RCI Guest Certificates for Multiple Units?

[MichaelColey]

We are taking a bunch of nieces and nephews to Disney during Spring Break, and I've picked up three 2BR Wyndham Bonnet Creek units. I got two through exchanges at RCI and the third by renting from an owner.

I don't know exactly how we're going to split up yet, but I'll likely be in one unit with a bunch of the boys, my wife will be in one unit with a bunch of the girls, and at least one adult will be in the third unit with some of the other kids.

I will be taking responsibility for all three units, will be there the entire time, and will be paying for all three.

What Guest Certificates, if any, should I need? Will I have problems with multiple units all in my name? I know the rental unit will have a Guest Certificate, so I could put that in one of the other adult's names.

I'm asking specifically about Wyndham Bonnet Creek, but it seems like a good general question as well (and I couldn't find any similar questions), so I'm asking in a general area. Feel free to answer either in general and/or specific to this resort.

 

[Karen G]

I don't believe you'd need any guest certificates since you'll be there at check-in. We've often taken friends with us and have had three units. It was no problem to just tell the person at check-in who will be staying in each unit.

 

[MichaelColey]

That's what would make sense to me, but the confirmation email from Wyndham for the rented unit has some wording that make me wonder:

Important Reminders About Your Reservation: A Guest Confirmation is required for any unit that you, the owner of record, will not be personally occupying. If your guest arrives without a Guest Confirmation, a Guest Confirmation fee will be collected prior to having access to the unit. If you have more than one unit reserved for dates that overlap within the same time period and you have not obtained the required Guest Confirmation(s) at least 15 days prior to check-in, the additional reservation(s) will be subject to cancellation without notice, and the corresponding points will be forfeited in accordance with the cancellation policy. You may add a Guest Confirmation to your reservation by logging in to WyndhamVacationResorts.com.

I just called Bonnet Creek and they said basically the same thing you said. As long as I'm there at check-in, it's fine to have multiple units in my name. Also, I can call ahead to request that our units be close to each other.

 

[skiwolf1]

We've booked several units at Wyndham Durango/Pagosa over the years and have never asked for a guest certificate. Our largest group several years ago had 13 families in 7 - 2 bedroom units at Pagosa. They've always been very accomodating and grouped our units together.

That's what would make sense to me, but the confirmation email from Wyndham for the rented unit has some wording that make me wonder:



I just called Bonnet Creek and they said basically the same thing you said. As long as I'm there at check-in, it's fine to have multiple units in my name. Also, I can call ahead to request that our units be close to each other.

 

[rickandcindy23]

The owner will have to get a guest certificate for the week he/ she rented to you. Wyndham gives one guest certificate for any one account (I think it's per account and not per contract), then Wyndham charges $99 for guest certificates after that one is used.

The owner who rented you a week has to pay a guest fee, or they have to use one of the guest fee credits. This entire guest fee fiasco was designed to thwart the owners from renting units to the general public. We have 15 guest certificates per year as Platinum members with more than 1 million points.

This is totally separate from RCI. An RCI exchange "should be" different and not require a guest fee, since you are occupying the units yourself.

Wyndham's policy shouldn't be confused with RCI's policy. To make sure, I would call the resort and talk to a manager, and I would get his/ her name.

Something I think you should consider is a small points package with Wyndham, so you will have the ability to get Bonnet Creek. You should be able to get April for 112K points for a 2 bedroom, and the cost on that at $5.00 per 1K in points isn't bad..... Also, you get a "free" RCI account to get around the 1-in-4 rules (makes it 1-in-2) for some of the resorts that have them.

 

[MichaelColey]

Something I think you should consider is a small points package with Wyndham, so you will have the ability to get Bonnet Creek. You should be able to get April for 112K points for a 2 bedroom, and the cost on that at $5.00 per 1K in points isn't bad.....

We exchanged to get two of the units (MF + exchange, about $640 each) and rented the third for just a little more than that, so it wasn't much more than it would have been as a Wyndham points owner. We'll usually stay at cheaper places, but this is a special trip.

 

[DeniseM]

Michael - the only way this won't work is if you don't want all charges, damages, etc, on your credit card.

I once had family members in a unit on my credit card and they ran up a big phone bill and parked extra cars that I wasn't aware of! (It was my elderly mom + guests, and it wasn't intentional, but I did get a big bill!)

 

[MuranoJo]

I've had multiple units reserved for family/friends and no guest certificate, and I made it clear each family had to use their own CC for deposit. Actually, the resort never asked me for my card to cover the other units--I just gave the other families instructions they would have to give their CC upon check-in.

Maybe it just depends on where you are--that's why I always suggest calling the resort ahead of time to get their policy as well as arrange us close together, if we want it that way.