Orange Lake Global Access... The Program as described to me.

[BocaBum99]

Boca;
Thanks for the information.

It sounds like this is based on the RCI Points system but it appears to be more along the lines of HGVC's program where the owner is not actually a RCI Points owner but gets the membership to RCI through the resort where you call the resort, tell them that you want to exchange your points for an external exchange, the company deposits them with RCI giving you an equivelent amount of points, and then makes the trade for you if you have enough points. Is this correct? Is so, a question arises whether you must deposit the points before the trade is made or after you are able to confirm the trade. The first is a blind trade where you pretty take what is given wheras the second you can say no if you didn't like the trade and not lose the value of your points.

If this is not correct, then what is the linkage between OLCC GoGlobal points and RCI Points other than being modeled after it? If it is RCI Points, then the reservations should be made through RCI and not OLCC. If there is no linkage, for those with RCI Points, will this mean it is treated as RCI Weeks with the standard Florida grid (talk about devaluing their own points value if this were the case) and still allow the small point value exchange for 45 days or less. Three are so many questions, so little information.

This brings up another interesting question. RCI Points was based on converting existing units into a points value. Is the next step to sell the resorts based purely on points (no specific unit ownership) such as DVC or HGVC? The model appears to resemble HGVC with the yearly membership fees, etc. than it does DVC.

You raise a very good question. I don't know how they will implement it. The OLCC sales guy wouldn't know and RCI wouldn't tell or didn't know either.

My guess is that they will want to implement an HGVC like program so that they can control the points and deposits in a similar way. So, if an owner wants to buy an airline ticket through Wilson Travel, they don't have to withdraw RCI Points.

I suppose the way they can do it is hold the Global Access points in a database at OLCC (I hope they have a back up data center). Whenever someone wants to make an exchange to RCI, they deposit weeks or points accordingly.

Maybe it will be like Fairfield, where your interface is actually managed by Fairfield. To RCI customers, it just looks like RCI Points.

 

[timetraveler]

Speaking of OLCC resale weeks, two of our four weeks were purchased through resale some years ago. I was told that to convert those two weeks to points would cost us an ADDITIONAL $5,000 per week, yeah, you read that right!

I'm certainly glad I'll be back home within a few weeks. My infor since June has and still is $1295 to convert ANY West Village/North Village/East Village week to points, regardless of whether it was purchased thru the resort or resale. Do you remember the name of the individual you spoke with foto? I'd certainly like to address that when I get there.

I'm also alittle perplexed about your not being able to get back into your home resort. You automatically go to the top of the list as far as RCI exchange requests go. We have never stayed at the resort during our owned weeks, and have always gotten back in the week/(s) we wanted. We too have owned since the early 90's. And stay multiple times each year.

I also believe there will be plenty of RCI availability for existing OL owners that do not convert to Global Access. Points based products work great for a certain group of people.

But lots of them do not need one. We personally could care less about using points for airfare, cruises, meals, rental cars, shorter stays , etc. We have no need for those options, and there will be many families/couples that fit in this category as well. These owners will continue to deposit into RCI.

I do see that since the inventory is going to be splitting in 2 different directions, it will eventually become harder for non owners to get in. Global will be catering to owners, and RCI will have to give priority to it's OL owners as well.

 

[Jimster]

Points

Bocca is right. I have exactly the same deal through Murray Valley (Yes, Jerry Naugle is great to work with). Add to what he said the fact it has low maintenance fees and those are payable in Australian dollars which are cheaper than US dollars.