using RCI

[quandrea]

I don't know if this is the right place to post this but: what do you all think about the merits of exchanging points for a 2 week stay on Maui. Our plan would be this: exchange 2 weeks worth of points for a holiday on Maui. That year we would stay at a family suite at POP (if open) or all star music. We figure it is cheaper to pay for Disney and exchange for Maui. Thoughts?

 

[Dean]

I don't know if this is the right place to post this but: what do you all think about the merits of exchanging points for a 2 week stay on Maui. Our plan would be this: exchange 2 weeks worth of points for a holiday on Maui. That year we would stay at a family suite at POP (if open) or all star music. We figure it is cheaper to pay for Disney and exchange for Maui. Thoughts?

Likely your cheapest and simplest option is to rent out the points and pay cash for Maui. DVC-RCI only has 2 resorts on Maui and only one is in a good location for most people. That resort has mostly 1 BR with a few 2 BR units. RCI is very limited for quality on Maui, of their 33 resorts, there are only a handful I'd stay at and KBC is the ONLY one I'd consider an exchange to, and I have things to trade that are far cheaper than DVC.

There's no harm in putting in a request for KBC for the time you need, just don't get your hopes up, esp if you need a 2 BR. Maybe you'll get 1 week and pay cash for the other. You should also talk to the small, independent exchange companies who tend to get a lot of HI business. I know SFX and TPI used to get a lot of deposits from KBC though there have been some management changes since that may have altered the landscape. The other benefit dealing with the independents is that you open yourself up to other resorts that are not in RCI (Marriott, Westin) as well as additional inventory. It also gives you the option of trading up in unit size (getting a 2 BR for a 1 BR possibly) and the possibility of 2 weeks for one deposit with 2 exchange fees.

Here's a ? Partial list

1. San Francisco Exchange (spec in higher quality resorts)
2. Trading Places International (manages some properties)
3. Trading Places Maui
4. Dial an exchange (First Come/first served, good for Europe)
5. Platinum Interchange (the only one currently that does request first without a paid membership).
6. HTSE (HI Timeshare Exchange)

Of course one can always look for a private exchange. Still, I think renting out the points is the best and easiest for most. Don't forget you can make a DVC reservation and then use the points for an exchange if it comes through. For the independents, if they don't do request first for free, you can still call them often to see if they have anything.

 

[quandrea]

I don't get how this works entirely; do I switch out my disney points for use by these independents? Or do I rent my points and then pay cash to the independents?

 

[Dean]

I don't get how this works entirely; do I switch out my disney points for use by these independents? Or do I rent my points and then pay cash to the independents?

Each independent is a little different but in general you'd make a reservations that meets the independent's requirements. IF you decide to deposit first (I wouldn't) your points are reservation are gone. You could even make the reservation you'd need for WDW then use that to dangle before the independents.

As I noted, I'd personally just rent but IF I were going to trade DVC for Maui as noted and I only owned DVC, here's the way I'd approach.

• I'd make a reservation at DVC for my needed week at WDW likely at OKW.
• I'd make another reservation for a 1 or 2 BR (depending on specifics)
• I'd put in 2 requests for KBC (one for each week) through RCI (having them make notes of the 2 requests to avoid an overlap problem)
• I'd then contact ALL of the independents and discuss with them. I'd consider joining SFX for Plat so I could do a request first with them offering the second week I reserved above first. Letting them know i wanted 2 weeks.
• I'd offer the points for rent and start looking at cash options.
• Once there was any movement, I'd change or cancel any pending options to avoid a duplicate.

 

[JimMIA]

IF you decide to deposit first (I wouldn't) your points are reservation are gone.

I don't think DVC points can be deposited into anything but RCI, so I assume you are talking about an RCI deposit here.

And for the independents, the DVC owner would do a reservation swap.

Are both of my assumptions correct?

 

[Dean]

I don't think DVC points can be deposited into anything but RCI, so I assume you are talking about an RCI deposit here.

And for the independents, the DVC owner would do a reservation swap.

Are both of my assumptions correct?

You can deposit first into an independent if they will honor the deposit but you'd have to deposit a week, not really points. Since DVC will not confirm the reservation to anyone but the owner, I know some of the independents were have a time figuring out where they stood on the subject. It'd function much like a private exchange and isn't really much different than these companies do for any resort deposit they don't have a working relationship with. Other than, as I stated, that some won't confirm it directly to the independent.