My 6th year and I still don’t know! I need help getting the most of my timeshare.

[Cloudchoe]

Ok, we purchased one at the Vacation Village at Parkway. I still don’t know how to get most out of it.
I want to rent the free week I have, it’s during kids school year in August, so we can never use it. Also every time I want to go somewhere everywhere is BOOKED! People telling me I need to book 8 months in advance but I can’t. I have wasted so many points and put in a lot of money but only used my RCI maybe most 8 times?

I really need help.

Also how does rental, flight and all inclusive work?
Especially with kids under age 12? Are they free with adult tickets?

Thanks in advance

 

[tschwa2]

You don't really have free weeks. You have a deeded week that you pay MF's on. It is a fixed week. If your fixed week is not a week you want to use and/or you don't want to go to VV at Parkway any week, you would have to use rci and pay a exchange fee. If you have rci points, you can reserve any week at your home resort 12 months in advance for a $50 exchange fee. At 11 months the normal exchange fee would apply.

If your week is not in rci points and you get a week deposit that gets a value of 2-60 per deposit. You can deposit both sides separately and you will get more total points but depending on what you use if for you will also have to pay a combine fee. VV affiliates have a $159 exchange fee.

If your deed week is a (late) August week, it will be difficult to rent for enough to cover your MF's because Orlando has so much competition and the demand is not the highest at that time.

You do get bonus certs with VV through rci but they are only good for low demand last minute inventory.

RCI doesn't really get discounts on flights or AI's. They are usually close to what you can get elsewhere but sometimes you might find something worth while booking. RCI discontinued points partners in 2020. So you can't use rci points for cash toward car rentals, hotels, or plane tickets.

To use your membership, you really need to change your mind set and learn to book a year in advance. You know when your children's school breaks are. Christmas in warm weather destinations can be really hard. But not all schools are off for the same spring break or easter break, so it makes it a little easier to book. You know when there summer breaks are. My husband has a job where he has to bid for vacation. He knows that he has to use his first round pick for a specific summer week that I booked months ago.

 

[montygz]

Ok, we purchased one at the Vacation Village at Parkway. I still don’t know how to get most out of it.
I want to rent the free week I have, it’s during kids school year in August, so we can never use it. Also every time I want to go somewhere everywhere is BOOKED! People telling me I need to book 8 months in advance but I can’t. I have wasted so many points and put in a lot of money but only used my RCI maybe most 8 times?

I really need help.

Also how does rental, flight and all inclusive work?
Especially with kids under age 12? Are they free with adult tickets?

Thanks in advance

Where are you trying to stay?
Do you know how to use the RCI website to search for resorts? Cast a wider net for results?
Are you targeting certain areas to visit?
Are you looking at what resorts and areas have availability, even if you don't book far out?
Are you using ongoing searches to book?
If you go to RCI and spend 10 minutes a day looking around, you will learn the ebb and flow of what is available.

 

[DaveNV]

Also every time I want to go somewhere everywhere is BOOKED! People telling me I need to book 8 months in advance but I can’t

This is the thing about owning a timeshare: You can only book or exchange into a unit that is available. You're competing with every other owner for the prime times and resorts. They're likely ahead of you in their planning ahead. If you can't plan ahead, you're stuck with the leftovers. It's the sad fact about ownership.

If you can't book your week at your resort, about all you can do is deposit your time to an exchange company like RCI, and use Ongoing Searches to try and get the resort(s) you want. But even then, if you can't plan ahead, you're stuck.

There is no easy answer.

Dave