# New RCI 'Platinum" points



## TUGBrian (Mar 12, 2010)

Recieved this as a press release earlier this week.



> FORGET SILVER OR GOLD…RCI GOES PLATINUM FOR ITS POINTS MEMBERS
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> ...


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## ttt (Mar 12, 2010)

This puts weeks owners as third world travelers and points members must pony up another fee to avoid being lumped together with abandoned weeks owners. Sounds like for an additional fee, they may let Platinum members get some of the exchanges offered to renterers recently??:whoopie:


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## rickandcindy23 (Apr 5, 2010)

It's happened.  My searches of RCI Points today netted 1/3 of what I usually see, and gone are most of the top Gold-Crown rated resorts.  I used to see 33 resorts in Orlando, but now I see 12 or 13 for any given month.  

I would say Hilton owners see everything premium, and probably some other resort systems also see the prime inventory, but not Australia points members.

RCI has separated points owners into different classes now.  I assume no one will want to get into regular, generic points at this time.  Looks like Vacation Village is still in regular points, and so are Summer Bay and a few other in Florida, but most of the inventory is just gone; disappeared all of a sudden.  The Wyndhams that were originally PAHIO are still there for Hawaii, but once those conversions are done to Wyndham points, those will be gone too, and that will leave very little in Hawaii, except for a few generic resorts.  

So much for getting Manhattan Club or the Hilton in NY now.  Wow, RCI downgrades points, 10 months after downgrading weeks.  What's next?  

Once again, people are going to say it's fine with them, they will get what they can for now, and I am just looking for a way to use my points and GET OUT!


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## Conan (Apr 5, 2010)

This is really bad news - - amazing if RCI can just create a higher-tier ownership and knock down their current crop of RCI Points owners.  And don't forget many of those people paid $3,000 cash for the privilege of becoming RCI Points members on top of their acquisition cost and annual dues.

Looks like it's time to move my points-for-deposit candidates into DAE and the other competitors of RCI.


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## rickandcindy23 (Apr 5, 2010)

> Looks like it's time to move my points-for-deposit candidates into DAE and the other competitors of RCI.



Yes, this is what I need to do as well.  RCI is devaluing points now, and no longer is "a point a point."  Just a few days ago, I could see loads of DVC inventory, and now there is not one week available in points.  There are some Hilton Seaworld for January of 2011, but most of the inventory over the year is gone for all of the Orlando Hiltons, and I am sure it's the same for the Vegas Hiltons.  

No Orange Lake either, and Orange Lake is so huge, I cannot see how RCI Platinum members will use much of that inventory.  DVC will be gone to us for good.  I still don't understand why people owning at Hilton wouldn't rather stay within their own system, yet people here have been using Hilton points for DVC trades.  I don't get it.  If I buy Hilton, and I may, it's not going to be for trades into DVC.   

RCI is giving new meaning to "Buy where you want to own," and "Buy into a system with an internal exchange program," we see advised here on TUG.


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## UWSurfer (Apr 5, 2010)

Having both, HGVC and a non-HGVC points account I just did a search on the places I normally search with my non-HGVC points account for the default weeks selection which go for 7,500 - 9,000 RCI points.   In this case this I'm searching Las Vegas and "California".

With RCI Points I see 10 properties, four of which are gold crown properties, one is a silver crown for the discounted rate of 7500 - 9000 points due to check-in being 45 days or less from today.

With the HGVC RCI portal, I see 9 properties, seven of which are gold crowns and one silver.    Of these two searches, only two of the gold crowns and one non-gold crown are seen on both searches.   What's really interesting is that HGVC members pay FULL FREIGHT for use of the week, NO DISCOUNT for these 45 day or less bookings.    The points usage is on par with HGVC's currency for one or two bedroom points costs within the HGVC system.

Those which I can book with my independent RCI account are discounted to what amounts to one-seventh of the points my Summer Bay 2 bdrm unit generates annually.    

So while I do get higher grade selections using the HGVC/RCI exchange portal, I also pay a lot more for the stay compared to a RCI "plain points" account booking this category of exchanges.

Very interesting.


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## tschwa2 (Apr 5, 2010)

Unfortunately with timeshares new higher tiers are created all the time.  SFX has multiple tiers of membership as does DAE.  You could be on que for 8 months with DAE for a location and someone signs up for the paid higher tier and can snag your week despite the fact that you deposited a prime week. 

 Developers sell units as 1-52 float and then tries to get you to upgrade to points making some weeks cost more in points.  And then sells more points and starts saving the units with better views for the higher tiered "members" and then starts selling more points to let you reserve earlier at least that's what Raintree and Festiva does.

Everyone is looking to make more money and sell you the priviliges you thought you already had.

Buying where you want to go or at least would be able and willing to go becomes more and more attractive.


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## rickandcindy23 (Apr 5, 2010)

This is a bit different.  I am SFX Platinum and pay the higher fee, but my fee doesn't mean I snatch exchanges from other people.  There are other benefits to the membership.  I do know that there are levels of exchange power associated with weeks through SFX, depending on your deposit.  

DAE has two levels of membership, and there are privileges to get exchanges ahead of others, that's true.  

RCI isn't charging an extra fee for the membership.  I cannot pay to get into it; otherwise, I would have received an email or phone call, asking me if I want to upgrade.  There is nothing on the website, either.  The two companies above are charging a premium membership that gives real benefits to owners, mostly monetary (SFX has lots of benefits within Platinum). 

RCI is excluding regular points owners from seeing inventory that Hilton, Shell, and Orange Lake members can see, just as three examples.  It's purely a developer game.  I would bet that this economy has hurt these developers, so RCI is helping them along with these platinum benefits.


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## bnoble (Apr 5, 2010)

While I often disagree with you about how Weeks ought to be valued---in particular I do not have an issue with the notion of trade power or that trade-ups should be limited---in this case I think you are right on.  I don't really see why Points should not be just Points.  The differences in quality/demand should already be accounted for in the Point valuations.  Adding a filter seems totally contrary to the whole principle of Points.

It is also possible that RCI has just screwed up somehow.  For example, I'm seeing some HGVC 3BRs at Sea World, but nothing smaller in 2010.  In January 2011, I'm seeing all sizes.  Very odd.


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## "Roger" (Apr 5, 2010)

rickandcindy23 said:


> It's happened.  My searches of RCI Points today netted 1/3 of what I usually see, and gone are most of the top Gold-Crown rated resorts.  I used to see 33 resorts in Orlando, but now I see 12 or 13 for any given month....


I saw your other post, Cindy, and it does make me nervous.  However, I am not sure that Brian's announcement and what you saw are connected.  This is what Brian's announcement says about first access ....

_RCI Points Platinum will offer its members exclusive “first look” exchange access *to specially acquired inventory *around the world at upscale properties in highly sought after vacation destinations...._  (What follows is a list of the type of special inventory that they will be acquiring.  There is nothing in the announcement that I see about first access to the usual inventory.)

I am hoping that what you experienced this morning has more to do with Sunday's computer downtime followed by the usual discovery of screwups the next day (this happens a lot with RCI) and not the above announcement.  I confess, however, that I am nervous.


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## rickandcindy23 (Apr 5, 2010)

I don't think they screwed up in taking Hilton, Orange Lake, DVC, Shell, out of the system; I think they screwed up when they left those Hiltons in for January.  

I have been expecting this since Brian posted the press release, and I have noticed a lack of inventory for November, December and January for DVC.  I saw a few odd weeks out there, but it was very different from last year.  Now it's all gone, even the glut of weeks that were still there a few days ago for August-October, including about 30 two bedrooms.  

All gone!  Everything changed overnight.  What a dejavu feeling this is today. RCI is hurting the smaller, independent timeshare resorts.  

So much for all RCI Points being equal.


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## rickandcindy23 (Apr 5, 2010)

> RCI Points Platinum will offer its members exclusive “first look” exchange access to specially acquired inventory around the world at upscale properties in highly sought after vacation destinations.... (What follows is a list of the type of special inventory that they will be acquiring. There is nothing in the announcement that I see about first access to the usual inventory.)



Roger, if you have Platinum Points, maybe you have nothing to worry about.  I have Australia points, just regular ol' points, and this sure looks like a completely different bunch of inventory from what I was seeing before.  I am sure Hilton and other developer mini-systems are getting access before we are.  

I would like to know what UWSurfer sees for RCI Points in Orlando for January right now.  I see like 13 resorts, where I used to see 35 or so.


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## bnoble (Apr 5, 2010)

> I don't think they screwed up in taking Hilton, Orange Lake, DVC, Shell, out of the system; I think they screwed up when they left those Hiltons in for January.


I think either is possible, and we may have to wait to see what happens when the dust settles before coming to a firm conclusion.

It would be interesting to see if there are "no-name" resorts that show up in the HGVC portal, but not "regular" Points.  If there are, that suggests that this is just a garden variety RCI screw up.  If there are not, then perhaps this is an intentional change.

It would also be interesting to call RCI to see if the VCs see different inventory than does the "regular" Points site.  We know they use different tools than they give us.  If the VCs see things the regular Points site cannot, that also suggests a garden variety RCI screw up.  If the VCs can't see them either, it's a little more serious.


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## akp (Apr 5, 2010)

*All Manhattan Club is gone!*

I've been checking Manhattan Club availability daily since I became a points member last April, and it has followed a very consistent pattern.  

Two days ago there were at least 20 resorts available, studios and one bedrooms, for Jan 2011.

Today they are gone. 

Two days ago, I saw 50 resorts daily available in Florida.  Today I see 5.

I'm not sure if it is this Platinum thing or not, but something sure has happened!  And for me, it was not good 

Anita


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## timeos2 (Apr 5, 2010)

*its a key far too many ignore*



tschwa2 said:


> Everyone is looking to make more money and sell you the priviliges you thought you already had.
> 
> Buying where you want to go or at least would be able and willing to go becomes more and more attractive.



That last statement has been a mantra for me, and the strongest recommendation I offer to anyone willing to listen.  Although it wasn't informed at the beginning, more just personal comfort level, our focus on purchasing resorts we really wanted to use turned out to be the key to happy timeshare ownership. The choice also enabled us to adjust the options we had over time to include membership in systems effectively making "to use" expand to hundreds o9f resorts that do not require external exchange companies and the associated costs/frustrations. 

We never bought depending on trades to get us what we wanted and thus changes to those systems are interesting but largely meaningless to our use. It was and is simply an option that we ignore unless it is a rare situation that requires us to use an exchange to save a use or get an area not served by our internal options. With that extremely limited exposure and by owning resorts we love to visit we've had no problem getting value out. 

By owning quality to use in areas we can drive to if needed and under owner control, limiting costs for external services and selectively trading/renting or using direct exchange with other owners  we've enjoyed over a decade of vacations in top resorts at deep discounts. We can get out at low prices without feeling we're losing as we bought inexpensively at resale to start.  

Buy to use and at resale are the keys to happy timeshare ownership IMO.  Most of the "problems" posted come down to poor exchanges, overpaying for the buy in (thus creating disappointment when resale is discovered to be low or non-existent) and out of control fees very often tied to never ending developer (vs owner) resort control. Pay attention to those and the result is far better and can really represent a great value for the dollar. Buying to trade, buying at Developer controlled resorts/systems and paying retail purchase prices almost guarantee that you'll be posting disappointment with timeshare as a concept. And understandably so.


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## djyamyam (Apr 5, 2010)

UWSurfer said:


> Having both, HGVC and a non-HGVC points account I just did a search on the places I normally search with my non-HGVC points account for the default weeks selection which go for 7,500 - 9,000 RCI points.   In this case this I'm searching Las Vegas and "California".
> 
> With RCI Points I see 10 properties, four of which are gold crown properties, one is a silver crown for the discounted rate of 7500 - 9000 points due to check-in being 45 days or less from today.
> 
> ...



USurfer, I believe that Cindy is looking at RCI Points resorts, not searching weeks with points.  Can you check that?  Cindy, can you confirm that's what you mean?


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## rickandcindy23 (Apr 5, 2010)

djyamyam said:


> USurfer, I believe that Cindy is looking at RCI Points resorts, not searching weeks with points.  Can you check that?  Cindy, can you confirm that's what you mean?



That's it.  I am searching on the points side of weeks, not the weeks side.  I didn't catch that.  Thanks for helping to clarify.


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## rickandcindy23 (Apr 5, 2010)

I did call RCI and they are clueless (or pretend to be).  I talked to an IT guy who admitted changes were coming, but he didn't think they were in effect yet.


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## UWSurfer (Apr 5, 2010)

By my understanding, I can't see "weeks only" RCI properties using my RCI points.   I can however see points properties who have weeks deposited using the weeks link on the RCI page. 


I did poke around a bit more with the HGVC portal into RCI vs plain points account, this time searching for a week in Kauai in January.   The inventory using both accounts is virtually identical.   However, with the HGVC valuation I can use a 1 bdrm platinum week to get a 2 bdrm Silver Crown in Princeville OR a 2 bdrm gold week in HGVC will get me the 2 bdrm silver crown in Priceville. 

From a 2 bdrm - 2 bdrm standpoint, I get a better shake through HGVC as my Summer Bay LV 2 bdrm costs me 1-1/2 years of RCI plain points to book. 

From a $$ stand point the MF's for 1-1/2 of my SB week is about the same as 1 year's MF's at HGVC Flamingo (2 bdrm).   

Additional consideration is HGVC is gold crown, SB is not any crown presently, although that will change when the construction is complete there.

Bottom line is it does seem useful to be in multiple systems when it comes to working availability, but at least for me the $$ works out to be about the same.   I too however subscribe to the philosophy of owning where you'd want to stay.


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## logan115 (Apr 5, 2010)

rickandcindy23 said:


> I still don't understand why people owning at Hilton wouldn't rather stay within their own system, yet people here have been using Hilton points for DVC trades.  I don't get it.  If I buy Hilton, and I may, it's not going to be for trades into DVC.




I can't and probably shouldn't speak for HGVC owners, but if you can buy 5000 HGVC points for $5000 and it gets you a week in a 2BR DVC unit it's a heckuva lot cheaper than buying the 300 or so DVC points that it would take to reserve this same unit size as a DVC owner.  Even 300 SSR points are going to run you close to $18-20K, and the annual MFs are going to be about 50% higher owning DVC than HGVC.

I'm assuming one of the other mysteries with the Platinum status is that RCI hasn't stated what is and isn't part of the Platinum group, correct ?

Chris


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## bnoble (Apr 5, 2010)

> I did call RCI and they are clueless (or pretend to be).



Don't ask them what happened because the rank and file phone jockeys have no idea about policy changes.  Just call the Points desk and see if there is any Orange Lake anytime in September.  If they find it easily, then RCI just screwed up their website...again.  If they say "nothing available" then it is time to worry a little more seriously.


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## "Roger" (Apr 5, 2010)

I am still thinking computer screw up.  

Early this morning I did a Florida search that had nothing to do with this thread and like Cindy was shocked at how little was available.  Later that list expanded some to eighteen resorts(and included the Hiltons).  Now that total is up to fifty four (and includes at least some Orange Lake and Disney).

[Added:  Earlier Cindy suggested that I might be a platinum member.  I am not.  Never heard of it until this thread.  So that has nothing to do with what I am seeing currently.]


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## rickandcindy23 (Apr 5, 2010)

I did that, and they see what I see.   The ramifications of that are alarming.  She actually said, "I guess all of the weeks you saw a few days ago have been taken by other members."  What a laugh!  Is she really serious?  

Going through your life clueless is ridiculous, but if you don't know what is going on at YOUR JOB, you are not just clueless, you are stupid.   And perhaps they are told to lie, I don't know, but this is just a new reason to dislike RCI.  As though I needed any new reasons.    

Generic resorts cannot get the value from RCI they once could, whatever season.  And now points is under assault.  I don't know what to do with this new thing they are doing.  I don't want to stay at Vacation Village at Parkway every time we go to Orlando.


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## rickandcindy23 (Apr 5, 2010)

"Roger" said:


> I am still thinking computer screw up.
> 
> Early this morning I did a Florida search that had nothing to do with this thread and like Cindy was shocked at how little was available.  Later that list expanded some to eighteen resorts(and included the Hiltons).  Now that total is up to fifty four (and includes at least some Orange Lake and Disney).
> 
> [Added:  Earlier Cindy suggested that I might be a platinum member.  I am not.  Never heard of it until this thread.  So that has nothing to do with what I am seeing currently.]



I am now seeing 35 resorts for September, including Disneys.  Thanks for pointing it out, because I was so depressed, I wasn't looking anymore.  

The question: Is this a precursor to the future we will see as generic Points owners?  Could be.  Maybe this was a test to see how they will pull the prime resorts out of the system, in one fell swoop.  

I wish my Wyndham Shearwater week for January shows up soon, so I can book it and use all of my borrowed points, and then I will have no points left for this year or next year.  

That would be okay by me, to be out of points, because the roller coaster ride today has been too stressful!


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## logan115 (Apr 5, 2010)

Who wins in all of this, is it just RCI because they're going to rent out these units instead of making them available for exchange, or are there specific systems that you would expect to benefit ?  How do even find out what resorts produce Platinum points anyway ?

I've never understood why Wyndham is a poor trader in a system owned by.......Wyndham   For all that I've read about cookin' the books to certain developers favor I never could grasp why Wyndham seemed to be so low on the totem pole.

Is the expectation that *some* places will now get more trading power, or that most if not all just take a hit.

Have to admit, that I've spent the past few months thinking about and trying to determine what would be a good 2nd TS for us, but given all of the uncertaintly of the past few weeks (pending changes to weeks and now the issues this morning on the points side) I'm starting to think that just renting (from owners or RCI) in the future may be the safer bet.

Chris


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## bnoble (Apr 5, 2010)

> The question: Is this a precursor to the future we will see as generic Points owners? Could be. Maybe this was a test to see how they will pull the prime resorts out of the system, in one fell swoop.


Occam's Razor suggests that it is much more likely that RCI's IT staff can't manage their way out of a wet paper bag.

Or, as Napoleon put it: "_Never ascribe to malice that which can be explained by incompetence_."


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## rickandcindy23 (Apr 5, 2010)

bnoble said:


> Or, as Napoleon put it: "_Never ascribe to malice that which can be explained by incompetence_."



Could have been incompetence, but I am on the edge of my seat, waiting for the next shoe to drop.  It ain't going to be pretty, either.  Brian's press release is proof positive that we have something happening soon.


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## bnoble (Apr 5, 2010)

I've always thought the release suggests something more like Interval's Gold membership, but time will tell.


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## akp (Apr 5, 2010)

*My RCI guide was clueless, too.*

First I talked to Doug who said there is no major RCI Points change, no new program, Points-are-points just like always.  He recommended I talk to IT.

I talked to James in IT.  He thinks the 20+ Manhattan Club units that I have seen for the past month ALL got taken in the past 24 hours, with RCI down most of that time.

I said, with as much respect as I could muster, seriously?  That is your best guess as to what happened to these units that were there Friday and gone now?  He said, yes, that is a really popular resort.  I said, I have been watching availability NIGHTLY at this resort since last April.  I know they go quickly, but we're talking January.  They've been sitting there for weeks and suddenly everyone wants to snap up January in New York?  

Same for Florida in January.  He says, well, that is really popular.  I say, yes, but I check for this every day, and every day without fail I see between 50 and 70 resorts for the 10 month out window.  Now I see 5.  He says, yep, really popular.  D'oh!

I shudder to think what this means if these guys really DO believe this, because it suggest not good things about their reasoning ability, and good reasoning should be a prerequisite for being in IT.  (At least it was back in my IT career days).


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## "Roger" (Apr 5, 2010)

akp said:


> ...I shudder to think what this means if these guys really DO believe this, because it suggest not good things about their reasoning ability, and good reasoning should be a prerequisite for being in IT.  (At least it was back in my IT career days).


I agree.  Stories like this make you wonder about their reasoning ability (and explain why shut downs always seem to result in a new set of screwups)

In case you haven't noticed, the Manhatten Club units have reappeared.  (Your post peeked my interest and I just did a search.)


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## Larry6417 (Apr 5, 2010)

*I see Manhattan Club too.*

I definitely don't have "Platinum Points." I have plain, old RCI Points from Rayburn Country Club and PFD from Dikhololo. Yet I see MC units available today. I suspect some (most?) of the problems with MC are due to incompetence. Last month the points values were bizarre - less than 21,000 RCI points for a studio in Jan 2011. The points values quickly rose to usual levels (64,000 for a studio, 74,500 for a 1BR). 

Does MC bulk spacebank? I wonder if a sudden surge in MC inventory depressed the RCI points value of MC units. Given the popularity of MC, it's not unreasonable that 20 units could be booked in a day. However, it seems more likely that there was a glitch in RCI's system since inventory is available today. 

Bnoble hit the head on the nail. Unfortunately, RCI has proven itself both greedy and incompetent.


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## logan115 (Apr 6, 2010)

Does anyone know what resorts/chains count as "platinum" points, or is it one of the other RCI mysteries ?

Chris


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## rickandcindy23 (Apr 6, 2010)

logan115 said:


> Does anyone know what resorts/chains count as "platinum" points, or is it one of the other RCI mysteries ?
> 
> Chris



Got a little inside info and am hopeful he/ she is correct in saying all points will have access to some new benefits, but that is all I could get.  I didn't push for more details, because it was very, very kind of this person to let me know that I am worrying unnecessarily.  

Did anyone notice the new program RCI put into place with rebates from purchasing on various websites?  I was intrigued to see it a few weeks ago.  Maybe this is more what it is.  Maybe it's more hotel room availability, which is odd they even have those, since we bought timeshare to get out of the hotel rooms.  :rofl:


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## rickandcindy23 (Apr 6, 2010)

> I definitely don't have "Platinum Points." I have plain, old RCI Points from Rayburn Country Club and PFD from Dikhololo.



So I wonder if the guy who sells the Rayburn pts has more information to share?  He would be a good guy to call, since he seems to get the "leg up" on this stuff.  I know he watches here, but I don't know his TUG name, or I would email him.


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## Larry6417 (Apr 6, 2010)

I believe you're thinking of Scott Riddle. I think that's his handle.


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## vacationdoc (Apr 6, 2010)

I am so totally confused I don't even know what questions to ask you RCI experts.  I bought the 83,000points/year 3 year RTU deal from club trinidad to try to learn about points.  Thus far I have used 36,000 points for 4 weeks of last minute secondary Big Island Hawaii condos in January and was happy.  Now I see nothing except a couple of studios in Palm Springs an Hawaii from weeks and nothing on the west coast in points searches.


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## rickandcindy23 (Apr 6, 2010)

I noticed a definite lack of inventory for last-minute travel last night for Florida and Hawaii, which is VERY unusual, because this is off-season, and there are usually dozens of weeks for both, and really hundreds in Florida.  

I cannot explain what's going on, but it does make one wonder--and worry.  I hope they straighten this out, because it's really been a roller coaster ride lately with RCI.  Maybe they are populating inventory to Points members at the same time as Weeks members now get it.  I haven't been able to find any kind of pattern, and probably very intentional on RCI's part.  As Carole Ablett of RCI explained to me, way back in June of 2009 when they downgraded my weeks, knowledgeable people were going online in the middle of the night to get the new inventory,   and people who weren't as aware of how to exploit the system were left out.:rofl: 

Time for those people to learn the system, if you ask ME!


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## Carolinian (Apr 6, 2010)

ttt said:


> This puts weeks owners as third world travelers and points members must pony up another fee to avoid being lumped together with abandoned weeks owners. Sounds like for an additional fee, they may let Platinum members get some of the exchanges offered to renterers recently??:whoopie:



That is the history of many points systems.  Create another level of points and require people to switch or lose the value of their existing points.  That has happened with points systems in both South Africa and Europe.  No reason to think RCI will not do the same.


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## Texasbelle (Apr 7, 2010)

*RCI "update" meeting/Premium Points*

Since we had not been to an RCI "update" meeting for several years, we accepted an invitation to a local Chili's for the "update."  Be aware that these meetings are just an effort to sell the new Premium Points System.  Only $38,000!  The latest wrinkle was an offer to buy some of our timeshare weeks to lower the price.  In our case 4 weeks trade-in would bring the cost down by $16,000.  Since we had been offered RCI points for under $2000, this sounded way out of line.  The meeting is a one-on-one question session, dinner, explanation of points, and "closer."  If points interest you, be sure to say no until the price comes waaaay down.


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## skimble (Apr 10, 2010)

logan115 said:


> I can't and probably shouldn't speak for HGVC owners, but if you can buy 5000 HGVC points for $5000 and it gets you a week in a 2BR DVC unit it's a heckuva lot cheaper than buying the 300 or so DVC points that it would take to reserve this same unit size as a DVC owner.  Even 300 SSR points are going to run you close to $18-20K, and the annual MFs are going to be about 50% higher owning DVC than HGVC.
> 
> 
> Chris



If there's anything to be learned from this and all the other recent changes it's this... don't count on this lasting.  RCI will change this soon too. 
It all goes back to the time-tested mantra... buy where you want to go.


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## rickandcindy23 (Apr 10, 2010)

skimble said:


> It all goes back to the time-tested mantra... buy where you want to go.



This is somewhat true, but I don't want to go to the same old places, and I do like trying new resorts in areas we go often, like Orlando.  

You can always get some good exchanges, you just have to be diligent, and you must time your searches.  

Rather than to say, "buy where you own," I would say, "Buy some resorts you love and will use most of the time, and rent them when you don't.  This means they must have a rental value.  Then buy a good week or two for trading, with MF's of less than $700, which will trade where you want to go. Or buy into a points system."  

I love RCI Points, but who knows what's going on?  I am worried myself, and I am glad I already deposited and used almost all of this year's and next year's points.


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## bestmom (Mar 11, 2011)

We received a visit today from RCI who has offered to convert our "week" timeshare to platinum plus of $3500.  Don't know if its a good idea.  Any suggestions?


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## Rene McDaniel (Mar 12, 2011)

bestmom said:


> We received a visit today from RCI who has offered to convert our "week" timeshare to platinum plus of $3500.  Don't know if its a good idea.  Any suggestions?



No.  $3500 is too much to pay! If you were interested in converting to RCI points, you could just pick up a resort that someone is giving away for free, or selling for $1 that is already an RCI points resort.

[Duplicate posts are not permitted - DenseM Moderator]

Best of luck!
--- Rene


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## wayzer (Mar 15, 2011)

I would love to hear (read) some further discussion around this topic - since the main body of the topic was discused a year ago. Has there been more clarity around the topic. It cost 55 dollars to upgrade, but really what am I getting that I don't already getting. Did they really make points account worth less by creating this new filter? Can they do that?


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## rickandcindy23 (Mar 15, 2011)

Benefits seem pretty minor.  I think the best benefit is free guest certificates.  I do a few annually, so that could help me a little,  Not sure if the other benefits are worthy.  Have you checked the RCI site about the program?


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## wayzer (Mar 15, 2011)

Yes, briefly. I didn't see the free guest cert. so obviously I need to go back and read it. For now the standard points program is working for me - however wanted to know if I was over looking some things. I haven't been on these boards in some time (since I first bought about 2 years ago), but I trust the information here just as much (more) as the source (rci) so I wanted to know what others were seeing/feeling about the upgrade program now.


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