Welk Now Aligned With RCI

[WalnutBaron]

DW and I are at Welk San Diego this week and attended a sales presentation. Lots of big doings here as today was the first day of Welk’s new association with RCI. Personally, I much prefer II to RCI, but wanted to report this change for any Welk owners. By the way, Welk will still trade within II as well, but club membership fees—which are covered for Welk members for RCI—are not covered under Welk ownership for II.

I’m also wondering if Welk will now begin depositing their excess inventory into RCI instead of II Getaways.

 

[mjm1]

Interesting development. We have since sold our Welk points, but as I recall they started out with RCI and switched to II along the way. When we originally owned a fixed week we had the option to trade in either system, but like you, always preferred II.

Thanks for the update.

Mike

 

[Born2Travel]

Sorry to hear that.

 

[nuwermj]

Here's the Welk announcement as posted in the Owner's Lounge.

https://welkresorts.com/own/rci/

 

[rickandcindy23]

Higher exchange fees and fewer quality resorts. Who benefits from this move, except maybe the developer.

 

[bizaro86]

Registry collection access is a nice perk.

Otherwise, I'd say the main beneficiary is other RCI members who will have a new quality resort group to excange in to.

I'd be curious to see the list of their "welk curated 1000" best RCI resorts. I wonder if that's just gold and silver crown or if they actually went through one by one. If they did I'd love it if someone could post the list.

 

[klpca]

At least they have dual affiliation. That's never a bad thing, imho. And now Welk owners have access to the Hilton and Disney properties.

 

[travelgal1234]

I'm a Welk owner and got this email from Interval. Looks like we can still be members. Yay!

 

[DAman]

I assume this means all bulk deposits will go to RCI.

This is bad for me because I’m trying no to renew my membership.

 

[nuwermj]

I'd be curious to see the list of their "welk curated 1000" best RCI resorts. I wonder if that's just gold and silver crown or if they actually went through one by one. If they did I'd love it if someone could post the list.

Sorry for the delay, I've been locked out of my account. The list is a 31 page PDF file. Here's a link:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PDLYOBreO-vyXYEeb9ONJFyHFUr49cDY/view

 

[skimble]

At least they have dual affiliation. That's never a bad thing, imho. And now Welk owners have access to the Hilton and Disney properties.

Welk has always been dually affiliated. The mountain villas were opened with II only.
I’m disturbed by the sales presentation that flaunts DVC and Arroyo Robles as part of a dozen trades that are free. AR is not affiliated (to the best of my knowledge) which means there will be manipulation of RCI inventory. I own at AR and I was sad to see them affiliate with RCI points. Mini-systems muck up the pool.

 

[ivywag]

We watch Welk on II for both Welk Northstar and Welk Cabo. Neither has had any inventory on II since this change. Too bad for those of us who can only access II. Also absent this year is Red Wolf Lakeside in Tahoe. It's RCI now. I wonder what is causing the exodus from II?

 

[klpca]

We watch Welk on II for both Welk Northstar and Welk Cabo. Neither has had any inventory on II since this change. Too bad for those of us who can only access II. Also absent this year is Red Wolf Lakeside in Tahoe. It's RCI now. I wonder what is causing the exodus from II?

Interesting. I'll start looking to see if it is available in RCI now. We have two units reserved through II at Northstar this August. I hadn't noticed Cabo not being available but now that you mention it, it's been awhile since I have seen anything.

 

[jlp879]

Also absent this year is Red Wolf Lakeside in Tahoe. It's RCI now. I wonder what is causing the exodus from II?

That's interesting. Red Wolf is affiliated with Grand Pacific Resorts, and most of their resorts exchange in RCI, yet I still see it and Welk Northstar showing in the II online resort directory. I wonder what happens if one requests it?

 

[nuwermj]

Regarding Northstar. Welk put Northstar in the The Registry Collection. I'm not sure how one gets access to that group of resorts, but it doesn't appear to be available to RCI's general public. Hyatt still has a small number of units at Northstar (2 according to ILG documents), so those may remain in II.

 

[klpca]

Regarding Northstar. Welk put Northstar in the The Registry Collection. I'm not sure how one gets access to that group of resorts, but it doesn't appear to be available to RCI's general public. Hyatt still has a small number of units at Northstar (2 according to ILG documents), so those may remain in II.

I googled the Registry Collection's resort list and only saw something called "Northstar Residences". All were 3 or 4 bedroom units - so not the timeshare units. There was another place at Northstar - but those looked like the units in the village itself. It could be possible that the resort list has yet to be updated (it is RCI afterall) and it will be interesting to see what actually happens. As an HGVC owner, I was hoping to have access to the Welk properties as I feel that these are on par with the HGVC properties.

On the Welk page, it looks like owners have access to the Registry Collection - a true upgrade, imho. Does anyone know if resale owners will have access to the Registry Collection or just developer purchasers? (Side note - I hope that HGVC negotiates a deal like this with RCI!)

 

[nuwermj]

Here are two images from the newest Welk Resort Directory. Northstar and the new building, One Village Place, show the Registry Collection logo. All the other Welk locations show the RCI Gold Crown logo.

 

[klpca]

Here are two images from the newest Welk Resort Directory. Northstar and the new building, One Village Place, show the Registry Collection logo. All the other Welk locations show the RCI Gold Crown logo.

Well, I guess that I am glad that we had two stays there because I can't access the Registry Collection with any of my properties. It is a beautiful location.

 

[Eric B]

I've occasionally seen Registry Collection weeks come up in RCI Platinum Priority Access. It doesn't happen often, but probably occurs when they don't get enough usage in the Registry Collection. I did get a Registry Collection membership with a purchase once, but never wound up using it for anything. Seemed a bit more expensive to exchange and like I could get some of the resorts there without going through them.

 

[JohnPaul]

So.... I have an ongoing search in at II for Welk Northstar during the 2019 ski season. Does this mean that there's no way it will happen? I also have RCI points. Do I need to try there?

 

[ivywag]

That's interesting. Red Wolf is affiliated with Grand Pacific Resorts, and most of their resorts exchange in RCI, yet I still see it and Welk Northstar showing in the II online resort directory. I wonder what happens if one requests it?

We are Hyatt owners and last year booked Red Wolf for July through II. Also booked Welk Northstar for Aug 2018. We also went to Welk Cabo 3 years ago through II. The Welk properties disappeared from II online a few months ago as did Red Wolf Lakeside. These are a big loss for those of us who love Tahoe!!

 

[WalnutBaron]

We are Hyatt owners and last year booked Red Wolf for July through II. Also booked Welk Northstar for Aug 2018. We also went to Welk Cabo 3 years ago through II. The Welk properties disappeared from II online a few months ago as did Red Wolf Lakeside. These are a big loss for those of us who love Tahoe!!

Welk now has an affiliation relationship with the Red Wolf system, accessible by using Welk Platinum points. I'm not sure if this program was created at the same time that the Welk switch to RCI was announced, but it definitely extends the utility of Welk ownership. Welk itself has only five locations--San Diego, Palm Springs, Lake Tahoe, Cabo San Lucas, and Branson--but through what is called the Welk Experiences Collection, the Welk ownership now includes a number of luxury resorts as well. This group includes--among others--Poste Montane Lodge in Beaver Creek, CO; Arroyo Roble in Sedona, AZ; Disney Aulani in Oahu; Disney Saratoga Springs in FL; Red Wolf Squaw Valley and Red Wolf Lakeside in Lake Tahoe, CA; Four Seasons Aviara in San Diego and Four Seasons Troon in Scottsdale, AZ; and Fairmont Heritage Place in Santa Fe, NM.

 

[nuwermj]

Here is RCI's press release

Feb 01, 2018
Welk Resorts Returns to the RCI Global Exchange Network
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-rel...he-rci-global-exchange-network-300591965.html

 

[jmkhager]

Registry collection access is a nice perk.

Otherwise, I'd say the main beneficiary is other RCI members who will have a new quality resort group to excange in to.

I'd be curious to see the list of their "welk curated 1000" best RCI resorts. I wonder if that's just gold and silver crown or if they actually went through one by one. If they did I'd love it if someone could post the list.

Not sure why Welk Resorts would have access to the Registry Collection program. I have been to Welk Resorts, and although nice, nothing like some of the residences I have seen or have even purchased into thus far. Sorry!

 

[jmkhager]

We watch Welk on II for both Welk Northstar and Welk Cabo. Neither has had any inventory on II since this change. Too bad for those of us who can only access II. Also absent this year is Red Wolf Lakeside in Tahoe. It's RCI now. I wonder what is causing the exodus from II?

Apparently, Wyndham is doing all they can to enlarge and possible improve their grip on the timeshare world. Larger and along with increased fees seems to be the direction that is being followed. That is a shame!