RCI - I can't get into Disney!

[CNM Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close CNM]

Can anyone offer any tips/tricks? I've been searching around in advance of a trip we want to take to Disney (DVC) ...but I've been looking, almost daily...and I can not find an opening for ANY Disney property within our reservation period (10 months out). In other words, next February is already completely gone. We weren't actually planning on going until May, but I'm thinking our chances of getting in then will be even less of in a month like Feb. I've called customer service, and they can't help, they just say the properties are full. Is there something I can do to help my chances? Book through another site? I'm afraid our trip to Disney isn't going to happen

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

Can anyone offer any tips/tricks? I've been searching around in advance of a trip we want to take to Disney (DVC) ...but I've been looking, almost daily...and I can not find an opening for ANY Disney property within our reservation period (10 months out). In other words, next February is already completely gone. We weren't actually planning on going until May, but I'm thinking our chances of getting in then will be even less of in a month like Feb. I've called customer service, and they can't help, they just say the properties are full. Is there something I can do to help my chances? Book through another site? I'm afraid our trip to Disney isn't going to happen

Hi and Welcome to 4Ms

Why don't you tell us what resort you have deposited, what size unit and what week reserved?
And how far ahead did u deposit that week?

[bnoble Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close bnoble]

Points or Weeks?

Unlike most Points resorts, DVC doesn't deposit all of their inventory at the 10-month mark. It comes more or less continuously in a steady trickle. So, just because nothing is there now, doesn't mean you've missed it. However, DVC only allows full-week bookings, no partial weeks, and they always start on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. So, if you're looking for a long weekend you won't find it.

If you are looking in Weeks, you should be able to see anywhere from zero to about 30 units this evening. The number you see will give you a sense of your trade power in this range.

May is actually quite a bit lower demand-wise than February in Orlando generally, and it seems at Disney in particular.

[BoardGirl Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BoardGirl]

Exchanging into Disney could be extremely difficult if you don't own something with really good tp and deposit at least a year in advance.

You could always rent; not finding an exchange should not prevent you from going.

[klynn Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close klynn]

May should be easy if you have points; but you may be a little early. In July 2009, I got an exchange for a 2BR at Animal Kingdom Lodge for May 7-14, 2010. In January 2010, I got an exchange for a 3BR at Old Key West for May 14-21, 2010. If you don't get what you want you could rent from a DVC member.

[CNM Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close CNM]

Thanks for your replies; I have points, and they're already there, waiting to be used. I understand that I can only book out 10 months in advance, although 3 different RCI customer service reps have given me conflicting info about that - 2 say 10 months, 1 says 2 years... but at any rate, the soonest I can look at now is Feb, and we were hoping for Animal Kingdom, Yacht/Beach, or Wilderness, and I keep getting a message that there is no availability. The lack of availability was confirmed 3 times when I called (different days). We wanted a 1 or 2 BR, for one week, Sat/Sun to Sat/Sun but we'll take anything now, any time in May 2011. It's a good idea to maybe rent somehow from a DVC member. Thanks for that idea..

[bnoble Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close bnoble]

I think you are just too early. Most deposits are still well before February, even in Weeks. Be patient, and check frequently once your window opens up for your dates. You will get something.

[LynnW Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close LynnW]

I'm not sure where you live but your best chance is getting online at midnight eastern time at exactly 10 months out from the check in day that you want. This is when the inventory is loaded and you should have no problem. When I did this I had my choice of 3 Disney resorts with all different size units available. I took a 2 bedroom at DBV.

Lynn

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

DVC was fairly available from the time it joined RCI until 5/30/09, when a lot of stuff disappeared and trading power was adjusted downward for just about everyone. As a matter of fact, I have not heard of anyone who has better trading power.

Very few can get DVC now.

bnoble seems to be able to see some.

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

DVC was fairly available from the time it joined RCI until 5/30/09, when a lot of stuff disappeared and trading power was adjusted downward for just about everyone. As a matter of fact, I have not heard of anyone who has better trading power.

Very few can get DVC now.

bnoble seems to be able to see some.

Jim, this has nothing to do with the changes made to RCI" trade power" for weeks in May 2009.

The OP has points - points are points, so if the units are there, they will be seen.
DVC is regularly deposited in RCI (as bnoble tracks this on our ExOp board) just as it was deposited in II - the OP needs to continue checking online (don't call, they almost always give you wrong information) for the dates they want and they will eventually get into DVC for the dates needed. Exception to this would be Major Holiday weeks which might not be deposited.

Check our RCI Exchange Op board to see what is available.

[3kids4me Super Moderator and Super Mom Find all posts View Profile Close 3kids4me]

Also, because the OP has points, he will not be able to see any RCI weeks (on the "weeks" side) available with his points, but would have to call a rep. The better option is to keep looking for units in points, which I believe are more plentiful than weeks units anyway.

[Merilyn Member Find all posts View Profile Close Merilyn]

I own at DVC and we are having trouble trading out also. It really started with the change to RCI. I traded several times when we could trade into II. If you can't find a trade into those particular resorts at DVC, try Saratogo Springs or Old Key West. They have the most units. The ones you are checking don't have many units and sometimes are even hard for members to get into. You may even find a member who would like to make a direct trade with you. I have done that before for a Marriott. Good Luck!

[kcbedo Member Find all posts View Profile Close kcbedo]

Also, because the OP has points, he will not be able to see any RCI weeks (on the "weeks" side) available with his points, but would have to call a rep. The better option is to keep looking for units in points, which I believe are more plentiful than weeks units anyway.

Is it possible to book a "weeks" deposit with points? I thought they were two separate inventories and you couldn't mix them.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

Is it possible to book a "weeks" deposit with points? I thought they were two separate inventories and you couldn't mix them.

You can book "weeks" with points at non-points resorts only. Disney is both, as are many others. You cannot book any of those in the weeks deposits side with points.

[kcbedo Member Find all posts View Profile Close kcbedo]

I think you are just too early. Most deposits are still well before February, even in Weeks. Be patient, and check frequently once your window opens up for your dates. You will get something.

Is there any kind of logic in how DVC weeks are added in the "points" inventory, or is it just random? Right now it looks like there is some availability in November and January, and a few in April (10 months out).