RCI Points - Why are there never 2 weeks in a row for discounted exchange! Does RCI do this on purpose?

[Jesse6283]

I have been able too successfully book 6 weeks through RCI in south Florida (yay). I was really hoping however to get a discounted exchange fee by booking 2+ weeks in the same reservation. I started too notice a trend though... there are hardly NEVER any points units that are beside each other. For example, at Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort week 1 will be a Weeks Resort, then week 2 they will have a Points Resort, in Week 3 they will have a weeks resort and in Week 4 they will have a points resort - It seems as if RCI is purposely separating the inventory in a way so that us members are unable too book 14+ days in a single reservation and pay a discounted exchange fee! Has anyone else noticed this trend? Something smells very fishy

 

[jbiza]

One can use just points to book in Las Vegas 14+ days for 1 exchange fee of ~$288. ( 13 days even less ~$209.).

 

[tschwa2]

Try booking at midnight exactly 10 months out. If it is your resort group that exactly 11 months. If your home resort try at 12 months.

 

[Jesse6283]

I agree that you can do it in Vegas or Orlando... but my main concern is that in other locations - RCI is purposely seperating inventory and not connecting points weeks... Statistically none of them matching up but still being 1-2 months of inventory just doesnt make sense in Fort Lauderdale ... and of course other locations...

One can use just points to book in Las Vegas 14+ days for 1 exchange fee of ~$288. ( 13 days even less ~$209.).

 

[tschwa2]

I agree that you can do it in Vegas or Orlando... but my main concern is that in other locations - RCI is purposely seperating inventory and not connecting points weeks... Statistically none of them matching up but still being 1-2 months of inventory just doesnt make sense in Fort Lauderdale ... and of course other locations...

If you look when the inventory first becomes available, it will probably be there. If it isn't it is because someone who could book before you already booked the points week you were looking for. I know it is low season but 10 months from now is Oct 9. I can book 3 weeks in points no problem and I am 3 days after 10 months exactly.
Points weeks are auto deposited at 12 months prior. It opens up for home resort points users. Then a month later it becomes available for anyone in the same resort group (same developer-if applicable). At 12 months home resort owners can only book a full week but at 11 months they can book more or fewer days. At 10 months if there is still points inventory left it becomes available to everyone. If you are looking at any other time, you are looking at the left overs.

Weeks owners can decide to deposit at any time, up to 2 years in advance at some resorts.

If you want prime time, you want to book as soon as inventory opens up. Even then if you don't own at the resort you might not get anything because it has been available for points owners for 2 months by the time you can look. It also depends on how many people converted to rci points. At a smaller resort, there might be prime time owners who never converted because they use most of the time and if only a handful of units converted for a particular prime week, you need to do everything you can do to get to the front of the line. It isn't rci playing with inventory.

 

[Jesse6283]

If you look when the inventory first becomes available, it will probably be there. If it isn't it is because someone who could book before you already booked the points week you were looking for. I know it is low season but 10 months from now is Oct 9. I can book 3 weeks in points no problem and I am 3 days after 10 months exactly.
Points weeks are auto deposited at 12 months prior. It opens up for home resort points users. Then a month later it becomes available for anyone in the same resort group (same developer-if applicable). At 12 months home resort owners can only book a full week but at 11 months they can book more or fewer days. At 10 months if there is still points inventory left it becomes available to everyone. If you are looking at any other time, you are looking at the left overs.

Weeks owners can decide to deposit at any time, up to 2 years in advance at some resorts.

If you want prime time, you want to book as soon as inventory opens up. Even then if you don't own at the resort you might not get anything because it has been available for points owners for 2 months by the time you can look. It also depends on how many people converted to rci points. At a smaller resort, there might be prime time owners who never converted because they use most of the time and if only a handful of units converted for a particular prime week, you need to do everything you can do to get to the front of the line. It isn't rci playing with inventory.

You know what, this actually makes sense. Thank you for explaining the 12/11/10 month windows. That makes sense that the points inventory is mainly gone then because it got scooped up. Well I still lucked out anyhow, while I had too pay an exchange fee for all 6 weeks, I got them for about 7500 RCI points per week (last minute), so It was definitely still incredible value. Thank you again for explaining and I guess we will leave this post here so others can also learn these tricks. J

 

[jbiza]

Also, RCI has a promo until 12/31/20 for travel through 3/28/21, where the exchange fee to Las Vegas is $179. &, Orlando or Weston, FL is $199.

There's some more value there also .

 

[iluvpitz]

You know what, this actually makes sense. Thank you for explaining the 12/11/10 month windows. That makes sense that the points inventory is mainly gone then because it got scooped up. Well I still lucked out anyhow, while I had too pay an exchange fee for all 6 weeks, I got them for about 7500 RCI points per week (last minute), so It was definitely still incredible value. Thank you again for explaining and I guess we will leave this post here so others can also learn these tricks. J

Thanks for leaving this topic up it helps newbies like me.
This is a goal of ours as well (multiple weeks at 1 location) but I fear that they'll make me switch units periodically. Is this fear real?

 

[tschwa2]

Thanks for leaving this topic up it helps newbies like me.
This is a goal of ours as well (multiple weeks at 1 location) but I fear that they'll make me switch units periodically. Is this fear real?

It depends. If it is a resort that was originally sold as fixed week fixed units and there are still a number of fixed week owners that use the units, you may have to move. It is a resort that had float week/units then likely they will be able to keep you in the same unit. Most resorts, will try to keep you in the same unit but if they can't they will often do their best to keep you close and or allow you to check out a little later and check back in earlier so you can basically move from unit to unit without having to be "homeless" for hours. If you book a different size unit or configuration ( for example a 2 BR sleeps 8 and then a 2 BR sleeps 6) or in a different phase of the resort (different rci number) they are less likely to be accommodating and will likely make you move.

 

[Jan M.]

I've never been able to book two discounted point weeks in just one reservation to save on paying for a second exchange fee.