DVC from RCI Weeks with 23 TPU - any chance?

[chaimommy]

New to TUG. I am following advice and created an ongoing search in RCI for all DV resorts for any time March - December 2022. I'm using my 1bdrm week #51 from Cabo (Villa del Palmar) for 23 TPU. Do I have any chance of making an advanced booking into DVC?? I've looked through the sightings board and it looks like the lowest value for a 1bdrm week is 45 TPU unless it's a last minute discount.

I have been on Interval for 10+years but just created an RCI account specifically to try to get into DVC now that my kids are Disney aged. All help appreciated!! Also, if there is another thread or spot with advice on getting into Disney from RCI, please lmk. Apologies if I've posted to the wrong location.

 

[JohnB3]

If you have not paid to join TUG ($15 a year) do that then you will have access to the sighting board and lots of good info on trading into DVC


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[Dean]

New to TUG. I am following advice and created an ongoing search in RCI for all DV resorts for any time March - December 2022. I'm using my 1bdrm week #51 from Cabo (Villa del Palmar) for 23 TPU. Do I have any chance of making an advanced booking into DVC?? I've looked through the sightings board and it looks like the lowest value for a 1bdrm week is 45 TPU unless it's a last minute discount.

I have been on Interval for 10+years but just created an RCI account specifically to try to get into DVC now that my kids are Disney aged. All help appreciated!! Also, if there is another thread or spot with advice on getting into Disney from RCI, please lmk. Apologies if I've posted to the wrong location.

I wouldn't hold out much hope for this to match. I'd think your only real chance is under 45 days. If you could deposit another week and pay to combine TPU, this should give you enough for a 1 BR at SSR which is all you can hope to be available anyway.

 

[elaine]

Maybe for last minute. Otherwise, no. If you have a good interval trader, you might be able to work out a direct swap exchange with someone on TuG who doesn’t have access to II: They get dvc with Rci and you get a match with II for what they want.
If not, the marriotts in Orlando are very nice.

 

[needvaca]

I’ve been watching the sightings board for DVC for 3 years and have never seen DVC for under 45TPUs, unless it has been very last minute, like 2 weeks out.
Maybe you should just deposit 2 years of your timeshare to get 46 TPUs. Your total fees will probably still be a good value compared to rentingDVC at$18-$20 per point on David’s rental or similar

 

[chaimommy]

Thanks everyone for your help. I was afraid the answer would be trade 2 weeks to get 1. Ugh. My Cabo resort is gold crown and I put in a prime week, but I'm not anywhere close to 45. From a value perspective, is the SSR experience that much better than other non-DVC resorts? I have a 6yo and 2yo so proximity to parks so we can get back for naps, easy transportation, and pool options are top priorities. I really want DVC for the convenience of the app and all-in-one, but wondering if giving up 2 weeks is worth it to try it out. Thanks again!

 

[TheHolleys87]

Thanks everyone for your help. I was afraid the answer would be trade 2 weeks to get 1. Ugh. My Cabo resort is gold crown and I put in a prime week, but I'm not anywhere close to 45. From a value perspective, is the SSR experience that much better than other non-DVC resorts? I have a 6yo and 2yo so proximity to parks so we can get back for naps, easy transportation, and pool options are top priorities. I really want DVC for the convenience of the app and all-in-one, but wondering if giving up 2 weeks is worth it to try it out. Thanks again!

For easy transportation to an offsite resort, you’ll need a rental car (which is also ideal for getting back for naps onsite too, other than at MK). The top RCI exchange for pools and nearness to Disney parks would be Wyndham Bonnet Creek, but Sheraton Vistana Village, HGVC Tuscany Village and HICV Orange Lake have great pools too - they’re just farther away than WBC. I’m not sure how many TPUs you’d need for them. We like Silver Lake, which is right around the corner from AK, very quick drive to all the parks, and easy to exchange into with fewer TPUs, but we don’t use the pools, so I’m not sure it would be what you want (it looked like a fun pool to me when we ate lunch there.

 

[Dean]

Thanks everyone for your help. I was afraid the answer would be trade 2 weeks to get 1. Ugh. My Cabo resort is gold crown and I put in a prime week, but I'm not anywhere close to 45. From a value perspective, is the SSR experience that much better than other non-DVC resorts? I have a 6yo and 2yo so proximity to parks so we can get back for naps, easy transportation, and pool options are top priorities. I really want DVC for the convenience of the app and all-in-one, but wondering if giving up 2 weeks is worth it to try it out. Thanks again!

IMO the value of DVC over off site is user dependent, for me it'd be worth it. Just realize that MX in general trades poorly both with II and RCI, it's just more obvious with RCI because of the TPU and how it's handled.

 

[bnoble]

The top RCI exchange for pools and nearness to Disney parks would be Wyndham Bonnet Creek, but Sheraton Vistana Village, HGVC Tuscany Village and HICV Orange Lake have great pools too - they’re just farther away than WBC.

Without getting into sightings details, Wyndham hasn't been depositing Bonnet Creek for a while now, though they have been depositing the others (Reunion, Cypress Palms, Star Island, and Orlando Intl.) HGVC Tuscany is also probably out of reach for a 23 TPU deposit in most seasons, except for last minute (6-8 weeks-ish) prior to use. Vistana is probably right on the edge for a 2BR.

In addition to Silver Lake (which I'd second), Vacation Village @ Parkway is also an option. Very close to the World Drive entrance on 192 (I think only two stop lights away). Units are fine, pools are only okay, but the location might make up for that.

 

[TheHolleys87]

Without getting into sightings details, Wyndham hasn't been depositing Bonnet Creek for a while now, though they have been depositing the others (Reunion, Cypress Palms, Star Island, and Orlando Intl.) HGVC Tuscany is also probably out of reach for a 23 TPU deposit in most seasons, except for last minute (6-8 weeks-ish) prior to use. Vistana is probably right on the edge for a 2BR.

In addition to Silver Lake (which I'd second), Vacation Village @ Parkway is also an option. Very close to the World Drive entrance on 192 (I think only two stop lights away). Units are fine, pools are only okay, but the location might make up for that.

Thanks for those clarifications, for OP’s sake. We scored WBC twice this year, but I don’t review availability very often and have no idea what the usual availability and TPU prices are. In general, if we can’t get WBC we’re happy with Silver Lake!

 

[rickandcindy23]

Thanks everyone for your help. I was afraid the answer would be trade 2 weeks to get 1. Ugh. My Cabo resort is gold crown and I put in a prime week, but I'm not anywhere close to 45. From a value perspective, is the SSR experience that much better than other non-DVC resorts? I have a 6yo and 2yo so proximity to parks so we can get back for naps, easy transportation, and pool options are top priorities. I really want DVC for the convenience of the app and all-in-one, but wondering if giving up 2 weeks is worth it to try it out. Thanks again!

You should consider a purchase of a great week that will add to those TPU's and give you a better chance of getting Disney. I think your chances of a last-minute DVC catch are good for January, if you can go then. So many January are matching my old ongoing searches. I already have the weeks I needed. I would watch early mornings for a match that way.

I would be very disappointed at 23 points for a Cabo week 51. That is a very desirable week. What fees do you pay on that? There are resorts you can buy for close to free that get 60 points. I know that @MichaelColey was giving away some awesome weeks in Branson. I am unsure if you are interested in owning more timeshare.

I understand wanting only DVC. I am a Disney nut myself. I am always disappointed when I cannot get October-December and have to tough it out at Marriott.

Be sure to only put in a request for resorts that are common. Don't try for Boardwalk Villas or the other resorts. Just put OKW and SSR into your search (you can add others). The OKW and SSR are your best bet.

 

[chaimommy]

Wow, thank you all! A ton of helpful info in here to review and digest. By staying DVC, I was hoping to avoid a rental car and all the parking fees that go with it and the added time/walking with littles. So it really sounds like the decision point is coughing up another week to get to enough TPUs or stay offsite and put those dollars into a car (not having to fight with a stroller on a Disney bus is appealing). I will add all of your recommendations to my search and hopefully something will pop up. I've heard good things about Bonnet Creek. I also have a ton of Marriott Reward & Hilton Honors points (non-timeshare) to use but was saving those for Europe; I'll check out exchange options for Marriott too. I know the JW is new and I've stayed at the Dolphin for work - but I dont think those are on RCI or II.

 

[chaimommy]

IMO the value of DVC over off site is user dependent, for me it'd be worth it. Just realize that MX in general trades poorly both with II and RCI, it's just more obvious with RCI because of the TPU and how it's handled.

Thanks for this insight. On II, I've felt like we've always had choices for the top tier resorts and we've gone to some incredible places but you don't know what you don't know and they aren't transparent with the value. Too bad MX is lower. I always assumed it would be higher than most US locations with obvious exceptions.

 

[chaimommy]

You should consider a purchase of a great week that will add to those TPU's and give you a better chance of getting Disney. I think your chances of a last-minute DVC catch are good for January, if you can go then. So many January are matching my old ongoing searches. I already have the weeks I needed. I would watch early mornings for a match that way.

I would be very disappointed at 23 points for a Cabo week 51. That is a very desirable week. What fees do you pay on that? There are resorts you can buy for close to free that get 60 points. I know that @MichaelColey was giving away some awesome weeks in Branson. I am unsure if you are interested in owning more timeshare.

I understand wanting only DVC. I am a Disney nut myself. I am always disappointed when I cannot get October-December and have to tough it out at Marriott.

Be sure to only put in a request for resorts that are common. Don't try for Boardwalk Villas or the other resorts. Just put OKW and SSR into your search (you can add others). The OKW and SSR are your best bet.

We have 2 weeks in Cabo - a summer and winter week. They are floating so I can 'pick' the week I want to deposit depending on how willing the rep is that I talk with. I didn't realize that 23 was so low until I paid for my TUG membership and found DVC was actually at 45! RCI doesn't advertise any rates until after you deposit but I thought that week would be top tier for sure. I am also coming to the conclusion that I probably need to get another timeshare resort. I currently share Cabo with my sister so we split the fees and each take a week - that hasn't been a problem on II, but it sure could be on RCI: I only received 14 TPUs for our prime summer week. We each pay $850 in maintenance fees.

 

[rickandcindy23]

You know that Magical Express is now a thing of the past? Mears is still going to be operating to/from the airport, but it's no longer free. It's not cheap, either. I looked into it for our kids and saw that it is quite expensive for a family of four. I thought that if we ate onsite for the first few days they would save on car rentals because the rates drop significantly after MLK day. We have two weeks at Saratoga Springs starting 1/15 for them.

 

[Dean]

Thanks for this insight. On II, I've felt like we've always had choices for the top tier resorts and we've gone to some incredible places but you don't know what you don't know and they aren't transparent with the value. Too bad MX is lower. I always assumed it would be higher than most US locations with obvious exceptions.

I've played with RCI and II a lot looking at MX both directions. I also own a MX resort that's highly rated in MX and even getting week 51 or 52, you're not going to get truly top choices with it. RCI is simply more transparent, MX is lower across the board historically and likely even more now due to the unrest. AI's are even worse. Thus my information suggest that RCI is simply more transparent but in general MX is lower other than for some very specific weeks and resorts.

 

[bnoble]

We scored WBC twice this year, but I don’t review availability very often

This was the last deposit I saw to Bonnet

https://tugbbs.com/forums/threads/rci-weeks-wyndham-feb-22-bulk.321106/

 

[chaimommy]

You know that Magical Express is now a thing of the past? Mears is still going to be operating to/from the airport, but it's no longer free. It's not cheap, either. I looked into it for our kids and saw that it is quite expensive for a family of four. I thought that if we ate onsite for the first few days they would save on car rentals because the rates drop significantly after MLK day. We have two weeks at Saratoga Springs starting 1/15 for them.

Yes, I have heard the airport transfer is going away. That's a bummer. I haven't heard any changes to the buses that operate between Disney parks & hotels which is what we were hoping to use from SSR. We've never done it so can't speak to the experience but would have been nice to save on a rental car/parking.

Since you mentioned the resale, is there a good site to find a better week? If I'm going to get another one, I want to make sure it will have a higher TPU.

 

[TheHolleys87]

This was the last deposit I saw to Bonnet

https://tugbbs.com/forums/threads/rci-weeks-wyndham-feb-22-bulk.321106/

We booked our March 2021 WBC week in November 2020 and our November 2021 week there in March. Both weeks cost us 24 TPUs, but I'm pretty sure they were bargains related to the pandemic, and I don't expect to find them again.

I haven't heard any changes to the buses that operate between Disney parks & hotels which is what we were hoping to use from SSR. We've never done it so can't speak to the experience but would have been nice to save on a rental car/parking.

Bus service from SSR is fine. RCI exchanges are usually but not always placed in one of the Standard sections, which are Grandstand, Carousel and Paddock. Those are the first 3 stops on the bus route through the resort, so it's rare not to be able to get on even at busy times. Disney Springs is walkable from SSR, and there's also a boat that runs between the two - the dock is quite convenient to the Grandstand section. So while a rental car is better in terms of getting back to the resort quickly for naps, relying on Disney transport is not a big problem.

 

[elaine]

There are many tug posts about good resale trading weeks with low purchase prices. However be careful about buying to trade into dvc. What if deposits dry up, or dvc stops using rci, etc. A timeshare is easy to buy, but in the resale market, it could be tough to sell. Also Rci has been known to change tpu/points values.
If you do get another timeshare, I’d suggest a system you might use for other travel. You can get resale hgvc for relatively low resale price and then use points via Rci for dvc-or use hgvc points internally. I’m partial to hgvc, but Wyndham and/or other mini-systems would also work.
we stayed offsite when our kids were young. I took a stroller and 3 yr old napped as I sat in a quiet place, while DH and older child rode rides. Worked fine. There’s also a large nursing room with AC in each park where mom/stroller napping child can hang out.
As one who had done dvc/offsite many times, I’d try offsite 1st before I got another timeshare or maybe use 2 deposits once for dvc, which is still cheaper than renting dvc pointe or laying rack rates.

 

[chaimommy]

There are many tug posts about good resale trading weeks with low purchase prices. However be careful about buying to trade into dvc. What if deposits dry up, or dvc stops using rci, etc. A timeshare is easy to buy, but in the resale market, it could be tough to sell. Also Rci has been known to change tpu/points values.
If you do get another timeshare, I’d suggest a system you might use for other travel. You can get resale hgvc for relatively low resale price and then use points via Rci for dvc-or use hgvc points internally. I’m partial to hgvc, but Wyndham and/or other mini-systems would also work.
we stayed offsite when our kids were young. I took a stroller and 3 yr old napped as I sat in a quiet place, while DH and older child rode rides. Worked fine. There’s also a large nursing room with AC in each park where mom/stroller napping child can hang out.
As one who had done dvc/offsite many times, I’d try offsite 1st before I got another timeshare or maybe use 2 deposits once for dvc, which is still cheaper than renting dvc pointe or laying rack rates.

Thanks so much. I was just researching a property in Orlando (Vacation Villages at Parkland) and luckily found that DVC wont accept trades through RCI, even on points. So, now I'm on the hunt for something outside of Orlando. I've never used "points" and have refused to transfer my weeks to points when my home resort has pushed it in the past. I'm leery about points devaluation as I've seen it happen almost every other year on airlines and everywhere else - so your advice about picking a place we will use otherwise is perfect. Of course, my hope is to get something with a good trade into Disney, but need to hedge my bets. I've got some time free from work over the holidays and it sounds like I'll be reading up on HGVC and Marriott!

 

[rickandcindy23]

Well, I know a lot of people who own at various resorts and get a lot of trading power with their weeks. One thing I recommend is Grand Palms resort, which is worth 60 points for prime summer weeks. It's Myrtle Beach, specifically Surfside Beach, it's a 3 bedroom lockoff, and when you separate the two bedroom from the studio, you get 60 points. That is great for right at $1,000 in MF's. Someone here on TUG is giving away an EOY week under Bargain Deals.

I also know that Massanutten weeks are good for trading, and a lot of them are in points.

My RCI Points have never been devalued. I have never heard of points devaluing. My weeks have, however. I own Grand Palms, and when RCI first valued those summer weeks, I was getting 101 points for my Grand Palms when locked off into the two parts. Now I only get 60. But it's stayed at 60 for years. $15 per point is good for MF's value. I would only buy weeks 20-38, then pay the fees way ahead, reserve a week between weeks 24-32 (they all get 60), and deposit those as the lockoff. You call the resort to get that.

 

[jackio]

Well, I know a lot of people who own at various resorts and get a lot of trading power with their weeks. One thing I recommend is Grand Palms resort, which is worth 60 points for prime summer weeks. It's Myrtle Beach, specifically Surfside Beach, it's a 3 bedroom lockoff, and when you separate the two bedroom from the studio, you get 60 points. That is great for right at $1,000 in MF's. Someone here on TUG is giving away an EOY week under Bargain Deals.

I also know that Massanutten weeks are good for trading, and a lot of them are in points.

My RCI Points have never been devalued. I have never heard of points devaluing. My weeks have, however. I own Grand Palms, and when RCI first valued those summer weeks, I was getting 101 points for my Grand Palms when locked off into the two parts. Now I only get 60. But it's stayed at 60 for years. $15 per point is good for MF's value. I would only buy weeks 20-38, then pay the fees way ahead, reserve a week between weeks 24-32 (they all get 60), and deposit those as the lockoff. You call the resort to get that.

I am that person giving away the EOY even. 2022 reservation is already made for July. Thank you Cindy!

 

[chaimommy]

Thank you! I'll do some research on Grand Palms and definitely need to learn more about RCI Points too before I pull the trigger on something new. Impressed to hear that you've never heard of the points devaluing! That's really good news.

 

[elaine]

Points in systems (like HGVC) do not have geographic block. So, you could even own HGVC Orlando and still trade via RCI into DVC. And, agree, it's usually not financially advantageous to convert a fixed week into points with developer.