RCI trading into DVC success stories?

[bbak30]

Hi all,

My in-laws own RCI are trying to get us a 1 bedroom villa for next February. They were successful last January in securing a 1 bedroom at VWL, but we ultimately did not take that trip and planned something for April and opted to stay at POFQ.
They tried to get 2 2 bedroom villas for October, I knew that was a long shot. Apparently 2 bedrooms are like "unicorns", especially in October. We would actually be fine with a studio, but I have read a lot on this and it seems like the majority of deposits made into RCI are 1 bedrooms for whatever reason.

We are now planning a trip for next February and have an ongoing search going for anything on property. Anyone have a success story they want to share? I would LOVE to end up at Beach Club or Boardwalk, but figure we will probably be at SSR or OKW, which we are happy with as well. Anything that gets us to Disney! We stayed at SSR in October and it was very nice and we enjoyed it.

Thanks everyone! I'm just so excited and the anticipation is killing me!

 

[culli]

I have successfully done this multiple times over the years. However the last 2 years 2 brs have all but disappeared and in the last 12-18 months SSR and the occasional OKW in 1 brs is all I have seen.

You need to have long term searches to be successful even with those strategies I still have only seen the above mentioned.

I would count on a 1br SSR unit and based on what I saw this year you should have success. Just get the search in ASAP.

 

[Gillyrose779]

The quicker you get the search in the better off you are. You can put a search in for 2 years in advance and that is what you have to do if you want to get anything other than a 1 bedroom at saratoga. RCI members are not allowed to sell weeks but they still do and they are the ones picking up the rare finds like BC, BW, and AK because they put in the searches literally years ago.

We enjoy SS so we don't mind getting it. We are staying in a 1 bedroom in May for cheaper than DVC members are paying in maintenance fees so you really can't beat that.

 

[Dean]

I've been trading in for 15 years, had maybe 40-50 trades in total. I agree that it's almost all SSR and most or all 1 BR at present. I suspect that will change a little in the next few years until they see how the standard view will affect demand at SSR. But still one can think most will be SSR, OKW & AKV. If serious, I'd list all properties and a 1 BR and see what happens.

 

[bbak30]

Thanks everyone! We have had a search going on for a few weeks now and are open to all properties. We will be happy with whatever we get!

 

[Brian Noble]

A 1BR SSR in February is likely, even with a search only a little less than a year old. Just remember: a watched pot never boils. Be patient.

 

[MinnieTink]

We had a 2 BR in SSR in November of 2013 thru RCI. And last August we got a one bedroom there as well, with pretty short notice. We have an ongoing search on now for November of this year. I'm hoping for something other than SSR this time around but would be fine staying there again. Good luck!

 

[LtRazor]

I've been very fortunate to get amazing rooms but like everyone says, I mostly see SSR and occasionally AKL or OKW. June 2012 I got bay lake tower 1 BR July 2012 I got Beach Club 1 BR Those were the good ole days! Memorial Day week this year (end of May) I got two 1BR at SSR and then 1BR week following that week so I could stay for two weeks. I've actually never been to SSR so I'm excited.

My home resort (Paradise isle, gulf shores al) trades very well and the dues are under $400 year. For the three weeks I just got, rack rate would have been about $11,000 but all in dues, exchange fees, etc, I'm out only about $2000. Much cheaper for me to do this than DVC.

Note that right now there are weeks open at SSR for April, May, June, and August. All 1BR units. I think I typically see they loaded Thursday?

 

[bbak30]

I've been very fortunate to get amazing rooms but like everyone says, I mostly see SSR and occasionally AKL or OKW. June 2012 I got bay lake tower 1 BR July 2012 I got Beach Club 1 BR Those were the good ole days! Memorial Day week this year (end of May) I got two 1BR at SSR and then 1BR week following that week so I could stay for two weeks. I've actually never been to SSR so I'm excited.

My home resort (Paradise isle, gulf shores al) trades very well and the dues are under $400 year. For the three weeks I just got, rack rate would have been about $11,000 but all in dues, exchange fees, etc, I'm out only about $2000. Much cheaper for me to do this than DVC.

Note that right now there are weeks open at SSR for April, May, June, and August. All 1BR units. I think I typically see they loaded Thursday?

Ok, awesome thanks. We stayed at SSR in October and really enjoyed it. I would not mind staying there again at all. The resort is big, but the rooms were really nice. Tons of space.

 

[bbak30]

We had a 2 BR in SSR in November of 2013 thru RCI. And last August we got a one bedroom there as well, with pretty short notice. We have an ongoing search on now for November of this year. I'm hoping for something other than SSR this time around but would be fine staying there again. Good luck!

Report back and let me know! I'll cross my fingers for you!

 

[MinnieTink]

Anyone recently get anything other than SSR?

 

[Dean]

Anyone recently get anything other than SSR?

Not that I've heard but I don't follow the TUG sightings board routinely.

 

[Gillyrose779]

I know AK and even Wilderness are around... and I saw a Beach Club. Not on RCI but I saw rci members selling them. you can always tell it's an RCI rental b/c it's exactly 7 days -- f-f, sat-sat, or sun-sun, and they always have the $95 fee.

Goes to show there are others out there that are not SS --- they just get scooped up by the pros to sell.

 

[wed100105]

We matched Villas at Wilderness Lodge for June 18th of this year. There are at least five other Tuggers staying there with trades on the same night.

 

[Kristen Merritt]

Not that I've heard but I don't follow the TUG sightings board routinely.

 

[marsh0013]

I got a BWV for May 21 check in. A week ago. We already had confirmed SSR for check in May 20, but left another search going. No way I would have felt comfortable if we didn't have SSR confirmed already (that matched in December). But I guess if you can hold out, it is possible another resort could pop up closer to the travel date. If we don't have the ability (ie, enough deposits) to run 2 searches, we will always confirm SSR. Especially for the last quarter of the year. I didn't see anyone get anything confirmed other than SSR last October, November, December. We did have to pay the additional exchange fee, but for us that extra $209 is worth it to stay at BWV. And luckily we were able to grab an AKV 1-bedroom with our DVC points for the night of May 20. And put in a wait list for BWV 1-bedroom, but doubt that will come through.

 

[bbak30]

Thanks everyone! I'm super excited to see what we may get. I'll report back when we match! Fingers crossed....

 

[Kristen Merritt]

I am new here! Trying to do my research as much as I can for our RCI trade into DVC. We've had a ongoing search since June 2015 for our Fall trip 2016, using weeks. What is the likelihood of a 2 BD popping up? On the search I have check in dates for 9/16/16-9/18/16 then starts again using dates from 10/7/16-11/13/16. I check online at least 2-3x a day and just get SS and it's typically a 1 BD. I did see this morning SS had two separate 1 beds for the same week just one day off check in dates, would we stand a better chance to do this? I just hate the thoughts of using so many of my Grandmothers trading powers! Any help or suggestions are greatly welcomed! Thanks!

 

[cmarsh31]

My ILs have an RCI as well - I see lots of talk about 1 & 2-bd rooms, any chance on 3 bd villas? Their thing is we all MUST STAY TOGETHER in one unit (they're Wyndham owners, so think we should stay at Bonnet Creek - nice, but no, my DH has been too spoiled by Disney transport and won't rent a car ever again for Disney, he'd rather just pay and not take the free room).

 

[_auroraborealis_]

My ILs have an RCI as well - I see lots of talk about 1 & 2-bd rooms, any chance on 3 bd villas?

There is a near-zero chance of a Grand Villa trading out.