RCI - Trading to stay at Bonnet Creek?

[Captainkidd76]

My MIL owns at Vistana, but we'd like to stay at Bonnet Creek. This trip isn't until July 2019. I read something about not being able to book for fewer points until 60 days out, or something to that effect. I had contacted someone on ebay and they informed me they could book a 2 bedroom for 15 nights now for about $4,500, which is more than we want to spend. RCI has told us there are several resorts we could reserve now, but Bonnet Creek wasn't one of them, at least not at this time. Is this because it needs to be done no further than 60 days in advance?

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

I've been an RCI member since 1985. From what I recall, Wyndham bulk deposits their properties into the system at about 7-8 months out. The Wyndham units usually get snapped up pretty quickly when they get deposited. I would have your MIL set up an ongoing RCI search for WBC for your July 2019 dates. That way you'll increase your chance of getting a match when Wyndham makes it's deposit somewhere around December-ish.

ETA: The whole book within 60 days for fewer points thing is for people who own Wyndham points. They book directly through Wyndham, not through RCI. My parents are platinum owners through Wyndham. When we stay at WBC, we stay using their Wyndham points. We've never traded into WBC through RCI, but we could if we wanted to using the Wyndham timeshare week (fixed week, not points) that I own.

 

[Captainkidd76]

OK, so since she owns RCI at Vistana, we just leave her name on the waiting list and it should (if available) open up in December or so? Can we book at say Orange Lake (which is currently available) but keep her name on Bonnet Creek and switch if it opens up?

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

OK, so since she owns RCI at Vistana, we just leave her name on the waiting list and it should (if available) open up in December or so? Can we book at say Orange Lake (which is currently available) but keep her name on Bonnet Creek and switch if it opens up?

She has to log on to her RCI account and set up an ongoing search and pay the $239 trade fee. This fee will be refunded if she doesn’t get a match. The search can be set up for a range of dates or for a specific week. It can be set up for just WBC or for multiple resorts like WBC, Vistana, Orange Lake, Vacation Village at Parkway, Silver Lake, etc. If a match occurs with any one of the resorts on your list, you have 24 hours to confirm it, or if it’s not one you really want, you can let it go. Once you confirm, you are locked in to that resort. No switching.

 

[Captainkidd76]

She has to log on to her RCI account and set up an ongoing search and pay the $239 trade fee. This fee will be refunded if she doesn’t get a match. The search can be set up for a range of dates or for a specific week. It can be set up for just WBC or for multiple resorts like WBC, Vistana, Orange Lake, Vacation Village at Parkway, Silver Lake, etc. If a match occurs with any one of the resorts on your list, you have 24 hours to confirm it, or if it’s not one you really want, you can let it go. Once you confirm, you are locked in to that resort. No switching.

Thank you for the explanation!

Wow, locked in with no changing. I don't even think DVC does that.

 

[queenofthehive]

Thank you for the explanation!

Wow, locked in with no changing. I don't even think DVC does that.

Well, technically you can change resorts after booking, you will just lose your booking fee of $239, plus $99 if you want to save the value of the points booked for that trip. Also, you have to pay another $239 fee in booking a new resort if that is what you decide to do. So, it can get pricey to change.

 

[Lisa P.]

Mrs. Ciz & queenofthehive have given good info. The most recent bulk deposit of Wyndham resorts into RCI earlier this month was for check-ins in April 2019. So make sure there's an OGS (OnGoing Search) request in RCI, ready to match before the July deposits are made. RCI matches deposited weeks to the OGS wait list, first come, first served. So the earlier the OGS is entered, the better your chance of a match. Based on past patterns, Wyndham may deposit July 2019 Bonnet Creek weeks anytime between November 2018 and February 2019 - 5 to 8 months ahead of check-in. There will usually only be one bulk deposit made for a given month of check-ins and nearly all popular check-in deposits will be snapped up within a few days, especially for school vacation/break periods.

Note that some resorts, like DVC, place a block through RCI, preventing owners at other area resorts from exchanging in. So a Vistana owner may not exchange into DVC's SSR. So far, Wyndham has not instituted this kind of regional block.

Also, Wyndham can only use available inventory which has not been reserved by owners for their own vacations, to deposit weeks into RCI. So you generally won't see prime time, holiday weeks deposited to RCI, like July 4th, or very rarely. Owners book these pretty quickly. Same issue as when trying to trade into any resort system that does bulk deposits to RCI. Their prime holiday weeks, their largest units, and their most popular resorts get booked solid by owners. Ex., you won't see summer weeks deposited to RCI from Wyndham Old Town (Wash, DC) or Disney Grand Californian or HGVC/Hilton NYC or WorldMark Yellowstone in RCI. Nothing.

Wow, locked in with no changing. I don't even think DVC does that.

This references RCI exchanges and it applies to all of them, including DVC properties on exchange. The RCI exchange fee is non-refundable if you change or cancel after a day or so. However, when using owner points to reserve directly through the parent company (Wyndham, Hilton, DVC, etc.), it's different. We are Wyndham owners and we are able to make a certain number (based on # of points owned) of transactions/reservations per year without added fees. We haven't paid more than 1 or 2 transaction fees in 20 years. HTH.

 

[DisneyDotts]

So I currently have a timeshare through a different company and I’m able to book quick weeks through II at low prices. I know DVC operates through RCI. Does RCI have the same benefits and can you book Wyndham Bonnet Creek through RCI without trading into it? I’m getting ready to close on DVC so just wondering how RCI works. Thanks.

 

[chalee94]

Does RCI have the same benefits and can you book Wyndham Bonnet Creek through RCI without trading into it? I’m getting ready to close on DVC so just wondering how RCI works. Thanks.

Yes. RCI has Last Call and Extra Vacation weeks that it sells for cash, similar to II's Getaway weeks.

 

[DisneyDotts]

Yes. RCI has Last Call and Extra Vacation weeks that it sells for cash, similar to II's Getaway weeks.

Thank you for the information. I thought it was like II but wanted to make sure.