Orlando ts owners cannot exchange into Disney VC resorts

[Jennie]

I seldom vacation in Orlando and do not own any timeshares in that area. Probably this information is already well known to TUG members but it is new to me. Delete it or merge it, if appropriate.

While searching RCI tonight for Florida availability in February 2010, I saw a one bedroom unit for President's week at Disney Old Key West Resort. While reading the tiny fine print, the last sentence stated:

"**MEMBERS WHO OWN AT RCI RESORTS IN ORLANDO/KISSIMMEE CANNOT EXCHANGE INTO DVC RESORTS IN THE ORLANDO/KISSIMMEE AREA**

I know that RCI will do what it darn well pleases, but do you think this is a good policy?

Oddly enough, there is no 1 in 4 rule listed.

 

[Timeshare Von]

I can understand them not wanting to allow RCI members to trade a crappy Orlando T/S (Bluetree, anyone?) for a Disney resort, but I don't know how they can prevent someone who may own multiple resorts trading a non-Orlando t/s for Disney.

Usually the trade restrictions and limitations are set by the resort however, so it is probably not RCI doing this. If I were Disney I wouldn't want to allow it either. And yes, I'm surprised they wouldn't have a 1:4 policy too.

 

[ml855]

When Disney was with II they had this same policy. I'm sure it's a Disney thing and not the exchange company itself.

 

[schiff1997]

I have an ongoing search set up with a VC for a DVC with a Cape Cod unit. I also own an Orlando unit and was told by the VC at RCI that I can do the trade with my Cape Cod unit. I will see if I get a match and then see what RCI does. I will make a back up reservation with my home resort just in case!!

 

[sfwilshire]

When Disney was with II they had this same policy. I'm sure it's a Disney thing and not the exchange company itself.

With II, an owner of multiple weeks could exchange non-Orlando weeks for DVC, even if they owned others in Orlando.

Sheila

 

[dougp26364]

Some resorts will set up regional blocks to keep people from buying cheap resorts and using them to exchange into expensive resorts in the same area. It's not an RCI thing it's a developer or resort management thing. You'll find similar blocks in I.I. In fact, I believe Orlando as a whole has a regional block with I.I. so that no Orlando resort can exchange into another Orlando resort. Back in '98 when we purchased out Vegas resort, we learned that I.I. had a regional block in Vegas that prevented us from trading the week we owned for a week at a different Vegas resort.

There are also specific blocks set up by developers. Marriott is building a new resort called Oceana Palms one mile north of an existing Marriott resort called Ocean Pointe. Marriott has set up a resort specific block that prevents owners at the older Ocean Pointe from exchanging into the newer Oceana Palms through I.I.

 

[klynn]

I have an ongoing search set up with a VC for a DVC with a Cape Cod unit. I also own an Orlando unit and was told by the VC at RCI that I can do the trade with my Cape Cod unit. I will see if I get a match and then see what RCI does. I will make a back up reservation with my home resort just in case!!

I was told the opposite. I was told if I own a resort in the Orlando area and even if I use a different resort to obtain the exchange into DVC the exchange would be canceled by RCI. I immediately sold my timeshare in Orlando because I don't want any problems when I want to exchange into DVC. Problem solved for me!

 

[schiff1997]

I was told the opposite. I was told if I own a resort in the Orlando area and even if I use a different resort to obtain the exchange into DVC the exchange would be canceled by RCI. I immediately sold my timeshare in Orlando because I don't want any problems when I want to exchange into DVC. Problem solved for me!

Well I won't go that far as to sell my Orlando units, if I get DVC great but if not no big deal for us as we really like our home resort of Silver Lake. No guarantee on how long DVC will stay with RCI anyway. I'll just wait and see what happens. My account number is not tied to an Orlando unit maybe that will make the difference, who knows with RCI.

 

[AwayWeGo]

Just 1 Minute.

OK, I'm not exactly the brightest twisty-bulb in the overhead fixture, so please bear with my ignorance as I try to figure out how the Disney timeshares work via their recent RCI affiliation. I'm hoping some of the high-wattage TUG folks can provide illumination.

Are the Disney timeshares in RCI Weeks? Or are they in RCI Points?

If they're in Weeks, it's easy to see how RCI can disallow swapping a non-Disney Orlando week for a DVC week.

If they're in Points, it's not so easy to see. I mean, points are points. Not only that, members' points balances may well consist of commingled Orlando-area points (e.g., Vacation Village At Parkway) along with various non-Orlando points (e.g., via PFD from far-off timeshares overseas).

Saying people can't exchange into el primo DVC units using their el cheapo Orlando-Kissimmee weeks-timeshares as trade bait is 1 thing.

Preventing people from swapping into DVC if they own non-Disney timeshares in & around Orlando that are not being used as DVC trade bait is something else again -- specially if DVC exchanges via points, which are all spozed to be equally mox nix regarding where they come from & how they're used.

A little help in understanding will be much appreciated.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[bnoble]

My understanding so far:

Inventory is available both in Points and Weeks.

If you are looking in Points, and own an Orlando Points resort, you can't do it, even if you are using "other points". I'm quite sure of this, as several people have reported it.

If you are looking in Weeks, and own an Orlando interval and other intervals, you can use the non-Orlando deposit if it otherwise qualifies with respect to trade power, but you can't use an Orlando deposit, no matter what. I'm not 100% sure of this, as I don't own any Orlando, but that's what I gather.

klynn: were you in Points, or Weeks?

 

[rickandcindy23]

Well I won't go that far as to sell my Orlando units, if I get DVC great but if not no big deal for us as we really like our home resort of Silver Lake. No guarantee on how long DVC will stay with RCI anyway. I'll just wait and see what happens. My account number is not tied to an Orlando unit maybe that will make the difference, who knows with RCI.

That's good, Schiff, because if RCI doesn't know you own the week, I don't see them searching through deed records to make sure you don't own anything in Orlando.

Kerry, I am surprised that owning any Orlando week would keep a person from using another resort to exchange into Disney. That's a new piece of information. I cannot believe RCI is going that far with it. Good to know.

 

[klynn]

My understanding so far:

Inventory is available both in Points and Weeks.

If you are looking in Points, and own an Orlando Points resort, you can't do it, even if you are using "other points". I'm quite sure of this, as several people have reported it.

If you are looking in Weeks, and own an Orlando interval and other intervals, you can use the non-Orlando deposit if it otherwise qualifies with respect to trade power, but you can't use an Orlando deposit, no matter what. I'm not 100% sure of this, as I don't own any Orlando, but that's what I gather.

klynn: were you in Points, or Weeks?

My exchanges were in points using non-Orlando points. Because the fact I own points at an Orlando timeshare my exchanges were canceled. I asked the RCI guide if I could use one of my weeks instead and was told as long as I did not own any Orlando weeks I could use a week if it had enough trading power.

 

[timeos2]

From the RCI table at Wyndham

My exchanges were in points using non-Orlando points. Because the fact I own points at an Orlando timeshare my exchanges were canceled. I asked the RCI guide if I could use one of my weeks instead and was told as long as I did not own any Orlando weeks I could use a week if it had enough trading power.

From the RCI representative(s) at the Wyndham meeting yesterday (for what that is worth). Points deposits have no "home" resort thus are NOT subject to regional blocks. Weeks deposits from resorts within a 100 radius are prohibited from trading back into DVC (and other resorts that have the block in place) but that is by the resort not the account. So an account that has a week on deposit from outside the 100 mile radius CAN be used for exchange into DVC (or other Orlando resort) even if there are Orlando resorts available for deposit/trade in the same account. They were surprised that anyone at RCI would have stated differently. Of course we all know it only matters what the guide you happen to get thinks are the rules are as that is what they will attempt to enforce.

So that's what I heard from the horses mouth as of yesterday afternoon 1:30pm. Lets see if it stands up to actual experience making and using reservations.

 

[Laurie]

I have an ongoing search set up with a VC for a DVC with a Cape Cod unit. I also own an Orlando unit and was told by the VC at RCI that I can do the trade with my Cape Cod unit. I will see if I get a match and then see what RCI does. I will make a back up reservation with my home resort just in case!!

I hope this is true, because I wanted to trade into a Cape Cod resort, but couldn't use my Cape Cod deposit (and the way the restriction reads makes ya think that no owners of Cape Cod weeks can exchange in) - so I was hoping I could use a non-Cape Cod deposit to get there - I own elsewhere too, but only had Cape Cod in my spacebank at the time, so have to wait for a future year... This is pretty silly IMO.

 

[schiff1997]

From the RCI representative(s) at the Wyndham meeting yesterday (for what that is worth). Points deposits have no "home" resort thus are NOT subject to regional blocks. Weeks deposits from resorts within a 100 radius are prohibited from trading back into DVC (and other resorts that have the block in place) but that is by the resort not the account. So an account that has a week on deposit from outside the 100 mile radius CAN be used for exchange into DVC (or other Orlando resort) even if there are Orlando resorts available for deposit/trade in the same account. They were surprised that anyone at RCI would have stated differently. Of course we all know it only matters what the guide you happen to get thinks are the rules are as that is what they will attempt to enforce.

So that's what I heard from the horses mouth as of yesterday afternoon 1:30pm. Lets see if it stands up to actual experience making and using reservations.

This is basically what the VC told me the day I put in my search. I will post if my exchange comes through.

 

[kathyj0205]

We recently did a t/s presentation at the Grand Mayan RM, and something the salesman said made sense to me. He said that the 1 in 4 rule is there to limit the repeat traders, and enable the resort to get more fresh blood, for selling purposes. In others words, if you own a ts at or near the property, you are less likely to buy another, and if you have recently visited a resort you have probably sat thru a sales pitch and declined to buy. The salesman called our exchanged into week a "marketing week". I know, it came out of a salesman's mouth, but it actually makes pretty good sense to me.

kathy

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

The salesman called our exchanged into week a "marketing week". I know, it came out of a salesman's mouth, but it actually makes pretty good sense to me.

kathy

Developers routinely place large amounts of unsold inventory with exchange companies. It gives them a supply of people to run through the sales program. But even without the sales aspect, it's more cost efficient to operate a nearly full hotel than a nearly empty hotel.

That developer inventory is a large part of the reason why timeshare owners are consistently able to "trade up" in quality or season through an exchange company.

 

[Lisa P]

Marriott is building a new resort called Oceana Palms one mile north of an existing Marriott resort called Ocean Pointe. Marriott has set up a resort specific block that prevents owners at the older Ocean Pointe from exchanging into the newer Oceana Palms through I.I.

How odd! The exchange companies normally give a trade power boost for members trading into sister properties. How hostile this would be for Marriott to work against owners like this! :annoyed:

 

[jbuzzy11]

Im an Owner at Orange Lake in Orlando and I was just going to deposit another week into RCI because It may be s strong trader to get some Disney resorts but now I dont know! I do have a 2nd RCI account without an resorts in it, should I deposit it in that account?

 

[Sandy VDH]

Regional blocks have been in place for sometime, as LONG as I can remember. And I have owned since 1995. This is not something new. I guess now with people clammering for Disney properties they are realizing that regional blocks are in place.

 

[bnoble]

I do have a 2nd RCI account without an resorts in it, should I deposit it in that account?

Better safe than sorry.

 

[Mel]

Depositing that OLCC week into your other account won't make a difference. It is the WEEK, not that account that is blocked. The only time the account makes a difference is when you're looking for escape weeks, when the regional blocks and VEP ratings are used based on the resort listed as your primary resort. In some cases, that would be a resort where you no longer even own!

This is no different than when DVC was with RCI before. RCI had the regional blocks then, and still have them for a handful of resorts. We couldn't trade OLCC for DVC when we first purchased more than 15 years ago, and we can't now. I suspect they won't even show up when searching.

I recall a couple of years ago there was a discussion about VEP ratings regarding escape weeks, and someone was told that a VC can run a search for you based on one of your other resorts, but if you search online, it will be based on the prefix of your membership number. Your membership only tells them what your FIRST owned, not what you currently own. If you sell that first Orlando timeshare after you have added other units, you keep that number.

 

[jbuzzy11]

no, I have another week that is not a Florida week that I will deposit into a 2nd RCI account that I have had since I purchased Club Regina week many many years ago, I sold club regina but they keep paying for my old RCI account Ill deposit it in that account.

 

[krmlaw]

this is odd, because i traded my polynesian isles (orlando) for summer bay resort (orlando).

 

[gorevs9]

this is odd, because i traded my polynesian isles (orlando) for summer bay resort (orlando).

I believe the restrictions are dictated by the resorts not by the exchange company. You will notice that you probably cannot exchange your Williamsburg Plantation unit into a different Williamsburg resort.