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Why Buy Wyndham if I Own RCI?

troy12n

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This is true of RCI Points side. On the Weeks side, with the exception of OGS and prayer for an Orlando DVC hit, Troy fairly nailed it. Pretty much stuff that no one really wants, and anything attractive goes fast.

And this is where I apparently don't know fully how RCI works on both sides. I've only used the RCI weeks account, which is available through the Wyndham owner portal. I have been told and learned here that I also should have access to, and am entitled to, an RCI points account as well, since i'm a Wyndham retail VIP owner.

If this is true, I have never used it, and don't know how to access it. I have asked Wyndham and RCI and both entities point me to the other for assistance. So I seem to be stuck in the water when it comes to this.

I have heard that the inventory is different on the weeks side vs points side, and there are sometimes better inventory on one side or another. But don't seem to have access to it. I currently do not have any points deposited in RCI anyway. But want to get this figured out.

Also, I did not know that Wyndham auto-deposited inventory from certain resorts in the points side. Is there a list somewhere of what resorts they do this for? This was news to me. I thought anything they did this on was available to weeks and points.
 

tschwa2

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This is true of RCI Points side. On the Weeks side, with the exception of OGS and prayer for an Orlando DVC hit, Troy fairly nailed it. Pretty much stuff that no one really wants, and anything attractive goes fast.
For the most part, I agree. Hilton deposits some pretty prime stuff and even with their resort fees the summer 2 and 3 BR Myrtle Beach was pretty nice as is some of the Hawaii inventory that doesn't come up for holiday weeks but does get about 40 out of 52 weeks deposited including some 2 BR and some rare 3 BR's; your best bet is to have an ongoing search or search manually often to catch the bulk deposit on the morning it is deposited.
 

tschwa2

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And this is where I apparently don't know fully how RCI works on both sides. I've only used the RCI weeks account, which is available through the Wyndham owner portal. I have been told and learned here that I also should have access to, and am entitled to, an RCI points account as well, since i'm a Wyndham retail VIP owner.

If this is true, I have never used it, and don't know how to access it. I have asked Wyndham and RCI and both entities point me to the other for assistance. So I seem to be stuck in the water when it comes to this.

I have heard that the inventory is different on the weeks side vs points side, and there are sometimes better inventory on one side or another. But don't seem to have access to it. I currently do not have any points deposited in RCI anyway. But want to get this figured out.

Also, I did not know that Wyndham auto-deposited inventory from certain resorts in the points side. Is there a list somewhere of what resorts they do this for? This was news to me. I thought anything they did this on was available to weeks and points.

You do have access to points inventory as a retail Wyndham owner. It should come through your portal. You can't match an ongoing search for rci points inventory. If you look at exactly 10 months preferably 10 months to the day for a Friday and/or Saturday check in at a place like The Crane Residential in Barbados or the Windjammer in St Lucia or Wyndham Reef on Caymen Islands. Check July 14-July 17, 2022. That would be points inventory. They may have had larger units if you had checked at midnight yesterday. I don't know how fast they go. Points inventory doesn't always make it to 10 months. At 12 months owners at that resort but who own different weeks can exchange, and at 11 months owners at resorts in the same resort group can grab that inventory. Yes summer in the Caribbean isn't high time but it still is busy with families travelling. Since 10 months from today puts you into mid July that is where you will see the best examples of points inventory. The better stuff won't stick around long and as I said doesn't always make it to open inventory at 10 months. My local beach is Ocean City Maryland. I can usually get up to the middle of June in points inventory for a 2 BR. In July and early August I can't. Owners either reserve their home weeks or the inventory is taken by other owners of lesser weeks before making it to the 10 month mark.
 

rboesl

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RCI members that own resorts that deposit points into RCI should have both a points account and a weeks account. The difference is that when using the weeks account you can only see weeks that are available. But, when using the points account you can see resorts with points availability AND resorts with weeks availability. You can tell the difference by looking at the check in days. Weeks resorts will only show check in days of Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. Points resorts will show all days of the week.
 

Ty1on

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And this is where I apparently don't know fully how RCI works on both sides. I've only used the RCI weeks account, which is available through the Wyndham owner portal. I have been told and learned here that I also should have access to, and am entitled to, an RCI points account as well, since i'm a Wyndham retail VIP owner.

If this is true, I have never used it, and don't know how to access it. I have asked Wyndham and RCI and both entities point me to the other for assistance. So I seem to be stuck in the water when it comes to this.

I have heard that the inventory is different on the weeks side vs points side, and there are sometimes better inventory on one side or another. But don't seem to have access to it. I currently do not have any points deposited in RCI anyway. But want to get this figured out.

Also, I did not know that Wyndham auto-deposited inventory from certain resorts in the points side. Is there a list somewhere of what resorts they do this for? This was news to me. I thought anything they did this on was available to weeks and points.

You should really give owner services a call if you are a frequent exchanger. It's only $0.02 more per thousand and opens up a whole new inventory for you.
 

Cyrus24

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Question is why buy Wyndham if you can rent from a VIP owner for less then the cost of maintenance fees? See link below for Last minute rentals at 1/2 the cost of owning and paying maintenance fees. I will also add no RCI reservation fee at $249.
New Account, I see. Same message. :) :) :)
 

Ty1on

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Welcome
Question is why buy Wyndham if you can rent from a VIP owner for less then the cost of maintenance fees? See link below for Last minute rentals at 1/2 the cost of owning and paying maintenance fees. I will also add no RCI reservation fee at $249.
Welcome back, Dominic!
 

Eric B

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ailin

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You should really give owner services a call if you are a frequent exchanger. It's only $0.02 more per thousand and opens up a whole new inventory for you.

I really should have kept up with the changes better over the years. I knew that I could get access to RCI points, but for some reason I thought it would be a big cost. We own 300k developer, deeded (don't think that matters?). So all I need to do is call up owner services, say I want to add PlusPartners, pay $6 more in program fees, and get access to RCI points? Kicking myself why I didn't know this before!
 

Eric B

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I really should have kept up with the changes better over the years. I knew that I could get access to RCI points, but for some reason I thought it would be a big cost. We own 300k developer, deeded (don't think that matters?). So all I need to do is call up owner services, say I want to add PlusPartners, pay $6 more in program fees, and get access to RCI points? Kicking myself why I didn't know this before!

If you own developer points you might already have PlusPartners and you may already be paying the $0.02/K cost. Sign in to the Wyndham site and look at the "My Ownership" portion; it would be listed as one of the additional programs in the upper right corner. Also, it's not exactly RCI points, but the RCI Nightly Stay Option and is discussed on page 262 of the directory.
 

ailin

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If you own developer points you might already have PlusPartners and you may already be paying the $0.02/K cost. Sign in to the Wyndham site and look at the "My Ownership" portion; it would be listed as one of the additional programs in the upper right corner. Also, it's not exactly RCI points, but the RCI Nightly Stay Option and is discussed on page 262 of the directory.

Under additional programs, it only says "RCI". We're paying 0.62 in programs fees, not 0.64. Bought 20 years ago, so don't think it existed then. Thanks for the tip on where to look, will check there again after I call.
 

Ty1on

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Under additional programs, it only says "RCI". We're paying 0.62 in programs fees, not 0.64. Bought 20 years ago, so don't think it existed then. Thanks for the tip on where to look, will check there again after I call.

You would be paying $0.64 or $0.66. There is no $0.62.
 

troy12n

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I guess I have it then, and didn't know. I had assumed it was a different login or webpage that you showed inventory. I thought you had to access RCI Points through the RCI website, not the Wyndham portal. I thought that was the distinction. And i've never been able to log into the RCI website directly.

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If you own developer points you might already have PlusPartners and you may already be paying the $0.02/K cost. Sign in to the Wyndham site and look at the "My Ownership" portion; it would be listed as one of the additional programs in the upper right corner. Also, it's not exactly RCI points, but the RCI Nightly Stay Option and is discussed on page 262 of the directory.
 

Eric B

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Free2Roam

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Anyone who thinks RCI is all about leftover or unused inventory that nobody wants, doesn't really know how to use RCI.

Initially I obtained an RCI Points contract to use for locations Wyndham had no resorts. Over time I found myself using RCI Points more than Wyndham. I have also deposited fixed weeks to RCI Weeks... not because it was a bad week, but because I didn't want to go that year and wanted TPUs in RCI to book other vacations. RCI fees are the costs I pay to get the vacations I want. When I calculate total cost for Wyndham vs RCI, including fees, Wyndham is usually more expensive (and our Wyndham fees aren't extremely high... about $6/1000)

Just some of the vacations booked thru RCI over the years:
- Aruba (June & August multiple years... a couple times we booked multiple units for the same week)
- VA Beach (summer weeks in oceanfront resorts)
- Ocean City, MD (summer week)
- Hershey, PA (Memorial Day week... I think this was dumb luck)
- Cape Cod, MA (August)
- Lake Placid, NY (March - last minute... booked a month out using RCI Points... cost was under $400 including cost of points used and exchange fee)
- Massanutten, VA (all times of the year)

Opinions vary, but RCI is a better fit for me.
 
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bnoble

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Anyone who thinks RCI is all about leftover or unused inventory that nobody wants, doesn't really know how to use RCI.
The question wasn't "Why would I ever want RCI." The question was "Why would I own Wyndham if I already have access to RCI."

And, specifically for Wyndham, the answer is: "The most popular times at the most popular resorts are rarely if ever deposited, because owners have at least a two month head start to book them." Wyndham can't deposit weeks that are booked, and if all of those prime weeks are booked, they aren't going to make it to RCI.

Wyndham is far from the only system that does this. DVC is perhaps the most notorious example: It deposits only 1BRs (the least popular size for owners) mostly at SSR (the least popular resort for owners), and rarely if ever deposits October or early December (some of the most popular times for owners). Hilton has some of this as well: they rarely if ever deposit holiday weeks. Peak ski season at Park City is pretty rare if not impossible. On the other hand, we've gotten a 3BR Penthouse at Lagoon Tower in summer season, so it's not all bad.
 
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bogey21

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Back in my travel heyday I was a member of both RCI Weeks and Points, both from ownerships costing me about $100. Used them primarily for ski weeks in the Dillon, Frisco area and HGVCs in Las Vegas. They were truly bargains personified...

George
 

Free2Roam

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The question wasn't "Why would I ever want RCI." The question was "Why would I own Wyndham if I already have access to RCI."

Understood that part.

There were a couple comments that RCI inventory is unwanted leftovers. My post simply offered another viewpoint.
 

Ty1on

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Understood that part.

There were a couple comments that RCI inventory is unwanted leftovers. My post simply offered another viewpoint.

My comments: "RCI Weeks", "Mostly unwanted leftovers" or words to the same effect, and I stand by that.
 

snickers104

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My comments: "RCI Weeks", "Mostly unwanted leftovers" or words to the same effect, and I stand by that.
Everyone has their opinions...

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raygo123

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My comments: "RCI Weeks", "Mostly unwanted leftovers" or words to the same effect, and I stand by that.
No, you are not using it right. You have to "plan" to use RCI. IT WAS A REALLY sweet deal before Wyndham took away the quiet season deposit upgrade.

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troy12n

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My comments: "RCI Weeks", "Mostly unwanted leftovers" or words to the same effect, and I stand by that.

I agree completely. There may be bargains to be had, I don't doubt that one bit. But trying to find bargains, in locations you want to go, in the timeframe that occupancy in the RCI system may theoretically exist, is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. At best. At worst, those resorts are NEVER deposited into RCI at all, or if they are, it's quiet season and 1BR units.

Other than the oft used examples of "Vegas" or some of the Orlando resorts, I challenge you to find prime booking opportunities in RCI. They almost certainly don't exist.

No, you are not using it right. You have to "plan" to use RCI. IT WAS A REALLY sweet deal before Wyndham took away the quiet season deposit upgrade.

I think you are being completely disingenuous with this statement.

It can be a really sweet deal, if, and a only if, they have availability in a location someone desires, at a timeframe that also lines up with the travellers ability to travel.

More often than not, this is not the case.

If you are younger and either have a family and have to book vacations around school or have limited PTO which may be seasonal, RCI is usually a really bad fit. Unless you like to go to Williamsburg, Massanutten, Vegas or Orlando all the time. Then, I cede, you can probably regularly find something.

But... if you are retired, have infinite flexibility and don't really care where you are staying, and are just in it for the bargain vacations, no matter where they are at, then yes, I would agree, RCI is great. Or... if you just like going to Vegas or Orlando a lot...

You are making some really big assumptions about people's ability to plan as well. In this day and age, planning out a vacation 10 months out is difficult for a large percentage of people. This is something you may not know.
 

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I agree completely. There may be bargains to be had, I don't doubt that one bit. But trying to find bargains, in locations you want to go, in the timeframe that occupancy in the RCI system may theoretically exist, is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. At best. At worst, those resorts are NEVER deposited into RCI at all, or if they are, it's quiet season and 1BR units.

Other than the oft used examples of "Vegas" or some of the Orlando resorts, I challenge you to find prime booking opportunities in RCI. They almost certainly don't exist.



I think you are being completely disingenuous with this statement.

It can be a really sweet deal, if, and a only if, they have availability in a location someone desires, at a timeframe that also lines up with the travellers ability to travel.

More often than not, this is not the case.

If you are younger and either have a family and have to book vacations around school or have limited PTO which may be seasonal, RCI is usually a really bad fit. Unless you like to go to Williamsburg, Massanutten, Vegas or Orlando all the time. Then, I cede, you can probably regularly find something.

But... if you are retired, have infinite flexibility and don't really care where you are staying, and are just in it for the bargain vacations, no matter where they are at, then yes, I would agree, RCI is great. Or... if you just like going to Vegas or Orlando a lot...

You are making some really big assumptions about people's ability to plan as well. In this day and age, planning out a vacation 10 months out is difficult for a large percentage of people. This is something you may not know.
I don't know. I been booking for the kids my two daughters and each have two children. Last year first week of August in Wisconsin Dells this year Smokey Mountain lodge a two and three bedroom. Every year spring break etc. I would book a Wyndham where they want to go for spring break. This year The Fountain's showed up. I had just cancelled my Quebec city Trip and received my points back. I paid the $89 Travel Insurance and received my points and a credit for my exchange fee but points had to be booked by end of year.

I switched my daughter to The Fountains and cancelled my WYNDHAM Bonet Creek I made for her. Take a look at the Fountains. It seems you don't have the luxury of time to fiddle with RCI.

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troy12n

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I switched my daughter to The Fountains and cancelled my WYNDHAM Bonet Creek I made for her. Take a look at the Fountains. It seems you don't have the luxury of time to fiddle with RCI.

I specifically mentioned Orlando always having inventory in RCI, so that doesn't surprise me, I should have mentioned Sevierville/Gatlinburg because that's another area that always has tons of inventory. Dells in August kind of surprises me, which resort? I live in Florida, so Orlando is of no interest to me, even though i've used the resorts there (always last minute, always get VIP discount + an upgrade) so paying the exchange fee for them is of zero value to me personally.

Orlando, Vegas, Williamsburg and Gatlinburg are reliable bets. Everything else is a crap shoot or low season leftovers.

If that works for you, fine, i'm posing my answer to the OP's question and I stand by it.
 
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