# Florida Keys in summer 2013 ....



## Bajanswife (May 24, 2012)

So we are leaning more toward the Keys now. It doesn't really matter where - we'll have a car and will be exploring all over anyway - not sure it matters that much where we're sleeping. 

We (my parents technically) have a pretty strong RCI Points trader, and we're flexible on dates - i.e. we can come anywhere from mid-July to the end of August (would prefer July though). I have been through the RCI inventory and narrowed down the resorts that would seem to suit us. However, I now have the tough task of deciding when to grab something that I see become available. Right now we can only get a 1-bedroom (sleeps 4) at Anchorage in Key Largo. We are a family of 5 and were ideally hoping for something slightly further down the Keys (though we'd settle for Key Largo if that's all that was available).

Most of the Keys resorts seem to be RCI Weeks - when would most people deposit their weeks for next July? When should I expect more availability, or is this it? Is there a particular time we should be looking for the few Points resorts? At what point do we assume that not much more will come up and make our decision?


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## theo (May 24, 2012)

*My $0.02 worth...*



Bajanswife said:


> So we are leaning more toward the Keys now. It doesn't really matter where - we'll have a car and will be exploring all over anyway - not sure it matters that much where we're sleeping.
> 
> We (my parents technically) have a pretty strong RCI Points trader, and we're flexible on dates - i.e. we can come anywhere from mid-July to the end of August (would prefer July though). I have been through the RCI inventory and narrowed down the resorts that would seem to suit us. However, I now have the tough task of deciding when to grab something that I see become available. Right now we can only get a 1-bedroom (sleeps 4) at Anchorage in Key Largo. We are a family of 5 and were ideally hoping for something slightly further down the Keys (though we'd settle for Key Largo if that's all that was available).
> 
> Most of the Keys resorts seem to be RCI Weeks - when would most people deposit their weeks for next July? When should I expect more availability, or is this it? Is there a particular time we should be looking for the few Points resorts? At what point do we assume that not much more will come up and make our decision?



Florida Keys weeks, at least in my personal opinion and experience, are far more likely to be either used or rented out by their owners (as opposed to being "deposited for exchange"). I owned a Keys week (no longer) and I would frankly *never* have considered depositing it with RCI. If I couldn't use my week, it would always easily rent instead, for good money. Why "get less for more" by "depositing for exchange" with RCI?  
I strongly suspect that RCI would (i.e., does) just "skim off" good Keys weeks deposits anyhow and rent them out themselves (much more profitable than a mere exchange fee). If that belief is indeed correct, precious few good (...and by "good", I specifically mean something _*outside of*_ hurricane season) Keys weeks would (or do) ever make it into RCI "exchange" inventory anyhow.  

P.S. Unless you have (and are bringing) a boat, I would not recommend the Anchorage in Key Largo anyhow. At that location, you are just barely even in the Keys --- in fact, you're almost under the new bridge. You're about 105 miles from Key West at that location (albeit only about 3 miles from John  Pennekamp State Park).    

Just my opinion, but I'd look for something else (even if a rental) in the Lower keys instead, myself...


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## MaryH (May 24, 2012)

Depends on what you own, if it is something nice you can try to see if you can arrange for a trade with a Hyatt Owner for Beach House, Windward point or Sunset Harbour.


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## JeffW (May 24, 2012)

I'd avoid Anchorage resort - I'm not sure I've ever seen any good reviews of it (and when you see the outside and the location of it on the drive down the Keys, they seem believeable!).

Summer might be tough for a Keys exchange (though, in II, I put in an request for Key West May through Oct this year, and got a match for a 2br at the Banyan for July).  

In RCI, I'd think the Galleon is the best resort down there.  I've been there twice:  once on an exchange (forget if it was II or RCI (they are dual-affiliated), once on a private rental).

Aug/Sep/Oct (hurricane period) is your best chance of snagging an exchange, but it sounds like that's outside your travel dates.

Jeff


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## Bajanswife (May 24, 2012)

We can go all the way out to the end of August - school is not back in until the second week of September. But yes, there's that hurricane risk ..... not only the risk of having one while we're there, but also the risk of worrying about one hitting our home while we are away! 

So if we were lucky enough to see an exchange, when would we see it - 13 months ahead? 12 months?


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## JeffW (May 24, 2012)

Most of my exchanges have been Aug-Sep-Oct.  Have had to leave early twice due to hurricanes.  Interesting experiences!  We go to KW often enough that having gone through it (at least once) probably made the trip more memorably than just a few more days there.

I'd need to look historically at my matches.  The one for this year was placed Nov 2011 and matched Apr 2012 for July 2012.  I don't think many others were 12+ months out, though I'd need to check.  

My guess is that a number are close to late deposits: 2-3 months out (this year's one was almost 3 months to the day).  I had one YEARS ago that was for Sunset Harbor:  seen on Thursday for checkin on Sunday.  I took it, it was a great stay.

If you're looking to go this year, you might be getting close to the window where you can't place an ongoing search.   Instead you'll just have to do online searches regularly.

Jeff


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