How easy is it to use DVC points for RCI property?

[mp2bill]

My wife and I are contemplating buying into DVC. We live in Massachusetts, so I expect it'll still be tough to get down to WDW more than once every 2 or 3 years as it costs a couple thousand dollars for expenses other than lodging. Fortunately, there are a number of RCI propoerties near us that we could use so the points don't go to waste in years that we don't go to WDW. However, I have one question that I have seen touched on in other threads, but have not been directly asked/answered.

Does anybody have first hand experience trying to book an RCI property through DVC (and not during off-season times) and if so, how easy/difficult was it to use your DVC points to exchange for an RCI vacation?

Also, how many months out can you start trying to book an RCI vacation using DVC points?

 

[rufio]

I've never booked an RCI property but according to the DVC folks, it's fairly easy. However, I do know that the value is just not there when booking RCI vs a DVC property.

 

[dreamfinder]

RCI has tons of resorts. However, I would say that only a small percentage are ones that are even close to the DVC quality. We were looking to use one of my parents RCI weeks for part of our honeymoon, and none of the places that came up in Quebec area had AC. None of them. Lots of the properties are ski properties, (which I like), but they were created as condos, and not as luxury resorts.

I have had luck doing RCI to DVC, but haven't tried the opposite direction.

As a thought, have you considered only buying 1/3-1/2 the points you need? And then banking/borrowing to use them? You will most likely end up getting more bang from your buck this way. I.E. bank year 1, use banked from year 1 and all of year 2 for a trip in year 2. Or bank year 1, use banked from 1, all of 2, and then borrow all of 3. Then rinse and repeat.

 

[mp2bill]

Vitani, what did you mean by, "the value is just not there when booking RCI vs a DVC property"? Is it because, as Dreamfinder said, "...only a small percentage are ones that are even close to the DVC quality"?

Dreamfinder, we did figure that we'd only need the minimum number of points (100) as we have no kids and would bank/borrow points. This still leaves open the possibility of points being wasted in the event that we can't go every two years. The plan is to go once every couple of years, but you know how plans can change...

We don't much mind that RCI properties aren't luxury resorts, but would like the option to be able to use our points to vacation somewhere close to home. Thus, if it's difficult to get an RCI property, I don't know how comfortable I would be to buy into DVC knowing that I'd only be able to effectively use it at a Disney property.

Also, I figured that a DVC cast member would say that it's fairly easy to use points for a RCI property, but seeing as how their goal is to sell you a membership, I am not inclined to believe that entirely (I am in sales too, so I know how easy it is to bend the truth). That's why I was hoping for somebody with first hand experience.

Thanks, to both of you, for your insight so far though.

 

[GoofGoof]

Depends on what you are trading in for. I have booked timeshares through RCI in the past trading in another timeshare but not DVC. We have gotten rooms in Carlsbad CA, Scotsdale AZ, Lake George, St Martin, Kauai and the Hilton Vacation Club by Sea World a few times. We generally booked at the 11 month window once we could trade in our week. We tried for a place near the Hamptons on Long Island but could only get off season (Oct through April) and even Lake George was hard to get in the summer or during the ski season. I think it depends on how popular the places are and how often owners trade in through RCI.

 

[dreamfinder]

Dreamfinder, we did figure that we'd only need the minimum number of points (100) as we have no kids and would bank/borrow points. This still leaves open the possibility of points being wasted in the event that we can't go every two years. The plan is to go once every couple of years, but you know how plans can change...

You can also explore the possibility of renting.

Also, I figured that a DVC cast member would say that it's fairly easy to use points for a RCI property, but seeing as how their goal is to sell you a membership, I am not inclined to believe that entirely (I am in sales too, so I know how easy it is to bend the truth). That's why I was hoping for somebody with first hand experience

I know that at least with RCI to RCI trades, you can get something. It may not be at the resort you want, in the exact location you want, but they have more then enough properties that you can get something somewhere. More than once my parents ended up with a banked RCI week that was going to expire, and they just checked to see what would come up, and went on a trip there. So if you say, wanted to take a trip to the White Mountains in the month of August, you should be able to get something somewhere in the region during that month. But if you wanted to trade into say Bob's Timeshare in Lincoln, NH for the 3rd-10th of August, and that was the only trade you wanted, it may not happen.

DVC does have a high trade value with respect to RCI, which definitely helps in your favor. Keep in mind that DVC is points. Newer RCI is points as well, but most of their legacy properties are weeks. So there may be an additional fee associated with converting your points into a week.

 

[tjkraz]

Trying not to weigh the conversation down with too many details, given what was posted I would encourage OP to consider buying into ANOTHER RCI timeshare and trading into DVC when looking to visit WDW.

DVC is a very expensive timeshare. The buy-in cost is high (even resale) and the dues are high.

Comparatively speaking, you could buy someone else's unwanted timeshare off eBay for a couple hundred bucks. And the dues are likely to be lower than DVC for a comparable purchase. Just have to fully investigate exactly what you are buying.

I would recommend a LOT of time spent researching RCI and timeshares in general. TUG is an excellent resource.

 

[mufasa0505]

I love DVC and it works for our family, but I would not buy in based on the availability of RCI trades. Up until a few years ago, we were able to trade with a different company (Interval International). You never know if/when DVC will no longer have a partnership with RCI. It is not a guaranteed benefit as a DVC owner. Just throwing that out there.

 

[dreamfinder]

Trying not to weigh the conversation down with too many details, given what was posted I would encourage OP to consider buying into ANOTHER RCI timeshare and trading into DVC when looking to visit WDW.

DVC is a very expensive timeshare. The buy-in cost is high (even resale) and the dues are high.

Comparatively speaking, you could buy someone else's unwanted timeshare off eBay for a couple hundred bucks. And the dues are likely to be lower than DVC for a comparable purchase. Just have to fully investigate exactly what you are buying.

I would recommend a LOT of time spent researching RCI and timeshares in general. TUG is an excellent resource.

Definitely agree on the time researching. However, an RCI unit may not end up being that much cheaper. RCI assigns different worths to their units (or at least still did a year or two ago when I last discussed with my parents and their RCI). So a property that has a higher worth (read more in demand) will have a better chance of getting the trade you want. And even within a property, if you have a weeks based unit, some weeks are in high demand, others are not. So a Feb vacation week in a New England property that is near 3 ski resorts will be worth much more in terms of trade value than a mud season week at the same property.

I love DVC and it works for our family, but I would not buy in based on the availability of RCI trades. Up until a few years ago, we were able to trade with a different company (Interval International). You never know if/when DVC will no longer have a partnership with RCI. It is not a guaranteed benefit as a DVC owner. Just throwing that out there.

Agree completely. Even though DVC really needs to keep a membership with some timeshare group to keep the perceived value of DVC up, you should never buy based on anything that isn't directly included in the contract. The same thing applies when people ask about AP discounts to figure out their break even. Your AP is being bought for park admission, if you happen to get merch or lodging discounts, its a bonus, but never count of them. Any timeshare should be bought with the expectation that you will be using it where/when you bought it.

 

[tjkraz]

I love DVC and it works for our family, but I would not buy in based on the availability of RCI trades. Up until a few years ago, we were able to trade with a different company (Interval International). You never know if/when DVC will no longer have a partnership with RCI. It is not a guaranteed benefit as a DVC owner. Just throwing that out there.

Some trade affiliation will continue. OP doesn't mention specific destinations, leading me to believe this is just a generic inquiry regarding availability of non-Disney destinations. Whether DVC trades through RCI, Interval or even builds-out its own Buena Vista Trading Company, some vehicle will exist for using points outside of the DVC resorts.

Definitely agree on the time researching. However, an RCI unit may not end up being that much cheaper. RCI assigns different worths to their units (or at least still did a year or two ago when I last discussed with my parents and their RCI). So a property that has a higher worth (read more in demand) will have a better chance of getting the trade you want. And even within a property, if you have a weeks based unit, some weeks are in high demand, others are not. So a Feb vacation week in a New England property that is near 3 ski resorts will be worth much more in terms of trade value than a mud season week at the same property.

Trading power should definitely be part of the research. No, not all timeshares are rated equally but when you know what to look for, there are certainly bargains to be found.