Tips to maximize use of the timeshare RCI POINTS

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

I would like to open this thread to learn from the experiences of the other members.
In how to maximize the use of my POINTs.

I would explain what I have : 55000 Points, biannual even, bought in Vacation Village at Parkway (Kissimmee, Florida)

Please post tips and tools that can help us to enjoy more and make this industry worth.

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

You own at the same RCI points resort that I do so am very familiar with VVParkway.

First off you have a large home group in RCI as part of Vacation village resorts AKA Berkley Group of resorts AKA Daily Management resorts.

I don't know the exact number of resorts in our home group but if you start a search for a vacation you can use the buttons on the right that say make a home group reservation and it will show you what is available.
This gives you an extra month beyond the rest of the RCI points members to book a unit within your home group.
Useful if you want a summer beach week in one of the home group resorts.

Here are the ones I see available right now:

Alhambra at Poinciana (#1496)
Alhambra Villas at Poinciana (#4036)
Berkshire Mountain Lodge (#D567)
Canada House Beach Club (#1504)
Golden Strand Ocean Villa Resort (#0596)
Grandview at Las Vegas (#6923)
Historic Hollywood Beach Resort (#1673)
Hollywood Beach Tower (#1938)
Islander Beach Resort (#5175)
Magic Tree Resort (#8461)
Mizner Place (#7559)
Oakmont Resort (#2209)
Palm Beach Shores Resort and Vacation Villas (#4856)
Presidential Resort at Chancellorsville (#1932)
Regal Vistas at Massanutten (#C152)
Sunrise Ridge Resort (#3876)
The Cliffs at Peace Canyon (#6389)
The Jockey Club (#0067)
The Lodge at Kingsbury Crossing (#7506)
Tree Tops Resort (#2208)
Vacation Village at Bonaventure (#4025)
Vacation Village at Parkway (#4940)
Vacation Village at Weston (#5773)
Vacation Village in the Berkshires (#6057)
Woodstone at Massanutten (#5711)

As you can see most of the resorts in our home group are on the East Coast.
Many in Florida and several in Vegas.
As far as advantages goes, you have priority booking at any of these resorts as
if you were an owner booking, so you beat most of the RCI points pack
if you wanted to book in the group.

You have a healthy choice of vacation options if you just stayed within your
home group. Nice beachfront resorts, golf resorts, mountain resorts,
theme park resorts and destination resorts like Vegas.

I've been to a few of our home group resorts and can say that the VV Berkshires
was very nice, The Golden Strand is also a great resort, Mizner Place is lovely and
that is the extent of my visits to our home group.

The bad news is that it can be quite pricey to use your points within our home group.
I find that renting from RCI is more reasonable or exchanging in using TPU's with my
other ownerships is more economical than actually using my RCI points at VV parkway.

The good news is that your points are better used at other resorts where you get more
bang for your buck. Unfortunately you are blocked from trading into Disney with an
Orlando ownership but there are other places that you get great value in RCI points.

RCI's website is down now but I'll have to come back and post later with exact figures.
But from memory the NYC resorts like Manhattan Club and the HGVC resorts were
a good value using your Orlando based points.

Of course there are the 7500 to 9000 last minute points booking opportunities for the
full weeks in the weeks inventory that are available to us. This benefit has been
reduced now that TPU's are also reduced and there are more weeks owners booking
those last minute deals. But they are there if you search for them. Early bird gets
the worm.

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

At resorts that have RCI points and also have RCI weeks you will see units deposited into both systems that overlap and that don't overlap.
This is where RCI points has an advantage many times.
I have literally seen DVC units just sitting for days in RCI points while the TPU's inventory is snapped up in minutes.
Makes me think that more people own weeks in the TPU system than in RCI points.

There is also slight differences in the Wyndham deposits to RCI points.
There are some resorts that can be booked for just a few nights like a regular Wyndham owner.
Bonnet Creek and the Pompano beach resorts have short stays available.
You pay a housekeeping fee.

There are some resorts that you will never see or that I have not yet seen
in TPU's. The NYC HGVC resorts come to mind.
I am sure there are others but I don't follow too closely the others.

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

I bought my VVParkway resale but since you purchased direct from the developer I believe that you get a free resort certificate to use every year.
I have seen them in my account and have used them in the past.
Not sure if it was a mistake but I used one a few years ago to get a nice Sheraton Vistana 2 bedroom unit in Orlando.
I only paid the exchange fee so this was a better deal than the last call inventory.
Check your account and see if you have a resort certificate sitting there.

[FreeIn2010 Member Find all posts View Profile Close FreeIn2010]

When possible, book Sunday-Thursday... in most cases, the point cost is lower than Friday and Saturday nights.

One of the things I really appreciate is that exchange fees are lower... unless you're booking a week from RCI Weeks inventory. The exchange fee is based on the number of nights you book and even if you book more than 7 nights, the most you'll pay is $159. And even though people complain about the housekeeping fees - it's not required at all RCI Points resorts. So far, I've only paid housekeeping fees at The Manhattan Club in NY...but that fee is required even if you book thru RCI Weeks. And even with that fee, I was in a 1bdrm condo in Manhattan the first week of July for less than $170/night.

Another thing I like is Points for Deposit (PFD). I have done 2 PFDs so far. Both were free weeks (received from resale purchases) that I knew I wouldn't be able to use. I even purchased a triennial deed to use specifically for the great PFD value. However, I would NOT recommend doing that because - much to my disappointment - the resort announced they were joining RCI Points just a few weeks after my transfer completed. So I'm now unable to use that week for PFD. Fortunately it's a resort I visit annually and a week 36 that I will be fine using every 3 years.

Some of the best advice I've received is to avoid purchasing too many points because - at least for now - you can transfer points to/from other RCI Points members (one free transfer per year from an account). So if you need extra, just ask around....you may get a great deal from someone who has points they can't use.

This is only my 2nd year in RCI Points and I really like it.

I've used my points to stay a week at The Quarter House in New Orleans (NY Eve & Sugar Bowl), three nights at The Suites at Hershey in PA (Memorial Day) and four nights at The Manhattan Club in NY (July 4th). I also used my Home Group (VRI) priority to book a few days next summer in a 2bdrm at Brewster Green in Cape Cod.

Also, chriskre - just FYI - I have seen (and booked but later cancelled) 3 days at The Hilton Club of NY using RCI Points (although I'm not sure if that's considered HGVC). I would have been checking in this week...but had to cancel a few months back. I have also seen West 57th inventory in RCI Points, although I haven't actually tried to book it...could've been that "ghost inventory".


Edited to add one more thing I like...

I've never been a fan of Ongoing Searches (RCI Weeks), so I like that Points inventory becomes available on a set schedule. For example, I booked The Manhattan Club and The Suites at Hershey by signing in just after midnight exactly 10 months in advance. Same thing for my Brewster Green reservation for next summer. I'm a night owl, so the fact that inventory opens up just after midnight is perfect for me. Some nights I sign in just to see what's there that I might want. The only thing holding me back is lack of vacation days at work!

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

When possible, book Sunday-Thursday... in most cases, the point cost is lower than Friday and Saturday nights.

One of the things I really appreciate is that exchange fees are lower... unless you're booking a week from RCI Weeks inventory. The exchange fee is based on the number of nights you book and even if you book more than 7 nights, the most you'll pay is $159. And even though people complain about the housekeeping fees - it's not required at all RCI Points resorts. So far, I've only paid housekeeping fees at The Manhattan Club in NY...but that fee is required even if you book thru RCI Weeks. And even with that fee, I was in a 1bdrm condo in Manhattan the first week of July for less than $170/night.

Another thing I like is Points for Deposit (PFD). I have done 2 PFDs so far. Both were free weeks (received from resale purchases) that I knew I wouldn't be able to use. I even purchased a triennial deed to use specifically for the great PFD value. However, I would NOT recommend doing that because - much to my disappointment - the resort announced they were joining RCI Points just a few weeks after my transfer completed. So I'm now unable to use that week for PFD. Fortunately it's a resort I visit annually and a week 36 that I will be fine using every 3 years.

Some of the best advice I've received is to avoid purchasing too many points because - at least for now - you can transfer points to/from other RCI Points members (one free transfer per year from an account). So if you need extra, just ask around....you may get a great deal from someone who has points they can't use.

This is only my 2nd year in RCI Points and I really like it.

I've used my points to stay a week at The Quarter House in New Orleans (NY Eve & Sugar Bowl), three nights at The Suites at Hershey in PA (Memorial Day) and four nights at The Manhattan Club in NY (July 4th). I also used my Home Group (VRI) priority to book a few days next summer in a 2bdrm at Brewster Green in Cape Cod.

Also, chriskre - just FYI - I have seen (and booked but later cancelled) 3 days at The Hilton Club of NY using RCI Points (although I'm not sure if that's considered HGVC). I would have been checking in this week...but had to cancel a few months back. I have also seen West 57th inventory in RCI Points, although I haven't actually tried to book it...could've been that "ghost inventory".


Edited to add one more thing I like...

I've never been a fan of Ongoing Searches (RCI Weeks), so I like that Points inventory becomes available on a set schedule. For example, I booked The Manhattan Club and The Suites at Hershey by signing in just after midnight exactly 10 months in advance. Same thing for my Brewster Green reservation for next summer. I'm a night owl, so the fact that inventory opens up just after midnight is perfect for me. Some nights I sign in just to see what's there that I might want. The only thing holding me back is lack of vacation days at work!

Great points.

And the Max $159 for now exchange fee is nice if you wanted to snowbird in one resort for a full month.
I have even seen enough Manhattan club inventory available to spend a full month there.

And maybe I wasn't clear about the HGVCs in NYC. I have only seen them IN rci points. Never in weeks


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[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

When possible, book Sunday-Thursday... in most cases, the point cost is lower than Friday and Saturday nights.

One of the things I really appreciate is that exchange fees are lower... unless you're booking a week from RCI Weeks inventory. The exchange fee is based on the number of nights you book and even if you book more than 7 nights, the most you'll pay is $159. And even though people complain about the housekeeping fees - it's not required at all RCI Points resorts. So far, I've only paid housekeeping fees at The Manhattan Club in NY...but that fee is required even if you book thru RCI Weeks. And even with that fee, I was in a 1bdrm condo in Manhattan the first week of July for less than $170/night.

Another thing I like is Points for Deposit (PFD). I have done 2 PFDs so far. Both were free weeks (received from resale purchases) that I knew I wouldn't be able to use. I even purchased a triennial deed to use specifically for the great PFD value. However, I would NOT recommend doing that because - much to my disappointment - the resort announced they were joining RCI Points just a few weeks after my transfer completed. So I'm now unable to use that week for PFD. Fortunately it's a resort I visit annually and a week 36 that I will be fine using every 3 years.

Some of the best advice I've received is to avoid purchasing too many points because - at least for now - you can transfer points to/from other RCI Points members (one free transfer per year from an account). So if you need extra, just ask around....you may get a great deal from someone who has points they can't use.

This is only my 2nd year in RCI Points and I really like it.

I've used my points to stay a week at The Quarter House in New Orleans (NY Eve & Sugar Bowl), three nights at The Suites at Hershey in PA (Memorial Day) and four nights at The Manhattan Club in NY (July 4th). I also used my Home Group (VRI) priority to book a few days next summer in a 2bdrm at Brewster Green in Cape Cod.

Also, chriskre - just FYI - I have seen (and booked but later cancelled) 3 days at The Hilton Club of NY using RCI Points (although I'm not sure if that's considered HGVC). I would have been checking in this week...but had to cancel a few months back. I have also seen West 57th inventory in RCI Points, although I haven't actually tried to book it...could've been that "ghost inventory".


Edited to add one more thing I like...

I've never been a fan of Ongoing Searches (RCI Weeks), so I like that Points inventory becomes available on a set schedule. For example, I booked The Manhattan Club and The Suites at Hershey by signing in just after midnight exactly 10 months in advance. Same thing for my Brewster Green reservation for next summer. I'm a night owl, so the fact that inventory opens up just after midnight is perfect for me. Some nights I sign in just to see what's there that I might want. The only thing holding me back is lack of vacation days at work!

Great points.

And the Max $159 for now exchange fee is nice if you wanted to snowbird in one resort for a full month.
I have even seen enough Manhattan club inventory available to spend a full month there.

And maybe I wasn't clear about the HGVCs in NYC. I have only seen them IN rci points. Never in weeks


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[FreeIn2010 Member Find all posts View Profile Close FreeIn2010]

And maybe I wasn't clear about the HGVCs in NYC. I have only seen them IN rci points. Never in weeks

Oops! You were clear... I obviously have comprehension issues occasionally!

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

Another benefit of an RCI points account is a free weeks account to deposit all your other ownerships into.

Another benefit is renting RCI points from RCI if you are short on points.

Also if you book something this year and have points left over you don't have to pay to save them to next year, they do it for you automatically.