DVC to affiliate with RCI beginning January 2009?!

[rikkis_playpen Diamond Club Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close rikkis_playpen]

DVC exchanges with RCI...

The question is will the exchanges be with RCI weeks or with RCI pts? If it's points (and that is the impression I got from both RCI and Disney)- weeks exchangers will stand very little chance of getting any availability.

Often, when points are involved- availability will only be found for a few consecutive days. Don't forget- if one points owner (either DVC or RCI pts) books a single day- that kills the entire exchange week.. The other six days will only then be available to points owners.

This is a main part of the reason DVC weeks exchanges could be so difficult to find- and perhaps the primary reason DVC is adding the RCI point affiliation.

My concern over this is will the change devalue DVC's brand? If an owner of a low level RCI pt resort can get access to DVC reservations- will we start to see DVC sales slow- and more buyers choose low cost rci pt ownerships instead?

Also, I'm interested to see how DVC manages to control exchange choices for it's owners. DVC always required that they pre-approve any resorts before their members could exchange for that property.. Will they still be able to do this in the RCI pt system?

As always- Disney does keep things very interesting!

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

My concern over this is will the change devalue DVC's brand? If an owner of a low level RCI pt resort can get access to DVC reservations- will we start to see DVC sales slow- and more buyers choose low cost rci pt ownerships instead?

This was already easy (and common) in II. I typically exchanged in with weeks that cost an average of $500 (including closing costs) to buy, with MFs of about $500-$550. It takes a moderately sophisticated timeshare owner to know how to do this though, and most buyers are anything but. Especially DVC, which seems to get a lot of tour traffic from folks who wouldn't "ordinarily" consider timeshare.

Also, I'm interested to see how DVC manages to control exchange choices for it's owners. DVC always required that they pre-approve any resorts before their members could exchange for that property.. Will they still be able to do this in the RCI pt system?

I would think it would work the same way it does now. Member Services will be the Member's point of contact with RCI, and they filter the resorts.

The Points vs. Weeks question is a pretty interesting one. It may be necessary for Weeks members to have ongoing searches in place to even have a chance.

[Twinkstarr Member Find all posts View Profile Close Twinkstarr]

I hope there's no Marriott news "soon" - I've had all I can take here lately with this DVC "enhancement" and my 401K losses. Every time a business enhances something for me it usually means they're taking something away and lining their pockets in the process.

Well, this has changed our decision to add on more DVC points. Makes me wonder if DVC wants to prevent their members from seeing the other top brand competition. We did buy a Marriott after staying at a Marriott Vacation Club resort instead of purchasing more DVC points. Maybe a lot of members after staying at the other top brands were buying those brands instead of more DVC points.

, that wouldn't surprise me. We went to see the BLT models and told our guide we were up in the air about a BLT add-on or going with a Starwood/Marriott week to round out our portfolio. I would call him about this RCI thing but really don't want to talk about the BLT.

Personally I wouldn't trade my DVC point in II or RCI. I don't think it's a good value and I don't like that I can't do the searching myself and have to rely on MS staff.

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

I received a survey from DVC a few months ago and it asked what other timeshares, if any, we owned and the primary reason for buying them. I put down Marriott. Then there was a question with various answers you could choose and one of them was quality. Of course, I picked quality. That was a mistake apparently -

When I think of RCI I think of Chevy. When I think of II, I think Cadillac. If you never ride in a Cadillac, you don't know what you're missing.

[Twinkstarr Member Find all posts View Profile Close Twinkstarr]

I received a survey from DVC a few months ago and it asked what other timeshares, if any, we owned and the primary reason for buying them. I put down Marriott. Then there was a question with various answers you could choose and one of them was quality. Of course, I picked quality. That was a mistake apparently -

When I think of RCI I think of Chevy. When I think of II, I think Cadillac. If you never ride in a Cadillac, you don't know what you're missing.

RCI has been sending me cards trying to get me to deposit my dual affiliate Starwood week(which I prefer II for a apple to apple exchange and the 3 day *wood preference). I would get a discount on the exchange fee. No I'm not taking advantage of that.

I wish I would have gotten the survey. .

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

I was really thinking that if something totally new happened that it would be some kind of mini system between the big brands and then use II and RCI for locations you couldn't get within those brands. I think that's the only way they could really protect the value of owning high end stuff and trading it.

I'm sure people will figure out how to trade in through RCI even cheaper than they did through II - laughter. If RCI even makes it available. Who knows, I guess they could rent the DVC deposits. I guess we'll know if people get successful trades through RCI into DVC with time.

I hope we don't hear any stories of a DVC member getting a call two days before check-in that the resort they traded for is overbooked and RCI will need to either cancel their vacation or move them - that would make an interesting thread over on the Dis boards. Hopefully RCI will be smarter than that and bump some other poor soul. We've all read those threads countless times so we know it happens with RCI.

I have to admit, this is really interesting to watch it unfold and see what happens.

[Twinkstarr Member Find all posts View Profile Close Twinkstarr]

I was really thinking that if something totally new happened that it would be some kind of mini system between the big brands and then use II and RCI for locations you couldn't get within those brands. I think that's the only way they could really protect the value of owning high end stuff and trading it.

I'm sure people will figure out how to trade in through RCI even cheaper than they did through II - laughter. If RCI even makes it available. Who knows, I guess they could rent the DVC deposits. I guess we'll know if people get successful trades through RCI into DVC with time.

I hope we don't hear any stories of a DVC member getting a call two days before check-in that the resort they traded for is overbooked and RCI will need to either cancel their vacation or move them - that would make an interesting thread over on the Dis boards. Hopefully RCI will be smarter than that and bump some other poor soul. We've all read those threads countless times so we know it happens with RCI.

I have to admit, this is really interesting to watch it unfold and see what happens.

Yep, this is going to be a "popcorn" smilie storyline to follow, with many interesting offshoots. Will DVC'ers be willing to do some research on resorts other than just going Westin/Marriott or ask Dean? Will members just rent out their points and rent a Westin Maui? Will DVC have a 1in4 rule? will it be for the collective or per resort?

Can't wait to see the first Dis thread after people look at the RCI directory.

[jmatias Member Find all posts View Profile Close jmatias]

Can't wait to see the first Dis thread after people look at the RCI directory.

First the members will
Then they will
And lastly

Aloha,
Jen

[Twinkstarr Member Find all posts View Profile Close Twinkstarr]

First the members will
Then they will
And lastly

Aloha,
Jen

That's why I'm going to sit back and watch.

The DIS board at times can be better than any tv show.

[rikkis_playpen Diamond Club Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close rikkis_playpen]

Theories on the exchange switch..

I've heard numerous theories on why DVC is making this change. I've listed the more reasonable ones below:

* Disney believes the RCI pts program gives them a better opportunity to fill unused nights and further monetize their on-site profits from guest fees and misc. charges. Interval's weeks system could not properly utilize unoccupied partial weeks.

* DVC believes that by allowing members to exchange into lesser quality destinations, the attrition rate from members outgrowing the DVC program and buying into Marriott or Starwood will be reduced.

* DVC believes that by allowing RCI exchangers into the DVC resorts, it will generate a possible new buyer market of prospects that have not yet experienced "Disney Magic!".


Needless to say- we're talking about "Mr. Mad Mouse Megabucks", so none of these are probably correct. In the end, he normally comes out on top- so we'll just have to wait and see how things turn out. At least it keeps things interesting!

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

The first one sounds unlikely. The Mouse has a very effective rental operation---it owns its own travel company, and its non-timeshare resorts are booked to 90% capacity year round. Why would it need RCI Points exchangers to fill rooms (with no rental revenue to the Mouse) that it's demonstrated its more than capable of renting on its own?

I'm not sure about #2. The sense I get from most DVC owners over on DISboards is that they wouldn't even consider buying something that's "not Disney." But, they are also not at all a representative sample.

#3 would make more sense if they pushed tours a little harder, but right now, guests staying at a DVC resort are not marketed to any more strongly than guests staying at any of the resorts.

My guesses are three:

One: RCI was willing to give more up (raw dollars, or other considerations) to get DVC to switch than II was willing to give up to keep them. I have a feeling this was the most important reason. Just as smart consumers tend to switch phone carriers/television providers/etc. to follow promotional deals, Disney is playing RCI against II each time it renews.

Two: RCI Points gives DVC Members access to something closer to the nightly-stay model that they take for granted in DVC, but II had trouble providing. II's half-baked short-stay program was built entirely on their distressed week pool, and they just threw away "leftover" nights. Of course, as no one else wanted those weeks, DVC Members didn't really want them either---and were still paying too many points to get them.

Three: DVC's growth was leading to increased demand to exchange out, and was growing faster than the inbound demand from II exchangers. If left unchecked, this eventually reduces DVC's trade power, meaning that DVC would have to start depositing better time than all those Hurricane season studios they tend to throw at II. With RCI's larger pool of potential inbounds, DVC can again enjoy a strong supply/demand curve, at least for a little while longer.

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

After 105 exchanges to crappy, nasty, ugly, pitiful resorts, now maybe we can finally get a classy one.

[James1975NY Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close James1975NY]

Obviously Disney and RCI have been working together on how this would impact the DVC owners.

I would HOPE that Disney made an arrangement with RCI to prohibit exchanges into less than desirable resorts with comparison to the quality that Disney provides.

Additionally, I understand that Disney did this change because Disney owners will still be able to use a points based system where with II it is inly a week for week exchange.

[idofabric Member Find all posts View Profile Close idofabric]

Why couldn't DVC use the II new Short Stay option? it is for 2 to 6 nights. We traded into a Marriots using our DRI points. It was so much cheaper, point and $$ wise to do that. We had been told that DVC was going to be added to the Short Stay program at II when we did a members update last June/July at Grand Beach, Or., but then again that was from a salesman... and they don't allways get the correct info...
So to say that DVC went to RCI so that they could use night to night res. instead of just week to week doesn't sound right. Maybe DVC did not like the short stay cost/option as it was set up at II.
If we had traded into the Marriot Palms for a whole week instead of just 6 days we would have paid a couple thous. more points, and a lot more $$.
Since DVC members have to use MS to trade, could the info that they are getting about not being able to use points for night to night, less then a week, stay just be BS from DVC? Or am I reading all this wrong.
BTW, I have spent way to long the last 2 days trying to figure out if I should/could join RCI and use my DRI points with them to get into DVC.. I know, if I want DVC should have bought them.... but we have 30000+ DRI points befor we knew Disney HAD a vacation club... fool that I am... and I don't want to allways stay on WDW property, just a few times a year. DVC allways seemed like you had to ask them for what you wanted, and they MIGHT give you the days you needed/wanted. We only go last min, and that didn't seem to work. oh, well- it will all come out in the wash!