DVC to RCI conversion - any resorts worthwhile?

[ngl]

We love visiting all the DVC resorts (have stayed at every one now!) but looking for something different to do. I have some experience with RCI from other programs we are in but only used a few. Their portfolio certainly has some low level properties but curious if anyone has had luck with any property in particular? Can certainly look at reviews on TripAdvisor etc but was just curious if any DVCers have perspective. Thanks!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Never book an all-inclusive. There will be additional fees, and most people find that if you look at rates via Costco or similar, your "additional fee" via RCI trade will be equivalent to the full cost via another agent.

 

[a742246]

The most best economical trades using RCI trades with DVC IMHO is trading into the Hilton located in the NYC area.

 

[ldo]

Most Hiltons (HGVC) are in RCI. HGVC in Hawaii is nice (we like the ones on the Big Island), Smugglers Notch in VT is great for kids either winter or summer. Hilton Head has lots of RCI resorts, units range in quality, but the awesome beach and island are the draw. We enjoy renting bikes for the week and biking on the excellent trails. Williamsburg is also a great family vacation for a change. We like Greensprings and Governors Green.

 

[Dean]

We love visiting all the DVC resorts (have stayed at every one now!) but looking for something different to do. I have some experience with RCI from other programs we are in but only used a few. Their portfolio certainly has some low level properties but curious if anyone has had luck with any property in particular? Can certainly look at reviews on TripAdvisor etc but was just curious if any DVCers have perspective. Thanks!

There are a few. You'll need to target high demand areas during prime time for top end resorts. There aren't a lot but there are some. I'd never do studios, MX, Branson, Williamsburg or LV at any time.

 

[ldo]

Imho, wllmbg is a good inexpensive alternative to wdw esp from NY area. One can drive to it from tri state area, colonial willing is interesting and educational and in summer you also have Busch gardens. Add in Jamestown and a day trip to VA beach and you have a full week.
Oherwise, I concur with Dean.

 

[Dean]

Imho, wllmbg is a good inexpensive alternative to wdw esp from NY area. One can drive to it from tri state area, colonial willing is interesting and educational and in summer you also have Busch gardens. Add in Jamestown and a day trip to VA beach and you have a full week.
Oherwise, I concur with Dean.

But Williamsburg is EASY to exchange into or rent as are the other specific locations I mentioned. Plus the resorts tend to be away from the action with only Westgate and Bluegreen even fairly close to the historic area.

 

[chalee94]

Imho, wllmbg is a good inexpensive alternative to wdw esp from NY area. One can drive to it from tri state area, colonial willing is interesting and educational and in summer you also have Busch gardens. Add in Jamestown and a day trip to VA beach and you have a full week.

It's a nice area for an occasional vacation, yes. But it is definitely overbuilt - I stayed at the Marriott there a couple of years ago (using my $1 non-DVC timeshare) for less than $300 for the week. To trade a timeshare as expensive as DVC for any resorts in that area is throwing money away.

So I would agree with Dean. If I had to trade DVC in RCI, I would mostly be looking at Hiltons in Hawaii or something like that...

 

[Dean]

We love visiting all the DVC resorts (have stayed at every one now!) but looking for something different to do. I have some experience with RCI from other programs we are in but only used a few. Their portfolio certainly has some low level properties but curious if anyone has had luck with any property in particular? Can certainly look at reviews on TripAdvisor etc but was just curious if any DVCers have perspective. Thanks!

Now that I've got more time and you're oriented to the thought process, I'll explore this further. People tend to be either more oriented to the quality/experience of a resort OR a destination person meaning they want to go to an area and as long as something's clean, safe & functional, they're fine. Obviously most are somewhere in between but people really to tend to truly be more one type or the other. It's difficult to throw out a list of specific resorts because it's so limited but to name a few:

• Hilton's in HI
• A few other resorts in HI (KBC, SOK for example)
• NYC resorts
• A few ski resorts during top ski weeks
• A couple of Aruba resorts (Playa Linda, Costa Linda, La Cabana) come to mind.
• Some of the Panhandle Wyndham's plus one or 2 others in that area
• Bluegreen's in Savannah, Charleston come to mind

Realize that even the resorts that are a reasonable value are mostly going to be a downtrade. There aren't a lot of resorts that are on the same level as DVC, Marriott, Hyatt, Westin and Hilton. Also realize when you exchange you lose control and flexibility so you take risk if you have to change or cancel and you lose control of villa assignments. You're at the mercy of the resort. 1 BR do tend to be a better trade value than 2 BR and far better than studios with DVC but many resorts have mostly or only 2 BR. Remember if you're giving up 250 DVC points, that's a market value of around $3500 so it's not a great choice to trade for something you could get for $1000 or even $500. I know some don't want to fool with rentals but the lost value is still reality you just have to decide. IMO there is often more risk with an exchange than a rental done appropriately.

I singled out MX for a reason. There are a ton of great resort but they are cheap to exchange to. Here's an extreme but real personal example. A number of years ago I stayed at a Cabo resort that's in the RCI Registry. The trade costs were slightly different at the time than now but for 2 weeks (1 BR then 2 BR) it would literally have been 1500 DVC points and my real costs were around $650 total for the 2 weeks all inclusive of ALL costs for the accommodations. All inclusive tend to be the worst value and by the time you pay the AI fee are often more than if you'd just went cash. I've seen it where you could get the same resort exactly on cash including air inclusive for less than just the AI fee itself. I've seen the AI fees over $4K for 2 people and some charge for the private occupancy of the unit even if you don't have that many staying.

For investigating timeshares I find TA poor at best but there is volume there so it can be helpful if you just understand the limitations. Also relying on RCI's ratings or posts there will set you up for a poor experience. Use those as a small part of your investigation only. I prefer TUG (Timeshare Users Group) as my main source then when it comes down to specifics, I often try to find people who have true knowledge and experience with a given set of resorts and area, TUG's BBS is good for that like DIS is for DVC. Ultimately I look at a number of options including the resort's web pages and often get good info from rental sites that list a given resort.

 

[bwvBound]

Don't forget that you can also book RCI Rental Weeks through the DVC>RCI portal. This allows you to book RCI destinations on cash rates rather than using your points.

We are presently at the Wyndham Flagstaff (AZ), booked through RCI but not using DVC. Having a blast -- great location, lots to do. The unit is fresh (feels NEW!) and clean. The week is flying by far too quickly.

 

[com_op_2000]

OP, Have you looked at the Concierge Collection resorts?
I have done exchanges with both the Doral in Miami and Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC and would do so again.

 

[ngl]

Thank you SO much for this detailed reply. I think you all have confirmed what I have thought about RCI - really not up to DVC standards. As i mentioned, we tried a couple RCI properties previously based solely on location and they were fine but not DVC or HGVC level either (we are HGVC members as well so have access to all those properties through our points there and agree the NYC and HI ones are great. LV too).

Looking to do a trip to the Canadian Rockies and some other places where there are no DVC or HGVC properties so trying to think out of the box a bit! But just sounds like it is not worth it. We live 1 hr from WDW and annual passholders so can always find a way to use points lol. Just wondering if anyone had good experiences with RCI.

Thanks so much!!

Now that I've got more time and you're oriented to the thought process, I'll explore this further. People tend to be either more oriented to the quality/experience of a resort OR a destination person meaning they want to go to an area and as long as something's clean, safe & functional, they're fine. Obviously most are somewhere in between but people really to tend to truly be more one type or the other. It's difficult to throw out a list of specific resorts because it's so limited but to name a few:

• Hilton's in HI
• A few other resorts in HI (KBC, SOK for example)
• NYC resorts
• A few ski resorts during top ski weeks
• A couple of Aruba resorts (Playa Linda, Costa Linda, La Cabana) come to mind.
• Some of the Panhandle Wyndham's plus one or 2 others in that area
• Bluegreen's in Savannah, Charleston come to mind

Realize that even the resorts that are a reasonable value are mostly going to be a downtrade. There aren't a lot of resorts that are on the same level as DVC, Marriott, Hyatt, Westin and Hilton. Also realize when you exchange you lose control and flexibility so you take risk if you have to change or cancel and you lose control of villa assignments. You're at the mercy of the resort. 1 BR do tend to be a better trade value than 2 BR and far better than studios with DVC but many resorts have mostly or only 2 BR. Remember if you're giving up 250 DVC points, that's a market value of around $3500 so it's not a great choice to trade for something you could get for $1000 or even $500. I know some don't want to fool with rentals but the lost value is still reality you just have to decide. IMO there is often more risk with an exchange than a rental done appropriately.

I singled out MX for a reason. There are a ton of great resort but they are cheap to exchange to. Here's an extreme but real personal example. A number of years ago I stayed at a Cabo resort that's in the RCI Registry. The trade costs were slightly different at the time than now but for 2 weeks (1 BR then 2 BR) it would literally have been 1500 DVC points and my real costs were around $650 total for the 2 weeks all inclusive of ALL costs for the accommodations. All inclusive tend to be the worst value and by the time you pay the AI fee are often more than if you'd just went cash. I've seen it where you could get the same resort exactly on cash including air inclusive for less than just the AI fee itself. I've seen the AI fees over $4K for 2 people and some charge for the private occupancy of the unit even if you don't have that many staying.

For investigating timeshares I find TA poor at best but there is volume there so it can be helpful if you just understand the limitations. Also relying on RCI's ratings or posts there will set you up for a poor experience. Use those as a small part of your investigation only. I prefer TUG (Timeshare Users Group) as my main source then when it comes down to specifics, I often try to find people who have true knowledge and experience with a given set of resorts and area, TUG's BBS is good for that like DIS is for DVC. Ultimately I look at a number of options including the resort's web pages and often get good info from rental sites that list a given resort.

 

[bwvBound]

Thank you SO much for this detailed reply. I think you all have confirmed what I have thought about RCI - really not up to DVC standards. As i mentioned, we tried a couple RCI properties previously based solely on location and they were fine but not DVC or HGVC level either (we are HGVC members as well so have access to all those properties through our points there and agree the NYC and HI ones are great. LV too).

Looking to do a trip to the Canadian Rockies and some other places where there are no DVC or HGVC properties so trying to think out of the box a bit! But just sounds like it is not worth it. We live 1 hr from WDW and annual passholders so can always find a way to use points lol. Just wondering if anyone had good experiences with RCI.

Thanks so much!!

In some cases, folks see what they want to see.

We've been RCI members for ~18 years and trade fairly regularly. As stated earlier, I'm presently staying at the Wyndham Flagstaff on an RCI exchange, although not through DVC. The unit is sparkling (very clean, fresh) and every bit "DVC standards" with a large jetted tub, full kitchen (much better equipped than DVC units), fireplace, in room laundry, etc. There is plenty to do nearby ... we enjoyed the "Pinecone Drop" (New Years event), Grand Canyon Railway and lots of Federal Lands (National Parks, National Monuments, designated off road trails, etc).

Some of our other great trades include back to back weeks in South Africa in 3BR chalet units (loved these!), lots of holiday weeks (intervals including Memorial Day and New Years are our favorite weeks to "be somewhere") and some "just for fun" exchanges or rental weeks. With the exception of one reservation (Orange Lake County Club, Orlando; YUCK!) we've been quite successful with RCI. Even with that troubled reservation, RCI was quick to move us to a better location immediately. Yep, we've had good experiences with RCI.

It is what you make of it ...

 

[Dean]

Thank you SO much for this detailed reply. I think you all have confirmed what I have thought about RCI - really not up to DVC standards. As i mentioned, we tried a couple RCI properties previously based solely on location and they were fine but not DVC or HGVC level either (we are HGVC members as well so have access to all those properties through our points there and agree the NYC and HI ones are great. LV too).

Looking to do a trip to the Canadian Rockies and some other places where there are no DVC or HGVC properties so trying to think out of the box a bit! But just sounds like it is not worth it. We live 1 hr from WDW and annual passholders so can always find a way to use points lol. Just wondering if anyone had good experiences with RCI.

Thanks so much!!

I would suggest keeping your mind and options open. There are reasonable exchanges even with stringent criteria. Just look at the options i the area you want to go and compare to other ways to get there. Also remember that as a rule, anything sitting there online isn't going to fit those criteria unless it's a points resort exactly 10 months out. Ongoing searches put in way in advance (1-2 years) are almost always the best chance of success with RCI. I'd agree with bwvBound in that one can make the best of most situations. But I disagree on the concept that if you enjoy it automatically makes it good trade, not if you're throwing away $2000 in the process.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Is this the same thing as the DVC Concierge collection? We were thinking of using our points at one of the resorts some time and don't know which might be good options. We're definitely not city people, considering some of the mountain/seashore resorts.

 

[Dean Marino]

Really, this is a HORRIBLE use of points. Compare DVC "Point" costs against booking the same room through the Internet....
Use those "points" at DVC? RCI is of little, to NO value.

 

[bwvBound]

Is this the same thing as the DVC Concierge collection? We were thinking of using our points at one of the resorts some time and don't know which might be good options. We're definitely not city people, considering some of the mountain/seashore resorts.

Concierge Collection and World Collection (RCI) are two separate programs.

Really, this is a HORRIBLE use of points. Compare DVC "Point" costs against booking the same room through the Internet....
Use those "points" at DVC? RCI is of little, to NO value.

The value should be determined on a case-by-case basis. First, recall that RCI resorts can be accessed as cash rentals so that the DVC member does not give up any of their DVC points. In my Flagstaff example, I booked the exchange during an "RCI Exchange SALE" -- and it was a very cheap exchange.

 

[Dean]

Really, this is a HORRIBLE use of points. Compare DVC "Point" costs against booking the same room through the Internet....
Use those "points" at DVC? RCI is of little, to NO value.

For most things that's true but some of the options are more egregious than others. If one wants to make a single blanket statement, I'd agree with you. And in reality most members aren't going to plan ahead enough and/or put in the extra effort to determine what trades are truly financially reasonable. Even when technically reasonable, exchanges don't always fit the needs/desires of a person. If you want the beach and exchange to HI, there's a good chance you'll be disappointed if you're not careful. Or maybe there are added costs you didn't consider like an AC fee or mandatory valet parking. IMO the bottom line is one needs to put in a reasonable amount of effort and time to investigate the resort and specifics. If one isn't willing to do that, they shouldn't exchange no matter the "value". Just trusting RCI and DVC that it'll be OK without checking it our appropriately, one gets what they deserve. Given that most resorts are a down trade, that many resorts have differences that could be gotcha's and there are many other variables; the chances of something catching you is fairly high.

For example, a 2 BR exchange is always technically for 6 and a studio for 2. For some resorts this is all they sleep and resorts can be very hard line on occupancy. I've seen ultimatum's given on occupancy including 2 hours given to get down to the allowed limit or they'd have to vacate the unit entirely. There is considerable variability in resort quality even within Gold Crown plus some Silver Crown are better than many Gold Crown resorts.

In general, if exchanging routinely is the plan, non DVC options will be better long term. But for specific options occasionally it can be reasonable to use but is NEVER reasonable as a purchase plan.

 

[ldo]

We traded via rci in 2015 for banff rocky mountain resort. Fabulous trip. We put on a search 1 year out. It’s not dvc Marriott or hgvc but the location was perfect. We had 2 tiny upstairs bedrooms w/queen beds and and large bathroom and a fold out sofa and bath w/shower on the main level. Small galley kitchen. I could not have designed a more efficient use of space. Entire unit was likely 700 sq ft.
But the staff and location made the trip. We could bike or longish walk into town or take the hourly shuttle. Everyone was ready to go back the next year. And I have some super picky teens.
Location way better than fancier resorts in canmore. If you can somewhat rough it with non luxury digs and you get a Banff exchange Take it!!

 

[Asherry25]

If you’re going to do it, make sure it is a Gold Crown property. While none of it’s really a great value, that’s your best bet. In terms of actual units, I’ve stayed in plenty of units that are in much better shape than those at Disney.