Realistic Expectations

[Mrsgo-dog-go]

Hi so I'm still researching as much as possible before I purchase a resale contract. I just want to have the best idea on what should buy based on my needs. I have a family of 6. We live in the Midwest within driving distance to Branson and the Wisconsin Dells. We like to go on week long vacations 3 times a year and do weekend trips whenever there's no school on a Friday and Monday. I want to get a contract that has enough points that would allow us to go on vacation:
1.A. The week of Thanksgiving, it usually includes my birthday and is a school holiday.- I would prefer somewhere with the average temperature for the week in the 70s at least.
-In my mind that may be Orlando, Arizona, Georgia?, New Orleans...
OR
1.B. Somewhere warm the first week of January.

2. Our second week is spring break of course which is week 11 for 2027. Since Spring Break is mostly a holiday for my children I'm leaning towards Branson, WI Dells, Lake Okoboji, Las Vegas, Atlanta, or Orlando. Swimming pools are always a treat to us and we LOVE waterparks.

3. Our third week would be in the summer any week and will be based on where we can get the cheapest flights to. And most likely a last call or extra vacations booking.

I'm looking at contracts at Grandview Las Vegas because of their points to value ratio.

My question is would it be realistic to think I could book a 2 bedroom week for 2 of the 3 scenarios I've listed with 100,000 RCI points, 130,000 points? If not how many more points would I need?

FYI- I'm willing to do one points intense reservation and figure out the other two weeks using last call, extra vacations, or points plus cash.

Orlando and Las Vegas would be the locations I would be most comfortable rolling the dice on.

 

[escanoe]

Probably not realistic. Your mileage may vary, but I will bet booking a 2 bedroom somewhere warm the first week of January or Thanksgiving a lone is going to cost 70k to 100k points and you will need to work with an OGS to book it. I say that based on what I know about the East Coast. Maybe palm springs is easier or costs less? If you want RCI Points, you are thinking about a smart first purchase under current trading conditions.

 

[StarSailer]

Is this publication still accurate? https://www.rci.com/static/docs/en_US/pow/help/rci-points-grids.html

It looks like Weeks 1 in FL and 11 in Branson go for under 50K when using RCI-Points, so 100K should be enough for your first two.

Summer travel can get expensive but is still generally under 80K for a 2BR, so 130K would be enough to include #3 as one of your two weeks.

 

[escanoe]

Is this publication still accurate? https://www.rci.com/static/docs/en_US/pow/help/rci-points-grids.html

It looks like Weeks 1 in FL and 11 in Branson go for under 50K when using RCI-Points, so 100K should be enough for your first two.

Summer travel can get expensive but is still generally under 80K for a 2BR, so 130K would be enough to include #3 as one of your two weeks.

You prompted me to look and see what I might like for what I think is week one (or more likely week 52) if looking at new yaar’s on a school schedule. There was stuff like this for a 2 bedroom Club Wyndham PalmAire (3875) that could be booked now. You could probably find something for less if you want.

 

[escanoe]

Thanksgiving is probably the easier week. My limiting factor with it on a school calendar is I really need to get a Sunday before Thanksgiving check-in, because we always have school Monday and Tuesday of that week and I need the weekend on the back part of the week.

 

[jp10558]

Hi so I'm still researching as much as possible before I purchase a resale contract. I just want to have the best idea on what should buy based on my needs. I have a family of 6. We live in the Midwest within driving distance to Branson and the Wisconsin Dells. We like to go on week long vacations 3 times a year and do weekend trips whenever there's no school on a Friday and Monday. I want to get a contract that has enough points that would allow us to go on vacation:
1.A. The week of Thanksgiving, it usually includes my birthday and is a school holiday.- I would prefer somewhere with the average temperature for the week in the 70s at least.
-In my mind that may be Orlando, Arizona, Georgia?, New Orleans...

RCI shows some stuff in Panama City Beach, or that Wyndham Palm-Aire (though I have a few reservations recommending this location, see my reviews) - if it's the only choice I might try it again. There's also Ft Lauderdale Beach Resort. If I wasn't down there through mid October already that would be a tempting location. They're around 50k points.

OR
1.B. Somewhere warm the first week of January.

2. Our second week is spring break of course which is week 11 for 2027. Since Spring Break is mostly a holiday for my children I'm leaning towards Branson, WI Dells, Lake Okoboji, Las Vegas, Atlanta, or Orlando. Swimming pools are always a treat to us and we LOVE waterparks.

I don't know how hard it is to book Spring Break via RCI Points, haven't ever tried. But what I can say is I almost always see somewhere in Branson available in last calls or the under 10,000 RCI points promotion. I can't "look out" from now with those however.

 

[Mrsgo-dog-go]

What do you mean by "look out"? Is that another type of search similar to ongoing?

 

[jp10558]

What do you mean by "look out"? Is that another type of search similar to ongoing?

I mean with Last Calls or the Points discounts, they only show up mostly for things at 45 days from now or less usually. Well, points discounts more go 60 days and it's rough and can vary. So I can't check next year "spring break" right now.

 

[Ski-Dad]

Your plan is not crazy and may be achievable with an extremely watchful eye as things become available, particularly for last call and extra vacations.

There is a huge difference between the demand on week 1 vs week 52. Week 1 should be relatively easy. Hardly anyone travels that week, other than heading home from week 52 or visiting family.

A two bedroom Marriott L/O trading in two would definitely get you at two of your weeks. Plus trading in II is less expensive than RCI

 

[escanoe]

Plus trading in II is less expensive than RCI

Trading transactions in II are often slightly less expensive than RCI. Overall costs are more debatable. Especially between an efficient RCI points trader vs paying Marriott MFs.

I didn’t go into RCI weeks or II earlier since that would be veering the discussion in a different direction.

While more complex than RCI points — if I was going to own 1 trader, it would be a an efficient 4BR (lockoff into 2BRs) trader that was dually affiliated with II and RCI weeks.

I really like my the Colonies Vacation Village in Williamsburg, but I am at “hold” and not “buy” on those until we fully understand how Vacatia will do as the new manager and what the full impact of the new II TDI reevaluation for Williamsburg.