# Who Says You Can't Find 9,000 Points Weeks in Florida?



## bogey21 (Dec 24, 2005)

Often I see posts which say that the 45 day/9,000 Point Week in RCI Points isn't worth a darn as such weeks can't be found when you want them.

Yesterday I confirmed that the hurricane repairs on my Unit at the Emerald Seas in Deerfield Beach are just about finished but will not be done in time for my Week 1 (January 7) arrival.  That's ok.  I understand, but it does put me in a bind as I have plane tickets, a car reservation and exchanges in place for Weeks 2 and 3.

Well guess what?  I go to RCI (using my Points Account) and say "I guess the chance you have anything available in South East Florida starting January 6, 7 or 8 are slim to none, Right"?  My nice, pleasant RCI Guide says "Let me check".  Then she comes back and says "How would you like the Avalon in Deerfield Beach for 7,500 Points?"  I say "I'll take it.  Please charge my credit card number which you have on file".  

Now I'll be the first to admit that 45 day/9,000 Point Weeks are not just hanging on trees waiting to be picked, but this is the second time in 4 years that I have been able to get one in an emergency (The other one was Light House Cove in Pompano Beach in January 2003).  In addition I have probably used 45 day/8,000 Point Weeks in Branson three times in the last 2 years.

GEORGE


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## dcmoony (Dec 24, 2005)

Congratulations, I like to hear that there are still some deals to be had.


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## JLB (Dec 24, 2005)

Your good fortune could be related to the sudden appearance of Florida inventory, much of which was not available as recently as yesterday.


Florida/Florida 12/30/05-1/16/06

12/13/05:    24 Resorts have availability
12/14/05:   25 Resorts have availability
12/15/05:   21 Resorts have availability
12/16/05:   25 Resorts have availability
12/17/05:    27 Resorts have availability
12/18/05:   26 Resorts have availability
12/19/05:    24 Resorts have availability 
12/20/05:   17 Resorts have availability 
12/21/05:    20 Resorts have availability
12/22/05:   18 Resorts have availability
12/23/05:   16 Resorts have availability
12/24/05:    37 Resorts have availability   Noon:  30 Resorts 	6:00PM: 22 Resorts 

Florida/Resorts on the Beach 12/30/05-1/16/06

12/13/05:   9 Resorts have availability 
12/14/05:   8 Resorts have availability 
12/15/05:   4 Resorts have availability 
12/16/05:   6 Resorts have availability 
12/17/05:   4 Resorts have availability 
12/19/05:   9 Resorts have availability 
12/20/05:   8 Resorts have availability 
12/21/05:   8 Resorts have availability 
12/22/05:   8 Resorts have availability 
12/23/05:   8 Resorts have availability 
12/24/05:  18 Resorts have availability   Noon:  13 Resorts 	6:00PM:  10 Resorts 


The same thing happened last year on December 19.


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## AwayWeGo (Dec 24, 2005)

*7,500 Points For The Kids' Orlando 2BR - Zero Points For Our Orlando 1BR*

Our 1st points transaction was a 7,500-point 2BR Orlando _Instant Exchange_ reservation for the kids' pre-Christmas vacation the week of December 17-24, 2005. 

That was so satisfactory that we looked for 9,000-point & below _Instant Exchange_ reservations for our own after-Christmas vacation in January 2006. 

Instead, for Zero Points, we took a 1BR _Last Call_ reservation for January 15-22. 

If this keeps up, I don't know how we'll manage to use up all the (minimal) points in our (dinky) timeshare points account. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.


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## donnaval (Dec 24, 2005)

I'm very happy with the 2-br New Smyrna Beach unit we snagged for 7,500 points for January 20.

We do love Last Call but found nothing of interest when we we decided last week to look for a late-January getaway.  There were many units of interest available in points, and this one was just what we were in the mood for.

Made it nice that Southwest had $49 airfare for non-stop flights, too


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## Dani (Dec 25, 2005)

George,

   Your post caused me to do a little investigation.   Ever since I found out about the wonders of 9,000 point or less vacations through Points, I have been doing searches and like you, have noticed that there is very nice availablity within the 45-day time-frame...including Florida.  The other day, I saw a 3-bedroom Orange Lake unit for MLK week for 9,000 points.   However, I never even bothered to search in Weeks because my past experience has been that trade restrictions were never really lifted. Only my best weeks would see increased availability.

  Well, maybe that has changed.  I just did a 45-day search with my Dik week and my Southern Cal week for Florida and East Coast, and pulled up 86 and 87 resorts respectively!!!  I could not believe it.  There was a time when my Dik weeks would only see increased availablity within a week or two of a use date. 

   This is good news...RCI may now have a true last minute window like II.

  Edited to add that I am starting to see the light    With a spacebanked Dik week in my account that is about to expire in a few months, I can get one vacation.   Many of my Dik weeks would simply expire in the past or I would give them away. With the 27,500 points I got in my account for PFD of a Dik week, I can get three 9,000 point weeks!!!


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## timeos2 (Dec 25, 2005)

*Weeks to points means an owner gets the time*



			
				Dani said:
			
		

> Edited to add that I am starting to see the light    With a spacebanked Dik week in my account that is about to expire in a few months, I can get one vacation.   Many of my Dik weeks would simply expire in the past or I would give them away. With the 27,500 points I got in my account for PFD of a Dik week, I can get three 9,000 point weeks!!!


And that should make weeks owners happy as those weeks are going to AN OWNER not an outside renter. But I'd guess that rather than appreciating that weeks owners just cry about "raids" of the weeks system. It's not the points systems fault that weeks is set up to only give you a one week for one week regardless of time period while points understands the lessening value as the dates draw near.  Of course the weeks owners can also get those weeks at 45 days BUT only one vs as many as 3 in points. Now which system is more owner friendly?


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## RonaldCol (Dec 25, 2005)

*Florida is Overbuilt ...*

... and that is why there are so many availabilities for the 9000 points or less vacations.

This is flukish but if you're game for tryng to get the 9000 points weeks the best place to try and get them would be in Florida.


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## JLB (Dec 25, 2005)

_"my email to you was . . . to warn you that as you share information with a core group of timesharers that youa re sharing with others resorts, salespeople, managemetn companies . . . 

". . . my comment was that bragging on tug raises awareness of ineffeciences of the rci economic system to a group that you don't want to know about this such as sales and marketing....

"I think the older we get as a company the more real our data becomes... I think in reality our ability to process data mirrors society's ability to transmit data."
_


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## Dani (Dec 25, 2005)

JLB said:
			
		

> _"my email to you was . . . to warn you that as you share information with a core group of timesharers that youa re sharing with others resorts, salespeople, managemetn companies . . .
> 
> ". . . my comment was that bragging on tug raises awareness of ineffeciences of the rci economic system to a group that you don't want to know about this such as sales and marketing....
> 
> ...



 This is one case where everyone stands to benefit.  RCI benefits as they can get three exchange fees instead of one out of a member using the example I have used. That's more money in their pocket.   The sales and marketing teams benefit as this knowledge might actually convince some that they should pay the cost that many of us, myself included, swore that we would never pay to convert a week that we already own to Points, not to mention more bodies in unused units.   This is also a great selling point.  Take a look at many of the ads already running on ebay for the sale of Points.  Listings by resellers of Points usually make this fact a big selling point in their presentation.   I would say that the ability to pull great last minute weeks for 9,000 Points might be a great incentive to many.


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## JLB (Dec 25, 2005)

*Merry Christmas*

 

Yeah.  One would think so.

But, almost every other good thing we have bragged about seems to have gone away, so why not this . . .  

PS--It is not all that different than the 45-day window in Weeks (except for the items already pointed out) in that that was the method used to try to get rid of stuff at the last minute, and that has pretty much become a thing of the past.

Nothing is etched in stone.  This may be one of those inequalities that will need to be corrected over time.


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## AwayWeGo (Dec 25, 2005)

*The Intstant Exchange Feature (9,000 Points & Below) Got Us Interested In Points.*



			
				Dani said:
			
		

> I would say that the ability to pull great last minute weeks for 9,000 Points might be a great incentive to many.


That's exactly what got The Chief Of Staff & me interested in going with timeshare points instead of straight weeks. 

(Well, that plus the opportunity to get partial-week reservations.  But those partial-week reservations can take way more than 9,000 points, & so it disturbs our sense of economy to expend more points for a few midweek timeshare days than takes to get a full 7-day _Instant Exchange_ week.) 

Even so, it took a couple of years for us to figure out enough about how the RCI Points system actually works, & how to get into it without spending much, before we took the plunge into points (in a small-time, penny-ante kind of way). 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.


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## JLB (Dec 25, 2005)

Can you get that Sanibel week for 1/8/06 for 9000 points?


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## timeos2 (Dec 25, 2005)

*Only on the second tuesday of next week.*



			
				JLB said:
			
		

> Can you get that Sanibel week for 1/8/06 for 9000 points?


Yeah, sure. And the Easter Bunny came down our chimney last night to wish us Happy Thanksgiving too.


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## JLB (Dec 25, 2005)

Sorry if that was a stupid question.     

It is there online for 1/8.  I am only asking if it can be gotten through Points for 9000, like everyone is talking about.


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## donnaval (Dec 26, 2005)

Nope, it doesn't show up for points in either weeks or standard reservations for me.

I can pull it with my weak Fairfield studio deposit, though.  (Assuming you are talking about the studio at the Caribe Beach Resort?)


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## Dani (Dec 26, 2005)

JLB said:
			
		

> Sorry if that was a stupid question.
> 
> It is there online for 1/8.  I am only asking if it can be gotten through Points for 9000, like everyone is talking about.




Jim,

What I do not understand is why we would not be able to see that Sanibel week while conducting a search in Weeks on the Points side...can someone please explain?  Thanks.


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## JLB (Dec 26, 2005)

Beats me.  Obviously I'm not a Points expert.

But I was serious about wanting to know what it would take to get it, and then convert that to dollars, maintenance-fee-wise.

It's not there this morning.


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## bogey21 (Dec 26, 2005)

Dani said:
			
		

> What I do not understand is why we would not be able to see that Sanibel week while conducting a search in Weeks on the Points side...can someone please explain?  Thanks.



I suspect that the answer has to do with how RCI's computer system works (or in this case doesn't work).  I'll bet if you want the week and call an RCI Points VG and explain the situation, you'll get the week.

GEORGE


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## Sandy (Dec 27, 2005)

I think that I have one possible answer to yoru question.  When you search for an exchange using your points account, you can search through points or weeks. If searching through points, you must 'pay" the going rate for the points exchange. 

if searching through weeks, you are able to see most (but not ALL) of the weeks inventory.  The reason some is hidden is that these resorts are points resorts, so you cannot see them and RCI forces you to use your POINTS for the exchgange. 

I recently discovered this when I searched on the weeks side of my points account as described above.  I could see the week in the POINTS, I could also see it when I used my REGULAR RCI WEEKS account (Not the weeks side of points account)  BUT I could NOT see the resort using the weeks side of my points account. RCI instead prompted me to use the points for the trade, costing much more in points. 

I hope this explanation is clear, and it is my recent experience which might explain the question of why we cannot see ALL weeks available.  

Happy Holidays.


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## JLB (Dec 27, 2005)

Is Sandy's answer what's up, or have I still not gotten a straight answer to my question.  How many points *would* it take to get something like I saw in Weeks, that Caribe unit on Sanibel for 1/8/06.  I saw both a 2-bedroom and a studio.

Several of you have touted points as the greatest thing since sliced bread, but when I finally take the bait and ask a real question I got a smart--- answer.  Hey, Points members don't know how it works, so we ask.

I do know I could have gotten it with Weeks and I do know how much it would have cost me.  If you couldn't get it through Points, or it would have cost beaucoup bucks, then why would Points be better in this case?

So, what's the problem in giving straight answers to Points questions?

Frankly, it's hard to think of something better then sliced bread.  I tried some of the unsliced loaves of French and Italian bread from Wal Mart, and you can have them.  Now I take them to the bakery counter and they slice them for me.


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## timeos2 (Dec 27, 2005)

*Maybe this is the answer*

Jim -  Unless someone went in and actually searched for that week and it was less than 45 days away they wouldn't see the points value required. If  ir were 45 days or less and it was a week deposit then it should be available for 9000 points or less. If it is actually a points resort deposit then the true points value will show up even in the 45 day timeframe. There is no discount I'm aware of for points deposits even at 45 days or less. Does that answer your question?


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## JLB (Dec 27, 2005)

timeos2 said:
			
		

> Does that answer your question?



That's a start.

So how much would it cost under either scenario?

And, if I can see it in Weeks, and Points folks can't see it (if I'm following what everyone is saying), how would I be better off in Points in this particular case?

If you speak really slow, and enunciate, maybe I will catch on.


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## timeos2 (Dec 27, 2005)

Until the 45 day window a points search would show it at the full point value. The biggest advantage to the points owner is that they will "see" it as there are no restrictions on VEP and other hocus pocus of trade power, etc. They just need the required points & they can reserve it.  It is possible that a weeks owner could see it with a week that has a lower overall cost but it is also possible that they won't see it at all due to the unknown restrictions and values applied to weeks. 

It cannot be said that in every case the points "view" will be better but at least it is straight forward. You'll see whats available and what the cost is. In weeks that isn't the case.  The bread can be sliced many ways but not every one is to everyones liking.


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## JLB (Dec 27, 2005)

I'm hearing (loosely translated) Points is the greatest thing since sliced bread, except for when it's not.


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## sfwilshire (Dec 27, 2005)

timeos2 said:
			
		

> The biggest advantage to the points owner is that they will "see" it as there are no restrictions on VEP and other hocus pocus of trade power, etc. They just need the required points & they can reserve it.



I just had to insert that the VEP hocus pocus DOES continue for downward VEP, so if you desire trades into a low rated resort (as I do) you still have to figure out some way to know it's there and then call to beg for a VEP waiver. I don't mind calling, it's figuring out when the resort is available that continues to elude me.   

Sheila


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## bogey21 (Dec 27, 2005)

JLB said:
			
		

> And, if I can see it in Weeks, and Points folks can't see it (if I'm following what everyone is saying), how would I be better off in Points in this particular case?
> 
> If you speak really slow, and enunciate, maybe I will catch on.



OK Jim, Real Slow -- Much of the problem lies with RCI's Points computer system (and maybe there is a VEP issue also).  I keep a separate Weeks Account (not the one tied to my Points Account).  If I see a Week using my Weeks Account and don't see it when searching Weeks from my Points Account, I call RCI and ask why?  Almost everytime (at least when I speak to someone who speaks English) the answer I get is that they don't know why I don't see it using the Points website but that IT IS AVAILABLE to me if I want it.  Thus, my contention that it is a flaw in their computer system.

Note that this does not pertain to non-converted Weeks deposited in the Weeks System.  As discussed earlier RCI's rules and regulations clearly address these Weeks.

GEORGE


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## Dani (Dec 27, 2005)

Sandy said:
			
		

> I think that I have one possible answer to yoru question.  When you search for an exchange using your points account, you can search through points or weeks. If searching through points, you must 'pay" the going rate for the points exchange.
> 
> if searching through weeks, you are able to see most (but not ALL) of the weeks inventory.  The reason some is hidden is that these resorts are points resorts, so you cannot see them and RCI forces you to use your POINTS for the exchgange.
> 
> ...



  Thanks Sandy for that great explaination!!!  So, if I am understanding this correctly, there is no such thing as a 9,000 Point/45-day window exchange into a Points resort?  We are only able to obtain 9,00 Point weeks within 45 days into resorts that are deposited into the Weeks system?  Btw, by Points resort, we are talking about any week that has been deposited into the Points system...correct?


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## Dani (Dec 27, 2005)

JLB said:
			
		

> I'm hearing (loosely translated) Points is the greatest thing since sliced bread, except for when it's not.



  Jim,


   I personally do not think that Points is the greatest thing since sliced bread.  In fact, I was disappointed when I first got my Points account.  However, what I do think is that it is probably best to own within both systems and that the most savy owners probably do.  I made this same statement a few months back, before I was a Points owner. I believe that today more than ever. 

 IMHO, a strong Weeks trader can't be beat for those hard to obtain trades.  I think that in most cases, it costs less money to own a strong trader than to try to obtain it for the astronomical amount of points that manyhardto get, or not so hardto get weeks cost.  On the other hand, this 45-day window is pretty hard to beat.     In addition, every now and again I come across some weeks in Points that are tough trades but require a relatively low amount of points as compared to how difficult a trade it is. 

  If I had to choose though, I would choose the Weeks system and own a top trader and a cheap mediocre trader and call it a day.


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## bogey21 (Dec 27, 2005)

Dani said:
			
		

> Btw, by Points resort, we are talking about any week that has been deposited into the Points system...correct?



When I use the term "Points Resort" I am referring to those resorts which require Points for Reservations (the Points System term for Exchanges).  Like Grandview in LV, they may be 100% Points, having started out that way, or like the majority we read about on this board, they may be Resorts that started out as Weeks Resorts but now allow (sell) conversions into the Points System. 

GEORGE


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## JLB (Dec 28, 2005)

I'm not disagreeing.  It tends to make sense. In a perverted RCI-sorta way.

So, let me ask one more time, and I'll be really specific.

On December 24 there was a 2-bedrooom at Caribe on Sanibel available through Weeks.  How many Points and how many dollars, maintenance-fee-wise, would it have taken to get it through Points?


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## timeos2 (Dec 28, 2005)

JLB said:
			
		

> I'm not disagreeing.  It tends to make sense. In a perverted RCI-sorta way.
> 
> So, let me ask one more time, and I'll be really specific.
> 
> On December 24 there was a 2-bedrooom at Caribe on Sanibel available through Weeks.  How many Points and how many dollars, maintenance-fee-wise, would it have taken to get it through Points?


Foe what dates?


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## Sandy (Dec 28, 2005)

Dani said:
			
		

> Thanks Sandy for that great explaination!!!  So, if I am understanding this correctly, there is no such thing as a 9,000 Point/45-day window exchange into a Points resort?  We are only able to obtain 9,00 Point weeks within 45 days into resorts that are deposited into the Weeks system?  Btw, by Points resort, we are talking about any week that has been deposited into the Points system...correct?



That is what I meant - those resorts that have been points exclusively since their inception (newer resorts) or those resorts that have changed to the points program, even though some of their owners are still in weeks. 

Once RCI makes it a "points" resort, they will always require you to use the number of points to secure an exchange.  And, there are no 9000 points exchanges into the "points" resorts. So, if you see a 45 day reservation, you must use the "weeks" side of your points to search for it. If you search through points, they will always charge the maximum, even if check-in is two days away!  At least, this is how I understand it from my experience.


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## JLB (Dec 28, 2005)

timeos2 said:
			
		

> Foe what dates?



I'm sorry.  Can't you read my mind?    

This thread is about cheap last-minute stuff in Orlando using 9000 points.

Through Weeks I saw Caribe on Sanibel for 1/8/06 (Post # 15, and then repeated) and I saw it on 12/24/05.  Others did too.  I saw a 2-bedroom and a studio, and then others saw just the studio.  That makes sense.

I coulda got it through Weeks, if we weren't going to be at The Galleon already, and I know what it woulda cost.

From Sandy's explanation it sounds like it would have taken the maximum points, not the 9000 last-minute figure.

So, how much would that be, in Points and $, maintenance-fee-wise?


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## SharonD (Dec 28, 2005)

*$217*

Caribe Beach Resort on Sanibel Island (#5009) is not a Points resort, according to the RCI directory.  So Points owners should have been able to pick it up for 9000 Points in the 45 day window.  The cost would depend on how much you pay per point.  Using my Australian points resort, the m/f cost would have been about $68 for 9000 points.  Add the $149 for the exchange fee = $217.  Other than getting it on Last Call, I don't see how you could get it any cheaper through any other method.  

If it wasn't showing up online, then the explanation has to be: 1) a VEP issue; or 2) a glitch in RCI's online system.

Hope this helps.




			
				JLB said:
			
		

> I'm sorry.  Can't you read my mind?
> 
> This thread is about cheap last-minute stuff in Orlando using 9000 points.
> 
> ...


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## donnaval (Dec 28, 2005)

:::So, how much would that be, in Points and $, maintenance-fee-wise?:::

I got my 2-br January beachfront getaway for 7500 points.  Using my cheap PDF points, it "costs" me about $75 of the pro-rated maintenance fee, plus $149 exchange fee, for a total of $224.  Not quite as cheap as a 2-br Last Call would be, but I'm happy considering Last Call had nothing comparable when I was looking.

My points account also lets me get some great trades.  I could never find anything in Aruba with my weeks traders, but I picked up a 2-br at the Costa Linda in Aruba for March with points--cost for that one was about $420 in maintenance fees plus the $189 exchange fee.

I really like my points account!


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## JLB (Dec 29, 2005)

Thanks.  That is $160/170 less than I can get them through Weeks.

Since we don't own at a Points resorts, what is the cheapest anyone has found to buy into the points system, more timeshare we do not want, so that we can deposit what we already have into Points, to save that almost $200, and hope that same ability for late, cheap trades continues?


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## AwayWeGo (Dec 29, 2005)

*$152.50 (eBay)*



			
				JLB said:
			
		

> Since we don't own at a Points resorts, what is the cheapest anyone has found to buy into the points system, more timeshare we do not want, so that we can deposit what we already have into Points, to save that almost $200, and hope that same ability for late, cheap trades continues?


Once we amassed enough information about doing the same thing you just asked about, we started looking -- mainly on TUG & eBay. 

On eBay we snagged a standard-grade 1BR unit in the American heartland for $152.50, sniping in our winning bid during the closing seconds.  That gets us 15,000 RCI points per year. 

But that winning  bid amount -- $152.50 -- is the smallest part of what we ended up paying. 

Adding in closing costs, RCI Points initiation fee, & resort maintenance fees took the total up to just about $1,000. 

I've seen'm cheaper per point, & I've seen lower MFs per point, but I have not seen a lower bottom-line "points package" cost. 

Before going with the eBay $152.50 special, we were leaning toward a Canadian resort points package advertised on TUG by the same seller from whom we bought our overseas timeshare week in 2003.  But the bottom line on that was about $1,400 so we went eBay instead. 

Now 15,000 points isn't all that much if we go looking for straight-points exchanges.  But for _Instant Exchange_, it works great. 

As soon as our new points account was up & running, we snagged a 7,500-point _Instant Exchange_ reservation for our son's & daughter-in-law's pre-Christmas vacation in Orlando FL (in an outstanding 2BR timeshare resort condo). 

That was so encouraging that we looked for something similar for our own after-Christmas Florida vacation.  Several atrractive resorts were available, but before signing up for any of those we checked _Last Call_.  Then, instead of making an _Instant Exchange_ reservation for 7,500 points + $149 exchange fee, we made a _Last Call_ reservation for Zero Points + $149 _Last Call_ fee. 

If this keeps up, we don't know how we'll manage to use up the minimal points total in our dinky timeshare points account. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.


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## bogey21 (Dec 29, 2005)

AwayWeGo said:
			
		

> But that winning  bid amount -- $152.50 -- is the smallest part of what we ended up paying.
> 
> Adding in closing costs, RCI Points initiation fee, & resort maintenance fees took the total up to just about $1,000.....Now 15,000 points isn't all that much if we go looking for straight-points exchanges.



I did about the same thing.  My $1,000 included Purchase Cost, Fee to join RCI Points, Closing Costs and 1st year MF (subtract the 1st year MF and the cost was about $600).  Despite the low number of Points it works well if you take major advantage of PFD and 45 day/9,000 (or less) window Weeks.

GEORGE


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## Dani (Dec 29, 2005)

Jim,

  The best way in is to buy a cheap timeshare that is already converted.   I too purchased mine on ebay.  My buy-in costs were cheap, cheap, cheap.  I paid $333 for the week which is also an VRI week, and approximately  $40 dollars or so to close.   The only downside was the MF which are approx $391.  However, after doing a cost by point analysis, a few Tuggers thought that it was still a cheap way to get in.   I only get 16,100 Points, but what I have found out is that I can probably squeeze two weeks out of this amount of Points.  As it turns out, not only are many weeks available for 9,000 Points, but some are available for 7,500 points    I have already PFD my Dik week, a week by the way which I normally give away due to non-use, which gave me 27,500 Points.    

  FYI, you can't PFD weeks for the full point amount unless the use date is 90 days away.  You can't PFD at all once the use date has passed.  I didn't understand this and had visions of dropping several other weeks into Points, but that was a no-go.   Also, RCI has a special going where you can get 5,000 Points after making your first Points exchange within 90 days of joining Points.


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## JLB (Dec 29, 2005)

If we own three weeks at the same non-Points resort, can they be deposited in Points?

And if one, two, or all of them are good traders, would it make sense to keep 1 or 2 of them in Weeks, for those 2-year out good trades?

Is that what you do?


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## AwayWeGo (Dec 29, 2005)

*Can't See Why Not.*



			
				JLB said:
			
		

> If we own three weeks at the same non-Points resort, can they be deposited in Points?


Why not? 

It has to be an RCI non-points resort, if you're talking about RCI _Points For Deposit_.

I don't see how 3 weeks at the same non-points resort is all that much different from a 3BR lock-off (at a non-points resort) divided into its 1- & 2BR components & used separately for PFD.  (A non-separate 3BR PFD gets the 3BR points equivalent, which is less than the stand-alone 1BR points equivalent + the stand-alone 2BR points equivalent.) 

All these little wrinkles make the whole timeshare game more & more like a board game -- except with real dollars instead of Monopoly  money, real people instead of little plastic game pieces, & various real vacation destinations instead of little spaces on a cardboard game board. 

It's like a board game, only lots more fun. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.


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## Dani (Dec 29, 2005)

JLB said:
			
		

> If we own three weeks at the same non-Points resort, can they be deposited in Points?
> 
> And if one, two, or all of them are good traders, would it make sense to keep 1 or 2 of them in Weeks, for those 2-year out good trades?
> 
> Is that what you do?




  Jim,

  I would keep my best traders in Weeks and deposit the weak or mediocre traders in Points.    For instance, with the recent Manhattan Club sighting, those August weeks cost 80,000 Points.    IMHO, it would be more cost effective to use a cheaply purchased strong trader to make a trade like this than to use Points.   Many of the very best weeks in Points cost way too many Points.  Also, many weeks such as Orlando weeks can easily be obtained by a medicore trader cost too many points for it to make sense to use Points for these types of trades.


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## JLB (Dec 29, 2005)

To the cruxt of my interest.

Is anyone getting good trades into SW Florida in Jan-April, say any of the HGVC resorts, though Points?


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## JLB (Dec 29, 2005)

Combining some thought:

Bruce: _"Am I happy about this raise, certainly not. Do I exspect more increases down the road? Yes I do untill they come close for most owners in total cost for a regular RCI Weeks exchange." _ 

Inside Guy: _". . . my comment was that bragging on tug raises awareness of ineffeciences of the rci economic system to a group that you don't want to know about this such as sales and marketing...."_

Me:  As long as we are nice enough to point out the inefficiencies, the inequities, they will oblige us by correcting them.  Points member can expect to see they're perceived advantage over Weeks members to be diminished in direct proportion to our propensity to point those advantages out.

Happy New Year.  One more day of Here and then 21 days of Florida Beach!


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## donnaval (Dec 31, 2005)

My points resort purchase cost me about $1300 including all costs, but that also included 25,000 banked points.  I now realize my maintenance fee there is on the high side at about $500 per year for 26,500 points, but since I can get up to 3 weeks out of it, it's not too bad, and it got me into points.

I used the banked points and part of the current year points for my first trade to get a 2-br Royal Mayan unit for Thanksgiving 2006.  I did that before I understood the joys of 45-day trades   .  I'd make the trade again.

I subsequently bought two ultra-cheap Argentina weeks strictly for PFD, these get me 73,200 points for about $590 per year maintenance fees.  I used part of those for a trade to Aruba in March (like the RM--no discount, but happy to get it), plus the upcoming week at a beach resort in Florida in January, and have enough left for 3 more 45-day trades from that allotment.  New points will be available to me next month, so I'll have the same dilemma as Allen lol.

As it turns out, my original points purchase could get me 3-for-one from SFX if I ever decide to go that way.  And DAE will accept my Argentina weeks if I decide to go that way.  So maybe in 2006 I won't PFD all the weeks into RCI, but use them with another exchange company.  But I really like the trades I've been getting with RCI Points, such as the Royal Mayan and the Costa Linda, and don't know if I could do any better with even a strong weeks trader, either through RCI or an alternate exchange company.

Unless you own at a points resort and can pay a reasonable conversion fee, I don't think you could get into points without another purchase at a points resort (be sure it's already converted!).  

I'm a very new timeshare owner, but between the RCI points and my Fairfield points, I have no desire to own a weeks resort.  In under six months of ownership, we've pretty well filled up our vacation time in 2006 and part of 2007 with trades to Hawaii, Aruba, a top-10 rated resort and several other prime trades.  We don't usually vacation during peak times and we don't particularly care to plan far ahead, but it's been so much fun playing with the points that we did grab two weeks in Hawaii for 2007, and all the other things.  I'm feeling, er, calmer now and will slow down the reservations for a bit    Points works really well for us.  Maybe if we had started with weeks we would feel differently, but we are sure lovin' this.


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## timeos2 (Dec 31, 2005)

*Points can do it all in an easy to use way*

Donnaval - I agree with 110%. Although we started out with weeks in 1993 we never found them to be what they claimed. We also fell into FF points and, after a shaky start, found them to exceeed all the promises made. Since then I have been on a mission to have the option of points for all our ownerships while maintaining the underlying deeded property. When RCI Points came along the final piece was in place and now we have access to fixed & float weeks, FF Points, Sunterra Points, RCI Points as well as II, SFX & RCI weeks. All with deeded ownership and various priorities with the named groups. With all those options I have found that a fixed week works best for highly seasonal areas both for use and to generate maximum trade value in both weeks & points based trades.  The best value in points based systems seems to be FF as it costs pennies to buy and maitain while the available resorts just get better all the time. RCI Points offers the opportunity to make mediocre traders such as my resale Westgate week into a viable trader again.  Sunterra points offers some nice resorts and gives me access to the II system (although that has been the single most disappointing option after it looked to have such promise under the "quality exchange" slogan).  

If I were starting out fresh today & knew what I know now I'd still buy 6 of the eight resorts I own.  The other two do OK but I wouldn't miss them if I didn't have them. But points wins hands down for trading while fixed weeks remain the best choice for those tough to get seasonal areas you want to visit over and over like a summer beach home. You aren't missing a thing by not owning weeks.


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## bogey21 (Dec 31, 2005)

timeos2 said:
			
		

> ...and now we have access to fixed & float weeks, FF Points, Sunterra Points, RCI Points as well as II, SFX & RCI weeks. All with deeded ownership...



Have you ever looked at the ORE system.  Not the classiest resorts but some decent locations and easy to work with.  You could probably buy an ORE managed resort with a decently low MF on Ebay for $200 - $300.

GEORGE


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## ELE (Feb 2, 2006)

I read all of this thread.  I don't understand how to search for 9000 or less points weeks.  Will someone explain.


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## AwayWeGo (Feb 2, 2006)

*Just Go To Weeks Reservations...*

...from your RCI Points account, & take care to make sure the check-in dates you enter are within 45 days. 

If you do that, anything that shows up as available will be for 9,000 points or less. 

There's no special place to click for 9,000-point reservations.  In fact, if the dates you enter straddle the 45-day window, with some dates inside it & other dates outside it, you could see a list showing some timeshares available for 9,000 points & others on the same list for 47,500 points (for example). 

In November, my son stayed up till midnight when that 45-day window 1st opened for the pre-Christmas week he wanted.  He logged in on my account, saw a prime 2BR week at a resort he liked, & snagged it for 7,500 points. 

Just as fewer _Last Call_ reservations are available for prime locations in peak-demand times, you will also find fewer of those _Instant Exchange_ (9,000 points & below) reservations available during those times.  That is, your chances are better when you're looking for weak-demand times & for non-prime locations. 

But fewer is not the same is none.  It just might help to stay up till a minute past midnight. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.


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## ELE (Feb 2, 2006)

Great.  Got it.  Thanks.


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## philemer (Feb 3, 2006)

In response to Jim's ? above- maybe moot now. 

Only these 2 SW Florida were seen when I checked today, with a Points acct. for a Weeks Resort Rez.,  from 2/13>5/13/06.

Resort Name Club Regency of Marco Island    
Check-in date 5/13/06 
Points 57,500 

  Resort Name Lehigh Resort Club   
Check-in date 4/8/06 - 5/13/06 
Points 22,000 - 32,000 


Phil


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## JLB (Feb 3, 2006)

philemer said:
			
		

> In response to Jim's ? above- maybe moot now.
> 
> Only these 2 SW Florida were seen when I checked today, with a Points acct. for a Weeks Resort Rez.,  from 2/13>5/13/06.
> 
> ...



Wow!  Talk about trying to pick up an old train of thought!

I'm guessing that's a 2-bedroom at CR and a studio and 1-bedroom at Lehigh.  based on my recent spate of Points investigating, those exchanges would cost (on average) about $700, $300 and $400.

I am surprised that those were available, especially CR, but not that surprised since they are not during Snowbird Season.  Through Weeks I can see them both, plus three others.

Getting exchanges at good resorts during prime weeks through Points, at 45 days or less out, for any amount of Points, is not a system one could rely on.

What were we talking about again?


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