RCI - take OKW GV or hope for BLT/VWL?

[mek17]

I've been watching RCI for availability at DVC resorts for about a month. Today I put an OKW GV on hold as it was the first 3 bedroom unit I have seen show up on RCI. My preference would be to get closer to MK at BLT or VWL, and we could make do in a 2 bedroom unit. I've got to make a decision in next 24 hours whether to confirm the OKW GV or let it go and hope for something I like better.

Would be interested in any thoughts on my chances at finding a 2 or 3 bedroom villa at BLT or VWL for September or November 2012. I would also be interested in comparisons between OKW and BLT or VWL in terms of travel time to MK and Epcot.

Thanks for your input.

 

[taaren]

I don't know much about RCI exchanges, but in terms of general availability, GVs are pretty hard to snag unless one owns there. Most of the resorts have about the resort pretty evenly divided between 2 bedroom dedicated units and 2 bedroom lock offs (about 95% of the units) which can and are often split into studios and 1 bedroom units, with only a handful of GVs, or 3 bedrooms at each resort (about 5%). The fact that one got deposited at all is interesting to me and I'd imagine fairly rare. VWL apparently has no 3 bedrooms.

There's a thread around here somewhere that has a breakdown of how many of each type of units are in each resort. I'll see if I can find it and link to it.

If you want to wait for a 2 bedroom at BLT or VWL it might happen, (not sure if anyone will be able to tell you the odds on that though there are some RCI people on these boards that keep an eye out for those sorts of things) but personally I'd go with the bird in the hand ...

Edited to add: It was a Sticky in the DVC Resource Center thread. Duh.

 

[Sammie]

VWL do not have Grand Villas. Also VWL is a very small resort compared to OKW, so it is harder to get even for DVC members.

Chances would be better for September than November.

 

[pharmjenn]

I am new to RCI exchange (having used II for years) but would guess a 3bd is near impossible to get, and at this point you are just starting to get units released for your time period. That said, if you have the weeks and the money, you can reserve the 3bd, and add insurance, then put in an ongoing search that you can switch to if something comes available.

I have Worldmark and we can do this, don't know if you can with deposited weeks though.
I would say, grab the 3bd, I am sure it would be great to have the extra room.

 

[Brian Noble]

If it were me, and I needed the space that a GV affords, I'd confirm the OKW unit. 3BRs are extraordinarily rare in RCI.

 

[CarolMN]

The OKW GV are fantastic units. Grab it and consider yourself very lucky.

 

[Catira]

I am new to RCI exchange (having used II for years) but would guess a 3bd is near impossible to get, and at this point you are just starting to get units released for your time period. That said, if you have the weeks and the money, you can reserve the 3bd, and add insurance, then put in an ongoing search that you can switch to if something comes available.

I have Worldmark and we can do this, don't know if you can with deposited weeks though.
I would say, grab the 3bd, I am sure it would be great to have the extra room.

Three bedroom units are indeed rare to get. Also as mentioned above, the best thing to do is probably confirm the OKW unit, you can buy vacation protection up to 30 days after you confirmed the exchange. Then set up another ongoing search if you have another deposit to use for the resorts you want. If the resort you wants shows up before the 30 days you can then buy the insurance and get the other DVC unit you really want.

So far RCI has been depositing September and only made a few deposits for October. We have yet to see any for November Good Luck

 

[mek17]

Thanks everyone. I confirmed the OKW GV and went ahead and paid the $89 for insurance. I don't have another deposit big enough to run an ongoing search, but I will continue to watch the availability myself. My previous ongoing search didn't catch this one -- I happened upon it on my own -- so I'm not very trusting of the ongoing searches anyway.

Thanks again for the input and confirmation that this really was the lucky hit I thought it was.

 

[dbs1228]

Thanks everyone. I confirmed the OKW GV and went ahead and paid the $89 for insurance. I don't have another deposit big enough to run an ongoing search, but I will continue to watch the availability myself. My previous ongoing search didn't catch this one -- I happened upon it on my own -- so I'm not very trusting of the ongoing searches anyway.

Thanks again for the input and confirmation that this really was the lucky hit I thought it was.

I think you made a good choice. I was checking RCI more then once a day for about a month and every time BLT, and AKV came up they were gone with in an hour or 2. I have seen at least 3 GV at OKW and SSR for Sept and was so tempted! I have seen VWL come and go a little more frequently then BLT most availability was Sept, which has been out for about a month now. Enjoy! BTW - OKW is going to be a bus ride to and from all parks, as you know BLT is walking distance to MK and VWL is a boat ride away. OKW is a peaceful, beautiful resort and it was always nice to come back at the end of the day to the peacefulness of it! Enjoy

 

[mek17]

Dbs1228 - when you have seen VWL and BLT, were they 2 bedroom units? I've seen a few 1 bedroom and studios at those two, but no 2 bedrooms, which is our minimum size requirement.

 

[DVC Sue]

I DEFINITELY would have taken the OKW GV. I think you made the right choice.

 

[RobDoc]

... I would also be interested in comparisons between OKW and BLT or VWL in terms of travel time to MK and Epcot.

Travel time from OKW to MK is about 15 minutes from the time it leaves the Hospitality House area. Travel to Epcot and DHS is less than 10 minutes and about 15 minutes to AK.

Travel from BLT to MK is a 10 minute walk or up to about 30 minutes on the monorail. Epcot is about 30 minutes by monorail (plus wait time at TTS for the EC monorail). MK to DHS is about 20 minutes once the bus makes stops at other resorts and about 25 minutes to AK after resort stops.

Travel from VWL to MK by boat is about 15 minutes. Epcot and DHS are about 20 minutes by bus and AL is about 25 minutes by bus.

Travel times may vary depending on the need to load/unload HCA passengers and road traffic.

You won't have any travel difficulties from OKW. Just plan to allow 20 minutes between buses (we always assume we just missed the last bus and are often pleasantly surprised when we only have a 10 minute wait).