RCI: 1 in 4 years rule

[DisneyFreak]

I've been a member of RCI for a couple years now and it just recently came to my attention that you can only stay at the same resort one time every 4 years. I don't understand this. What is the point? We are paying to exchange anywhere so why the limitation?

Anyway, rule is a rule, I don't expect it to be changed so now I will tell you what I'm looking for and ask how I go about it. lol

What:
I'm a week owner at Vistana Sheraton Resort (or whatever the new name is. lol) in Orlando. I purchased the time share from an add on this marketplace. My week is mid-summer. I joined RCI because I wanted to exchange weeks mostly. I would occasionally change resorts but 90% of the time I'd be looking to stay at Vistana.

How:
How the frig do I accomplish this? Is there another exchange company that does not have this rule? Can I exchange directly within Vistana without going to a 3rd party company?

Any info would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[WinniWoman]

You can certainly join the Independent exchange companies for free. They also have paid memberships available for priority treatment. Exchange fees are lower than RCI, but they have less inventory. I use the free memberships, but I don't exchange much. In many, you can search their inventory before having to make a deposit. DAE, RTX, Trading Places International, Platinum Interchange,SFX, HTE- there are numerous ones.

Not sure about exchanging directly with Vistana. Some resorts have their own owner swap listings. You'd have to check with them.

 

[Keep Traveling]

I would double check with RCI/Resort as it if often waived for Owners of that specific resort.

The end result of limiting is they are trying to get more "sales" opportunities coming in..Why buy when you can trade in each year.

 

[bnoble]

Right. This rule does not apply to every resort in RCI, or even most resorts. And, the resorts that have this rule are the ones who asked RCI for it, not the other way around. So, owners are often exempt. Check with RCI and/or ask fellow Starwood owners in that area here on TUG.

 

[PassionForTravel]

If you are looking to go back to vistana (or any other Starwood) just different season I'm surprised that you aren't using II. There you have Starwood preference so you are at the head of the queue for weeks at any Starwood that is deposited.

I'm not sure what the seasons are at vistana. Is your unit a fixed week, if not you can just make a reservation at mystarcentral.com without needing to use an exchange company.

Ian

 

[Passepartout]

I've been a member of RCI for a couple years now and it just recently came to my attention that you can only stay at the same resort one time every 4 years. I don't understand this. What is the point?

It might be even worse. It is my understanding (though if I'm mistaken, it wouldn't be the first time) that you simply cannot exchange into Disney (Orlando) if you own any other Orlando resort using RCI. The obvious point being to keep people from owning less expensive resort weeks and using them to exchange into Disney, protecting "the brand" so to speak.

The workaround being to use an independent exchange and hoping for a Disney exchange. Might be kinda iffy. (Imo)

Jim

 

[alexadeparis]

If you are looking to go back to vistana (or any other Starwood) just different season I'm surprised that you aren't using II. There you have Starwood preference so you are at the head of the queue for weeks at any Starwood that is deposited.

I'm not sure what the seasons are at vistana. Is your unit a fixed week, if not you can just make a reservation at mystarcentral.com without needing to use an exchange company.

Ian

+1.

II in general will have more availability overall for Vistana, and in my opinion is easier to deal with. Switch that deposit to II if you can.

 

[krj9999]

I have to disagree with you. There is much more availability in RCI than II for Vistana (for 2016 at present), although nothing for mid-summer (at least for exchange, there are extra vacations available).

Though I'm not sure why the OP would exchange back into the resort owned and pay the RCI exchange fee instead of just booking with SVO.

+1.

II in general will have more availability overall for Vistana, and in my opinion is easier to deal with. Switch that deposit to II if you can.

 

[alexadeparis]

Though I'm not sure why the OP would exchange back into the resort owned and pay the RCI exchange fee instead of just booking with SVO.

She is a resale owner of a voluntary Svo unit and therefore cannot book out of her season/size.

 

[DisneyFreak]

He... I'm a he. Lol

My understanding is that I can't take my fixed annual week and exchange within SVO. I guess I will have to call them.

I hope the comment about not even being able to exchange in Orlando is not accurate. That would be observed. RCI should be able to control going from a lesser resort to a more expensive one. Then again people with higher resorts could trade down to save trading power points and get more vacations out of it so.....

I'm gonna make some calls soon.

 

[bnoble]

You can trade an Orlando week to non-Disney Orlando resorts, but not the DVC resorts in Orlando.

But, write to RCI: it is possible that owners at Vistana are not subject to the 1-in-4 rules.

 

[silentg]

I own at Orange Lake, they have a one in 4 rule, but it is only for exchangers not owners. I'm sure Vistana has the same rule. They do this to encourage people to become owners, it only applies to exchangers. check with an owner's representive. And enjoy your timeshare.
Silentg

 

[alexadeparis]

He... I'm a he. Lol

My understanding is that I can't take my fixed annual week and exchange within SVO. I guess I will have to call them.

I hope the comment about not even being able to exchange in Orlando is not accurate. That would be observed. RCI should be able to control going from a lesser resort to a more expensive one. Then again people with higher resorts could trade down to save trading power points and get more vacations out of it so.....

I'm gonna make some calls soon.

Sorry for assuming you were a she.

But you are correct, if your week is fixed and you want a different week you have to exchange.

I do agree with advice to call RCI. It is likely that the 1 in 4 rule won't apply to you.

In the long run, I am not sure what phase you have, but you may want to get a different unit at Vistana in Cascades, Lakes or Fountains only, that isn't fixed but floats in the season you want. All the other phases are older and fixed. Give that one away and get another that floats. If you are set on Vistana resort which is voluntary then it still should be cheap. It would save you from having to deal with RCI altogether if you pick a phase that floats.