Trading in FROM RCI. Just wondering-

[Simba's Mom]

This is my confusion. I thought that people trading in from DVC could only get a resort if it wasn't full up with DVC members. Yet, when we were at Hilton Head for Thanksgiving, we met several RCI members who'd traded in to spend Thanksgiving week at the resort. But the resort is always full up that week and several years ago, before we bought points there, we had to go on the wait list at 7 months (a waitlist which never came thru). And several times I was at the front desk area last year when DVC members were moving from one size unit to another because they were unable to get one size unit for their entire stay. So do I misunderstand-that RCI members CAN get trade-ins even at a busy time? Were all the members I met at the front desk just poor planners? I've wondered about this.

 

[JimMIA]

Interesting question, and I've been wondering about this recently too as a result of some of the postings I've seen on Wyndham boards elsewhere.

I am certainly no expert in RCI exchanges, but if I understand what I've read on other forums correctly, DVC makes some bulk deposits into RCI at TEN months. I've read some posts saying there have been DVC sightings ten months out. If those posts are correct, DVC would be giving home resort owners their one-month guaranteed booking advantage, but would be giving RCI members preference (to some limited degree -- maybe only one or two villas) over non-home DVC members.

I know DVC is a pretty tough exchange for Wyndham owners, but I've read that owners of some other systems really don't have much difficulty getting a DVC exchange.

An important factor to understand in this discussion is that DVC obviously owns a LOT of points they never meant to own (because of foreclosure and give-backs) and they probably have plenty of inventory of their own to deposit into RCI in addition to what members choose to deposit for RCI exchanges and other options.

 

[RobDoc]

Keep in mind that many HH owners also use their HH points for other options like World Passport (RCI) exchanges, cruises and Concierge Collection - in addition to 7 month reservations at WDW resorts. Most HH owners that are purchasing now do so to use points at the resort in the summer months, but many HH owners have never even stayed there - choosing instead to use non-DVC options, RCI exchanges and 7 month reservations at other DVC resorts. There are a LOT of HH points used by HH owners for RCI exchanges as well as discounted cash reservations (during the off-season) available from reservations made by HH owners for the cruise, Concierge, etc.).

While HH is usually at capacity over the Thanksgiving Holiday, it is typically occupied mostly by DVC members from other resorts as well as RCI exchanges (although those make up a minimal number of reservations at the resort) and also cash reservations.

I don't know the details of the DVC/RCI agreement, but it appears that DVC does release inventory into resorts regularly around 10 months prior. Perhaps this is part of the agreement, but I see no reason not to offer inventory at any time of the year as long as DVC points have been traded into the World Passport Collection by owners (including points owned by DVC).

 

[Dean]

This is my confusion. I thought that people trading in from DVC could only get a resort if it wasn't full up with DVC members. Yet, when we were at Hilton Head for Thanksgiving, we met several RCI members who'd traded in to spend Thanksgiving week at the resort. But the resort is always full up that week and several years ago, before we bought points there, we had to go on the wait list at 7 months (a waitlist which never came thru). And several times I was at the front desk area last year when DVC members were moving from one size unit to another because they were unable to get one size unit for their entire stay. So do I misunderstand-that RCI members CAN get trade-ins even at a busy time? Were all the members I met at the front desk just poor planners? I've wondered about this.

Once a member trades out to RCI, that time is available to RCI and not to DVC members regardless of the demand. They may also do developer deposits using points they have control over and these too will not be available to DVC members but may be to RCI members. Same happens with BVTC as well.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Thanks. I really didn't understand the RCI/DVC trade system at all. So do RCI members technically have priority over DVC members booking at a non-home resort? RCI members can trade into DVC resorts at 10 months out, while a DVC member at a non-home resort has to wait until 7 months out?

 

[chalee94]

Thanks. I really didn't understand the RCI/DVC trade system at all. So do RCI members technically have priority over DVC members booking at a non-home resort? RCI members can trade into DVC resorts at 10 months out, while a DVC member at a non-home resort has to wait until 7 months out?

possibly.

but if the RCI inventory is coming from DVC using HHI pts that they have foreclosed on or ROFRed, or pts that HHI owners have traded out to RCI, then you could say that RCI would only be getting a 10 month advantage out of home resort pts.

there's not a lot of transparency to be able to tell, IMO...

 

[ldo]

DVC does give RCI some premium season units at 10 months--but not a lot. There do seem to be more DVC units, esp. summer, in RCI than were in II. But that can mean that more DVCers are getting matched up with RCI trades, using points for cruises, etc. The vast majority of DVC units are SSR and OKW studios and 1 BR during non-peak times. It is possible to get DVC at Easter or Christmas or DVC-HHI in the summer. But, from what I see that RCI puts in the system (and I check a lot), there are only a handful of units at premium times---and you truly have to be the early bird.

 

[Deb & Bill]

DVC does give RCI some premium season units at 10 months--but not a lot. There do seem to be more DVC units, esp. summer, in RCI than were in II. But that can mean that more DVCers are getting matched up with RCI trades, using points for cruises, etc. The vast majority of DVC units are SSR and OKW studios and 1 BR during non-peak times. It is possible to get DVC at Easter or Christmas or DVC-HHI in the summer. But, from what I see that RCI puts in the system (and I check a lot), there are only a handful of units at premium times---and you truly have to be the early bird.

Points used for DCL are not deposited into RCI inventory. Those are given to DRC to sell.

 

[Dean]

Thanks. I really didn't understand the RCI/DVC trade system at all. So do RCI members technically have priority over DVC members booking at a non-home resort? RCI members can trade into DVC resorts at 10 months out, while a DVC member at a non-home resort has to wait until 7 months out?

Don't think of it as a priority, think of it as inventory not owned (currently) by DVC, not really different than undeclared inventory or breakage inventory. The exceptions are BVTC where one member can book at 10 months 7 days and the other at 7 months 7 days.

 

[Brian Noble]

I've read some posts saying there have been DVC sightings ten months out.

I have seen at least one deposit at eleven months, to the day, just as if an owner was booking it. If an owner trades out to RCI, then DVC can choose any unit that owner could have booked as "collateral" to offer in exchange---and that includes 11-month bookings at that owner's home resort.

DVC generally chooses weeks that aren't in high demand by Members. But, not always. In the 7-11 month period, I have seen Food & Wine weeks at BCV/BWV, December weeks at VWL, etc. They are rare, but they do happen.

This is in contrast to how some other systems bank weeks. For example, Wyndham generally never deposits a unit earlier than about 8-9 months prior to use. Owners in Wyndham's system can book their home resort at 13 months, and any resort at 10. So, in Wyndham, owners are guaranteed to get "first crack" at any in-system reservation before it can possibly be deposited to RCI.

On the other hand, some view categories appear to never be deposited to RCI. At BWV, Boardwalk and Standard views have never been spotted. At OKW, Hospitality House is never deposited. At AKV, Value and Concierge are never deposited.

 

[phyllisnnj]

I have seen at least one deposit at eleven months, to the day, just as if an owner was booking it. If an owner trades out to RCI, then DVC can choose any unit that owner could have booked as "collateral" to offer in exchange---and that includes 11-month bookings at that owner's home resort.

DVC generally chooses weeks that aren't in high demand by Members. But, not always. In the 7-11 month period, I have seen Food & Wine weeks at BCV/BWV, December weeks at VWL, etc. They are rare, but they do happen.

This is in contrast to how some other systems bank weeks. For example, Wyndham generally never deposits a unit earlier than about 8-9 months prior to use. Owners in Wyndham's system can book their home resort at 13 months, and any resort at 10. So, in Wyndham, owners are guaranteed to get "first crack" at any in-system reservation before it can possibly be deposited to RCI.

On the other hand, some view categories appear to never be deposited to RCI. At BWV, Boardwalk and Standard views have never been spotted. At OKW, Hospitality House is never deposited. At AKV, Value and Concierge are never deposited.

Hilton Grand Vacation Club generally does bulk deposits more than a year in advance (almost two years out for some locations) however owners get first crack at 12 months prior to check-in.

 

[Ryansdad0727]

I am an owner in Worldmark and i have traded through RCI several times.

1bdr OKW Jul 4-10, 2010. I booked that in February of 2010.
2bdr OKW Dec 17-23, 2010. Booked in July 2010.
1 brd SSR Jun 17-23, 2011. Booked in Jan 2011.

I have not had any problem finding availability when i call. Worldmark is a points based system and i believe the trading power is pretty good for them. It does not take that many points to get a week. Probably 6 days worth of points at most Worldmark resorts.

 

[JimMIA]

DVC generally chooses weeks that aren't in high demand by Members. But, not always. In the 7-11 month period, I have seen Food & Wine weeks at BCV/BWV, December weeks at VWL, etc. They are rare, but they do happen.

Yeah, those are the ones that got my attention -- I saw one the other day where someone got BCV for F&W 2011 at 10 months out...obviously clearly in the home-resort window.

 

[JimMIA]

Thanks. I really didn't understand the RCI/DVC trade system at all. So do RCI members technically have priority over DVC members booking at a non-home resort? RCI members can trade into DVC resorts at 10 months out, while a DVC member at a non-home resort has to wait until 7 months out?

Yes, that's correct -- although it's probably more accurate to phrase it the way Dean did above. Think of those points as similar to developer points. They are owned by DVC (or have been exchanged to RCI) -- not owned by an individual member. Whoever has the rights to those points also has the rights to the home-resort booking window.

There's nothing improper going on, but it does mean that non-members could get reservations that DVC members who own at another resort could not get. But it's really no different than one of us renting a reservation to a non-member and using our home resort booking window.

 

[Brian Noble]

Hilton Grand Vacation Club generally does bulk deposits more than a year in advance (almost two years out for some locations) however owners get first crack at 12 months prior to check-in.

I'm not sure I follow. If HGVC deposits before 12 months, but owners can only book at 12 months, how can owners be said to have "first crack?"

 

[MichaelColey]

DVC owners really don't have much to worry about. The inventory available through RCI is significantly less than what DVC members have access to and we don't have the flexibility of booking short reservations.

Through RCI, we can only do full week exchanges with Friday, Saturday or Sunday check-in. As Brian said, it's usually smaller units in the less desirable resorts. Currently, there are less than TEN DVC units available to exchange into, and they're all Studios at Saratoga Springs or Old Key West. The MOST I have seen available at any one time (right after a bulk deposit) was about 60 units.

That said, if you own a good value RCI-affiliated resort and are flexible with the dates and you start searching early enough, you can get some tremendous deals exchanging in through RCI. This year, we'll be spending a week at Beach Club Villas, a week at Saratoga Springs, a week at Wilderness Lodge (two separate units for the same week) and a week at Animal Kingdom Villas (Savannah view!), all in 2BR units, at an average cost (my maintenance fees for the weeks I exchanged, RCI exchange fee, and $95 Disney fee) of about $600 per week.

 

[phyllisnnj]

I'm not sure I follow. If HGVC deposits before 12 months, but owners can only book at 12 months, how can owners be said to have "first crack?"

Sorry for the confusion. I should have said the following

Here's how Hilton banks weeks.

Hilton Grand Vacation Club (HGVC) generally does bulk deposits in RCI more than a year in advance (almost two years out for some locations) however the earliest HGVC owners can make reservations at their home resort is 12 months prior to check-in.

I also agree with MichaelColey that owners really don't have much to worry about. The inventory available through RCI is significantly less than what members have access. The same also holds true for HGVC owners regarding HGVC inventory through RCI.