RCI Platinum...experiences, results, please.

[alice99]

I am an RCI points owner that has been searching for a DVC resort for a few weeks now.
We decided to go in January and can see Beach Club, AKL, OKW and VWL available.
When I click on the "available units" button the only resort that shows me an available week is OKW .
Am I being blocked from other inventory because I have not upgraded to Platinum?

Also, is there anyone with experience with upgrading to Platinum? Is it worth it? Does more availability come up when you have platinum?

I feel like every time I log onto RCI I am being roped into enhancing my membership in one way or another. First it was converting my Weeks membership to Points membership and now this Platinum nonsense?

Experiences? Feedback, please. Positive or negative. Thanks!

 

[Dork42775]

You need to create an ongoing search through RCI. It is more or less a waiting list for when a DVC resort opens up after someone cancels or releases it. You dont see DVC because if you have a ongoing search you will be contacted and have around 3 days to confirm the reservation.

I dont think platinum has anything to do with it.

 

[alice99]

You need to create an ongoing search through RCI. It is more or less a waiting list for when a DVC resort opens up after someone cancels or releases it. You dont see DVC because if you have a ongoing search you will be contacted and have around 3 days to confirm the reservation.

I dont think platinum has anything to do with it.

Thanks!!

It's just that the page says all these dates are available, why should I have to start an active search then wait for them to get back to me? It says they are available, why can I not just pick one now?

 

[divearnd]

Perhaps you need to do some research with regard to the amount of RCI points needed to book each of those resorts. Not all points are considered equal from resort to resort. Say if you had 1000 points, as example, that might get you a two bedroom in one resort but only a studio, or nothing, in a resort where demand is higher.

 

[JimMIA]

I think you need to call RCI and get some authoritative information. The likelihood of getting erroneous info here on such technical questions is probably 90%.

I have seen one recent post saying that you can't book DVC with RCI points . Check post #7 from Dean on this thread: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3307398

Just FYI, I have no knowledge of RCI Points exchanges, but Dean is one of the most knowledgeable folks I know on timeshare exchanges.

 

[alice99]

I have booked DVC resorts on 4 separate occasions through my RCI points. VWL, BCV and OKW , twice.

I will check out that link you sent me, thanks. I did a search before starting my own thread.... but was overwhelmed with threads that didn't apply.


Edit - Jim , your post on that thread was the most accurate. My RCI membership is through a resort in the northeast.... nowhere near Disney.
I do own DVC, but have not notified RCI that I own DVC at all. If I'm not using my DVC points I give them to family members or rent them out to friends. I don't bank my DVC points into RCI at all.

 

[jaysmom4285]

I am an RCI points owner that has been searching for a DVC resort for a few weeks now.
We decided to go in January and can see Beach Club, AKL, OKW and VWL available.
When I click on the "available units" button the only resort that shows me an available week is OKW .
Am I being blocked from other inventory because I have not upgraded to Platinum?

Also, is there anyone with experience with upgrading to Platinum? Is it worth it? Does more availability come up when you have platinum?

I feel like every time I log onto RCI I am being roped into enhancing my membership in one way or another. First it was converting my Weeks membership to Points membership and now this Platinum nonsense?

Experiences? Feedback, please. Positive or negative. Thanks!

We have rented DVC with RCI points several times. Your experience with the appearance of available units is typical. Often when you check the site, you'll see that, supposedly, several DVC properties are available, with several dates available for each. But, when you click on the "available units" button for one resort, it may say that there is nothing there. This happened to me the last time when I was trying to get the Boardwalk, and I called RCI to see what was up. She said that their website doesn't take down the listings immediately after someone claims the available units - the listings often stay up for some time. She admitted that this is a flaw that they are working on. So I don't think it has anything to do with you being blocked from any inventory. It's just that their site doesn't promptly update the available units once someone has taken them. I agree with you that it is very annoying.

 

[alice99]

We have rented DVC with RCI points several times. Your experience with the appearance of available units is typical. Often when you check the site, you'll see that, supposedly, several DVC properties are available, with several dates available for each. But, when you click on the "available units" button for one resort, it may say that there is nothing there. This happened to me the last time when I was trying to get the Boardwalk, and I called RCI to see what was up. She said that their website doesn't take down the listings immediately after someone claims the available units - the listings often stay up for some time. She admitted that this is a flaw that they are working on. So I don't think it has anything to do with you being blocked from any inventory. It's just that their site doesn't promptly update the available units once someone has taken them. I agree with you that it is very annoying.

Thanks so much for sharing your experience.... this is exactly what I was talking about.
One resort actually showed an available unit, at OKW, which I really like .....would've preferred the Wilderness Lodge, but OKW is very pretty and rooms are very nice and roomy.

I"m not disagreeing with the info you got... but I contemplated and went back and forth for a few days before deciding to go forth with the booking... and the website was the same each time I checked it, strange. Maybe it takes a few days for the listings to be removed.

 

[jaysmom4285]

I know what you're saying. I used the term "stay up for some time" in the broadest sense - sometimes it was hours, and sometimes days after the listing were actually not available but still showing on a search. I hope this is something RCI can fix so that the information on their website is actually accurate.

 

[alice99]

I know what you're saying. I used the term "stay up for some time" in the broadest sense - sometimes it was hours, and sometimes days after the listing were actually not available but still showing on a search. I hope this is something RCI can fix so that the information on their website is actually accurate.

Thanks so much for sharing. I'm happy with the resort and reservation I got.

My real concern was that I am going to be looking to get a Vero Beach or HHI reservation next Summer.... and figured if upgrading was necessary I would do it sooner rather than later.

Thanks!