RCI Points Instant Exchange - Is Availability Available as they Advertise?

[owebeewan]

I've been a weeks member for 22 years. What is drawing me to consider points is that I am flexible enough to go on vacation given 1 days notice driving and 3 weeks notice via plane.

With points I only need to spend 7,500 points or so < 30 days instead of burning an entire week. That's a financial incentive.

What I don't know is that if I want to go on vacation next week will _really_ be the availability that they advertise.

Question: For instance, say I want to go anywhere on the beach in South Florida next week for 7,500 points - studio or 1BR, is there availability? (Note; this means NOT Weston Mizner. This means the beach). I don't need the Ritz but I don't want the pits either. Or is "Instant Exchange" theory but not reality?

Thanks

 

[Synergy]

I find the 7,500pt weeks to be pretty valuable - but I would NOT pay very much at all to convert a weeks ownership to points just for that. The weeks available are mostly the same as the cash weeks through Last Call - for (in my estimation) very comparable values. Sometimes I'll find something on one that's not on the other, so if you're actually thinking about paying very little for a good ratio points ownership at Grandview, that might be worthwhile - but the option is just not worth all that much in dollars.

As a specific answer, no, there are no deals available (except at VV and Orlando properties) in Florida at that price point in the next three weeks. This is peak season, after all, and Florida is pretty much open for business despite everything. There are 131 resorts available nationwide, including 29 Gold Crown resorts, but I don't know how many of those are in areas you can travel to without quarantine.

These weeks (and their Last Call brethren) are plentiful in overbuilt areas during off seasons, reasonably common all but peak. If shoulder and off season is attractive to you, you'll sometimes find a diamond hiding in the listings.

 

[montygz]

I have gotten a few good low-point weeks over the past few years. While it is unlikely to get premium locations on the beach, if you look every morning sometimes some good stuff will pop in.

Looking in my trip history I have gotten a week at Wyndham Bonnet Creek for 7,500, Regal Vistas in Virginia for 4,700 and a week at Saratoga Springs at Disney for 23,500.

Now a couple of these are in Orlando, but it's an easy drive for me so that's where I tend to go last-minute. Obviously, your chance for a premium resort for cheap increases if you are going to timeshare hotbed, but having the option to pick these up is nice.

 

[tschwa2]

I've been a weeks member for 22 years. What is drawing me to consider points is that I am flexible enough to go on vacation given 1 days notice driving and 3 weeks notice via plane.

With points I only need to spend 7,500 points or so < 30 days instead of burning an entire week. That's a financial incentive.

What I don't know is that if I want to go on vacation next week will _really_ be the availability that they advertise.

Question: For instance, say I want to go anywhere on the beach in South Florida next week for 7,500 points - studio or 1BR, is there availability? (Note; this means NOT Weston Mizner. This means the beach). I don't need the Ritz but I don't want the pits either. Or is "Instant Exchange" theory but not reality?

Thanks

You can get a good idea of the type of inventory that will be available and if you are looking for warm beach in Florida in March, you will be disappointed. In fact warm beach almost any time of year will require luck and finding someone who cancels last minute.

First look at the Last Call Rentals. If it is around $294 then expect the instant exchange to cost 6500-8500 points plus the $249 exchange fee. Not that much of a savings for using points and certainly not worth paying to convert a week to points. This will show you about 90% of what you can expect for instant exchanges.

The other thing to look at is look at weeks inventory that are within 30 days and have a tpu (weeks value) or 8 or lower. Generally if the value is still higher on the weeks side it will still be the full rci points amount.

There sometimes is additional points inventory but points inventory isn't discounted so if it is available it would likely be in the 20,000-100,000 per week range.

 

[owebeewan]

Good feedback, especially on the math. Checked just now and there is a week right on the beach starting this Saturday with a TPU of only 12. If I were going crazy and I just wanted to get away now, it looks like I would do something like that, but would not qualify for the Instant Exchange. Hmm... Will get out my spreadsheet and see the best way that this can work
Fantasy Island Resort (#0771)

 

[tschwa2]

Good feedback, especially on the math. Checked just now and there is a week right on the beach starting this Saturday with a TPU of only 12. If I were going crazy and I just wanted to get away now, it looks like I would do something like that, but would not qualify for the Instant Exchange. Hmm... Will get out my spreadsheet and see the best way that this can work
Fantasy Island Resort (#0771)

It would not qualify for an instant exchange and would be 30,000 points.

 

[travel maniac]

Some resorts charge an additional fee for stays less than 7 nights. You'll have to take that into account for deciding if there's value in those deals.

 

[rickandcindy23]

My favorite exchange resort never shows as 7,500 points during ski season. It's always full value, even if the check-in day is next week. It's not in RCI Points, just weeks, and the weeks get crappy trade value, so I don't really get why the trades are never 7,500 points.

 

[tschwa2]

My favorite exchange resort never shows as 7,500 points during ski season. It's always full value, even if the check-in day is next week. It's not in RCI Points, just weeks, and the weeks get crappy trade value, so I don't really get why the trades are never 7,500 points.

If they are over 8 then they won't get discounted in points.

 

[rickandcindy23]

If they are over 8 then they won't get discounted in points.

Over 8 TPU's, is that what it means? My last-minute trade for February was 15 points, and I thought that was just fine, but I would rather get it for 7,500 RCI Points. That would be cool. Our kids love to ski and will use a week for 3-5 days, but they only want what they want.

I doubt anything coastal Florida would show as 7,500 points. I have yet to get a single exchange for that amount of points. I have gotten a few Disney for 23,500 points, but those were very last-minute exchanges.

 

[tschwa2]

Over 8 TPU's, is that what it means? My last-minute trade for February was 15 points, and I thought that was just fine, but I would rather get it for 7,500 RCI Points. That would be cool. Our kids love to ski and will use a week for 3-5 days, but they only want what they want.

I doubt anything coastal Florida would show as 7,500 points. I have yet to get a single exchange for that amount of points. I have gotten a few Disney for 23,500 points, but those were very last-minute exchanges.

8 is approx. They don't define it and at one point it was as high as 10 but like many things rci, they adjust it as needed. Again since most of the 7500 exchanges are the same as the last calls for $294 (vs $249 exchange fee) it really isn't all that ever.

 

[elaine]

In other words, it’s a nice bonus if it works out, but not something to count on. Agree with others, most places can be found on last minute as well or similar discounted Rci weeks tpu. But I have gotten dvc for 23k wine it was still higher comparative tpu and not in last minute.