Thinking of trying RCI.

[Dano1182]

We have been members since 2000. We have only stayed at WDW DVC locations.

Thinking of trying RCI . Any advice or recommendations?

Thinking of sticking with Florida locations

 

[Dean]

Just explore your options and make sure you understand what you are and are not getting including the risks if something happens and that you know the options you're agreeing to. As a rule it's a poor choice but for high demand times and high demand resorts, it can be good to very good. You should plan at least a year out, further is better.

 

[Dano1182]

What are the risks?
I just started looking into this and know very little

 

[chalee94]

What are the risks?
I just started looking into this and know very little

You are turning DVC pts - which can easily be rented for cash with only a little effort through David's or a similar broker - into points which (if you had to cancel) can no longer be used in the DVC system. Your options if you needed to cancel and rebook would be limited. Finding a good value would be tough as you would likely be trading for timeshares that cost $1 upfront with a fraction of the annual dues that you pay for DVC.

IMO, most of what Dean refers to as "high demand" resorts would involve trades for Hawaii rather than other FL timeshares.

I just think you are better off renting for cash (even after paying the taxes on that income) unless you do a lot of homework to get comfortable with what you are trading for...

this thread is dated but may be helpful:

https://www.disboards.com/threads/exchanging-your-dvc-for-another-timeshare-via-rci.3436578/

 

[Dean]

What are the risks?
I just started looking into this and know very little

The risks with doing a request first are in 2 areas, value and restrictions. If you get something that you could easily get the same or similar on cash for a lot less than the value of the DVC points, then you've taken a reduced value no different than trading for a cruise or similar. The real value of points is what they can be rented for and with the brokers, that's an even simpler and more main stream options. Mx is the classic example where you might take something you could get for $500 but use 250 DVC points worth more than $3K. Here's my real world example. The last time we went to Mx was to Cabo at a resort that is in the RCI registry collection. Had I reserved with DVC it would have been 1500 points (600 for the 1BR & 900 for the 2 BR) but my real costs were in the range of $700 total for the 2 weeks including indirect exchange costs. For FL there are some resorts/areas that come to mind like Sanibel, Key West, Miami Beach, Palm Beach Shores, Hyatt SW coast (if it survived the hurricane) and a couple of Panhandle resorts among others. IMO whether they're reasonable trades would assume a higher demand time, a very good resort or above and a high demand resort.

Then there's the limitations once you exchange. If you have to cancel you're mostly out of luck and there are extra costs if you have to change. Plus you can't rent the exchange. There's also just the issue of making sure you're understanding what resorts you're accepting. HI is a good example, one might assume you're going to the beach but many have no beach. Or one might be surprised at $35 a day parking or $100 a week for the AC, etc. I think there are good exchange options but it's only a minority of the RCI options during a portion of the time. HI most of the year would be there along with the Caribbean for a portion. Of course any limitations on the points could affect the choices.

The bottom line is to be informed about all of the parameters and make decisions accordingly.

 

[dvc_john]

Hyatt SW coast (if it survived the hurricane)

It did - scheduled to re-open Sep 22 (except for the Lazy River).