was willing to try and snag for us, but it was one day off the original booking....

she refunded our 500$, booked the new rate of 195$ for the one day off 2 bedroom and said i had until tomorrow at midnight to cancel if i wished ( i was going to recheck to see if the "oiriginal" one had found it way back into the inventory tomorrow )

within minutes of hanging up, the VC called back to say she had found the "original" booking for us and was confirming it .....now that is Customer Service and RCI taking care of their members ....and much better than Skyauction pricing for sure

i think with some planning, some decent prices are going to be had for Extra Vacations as a matter of fact the pricing we got for this one was more like the prices listed for Last Call vacations...

once again, thanks Magic Kingdom for causing me to go to RCI this morning....happy dance here

 

[magic kingdom park]

Lawgs,
Lets see if I have this correct, you booked a week using bonus weeks or your points? If it was just bonus week are you saying that each week these maybe different prices such as cheaper? She has said we could get into the
Villages At Mango Key for 600.00 a week, she has been telling me this since Feb. you think maybe it would come down in price? Confused about timeshares. Thanks for the info.

 

[wincha]

so is it possible to call rci and get a cheaper extra vacation? i have looked but it looks like westgate the reviews are not so good. plus i need at least a 2 bdroom really want 3 and want more than 7 days looking at 10. any info would be great.

 

[spiceycat]

most timeshares will let you rent extra days - but don't expect skyauction prices....

RCI sometimes has extra vacation that they allowed their member to buy - sometimes these are great deals - other time not so.

It is good to heard that they allow you go with the lower amount. very good!!!

there are some great deals for Sept!

My brother is surpose to be going in Sept - but I want to make sure FIRST - I have made that mistake before - making 2 reservations then finding I didn't want either.....

 

[lawgs]

magic kingdom...

in this istance, the 2 bedroom we had booked last week for 500$ was showig up this week as 260$, when i called to see what we could do about it, luckily the VC was more than accomodating, she was even able to get the same thing for a lower rate or 195$ ( by rights we should have been charged a cancellation fee but she was able to cancel last weeks booking and get us a new booking at a better rate )

wincha

do not know about calling for cheaper rate, we might have just got lucky, but it does seem the inventory is changing in both price structure and availability.....we are going in september thus there has not been as much demand for the resort...whatever way they do it, we are thankful ( ric members starting to get some good deals ) for their offerings

my first inclination when i first started to observe the "extra vacations" was that they were going to set a price and stick to it, but now can see it is probably going to be dynamic

we did not have to deposit a week to take advantage of this either .... strictly a "cash" transaction

spiceycat

yes, we were pleasantly surprised they allowed us to do it, finally maybe we are going to get more out of being members

maybe we will not have to use skyauction as much....smilawgs

 

[John Dobbertin]

Are you folks saying you booked HGVC-International Drive 2-bedroom for $195 for 7 nights TOTAL?

 

[spiceycat]

yes that is exactly what he is saying...

 

[John Dobbertin]

Hilton Grand Vacations Club must have given the place away to RCI. We are DVC members (VWL) & HGVC members (Flamingo). Best we can do on a cash basis (& even this is very unusual this far out) is $165 a night for a two-bedroom. $195 for the week is a steal.

 

[spiceycat]

go look on the
www.rci.com website
after you sign in

click on extra vacations
the month - September

there are several - some Orange Lake, SHeraton Vistana - lots of nice ones

remember last year in Sept - HURRICANES....

although I think I will call RCI and see about getting an even better discount, too....thanks!!!!

 

[riu girl]

Sorry, a little off topic.
Was just wondering about last call (45 days or sooner prior to vacation) RCI holidays. We are not members but a family member is and gave me her www.rci.com password/login ID and told me to feel free to book RCI last call holidays. The prices are amazing.
My questions:
1. has anyone ever gone on these type pf vacations before and how have they worked out?
2. When booking one on line , RCI has to mail the member a guest certificate. The member would then have to mail/courier that to the guest to use. How long does it take for RCI to get the certificate to the member? We are in Canada so I assume it would take longer. I don't want to book a last call vacation and then have it turn out I can't use it since I can't get the certificate in time.

My relative (RCI owner) has never gone on a last call vacation so is unable to give me any info. She just told me to go ahead and book one, anytime I wanted.

Any info. would be greatly appreciated.
Suzy V.

 

[spiceycat]

I though RCI mailed in directly to you - II certainly would.

they send a copy to the owner - but you should receive everything.

what you need to check into the resort is your name.... RCI does even use a number.

you should be able to print out everything if necessary.

 

[lawgs]

John Dobbertin

do you have a RCI membership through HGVC?

if so you should be able to see the same thing on extra vacations

HGVC used to have a huge presence on Skyauction too ( HGVC at international even showed up on RSG auctions a couple of times last year )

it is my feeling that these weeks that RCI has are "developer weeks" in which case your statement about HGVC having given away the place could be right....the original cost for september and october extra vacations were higher, it is just in the last "roll over" of inventory that the price dropped.....as to why we got the price we did....i do not know....but we are thankful for it....

we have traded into HGVC sites in both Las Vegas and Orlando using our Orange Lake weeks....we were originally going to do an exchange but the extra vacation gives us better value

this whole extra vacation "opportunity" may disappear too ...so we enjoy it while we can.....

RIU


see where you could login under your relative's name, but what about paying for the "last call" ......would the credit card NOT have to be in the name of the member.????

 

[John Dobbertin]

Lawgs: HGVC members can swap points for RCI sites & we pay a hefty fee to make a reservation with RCI. HGVC members are usually far better off using points for HGVC reservations. Thanks for the help, however!

 

[lawgs]

in checking for HGVC today on extra vacations, they have "disappeared" for the one on international drive

still some availability for the one at Seaworld