PFD??

[Piscesqueen]

I had asked these questions in another thread but thought maybe I should start another that is solely about how PDF works (and I didn't want to intrude on the other TUGgers thread).

How does the PFD process work?

If you own a floating week and want to deposit for points, do you reserve your red week and then deposit into RCI for the points?

Or, do you just deposit the float week with RCI and get the points that way?

How long does it take to have access to your points once you make your deposit with RCI?

How far in advance can you deposit your week for points with RCI?

Can you borrow from future weeks points with PFD?

If, for example, I own a WorldMark resort and I deposit for points, will I have access to other WorldMark resorts at the 11 month window instead of 10?

Do any of you RCI points owners feel like your giving points away when you book regularly versus last minute/call ~whatever it's called~ (within the 45 days)?

We are looking at purchasing an RCI week that we will be using ourselves that we may use for PFD every few years but I was told that you need to buy an RCI points resort FIRST! Is that true?

PLEASE HELP!!

Sorry for all the questions; I'm just trying to learn as much as possible.

I live in the Northwest and I'm hoping that RCI will be a good choice for us for our first timeshare. We are hoping to take at least 2 last minute/call/instant exchange (within 45 days) reservations a year, plus 2 pre-planned trips a year. I'm praying for decent availability for our area (within 10 hour driving distance).

We are buying our first points account next week and just happen to stumble across a floating red week that we were interested in for EOY use personally and we found out that it is a PFD resort as well. BUT, we don't know how the PFD process works and I'm hoping that someone can help.

Thanks!

 

[timeos2]

PFD isn't hard

If you own a floating week and want to deposit for points, do you reserve your red week and then deposit into RCI for the points?

Or, do you just deposit the float week with RCI and get the points that way?

When you have a float week at a resort in order to get it into PFD you must first reserve a week then deposit that into RCI Points. It is a simple phone call and a $26 fee to accomplish that.

How long does it take to have access to your points once you make your deposit with RCI?

They tell you 7-10 days but usually it shows up about 4-6 days later in the account.

How far in advance can you deposit your week for points with RCI?

As far ahead as you can get the week to deposit. It depends on the rules for the resort the week is coming from.

Can you borrow from future weeks points with PFD?
If, for example, I own a WorldMark resort and I deposit for points, will I have access to other WorldMark resorts at the 11 month window instead of 10?

No. You can only borrow against time that has been converted to RCI Points (time that will automatically be deposited into RCI Points with no action required from you). No, you will not get the extra month of access as it would be a PFD type - a one time deposit with no specific use rights attached.

Do any of you RCI points owners feel like your giving points away when you book regularly versus last minute/call ~whatever it's called~ (within the 45 days)?

No. That's what we got the points for. It is great when we can stretch it out using the 45 day stuff but the real value is being able to plan a specific use (such as our seemingly annual 2 weeks with the dogs at one of the few resorts in Orlando that allow pets) and easily getting the exact time, resort and unit size we want by using RCI Points. We never see that resort available in the discounted time so it is not "a waste" to use our points to reserve exactly what we want. If we need a few more points we can always add some PFD or rent a few. It is a very accommodating system - that's why we love it.

We are looking at purchasing an RCI week that we will be using ourselves that we may use for PFD every few years but I was told that you need to buy an RCI points resort FIRST! Is that true?
We are buying our first points account next week and just happen to stumble across a floating red week that we were interested in for EOY use personally and we found out that it is a PFD resort as well. BUT, we don't know how the PFD process works and I'm hoping that someone can help.

Thanks!

When you buy your week and when you buy your Points resort doesn't matter at all. Once you have a Points account you can use it to make PFD transactions. When you purchased the week(s) you use for PFD has no impact at all on the process. Any resort that isn't in RCI Points and that RCI will accept (and actually that seems to be most resorts - thankfully even II resorts which is a great bonus!) can be used for PFD. The only limiting factor is the fact that once a resort affiliates with RCI Points you can no longer use THAT resort for PFD. Since the cost to convert a week to RCI Points is often way out of line ($2000-$5000 is all too common) that is a real negative. The fault there is on the resort as they set the conversion fee rate but the end result is you cannot use that resort in RCI Points anymore unless you convert. So be sure that any weeks based resort you plan to PFD isn't planning to convert to RCI Points in the future or if they do that it will be at a reasonable cost to the owners.

PFD is easy - they want your time in the system so there are very few hoops to jump through.

 

[AwayWeGo]

Timeshare Points For The Pathologically Thrifty.

I didn't want to intrude on the other TUGgers thread.

Fret not. Hijacking discussion topics is a hallmark of TUG-BBS -- a feature, actually, not a bug.

How far in advance can you deposit your week for points with RCI?

The real question is -- How Late Can You Wait To Do PFD ?

The answer is, if you are going to do PFD be sure not to wait past the 90-day mark before check-in or there will be a deep cut in how many points you get.

Up till the 90-day mark, PFD gets you the full points-equivalent value of your non-points timeshare week. That gives plenty of time to leave a timeshare week banked in Weeks before moving it over to Points, so you can keep your options open for a reasonable time while exploring the potential trade advantages on both sides of the points-weeks divide.

Do any of you RCI points owners feel like your giving points away when you book regularly versus last minute/call ~whatever it's called~ (within the 45 days)?

I resemble that remark !

We've done a straight-points exchange exactly 1 -- one -- time, because we are so pathologically thrifty that it hurts our feelings to take a points-exchange at the full points-value of the week.

Not only that, we no longer like to do straight week-for-week timeshare exchanges, because we know it would be possible instead to get the full points value of our trade-bait week via PFD, then use those points to get lots of Instant Exchange reservations within 45 days of check-in.

Keep in mind that Instant Exchange is only for points exchanges into weeks timeshares at the 45-day mark (or sooner) before check-in. (Some on TUG-BBS disparage that as a form of Raiding The Weeks Inventory.) By contrast, RCI gets the full points value for straight-points exchanges even if you make the reservation today for check-in tomorrow. Go figure.

We are looking at purchasing an RCI week that we will be using ourselves that we may use for PFD every few years but I was told that you need to buy an RCI points resort FIRST! Is that true?

Absolutely true. Plus, you've got to join RCI Points even if you already have an RCI Weeks membership.

As an option instead of buying, you can lease an RCI points-timeshare -- 3 years RTU, renewable. Works the same within RCI Points as a deeded points timeshare. If you like it, you re-up after 3 years. If not you drop it -- easiest exit strategy in all of timesharing.

Sorry for all the questions; I'm just trying to learn as much as possible.

Hey, no apology needed. You came to the right place. Besides, if people didn't ask questions about timeshares now & then, it would get awfully boring just sending in BBS entries about horns, etc., all the time.

Thanks!

Don't mention it.

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

 

[Conan]

One more wrinkle to PFD:

The points you get belong to the "use year" of the week you traded in. My RCI Points 2009 use year runs November 1 2009 to October 31, 2010, so the August 2010 week I traded for points belongs to my 2009 use year and the points are good for exchanges only through October 31, 2011 (a one-year extension is also possible but it costs $$$).

They call the resort directly to confirm that you're the owner and that the week's maintenance has been paid, so in my example although the 2010 bills haven't gone out yet I had to call my resort and pay 2010 in advance.

 

[elaine]

you have to have a RCI Points account to use PFD

you must have an underlying RCI points account (with a resort that has RCI Points) in order to use PFD. Ex. I own a floating week at a TS uses RCI Points that gives me XXX points per year, and I also own a another TS at a
Weeks" resort. I can deposit the "week" and ask that it be changed into PFD for my Points account. If I just owned the "Week," I could not use PFD--but I could still deposit it as a regular week with RCI on the weeks side.
There are also numerous min-points systems that are not RCI Points---HGVC, STarwood, Worldmark, SHell, Wyndham, etc. Some of these can make RCI Points deposits--you need to be very sure of what you are buying--all points are not the same.

 

[Piscesqueen]

There are also numerous min-points systems that are not RCI Points---HGVC, STarwood, Worldmark, SHell, Wyndham, etc. Some of these can make RCI Points deposits--you need to be very sure of what you are buying--all points are not the same.

Do any of you know if WorldMark can be used for PFD? Since we live in the Northwest that is another timeshare we are considering for the future.

Thank you all for all of your wonderful advice and replies. Sometimes I feel like I bug all you TUGgers by asking so many questions. I appreciate all of the advice you offer!!

Awaywego, you made me feel better about asking so many darn questiosn. Believe me, when I become an official owner and learn more about timeshares, I'm going to offer any advice I can to newbies because I know what it's like to be confused by all things timeshare.

Slowly but surely, I'm starting to get it, thanks to all of you!

 

[elaine]

we welcome your questions--we were all there once

All my "good" info has come from TUG over the years. It's a big investment, and on TUG, you get the straight answer form folks with real experiences, not a sugar coated one such as "you can trade anywhere, etc.". Welcome to TUG. Elaine

 

[jlp879]

Do any of you know if WorldMark can be used for PFD?

I would think you would be able to use WorldMark as a PFD. None of their resorts are RCI points affiliated and from what I understand, that is the criteria for PFD.