Reservations for DVC resorts through RCI?

[3princes+1princess]

My mother in law has RCI and can trade with into Disney World resorts. Is there acutually availability for outsiders to get in to a DVC resort? We are planning on Dec 11-17.

I just need to get my mother in laws information to call them, just wanted to know if I should get my hopes up or not.

 

[dbs1228]

Yes at times there is availability but I highly doubt there will be any availability in Dec! The 1st 2 weeks of Dec are DVC busiest times! I am a member and had a hard time getting a reservation for Dec 10 -15 last year booking 10 months ahead at our home resort. Maybe not impossible but I really think unlikely. Others may know more in this area but I have booked DVC through RCI and found availability posted 3 - 5 months out and quickly after the trade is posted it is not there for long.

 

[ThreeKMom]

They do go quick!

We booked through RCI (thanks Dad!) in Feb. for August and the only resorts we could choose from were BWV, OKW, and SSR. We took the BWV the day I saw it! OKW and SSR were still availiable the last time I looked.

Good luck, I hope you get what you want! Disney in Dec. is AWESOME!

 

[jesschris]

There is a chance but it is hard with RCI. Part of it is also how valuable your trade resort is too.

Good luck

 

[ThreeKMom]

Are you using points or weeks?

We used points and I started looking in February and had wanted to go in March! Not happining!!

But when I started looking at other times there was lots available. I went to the RCI web site and logged in with my FIL's information and just started searching.

After I found a week that would work for us I called RCI and while I was on the phone the BWV reservation disappeared! The reservationist on the phone said they come and go quickly, I made sure that I up-dated his info so I could book on-line and didn't make a reservation over the phone at that time. The reservationist told me the only availability was OKW or SSR, I was dissapointed - we really wanted BC or BWV. I spoke to my DH to see if he preferred OKW or SSR then went back on-line to book and BWV was back!!! I took it right away, and now I'm waiting not so patiently for August!

 

[3princes+1princess]

Thanks everyone. I wont get my hopes up and am going anyway so will keep my pofq reservation just in case. I was just hoping for something bigger and for less $

 

[jana]

Early December is one of the busiest times for DVC member bookings, I think you'll be real lucky if you manage to get the trade. Even the large capacity resorts like DSSR and OKW get full with members at that time of year.

 

[disneydenisel]

Thanks everyone. I wont get my hopes up and am going anyway so will keep my pofq reservation just in case. I was just hoping for something bigger and for less $

If RCI is like Interval, you do best to have a strong trader and to put an ongoing request in, up two years in advance. You pay your exchange fee and then wait for a match. At least that is how Interval works.

 

[Brian Noble]

As mentioned, that's a fairly popular week for DVC members to book, so inventory at RCI will be limited. As you can't be flexible about dates, you will need to be flexible about resorts and unit sizes.

 

[Cee]

The only thing available now is for Aug./Sept. HHI has some availability in Nov.

 

[jdunn1]

Hello. I was a DVC owner for a long time and finally sold my points last year in favor of a more traditional timeshare. Anyway, before I got rid of DVC I did a lot of research into trading into DVC through RCI. Long story short, it is very easy (just short of guaranteed) to get any week you want through RCI for DVC, so long as you are flexible on the resort and you put in a trade request at least 12 months ahead of time for the most popular weeks.

Sometime last year, RCI assigned all trades a point value. Last minute trades can be had for as few as 4 points while the most valued week at the hardest to get locations will take 61 points. I believe 61 is the highest value assigned to any RCI trade. Any size DVC unit in Orlando from studio to 2 bedrooms takes between (25-29 points). ALWAYS! Of course 2 bedrooms get snatched up within a few days and the studios linger in RCI for up to a few weeks, but the units go fairly quickly.

DVC has not yet released December weeks into RCI. It would be best for your parents to set-up an on-going request right away as the December DVC weeks are expected sometime this month or next.

Yes, early December is popular for DVC members, but so is Christmas and 4th of July and Easter and those weeks are always available through RCI. The thing to remember with RCI is that the best weeks go to people who have an on-going trade requests. The weeks that appear on-line are left overs. Not many prime weeks are going to seen on-line because those weeks have already gone to people in line waiting for them.

I hope this helps but I would say your chances of landing an early week in December at a DVC resort are pretty good. You just need to get on a wait list.

Since this is the DVC board, I do want to note that so far, no one has reported being able to trade into BLT or GC though RCI.

 

[ThreeKMom]

This is slightly off topic, so please forgive me!

When you book a DVC through RCI do you receive anything from Disney by mail or just the confirmation from RCI?

Just wondering if I should expect any Mickey Mail!

 

[Brian Noble]

Just the RCI confirmation, unless you also sign up for ME. In that case, you will get the ME packet. But, there is no confirmation letter from Disney for the exchange itself.

 

[ThreeKMom]

Just the RCI confirmation, unless you also sign up for ME. In that case, you will get the ME packet. But, there is no confirmation letter from Disney for the exchange itself.

Thanks Brian!

We are driving, so no ME this time!
I was hoping to get so Mickey Mail, it always makes it seem more official!