Interesting conversation with RCI today

bwvBound

DVC SSR & other timeshare
Joined
Feb 5, 2004
I have an individual RCI Weeks membership, outside DVC, related to my other timeshare (plural). I've been working an "issue" with RCI for the past few weeks and have twice, recently, phoned into RCI. After supplying my RCI Membership number the phone rep has asked, "Is this about your Weeks account or your Points account?"

This question is strange to me as I don't, knowingly, have an RCI Points account. I had one, briefly ~2004'ish, but cancelled it. So today I pursued the question just a bit, "Weeks ... but I'm surprised that you see a Points account for my membership. Is that because I also own DVC?" The answer came back, "Yes."

I tried pushing for just a bit more info ... "How is it that DVC is attached to my individual RCI Weeks account when DVC's relationship to RCI is a corporate membership?" No answer from the RCI Rep.

So I'm curious. DVC never asked for my individual RCI information and I never had reason to give my DVC info to RCI. So how are these points connected? I s'pose DVC shared membership info, at minimum Name + Address, to RCI at some point in time. Perhaps when we gained the ability to search RCI's rental weeks?

Hmmm. I wonder if this data-relationship will continue to strengthen into new trade opportunities for those of us w/ individual RCI accounts? Where will it go ... ? (What benefits or restrictions might appear?) My imagination is stirred:
  • Positive change: 1-in-4 inbound exchange restrictions created but waived for DVC members?
  • Negative change: Broaden the current inbound exchange geographic restriction ("can't trade into DVC using an Orlando timeshare") to include "can't trade into DVC if your RCI account includes any Orlando timeshare including WDW DVC locations?"
 
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I have had that same conversation with RCI and I believe I have the same other TS as you do. They told me that if I bought (or inherited, in my case) from the developer, I had access to both Points and Weeks. A co-worker that bought that same other TS resale was told by RCI that he only had access to Weeks. I'm not quite sure what the difference is in RCI, but I see a lot more inventory than he does. He says he never sees DVC at all. I don't think RCI has any way of knowing that we have DVC also. I try to avoid calling RCI because often they tell me things that I know are not correct. I just think they aren't well versed in their own system, not intentionally trying to give wrong info.
 
Ah, thanks! I've owned the timeshare we might have in common since long before RCI Points (and before that same timeshare invented a way to include RCI as a perk in 2006 to new buyers). As we haven't upgraded to that new program, I'm certain that the curious question from the RCI phone reps isn't related to that timeshare. Seems to be a strange connection with DVC, somehow ... ??

Yes, if you have RCI Points as well as Weeks, I would expect to see much more inventory than us poor slugs with RCI Weeks. :crutches:
So glad for you! :dogdance:
 
Unless you opted out, Disney shares your DVC info with their other business units and third parities. I tried to get specific info about opting out a few years ago but I couldn't find anyone at Disney who would give me the info, they all said that they didn't know about opting out or who to call. I seem to remember that this year we weren't given the form to opt out with our dues statements.

:earsboy: Bill

 


Unless you opted out, Disney shares your DVC info with their other business units and third parities. I tried to get specific info about opting out a few years ago but I couldn't find anyone at Disney who would give me the info, they all said that they didn't know about opting out or who to call. I seem to remember that this year we weren't given the form to opt out with our dues statements.

:earsboy: Bill
True, yes. I'm just surprised that the info seems to be tied together at RCI. Given the doubts I've had with both RCI's and DVC's IT skills and the understanding that DVC's relationship with RCI is at the Corporate level rather than individual, it is a true surprise that RCI acknowledges my owning DVC.

I do wonder if it is a "step" towards a different relationship? I think it might?

The Multi Property POS that has been recently posted suggests that future resale DVC buyers are not guaranteed RCI. Does this open a door to "individual RCI memberships" for those future DVC buyers? If so, might it allow the RCI membership as optional, shifting the burden to the individual rather than the present corporate arrangement? Hmmm ... there could be interesting benefits to both sales and the member.

Benefit to Sales: If you purchase from us, we give you a free RCI membership. You don't get that if buying resale.
Intentionally unclear language: Is the resale buyer prevented from having RCI for their DVC or simply that they must pay for it themselves??
Also unclear: Is the direct benefit ongoing or only the first year?​

Benefit to DVC Owners: If shifted to individual choice, perhaps I could access all my exchange options under one RCI login (rather than my present habit of using two different login procedures depending on which timeshare I'm attempting to exchange). Also, perhaps there is a slim chance that, if my ongoing membership is paid by DVC, that I could discontinue my individual RCI renewal by lumping it all under my DVC RCI. (Doubtful, but not impossible.)
Hmmmm ...
 

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