RCI properties- do you use them?

[iloveeeyore]

We are considering purchasing a resale contract and we enjoy traveling to destinations besides Disney. We would've to hear about your experiences using the RCI properties. What are some favorites?

Thanks!

 

[Dean]

We are considering purchasing a resale contract and we enjoy traveling to destinations besides Disney. We would've to hear about your experiences using the RCI properties. What are some favorites?

Thanks!

I use RCI a fair amount but II more though never using DVC points. I'm not a fan of trading a Lexus for a Chevy. While it's nice to have options just in case, I would not buy planning to use for RCI. Just buy the points you'd use for DVC resorts with any appropriate cushion related to usage and reallocation variables but not for ANY exchange option.

 

[Upatnoon]

There are many nice resorts in RCI, however financially it does not make sense to use DVC points for anything but DVC stays.

You would be better off renting your DVC points and renting a stay at an RCI property.

However, it may be easier for you to try RCI through the DVC system. It is your money and points and you can decide how to best use them for you.

Finances aside, there are hundreds of RCI properties. I find the Wyndham properties to be solid.

 

[bobbiwoz]

In these times many DVC owners are putting points in distress into RCI rather than losing them. I think you will get more reviews as those folks use the RCI places.

I have only used RCI on Maui, Ka’anapali Beach Club, one February, and it was fabulous!

 

[chalee94]

We are considering purchasing a resale contract and we enjoy traveling to destinations besides Disney. We would've to hear about your experiences using the RCI properties. What are some favorites?

Thanks!

Like Dean, I am more a fan of II than RCI. My non-DVC timeshare is dual affiliated but II just has much better options (just not DVC, but that's why I own a DVC.)

Resale DVC contracts cost tens of thousands of dollars with high annual dues (points for a 1BR for a week start around $1400 per year). My non-DVC timeshare cost $1 on ebay and the annual dues for a week in a 1BR cost around $400 per year. I have traded that $1 timeshare for some really nice Marriott resorts (in II) in Southern California, Kauai, St Kitts, Vegas and Hilton Head.

I like being able to trade my Chevy for a Lexus, as Dean put it. If you trade DVC in RCI, most of the resorts would be a step down from DVC in quality (except for the Hiltons in Hawaii and a few other exceptions if they are available), and obviously those timeshares would cost less upfront and have lower annual dues.

You would have similar access to trading for RCI resorts with some $1 timeshares from ebay as with DVC - buying DVC to trade in RCI just sets money on fire. So if RCI sounds appealing, do your research on TUG and see if a $1 timeshare might be a better option for those trades (or just use cash). But just buy enough DVC to use for DVC resorts.

 

[Dean]

Like Dean, I am more a fan of II than RCI. My non-DVC timeshare is dual affiliated but II just has much better options (just not DVC, but that's why I own a DVC.)

Resale DVC contracts cost tens of thousands of dollars with high annual dues (points for a 1BR for a week start around $1400 per year). My non-DVC timeshare cost $1 on ebay and the annual dues for a week in a 1BR cost around $400 per year. I have traded that $1 timeshare for some really nice Marriott resorts (in II) in Southern California, Kauai, St Kitts, Vegas and Hilton Head.

I like being able to trade my Chevy for a Lexus, as Dean put it. If you trade DVC in RCI, most of the resorts would be a step down from DVC in quality (except for the Hiltons in Hawaii and a few other exceptions if they are available), and obviously those timeshares would cost less upfront and have lower annual dues.

You would have similar access to trading for RCI resorts with some $1 timeshares from ebay as with DVC - buying DVC to trade in RCI just sets money on fire. So if RCI sounds appealing, do your research on TUG and see if a $1 timeshare might be a better option for those trades (or just use cash). But just buy enough DVC to use for DVC resorts.

Ignoring preference options I tend to think of RCI & II as equivalent just different. There are some things I like about RCI over II. II is better simply because of the Marriott related brands including Westin/Hyatt but if you remove those from the mix, not that much different. My main issue with RCI is that you're usually overpaying in RCI using DVC. In addition to the fact that most trades are a down trade (but not all), you lose control & flexibility. Compared to non DVC options, you don't have as much chance to upgrade in unit size or to get something cheaper shorter notice as well as having less control over the actual deposit. For example, in II I often trade a studio for a 2 BR or even a 3 BR. In RCI I can combine deposits to control trade power long term.

 

[Deb & Bill]

DVC points are expensive. Use DVC points for DVC only. If you want to stay elsewhere, buy a cheap no-DVC trader (resale only-direct too expensive). Check out the TUG BBS (Timeshare Users Group) for suggestions. Or rent out your DVC points and stay anywhere you want. Redweek, My Resort Network and other sites as well as TUG have lots of rentals listed.

 

[cmrdgrs]

We are considering purchasing a resale contract and we enjoy traveling to destinations besides Disney. We would've to hear about your experiences using the RCI properties. What are some favorites?

Thanks!

As other PP stated using DVC for RCI sounds good in theory, but would be a "bad trade" and not a good use of your points (as a general rule). You would be much better renting your points and taking the cash from the rental to pay for a non-Disney vacation.

Right now, the rental market is soft because there is a lot of uncertainty and availability at DVC resorts due to Covid and there are a lot of points on the market right now that Disney extended due to the closures. My personal strategy for renting is to rent confirmed reservations and not offer my points up for "on demand" rentals. I've been renting since 2006 and that has worked well for me over the years.

 

[suebeelin]

As other PP stated using DVC for RCI sounds good in theory, but would be a "bad trade" and not a good use of your points (as a general rule). You would be much better renting your points and taking the cash from the rental to pay for a non-Disney vacation.

Right now, the rental market is soft because there is a lot of uncertainty and availability at DVC resorts due to Covid and there are a lot of points on the market right now that Disney extended due to the closures. My personal strategy for renting is to rent confirmed reservations and not offer my points up for "on demand" rentals. I've been renting since 2006 and that has worked well for me over the years.

I like your strategy. Less stress!

And about the rental market, even though it’s softer than usual, the market is incredibly active and surprisingly strong.

My renter decided to cancel her upcoming trip and asked that I re-rent the points at a small loss. Also, those points expires at end of January, and she didn’t want to take that risk of losing her whole payment.

Those points rented in a few days!

I also had to turn down 4-5 people over 2 days bc I was awaiting payment for one of the reservations.

I was shocked. Soft, but not really....

In any case, isn’t renting a confirmed reservation tricky?

 

[Dean]

In any case, isn’t renting a confirmed reservation tricky?

IMO it's less risky if you make good choices. In general the ways to reduce risk for renting is to rent early in the use year, advertise well ahead, rent only current UY points and have clear agreement with a renter. For renting a confirmed reservation you just apply those principles and secure a good week, good resort and good unit type for each rental. I think it works better for resorts that people see as more of a destination, basically not SSR or OKW. It can work also for HHI or VB though likely better for HHI if one can get week 26 or 27 especially (around 4th of July). Having a confirmed reservation and offering it for rent doesn't prevent offering points as one can always just modify or cancel an existing reservation.

 

[Simba's Mom]

In these times many DVC owners are putting points in distress into RCI rather than losing them. I think you will get more reviews as those folks use the RCI places.

Yes, we're examples of people who never even thought about RCI, how it worked, where their resorts are, etc. Then Covid 19 happened.

 

[bbn1122]

We used our points for a RCI Resort on Cape Cod in 2015. We had never been to the Cape and I found some availability at the end of August. We stayed at the Cove at Yarmouth. We stayed for 4 nights. After a 3 night stay in Boston.

From what I remembered the resort was nice, it was centrally located. The had an outdoor pool, a gym, activities center and a small arcade. We stayed in a 1bedroom. The unit was small, but update and nice. The points for the stay were very low, but I don’t remember how much.

I would not hesitate to use my points again in RCI, as long as it was an interesting place and they points were not too much.

 

[littlestar]

I never trade my DVC points in RCI. But I do trade my resale Wyndham points in RCI occasionally. Recently made a trade in June for my daughter for a two bedroom in Gatlinburg at Tree Tops Resort (called and requested a newer refurbished unit and got it). My daughter loved her stay in her townhouse there. There is a creek next to the resort.

Also have traded into Waterside at Spinnaker in Hilton Head multiple times - the resort is walkable to shops, restaurants, and two blocks to the ocean (very clean resort and nice staff). Pools are nice, too, with one having zero entry for the grandkids. I would gladly stay at any of the Spinnaker resorts.

 

[cmrdgrs]

I like your strategy. Less stress!

And about the rental market, even though it’s softer than usual, the market is incredibly active and surprisingly strong.

My renter decided to cancel her upcoming trip and asked that I re-rent the points at a small loss. Also, those points expires at end of January, and she didn’t want to take that risk of losing her whole payment.

Those points rented in a few days!

I also had to turn down 4-5 people over 2 days bc I was awaiting payment for one of the reservations.

I was shocked. Soft, but not really....

In any case, isn’t renting a confirmed reservation tricky?

Yes, renting a "spec" [i.e. speculation] reservation has more risk, but it can command a higher price. I'm not in a situation where I have to rent, so I feel like if I rent great, and if I don't that's fine too.

I think the rental market right now is fairly brisk, but the prices are soft due to a lot of distressed points on the market. So, when I said the rental market was soft, I was only referring to price per point for rentals.

 

[Dean]

Yes, renting a "spec" [i.e. speculation] reservation has more risk, but it can command a higher price. I'm not in a situation where I have to rent, so I feel like if I rent great, and if I don't that's fine too.

I think the rental market right now is fairly brisk, but the prices are soft due to a lot of distressed points on the market. So, when I said the rental market was soft, I was only referring to price per point for rentals.

I made the point above but it was imbedded with other information. A spec rental doesn't have to be more risky, it can actually be far less risky if one makes good choices. Thus you can have the possibility of a higher return AND less risk in some situations.