Disney TPU's gone up!

[MichaelColey]

RCI Points has become a better deal as a result of this, too. I think RCI Weeks is probably still the better deal for me for most DVC weeks, but the two are much closer now.

 

[elaine]

And I was almost going to get rid of my RCI points--now that RCI weeks-DVc is so crazy, RCI points are looking pretty good. RCI (and timeshare ownership--look what Marriott points did) has become a moving target. It takes a lot of time these days! However, thanks to TUG sightings, we are still getting very good trades thru RCI.

 

[bnoble]

I wouldn't be too upset with RCI about this. I suspect that they are just trying to make DVC happy.

It's also possible that there really is supporting demand to justify these TPU values. Based on my rental comparison analysis, I suspect there is.

I'll also mention that the better deals that seem to be available through the mini-portals are somewhat dependent on a good degree of flexibility. At least via Wyndham, there are no deviations from the points grid - so if you are very particular about your week or resort or unit size and an acceptable DVC unit doesn't arise, the fallback options via RCI might be exchanges you could have gotten for 10-15 TPUs if you were in that system. If you're stuck doing that, suddenly the great Wyndham value is not so great.

This is why a portfolio approach works well. No one ownership will be perfect for all purposes. But, if you have a healthy mix of different things, each of which is a good value-to-use on its own merits, you'll do well in the long run.

And I was almost going to get rid of my RCI points--now that RCI weeks-DVc is so crazy, RCI points are looking pretty good.

Don't chase the tail. Pick a set of ownerships that works for your overall vacation mix, and stick with them!

 

[Margariet]

Supply and demand, that's all that matters. People love to go to Disney and are willing to pay more TPÚ's. If they're not, the TPU's will go down again. Why not ask lots of TPU's when Disney is so high in demand? RCI is not crazy, they see all the ongoing searches for Disney. They tried it with the NY Manhattan Club, doubled the TPU's and slowly all units are booked.

 

[lawgs]

RCI Points has become a better deal as a result of this, too. I think RCI Weeks is probably still the better deal for me for most DVC weeks, but the two are much closer now.

Do you know what kind of TPU a DVC member gets for trading a week into the RCI inventory? or is there really a TPU assigned since it is done through member services?

we had a wyndham "member services" representative tell us that our 230 points ( maybe she was not going by the points but by just a week turned over to RCI ) were only worth 24 TPU's. ( she actually had a print out she put out on the table to convince us done from the RCI site i presume )....hmmmm....if this is true.....they certainly are playing with the TPU's

maybe rci is in need of more rental DVC properties

she also tried to make us think that the reason we were not seeing DVC resorts with our points account was due to the fact that RCI ....values points trade factor according to the resort one owns at...

so if you own points at a lesser RCI points resort, you would not see all the points inventory for RCI when you do a search

perhaps,

what we have been experiencing lately has more to do with the "upgrade" than where we own our points, but we definately are not seeing all the availability when we do a search based upon that resort ( we have several ways to see what is available via portals into RCI and they both show a greater number of potential exchanges, than does our regular RCI points account )

 

[JudyS]

Here's a HGVC calculation. I booked a 2 bedroom BLT in january (lake view)

Jan BLT 2 Bedroom (lake view) 296 points
HGVC points 4800
my mf per point 0.25 (a bit high) = $1200 + $295 fees + $830 acquisition costs ($8300 / (40 years/4 once every 4 years)) = $2325
renting would cost $2960 ( at $10/pp)
owning via disney would of cost $2430.16 (at resale)


Though I have dreams of reaching the holy grail of 0.10 cents per point (the real value) via HGVC. It is only a dream so far. I paid retail so my acquisition costs comparison is probably not too fair as the actual value of my contract resale is probably $1200.

Baron

Baron, could you clarify a few things for me? Are you saying that the 2-bedroom BLT you booked cost 4800 HGVC points, and that your total MF for those points are $1200? Also, when you say you want to reach the "holy grail" of 0.10 cents per point, what sort of points are you talking about? (And do you really mean 0.10 cents, or 10 cents?)

 

[MichaelColey]

Do you know what kind of TPU a DVC member gets for trading a week into the RCI inventory? or is there really a TPU assigned since it is done through member services?

DVC members don't use RCI's system. Like many of the others, they have fixed redemption levels depending on unit size (Studio/1BR/2BR+) and season (Red/White/Blue). I've tried to find the chart, but have been unsuccessful. I saw one at a DVC presentation. It's an AWFUL value, though. It seems like something around 300 DVC points for a 2BR Red week, if I remember right.

Perhaps someone else could share more details. I'm only vaguely familiar with it.

 

[MIDisfan]

DVC members don't use RCI's system. Like many of the others, they have fixed redemption levels depending on unit size (Studio/1BR/2BR+) and season (Red/White/Blue). I've tried to find the chart, but have been unsuccessful. I saw one at a DVC presentation. It's an AWFUL value, though. It seems like something around 300 DVC points for a 2BR Red week, if I remember right.

Perhaps someone else could share more details. I'm only vaguely familiar with it.

Season 1 Bedroom 2 Bedroom

Low (RCI Blue) 124 207
Mid (RCI White) 144 252
High (RCI Red) 160 270

 

[barond]

Baron, could you clarify a few things for me? Are you saying that the 2-bedroom BLT you booked cost 4800 HGVC points, and that your total MF for those points are $1200? Also, when you say you want to reach the "holy grail" of 0.10 cents per point, what sort of points are you talking about? (And do you really mean 0.10 cents, or 10 cents?)

I meant 10 cents a point and yes a 2 bedroom via RCI in the Red time is 4800 points even for Disney. I currently pay 25 cents a point for maintenance (not including the rci account fee) 10 cents is what HGVC values it on other trades that is not RCI (cruises, hilton honor points) Some high point low maintenance fee resorts come close to 10 cents a point but none quite make it and are pretty pricey even in resale (in my opinion).

The reason mine is so high is I have an EOY 2400 point silver season 1 bedroom. Which is about as bad as it gets.

Baron

 

[MichaelColey]

Season 1 Bedroom 2 Bedroom

Low (RCI Blue) 124 207
Mid (RCI White) 144 252
High (RCI Red) 160 270

Thanks! So from low season 1BR to high season 2BR, it ranges from $620 to $1350 (looking just at a $5/point MF) or more like $1116 to $2430 (with purchase costs and opportunity cost weighted in to total about $9/point). Pretty expensive exchanges.

 

[chriskre]

Thanks! So from low season 1BR to high season 2BR, it ranges from $620 to $1350 (looking just at a $5/point MF) or more like $1116 to $2430 (with purchase costs and opportunity cost weighted in to total about $9/point). Pretty expensive exchanges.

Yes they are and the reason why the concensus is that RCI sucks among DVC owners cause for them it really does suck. :ignore:

 

[Carolinian]

The most sought after exchange inventory comes from location and season, not resort chain affiliation.

DVC does have some location advantage over other Orlando resorts due to proximity to the Disney theme parks, and so would be expected to have higher demand than other Orlando resorts.

There also seems to be some mystique over DVC for Orlando from what I see quite often on these boards. I am not sure that applies to other DVC resorts elsewhere. I know some years ago when I was looking for an exchange into HHI, I was offered a DVC week there by DAE but after discovering it was a ''drive to the beach'' location, I turned it down and took a standard resort, from which I could at least walk to the beach, from RCI. Proximity to parks may matter in Orlando, but it is proximity to the beach that matters in beach areas.

Supply and demand DO indeed change over time, so it makes sense that a properly run points system would see values go up and down periodically. A sudden and abrupt change like this, however, is much for indicative of an arbitrary change for who knows what reason. Supply and demand SHOULD be all that matters not politicking by resorts and other extraneous factors. Absent some major factor that suddenly changes the supply / demand curve, values would be expected to shift gradually, not abruptly like this. There seems to be no normal factor that is in play here. Maybe it is just that RCI wanted to justify renting out more weeks at these resorts. RCI's whole concept of renting out exchange deposits corrupts the whole system.

As the owner of WM points, I'm happy with the high TPU cost. Let's face it, the best, most sought after RCI inventory comes from the mini systems (i.e. WM, Hilton, DVC and Wyndham). Why shouldn't the mini system resorts cost the most to trade into? Demand for DVC is crazy high and I think the 2 bedroom prime weeks (whenever kids are out of school) should cost 60 TPU, because of the demand for those weeks.

My hope is that with higher TPU costs, the DVC inventory becomes easier to get for EVERYONE.

...and sure mini systems pay a set price for DVC weeks no matter what the TPU cost is but that means we can never exchange into these resorts for a discount (outside of flex, which hardly ever happens). We don't get change back from exchanges and we can't combine a bunch of cheap trader weeks to get whatever we want in RCI. We have to pay the premium price for any exchange we make through RCI, so it is a pretty fair system. For the year and a half or so RCI has been a TPU system, I've read countless posts from tuggers who were very happy to post about how many DVC weeks they booked and how cheap it is for them to do so. I do not think the higher TPU cost will change any of that for the die hard DVC exchangers but something had to be done becuase it was just so cheap to exchange into those resorts. There is also that big issue with DVC RCI weeks being sold on EBAY. I wonder if the high TPU cost is a means to curb that activity -- though I think the TPU change has everything to do with demand. People will pay whatever price they have to for DVC.

 

[chriskre]

I know some years ago when I was looking for an exchange into HHI, I was offered a DVC week there by DAE but after discovering it was a ''drive to the beach'' location, I turned it down and took a standard resort, from which I could at least walk to the beach, from RCI. Proximity to parks may matter in Orlando, but it is proximity to the beach that matters in beach areas.

That may be the case in HHI, but in Vero and Alauni they are on the beach.

 

[Steve@BWV]

Good Deal

I am pleased with this change for two reasons:

1. These point levels help keep the value in DVC ownership. While the economy and the increased supply of DVC points from continuing development are the major contributors to depressing the resale prices the ability to exchange into DVC with the $1 ebay timeshare has hurt it as well. My last trip was an exchange into a Beach Club 1 bedroom and my next trip is a 2 bedroom at Bay Lake Towers (spring break, both weeks!). Why should anyone buy DVC points if they can get the same room (or better) for almost no upfront costs and nearly the same yearly cost (DVC MF vs MF and RCI fees)?

I spent About $200 on closing my timeshare, $600MF/year, RCI membership, $199 trade fee and $99 Disney greed fee. All told, I am into a week at a DVC suite for about $1200. I would pay $1900 in MF for DVC pts to stay at BLT in a 2 bedroom when I am going (assuming 380pts and $5/pt)

2. I bought my TS to stay outside the "world". I was tired of fixating on the next DVC trip. I thought this TS would force me to exchange to other resorts. But with the value of exchanging into DVC I could not help myself. I had the BLT trip booked with DVC points but I have since canceled when my RCI waitlist came through. At these rates I do not see a value in trading into DVC when compared against 3 very nice stays elsewhere.

 

[elaine]

I am starting to convert to liking the higher points--sort of like when only those with high trading power could get DVCs. We traded 2X for a fraction of the cost of owning DVC--in fact, we would never own enough DVC points (300+) to be able to go to DVC-HHI in the summer or DVC-WDW at Easter. However, this year, we were unable to get Spring break. So, I would rather have higher points and more availabililty--still coming out ahead of the capital outlay and annual fees of DVC.

 

[abc31]

Although, I wish I would have traded in while DVC was only 25 TPU's, I couldn't believe it was ever that cheap. It didn't seem fair to DVC owners at all. I own a 2bdrm lockoff at Vacation Village at Parkway at the end of September (low season). When I split my unit up and deposited them separately, I got 12 points for each side. If I combined them, I would have 24 points (only 1 point away from what a DVC unit used to be). My maintenance is under $600 and I paid practically nothing to buy it on ebay. Why would anyone buy dvc if they could exchange in for so little? I would have been really mad if I were a Disney owner.

 

[dundey]

Although, I wish I would have traded in while DVC was only 25 TPU's, I couldn't believe it was ever that cheap. It didn't seem fair to DVC owners at all. I own a 2bdrm lockoff at Vacation Village at Parkway at the end of September (low season). When I split my unit up and deposited them separately, I got 12 points for each side. If I combined them, I would have 24 points (only 1 point away from what a DVC unit used to be). My maintenance is under $600 and I paid practically nothing to buy it on ebay. Why would anyone buy dvc if they could exchange in for so little? I would have been really mad if I were a Disney owner.

We had 2 trades into DVC resorts last summer - 1 BR units at 15 TPU's each.
They were booked right after the switch to TPU in RCI.
Those days are over, but I'm glad we were able to take advantage!!!!!!!!

 

[krmlaw]

rci changes tpus

Its not just Disney ... a unit I was watching in pompano went from 10 to 15!
Crazy!

 

[JudyS]

I meant 10 cents a point and yes a 2 bedroom via RCI in the Red time is 4800 points even for Disney. I currently pay 25 cents a point for maintenance (not including the rci account fee) 10 cents is what HGVC values it on other trades that is not RCI (cruises, hilton honor points) Some high point low maintenance fee resorts come close to 10 cents a point but none quite make it and are pretty pricey even in resale (in my opinion).

The reason mine is so high is I have an EOY 2400 point silver season 1 bedroom. Which is about as bad as it gets.

Baron

Thanks for the explanation!

 

[rapmarks]

I watched one three days in a row, 5 tpus the first day, 7 the second day, and finally settled in at 6 tpus. Palm Beach shores, now gone.

 

[cory30]

Hiton Head (all resorts) has seen a fairly sharp increase over the last two weeks as well.

 

[bnoble]

This isn't anything new, folks. The values fluctuate all the time if you watch carefully.

 

[cory30]

Agreed. I have seen a couple of areas with pretty sharp TPU drops over the last month as well.

 

[gnorth16]

I have a HGVC 5000 pt TS.

I exchanged into a 2BR Vero Beach for 4800 pts (would be the same for any Disney). My MF are .1716 per point, so it costs,

4800 * .1716 = $823.68 plus $199 exchange fee = $1022.68

Of course that doesn't count the acquisition costs, but if it did, would add about $200 to the total, which IMO is still great.

I just learned that the HGVC portal gets both weeks and points in the RCI system.:whoopie:

 

[presley]

I have a HGVC 5000 pt TS.

I exchanged into a 2BR Vero Beach for 4800 pts (would be the same for any Disney). My MF are .1716 per point, so it costs,

4800 * .1716 = $823.68 plus $199 exchange fee = $1022.68

Of course that doesn't count the acquisition costs, but if it did, would add about $200 to the total, which IMO is still great.

I just learned that the HGVC portal gets both weeks and points in the RCI system.:whoopie:

That is a very good deal.

If you owned at Vero Beach and stayed in a 2Bedroom annually, your annual dues would be over $2000.00.