RCI 1 in 4 rule question

[chemteach]

I just noticed that I had a reservation for a resort 12/29/18 - 1/5/19 for which there is a 1 in 4 rule, and I have a reservation for the same resort 12/17/2022 - 12/24/2022. RCI allowed me to make the reservation, so I'm hoping it will be okay. I've read on RCI that 1 in 4 is based on the calendar year, and the reservation in 2018 began in calendar year 2018, but ended in calendar year 2019. Anyone have experience with end of year reservations and 1 in 4 rules?
Thanks in advance for any feedback!

 

[escanoe]

It might be a good idea to be safe and call the resort or RCI and verify there is not a problem.

However, the RCI computer system usually does not show you inventory that would violate the 1 in 4 rule. If you can book it, you are most likely safe.

One possible explanation is the resort may not have had a 1 in 4 rule when you made the initial reservation. 1 in 4 policies are prospective and not retroactive.

Below is what it looks like where RCI Points enforces it on a booking screen. It will allow me to book it online starting in February 2023 (when the restriction is expired), but not before.

 

[moonstone]

Are both stays exchanges? Some resorts enforce that rule for exchanges only, while others go by the registered guest's name, so it doesn't matter if its an exchange or Extra vacation. We stayed at The Powhatan Resort 4 years in a row in the 90's while they had a 1:4 rule in effect. The first stay was an exchange, the following 3 years were either Extra Vacations or Last Call weeks. Their 1:4 rule only applied (and maybe still does) to exchanges.

~Diane

 

[chemteach]

Both are / were exchanges. The 1 in 4 rule was in force in 2018 - I still have the original RCI confirmation, and 1 in 4 is printed on it. I'll try to phone RCI this week to make sure the 2022 reservation will be okay.

 

[HikerBiker]

Do call RCI; a few weeks ago I made a reservation at Suites At AttitashMountain Village with no problem. Two years ago we had stayed at Attitash Mountain Village. These resorts are listed separately. The Attitash Mt Village would not let me even look at availability so I thought I was ok booking the Suites. I don’t know if it was a few days or about a week later that I received a call from RCI and they told me my week had been canceled because of the 1 in 4 rule. I explained that we had not stayed at the one I had just booked. She said in the small print it lists both of these resorts and also River Run Condominiums. I expressed my concern that I had been able to book; if I was blocked from booking at Mt Village, why wasn’t I blocked from the other two. She expressed regret.

 

[HudsHut]

A few months ago, we noted that the RCI was not enforcing 1 in 4 on the Hiltons in Hawaii.
e.g. I currently have a Grand Waikikian booked, but still get matched "on hold"
for other dates there.

 

[travelhacker]

A few months ago, we noted that the RCI was not enforcing 1 in 4 on the Hiltons in Hawaii.
e.g. I currently have a Grand Waikikian booked, but still get matched "on hold"
for other dates there.

For HGVC, the language for the 1 in 4 rule has been removed. Since we had such a good time at Kingsland last summer I am now tempted to go back much sooner than I originally thought.

 

[Jodyv]

I also have a question about the 1 in 4 rule. I have two different rci accounts. Hypothetically, I could book a resort once through each rci membership. Right? Does anybody have experience doing that? Also....we stayed at a resort with that rule a couple of times and asked the desk about it. They said they didn't really follow that rule. ( We were happy about that...)

 

[bnoble]

Hypothetically, I could book a resort once through each rci membership. Right?

Yes, though I dimly recall a resort or two stating that they checked by name, not just by account #. That might be my memory playing tricks on me though. If it is there, it would be in the Urgent Information section.

 

[tschwa2]

I also have a question about the 1 in 4 rule. I have two different rci accounts. Hypothetically, I could book a resort once through each rci membership. Right? Does anybody have experience doing that? Also....we stayed at a resort with that rule a couple of times and asked the desk about it. They said they didn't really follow that rule. ( We were happy about that...)

I think it depends on how bad the resort wants the 1 in x enforced. For example there are several Orlando resorts that have a 1 in X but they specifically carve out allowances if you are booking into rci points inventory or if you are booking an extra vacation/last call. These resorts know they aren't really that full and want as many people as rci can throw there way but still want their sales department to claim that you have to buy if you want to stay regularly because of the 1 in 4. They allow rci to set up the restrictions by account and don't look at incomings to see if there any kind of violations to the 1 in x. Other resorts are very very strict on their 1 in x rules and include extra vacations and points inventory and even stays into affiliate properties. I imagine that those resorts also look at the incoming reservations and if they see someone who violates the 1 in x (based on name and address) but wasn't "caught" by rci's system will send the info to rci and have confirmed reservations cancelled. There is nothing in the rules that excludes the 1 in x rule being enforced if in a different rci account. RCI doesn't track it in different accounts but it doesn't mean if the resort is serious that they won't have their own tracking.

 

[escanoe]

There is nothing in the rules that excludes the 1 in x rule being enforced if in a different rci account. RCI doesn't track it in different accounts but it doesn't mean if the resort is serious that they won't have their own tracking.

Agree with this. It is surprising to me in a world where "terms and conditions" that we all accept seem to go on forever. There is a huge amount of vagueness and lack of detail when a property in RCI simply states in the details "1 in 4 rule applies." Could they enforce this if you previously traded in using II which does not have such a rule?

It is probably best to contact the resort and RCI if something is in question to make 100% you do not have a vacation ruined. But legally speaking, some places could certainly have legal exposure if you showed up to check in and they said "nope this is in violation of the "1 in 4" rule.

We seem to often have a pretty good feel of how different resorts enforce it on TUG, but this is mostly because we know of each other's experiences. Not because it is well documented somewhere exactly what it means at each resort. Some resorts certainly disclose it better than others in the "fees" or "urgent information" sections.