# Orange Lake Rip OFF



## TerryStevens (Apr 22, 2008)

Hi
I live in the UK and own several timeshare weeks, 3 in the UK and 1 at Orange Lake. I recently converted my UK weeks to points at a cost of $1000 for all three. However I cannot us a UK vendor to convert my Orange Lake week, it has to be done by Orange Lake. I contacted them and believe it or not they wanted $8000, yes eight thousand dollars, to convert my fixed week to the points. I have contacted other vendors in the USA but they cannot do this for me only Orange Lake.
Has any other owner converted their Orange Lake week to points and if so how much have they been charged, I am interested to see if Orange Lake is just trying to rip off owners in the UK.
If I cannot convert at a resonable price, anyone intersted in buying my week 44 2 bed North Village?


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## JMAESD84 (Apr 22, 2008)

TerryStevens said:


> Hi
> I live in the UK and own several timeshare weeks, 3 in the UK and 1 at Orange Lake. I recently converted my UK weeks to points at a cost of $1000 for all three. However I cannot us a UK vendor to convert my Orange Lake week, it has to be done by Orange Lake. I contacted them and believe it or not they wanted $8000, yes eight thousand dollars, to convert my fixed week to the points. I have contacted other vendors in the USA but they cannot do this for me only Orange Lake.
> Has any other owner converted their Orange Lake week to points and if so how much have they been charged, I am interested to see if Orange Lake is just trying to rip off owners in the UK.
> If I cannot convert at a resonable price, anyone intersted in buying my week 44 2 bed North Village?



I'm not an Orange Lake owner, but my take of these fees is that since they have a monopoly on the conversion........ they try to rip everyone off. 

So you're special, but not because of your treatment here in the US on this issue.


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## sfwilshire (Apr 22, 2008)

I've been a Points member for a few years now, but I also keep a few Weeks to play with. There are advantages to having both. You might want to hang onto the Orange Lake and continue to use it in the Weeks system. Your Week account is free with RCI when you're a Points member (at least in the US, don't know if the same is true for European members), so there is no additional membership fee.

Sheila


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## lprstn (Apr 22, 2008)

I went on the tour with Orange Lake for their points program, trust me its not worth $8000, heck its not worth $1500.  Consider yourself lucky.  If you want a good points program there are tons out there that cost under $1500 and are a much better points program than Orange Lakes.


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## brucecz (Apr 22, 2008)

If you want Orange Lake Points at a far cheaper price go to ebay and type in Orange Lake and/or  Organge Lake Points.

Orange lake has also taken over a resort in Lake Geneva Wisconsin , so also check there.

Even if nothing is currently for sale on ebay check the completed auctions to see if any were sold, what they sold for on the resale market, and if those points privlages can be tranferred.


Here is a completed auction for the Orange Lake points  like  you want.

 Enlarge LAKE GENEVA Orange Lake GOLD CROWN Red Week TIMESHARE 
Orange Lake at Lake Geneva Points - NO RESERVE!!!!! 
 View similar active items
Sell one like this

  5 $711.00
 See description Apr-15  

It was ebay auction number 160228667222 and 7,000 Orange Lake Points sold for $711.00. I am sure there would be bigger  point packages available in the future on Ebay.

We wish you good luck.



Bruce


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## TerryStevens (Apr 23, 2008)

Thanks for the replies. 
I do not want the Orange Lake points to use within the Orange Lake group, I just want them to add to my RCI Points Account. As for keeping the week as a fixed week I am finding that it is bringing up less and less availability when I try to exchange, but my points account brings up everything I want.
I have seen on other forums that Orange Lake are charging the $8000 to convert weeks that were bought on the re-sale market. I bought my week direct from them, off plan, so I might get intouch to see if they are made an error in the costs.
Also I am to understand that any one buying a re-sale points weeks revert back to fixed weeks and the new owner has to convert again!!!


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## Jimster (Apr 23, 2008)

*Orange Lake*

It is not just Orange Lake that charges an arm and a leg to convert to points.  Many TS here do that.  It also is not aimed at residents of the UK either.  You can (or at least you could up to last summer-the last time i did it) simply use the points for deposit program and get points that way from your ownership of OL.  To me, if there is a surprise here, it is that you converted your other weeks so cheaply.


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## lprstn (Apr 23, 2008)

You could always sell your Orange Lake weeks TS, then purchase RCI points resorts for less than what Orange Lake would have charged you?


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## TerryStevens (Apr 23, 2008)

*Amazing*

To recall, I contacted RCI Europe about converting my Orange Lake week to points, they said only Orange Lake can do it. I contacted RCI USA and they confirmed this.
I have just had the most weird conversation with a guy called Woolf at Orange Lake. I thought I would call again to check out the cost for converting my fixed week to points. He has quoted me $1999 to join GlobalAccess!!!!!!! So I asked him to confirm that this would mean my week would become RCI points. He said no it would not!!!! It would only enrol me in Orange Lake GlobalAccess. It is up to RCI to convert my week to RCI Points as GlobalAccess Points is TOTALLY different.
So not only has the price suddenly dropped but it will not be RCI points anyway. Looks like another long call to RCI Europe and telling them to sort it out.


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## brucecz (Apr 23, 2008)

TerryStevens said:


> To recall, I contacted RCI Europe about converting my Orange Lake week to points, they said only Orange Lake can do it. I contacted RCI USA and they confirmed this.
> I have just had the most weird converstaion with a guy called Woolf at Orange Lake. I thought I would call again to check out the cost for converting my fixed week to points. He has quoted me $1999 to join GlobalAccess!!!!!!! So I asked him to confirm that this would mean my week would become RCI points. He said no it would not!!!! It would only enrol me in Orange Lake GlobalAccess. It is up to RCI to convert my week to RCI Points as GlobalAccess Points is TOTALLY different.
> So not only has the price suddenly dropped but it will not be RCI points anyway. Looks like another long call to RCI Europe and telling them to sort it out.



Terry, you should have no problem buying a RCI Points week that has over 50,000 yearly RCI Points for under $1,000.US dollars with yearly maintenance fees of under $500 per year.

By the way, I live about 30 miles away from the Orange Lake resort in Wisconsin. That resort has had a lot of management and sales problems. They tend to also nickel and dime the owners.

IMHO I would not by there.

Bruce


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## neash (Apr 23, 2008)

Jimster said:


> It is not just Orange Lake that charges an arm and a leg to convert to points.  Many TS here do that.  It also is not aimed at residents of the UK either.  You can (or at least you could up to last summer-the last time i did it) simply use the points for deposit program and get points that way from your ownership of OL.  To me, if there is a surprise here, it is that you converted your other weeks so cheaply.



AFAIK you cannot use PFD for a resort that has already converted to the RCI points program, even if you only own a week.


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## TerryStevens (Apr 23, 2008)

I am getting a bit confused here. Orange Lake have their GlobalAccess not RCI Points. The guy said that by joining this I would not be joining RCI Points. On RCIs web site it shows Orange Lake as being a points resort. So is Orange Lake in RCI points or not, or are they just using their own points system to swop into RCI Points?


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## lprstn (Apr 23, 2008)

TerryStevens said:


> I am getting a bit confused here. Orange Lake have their GlobalAccess not RCI Points. The guy said that by joining this I would not be joining RCI Points. On RCIs web site it shows Orange Lake as being a points resort. So is Orange Lake in RCI points or not, or are they just using their own points system to swop into RCI Points?



Orange lake has Global Access Points, not RCI points.


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## Jimster (Apr 23, 2008)

*PFD*

I was under the impression you could not use pfd if they had converted to the points program but I did so last summer.  It was the standard 55K points.  It may have something to do with the fact they have 4 HOAs.  It also may have changed since then but I didn't have any problems.  As for Global Access, that is an OL program and not to be confused with RCI.


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## vacationhopeful (Apr 23, 2008)

I have both RCI points and Wyndham points. Yes, these are separate and unrelated systems.  But Wyndham has its resorts classified as RCI Points resorts => which prevents deeded week owners from PFD ... and there is NO conversion program to convert to RCI Points.  Of course, you can convert your fixed week into Wyndham (sort of) points for $4995...


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## TerryStevens (Apr 24, 2008)

Another call to RCI, guess what RCI Europe does not particpate in the PFD program!!!!!!!GRRRRRRRRRR. I have been told again to contact Orange Lake as they are an RCI Points Affiliated Resort and must convert my fixed week to RCI Points.
Trying to send the email or fax but having little luck.


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## JLB (Apr 24, 2008)

Over the years I have heard far worse complaints about OL.  We have had the good fortune to have passed on their offers 5 times and the common sense not to pay $25K for something available for just about free on the Internet.

Since January, 2004, when I reported on this site the complaints of others at OL while we were there, and I wound up in deep doo doo, I have been reluctant to share all I hear about the place.

In every instance so far, those who own at OL and participate on this site have fared well in these little thingies.  Normally whatever negatives are being presented get turned around to their advantage and those presenting facts get put in their place.  Some of them are never heard from again.

The lack of concern and forthright information is a common stonewalling tactic of some of the older Orlando resorts still under the control of the developers.  My most recent query to OL, two in fact, both were answered in OLese gobbley gook.  Let's say creative avoidance, without a whole of creativity.   

But, no need to single OL out for the run-around and crappy service, because it is commonplace in the industry.

Our recent affiliation with Escapes!, and the amazingly fast and courteous service they provide almost has me in disbelief.  So far, every time I have called or emailed I have gotten the person I wanted or someone who could handle things in their place, and on the first try.


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## JLB (Apr 24, 2008)

Oh yeah, as to your specific problem, OL v. RCI, I have heard that for 20 years, since our first tour.  They certainly have a strange love/hate relationship.  Everyone we have ever dealt with at OL has made it clear that RCI would collapse without them.  The threat of going it alone has been there since the beginning it seems.

Yet, RCI gives them their own reps, to do business just for OL owners, and an on-site RCI rep.  After Vistana, OL owners are the largest depositors to RCI.  Trading power being a supply/demand situation, and there always being an ample to over supply at OL, it is surprising that RCI gives them the trading power owners claim they have.

But, yes, when I have had questions in the past, OL and RCI like to bat it back and forth.


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## scooooter (Apr 25, 2008)

Terry, Sorry to hear about your problems with this!  I hope that you are able to get it all sorted out.

I had done a recent post on trying to get our 3 bedroom River Island lockout into Global Access for the sheer reason that my brother/sister in law purchased at River Island but purchased a different week from us.  Our plan is to swap weeks every other year.  Problem is, if we bank our week, we are NOT able to get back into River Island because we would have to bank with RCI.  I have been searching for a River Island week for a couple months now -NOTHING.  I know a couple of people on here have gotten lucky finding one, but trust me, I have found not one single unit for Nov, let alone a 3 bedroom lockout!  Problem is, all the units are in global access and they get banked with global access - not RCI.  

So, we are in a very unfortunate position.  :annoyed: 

I called Orange Lake, AGAIN, trying to talk them into "letting us" :hysterical: 
get into global access only to be told the very cheapest we could buy into it for would be $4000.  Seriously.  

I would LOVE to have this guy "Wolff's" extension number so that I can call him about getting our unit into Go Global!  If you still have it, could you shoot me a message?

THANK YOU!
Rhonda


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## Mel (Apr 27, 2008)

TerryStevens said:


> I am getting a bit confused here. Orange Lake have their GlobalAccess not RCI Points. The guy said that by joining this I would not be joining RCI Points. On RCIs web site it shows Orange Lake as being a points resort. So is Orange Lake in RCI points or not, or are they just using their own points system to swop into RCI Points?



Woolf, and whoever else you spoke to at Orange Lake didn't know what they were talking about.  When you convert to Global Access, you get BOTH Global Access Points and RCI Points.  There is a conversion factor, I think 2 GA point per RCI point, or the other way around.  When you exchange your converted week through RCI, you commit a certain number of GA points to your RCI account.  This is no different than the many other points programs that are also part of RCI Points.

And no, you cannot use your fixed week as PFD because Orange Lake is not a weeks-only resort.  As for conversion, the $1999 sound like what they offered to us back when GA was first offered.  We chose not to convert because we are content with the trades we get.

As others have said, this is a ploy used by most of the US resorts.  You can only convert through the resort, not a third party, and the fee is significant.  There are a few exceptions, but most US resorts use this model.


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## Bill4728 (Apr 28, 2008)

Mel said:


> Woolf, and whoever else you spoke to at Orange Lake didn't know what they were talking about.  When you convert to Global Access, you get BOTH Global Access Points and RCI Points.  There is a conversion factor, I think 2 GA point per RCI point, or the other way around.  When you exchange your converted week through RCI, you commit a certain number of GA points to your RCI account.  This is no different than the many other points programs that are also part of RCI Points.
> 
> And no, you cannot use your fixed week as PFD because Orange Lake is not a weeks-only resort.  As for conversion, the $1999 sound like what they offered to us back when GA was first offered.  We chose not to convert because we are content with the trades we get.
> 
> As others have said, this is a ploy used by most of the US resorts.  You can only convert through the resort, not a third party, and the fee is significant.  There are a few exceptions, but most US resorts use this model.



This what I've heard too.


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## JLB (Apr 28, 2008)

IMO, it is this statement by others, which I believe they said correctly, that those reading their statements misinterpreted, that has led to the misbelief that GA Points and RCI Points are the same thing (by some).  

It is because statements like that I just made can easily be confused, especially by what I will choose to call _lazy reading _, for lack of a better term.  By that I mean those instances where the reader elects to read a meaning the writer never intended.

But, when GA first came out, when I was discussing it with an inside RCI source, and he was making a comment about the (lack of) originality in GA Point values, he said that all OL did was take already assigned RCI Point values, and double them, or half them, whichever does not really matter.

Why concoct your own values when someone else has already done it for you, or why concoct your own values to disagree with someone elses, when you are fine with them, but you still want to make them appear different?

The same as you are saying . . . but which does not mean and never meant that GA Points and RCI Points are the same thing.

 

PS:  When clearly the intention is to confuse rather than clarify, GA Points marketing is succeeding.  If the intention was to clarify, there has been enough time to do that.





Mel said:


> There is a conversion factor, I think 2 GA point per RCI point, or the other way around.


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## TerryStevens (Apr 28, 2008)

*confused*

Ok perhaps someone can explain.
If I join OL GA Points I get say 100000 points, (these can be used within the OL Family) but I only get 50000 points to use in RCi Points.
So if I want to use my points to exchange within RCI I contact RCI Points and vica versa with OL GA.
But how do the two systems know how many points I have left when I have done an exchange? When I do an RCI Points exchange online OL GA do not have access to my RCI Points Account.
Does it mean each year I have to decide to 'bank' my OL GA points with RCI?
I may being a bit stupid here but I cannot see how the two accounts can work together.


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## Mel (Apr 28, 2008)

*Yes, you would ned to deposit your GA points into your RCI Points account*

To exchange through RCI Points I can see it being done one of two ways, and I honestly don't know which way Global Access does it, or if they possibly use both.

One possibility is to call GA, and put your request through them.  They probably have an arrangement where they can search for what you want, and then deposit the appropriate points to RCI (2 GA points per RCI point).  RCI may also let you run your own search and commit the points once you find a match.

The other possibility is for you to call GA, and have them deposit a set number of your points to your RCI points account.  This would then allow you to run a search online using your points.  However, I would assume this also commits you to depositing your points to RCI, and they would no longer be available to us within Global Access, so you would have to pay the higher RCI exchange fee if you used them to go back to one of the Orange Lake properties..

Perhaps some who has joined Global Access can tell us which method they are able to use.


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## TerryStevens (Apr 29, 2008)

*More info*

Ok here we go.
Still waiting to hear from OL after sending them a fax, email and letter by snail mail.
Found on OL GA site a pdf file explaining how it all works.
When you join OL GA they CONTROL your points. If you want to exchange into the OL Family you phone OL GA and they do the exchange etc.
If you want to exchange through RCI Points you still have to phone OL GA, they check your account an transfer you to their RCI reps to sort out your exchange. What a load of rubbish, I live in the UK, I am a member of RCI Europe, when I deposit my OL week it is RCI Europe I call or do my exchanges on line. 
Living in the UK can you imagine the cost of calls everytime I want to make an RCI Points exchange, plus sorting out the time difference.


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## JLB (Apr 30, 2008)

I was over at a guy's house this afternoon explaining timeshare.  We were searching Orlando, just to give him some idea how it works.

I saw RI with my crappiest week, so if any of you who gave OL all that extra money, and can't get in RI, let me know and maybe we can work something out.


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## timeos2 (Apr 30, 2008)

*Easy is relative*



JLB said:


> I was over at a guy's house this afternoon explaining timeshare.  We were searching Orlando, just to give him some idea how it works.
> 
> I saw RI with my crappiest week, so if any of you who gave OL all that extra money, and can't get in RI, let me know and maybe we can work something out.



Just like Wastegate, Vistana and the other mega-resorts when there a bejillion units being deposited it doesn't take much to get one.  It ruins the trade value for that resort, other mega-resorts and taints the whole area even though in reality the only "easy" trades are only into those overbuilt monsters or low quality resorts.  The really top resorts are still tough to get even if its easy to get into one of the inconsistent and overbuilt mega's.  If you don't care what you get its easy. If you want the best even "overbuilt" areas are a tough trade.


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## JLB (May 1, 2008)

Except that in most cases a crappy trader can get the best when no one else wants it.  FI, my worst trader, the one that saw RI, can get a cabin at Big Cedar Wilderness Club Christmas Week.

It goes back to the first true timeshare statement someone at RCI made to me a long, long time ago, about the time we were coming to the conclusion that we werent getting the good stuff, about the time we realized there was good stuff to be had, "90% of owners want to go to 10% of the resorts 10% of the weeks."

Oops, that doesn't fit.


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## gorevs9 (May 2, 2008)

JLB said:


> I saw RI with my crappiest week, so if any of you who gave OL all that extra money, and can't get in RI, let me know and maybe we can work something out.



Which Rhode Island resort did you find?  Was it a summer week?


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## JLB (May 2, 2008)

In OLCC discussions, RI means River Island, the newest (but not better  ) village in OLCC.



gorevs9 said:


> Which Rhode Island resort did you find?  Was it a summer week?


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## gjw007 (May 9, 2008)

Mel said:


> Woolf, and whoever else you spoke to at Orange Lake didn't know what they were talking about.  When you convert to Global Access, you get BOTH Global Access Points and RCI Points.  There is a conversion factor, I think 2 GA point per RCI point, or the other way around.  When you exchange your converted week through RCI, you commit a certain number of GA points to your RCI account.  This is no different than the many other points programs that are also part of RCI Points.



You get RCI Points through Global Access but you don't get RCI Points like the OP was looking for.  Example, my Vacation Village account is a RCI Points resort.  I never talk to them except for the maintenance fees.  Everything else is done through RCI and I can do it online.   Global Access I have to call Global Access for RCI Points.  I don't call RCI Points directly.  If I choose to take an RCI Points reservation, the points via the conversion process is transferred from Global Access to RCI Points.  If I don't use the RCI Points, they don't convert back to Global Access.  And yes, OLCC didn't reinvent the points system but the difference in most points systems are slim although sometimes annoying.

There's nothing new in Global Access conversion into RCI Points either.  I believe that Fairfield points convert into RCI Points the same ways as Global Access points.  The same for Starpoints from Sheraton.  Disney's DVC points do the same for II exchanges.  Diamond points does the same for II exchange.  In all these cases, you have to contact the points department of the system and request an exchange into the RCI or II system.  You cannot directly go to RCI or II and make the exchange.  If you are looking for a pure RCI Points resort, you are much better off with something like Vacation Village at Parkway then you are with Global Access.  

Another interesting aspect is whether or not points accounts will transfer freely with a resale.  A while back there was somebody looking to purchase a Summer Bay resale that was already an RCI Points account.  The resort requires the new owners to pay $8000 to remain in RCI Points even though it is already been converted to a points account.   Points can be nice because of the flexibility but in the end seem to be more expensive to the owners and a little more than a gravy train for the developers.  I wonder how much this would have been different if the HOAs had developed the programs rather than the developer.


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## theo (May 10, 2008)

*Points for Deposit instead of permanent conversion?*



TerryStevens said:


> I do not want the Orange Lake points to use within the Orange Lake group, I just want them to add to my RCI Points Account. As for keeping the week as a fixed week I am finding that it is bringing up less and less availability when I try to exchange, but my points account brings up everything I want.



I do not know Orange Lake from Purple Haze.

That said, if you already have both RCI weeks and RCI points accounts, why can't you just annually convert your remaining fixed week into "Points for Deposit" directly with RCI? Yes, you'd have to do so annually and with a fee each time, but that's a VERY far cry from having to pay $8k for a permanent conversion. Seems like an available solution to me, unless I'm just plain missing something here (...a good possibility, I admit).


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## nancar (May 10, 2008)

[_Message deleted. Duplicate posts on these forums are not permitted._ Dave M, BBS Moderator]


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## gjw007 (May 10, 2008)

theo said:


> I do not know Orange Lake from Purple Haze.
> 
> That said, if you already have both RCI weeks and RCI points accounts, why can't you just annually convert your remaining fixed week into "Points for Deposit" directly with RCI? Yes, you'd have to do so annually and with a fee each time, but that's a VERY far cry from having to pay $8k for a permanent conversion. Seems like an available solution to me, unless I'm just plain missing something here (...a good possibility, I admit).



Unless I am missing something in what you are trying to say, once a resort has gone RCI Points, all units, whether they stay in weeks or not, are considered RCI Points units and therefore you cannot do a PFD.  Therefore weeks units at OLCC cannot be converted to PFD.  Converting OLCC into Global Access to get RCI Points is not the best or least expensive way to get into RCI Points.


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## teepeeca (May 10, 2008)

As far as I know, once "even one" timeshare owner of a week switches his/her week to "points", then that resort is considered a "points" resort, and "PFD's" will no longer be an option.

Tony


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## theo (May 10, 2008)

teepeeca said:


> As far as I know, once "even one" timeshare owner of a week switches his/her week to "points", then that resort is considered a "points" resort, and "PFD's" will no longer be an option.
> 
> Tony



O.K., thanks --- I did not know this. I had assumed, apparently incorrectly, that an owned fixed week could always be "PFD" as long as that particular week remained a fixed week. While the policy you describe seems patently unfair, with RCI involved it certainly does not much surprise me. :annoyed:


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## caloris (May 10, 2008)

teepeeca said:


> As far as I know, once "even one" timeshare owner of a week switches his/her week to "points", then that resort is considered a "points" resort, and "PFD's" will no longer be an option.
> 
> Tony



My home resort is converting a points. They called me and said about 40% of the owners have converted from weeks to points, for a fee, and offered to convert me. I did not convert and don't intend to. I've been very successful exchanging my week. I typically go to orlando, branson or hot springs, AR. I've never had a problem finding something great. I exchanged for a 3 bedroom in Hilton Grand Vacations Seaworld the first week of Jan 07. And got a 3 Bedroom in OL 12/10 of last year. The first night at OL  a water supply line on the toliet split and flooded the place during the night. They offered and I moved to a 2 bedroom in RI. Talk about luck. RI is very nice. Most of OL doesn't have internet access, RI does. Charge $50 a week for it ,but it's in the room. 
Back to the PFD question. I own at two 'weeks' resorts and also a 'points' RTU in california. My RCI account converted to a points account when I purchased the points RTU. I can still use PFD to deposit my week. My home resort, which is switching to points, still allows me to deposit my week and convert to points via PFD on rci.com.


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## JLB (May 12, 2008)

*Nice*, but not *better*, than old units that have stuff like, oh, water supply line breaks.   

New, more expensive, different, but not better.   

http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64181



caloris said:


> RI is very nice. Most of OL doesn't have internet access, RI does.


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## Simoncc (May 12, 2008)

Terry,

Another point:

As I understand it, RCI Europe and America accounts are classed as seperate entities. Therefore if you have 80,000 RCI Europe Points and 50,000 RCI America Points you will not be able to use them to exchange into a 130,000 Point unit.

If this is correct then will be America Points alone you obtain through OL be enough to get you the holidays you want?


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## TerryStevens (May 30, 2008)

*Final Post*

OK here we go.
Finally got an answer. I had to have a conference call between myself, Orange Lake and RCI USA.
As I am in the UK I cannot use Points for Deposit Prgramme, it is only for USA!!!
If I join Global Access I have to call Orange Lake every time I want to make an exchange using my points. Great if you live in  the USA!!!
As far as my Uk RCI membership is concerned I cannot convert my Orange Lake week to my points account as they have their own points system!!!!!!
Bottom line is my Orange Lake week brings up nothing worthwhile in th eweeks exchange programme. It is now up for sale and I will use the proceeds to buy a points week in the UK.


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## Bill4728 (May 30, 2008)

It sound like you made a good choice for someone owning in the UK.  

I'm sorry this didn't work out for you.


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## gjw007 (May 30, 2008)

TerryStevens said:


> OK here we go.
> Finally got an answer. I had to have a conference call between myself, Orange Lake and RCI USA.
> As I am in the UK I cannot use Points for Deposit Prgramme, it is only for USA!!!
> If I join Global Access I have to call Orange Lake every time I want to make an exchange using my points. Great if you live in  the USA!!!
> ...



Unfortunately, this is a point that I have been trying to convince people about Global Access (for that matter, any resort system that has its own internal points system) and RCI Points for the last two years.  People have been quick to make assumptions that since it is listed as an RCI Points resort  you will have access directly to RCI Points but this is not true.  It is not the case with resorts that have their own internal points system and where access to an external exchange company must first be done through your resorts internal exchange program.  This is true for Global Access, DVC, Diamond, and I believe Bluegreen and Fairfield as well.  Hopefully you will find something that provides what you are looking for and can enjoy.


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## PA- (May 30, 2008)

xxxxxxxxxxxx


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## pranas (May 30, 2008)

TerryStevens said:


> Another call to RCI, guess what RCI Europe does not particpate in the PFD program!!!!!!!GRRRRRRRRRR. I have been told again to contact Orange Lake as they are an RCI Points Affiliated Resort and must convert my fixed week to RCI Points.
> Trying to send the email or fax but having little luck.



Terry, 

Join Skype and your calls to Orlando will be very inexpensive.  I use both their computer to computer calling system which is free (and very good) and their computer to land line and mobile calling for all my US to Europe calls.


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## gjw007 (Jun 1, 2008)

From http://orangelake.com/for_owners_only/resort_phone_numbers.html

If you're a GlobalAccess member, call 877.UGO.4FUN or 407.905.1100. From the United Kingdom, call 00.800.5550.0222.*

*The  toll-free number for United Kingdom may not work with all British Carriers. In the event you cannot use the number, please call us at our direct number listed above.

Other than the fact that you have to go through Global Access first, it actually isn't that hard to get connected to OLCC from the United Kingdom.


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