RCI MEMBERSHIP INFO for DVD MEMBERS PLEASE

[DeeCee735]

We're DVC members since 2000. A friend of mine owns a timeshare in Vegas, I believe it was exclusive to Vegas and recently offered the option of converting to points and trading through RCI. I don't know if she has to pay an annual membership fee to RCI but I do know she has a log in to the RCI website and has many more options than a DVC member does logging into RCI through the DVC member website link.

I'm wondering if any DVC members out there also belong directly to RCI and if so how? And if you don't mind me asking, what's the fee?

I know my friend has options to their last minute getaways and uses them at least once a year. Just curious.

TIA

 

[erionm]

I'm wondering if any DVC members out there also belong directly to RCI and if so how? And if you don't mind me asking, what's the fee?

If DVC is the only timeshare you own, you are not eligible for RCI membership.

 

[DeeCee735]

Interesting, thanks. But why?

 

[DeeCee735]

I just clicked on "own a timeshare" and then on enrollment and a form came up to fill out. at the bottom of the form is the option to pay the $99.00 membership fee. So I'm confused. How can I not be eligible? Is it that once they see a DVC membership, I would be blocked? I'm tempted, but not paying just to find out.

Thanks again

 

[chalee94]

Interesting, thanks. But why?

because disney makes the rules.

that's really the only explanation there is.

i suspect it's an issue of control. DVC would rather be the one who chooses what villas and weeks get deposited rather than letting us choose. but it's disney's call and that is the deal they made with RCI, that they would control member access to RCI and that DVC owners would not be full RCI members - so we are not eligible for getaways or charged separate membership fees.

 

[DeeCee735]

because disney makes the rules.

that's really the only explanation there is.

i suspect it's an issue of control. DVC would rather be the one who chooses what villas and weeks get deposited rather than letting us choose. but it's disney's call and that is the deal they made with RCI, that they would control member access to RCI and that DVC owners would not be full RCI members - so we are not eligible for getaways or charged separate membership fees.

Okay, thank you. Not so crazy about that little rule there. It's my money I should be able to buy what I want with it. I like the idea of their last minute getaways....oh well, I'll survive

 

[Disney_Alli]

I think you're each talking about two different things: being able to use DVC for RCI stays and then buying into RCI. If you own DVC you can of course buy into any other Timeshare you want. If you own DVC and want to trade your points into RCI you are only eligible for a select few RCI resorts.

HTH

 

[RobDoc]

DVC Members have an association with RCI only through DVC's corporate membership with RCI. While RCI might very well allow you to purchase the membership, you would not be able to bank any reservations into that system as only DVC can do that via their agreement with RCI. As DVC Members, we do not pay any additional fees to have access to specific RCI resorts, but we also do not have any access to all programs available for RCI members.

It would be interesting to see if RCI would accept your $99 and then allow you to take advantage of their "Getaway" programs, if that is what you are interested in doing, but I don't believe there is any way you could deposit a week at your (or any other) DVC Resort into the RCI system since they would need to verify the reservation with DVC (and that's where you would be denied).

If you are truly interested in RCI membership, there are many, many inexpensive timeshares available (some can be purchased as low as $1 on eBay) with RCI affiliation.

When DVC began in 1991, the World Passport Collection was affiliated with RCI (just as it is today), but a few years later that affiliation was changed to Interval International (II) and has changed back to RCI. The program itself did not change much as it applied to DVC members, except for a different group of resorts that are associated with each exchange company (there are some timeshare resorts that are affiliated with both programs, but most are one-or-the-other).

I would certainly do some research before committing to a timeshare purchase just to have access to a personal RCI membership.

 

[bwvBound]

I'm wondering if any DVC members out there also belong directly to RCI and if so how? And if you don't mind me asking, what's the fee?

We have both DVC and RCI-linked-to-our-OTHER-timeshare. Our RCI account renewal rates, right now, are offered at $99/yr or $399 for 5 years. We tend to pre-pay in really big chunks (7-year or 10-year) to get "best pricing" when special offers are available and are currently paid through 2020. (Wow, that is coming up fast -- seemed soooooo far out into the future when I ran my last renewal.)

EDITING to add link to current rates for 'RCI Weeks' program membership/renewal:
http://pgs.rci.com/landing/InsideRCI/fees/indexUS.html

 

[JimMIA]

A friend of mine owns a timeshare in Vegas, I believe it was exclusive to Vegas and recently offered the option of converting to points and trading through RCI.

This could be Wyndham; could also probably be Marriott, although I don't think Marriott exchanges via RCI. Either way, any offer to "convert to points" probably involves a large purchase direct from the developer...which is, by definition, a terrible idea.

I don't know if she has to pay an annual membership fee to RCI but I do know she has a log in to the RCI website and has many more options than a DVC member does logging into RCI through the DVC member website link.

She's paying for the membership somehow. If she owns Wyndham, she is paying for it through her MFs. We say "included," but the truth is there is no such thing as a free lunch.

She has a full individual membership in RCI. That gives her not only more exchange options than DVC, but also access to full RCI perks -- some of which are actually worth something.

I'm wondering if any DVC members out there also belong directly to RCI and if so how? And if you don't mind me asking, what's the fee?

I don't believe you can "belong directly" to RCI. I think there has to be an underlying timeshare ownership in a resort which exchanges via RCI.

I know my friend has options to their last minute getaways and uses them at least once a year. Just curious.

The last minute deals you mention are called "Last Calls," and they are deeply discounted cash rentals <45 days out. We did a Last Call last summer at Vacation Villages at Parkway on 192 -- $325 including everything for one full week in a 1 BR timeshare unit. Great deal for us.

They also have "Extra Vacations," which are further-out discounted cash rentals. Some of those are great; some are not.

 

[Dean]

We're DVC members since 2000. A friend of mine owns a timeshare in Vegas, I believe it was exclusive to Vegas and recently offered the option of converting to points and trading through RCI. I don't know if she has to pay an annual membership fee to RCI but I do know she has a log in to the RCI website and has many more options than a DVC member does logging into RCI through the DVC member website link.

I'm wondering if any DVC members out there also belong directly to RCI and if so how? And if you don't mind me asking, what's the fee?

I know my friend has options to their last minute getaways and uses them at least once a year. Just curious.

TIA

I have RCI weeks, RCI points, II all. I also own with 4 systems that have direct or special trading with one of the exchange companies. In spite of the person on the UK DVC site that is vocal and suggests otherwise (at least they used to), DVC members are not able to join RCI directly. I've seen DVC members complete the application, pay the fee and be told by an RCI rep they were all set only to get a letter later to the contrary.

Interesting, thanks. But why?

In order to join II or RCI, the resort must have an agreement with that system. The corporate membership for DVC does not and didn't with II either. One can join any one or more of the independent's that don't have the same requirement with the understanding that DVC will not confirm the deposits to the independent unless they are added as an associate to the account. This is arbitrary but it is the way it is.

I just clicked on "own a timeshare" and then on enrollment and a form came up to fill out. at the bottom of the form is the option to pay the $99.00 membership fee. So I'm confused. How can I not be eligible? Is it that once they see a DVC membership, I would be blocked? I'm tempted, but not paying just to find out.

Thanks again

See above, ultimately you will not be able to join based on DVC OR use DVC directly with RCI or II. There are some negatives and some positives. It basically comes down to this set up is positive for the person that doesn't plan to trade but wants and option or the person that might trade every 4-5 yrs. It's negative for one who wants to trade routinely. If one could join directly AND chose the deposits, I believe DVC would be a very good to great trading option with RCI.

 

[DeeCee735]

DVC Members have an association with RCI only through DVC's corporate membership with RCI. While RCI might very well allow you to purchase the membership, you would not be able to bank any reservations into that system as only DVC can do that via their agreement with RCI. As DVC Members, we do not pay any additional fees to have access to specific RCI resorts, but we also do not have any access to all programs available for RCI members.

It would be interesting to see if RCI would accept your $99 and then allow you to take advantage of their "Getaway" programs, if that is what you are interested in doing, but I don't believe there is any way you could deposit a week at your (or any other) DVC Resort into the RCI system since they would need to verify the reservation with DVC (and that's where you would be denied).

If you are truly interested in RCI membership, there are many, many inexpensive timeshares available (some can be purchased as low as $1 on eBay) with RCI affiliation.

When DVC began in 1991, the World Passport Collection was affiliated with RCI (just as it is today), but a few years later that affiliation was changed to Interval International (II) and has changed back to RCI. The program itself did not change much as it applied to DVC members, except for a different group of resorts that are associated with each exchange company (there are some timeshare resorts that are affiliated with both programs, but most are one-or-the-other).

I would certainly do some research before committing to a timeshare purchase just to have access to a personal RCI membership.

Thank you to all of you for your information. This clarified it for me.
Yes, to tell you the truth, I was wondering if I could just pay for RCI membership for the benefit of booking last call getaways.

Buying a timeshare just to be in RCI system wouldn't be something we'd consider. But I get the idea now of how it works.

Thanks again everyone!