What are the steps to dropping RCI? And is this advisable?

[squierjosh]

I have two TSs. My account says my membership term expires Dec 31, 2014, which according to RCI's website means my points are ceded to them automatically and I have to use them to book vacations. No big deal. However, I've learned from this site that there are other places to switch out TSs with other users. What are the steps/pitfalls to do this? I assume I'd need to use my current use year points before the membership expires.

What about the weeks I own then, for the next year? How do I ensure they don't go to RCI? Do I need to book them during that 12-13 month window to avoid the point allocation?

Obviously this is a ways off, but I just want to make sure I get the wheels in motion when I need to, and do everything correctly.

Thanks

 

[presley]

What about the weeks I own then, for the next year? How do I ensure they don't go to RCI? Do I need to book them during that 12-13 month window to avoid the point allocation?

Yes! Make sure you book your home resort week in the 12-13 month mark. When you do that, you have that week and can either use it, or deposit it into a smaller exchange company for one of their weeks.

Whatever RCI points that are currently in your account will need to be used by your RCI expiration date. If you have random leftover points, you can transfer them to another member.

I recently took my resort out of RCI points. I emailed my home resort and told them that I wanted my fixed week back and didn't want RCI at all. They did the research for me and called me and told me when my RCI points was going to expire and that they changed my week back to a normal, non-points week. I am much happier with what I have than with paying RCI fees to use my own week or exchange for a lesser quality exchange.

 

[Passepartout]

You would have to find out from the resort(s) which week your ownership would revert to if not in RCI. If the resort is 'all float' and no underlying weeks, I doubt they would allow you to drop the affiliation. Possibly it's an unknown 'mud week' in Feb or March that you wouldn't want. Find out from them. Or possibly you couldn't book any week if the ressy has to go through RCI.

THEN when you find out what 'fixed' week you own (might have to pay for another closing to register a fixed week- if they allow it) you have to decide if you want to use it or exchange it. If you decide to exchange, then you have to settle on an exchange company that has something that (a) you want and (b) they will take your trade. Then assuming a 'yes' to both the above, then you STILL have to pay an exchange fee which I take is the reason you want out of RCI to begin with.

Simply staying with RCI and paying them their $90 a year eliminates all the above at little or no additional cost, and gives you a galaxy of thousands more resorts to choose from as well as Last Calls and Extra Vacations (discount weeks for cash) that the other exchanges don't offer.

In short, while I'm no big fan, I don't advocate dropping RCI. They are just better than whatever is in 2nd place if you already own an RCI Points TS. This is part of the 'due diligence' that should properly have been part of the decision to buy a TS.

Jim

 

[DeniseM]

Just to clarify - if you drop RCI, you will only be able to make a reservation at your home resort, in the season, and size unit that you own - is that really what you want?

If you want to exchange into another resort you will have to use an exchange company - and pay them for the privilege - just like you do RCI... Exchanges are not free.

Also, you may find that outside RCI, your timeshare has little or no trade value because of the quality of the resort, location, or season.

There are many factors to consider - you may or may not be better off where you are.

 

[squierjosh]

Hmm, good to know. Thanks for the info. Guess I should extend my membership now then, before they raise their prices again.

Just to clarify - if you drop RCI, you will only be able to make a reservation at your home resort, in the season, and size unit that you own - is that really what you want?

If you want to exchange into another resort you will have to use an exchange company - and pay them for the privilege - just like you do RCI... Exchanges are not free.

Also, you may find that outside RCI, your timeshare has little or no trade value because of the quality of the resort, location, or season.

There are many factors to consider - you may or may not be better off where you are.

 

[csxjohn]

..as well as Last Calls and Extra Vacations (discount weeks for cash) that the other exchanges don't offer.

All the other advantages of a large trading company like RCI aside, this statement is not true.

DAE has bonus weeks that are weeks not claimed and fall within 8 weeks of the check in date.

I've gotten weeks for as low a $79 at the lat minute with no exchange unit needed. They usually run between $99 and $299 depending on what and where.

And it's free to join so it would not cost a yearly membership fee which must hurt when you are using your own unit and still have to pay RCI or II.

 

[timeos2]

Hmm, good to know. Thanks for the info. Guess I should extend my membership now then, before they raise their prices again.

That may be the best idea as your points membership has a real value it would cost you to restore after a shortsighted move to take your week out of RCI Points. No big fan either but its a better choice than a fixed week unless your deeded week is super prime time. Most aren't so stick with RCI Points IMO.

 

[ampaholic]

Still time to research

You are getting a lot of advise here without us knowing "exactly" what you own.

With a Dec 2014 expiration you still have months to research and then decide which way you want to go.

Consider this: Conversion to RCI Points is an effective way to turn a "doggie" into a pretty good trader and converting it back may leave you with a barker.

Consider this: Whoever paid to "convert" your underlying interval into an RCI Points interval likely paid thousands of dollars to do so. If you un-convert it you will be throwing those thousands away and someone (you or any subsequent owner) will have to pay the fee again if it is to be converted again into RCI Points.

Also consider: Since it is at an RCI Points resort it can't be used for PFD - which is part of the demand for "non points weeks".

The reason it was converted in the first place is relevant - the owner must have believed it would be more useful as a Points ownership (or was tricked by the RCI Points salesperson).

A converted interval is generally easier to offload than an interval at an RCI Points resort that cries out to be converted. I own such a doggie (a mud week at a modest desirability ski resort) and I refuse to pay the $600 they want to convert it to RCI Points - so I really can only exchange it with Platinum Interchange - lucky for me they will take it.

So dial back the impulsiveness and do your research - you'll be glad you did (I think) .

 

[ronparise]

It sounds like an RCI points account which gives you a weeks account for free, If you close the points account you may want to open up or start paying for that weeks account

Heres my experience:

I own Wyndham points which gives me a RCI weeks account included. Then I bought a week at Vacation Village at Parkway,, that had been converted to RCI points...so now I had an RCI points account too

I decided that I wanted to close my rci points account and let the week revert back to a fixed week, which I will either use or trade through RCI weeks

First I gave away the points in the points account, this is easy, all you need is the receiving account name and number
Then I closed my points account

RCI has a special form that want you to use to close the account, with lots of disclaimers. They really cant believe you want to close the thing. So you will have to call. They mail the form to you, and you mail it back

They called several times trying to collect the fees for the closed account, but it was really closed, I confirmed that. Like I said..they cant believe you would want to close this thing

I also was in contact with the resort to make sure that I didnt screw up my week there as I did this...there was no problem there, but you might want to call your resort before you start screwing with the RCI account

I just read Ricks post, and he's right...make sure you really want to do this before you do it..It cant be undone cheaply. In my case the week is thanksgiving week in some years, and it trades better in rci weeks (tpu) than it did in points. I dont regret opting out....make sure you will feel the same way

 

[ronandjoan]

It sounds like an RCI points account which gives you a weeks account for free, If you close the points account you may want to open up or start paying for that weeks account
Heres my experience:

I own Wyndham points which gives me a RCI weeks account included. Then I bought a week at Vacation Village at Parkway,, that had been converted to RCI points...so now I had an RCI points account too

You might consider purchasing a Wyndham TS (actually they are offered for free now) to get the RCI membership included and then you would not have to ever pay RCI membership again and still have other options open

 

[ronandjoan]

Last Calls and Extra Vacations (discount weeks for cash) that the other exchanges don't offer.

Platinum Interchange also has great bonus weeks, BTW, one of which we are using next week at Wisconsin Dells for a cost of $129. We got a week at Kona Hawaiian Village for $119 two years ago! You can book these at 90 days out which is very useful....(PS these are better prices than RCI )