Worldmark through RCI

[Riragch]

I’m in the west coast and have been thinking of worldmark resorts nearby. We got a HGVC resale because hubby wanted it for our annual vacations. But I’d love to be able to book some close by trips for a weekend gateway so I’m thinking of exchanges through RCI.

Question - how easy/hard is it to get RCI exchanges into worldmark (lake chelan, Seaside, Leavenworth, Victoria) for a couple weekend days? Any strategies you recommend? We can travel outside of school schedules, can do shoulder season.

Thank you. - btw I’m still in escrow so can’t check RCI myself. I do see some last call type things through TripBeat which my employer offers which seem to be like RCI last calls but those ar for birch bay during low season

 

[geist1223]

Request/put in search as far in advance as possible. Make the Request as Broad as possible ie 7 days during the month of October 2019 and 1 bedroom or larger.

 

[tschwa2]

To make things clear, you want to book a short stay weekend at these Worldmark resorts (lake chelan, Seaside, Leavenworth, Victoria), booking through RCI using your HGVC points.

Only weeks stays through RCI are available using an ongoing search. Short stays will not match on an ongoing search. None of those resorts have any dates available in RCI at this time for any dates in the next 2 years. Of the locations you have listed the only one I have ever searched for is Victoria, which I have never seen deposited in RCI.

 

[ecwinch]

IMHO you would likely have more luck trying for an entire week. Worldmark does deposit weeks to settle member exchanges, but their strategy is to deposit the least popular resorts first - which is why you will see a lot of Clear Lake (CA), Birch Bay (WA), Grand Lake (OK), Pinetop (AZ), etc.

 

[Riragch]

Got it. Looks like I should buy a worldmark package sometime next year to supplement the hgvc and get weekends closer to home. I’ve been reading here that worldmark does quite well with II so maybe I just need 6k points. Does II have better luck with worldmark?

 

[tschwa2]

Got it. Looks like I should buy a worldmark package sometime next year to supplement the hgvc and get weekends closer to home. I’ve been reading here that worldmark does quite well with II so maybe I just need 6k points. Does II have better luck with worldmark?

At the resorts you are looking for, you won't have any better luck with II. II doesn't have any shortstays at any worldmark resorts. While I might see 15 or so of the less popular Worldmark resorts at RCI at any giventime. It isn't unusual to see 0 Worldmark resorts in II at any given time.

Worldmark bulk deposits for their owners and they do not deposit resorts and time periods that owners are interested in. They deposit excess inventory at the less popular resorts. Even owning Worldmark, if you want weekends during nice weather periods at popular resorts, you will need to book as soon as you can after availability opens through Worldmark. With the exceptions of cancellations, I doubt nice weather shoulder season weekend even make it to Wyndham Club pass bookings which I think opens up at 9 months.

 

[ecwinch]

Got it. Looks like I should buy a worldmark package sometime next year to supplement the hgvc and get weekends closer to home. I’ve been reading here that worldmark does quite well with II so maybe I just need 6k points. Does II have better luck with worldmark?

Buying a small 6k account via resale is good option if you envision a lot of off/shoulder season stays. WM is a little different than most systems, with plenty of cash booking options. And for 2-3 day stays, the fact that housekeeping is included in cash bookings can make the price close to using credits. And 2-3 times a year Wyndham offers special cash bookings that allow you to book 10 months out. I usually load up on short reservations when this happens, and save my credits for II flex exchanges (@ 4k credits) and week long stays at popular resorts.

 

[Riragch]

Thanks. I’ll try this out in a few months.