Traveling to other locations on DVC points

[aclov]

I traded into Maui, Hawaii, went on Disney Cruise and Grand Californian Hotel prior to the villas. Normally, I use my points at Disney but without DVC I wouldn't of been able to do this.

 

[irishpride]

Well, we watched the webcast on Saturday and we are now official DVC memebers. I guess when the DW sat down and looked at everything. We are in. Our DVC guide was great and I think what sold us was the guide was a member for 15 years and has never stayed at Disney on her membership. She took the time to explain to us the other location she has gone on the points. That really did it and we purchased with in an half hour.

 

[CandyMandy]

We have used the World Pasport and Concierge Programs, each twice.

For the Passport, we once traded out via II and subsequently via RCI. I would rate each experience as very good and reasonable in comparative value. The first through II into the Marriott's Manor Club at Ford's Colony in Williamsburg, VA, the other was via RCI into the Hilton Grand Vacations Club at the Flamingo, in Las Vegas (I don't know what Hilton puts in the water, but the staff there were amazing, Disney can only aspire to have employees who are as nice and acccomodating).

Both these trades were during high seasons into two bedroom units. In each case we were able to secure them after relatively short waits, albeit the Las Vegas one was made early in the RCI program and DVC exchange CMs were still getting up the learning curve with it when we booked in early 2009 (their systems initially said what we wanted wasn't available, but what I was simultaneously reading on other time share sites said otherwise and were able to persuade DVC to dig deeper and eventually secure our first choice request).

The two Concierge Program stays were for short 3-4 day trips, booked on short notice, in each case in scenarios where we had unused points approaching expiration that due to unforseen events hadn't been used as initially plannned. One was to the Sagamore at Lake George, NY (absolutely incredible stay over Columbus Day weekend, lakeside villa overlooking fantastic Adirondacks foilage). The other was at the Boston Harbor Hotel in Boston (this is no longer available in the program). Frankly, given the point pricing, I think this is the only way to justify using Concierge; i.e. tasting a truly deluxe property that can be appreciated over a short stay.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Well, we watched the webcast on Saturday and we are now official DVC memebers. I guess when the DW sat down and looked at everything. We are in. Our DVC guide was great and I think what sold us was the guide was a member for 15 years and has never stayed at Disney on her membership. She took the time to explain to us the other location she has gone on the points. That really did it and we purchased with in an half hour.

Well, I hope you are happy with your purchase. Good luck.

 

[CandyMandy]

Exactly. Using points is not "saving" you any money, it is costing you MORE than if you paid cash. Still a valid choice since you can spend your points anyway you want, but don't fool yourself into thinking you're getting a good deal by trading out of WDW to use your DVC points elsewhere.

The above assumes the value of a trade property (in terms of its aggregate "market" value, determined either by street rack, rental or the relative trade cost in another program like II or RCI) is always less than the per night cost in DVC points.

That is a big, broad and risky generalization to make, given the variation in trade property quality (yes, Virgina there are some time share properties that are equal or even superior to DVC resorts) and seasons. I know, for example, that quoted rental prices for our week in a 2BR at the Marriott we stayed at during high season came in several hundreds of dollars above (assuming a value of $10 per DVC) what the same week in a 2BR at our home DVC resort BVC would have run. And I could get into the all the elements of that resort that were superior to DVC (the kitchen alone is a whole post), but suffice to say it was not a trade down.

Bottom line: if you plan your trades carefully (make requests far in advance and cast a wide but selective net) you can get decent value out the process.

 

[AnnaS]

Well, we watched the webcast on Saturday and we are now official DVC memebers. I guess when the DW sat down and looked at everything. We are in. Our DVC guide was great and I think what sold us was the guide was a member for 15 years and has never stayed at Disney on her membership. She took the time to explain to us the other location she has gone on the points. That really did it and we purchased with in an half hour.

Congratulations and Welcome Home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think there should be a thread (or whatever it's called/sticky) for DVC members to discuss any RCI trades.

 

[Donna M]

We have used our points to go to Colorado, Vermont, 2 cruises and a night in Boston. If we didn't have DVC we wouldn't have taken those trips, so we have been very happy with the exchanges. Now though I have the next 4 years planned in my head and they are all at DVC's.

I just love my DVC!

 

[Dean]

The above assumes the value of a trade property (in terms of its aggregate "market" value, determined either by street rack, rental or the relative trade cost in another program like II or RCI) is always less than the per night cost in DVC points.

That is a big, broad and risky generalization to make, given the variation in trade property quality (yes, Virgina there are some time share properties that are equal or even superior to DVC resorts) and seasons. I know, for example, that quoted rental prices for our week in a 2BR at the Marriott we stayed at during high season came in several hundreds of dollars above (assuming a value of $10 per DVC) what the same week in a 2BR at our home DVC resort BVC would have run. And I could get into the all the elements of that resort that were superior to DVC (the kitchen alone is a whole post), but suffice to say it was not a trade down.

Bottom line: if you plan your trades carefully (make requests far in advance and cast a wide but selective net) you can get decent value out the process.

I'm sure it was a general statement and there are exceptions. IMO, for anything to be of sufficient value for me to consider trading my points it must be a prime week at a top resort during prime time that I cannot rent for a significant discount compared to the points I'd use. In addition, for anyone looking to buy, there are ALWAYS better ways to approach exchanging to other timeshares than using DVC, I repeat, ALWAYS. Taking the Marriott example you mentioned, while it's a nice resort, comparable to DVC from a quality and unit standpoint, it is a resort that is easy to trade to using any cheap Marriott, even for 4th of July with planning. One could buy a Marriott to trade, pay the II membership for 3 years and pay 3 years worth of maint fees for 2 trades there.

IMO, there is a large difference between owning the points and looking to buy or add on to use for such options.

 

[littlestar]

You can stay within DVC's mini system and stay at Hilton Head, Vero, and the soon to open Hawaii resort on Oahu. I don't trade my DVC points through any exchange companies because I own other timeshares (bought resale very inexpensively for that). We just bought Wyndham resale points very inexpensively ($26.00 on Ebay) for trading within their mini system of resorts. DVC keeps growing so maybe in the future they will be as big as Wyndham on locations within their system.

I would say any trade into a Hilton through RCI would be a nice trade using DVC.

 

[iwrbnd]

Well, we watched the webcast on Saturday and we are now official DVC memebers. I guess when the DW sat down and looked at everything. We are in. Our DVC guide was great and I think what sold us was the guide was a member for 15 years and has never stayed at Disney on her membership. She took the time to explain to us the other location she has gone on the points. That really did it and we purchased with in an half hour.

Congratulations! I was sad when I saw you weren't going the DVC route only because you sounded exactly like us when we first wanted to buy. We went back and forth for 2 years and finally made the decision. (And I wish we had done it sooner) So far, no regrets! "Welcome home!"

 

[CandyMandy]

I would say any trade into a Hilton through RCI would be a nice trade using DVC.

Obviously, perceptions of properties are subjective but when I was searching for a trade via RIC to a Southwest location there was broad variation in the appeal of the Hilton options, particularly regarding location (none were bad but some were located in significantly more attractive locations than others).

So I concur with Dean's criteria - the rare good trade is one into a clearly top shelf property during a prime period (not necessarily a holiday but top demand, like January/February in the Caribbean) that would cost "significantly" more to rent than than what a comparable DVC unit at the same time would run in points x$10.00 (the current going rental rate for units at my home resort). And yes, if one is going to trade frequently (we've only done it twice in twelve years) purchasing a second time share membership is the way to go.