# exchanged into River Island OLCC!



## jbuzzy11 (Jan 24, 2007)

I just got a FANTASTIC trade with my silversands SA unit, we traded into a 2 bedroom at River Island for the Last week in Aug 07, it may not be the best time of the year for florida but if you plan on spending 95% of your time in the pool how can you go wrong with RI, Im also guessing all thease units are not sold and they want people in them to try to sell them to, I think they will become harder to trade into later on but who knows. All I know is it will be a nice gift for my 3 & 4 year olds, my little girl starts her 1st day of kindergarden a few days after we get back  

                     Johnny


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## harold016 (Jan 24, 2007)

River Island is nuts. My grandma just recently got into that section and they are great rooms. When we were at RI this summer, we had a blast. My brothers and dad and I were in the pool for hours (You have to remember that I am 18 and my brothers are 16, and 14). The slides were great and it is a great setup. That time of year isn't too bad. I believe we were down there at about that time last year. I am sure your little ones will have nearly as much fun as we did!!


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## gjw007 (Jan 24, 2007)

The last week of August is not a bad time to be in Orlando especially if you plan to use the pools as the temperatures are still very warm but not as hot as earlier.  The only real issue that I see if that the slides at River Island (RI) are designed for older children.  As such, a 3- or 4-year old may not be able to use the slides at RI unless OLCC builds a smaller slide for younger children.  The depth is usually between 2'6" to 3'3" except under some of the overheads where the depth would be around 4'.  The zero-entry pools at both ends have a depth mostly, it seems, around 1'6", so it is perfect for young children.  

I have a friend who daughter is about 6 now who loves the slide at Splash Lagoon and she was so disappointed that they wouldn't let her use the slide at RI because she was too young.  Hopefully they will have added a new slide for the younger children (I had hoped that they would have added another Olympic-size swimming pool for the adults but I know, just a dream).  Other than the slide, I think your daughter will enjoy RI (and they may have added a new slide by then).

http://users.adelphia.net/~gjw007/RI/Pool.htm
http://users.adelphia.net/~gjw007/RI/Misc.htm
http://users.adelphia.net/~gjw007/RI/RiverIsland.htm

I think I need to update this webpage as I did it in a quick and dirty fashion.


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## BarCol (Jan 24, 2007)

Nice grab...wish I were going!!!!


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## ajsmithtx (Jan 24, 2007)

Congrats, and enjoy your trip!


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## JLB (Jan 24, 2007)

Feel free to add the details of your trade, here

http://www.timeshareforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16592&page=2

where we are trying to keep a record of the exchange policy history, so others will know.

My only claim to almost a great trade into RI was December 24, when I walked through the RI building, in the front and out the back, the card key security system not being all that great!     That was the day I was taking pool temps, starting at Southern Magnolia Court and walking the entire resort, except for the new EV poolplex which I didn't know was finished until Friday of that week, when another TUGger ran me down at the other EV poolplex.

But I do see it available regularly through RCI.  RI was not available the day I confirmed our exchange for 12/23, January 24, 2005.

I was surprised that the RI building had card key security since none of the other buildings do.  Well, actually they do--on the doors of each of the units--but RI is the only building that you need a key card to get into.  I bet that's something that's standard on all the midrises that are being built at Orlando TS resorts now.

While in the RI area I believe I saw as many sales people and their prospects as I saw guests.


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## timetraveler (Jan 24, 2007)

ditto!  You'll have an awesome time at RI.  

Your babies will be to small for the slides and stuff, but in all my trips since RI opened, I've seen loads of families with little ones having lots of fun in it.  As a matter of fact, because of RI, Splash Lagoon and the main pool complex at the West Village are all but ghost towns!   LOL


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## lawgs (Jan 24, 2007)

*you will really enjoy your stay there.....especially*

jbuzzy 

you should really enjoy your stay there especially since you were able to trade a "mud hutt" from south africa ( tongue in cheek ....since this was not suppost to happen .....when Orange Lake took back control from RCI with regards to trades into Orange Lake and the newest River Island area )

heck, me bad.... see river island ( even 2 bedrooms ) regularly while doing searches for orlando and they had some lovely deals for River Island in the latter part of last year on Last Call and Extra Vacations

of course, this may all change as OLCC tigthens their grip on "what goes to RCI"

congratulations on your "snag" using a SA week 

since you have been to orange lake many times, do you own there ?

if not how does one succesfully get around the 1 in 4 rule that OLCC supposedly has?

by the way we own at OLCC and see no problem with you being able to work the system they have set up...smilawgs


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## JLB (Jan 25, 2007)

From _Inside Guy_:

_"I can tell you that sometimes tug is its own worst enemy as the resorts
 read the board and they hate reading about all the blue week trades "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 . . . 

"It is great to have a secret society of people to exploit looples I am all 
for that. . . I think there have been instances where trading 
power was miscalculated and perhaps tug expediated the fix. . . 

" 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 . . .

"as you share information with a core group of timesharers that youa re 
sharing with others resorts, salespeople, managemetn companies . . . into 
prime resorts, etc. I have specifically had resorts call me because of tug
postings and demand answers, want changes etc."_

 

As to staying at OLCC more frequently than once every three years, as a non-owner, trading through RCI is not the only way to stay there.

 




lawgs said:


> jbuzzy
> 
> you should really enjoy your stay there especially since you were able to trade a "mud hutt" from south africa ( tongue in cheek ....since this was not suppost to happen .....when Orange Lake took back control from RCI with regards to trades into Orange Lake and the newest River Island area )
> 
> ...


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## timetraveler (Jan 25, 2007)

developer inventory, lawgs.  Once the RI developer inventory is sold, you won't see RI so readily available.


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## rickandcindy23 (Jan 25, 2007)

JLB said:


> From _Inside Guy_:
> 
> _"I can tell you that sometimes tug is its own worst enemy as the resorts
> read the board and they hate reading about all the blue week trades "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 . . .
> ...




JLB, this is a great point you are making here.  Now we need a secret place like TUG and 4MS, where we can share great trades privately.  But I guess they can always get on that site too.  

What's a loople?   

All parts of OLCC will always be readily available.  The one-in-three guarantees it.  Additionally, there are so many really great resorts in Orlando with so many to choose from that I decided to make a schedule of all the one-in-three and one-in-four-year RCI resorts and stick to it.  I was hoping to plan our visits so we could take advantage of all the great resorts as often as we could.  I wanted to visit the new part of OLCC for sure, but also HGVC on I-Drive, Summer Bay again, Vistana Villages and some others, but then I started getting DVC trades and there are always the Marriotts, so I have not even started to follow that schedule, and we visit Orlando three to four times a year.  

I see brand new resorts appearing within II, like Floridays and Lake Marion, so what do I care whether we ever even use RCI again?  Of course, we still own four weeks that we are going to either trade or use for PFD.  Maybe PFD will go away and we will have to trade those weeks with some other company.


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## timetraveler (Jan 25, 2007)

rickandcindy23 said:
			
		

> All parts of OLCC will always be readily available. The one-in-three guarantees it.



I'm confused by your statement Cindy.  Could you clarify what you are saying?


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## JLB (Jan 25, 2007)

My crystal ball uses a Blackberry a lot, so I get some strange words.  A _loople _is _loophole_.

Early on we talked about members working the system to their advantage, finding and taking advantage of _looples_.   

_"tug should be private by paying only of course you might lose me 
but, your secrets would be shared with the group you wish..."_

FWIW, there have been secret sites but human beings being what they are, they have always come unraveled.



rickandcindy23 said:


> JLB, this is a great point you are making here.  Now we need a secret place like TUG and 4MS, where we can share great trades privately.  But I guess they can always get on that site too.
> 
> What's a loople?


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## lawgs (Jan 25, 2007)

developers weeks.....ah...

all the more reason not to make "absolute statements" about the under pinings of OLCC modus operandi.......everything will be relative until they become less relative with respect to the "River Island" phenomenon.......at which point "exclusivity" will then become paramount

"intention and actuality" .... do not always coincide

....smilawgs

as an aside it was interesting to see that OLCC Global Access, snatched my RCI banked River Island week back from the "jaws of RCI rentals"......not complaining, it just might be the way OLCC is taking back "control"


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## rickandcindy23 (Jan 25, 2007)

timetraveler said:


> I'm confused by your statement Cindy.  Could you clarify what you are saying?



One-in-three keeps exchangers from coming to the resort often; therefore, you will have more supply.  Marriotts disappear for summer, but OLCC shows up all the time in my RCI searches.  II has no such rule.  OLCC is "hands off," except every three years.  Plus, OLCC continues to build and build and build and build........This creates a supply that is going to continue to grow.  

Owners WILL exchange their weeks because that is the promise of RCI points, so the entire sales pitch has to be about points.  Availability is just there all the time.  Of course, with points transactions, the one-in-three is gone!


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## rickandcindy23 (Jan 25, 2007)

JLB said:


> My crystal ball uses a Blackberry a lot, so I get some strange words.  A _loople _is _loophole_.
> 
> Early on we talked about members working the system to their advantage, finding and taking advantage of _looples_.
> 
> ...


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## timetraveler (Jan 25, 2007)

oh they're definitely taking back control.       You nailed that one for sure lawgs.


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## timetraveler (Jan 25, 2007)

I thought that was your meaning Cindy.  But I believe you have misunderstood.   

OL is not going to allow external trades back into the resort as a whole for 3 years once you've exchanged into any 1 of the 4 areas.    ie...west village, north village, east village, or RI, period, no exceptions.

Extra vacations/last minute rentals do not apply.

And my understanding is that people trying to find a "backdoor" way in will be turned away.  The exchange paperwork now reflects that, I believe, or if not....will very shortly.

And yes there will always be available inventory at OL.  I have no problem with that at all.  It has never kept me from getting any trade I wanted.

As JLB has pointed out in various posts on various threads.....the powers that be definitely monitor these boards, and many tugger's have seen back doors being slammed shut.  OL as well as many other resorts have long been angry about RCI letting studio/1br units snag much better accomodations.   So like many other resorts....OL is taking care of business.


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## rickandcindy23 (Jan 25, 2007)

Vickie, RCI points transactions on the points side are exempt from those rules, is my understanding.  

I doubt they have made an exception for OLCC, but you never know.  I guess you are saying Orange Lake is exempt from the policy, but you may be mistaken or do not yet understand RCI points.  If RCI is going to go that direction with OLCC, no big loss because there are lots of great resorts out there that do not have the policy, and some that have the policy are appealing for us. I will be more willing to "play the one-in-four RCI game" on occasion to stay at those.  Hilton, Summer Bay and Vistana Villages are some great resorts. 

This is my opinion but it is shared by many others here that have had poor customer service at Orange Lake.  

http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38189  This is a recent thread on the RCI points rule that most probably applies to OLCC as well.


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## timetraveler (Jan 26, 2007)

Cindy, OL's one in 3 is now 1 in 3 period.   Like some of the other's you mentioned.   I just wanted to make that clear.   Yes I am aware that some resorts get "around" the 1 in 3 rule with points.  OL , however is no longer one of them.


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## rickandcindy23 (Jan 26, 2007)

Madge made no mention of any exceptions and was adamant that no resort can enforce such a rule through points transactions, which are all exempt.  Did you read the thread?  It's not about getting around the rule.  There are no such rules with RCI points.


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## lawgs (Jan 26, 2007)

*looks like OL may have some pull with RCI*

from a search using points on 8881


 Orange Lake's River Island  (#8881) 
Route 192W
8505 Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway
Kissimmee
FL  34747
USA  Phone: 407/239-0000 
www.orangelake.com 
members@GoGlobalAccess.com 




Select Unit Select Unit Type Privacy/Max
Occupancy Kitchen Check-in 
Date Check-out
Date Points 
  1 Bedroom  2/4  Full  09/16/2007  09/23/2007 32,000  
  1 Bedroom  2/4  Full  09/29/2007  10/06/2007 32,000  
  2 Bedrooms  6/8  Full  09/28/2007  10/05/2007 52,500  


Urgent Information: 
THE PERSON WHOSE NAME IS ON THE EXCHANGE CONFIRMATION OR GUEST CERTIFICATE MUST BE AT LEAST 21 YEARS OF OLD AND HAVE IDENTIFICATION. DISNEY TICKETS & ACTIVITIES AVAILABLE ON-SITE AT DISNEY PLANNING CENTER. $115 SECURITY DEPOSIT REQUIRED AT CHECK-IN. ALL UNITS ARE NON-SMOKING! UNIT NUMBER ASSIGNED AT CHECK IN. GUESTS MAY NOT REQUEST A CHANGE IN RESORT VILLAGE, UNIT LOCATION OR UPGRADE. *1 IN 3 YEAR RULE APPLIES ACROSS ALL ORANGE LAKE PROPERTIES. IF YOU HAVE TRAVELLED TO ANY ORANGE LAKE PROPERTY YOU CANNOTRETURN UNTIL 3 FULL YEARS HAVE PAST (0670, 8896, 8897, 8881 & 5421). THIS APPLIES TO 1 FOR 1 EXCHANGES ONLY, NOT BONUS WEEKS. ORANGE LAKE *

maybe the "madge's rci points rules" do not apply to OLCC if the urgent information is "correct"

and it applies to all OL resorts including Lake Geneva

then again,  similar information is posted under "urgent information" for extra vacations too even though Bonus Weeks are exempt from the policy 

maybe the left and right hands are not co ordinating on this policy....OL just sends  generic resort policy to RCI and it is posted without any regard to "rci points" policy and procedures


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## gjw007 (Jan 26, 2007)

For the most part, I think Madge is correct but there are exceptions.  According to RCI Points, you can check into a resort on any day for any length of time.  Except, from my experience, at Sheraton's Vistana Resort where you can only check in on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday and the reservation must be for 7 days.  In addition, you cannot return to the resort if you had been there within the last 4 years.  I ran into this when trying to make a Points reservation at Vistana a few years ago and was not allowed because I had stayed at Vistana within 2 years of the time when I was making the reservation.  Since I couldn't make the reservation, I never followed up again and I don't know if this exception for Vistana still exists but RCI will accept exceptions to its rules to accommodate a resort if it wants the resort into the program.  Madge may be adamant that no such rules exist except RCI wouldn't let me make the reservation.  Other who have pushed this policy about being able stay without regard to the 1-in-3 or 1-in-4 restrictions have also stated that they have never attempted to make reservations within the 4 year period at Vistana as well.  I have to stand on my experience here versus what supposedly the rules state.

OLCC is new to RCI Points and I get the feeling that many things there are still in flux with both RCI and OLCC having some disagreements with each other as they try to work out the arrangement.  It is important also to recognize that OLCC's RCI Points program is more like HGVC's application than it is to a RCI Points program such as Vacation Village (VV) where the points are deposited into an individual's RCI Points account.  VV never has to contact the resort to make reservations whereas both OLCC (GoGlobal) and HGVC must contact the resort to make internal reservations and have the resort contact RCI whenever an external exchange needs to be done.  I like to think of the individual (VV) as a pure RCI Points as it no longer requires the resort in the process and the OLCC/HGVC (DVC is similar for II) as corporate RCI Points.  It would be interesting to determine what differences there are in the contracts that RCI has between the resorts such as VV without internal exchange programs and resorts such as OLCC and HGVC with the internal exchange programs.


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## rickandcindy23 (Jan 26, 2007)

The RCI resort information does not look different, whether you are in weeks or points.   RCI does not change it to differentiate the information.  All resorts that are one-in-four in weeks will show the same information, including that rule, for points transactions, but that rule still does not apply.  

Points transactions assume the standard RCI points rule of "points can get anything."  I was told this information on the phone yesterday, that without exception, points can get anything.


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## timetraveler (Jan 26, 2007)

The urgent information lawgs listed in bold is quite clear.  

I would hate (as an external exchanger) to walk up to the check-in desk at OL with this newly added information printed clearly on the exchange form and then when told you had violated the clearly printed exchange rule, try to argue that "over the phone with RCI you were told that points can get anything, without exeption" as my only rebuttal.  

OL makes the return policy, not RCI.


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## rickandcindy23 (Jan 26, 2007)

ALL of the resorts that have that rule within weeks have that same information printed on points' transactions, but with points transactions, the rule does NOT apply.  I called just now and was told there are no exceptions.  Points rules are different.


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## JLB (Jan 26, 2007)

Now you're confusing me with the people at RCI!


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## timetraveler (Jan 26, 2007)

I believe Gary has already posted that he did in fact get an exchange cancelled using your scenario, Cindy.  I believe it was Vistana.   

I personally would breathe much easier staying on the side of OL's or any other resort's policy, than RCI's spoken, but unwritten rule about points exchanges being exempt.   You could wind up in a terrible mess at the check-in desk, or find yourself with a cancellation days before arrival.    

It wouldn't be the first time RCI told a member something and then didn't deliver.   

A good example would be all the cancelled exchanges after the bad hurricane season.  RCI then granting exchanges at resorts that clearly violated rules, which in turn left the poor RCI member caught in the middle, when the resort turned them away, because RCI had no right granting said exchange, and the resorts were already full or couldn't give up units that owner's had not released.


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## JLB (Jan 26, 2007)

I sense the hair on my neck rising, as if lightning is about to strike me, but I am the one that can vouch for the last post  , being the one here that witnessed the turning away _en masse_ by OLCC of a large number of RCI members with confirmed exchanges in hand.  Many of those in front of me in that long check-in line were being sent to that longer _problem_ line, and all of us still in line were paranoid, hoping we would not be, not knowing why they were having problems.

However, there is a failure of logic in the rest of that post, that you can trust _someone else _in the timeshare industry more than RCI, just because you cannot trust RCI.

By the _if this then that_ type of logic we learn in junior high and that my math teacher mother drilled into me  , there is no connection, no logic.  

If there *was* a _logical _connection it would be the opposite, that you can't trust anyone in the timeshare industry, and the various discussions of Go Global (the various versions that OLCC owners have been told) would tend to support that conclusion, as would the claims made about where exchangers will be placed, the proof being in the pudding.

Also that same week I saw owners in their owned week having problems, and RCI had nothing to do with that.

My conclusion would be that you should be wary of statements made by anyone involved in the timeshare industry, especially those who have a profit motive behind their statements.


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## timetraveler (Jan 26, 2007)

JLB said:
			
		

> My conclusion would be that you should be wary of statements made by anyone involved in the timeshare industry, especially those who have a profit motive behind their statements.



ROFL.......OMG history has been made.  JLB and I are in total agreement with the above statement.   Lightning HAS indeed struck.  

As for the rest of your post Jim, yes I knew you were aware of the problem at least at OL with RCI sending a mass of exchangers to the resort with out permission to do so.  I've since learned that the same thing happened at several other Orlando timeshares during that time period.   The biggest loser obviously being the poor stranded exchangers.

The urgent information now listed on RCI exchange forms with regards to OL has recently changed to reflect it's new 1 in 3 rule regarding all areas of OL, on campus and off.   That's what I've been trying to explain.  

I'm just trying to keep tugger's from having their trip totally ruined.

Gary (gjw007) has already attested to the fact that he was indeed denied a points exchange back into a resort that has a restricted period.

Cindy say's she has been told by RCI that points do not have to abide by a resorts... in this case OL's exchange rules, and is posting that here.  That is very dangerous ground to tread and could end in a devastating experience.


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## rickandcindy23 (Jan 26, 2007)

Well, there are lots of resorts in Orlando, which is so overbuilt that you can stay there for a full year, one week at a different resort, without worrying about breaking the one-in-four rule at any resort.  Sure, there are only about 20 Gold Crown and about that many Five-Star, but II does not have those goofy rules.  

I guess if RCI has made a pact with OLCC that disregards the "points transactions are exempt from one-in-four rule," then good for them, but is RCI really enforcing it?  How do they say, "Sure you can stay in any of our more than 3,500 resorts as often as you wish, except OLCC.........."  It's laughable because there is more available inventory with the two mega resorts in Orlando than any other, anywhere.   

Gary, how many points were you using to get your week at Vistana that you were turned down for your exchange?  Also, had you visited Vistana with weeks before that reservation?  Vistana is a pretty bad example to throw out there, the second biggest resort in the system, because it sounds fishy to me.  Were you searching weeks within the points system and not points' transactions?

So what if Vistana and Orange Lake do not want to follow the rule, unless RCI says it is so, it ain't so, because they are managing the exchanges.  Now if Orange Lake and Vistana want to turn people away on a rule that is clearly understood by points owners that read them, then they could be liable for that decision.  RCI needs to be firm with resorts who want their own rules.


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## JLB (Jan 26, 2007)

Some of the past OLCC discussions, the current ones, and, most likely, the future ones, are somewhat logical (to continue in that vein, or is it vain?)

Some who post opinions are owners.  If they take sides, which most do a pretty good job of not doing, between OLCC and RCI, they take the side of OLCC.  The logic I am addressing is that in doing that they are siding with the entity that takes the *more* money from them, the one where they have *more* at stake, so they want to feel that that money is leaving their pockets for a good cause.

All the rest who post about OLCC do not have that dilemna.  There is only one entity taking money from them, RCI.  There is less tendency to blame RCI for problems they have at OLCC, knowing RCI has nothing to do with most of them, and, like with OLCC owners, wanting to feel that their money has been well spent.

Naturally and by the same logic, when there seems like there is blame to be placed, owners tend to place it with the entity they view as being the one _interfering_ with their business, RCI, while non-owners do the same thing, tend to place blame with the entity they view as _interfering_ with their business (their business being to have a great exchange), and that is OLCC.

And that, IMO, is why we have had some disagreements, differences in loyalties and just plain old human nature.

The best thing for all to do is to admit that, leave it in the past, and move on.

I have always said that time is the best friend of the truth, and as far as what OLCC winds up being and doing, after their metamorphisis, time will tell.
- - - - - -
I am fortunate in that I also get to hear from the other side through my crystal ball.  Over the years I have learned that for someone from the other side he is a very real person, not always a dyed-in-the-wool company man who constantly regurgitates RCI-speak.  We have real conversations about the trials and tribulations of the industry.

Concerning overbooking, I will go out on a limb and say that there is almost always blame to be *shared*, like in boating accidents where no one is totally at fault and no one is totally not at fault.  In overbookings, RCI is never totally at fault and the resort is never totally at fault, it seems.  Each time it happens (and it will continue to happen) blame can be apportioned.

Either Over Here or Over There I made a small comment about the recent spate of overbookings.  My mention of it was in connection with RCI asking for two units from us the day before check-in, for which they were offering two better units in the same area at a better resort in a better location, one of them for free (don't ask me to figure that out  ).

My crystal ball made a comment about that, saying that a large holder of inventory in S Florida had over-deposited to the Spacebank.  Crystal ball said--somewhat their fault, somewhat RCI's fault.  What really made it a problem is the way the industry works in that incomings are not worked up until the last minute, normally the week of check-in.  So overbooking is discovered way too late.

There obviously needs to be a better way of matching Spacebank deposits to exchanges.  In OLCC's case, if exchanges we made to specific units that have been Spacebanked, rather than to numbers of units available as communicated by OLCC, overbooking would be less likely.


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## JLB (Jan 26, 2007)

*Favortism Toward Owners*

Another common point of contention in the past has been the sense of favortism toward owners at the expense of non-owners.  Me and mine have never personally experienced that, but as that issue has fermented I now see it in a different light.

First, you have to ground yourself in the most basic axiom of the timeshare industry--timeshare companies will make the choice that tends to generate the most money.  

The most money is generated by new sales (as opposed to annual fees from owners).

The 100,000 m/l owners at OLCC is a far cry from the nearly 7 million households that now own nearly 11 million timeshare weeks.  Many of them will wind up visiting OLCC, there being so much availaility there, and as those of us who have been there know, all of those will be targets for sales.

So, OLCC may have a few policies that appear to favor owners, but not so much so as to alienate the vast pool of prospects, ones that are sold on the concept of timeshare ownership.  

The results of where exchangers are being placed tend to confirm that, at least so far.

Perhaps once every square inch of OLCC property that can be built on has been, and marketing leaves the building (with Elvis), OLCC can thumb their noses at _outsiders_.


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## gjw007 (Jan 26, 2007)

rickandcindy23 said:


> Well, there are lots of resorts in Orlando, which is so overbuilt that you can stay there for a full year, one week at a different resort, without worrying about breaking the one-in-four rule at any resort.  Sure, there are only about 20 Gold Crown and about that many Five-Star, but II does not have those goofy rules.
> 
> I guess if RCI has made a pact with OLCC that disregards the "points transactions are exempt from one-in-four rule," then good for them, but is RCI really enforcing it?  How do they say, "Sure you can stay in any of our more than 3,500 resorts as often as you wish, except OLCC.........."  It's laughable because there is more available inventory with the two mega resorts in Orlando than any other, anywhere.
> 
> ...


Cindy;

I had 74,000 RCI Points and the reservation was I believe for 58,000.  I had enough points.  And yes, RCI would not let me make the Points reservation because I had stayed there 2 years before.  It happened.  I hadn't even thought about lookinig at the weeks account.  I probably should have but I had attempted to make the reservation via a telephone call with RCI rather than online.  Whether I had stayed there in points or weeks by your suggestion shouldn't make a difference as a Points reservation should have been made in either situation.  So what's the point?  And yes, my previous stay was a Weeks reservation but when making a points reservation, the 1-in-4 rule shouldn't have played a role but RCI would not let me make a Points reservation for a Points week because I had stayed there 2 year prior.  Staying there in Weeks would have the restriction you specified but my attempting to stay on Points should not have had any restriction if the 1-in-4 rule was not enforced for Points reservations and I was trying to stay on RCI Points, not RCI Weeks.  I called and talked to 2 different RCI representatives and both denied me making the reservation.  I ended up staying at Celebration for that trip (on points).  I have to go with what they let me do (in this case, wouldn't let me do and that was make a reservation at Vistana) rather than stipulating what the rule is.  The reality was that I was unable to make a reservation.  This experience is one of the reasons that I'm not totally sold on Points.

I understand why RCI wants the rule; it makes your relationship with RCI the most important and the resort you own immaterial.  Why buy at a resort that costs you thousands of dollars more when you buy some resort in the hinterlands that you will never stay at but gives a lot of RCI Points?  You then stay at the resort that you like and ignore all the resort exchange restrictions for non-owners.  Feel free to make demands on what the resort should have and have the owners at the resort pay for those items but make sure the resort that you own keeps costs to a minimum.  In effect, there are no restrictions for non-owners.   I don't understand why a resort would go along with this; it gives the resort nothing but RCI everything.  Welcome to RCI Points!


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## rickandcindy23 (Jan 26, 2007)

Gary, now I guess I want to know if those guides were wrong or if that really is policy.  

I have found many RCI guides to be less than helpful.   I was told by one RCI points rep that RCI does not convert any resorts to points, it must be done by the developer.  I said that I thought there were several resorts RCI converted for a nominal fee.  He argued and would not ask anyone, so I hung up and called back the next day and got the answer I was looking for, but even then, the guide had to ask several people to get it for me.  Another incident that comes to mind was when I first got my points account and read here on TUG that RCI gives a bonus of 15,000 points when you book your first transaction in person, on the phone.  I called to make my first reservation and was told there was no such bonus.  The guide was adamant.  I told him to please ask his supervisor, who finally came back with a positive result.  Those were two examples of bad information.  

Madge should definitely clarify her post on the thread I referenced, especially if she is saying something that is not true all the time.  I don't understand giving guidelines and then making exceptions.  Points should see and pull everything.  

I personally don't care about the rule and would not visit more often than the weeks' rule specifies.  I like the variety that Orlando has to offer, so I do not enjoy staying at the same resorts all the time, even Old Key West, which is where we stayed last week.  We already stayed there two weeks in the early part of the fall.   I was a little disappointed to get that DVC again, instead of something different.  But hey, I wanted to be a part of the magic.


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## rickandcindy23 (Jan 26, 2007)

*Well, I guess Madge gave her answer.*

I was thinking she would not get to it that soon.  She is on top of things!  I was expecting something in a week or so.


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## gjw007 (Jan 27, 2007)

To the OP:

Sorry that this thread has been hijacked and has moved away from your original comments.  Please enjoy your vacation.

Cindy;

My attempt to get back into Vistana was the first time that I had used the Points system.  I got the Celebration exchange okay when they turned me down for the Vistana exchange.  I blamed it on another case of false information given to me by the sales people at Vacation Village at Parkway (I've mentioned in the past I have disagreements with the management of Vacation Village at Parkway).  I was specifically told that Vistana was an exception to the normal rules as RCI wanted Vistana in the system and made the adjustments to get Vistana into the system.  I do not know if that is true or not but I do know that I was denied making reservations at Vistana because I had stayed there 2 years prior.  It will be interesting to see how Sheraton responds now that it has been lowered from a Gold Crown to a Silver Crown.


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