Latest RCI Changes and upgrades at some resorts

[fishingguy]

I've noticed that more resorts are now identifying that they do not support upgrades or unit changes [at check-in], coincidental with the latest RCI "enhancements." I suspect that the intent was to clarify expectations for Platinum members.

Some resorts never bought into upgrades/unit changes without extra fees, when RCI implemented the Platinum option. Especially those that have internal owner rental programs -- which has nothing to do with RCI's inventory in weeks or points. There has been some negative reviews from Platinum members, who thought they should get an upgrade from the resort at checkin.

 

[tlguinn_2000]

DVC

This one from Bay Lake Tower


Urgent Information
Security deposit required upon check-in at the resort.
Resort cannot honor unit upgrades or moves.

 

[bnoble]

I suspect that the Urgent Information is being displayed incorrectly for some if not many resorts---I think that they are mis-matched. For example, here is what it says about Wyndham Bonnet Creek:

Multi-floor buildings with no elevator access

That's great except that, as far as I know, every single building at Bonnet has elevators.

Likewise, the Urgent Information for the Disney resorts no longer mentions then $95 extortion fee, but what are the chances that that got dropped? (Yeah I don't think so either.)

 

[Mel]

I agree, I think the urgent information has gotten mixed up among different resorts - that and the extra fees.

As for upgrades, there are RCI upgrades and Resort upgrades, and they are two completely different things.

I would assume the Platinum upgrades come from RCI inventory. You exchange or otherwise book a 1BR unit through RCI. 14 days before you check in, a 2BR unit is still available in RCI's inventory, so you get an upgrade. If the resort has 2BR units available, but they are not deposited to RCI, you do not get an upgrade - because that is not RCI's inventory.

Consider how many times people are told by resorts that they don't get the list of incoming exchangers until about 2 weeks ahead. So, before RCI sends that list of exchanges to the resort, they check to see if they can give platinum members an upgrade. The resort has no idea whether RCI gave them an upgrade, or if they had the 2BR unit all along - or for that matter if they cancelled a 1BR exchange and rebooked a 2BR, which may have made sense if they had the insurance and would recover their fees and perhaps save some TPU.

I suspect what is happening with some platinum members is they are arriving at the resort, and assume that an empty 2BR unit means there was inventory which could have been used to give them an upgrade. But that 2BR unit was never in RCI's inventory - it either was never reserved by an owner at that resort, or it is simply not being used by whoever owns or reserved it. I can leave my unit empty all week, if I so choose. Neither RCI nor the resort has the right to assign it to someone else.

I would not assume that "No upgrades" in the urgent information means there will be no platinum upgrades. It means the resort won't upgrade you, so don't bother asking.

 

[fishingguy]

yep

Mel wrote:

I would not assume that "No upgrades" in the urgent information means there will be no platinum upgrades. It means the resort won't upgrade you, so don't bother asking.

That's a very good point!