# Rci & Orange Lake Country Club Problem



## ljane (Jul 12, 2009)

I AM AN OWNER OF 5 WEEKS AT OLCC, FOUR 2 BEDROOM AND ONE 3 BEDROOM UNIT, ALL IN THE WEST VILLAGE, ALL SUMMER WEEKS, WITH THE 3 BEDROOM BEING A 4TH OF JULY WEEK.  I AM REALLY UNHAPPY WITH RCI. 

I HAVE BEEN TRADING OUR SUMMER WEEKS WITH RCI, FOR WINTER WEEKS, FOR 10 YEARS WITHOUT A PROBLEM, EXCEPT FOR THE LAST 3 YEARS.  NOW I CAN NOT GET BACK INTO MY HOME RESORT ON AN EXCHANGE WITH RCI.  RCI WILL TELL YOU IT IS BECAUSE OLCC HAS GONE TO HOLIDAY INN VACATION CLUB PROGRAM, AND THEY DO NOT GET THE INVENTORY LIKE THEY DID.  ONLY PROBLEM WITH THIS EXCUSE IS THEY HAVE THESE WEEKS FOR RENT, BUT NOT FOR EXCHANGE.  

I DEPOSITED MY 2009 3 BEDROOM WITH RCI IN OCT. 2007.  I STARTED AN ONGOING SEARCH THE FIRST WEEK OF FEB 2009, FOR MARCH 2010, FOR  A 3 BR AT OLCC, AND SO FAR NOTHING.  I HAVE CHECKED THE RCI INTERNET  MYSELF, SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK SINCE FEB.

TODAY I USED MY THREE BEDROOM TO DO A SEARCH AGAIN TO GO BACK TO OLCC IN MARCH 2010.  I SEARCHED ALL 4 VILLAGES AT OLCC AND ONLY FOUND A STUDIO UNIT I COULD EXCHANGE INTO USING MY 3 BEROOM UNIT.  I DID THE EXACT SAME SEARCH TO RENT A UNIT.  I FOUND 2 BEDROOM UNITS IN THE EAST, NORTH, & WEST VILLAGES FOR RENT. THERE WERE 11- 2 BEDROOM UNITS ALONE, IN THE WEST VILLAGE FOR RENT FOR $1200.00 BUT NOTHING TO EXCHANGE.  THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME!

I DON'T CARE WHAT EXCUSE RCI GIVES, I KNOW THEY ARE RENTING UNITS THAT WERE DEPOSITED INTO THE EXCHANGE SYSTEM.  THERE SHOULD BE A LAW AGAINST THIS.  RCI ALWAYS GIVES YOU THE RUN AROUND AS TO WHY YOU CAN'T GET THE EXCHANGE.  THE REAL REASON IS IT'S BEING RENTED     WHY GIVE AN EXCHANGE FOR JUST AN EXCHANGE FEE WHEN YOU CAN GET SO MUCH MORE BY RENTING.

LJANE


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## sfwilshire (Jul 12, 2009)

Part of the problem may be the split between sections and the fact that you own in probably the least popular OLCC section. That may have decreased your trading power. Also, March is one of the most popular times in Orlando. Many owners probably have not deposited yet. Those weeks that have been deposited may have been taken by other members. Lots of factors could be in play. 

There are many other very nice resorts in Orlando. You may want to widen your search since March can be a bit difficult. Most of the others are closer to the parks than OLCC anyway.

Just for the heck of it, I searched RCI with my late deposited June Tybrisa week. I saw 772 OLCC units altogether, but only 4 studios in the West vlg for March 2010.

Sheila


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## Mel (Jul 12, 2009)

While it is possible they are renting exchange deposits, there are other possible sources for those weeks.  When we visited last April, we saw owners trade their "old" West Village weeks in for points ownerships.  In some cases, I believe OLCC is taking back the "old" weeks and selling new memberships in River Island.  This allows them the option of having some smaller points packages for sales prospects not ready to pay so much for River island.  Any of those weeks now owned by the developer (not the HOA or individual owners), we most likely be sold to RCI for rentals, not exchanges.  Given that not every check-in date for the month of March is available, at any price, that suggests that inventory may not be as high as you suspect.

Also remember that March is Spring Break for many school systems, and Easter falls during March next year.  March weeks that might have been easier to get this year or last year will be harder to get in 2010.

Also a large percentage of OLCC exchanges are internal exchanges, and I recall someone a few months back saying they were offered the option of an internal exchange without buying into the HI Club.  If OLCC is in fact doing that now, expect the RCI inventory to dry up.  Not so good for the weeks you currently have on deposit, but may be good new for the future, as you wouldn't need RCI for such an exchange, and I recall that the person making this claim said the fee was lower.

Meanwhile, look into some of the other units that are available - you can still use the facilities at Orange Lake while in Orlando.  I see availability at several other good Orlando timeshares in March 2010.


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## gjw007 (Jul 13, 2009)

I doubt that the HIVC is getting all the units since at best, I've heard roughly 30 to 40% have joined HIVC meaning that 60 to 70% potentially deposit their weeks with RCI.  This is, I believe, different for River Island where most owners have joined HIVC and all new owners are part of HIVC.  

I would find it very frustrating to find a unit that RCI has for rent but I could not make an exchange for the same unit.  If it is for rent, it suggests the possibility that it should be available for exchange.  

I also don't think that the splitting of the units into different sections has decreased it trading power either.  Trading a prime summer week to a prime spring week at the same resort should not have trading power as a factor especially since the OP reported trading back to their home resort.  Since the week was deposited early and the exchange request is made early, trading power and availability should be at its strongest, at least in theory.

Unlike many people, I bought at OLCC to stay at OLCC not some other resorts.  As such, I would be peeved if I couldn't get an exchange back into the resort and was told to go to another resort.


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## ljane (Jul 13, 2009)

Thanks for all the feed back.  Sorry for posting my original message in all caps.  That was just easier to read, I thought.  I got a private message saying that it was rude to post in all caps.

We have gone to OLCC for 3 weeks each year for 16 years now.  We own other resorts beside OlCC, which we also trade mostly to go to Florida.  We have stayed at all the Gold Crown Resort's in Orlando and like OLCC the best.  We like the Marriott's and the Hilton's, but they do not have the activities that OLCC has to offer.

We went to the owners update in March and the year before that also.  We also have talked to many, owners who have gone to Global Points and now Holiday Inn Vacations Club.  Most we talked to were disappointed and confused as to what they were told and what they actually received.  Most of the owners we talked to said they would not go to HIVC.  As of now I agree the percentage of switching over is low.

When we were at OLCC in March we could not get back into the West Village since it was all remodeled. (that is where all our weeks are located, close to the clubhouse) The West Village now has a new pool complex, arcade, restaurant, and cabanas were put around the pool area, plus a lot of the activities are located at the West Village pool area. We were told it was the most requested village next to River Island, which has limited space for any one to trade into.

I may be bull headed, but I still think the problem is RCI rentals.

Ljane


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