Using DVC Points for RCI or other Destinations

[kcormier]

Has anyone used their DVC points in exchange for RCI destinations or any other exchange destinations? Can you offer brief reviews of where you went and how your experience was with exchanging points?

 

[disneynutz]

Never done it and probably never will. IMO Disney doesn't want you to exchange but they want buyers to think that it adds value to their DVC purchase.

Availability isn't guaranteed, there can be limited inventory, the point cost tends to be high, and Disney add on a $95 fee per reservation.

Bill

 

[MAO]

I did it a few years ago to stay at a property in London, UK. It was well worth the points and the fee for me. I found the process to be very easy though, as disneynutz says, the inventory is rather limited (there's no longer an option to stay in London, for example, although there's nothing that says it won't be available again in the future.)

If you're willing to rent your points, either via a broker or by yourself, you should be able to get enough - possibly even more than enough - money to pay for a stay out of 'cash' at whatever resort you're interested in. I didn't want to deal with that. Sometimes, when it comes to vacations, I like to be lazy.

I believe there's another thread or two here on the DVC boards with pros and cons. This is a question that's been asked and answered before, so some people won't bother replying again. It is interesting to see the reasoning that different people give for whatever decision they've made.

 

[Dean]

Has anyone used their DVC points in exchange for RCI destinations or any other exchange destinations? Can you offer brief reviews of where you went and how your experience was with exchanging points?

I have extensive exchange experience with both II and RCI using other timeshares and follow the DVC RCI setup fairly closely. IMO there is never a situation where it's reasonable to buy for this purpose but there are sometimes situations where it makes sense for a given situation. This can be when you have the points extra unexpectedly or for a handful of top resorts/options. I'd suggest reviewing the resorts extensively before agreeing to accept one or before putting in an ongoing request. I'd consider how many points, your personal risk of having to change or cancel and what you could get the item for using cash for a private rental, not the retail rental price.

 

[rickdeni]

We traded once through RCI and will never do it again. The resort itself was not too bad but the unit we were assigned had to be their oldest. Checking the resort did not help in this situation and yes I did complain to no avail.

 

[jerseygirl82]

We did a trade through RCI last summer and found it to overall be a wonderful experience and even better vacation!

We ended up at the Ron Jon Resort on Cape Canaveral, which is now operating as a Holiday Inn property. They are a short tram ride or walk to the beach, where we got a big kick out of watching the cruise ships as we played in the sand and ocean with our 4 year old. After a morning at the beach we went back to our spacious 1 bedroom (160 points for the week) and made lunch and took a rest. After this we spent the afternoon at the pool, which was more like a mini water park, with a lazy river, large slide, kids splash area and the huge feature pool. They also had an indoor playground as well as some wonderful family shows I'm the evening, including animals and a magician.

For dinner I used tripadvisor to scout out the local scene and it did not disappoint. We spent many nights at the cruise dock for dinner where DD could wave to the outgoing cruise ships. One night we did travel into Cocoa Beach and I was happy we had decided to avoid the tourist area for the most part.

Sure, we could have rented our DVC points and maybe it would have been cheaper to pay with cash, but as a PP said, this was so much more convenient.

Make sure once you find an eligible resort to trade into that you do your research and make sure it is right for your family.

 

[Rochester Disney Fan]

I was planning a 2BR stay at Myrtle Beach this summer ( my first trade into RCI) but had to cancel 10 days before my trip because I broke my leg very badly. RCI will still let me use the 260 points until Dec of 2016.The only hard part is now I can't book until 45 days before travel (basically using someone else's cancellation). This is their normal policy canceling that close to the trip so I can't complain. I know I probably won't get a beach front accommodation but I should be able to find something . However now I really need a Disney fix.

 

[Dean]

I was planning a 2BR stay at Myrtle Beach this summer ( my first trade into RCI) but had to cancel 10 days before my trip because I broke my leg very badly. RCI will still let me use the 260 points until Dec of 2016.The only hard part is now I can't book until 45 days before travel (basically using someone else's cancellation). This is their normal policy canceling that close to the trip so I can't complain. I know I probably won't get a beach front accommodation but I should be able to find something . However now I really need a Disney fix.

If you'll hit the computer daily about 4-6 AM eastern starting at 44 days out, there's a good chance you could get something even at a prime location.

 

[Rochester Disney Fan]

If you'll hit the computer daily about 4-6 AM eastern starting at 44 days out, there's a good chance you could get something even at a prime location.

Thanks for the advice !!