How often do RCI Platinum members get a free upgrade?

[bobpark56]

How often do RCI Platinum members get a free upgrade? Has anyone here succeeded in getting one?

 

[jackio]

I have only gotten one once and I have been Platinum for several years. It was Disney SSR, upgraded to a 2 BR, 2 weeks prior to check in.

 

[tschwa2]

I just got one this week. I sent my adult niece and nephews to Massanutten for the President Monday week to snowboard. They were upgraded from Woodstone partial kitchen to Regal Vistas full bedroom. Upgrade happened about 10 days prior. I don't think it would have happened during the summer.

 

[Jan M.]

In just the past 12 months I've gotten several upgrades. In December I had a one bedroom unit in Sarasota reserved for the week before Christmas. I got an upgrade to the Lighthouse resort on Sanibel in a two bedroom unit with a den. In January, the week of Martin Luther King Day, I had a one bedroom at Bonnet Creek that upgraded to a one bedroom at Saratoga Springs. We had an upgrade last Spring also. I had two weeks in a one bedroom reserved at Vacation Village at Parkway and one of the weeks upgraded to a one bedroom at Animal Kingdom. I was really excited about that because our then 5 year old granddaughter was going to be visiting us and neither she nor my husband had ever stayed at Animal Kingdom before. My husband was less than thrilled about having to move resorts until the first morning he woke up and saw the animals off our balcony at Animal Kingdom.

This is what I've learned. I would never make a reservation expecting an upgrade or having my heart set on getting one. From what I've read in OP's posts there are some areas and resorts that you are very unlikely to score an upgrade. Sale weeks apparently aren't eligible for upgrades and even with exchange weeks not all resorts will qualify for upgrades. Since upgrades only happen in the last two weeks before check in you have to remember to delete the upgrade request if you've made plans you wouldn't want to have to change. Last December we were looking forward to going back to the resort in Sarasota as we had stayed there before. However we love Sanibel and it is 90 minutes closer so not as far of a drive. Until we actually into our unit at the Lighthouse Resort my husband was a little hesitant about staying there because we wouldn't be on the beach. We had a nice view of San Carlos Bay and the bridge from both balconies in our unit and from the swivel recliner in the living room that my husband claimed for himself. We had a great week and now have another resort to add to the long list of resorts we would enjoy going back to.

 

[dannybaker]

I called RCI yesterday and talked with a supervisor for almost thirty minutes. She agreed upgrades are rare with the Platinum membership. She said if I didn’t like it I didn’t need to purchase the platinum vip membership. I asked her to explain how I would get a upgrade and she said the computer does the upgrade and the employees have no control. We are within the 14 day window and several resorts have been available that matched upgrade request. I was told that I would normally never be upgraded to those units? I am still confused and realize it’s a BS lie from RCI. I asked her why RCI even offers a fake benefit. We love RCI and the platinum program, however we realize this benefit probably will never happen. We spend twenty weeks a year in Timeshare’s and zero upgrades so far. Platinum for I believe six years.

 

[Jan M.]

I called RCI yesterday and talked with a supervisor for almost thirty minutes. She agreed upgrades are rare with the Platinum membership. She said if I didn’t like it I didn’t need to purchase the platinum vip membership. I asked her to explain how I would get a upgrade and she said the computer does the upgrade and the employees have no control. We are within the 14 day window and several resorts have been available that matched upgrade request. I was told that I would normally never be upgraded to those units? I am still confused and realize it’s a BS lie from RCI. I asked her why RCI even offers a fake benefit. We love RCI and the platinum program, however we realize this benefit probably will never happen. We spend twenty weeks a year in Timeshare’s and zero upgrades so far. Platinum for I believe six years.

I've found that not all resorts accept upgrades and some resorts will ever get the desirable upgrades. If for several days you are seeing availability at a resort you selected as one of your choices and the system isn't upgrading your reservation that is often the reason. In August of 2016 we had a reservation and I could see availability at another resort but the RCI system wasn't upgrading our reservation. When I called RCI the person I spoke with did some checking and said the resort I was hoping to get didn't accept upgraded reservations. I'm not sure if they didn't accept them from any resort or just the one I had booked.

You know that you have to specifically select the resorts you would like to be upgraded to and can select up to five resorts? I've seen availability, quickly went in to change my resort selection to include the one I saw and I did get it.

 

[dannybaker]

I have five resorts currently selected and three have become available this week and no upgrade.

 

[tschwa2]

My impression is the computer program for upgrades only occurs once a day. If something becomes available and someone grabs the potential upgrade before the batch search picks it up then you can't get it even by calling. Have you seen any of the units that remained into the next night?

 

[dannybaker]

Today there were two more resorts that fit my upgrade request and no upgrade occurred. I actually had one of the weeks selected and was going to pay for the upgrade with points and fee.

 

[bobpark56]

Well, we just received at least a partial answer to my Platinum upgrade question. On arriving Saturday at Las Mimosas Beach Club in La Cala de Mijas, Spain, we found we had been upgraded from a 1BR unit to a 2BR unit. When I notified them 2 days in advance of our estimated arrival time, I (politely) mentioned we were RCI Platinum and requested an upgrade if one were available. On check-in, the manager directed us to a 2BR unit. From what I can see, the resort, though small, is not fully occupied (it's off-season still)...and we seem to be the only RCI guests. Las Mimosas is very neat, clean, and comfortable resort with a friendly and very helpful staff...and very nice restaurants and tapas nearby, several in walking distance. We would certainly stay here again.

 

[tschwa2]

The resort gave you a courtesy upgrade and were in no way obligated to do so. RCI platinum upgrades only give you access during the upgrade window, if a larger unit or resort from your list is available as a deposit through RCI at the time when RCI runs a batch check for matches.

 

[dannybaker]

Vacation Village at Parkway (#4940)

Just an update, we were not upgraded. In fact I believe we got a downgrade into a run down unit. I have never seen a more run down timeshare unit. Old TVs and one pan to cook with.