Coverting DVC points into RCI points

[pmatzner]

I been looking everywhere and cannot find this answer, so hoping some of you can help. How can I figure out how many DVC points it takes to stay at RCI resorts? The RCI point system is very different then DVC. Thanks!

 

[ryanl81]

I would also be interested in understanding this if anyone could help?

 

[WebmasterDoc]

Here is the World Passport Collection point chart using DVC points. These are all for 7 night stays:

Studio. 106 Low/123 Mid/134 High
1 BR.... 124 Low/144 Mid/160 High
2 BR.....207 Low/252 Mid/270 High
3 BR.....276 Low/317 Mid/349 High

In most cases, I'd assume that the resort will be High season for planning purposes. If they end up being less you can always be pleasantly surprised! The seasons are decided by the individual resorts.

 

[myxdvz]

And how does DVC decide which resorts (I assume the owners home resort) room type and and dates (this is the mystery to me) to deposit to RCI?

Is it the exact equivalent of what was booked?

So, if I exchange for a 1 BR RCI property on Jan 5-11, 2014 , does it then deposit the same unit and dates for my home resort (BLT) where the points came from?

 

[JimMIA]

RCI actually has two distinct pools of resorts -- Weeks, and Points. DVC has access to some of both. Out of RCI's claimed 3,242 total resorts, DVC members have access to a little less than 600.

The RCI Weeks system is generally for a 7-night stay (although you don't have to stay the whole time). During peak seasons, checkins may be limited to Friday, Saturday, or Sunday at many resorts. DVC members may also have some access to RCI Nightly Stays, which are Points System resorts. And just to make things even more muddy, some resorts operate in both the weeks and points systems. As you can imagine, with 3,200 resorts (many of which are independently owned), there is an enormous variation in these policies...as there is in quality of the resorts.

DVC/RCI operates on what is called a "fixed grid" system, with fixed point costs varying only by season, as listed above by Doc. This grid has nothing to do with RCI Points -- it's a negotiated currency schedule between RCI and DVC. So if you stay in a 1 BR at an RCI Gold Crown resort in high season on one trip, and a one-star dump 1 BR also in high season -- you pay 160 points for each.

In anyone's system, exchanging out through a company like RCI will usually (but not always) mean something of a downgrade in accommodations. You will also generally (but not always) be paying some points premium for the exchange...which is why some say exchanges are not a good use of your points.

Realistically, by far the best use of DVC points is for stays in a DVC resort. I would not ever recommend RCI exchanges except as a last resort. If you messed up and forgot to bank points and they are about to expire, then you have to option to deposit them into RCI as a last resort. That's the only situation where I would deposit DVC points (or my Wyndham points, for that matter) into RCI.

If I wanted to go places where DVC doesn't have resorts, I would buy a different timeshare, not consider DVC/RCI as a viable alternative.

 

[Dean]

I been looking everywhere and cannot find this answer, so hoping some of you can help. How can I figure out how many DVC points it takes to stay at RCI resorts? The RCI point system is very different then DVC. Thanks!

Realistically you should look at 2 BR high season first and then 1 BR high season second so 160 or 270 points for anything that's red time in RCI. Remember you have to pay for a 2 BR if that's all that's available or that's all that the resort has. The only exception is if you're searching for a smaller unit with an ongoing search, they may give you a larger unit and you'd pay the lower price.

And how does DVC decide which resorts (I assume the owners home resort) room type and and dates (this is the mystery to me) to deposit to RCI?

Is it the exact equivalent of what was booked?

So, if I exchange for a 1 BR RCI property on Jan 5-11, 2014 , does it then deposit the same unit and dates for my home resort (BLT) where the points came from?

They pool the points and make reservations. They can do it both ways (home resort or any resort) but are limited to the same usage criteria as if you were booking yourself first then depositing. Anything more than 7 months out will be home resort of the points, anything else can be any resort but can be home resort. They are also subject to availability as we all are. Actually the resort or time of year requested or accepted out of the RCI system has nothing directly to do with what DVC gives RCI. The demand of the week does determine the number of DVC points involved int eh transaction. Orlando is red time all year round

 

[myxdvz]

Realistically you should look at 2 BR high season first and then 1 BR high season second so 160 or 270 points for anything that's red time in RCI. Remember you have to pay for a 2 BR if that's all that's available or that's all that the resort has. The only exception is if you're searching for a smaller unit with an ongoing search, they may give you a larger unit and you'd pay the lower price.

They pool the points and make reservations. They can do it both ways (home resort or any resort) but are limited to the same usage criteria as if you were booking yourself first then depositing. Anything more than 7 months out will be home resort of the points, anything else can be any resort but can be home resort. They are also subject to availability as we all are. Actually the resort or time of year requested or accepted out of the RCI system has nothing directly to do with what DVC gives RCI. The demand of the week does determine the number of DVC points involved int eh transaction. Orlando is red time all year round

I guess the reason I'm asking is to anticipate what, if any will be available thru RCI. So for example, knowing that December is a pretty popular season for DVC members (low points + holidays) and is mostly sold out this year, does it follow that one can't likely find a first week of December deposit via RCI?

 

[Dean]

I guess the reason I'm asking is to anticipate what, if any will be available thru RCI. So for example, knowing that December is a pretty popular season for DVC members (low points + holidays) and is mostly sold out this year, does it follow that one can't likely find a first week of December deposit via RCI?

It's been a moving target but as a rule, a little bit of everything will likely be available. All unit sizes with the exceptions of the 3 BR (I've seen 2 I think) and all resorts. Obviously SSR & OKW will predominate but I've stayed at all resorts other than BLT with exchanges and I've had several opportunities where I could have gotten BLT. You'll see most deposits for a given resort just after the 11 month window and just after the 7 month window but there tend to be a few along and sometimes fairly short notice. I've stayed early Dec twice through RCI, I've seen Easter, 4th of July, Thanksgiving and Christmas not uncommonly Two issues with such statements as I've made are it does appear that it's changed over time and that you only see what comes online, not what matches with ongoing searches.

 

[pmatzner]

Here is the World Passport Collection point chart using DVC points. These are all for 7 night stays:

Studio. 106 Low/123 Mid/134 High
1 BR.... 124 Low/144 Mid/160 High
2 BR.....207 Low/252 Mid/270 High
3 BR.....276 Low/317 Mid/349 High

In most cases, I'd assume that the resort will be High season for planning purposes. If they end up being less you can always be pleasantly surprised! The seasons are decided by the individual resorts.

Thanks Doc, this helps a lot!