RCI points conversions

[queenbeaz]

I've now begun researching TS other than DVC. I finally found some info that says I need 118,500 RCI points for 2 bdrm at most DVC resorts for week 52. We will always need a 2bdrm or larger, we will almost always vacation right after Christmas and want to go to WDW. We may occasionally want to take small weekend trips to somewhere within a days drive from central NY, or to go visit family in other parts of the country. I know this will take a lot of points no matter TS company we go with, but I can't find anywhere that will tell me how the individual TS companies convert to RCI points so I can figure out how much we would need. Does this makes sense? Any advice would be spectacular! TIA!

 

[chalee94]

guys like dean and bnoble can help you, but if you are looking for information on non-DVC timeshares, you really should go join TUG.

http://tugbbs.com/forums/

 

[queenbeaz]

Thank you. I've been looking at TUG, but frankly, I'm very confused and can't seem to find what I'm looking for. I understand DVC from top to bottom since we've been considering it off and on for nearly 13 years now. This whole have to exchange, and everyone's point/week system is different thing is just throwing me for a loop.

 

[Dean]

I've now begun researching TS other than DVC. I finally found some info that says I need 118,500 RCI points for 2 bdrm at most DVC resorts for week 52. We will always need a 2bdrm or larger, we will almost always vacation right after Christmas and want to go to WDW. We may occasionally want to take small weekend trips to somewhere within a days drive from central NY, or to go visit family in other parts of the country. I know this will take a lot of points no matter TS company we go with, but I can't find anywhere that will tell me how the individual TS companies convert to RCI points so I can figure out how much we would need. Does this makes sense? Any advice would be spectacular! TIA!

You should be able to see the RCI points tables for the RCI points resorts on the Resort Directory of RCI. Assuming you're asking how many points you'll get if you buy a given resort, that should give you an idea that will be pretty accurate. It sounds like you're planning on buying RCI points as a way into DVC for week 52 and that is not a good choice IMO. As for suggestions of where to buy to get the best points for fees and price, TUG is a good option. Email me directly and I'll give you a couple of specific suggestions and a framework. DON'T buy in the Orlando area if you're thinking of trading to DVC as you won't be able to ? ever.

 

[k3chantal]

For a week in Kauai, Hawaii, in a two bedroom condo, it took 160 DVC points.

 

[Brian Noble]

It sounds like you're planning on buying RCI points as a way into DVC for week 52 and that is not a good choice IMO.

I agree with this---especially because you are looking at a 2BR. Large deposits for that week are quite rare, and putting yourself in a position to snag one of the very few that go in in Points will be nearly a full-time job.

If you regularly want to vacation at WDW during New Years week and stay in a DVC resort, you will want to buy the appropriate number of DVC points. Using RCI to exchange into DVC will require more flexibility about when you go---exchange is more opportunistic than deterministic.

 

[Dean]

For a week in Kauai, Hawaii, in a two bedroom condo, it took 160 DVC points.

I think the OP is looking at buying RCI points and not DVC to trade out. A HIGH season week for Kauai would be 160 points for a 1 BR and 270 for a 2 BR. The 160 for a 2 BR normally happens when one was searching for a 1 BR and got a 2 BR. They will charge you what you were looking for even if you get a larger unit. Of course you can only search for 1 BR units if the resort has them. This is one of the differences using RCI directly vs through DVC though with the TPU changes, it's not as simple as it once was.

 

[k3chantal]

Your right Dean, a two bedroom would be more. I forgot that they considered the second bedroom in the condo we had as a 'loft'. But it functioned really well as a second bedroom and had two queen sized beds in it with plenty of room around. We received a really good deal!

And I realize now that he was asking a different question. What happens in the morning when I haven't had enough coffee.......

 

[Dean]

Your right Dean, a two bedroom would be more. I forgot that they considered the second bedroom in the condo we had as a 'loft'. But it functioned really well as a second bedroom and had two queen sized beds in it with plenty of room around. We received a really good deal!

And I realize now that he was asking a different question. What happens in the morning when I haven't had enough coffee.......

This situation illustrates one of the reasons to investigate the exchanges well. If you can get a 1 BR cost for what functions as a 2 BR for you, that's a plus. It doesn't happen for many sites but it only matters if you're looking at the one. Unfortunately the reverse is more often true, that you get less than what you expected and than you gave up but prior investigation should reveal that risk as well. I know of quite a few 1 BR units that I'd equate to studios and some the reverse. On a similar note, there are some resorts that often give you a 2 BR in exchange so if you have a 1 BR search you are more likely to get a 2 BR at some resorts more than others. This is one of the problems with using DVC as an exchange option, you're forced to exchange "like for like" in size when RCI doesn't have that same requirement on their end.

 

[Shellandscott]

The only way an RCI member can get a week at Disney is for Disney to deposit that week. I would be shocked if DVC ever deposited the week between Christmas & New Years or any time in the premier season. As stated above a RCI standard deposit is 160 DVC points so they will only deposit a week that is worth 160 points. Which would be a one bedroom in the lower seasons. I have seen deposits for September at WDW and they were only 1 bedroom.

 

[Dean]

The only way an RCI member can get a week at Disney is for Disney to deposit that week. I would be shocked if DVC ever deposited the week between Christmas & New Years or any time in the premier season. As stated above a RCI standard deposit is 160 DVC points so they will only deposit a week that is worth 160 points. Which would be a one bedroom in the lower seasons. I have seen deposits for September at WDW and they were only 1 bedroom.

They have a number of times over the years, Easter as well, but I don't think it's something you can count on.

 

[ldo]

I think DVC's inventory into RCI is much more of a gamble for prime seasons than in past years. We easily traded into DVC for Easter 2010, but were unable to get any 2 BR for Easter 2012--I started a search over 1 year out. I also agree that buying another TS to try to trade for DVC for prime times is unwise. If your times were more flexible, say any time in the summer, etc., that would probably work. If you must stay at DVC at Christmas, I highly suggest you buy DVC or rent points. Conversely, if you can stay at Bonnet Creek, you can buy Wyndham points on the resale market for a very reasonable price. Same for HGVC--very reasonable resale prices. HGVC has 3 very nice resorts in Orlando. Or, if you have another TS, Orlando is a very easy RCI trade----except for DVC. Elaine

 

[queenbeaz]

Thank you everybody for your words of advice. I was afraid that might be true that I would never actually get in. My kids obviously have break during summer & Christmas. I refuse to ever go to WDW in hot months again; I just can't tolerate the heat. Some years my husband can take vacation whenever he wants to & some years they shut down of 4th of July and Christmas forcing those to be vacation times. So we don't really have a lot of flexibility. There are 6 of us, so on Disney property we require a 2 brdm. We really, Really, REALLY love the idea of DVC. We've been considering for 13 years! However, my frugal little mind just can't wrap itself around paying 5-6 times the amount that I can can pay off-property for nearly identical accommodations. I can list all the reasons why DVC isn't good for us, but we still want it!

 

[Dean]

Thank you everybody for your words of advice. I was afraid that might be true that I would never actually get in. My kids obviously have break during summer & Christmas. I refuse to ever go to WDW in hot months again; I just can't tolerate the heat. Some years my husband can take vacation whenever he wants to & some years they shut down of 4th of July and Christmas forcing those to be vacation times. So we don't really have a lot of flexibility. There are 6 of us, so on Disney property we require a 2 brdm. We really, Really, REALLY love the idea of DVC. We've been considering for 13 years! However, my frugal little mind just can't wrap itself around paying 5-6 times the amount that I can can pay off-property for nearly identical accommodations. I can list all the reasons why DVC isn't good for us, but we still want it!

Then you might consider another system and try to trade into DVC. If you get it great, if not, as noted, there are many other options. However, Easter and Xmas are difficult for Orlando in general so don't be too picky.

 

[slum808]

You might want to look into HGVC. They have three nice Orilando properties and can be used to trade into DVC as well. You can get a two bedroom annual for about half as much as DVC.

 

[Brian Noble]

my frugal little mind just can't wrap itself around paying 5-6 times the amount that I can can pay off-property for nearly identical accommodations.

Then don't!

There are several other wonderful alternatives in the Orlando area that work well for a Disney-centric vacation. For example, we've stayed at Wyndham Bonnet Creek---it's "inside the gates" but not technically on Disney-owned property; the location is excellent. You can buy Wyndham points resale for a song, and a "typical" Wyndham owner would probably pay about $1,150 in annual fees for a 2BR holiday week there. In contrast, even with an OKW resale at $40/pt, you'd need to spend nearly $16K to buy the 398 points you need for a holiday 2BR, and the annual fees on that contract would be over $2,000.

We've stayed at both OKW and Bonnet Creek. On balance, we did enjoy the OKW stays a little more. We did not enjoy them tens-of-thousands-of-dollars more. Others might, but you might not be one of them.

 

[queenbeaz]

Then don't!
On balance, we did enjoy the OKW stays a little more. We did not enjoy them tens-of-thousands-of-dollars more.

Oh my. So funny!

I don't intend to spend all that extra money. If it were anywhere but Disney I probably wouldn't care where we stayed. However, on our honeymoon we stayed off property & it was in the top 3 of our worst hotel experiences EVER! We swore we'd never stay off property again. Well, 13 years later we have 4 children & can't get a standard room or afford a Disney room large enough to accommodate us. I don't consider the family suites at ASMu to be worth the cost. That's why I'm looking into other timeshares. I want to make sure we keep going back to WDW because dh & I love it and we know our kids will too (if their excitement at DL was any indicator).

 

[Dean]

Oh my. So funny!

I don't intend to spend all that extra money. If it were anywhere but Disney I probably wouldn't care where we stayed. However, on our honeymoon we stayed off property & it was in the top 3 of our worst hotel experiences EVER! We swore we'd never stay off property again. Well, 13 years later we have 4 children & can't get a standard room or afford a Disney room large enough to accommodate us. I don't consider the family suites at ASMu to be worth the cost. That's why I'm looking into other timeshares. I want to make sure we keep going back to WDW because dh & I love it and we know our kids will too (if their excitement at DL was any indicator).

Ignoring the on property option and the theming issue, a number of the off property options are at least as nice as the DVC options and to be honest, I think many are much nicer. They also have a lot more going on at the resort though one could argue that's because you don't have the park draw. We just spent a few days at Marriott's Grande Vista and my wife and I agreed it was one of our all time best vacations.

 

[Brian Noble]

on our honeymoon we stayed off property & it was in the top 3 of our worst hotel experiences EVER!

There are a lot of not-so-hot hotels near WDW's borders. But, as Dean points out, there are a lot of truly outstanding resorts as well. Do a little bit of homework, and you'll be fine.

 

[queenbeaz]

I'm really liking Bonnet Creek. It has what we need & it's right where we want to be. However, it's looking like it would be cheaper just to rent it than it would be to own it? Not entirely sure, though. Also, can you book longer than 7 night stays? I know timeshares are geared toward weeks but, for example, this year we are staying 10 nights. How hard would that be?