Trading into DVC

[tomandrobin]

You may have better sources than I do, but as far as I can tell, this is a case of Those who know don't tell, and those who tell don't know.

This may be true to an extent and I don't talk about things that give me an advantage, but telling the length of DVC's contract with RCI doesn't hurt or benefit me. The point I was trying to get across was, not to rush out a buy a RCI trader just for DVC. We don't really know if RCI or II will be in DVC's future.

Of course, as with anything else having to do with timeshare exchange, nothing is ever certain. The only way to know you can stay in a DVC unit year in and year out is to buy there.

I am a believer and a preacher of "Buy where you want to stay". Or at the very least, don't mind staying if your trades don't come thru.

 

[Starr W.]

I've heard this too. And one year. And five years. And ten years.

You may have better sources than I do, but as far as I can tell, this is a case of Those who know don't tell, and those who tell don't know.

Of course, as with anything else having to do with timeshare exchange, nothing is ever certain. The only way to know you can stay in a DVC unit year in and year out is to buy there.

My source was vague on the actual timeframe, "a few years" which could mean anything from 2-5.

As for people running out to buy a TS that trades in RCI, I agree with Brian and Tomandrobin. I wouldn't buy someplace I wouldn't mind staying in if I couldn't exchange or rent it out.

And I think some of us know the rules today might not be the rules next year and they can be dramatic enough to totally change the gameplan on how you use your timeshare(just ask the Wyndham owners).

 

[Dean]

My source was vague on the actual timeframe, "a few years" which could mean anything from 2-5.

I would be surprised if the contract is only 2 years, too short of time frame to get a good feel and get anything done. I'd think 3 years would be the shortest appropriate length of contract.

 

[Brian Noble]

I am a believer and a preacher of "Buy where you want to stay".

I am too. In fact, I have Three Rules when I'm considering buying any timeshare.

1. Location: it has to be at a resort I would want to stay at, that I can drive to in a single day. If it's a mini-system (like Wyndham, Bluegreen), I have to have evidence that there is at least one such resort in the system that can be booked on one year's notice, at most. This reduces risk associated with travel costs, and makes it easier for me to market the unit to friends and family if I can't use it. For example, I don't care how awesome a trader Southern California Coastal is, I don't want to own it, because I'd have to spend $1200, minimum, on four tickets to use it.
2. Season: it has to be during a time when I can typically vacation, and most schools in the surrounding states are off. Again, a float or point deed must have evidence that I can acutally book such time on reasonable notice. This increases the unit's value in exchange, as a rental, and to me. For example, my school district almost always has week 8 off, but almost no one else does. I'd never buy a fixed week 8, even though that would work well for me personally most years.
3. Cost: The carrying cost of the unit has to be less than the cost of renting, with a healthy margin of error. I compute carrying costs as 8% of the acquisition costs (to account for depreciation and lost opportunity), plus the annual fees on the week. It has to be less than renting from another owner, because owning carries with it extra risk, and that gives me head room in case I have to rent the unit out.

There's a fourth, implicit rule: don't own more than you can use yourself, but that's one that I can see some people breaking if they want to start a modest rental business. There's risk there, but managed properly, you can genearte some very nice risk-adjusted returns given the inefficiencies of the resale market.

I can see bending some of these rules for certain products---particularly the location rule. But, not really breaking them.

 

[jamstew]

I'm seeing the DV0# codes in Weeks inventory, not RD.

I missed something. When I was signed into weeks and searched keyword "Disney's" in the Florida/Orlando area of the Resort Directory, I got 13 matches. All of the DV0# codes showed as "RCI Points" in red letters. The same resorts with RD codes had no designation at all, and I think that indicates they're weeks. When I go back to the main list of Orlando area resorts (non-Disney), only the "RCI Points" are so designated. Everything else has no designation. Without hunting down my paper copy of the directory, I'm pretty sure that's the way Points resorts are listed in it as well.

More codes if they haven't been posted: RD04/DV04 are HHI, & RD07/DV07 are VB

None of the links to the Orlando properties work for me yet, but VB does. If I use the RD link, it gives me the option to rent or exchange (not with my week tho' ) If they can rent these weeks for the prices quoted in "Extra Vacations," I can't see them ever being available to those of who own weeks, but that's okay since my traditional timeshare has been paid off for 20+ years and has served us well.

 

[Brian Noble]

Just becase a resort is a "Points Resort", that doesn't mean that all of its inventory is "in Points". It can also have inventory "in Weeks".

So far, I've personally seen units under resort codes DV0# in Weeks available as exchanges, and in Extra Vacations as rentals. I haven't seen resort codes RD0# with inventory anywhere.

I do not have access to Points. But, from what I gather, the three inventory pools (Weeks, Points, Rentals) are completely separate, and all of them appear under resort codes DV0#. But, this is RCI, so it could all be different tomorrow.

 

[littlestar]

Have you guys seen the Extra Vacations prices RCI has for a Vero studio for $8,999.99? That's a hoot. They are kidding, right? Especially the ones during hurricane season.

I hope it comes with a butler for that price.

 

[jamstew]

Just becase a resort is a "Points Resort", that doesn't mean that all of its inventory is "in Points". It can also have inventory "in Weeks".

OK, I didn't know that. So are you saying that even though DVC resorts are strictly points, they would also have a weeks inventory that may (or may not) be available to people who own fixed/floating weeks, especially if they own at the right place?

I'm obviously new to DVC, and I've never even tried to look for inventory at a points resort through RCI since I didn't own points, so it's all rather confusing. Basically, all I really want to do is be able to get into a nice property, preferably onsite or at least very close to Disney if not, to extend my DVC stays using my traditional non-points TS. I'd never trade out of DVC!

 

[littlestar]

OK, I didn't know that. So are you saying that even though DVC resorts are strictly points, they would also have a weeks inventory that may (or may not) be available to people who own fixed/floating weeks, especially if they own at the right place?

I'm obviously new to DVC, and I've never even tried to look for inventory at a points resort through RCI since I didn't own points, so it's all rather confusing. Basically, all I really want to do is be able to get into a nice property, preferably onsite or at least very close to Disney if not, to extend my DVC stays using my traditional non-points TS. I'd never trade out of DVC!

If you can't get DVC in RCI to extend your trip, I'd try for Hilton Grand Vacaton Club (HGVC) or Bonnet Creek.

 

[jamstew]

If you can't get DVC in RCI to extend your trip, I'd try for Hilton Grand Vacaton Club (HGVC) or Bonnet Creek.

Thanks. I knew about Bonnet Creek and would love to stay there since they have a shuttle I'll check into Hilton GVC. My daughter and her friends stayed either there or at Sheraton Vistana a few years ago. They loved whichever one it was.

 

[Brian Noble]

If you don't mind driving a bit, Houses at Summer Bay would be great too---they're down 192, almost to 27, but they are 3BR standalone homes with their own private pools. Some have hot tubs. Not close, but I'd take an exchange here, no problem.

Silver Lake is not quite as nice as the others, but it's directly adjacent to AKL/AKV, and has an entrance on Sherbeth Road (on-property, but "backstage"). From there, you are 1-2 traffic lights from any other theme park parking lot. Silver Lake/Silver Points is the "newer" section, and presumably has nicer units. I think this location is possibly better than Bonnet Creek's, because Silver Lake is closer to a main artery (Osceola).

 

[jamstew]

If you don't mind driving a bit, Houses at Summer Bay would be great too---they're down 192, almost to 27, but they are 3BR standalone homes with their own private pools. Some have hot tubs. Not close, but I'd take an exchange here, no problem.

Silver Lake is not quite as nice as the others, but it's directly adjacent to AKL/AKV, and has an entrance on Sherbeth Road (on-property, but "backstage"). From there, you are 1-2 traffic lights from any other theme park parking lot. Silver Lake/Silver Points is the "newer" section, and presumably has nicer units. I think this location is possibly better than Bonnet Creek's, because Silver Lake is closer to a main artery (Osceola).

If we were doing a family trip, I'd love to try a house, but I travel solo 99% of the time and hate the idea of driving. I've never driven in/around WDW, and if I'm not going to have access to Disney transportation, you can be sure that I'm dragging somebody along who doesn't mind it. I don't even like driving at home, and I can't drive at all after dark. That's why Bonnet Creek, with a shuttle, was so appealing, and the possibility of exchanging to onsite set my heart aflutter.

 

[littlestar]

If you don't mind driving a bit, Houses at Summer Bay would be great too---they're down 192, almost to 27, but they are 3BR standalone homes with their own private pools. Some have hot tubs. Not close, but I'd take an exchange here, no problem.

Silver Lake is not quite as nice as the others, but it's directly adjacent to AKL/AKV, and has an entrance on Sherbeth Road (on-property, but "backstage"). From there, you are 1-2 traffic lights from any other theme park parking lot. Silver Lake/Silver Points is the "newer" section, and presumably has nicer units. I think this location is possibly better than Bonnet Creek's, because Silver Lake is closer to a main artery (Osceola).

Brian, what do you think of Wyndham Cypress Palms? I heard they have a shuttle to the parks and it's reasonably priced. I heard they've been refurbishing the units - didn't know how far along they are with it? I see it come up on RCI Last Calls for cheap and I've pondered booking it to extend a DVC trip. We'll be at SSR in about a week and I thought if we drive over to the Cracker Barrel to eat by that resort, we might just take a peek at it.

 

[got2travel]

As soon as the DVC resorts showed up yesterday I put in an "Ongoing Search" for August for any of the DVC resorts. It's a long shot, but maybe something will come up. I do own a Red week, but my little resort in TX doesn't have much trading power. That being said, I've traded into some really nice places in Las Vegas, Hawaii (all islands), Florida and Mexico.

I did speak with an RCI guide and asked about the DV and RD listings. She grabbed her memo that they had gotten and told me that the DV listings were for exchanges and the RD were for cash vacations. However, looking at the availability for the cash vacations, the DV's are listed.

 

[Dean]

Thanks. I knew about Bonnet Creek and would love to stay there since they have a shuttle I'll check into Hilton GVC. My daughter and her friends stayed either there or at Sheraton Vistana a few years ago. They loved whichever one it was.

I'd second Hilton and add that several of the Marriott's are still RCI weeks including ones on the Marriott World Center Property. The best in RCI Marriott's will be Cypress Harbour by Sea World. From a quality standpoint I'd add the Fountains (which is sometimes listed as Oasis Lakes) and Vistana Villages. OLCC is also fairly close if you take the back entrance through the toll road. Villages at Parkway is also relatively close basically between Gaylord Palms and 192. It's essentially always available and is relatively nice but is certainly not on the same level as DVC, Marriott's, Fountains and VV. I'd also agree with Houses at Summers Bay. I haven't seen the units for Wyndham Cypress Palms but it doesn't look like much from the outside. Hilton is also building a new resort which will be a little closer (turn left at cross roads, then I think it's the first light to the right). It's also possible to get some of the strictly II resorts through independent exchange companies.

 

[Brian Noble]

Brian, what do you think of Wyndham Cypress Palms?

I've never stayed there; all I know is what I read on TUG, etc. I think of it as my "emergency backup", though lately, Bonnet Creek has had more last-minute availabilty. Probably because Cypress Palms is significantly cheaper in terms of points.

 

[jamstew]

In light of the settlement, though, if I can't book a week but find one available in "extra vacations", I'm going to officially object to the settlement as a class member.

And it looks like that's exactly what's happening. BWV, SSR & OKW (not available to me for an exchange), pop right up as Extra Vacations!

 

[Brian Noble]

As I've mentioned elsewhere, the EV inventory looks like it came from CRO cash inventory, not from DVC deposits. EV Rentals book ME using the website (which takes only CRO reservation numbers, not DVC reservation numbers). Exchange guests book ME by calling Member Services.

 

[Dumbo]

Brian, what do you think of Wyndham Cypress Palms? .

I'm not Brian, but I did stay at Cypress Palms this past July on an RCI exchange. Well worth it. You won't be disappointed. They do have a shuttle but we had a car and didn't use it. Walking distance to several resaurants. They also do not impose any 1 in 4 rule. I asked them specifically at the resort. They said no 1 in 4 rule, come back anytime.

 

[littlestar]

I'm not Brian, but I did stay at Cypress Palms this past July on an RCI exchange. Well worth it. You won't be disappointed. They do have a shuttle but we had a car and didn't use it. Walking distance to several resaurants. They also do not impose any 1 in 4 rule. I asked them specifically at the resort. They said no 1 in 4 rule, come back anytime.

Thanks. I'm going to definitely check it out next week when we're at SSR - at $219 for a one bedroom for a week on an RCI Last Call, that's a great price when Southwest offers a cheap Ding fare for a last minute trip to Orlando.