JudyS
Disney Lover, DVC Member, and Timeshare Fan!
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2000
- Messages
- 1,069
I just read an announcement in the latest "News Alert from DVCMember.com" saying there will be "an enhancement" to the World Passport Collection. Whenever a company announces "an enhancement" to a membership product, you know that you are in trouble! 
It sounds like Disney is dropping II entirely and going back to RCI, which is whom they used to use for trades. I feel this is really bad news for any DVC member who might want to trade via the World Passport Collection. RCI has terrible customer service. In the past, they have also been accused of taking the best weeks deposited with them and renting them out rather than letting members get them as exchanges, so I'm not sure they will have anything good to exchange to. In fact, just days ago, they signed a settlement in a class action lawsuit brought by current RCI members. Furthermore, most of the nicest timeshares trade only in II -- this includes most Marriotts, most Sheraton & Westins, and all Four Seasons. the only high-end brand RCI has is Hilton.
RCI does have a much wider range of destinations, but as both a RCI member and II, I can say that RCI is really, really hard to deal with compared to II. I find it hard to believe that DVC would announce a switch to RCI just days after RCI had to settle a class action lawsuit from their members!!!
I urge all of my fellow DVC owners here to complain, and request that at the very least, II be kept as an option. I'm not sure whom we are supposed to complain to, but I will see about calling my Vacation Guide tomorrow. (Although I'm afraid he's never been very responsive in the past, possibly because I bought resale.)
Here is the announcement:
Disney Vacation Club enhances World Passport Collection
With a growing number of Members exploring a world of vacation destinations beyond their Home Resorts, Disney Vacation Club is committed to ensuring that those Member Getaways exchanges present the best and most diverse experiences possible. It's with this commitment in mind that Disney Vacation Club has formed a relationship with RCI, the world's largest vacation-exchange company, effective Jan. 1, 2009.
While Members will continue to choose from more than 500 destinations across six continents and 25 countries, the enhanced Member Getaways program will offer a significantly broader range of resort experiences, length-of-stay options (including more nightly exchanges) and more.
Members will receive more details by mail and here on the Web site beginning in late December, and the new Vacation Planner is scheduled to begin mailing in the late spring.
To ensure a smooth transition to RCI, Members may continue to confirm available exchanges through the current World Passport Collection through Dec. 31, 2008, and all exchanges booked by that deadline will be honored.
It sounds like Disney is dropping II entirely and going back to RCI, which is whom they used to use for trades. I feel this is really bad news for any DVC member who might want to trade via the World Passport Collection. RCI has terrible customer service. In the past, they have also been accused of taking the best weeks deposited with them and renting them out rather than letting members get them as exchanges, so I'm not sure they will have anything good to exchange to. In fact, just days ago, they signed a settlement in a class action lawsuit brought by current RCI members. Furthermore, most of the nicest timeshares trade only in II -- this includes most Marriotts, most Sheraton & Westins, and all Four Seasons. the only high-end brand RCI has is Hilton.
RCI does have a much wider range of destinations, but as both a RCI member and II, I can say that RCI is really, really hard to deal with compared to II. I find it hard to believe that DVC would announce a switch to RCI just days after RCI had to settle a class action lawsuit from their members!!!
I urge all of my fellow DVC owners here to complain, and request that at the very least, II be kept as an option. I'm not sure whom we are supposed to complain to, but I will see about calling my Vacation Guide tomorrow. (Although I'm afraid he's never been very responsive in the past, possibly because I bought resale.)
Here is the announcement:
Disney Vacation Club enhances World Passport Collection
With a growing number of Members exploring a world of vacation destinations beyond their Home Resorts, Disney Vacation Club is committed to ensuring that those Member Getaways exchanges present the best and most diverse experiences possible. It's with this commitment in mind that Disney Vacation Club has formed a relationship with RCI, the world's largest vacation-exchange company, effective Jan. 1, 2009.
While Members will continue to choose from more than 500 destinations across six continents and 25 countries, the enhanced Member Getaways program will offer a significantly broader range of resort experiences, length-of-stay options (including more nightly exchanges) and more.
Members will receive more details by mail and here on the Web site beginning in late December, and the new Vacation Planner is scheduled to begin mailing in the late spring.
To ensure a smooth transition to RCI, Members may continue to confirm available exchanges through the current World Passport Collection through Dec. 31, 2008, and all exchanges booked by that deadline will be honored.
This is absolutely horrible news. I am so disappointed.......now I'll never get my Royal Sands Cancun trade!
