RCI might be our only choice, and we have questions about using it

[disneygrandma]

We have never considered using RCI before, NEVER. But now we're being told that might be our only choice for banked points due to cancellations caused by Covid 19.
As we understand it, transactions can only be deposited in increments of 10 points, and contracts can not be combined. We have 3 contracts, and while one has 100 banked points, the other two have 16 points and 23 points which are banked. So on those contracts, we would have 10 points and 20 points. Can anything be done with such small amounts?

I have looked thru the RCI on the member website, and I do see where there are nights that start at 10 points during a certain season. However, I'm not able to find the information on the seasons, or where these places are that start at 10 points. Does anyone know where we can look for more information on the seasons, etc?

Does anyone have experience in booking/using RCI with such few points? We would appreciate any help we can get in trying to sort out what to do about RCI. Thanks for your help!

 

[dismedvc]

We are in a similar situation and were waiting to see replies to this thread.

My concern would be for members who deposit into RCI because they think that is the only choice for points that would certainly expire. Then if DVC decides to do anything related to reinstating, or partially reinstating, expired points in the future, the members who deposited into RCI would not be eligible for that reinstatement.

Personally, if DVC decided expired points could be used at half their initial value for some time period in the future, that would be preferable to me vs. depositing those points into RCI. However, if DVC decides to do nothing related to expired points, depositing points that were going to expire into RCI would be better than nothing.

The problem is we will not know what, if anything, DVC decides to do about expired points until after it is too late to deposit them into RCI.

 

[FSUSammy]

We are in a similar situation and were waiting to see replies to this thread.

My concern would be for members who deposit into RCI because they think that is the only choice for points that would certainly expire. Then if DVC decides to do anything related to reinstating, or partially reinstating, expired points in the future, the members who deposited into RCI would not be eligible for that reinstatement.

Personally, if DVC decided expired points could be used at half their initial value for some time period in the future, that would be preferable to me vs. depositing those points into RCI. However, if DVC decides to do nothing related to expired points, depositing points that were going to expire into RCI would be better than nothing.

The problem is we will not know what, if anything, DVC decides to do about expired points until after it is too late to deposit them into RCI.

Totally agree on the 50% thing. I am really not wanting to transfer to RCI and I'll have to make that decision within the next 15 days. I'm hoping Disney will make a decision before then knowing that the April 15th deadline is quickly approaching for those with a June UY.

 

[JohnGypsy]

Indeed -- I think there are a lot of us in that situation (June UY that need to decide whether or not to dump to RCI before the 45 day window expires.) Hopefully we'll hear something soon to see what the best option is. At least we have a couple of weeks to see if Disney announces anything.

 

[bwvBound]

Are you really certain that contracts cannot be combined vs memberships?

Contracts under a single membership, in every other DVC context I can recall, have been able to act as one pool of points.

 

[disneygrandma]

You're right. I should have said that memberships couldn't be combined. Sorry about that.

We actually have 4 contracts and 3 memberships.

I keep thinking about this. If they won't allow the banked points to move forward, then it would be great if they would allow us to use them in the Disney Collection. Even though the Disney Collection would use quite a few points, it would be more acceptable to us than going in to RCI.

 

[LAX]

Is there restriction to RCI trades for any subgroup of resale members?

LAX

 

[Sandisw]

Is there restriction to RCI trades for any subgroup of resale members?

LAX

No

 

[LAX]

No

Thanks for the quick reply. I honestly have never looked into RCI because I have learned (from here, thanks gang!) that it's not a good use of DVC points. Hence, I probably won't be too upset if I am actually excluded. Obviously, at times like this, it's better to salvage those points than suffer a total loss.

LAX

 

[bwang123]

As we understand it, transactions can only be deposited in increments of 10 points, and contracts can not be combined.

I thought i read it was a minimum or 10 points not in increments of 10.

 

[gharter]

We are in a similar situation. Our trip was cancelled too close to our UY to be able to bank. So it looks like our options ar RCI or lose them.
At least threads here were helpful on how to go about using RCI.

 

[Shamus]

Has anyone with a June UY been successful with an RCI Deposit since the resorts closed?
I understand RCI gives you 2 years to use the deposited "points", but what is RCI getting in return?
......Points for a closed resort that expire on 5/31/2020.
Or is this one of DVC's "Don't ask how the sausage is made" deals?

 

[gharter]

Has anyone with a June UY been successful with an RCI Deposit since the resorts closed?
I understand RCI gives you 2 years to use the deposited "points", but what is RCI getting in return?
......Points for a closed resort that expire on 5/31/2020.
Or is this one of DVC's "Don't ask how the sausage is made" deals?

Yes. last night.
You have to call DVC member services and they will transfer the points for you. I couldn't find anyway online to do it. The person I talked to said it can't be done online and you have to call them. The points are transferred in groups of 10. Our points expire June, now with RCI they expire Dec 2022. Now to find somewhere to use them.

 

[Tigger2ntinkerbell]

We also have 100 point waiting to see if Disney will do anything.
I called MS and spoke with a RCI rep because I was looking at Virginia beach (80 a week) and the lady laughed and said each RCI Resort in VB is 130 a week IF available and it would be the smallest unit.
I don't get it , the chart shows 80 point for a week .

 

[bwvBound]

What 'chart' are you looking at? If it is a static chart of exchange values, those might be assumed to either a "starting at" value or a specific value for the "least expensive studio at the lowest graded property in the lowest demand season." The rep was likely telling you the lowest value currently available based on your requested travel window.

FWIW, I ran an RCI search for Virginia Beach this morning for "anything 5/1/2020 through 6/30/2021." The smallest unit I see is a 1BR; 100 DVC points for weeks in November. These same units are 130 DVC Points for May/June travel dates.

What are you seeing when you search online?

We also have 100 point waiting to see if Disney will do anything.
I called MS and spoke with a RCI rep because I was looking at Virginia beach (80 a week) and the lady laughed and said each RCI Resort in VB is 130 a week IF available and it would be the smallest unit.
I don't get it , the chart shows 80 point for a week .

 

[Brian Noble]

I understand RCI gives you 2 years to use the deposited "points", but what is RCI getting in return?

Most mini-systems work speculatively, with some feedback for adjustment. In this model, the management company has an idea of how many points will (eventually) be deposited by the end of the use year. As the year unfolds, the management company chooses what and when to deposit, with the expectation that they will get things mostly right and the books will be more or less balanced when the end of the year rolls around. If they are off, the deposit rate is adjusted going forward to balance the books.

Wyndham works this way, for example: they allow owners to deposit right up to the last day of their use year, but deposit (roughly) monthly based on expectations. They also structure their deposits in a way that tends to keep the most in-demand inventory available for owners, while depositing things that are less likely to be used internally. DVC also does something pretty similar.

 

[Shamus]

Most mini-systems work speculatively, with some feedback for adjustment. In this model, the management company has an idea of how many points will (eventually) be deposited by the end of the use year. As the year unfolds, the management company chooses what and when to deposit, with the expectation that they will get things mostly right and the books will be more or less balanced when the end of the year rolls around. If they are off, the deposit rate is adjusted going forward to balance the books.

Wyndham works this way, for example: they allow owners to deposit right up to the last day of their use year, but deposit (roughly) monthly based on expectations. They also structure their deposits in a way that tends to keep the most in-demand inventory available for owners, while depositing things that are less likely to be used internally. DVC also does something pretty similar.

Thanks Brian, That's how I understood it.
My confusion here is that DVCM had no way of anticipating (unless they are truly super psychic) the potential for a run on RCI deposits which may occur over the next week. So how will it balance out without DVCM doing some shady DVC point accounting in the back room.

 

[CarolynFH]

Thanks Brian, That's how I understood it.
My confusion here is that DVCM had no way of anticipating (unless they are truly super psychic) the potential for a run on RCI deposits which may occur over the next week. So how will it balance out without DVCM doing some shady DVC point accounting in the back room.

I don’t think any of us know anything about the details of the DVC-RCI contract, but it’s possible that just as depositing your points into RCI gives you two more years to use them, it may give DVC 2 years to deposit DVC rooms into RCI in exchange. Alleviates some of the pressure from the over abundance of points that will be chasing rooms next year.

 

[Shamus]

I don’t think any of us know anything about the details of the DVC-RCI contract, but it’s possible that just as depositing your points into RCI gives you two more years to use them, it may give DVC 2 years to deposit DVC rooms into RCI in exchange. Alleviates some of the pressure from the over abundance of points that will be chasing rooms next year.

Carolyn -
So DVC can bank beyond one year but the individual member can't?
That is exactly what I mean by back room accounting.
If we are only given 3 years to use our points (borrow, current, bank), how is DVC/RCI allowed to extend that?
If banked June 2018 points are deposited with RCI this week, and DVC now has until Dec 2022 to give RCI the room, how does that usage balance within the 2018-2020 UYs for DVC?

 

[Brian Noble]

My confusion here is that DVCM had no way of anticipating (unless they are truly super psychic) the potential for a run on RCI deposits which may occur over the next week. So how will it balance out without DVCM doing some shady DVC point accounting in the back room.

They will “owe” RCI in the future, and will have to deposit at a slightly higher rate. But late deposits (<45 days) don’t need to really be backed by anything because they can only exchange for the leftovers no one wants anyway. Plus DVC has been good about depositing things that for the most part Members don’t really want—mostly 1BRs at SSR, typically not including many of those high-demand times (October, early December, race weekends, etc.) Also, there isn’t anything like a 1-1 match of weeks. One DVC deposit is valued as much as two or more others in most cases. There may even be some accounting for whether deposits are ever used. I suspect a chunk of those last minute deposits won’t be.