$1700 to covert to 61,000 RCI Points

[frisbear67]

Our timeshare in Myrtle Beach is "making a great offer" to help people move from owning weeks (we have week 26) to points. Based on our week 26 they say that we would get 61,000 RCI points. We are interested in going elsewhere that staying at NMB. The guy at the resort was saying that the weeks limits us because not as many properties are trading weeks anymore and many limit the number of weeks they will make available. He says that the resorts are encouraging people to go to points because this will "enhance the value of their vacation opportunities."

Of course we have only 1 more week before the deal goes back up to $2300. Is that even worth it as well?

So...is this a good deal? Will I get decent properties for 61,500 points or is this just salesperson speak?

Thanks

 

[rickandcindy23]

Not a good deal. Your week is already worth quite a few points in RCI weeks. Week 26 at your resort in Myrtle Beach should be worth at least 30 points or more. Don't be fooled by a timeshare presentation, which makes it seem like you would get multiple weeks for those points.

RCI Points do have some value, but it depends on your maintenance fees. And it also depends on where you want to go with your weeks.

If you list some specifics as to what you hope to do with your week, and what resort and size of unit we own at the resort, maybe we can help further.

 

[eal]

Exchanging a fixed week is really not much different than trying to get a week with points. Points don't magically create inventory, either the week you want has been deposited or it hasn't. With a week 26 at Myrtle Beach you should have lots of options - and besides, with RCI's TPU system for weeks owners it is just about the same a points anyway.

Also your week would probably do well for you with alternative edxchange companies like Hawaii Timeshare Exchange or SFX.

 

[frisbear67]

We have a 2 bedroom 2 bath condo/townhouse. It is an older facility and is one mile from the beach. We paid $5000 a few years ago and our yearly fees are about $700.

Myrtle was great for our little kids (now 10 and 6) but we want to start going to other places and not really have to be locked into MB. I know we want to go and stay on property Disney next year (so we may do that as a separate expense). I want to go to Pigeon Forge and other places out west in the future.

I am not set on weeks because I like to do 2 days here....3 days there and keep moving. My wife on the other hand......would prefer going to one place and setting up shop.

If the resort is aligned with RCI...can I trade with other trading companies?
One of the people mentioned something about a Hawaiain trading company.

Any advice is great.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Nightly stays with RCI Points are no bargain. I prefer not to use nightly stays with my RCI Points. RCI Points are not my favorite traders.

An exchange for a few nights still has a hefty exchange fee, plus there are housekeeping fees. Those are a killer for me. Add those two together, and I could have gotten a few nights with cash at a very nice hotel through Hotwire.

If you want to go to Disney and stay on Disney property, weeks will work just fine. You get a certain number of points for your week, and you use those to get a Disney week. You may even have points left, because Myrtle Beach is generally a great trader. Depends on when you want to go to Disney, because summer and school break weeks get a premium, too.

In RCI Points for a summer week, the 1 bedrooms at DVC require 71K or so RCI Points. That is really high. The same thing in weeks might be only 34 or so, and Myrtle Beach prime weeks will usually trade into those Disney 1 bedrooms pretty easily.

 

[Beefnot]

I don't see any reason to think about paying to convert this to RCI Points. A week 26 Myrtle Beach probably gets a decent or even great amount of trading power units (TPU) in RCI Weeks. Seeing as it is a townhouse, I'm assuming it does not lock off, which could provide even more TPU (TPU for a 2BR are usually only a few units more than for a 1 BR).

You could deposit your week in RCI and put in requests for Disney properties, or anywhere else you want to go for that matter, although you are relegated to weeklong stays.

 

[tschwa2]

He says that the resorts are encouraging people to go to points because this will "enhance the value of their vacation opportunities."

He said this because that is how RCI is suggesting resorts market points. Points allow resorts to charge owners for what they already own. While it might offer a slight enhancement for some owners, for others it won't enhance anything. Even for those that might benefit from converting to points the "value" would be no where near $1700.

 

[guitarlars]

Caveat Emptor

My experience with points is terrible - so bad that I am likely going to withdraw from points.

First, there is far more availability on weeks than points - I do simultaneous searches and there is consistently more available to select from in weeks than points - and nicer resorts to boot.

Second, when there is availability it is just a day or two (unless you wait constantantly check as the 10 month window becomes available). That ability to do partial weeks comes with a cost - when people are taking partial weeks they are only leaving partial weeks for you to choose from (often 1 day).

Third, weeks now has "points light" where you can also get multiple exchanges or combine weeks to get more exchange power. This was an advantage for points but it is largely a wash at this point.

Fourth, $1,700 is just profit for the developer or association - you can buy (or be given) a points property for less than this and then sell or give away your unit if you are dying to have points.

Fifth, as noted in earlier posts, you will be charged the exchange plus housekeeping, etc. for a partial week - you may find it cheaper, when you add up the total cost, to just directly rent instead of burning your points.

I have been trying diligently for three years to get even one exchange that I desire (with 90,000 points) and have had no success - I can trade into dog weeks but that's it. On the other hand I've had good trades every year (two weeks in Hawaii this year) using weeks. While everyone has their own experience I have found points to be almost totally worthless, and this year I will again be throwing away my maintenance fee as another years points go unused.

Lars

 

[jc92869]

very much agree

My experience with points is terrible - so bad that I am likely going to withdraw from points.

First, there is far more availability on weeks than points - I do simultaneous searches and there is consistently more available to select from in weeks than points - and nicer resorts to boot.

Second, when there is availability it is just a day or two (unless you wait constantantly check as the 10 month window becomes available). That ability to do partial weeks comes with a cost - when people are taking partial weeks they are only leaving partial weeks for you to choose from (often 1 day).

Third, weeks now has "points light" where you can also get multiple exchanges or combine weeks to get more exchange power. This was an advantage for points but it is largely a wash at this point.

Fourth, $1,700 is just profit for the developer or association - you can buy (or be given) a points property for less than this and then sell or give away your unit if you are dying to have points.

Fifth, as noted in earlier posts, you will be charged the exchange plus housekeeping, etc. for a partial week - you may find it cheaper, when you add up the total cost, to just directly rent instead of burning your points.

I have been trying diligently for three years to get even one exchange that I desire (with 90,000 points) and have had no success - I can trade into dog weeks but that's it. On the other hand I've had good trades every year (two weeks in Hawaii this year) using weeks. While everyone has their own experience I have found points to be almost totally worthless, and this year I will again be throwing away my maintenance fee as another years points go unused.

Lars

This is very true. One thing to note, is that not all resorts charge housekeeping fees for partial stays.

One thing I regularly do when looking for a partial week is to call the resort before booking and ask if they charge a housekeeping fee.

At the Grandview, for example, i was pleasantly surprised when I was told that although it states on the RCI confirmation page that they charge the HKF, when I called them they told me they don't really charge this fee.

 

[stonebroke]

No short stays at Disney

I generally like my RCI points but I too have a summer Myrtle Beach week and it gets lots of TPU (RCI's weeks point system) - enough for most Disney weeks that show up. I use points for short stays and some places do have cleaning fees...which is annoying...but I have traded into Disney and I don't believe you can do a short stay with them, I think you have to trade for the whole week.

If you are online with RCI you can check your TPU (if not send me a private message as to what resort you own and unit number and I can tell you how many TPU you will get)

 

[JudyS]

Our timeshare in Myrtle Beach is "making a great offer" to help people move from owning weeks (we have week 26) to points. ...

Don't do it!!!

A fixed week 26 in Myrtle Beach has a lot of value. You can probably get good trades for it via RCI Weeks.

Plus, $1700 is way, way too much to pay to get into RCI Points. If you decide you want RCI Points, it is much cheaper to buy a week that has already been converted to Points.

If you state the name of your resort, I can look up how many TPUs you would get in RCI Weeks. I will email you about this.

....
I have been trying diligently for three years to get even one exchange that I desire (with 90,000 points) and have had no success - I can trade into dog weeks but that's it. On the other hand I've had good trades every year (two weeks in Hawaii this year) using weeks. While everyone has their own experience I have found points to be almost totally worthless, and this year I will again be throwing away my maintenance fee as another years points go unused....

Lars, there are several options for using RCI Points -- you shouldn't have to let them expire.

First, everything, or almost everything, available in RCI Weeks can also be booked using RCI Points. However, some inventory needs to be booked via phone, not online. Instead of letting points expire, the next time you see something you like in RCI Weeks, put the week on hold, call RCI, and ask if you can use your Points to trade into it instead.

Also, you can use 33% of your RCI Points each use year in Points Partners, to pay for car rentals, airline tickets, and hotel stays. Last I checked, tickets to Universal Studios (but not Disney World) were also available. RCI will give you 0.9 cents per RCI Point towards the airline ticket or whatever -- not the greatest deal, but better than letting points expire. (There is also a $25 fee per transaction.) If you have RCI Platinum, you can use 50% of your your points in Points Partners.

If you have done any transactions at all during the past year, your leftover Points will be automatically saved for one year for free. If you have done no transactions, you will need to call RCI to save the points and there is a fee, but it is pretty small.

You can also pay a fee to "extend" the points a second year. This might be worthwhile if you need more time to find a trade.

You can also transfer your Points to another member one time each year for free.

 

[JudyS]

...
First, there is far more availability on weeks than points - I do simultaneous searches and there is consistently more available to select from in weeks than points - and nicer resorts to boot...

Just to clarify for anyone reading this thread, all deposits (or virtually all ) available to RCI Weeks members are also available to RCI Points members. However, not all of the RCI Weeks inventory is visible online in RCI Points -- it may need to be booked via phone.

There is also some inventory that is available only to RCI Points members, not RCI Weeks members.

So, RCI Points has more availability than RCI Weeks -- you just need to know how to book it.