RCI Trade

[KathyK]

It looks like we're going to have to cancel an upcoming DVC vacation because we haven't been able to find a rate for airfare that we are willing to pay. So now we're looking into places within driving distance.

Two years ago, we did a trade (I don't think that DVC was using RCI at the time, maybe II?) on short notice, and I was able to book everything on-line. It seems that with RCI, we can't do that. So I looked at the locations on the RCI site this past weekend, and I found a few options, figuring that I would call MS today and ask about availability. Well, most of the resorts that I was looking at are not showing up when I look today. Did the inventory change over the past 2 days? I wasn't even searching for what is available for my dates (since I can't) - just which resorts are in the program.

We're looking to book a 4 night trip, so we can only use the RCI points locations, not the ones available by the week.

Has anyone had experience with an RCI trade? Maybe you have some insight as to how those resorts disappeared since Saturday.

 

[Daddio]

RCI availability can disappear second by second. I thought there was a time when we could book certain RCI availabilities right through mydvc.com but I can no loger find an active link.

David

 

[friends with mickey]

You can book at any available RCI location for the week and check out after 4 days. It will cost you the full weeks worth of points, but might be worth it if you find a resort you really want to stay at. Just a thought.

 

[JimMIA]

Checking the RCI site is really not going to help you much -- you need to call MS.

The reason is that DVC exchanges into only a tiny fraction of RCI's 6,574 resorts. I don't know how many, but I doubt that it's more than a couple hundred. Those are likely to be very nice resorts, but they may also be the resorts in the most demand, and therefore the ones with the most restricted availability.

On the bright side, you can deposit points into RCI and then have two years to use them. So even if you don't find anything for this trip, you may still get some value from the points.

If you can't get anything via DVC/RCI, deposit your points and look on TUG and Redweek for a rental from a timeshare owner. They are often VERY reasonable and may offer a great option to save your vacation.

 

[oldkey1]

....and have aways felt strongly that if you can not use your points in a year you are better off renting them, taking the cash, then doing as another member suggested and renting from Redweek, TUG or VRBO (our favorite). The best value for using points is to stay at a DVC resort. Past that, we have always done better renting and using the cash....we always hated being boxed in to Disney's small percentage of RCI options (used to be only Gold Crown).

 

[jefrado]

About 4 years ago we asked an agent of Pahio if we could change our weeks to points. They said sure come on in. This was an education.

Sure you can change to points, all you have to do is buy a $40,000 time share and our existing one would be switched, too. (When asked how this could be a good investment when our existing timeshare value had basically dropped from 10,000 to 0 over 10 years, they said to "let it go" "look to the future"). Even more interesting, I was informed that by doing this, I would be part of the Wyndham exchange which has access to RCI properties too.

This means Wyndham guys can trade for RCI properties but RCI guys have no access to Wyndom properties (fraud?) In case anyone doesn't know, Wyndom owns RCI and Pahio. This just might make getting good trades through RCI a bit more difficult (sarcasm). This should be no surprise to anyone who had tried to trade for anything in Hawaii for the past 5 years or so.

We send certified letters to all three companies and never received any reply other than an agent of Kauai Beach Villas phoned and made the statement that we would never be able to trade for another week at our own resort. Again, no surprise, it was becoming ridiculously hard anyway (the last couple of times we did it, we had to trade about 9 months in advance and the last time, they ended up putting us in a dive in Princeville.)

Something strange is going on. They are probably using our property to sell more timeshares and/or finding it more lucrative to rent it out rather than allow trades. It’s probably illegal. Class action suit anyone?

Somebody successfully sued RCI over something similar. It was a class action suit that was settled for a joke ($5 in damages per owner or something, but I am sure the lawyers did just fine). Their behavior was supposed to change, but I don't know of any way to find out how they actually decide who gets what trade and how an individual resort can be prevented from renting out "traded" weeks or trading with someone with whom there is no reciprocity.

There is one thing I am completely sure of. These guys are acting completely contrary to any member’s or owner’s interest. The longer you have held your time share, the more thoroughly you have been screwed.

 

[Dean]

About 4 years ago we asked an agent of Pahio if we could change our weeks to points. They said sure come on in. This was an education.

Sure you can change to points, all you have to do is buy a $40,000 time share and our existing one would be switched, too. (When asked how this could be a good investment when our existing timeshare value had basically dropped from 10,000 to 0 over 10 years, they said to "let it go" "look to the future"). Even more interesting, I was informed that by doing this, I would be part of the Wyndham exchange which has access to RCI properties too.

This means Wyndham guys can trade for RCI properties but RCI guys have no access to Wyndom properties (fraud?) In case anyone doesn't know, Wyndom owns RCI and Pahio. This just might make getting good trades through RCI a bit more difficult (sarcasm). This should be no surprise to anyone who had tried to trade for anything in Hawaii for the past 5 years or so.

We send certified letters to all three companies and never received any reply other than an agent of Kauai Beach Villas phoned and made the statement that we would never be able to trade for another week at our own resort. Again, no surprise, it was becoming ridiculously hard anyway (the last couple of times we did it, we had to trade about 9 months in advance and the last time, they ended up putting us in a dive in Princeville.)

Something strange is going on. They are probably using our property to sell more timeshares and/or finding it more lucrative to rent it out rather than allow trades. It’s probably illegal. Class action suit anyone?

Somebody successfully sued RCI over something similar. It was a class action suit that was settled for a joke ($5 in damages per owner or something, but I am sure the lawyers did just fine). Their behavior was supposed to change, but I don't know of any way to find out how they actually decide who gets what trade and how an individual resort can be prevented from renting out "traded" weeks or trading with someone with whom there is no reciprocity.

There is one thing I am completely sure of. These guys are acting completely contrary to any member’s or owner’s interest. The longer you have held your time share, the more thoroughly you have been screwed.

I take it you didn't convert to Wyndham Points. Do you own in HI at Pahio? There certainly can be a lot of shady dealings, or worse, with timeshare sales. The problem is that verbal representations aren't binding and proving the verbal misrepresentations happened is next to impossible. As for trading, it looks like you're saying they are punishing you for the letter and not buying. While I don't doubt they would say this, it's not really possible for it to actually happen. The RCI lawsuit has little if any meaning as well. Litigation happens all the time and without proof or an admission of wrong doing, it means nothing. It's like falling in WalMart, suing and getting $500.