# BlueGreen Points Program Only (No Traveler's Plus) Exchange Through RCI to Disney



## FegelyTwinMommy (Mar 2, 2014)

I found an amazing deal that I snapped up through eBay for 24,000bi (odd) BlueGreen Vacation Club points without Traveler's Plus. We are currently working through the deeding process, and waiting for BG to not exercise their right of first refusal. (Fingers crossed.) My family loves BG, because of experiences we've had renting our friend's points, and I used to work for the Club, so I know of many awesome locations we would like to travel to within the BG network. 

We got the program at a steal, after a bit of a bidding war down to the last 3 seconds on eBay! Someone else obviously really wanted the program too! I was aware that I wouldn't be getting Traveler's Plus, as we weren't buying through an authorized dealer...meaning I saved thousands...and we were perfectly happy to just spend our BG points. I made the assumption, that if we had the right number of points, and the inventory was available for exchange, we could stay at the Disney Vacation Club to get the on-property benefits of doing so.

The question I have is, will I be able to still exchange my BG (Traveler's Plus Free) points through RCI to get a week long stay at a Disney Vacation Club property? A friend who is an owner with BG and has TP says that she can only see nightly inventory for Disney, and she fears I won't be able to get into the DVC properties at all...a tactic that BG would use to block people from the resale market from getting to where they want to go without buying from an authorized dealer. Does anyone know if I will still have the ability to exchange to the DVC properties even without having TP?


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## got4boys (Mar 2, 2014)

Yes, you can get a DVC timeshare through Bluegreen if you do an RCI trade in the Bluegreen/RCI exchange portal.

It would depend on the dates and the size of unit that you would be able to be acceptable with DVC.

Here are points breakdown on the sizes that would need. In prime time, a 1 bedroom would take 11,000 Bluegreen Points, a 2 bedroom would take 18,0000 Bluegreen points.

If you do know that you are going to Disney at least 6 to 7 months in advance, then you can try to do an ongoing search (OGS) through Bluegreen through their exchange portal. You would have to prepay the exchange fee ($209) to attempt to get a match. Old Key West and Saratoga Springs - larger size units are the easier to get. You want to set up an OGS in advance to get the toughest units - like 2 bedroom at Bay Lake Towers, Beach Club, etc - but you would have to be flexible on the dates. Getting the exact dates are a little tougher but doable.

Right now, September weeks are now showing up in RCI. Once you get the exchange, wait about three weeks to get into Disney's DVC system and you then would be able to get a reservation number. RCI trades do require a $95 at checkin. 

You can trade in - but it will cost you the $209 + $95 plus the maintenance fees that is on the points used.

I would not try for holiday weeks - like Christmas and New Years as they are the toughest to get to trade into.


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## chriskre (Mar 2, 2014)

There are two buckets of inventory thru the BG/RCI portal.

Travellers Plus owners can see both inventories which is RCI points and RCI weeks inventory.  
You as a resale owner will only be able to see the RCI weeks inventory.

DVC/RCI deposits to both buckets.
There is more competition with the weeks system since it has more members so that inventory goes much quicker than the RCI points inventory.  

You still have a good shot at getting something if you are flexible and put in your ongoing request now.  

Welcome to the BG family and welcome to TUG.


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## FegelyTwinMommy (Mar 3, 2014)

Thank you both sooo much! I have been doing my research through other accommodating owners through this website...love it...and I know about the ongoing search, and choosing a 1 bedroom because there are more of those in the inventory, and I am going to be flexible about just staying in the system versus an exact dream property. I just didn't know if Traveler's Plus members were the only people who had access to DVC inventory or not. Now that I know that it will be a battle to get a week long stay at a DVC property, but it is not impossible, I'm feeling pretty great!

I know that ongoing searches can be done up to 2 years in advance. We want to go to Disney Sun. Nov. 29 - Sun. Dec. 6. 2015!! It's considered Adventure Season to DVC. I was planning on submitting an ongoing search as soon as my points are released to me...so May/June of this year. Is that too soon to begin the process? 18 months in advance or so? 

I do know that DVC owners won't deposit until 11 to 7 months in advance of my trip...but if it's as competitive as can be with a bunch of weeks owners wanting the same thing...will it help me to do an ongoing search far in advance and have a constant 11,000 BlueGreen points just available to grab and book a DVC property?


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## GrayFal (Mar 3, 2014)

FegelyTwinMommy said:


> Thank you both sooo much! I have been doing my research through other accommodating owners through this website...love it...and I know about the ongoing search, and choosing a 1 bedroom because there are more of those in the inventory, and I am going to be flexible about just staying in the system versus an exact dream property. I just didn't know if Traveler's Plus members were the only people who had access to DVC inventory or not. Now that I know that it will be a battle to get a week long stay at a DVC property, but it is not impossible, I'm feeling pretty great!
> 
> I know that ongoing searches can be done up to 2 years in advance. We want to go to Disney Sun. Nov. 29 - Sun. Dec. 6. 2015!! It's considered Adventure Season to DVC. I was planning on submitting an ongoing search as soon as my points are released to me...so May/June of this year. Is that too soon to begin the process? 18 months in advance or so?
> 
> I do know that DVC owners won't deposit until 11 to 7 months in advance of my trip...but if it's as competitive as can be with a bunch of weeks owners wanting the same thing...will it help me to do an ongoing search far in advance and have a constant 11,000 BlueGreen points just available to grab and book a DVC property?


The biggest thing to remember is that you MUST have the 11,000 BG points in your account at all times(certainly at the 12 month mark) so if your search hits, the exchange can be made.
Many people will pre-pay their maint. fee and borrow their points from the next year so that their accounts always have the current points you need to confirm the exchange.

FYI, Bluegreen eBay re sales have been VERY slow the past several months....I am waiting on a contract I purchased in December to close and have a friend who purchased in November


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## FegelyTwinMommy (Mar 3, 2014)

GrayFal said:


> The biggest thing to remember is that you MUST have the 11,000 BG points in your account at all times(certainly at the 12 month mark) so if your search hits, the exchange can be made.
> Many people will pre-pay their maint. fee and borrow their points from the next year so that their accounts always have the current points you need to confirm the exchange.
> 
> FYI, Bluegreen eBay re sales have been VERY slow the past several months....I am waiting on a contract I purchased in December to close and have a friend who purchased in November



Do my BG points have to be current points to book an exchange through an ongoing search? Or can they be saved points? I thought that your points only needed to be useable in red, white, and blue? 

The program we are buying is biennial (odd). I will have to pay BG to rollover my points come Sept. 2014? Then they will only be useable in red, white, and blue. 

My closing company told me that BG is averaging 2-3 months time to process everything. I surely hope that's the case. Otherwise, we will be waiting around to use the thing. I guess we can always book something during the school year and take the kids out of school to enjoy it, but I would prefer not. This will only really be a complication for this year, and for doing an exchange into DVC. After that, we will be using the program more simply. 

FYI: I've just learned from BG that RCI fees are not included in Club Dues. At least that must be the case of resale the way I'm buying it. Once I have my points, I will contact owner services and they will help me set up a new RCI account.


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## geekette (Mar 3, 2014)

I don't think it matters for RCI what 'vintage' your points are.


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## FegelyTwinMommy (Mar 3, 2014)

geekette said:


> I don't think it matters for RCI what 'vintage' your points are.



This wine girl loves that! LOL I always thought it didn't matter either, but I wanted to double check, because I would be forced to possibly pay my maintenance fees early to have fresh points deposited if I'm down to the wire with my points. Plus, I would run the risk of simply wasting points by waiting in standby mode to try to book a DVC property. Fingers crossed that I will be able to book a DVC property 4-6 months from when we want to arrive. I'm such a planner. I hate not having solid plans.


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## chriskre (Mar 3, 2014)

FegelyTwinMommy said:


> This wine girl loves that! LOL I always thought it didn't matter either, but I wanted to double check, because I would be forced to possibly pay my maintenance fees early to have fresh points deposited if I'm down to the wire with my points. Plus, I would run the risk of simply wasting points by waiting in standby mode to try to book a DVC property. Fingers crossed that I will be able to book a DVC property 4-6 months from when we want to arrive. I'm such a planner. I hate not having solid plans.



Put in your request as early as possible so you are front of the line.
Don't wait until 4 months or you'll miss the deposit.


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## GrayFal (Mar 4, 2014)

FegelyTwinMommy said:


> Do my BG points have to be current points to book an exchange through an ongoing search? Or can they be saved points? I thought that your points only needed to be useable in red, white, and blue?
> 
> The program we are buying is biennial (odd). I will have to pay BG to rollover my points come Sept. 2014? Then they will only be useable in red, white, and blue.
> 
> ...



I can not confirm whether a RCI account is included in your resale BG. Points account as my first purchase was thru Pinnacle of qualified points but I am pretty sure that all BG. Owners get access to a RCI account as part of the program.
What is not included for anyone is the RCI exchange fee that would need to be paid to set up the ongoing search. 

Saved points (which can only be used in RED White Blue time in Bluegreen) can only be used in RCI for exchanges 6 months or less. If you have both saved and current points in your account at the time of the exchange and it is more then six months out, the current points will be used for the exchange.


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## GrayFal (Mar 4, 2014)

chriskre said:


> Put in your request as early as possible so you are front of the line.
> Don't wait until 4 months or you'll miss the deposit.


It would be highly unlikely as Chris said that you would get a RCI DVC exchange at 4 months.

I think you already need to pick up another resale contract :whoopie: with every year usage. Those EOY contracts are difficult to use effectively, lots of restrictions and nuances to master for best use.


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## FegelyTwinMommy (Mar 4, 2014)

GrayFal said:


> It would be highly unlikely as Chris said that you would get a RCI DVC exchange at 4 months.
> 
> I think you already need to pick up another resale contract :whoopie: with every year usage. Those EOY contracts are difficult to use effectively, lots of restrictions and nuances to master for best use.



I purposely bought an EOY program, because that's what will work well for my family in the near future (after Disney). We typically will take a bigger vacation EOY, and stay closer to home or travel without airfare on the "less exciting" years! 

Truly, when you figure out the principles of the EOY program, it's not too difficult to manage. With the explanation above, of how RCI will look at my points (saved and "new"), and whether my ongoing search finds something I want 6 months ahead of travel or not, and how points will be deducted, I now understand that because of the way my family intends on using our points in our EOY program, there will always be enough points present for a 1 bedroom in Florida, in the RCI system during my ongoing search for DVC.

When I gain access to my points, all 24,000 BG points will be available to me. As of September 2014, 12,000 of those points will remain "new", and 12,000 (if we haven't used any) will need to be saved or will drop off. Come September 2015, I will receive a new 24,000 points. 

We really had intended to do Disney in 2015, and I'm beginning to think that putting in an ongoing search ASAP is still the best thing, but our plan of being at Disney for end of November/first week of December 2015, may not happen. We might get pushed to 2016. 

Whichever way you look at it, I will have at the very least 12,000 "new" points for an ongoing search available at any time, while my family will still be able to take a week long vacation within BG. (We only intend on using 12,000 points or less upon receiving the program. Then we would have to save any unused points by the drop off date.)

**I love learning from you all! Keep your info coming! It's always welcome!


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