# RCI Reservation Strategies?



## Talent312 (Apr 20, 2008)

HGVC allows members to seek RCI reservations from two years to two days out.  I recall reading somewhere that the best time to seek an RCI reservation is about the one-year mark.  My question:  For those who have done this, when did you start, did you use an ongoing search, or did you have some other strategy?


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## MadDawg (Apr 20, 2008)

We did an RCI exchange in Gatlinburg TN.  The location is brand new and supposed to be real nice.  We booked about three weeks ago for mid August of this year.

No problems.

This is our first RCI booking so I have no idea if we just got lucky or if this is par for the course.


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## lprstn (Apr 21, 2008)

I always conduct an ongoing search.  It just makes my life easier, and I am more likely to get what I want from RCI.


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## linsj (Apr 21, 2008)

lprstn said:


> I always conduct an ongoing search.  It just makes my life easier, and I am more likely to get what I want from RCI.



I didn't think we could do an ongoing search through HGVC. We don't have direct access to RCI; we have to go through a CS rep.


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## Talent312 (Apr 21, 2008)

linsj said:


> I didn't think we could do an ongoing search through HGVC. We don't have direct access to RCI; we have to go through a CS rep.


The CS rep can do an ongoing search for you... for a fee of course.
I have to wonder how they arrived at the $69 figure... an accounting joke?

We're wanting to go to England in May 2009.  I'm thinking about calling now.


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## GTLINZ (Apr 24, 2008)

For RCI weekly reservations, you can request up to 2 years in advance (open search) and the further ahead you request the better. Also, it is better if you can give a range of dates and properties that you will accept. They will likely not find anything that far ahead because somebody has to give up their unit - but you should be at the top of the queue when it does come up.
When I bought my unit in 2005, I put in a 2007 request for the Galleon in Key West and it took 9 months for them to find a hit. I was told that this is hard to get - so in theory your place in the queue makes a difference.
I also called in mid 2007 for a reservation at Villa Lau'Berge in Del Mar Cali in mid 2008 and they had availability when I called.
FYI - not sure this was already said in the thread, but - if you want to reserve an RCI nightly reservation then you cannot put in an ongoing search. They have to have availability when you call or you have to keep calling.


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## GTLINZ (Apr 24, 2008)

Sorry, forgot to preface - the HGVC rep does have to make the reservation for you - with HGVC you do NOT have your own RCI account. That is, unless you have a RCI account with another property


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