RCI vs FF Points

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

First time posting here!

I am thinking about purchasing a second week (resale on EBay-most likely). I currently have a 2 BR at Vacation Villages @ Parkway (FL). It is a RCI Points week and is worth 92,500/yr. My only problem with RCI, so far, is that I have not been satisfied with the selection overall.

My question to anyone that is a FF points owner is, once you are an owner in FF, do you get better selection on FF/Wyndham resorts before they get put into the RCI/II systems? There are a lot of nice resorts within the FF/W family it seems.

Also, when searching for a FF resort on EBay, what is a good ratio between MF/points? I have seen anywhere from .0035-.0052. What about points/purchase price ratio? Any areas/resorts better than others to get the points?

I know these are a lot of questions, but I want to be sure I make an educated and informed decision.

Thanks!
Gabenluke

[Jya-Ning Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close Jya-Ning]

My question to anyone that is a FF points owner is, once you are an owner in FF, do you get better selection on FF/Wyndham resorts before they get put into the RCI/II systems? There are a lot of nice resorts within the FF/W family it seems.

Not sure how FF inventories end up in RCI point system. But FF deposit inventories it selected to RCI week side. And it will not deposit the high demanding ones. And if you use FF internal exchange, you do have a lot of time and a lot of inventories to start with than any exchange sides.

However, you can not mix FF points with RCI points. And buying resell will not allow you to use FF points in RCI point invetories. But if you are happy with FF resorts, and they do have a lot and they are very aggressively expand to any place you can think that can sell good.

Even if you later on add the FF's RCI point program (Plus Partner - by paying $2,395 or convert a fixed week from certain old FF resort that is now RCI point, or by buying retail), you can not combine your RCI points with FF. FF will allow you to get RCI point inventory when you become PP member through a generic grid. So for example, if you want to get a RCI point resort inventory in blue week stdio, you will use 28k FF points. And if you only have 14K FF point left, you can not use your RCI point with FF points. You have to make 2 seperate resevation, one from FF side and one from your RCI point side and each get a patial week.

Also, when searching for a FF resort on EBay, what is a good ratio between MF/points? I have seen anywhere from .0035-.0052. What about points/purchase price ratio? Any areas/resorts better than others to get the points?

Look at this thread for eBay point/purchase price ratio.

As to MF/points, it is about right, actually it is from .0035 to .0070. FF MF is either the total budget of the underline resort/total UDI points if it is UDI contract. Or if it is from Old week resort and converted to FF point system, it is based on the way MF assign to th week. So, it really depends on which resort you are looking, that is the reason it has a wide range.

Jya-Ning

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

Try to avoid FSP with maintenance fees more than $5.00/K points unless you really want that particular resort.

It is relatively easy to rent FSP points from FF or other owners for $5.00/K. Fairfield does not lower the price for points rentals (from $10 to $5/K) until 90 days before checkin, though.

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

Dumb question, What does FSP stand for??

I totally agree that .005 per point (vs MF) is high. All the resorts I have been looking at are between .003-.0045.

I tried to make sure that with my RCI resort, my MF/points were as low as possible, too. ($685/92,500).

An interesting forum thread I was reading last night was discussing that there is 104,000 RCI points for sale for $99.00 for a 3-year period. The MF is in the range of $700-$750. Maybe this is the better route to take? Very low buy in cost and pretty good MF/points ratio at around $.007. Plus, if not mistaken, the 3 years is renewable!!

My biggest dilemma is what I said earlier in that I want to make sure I am able to get very nice resorts. Sometimes with RCI, I am not able to accomplish this. At least with FF, I can pretty much guarantee that I can trade within the family it sounds like.

Thanks!
Gabenluke

[Jya-Ning Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close Jya-Ning]

What does FSP stand for??

FSP - FairsShare Plus, Fairfield point program. Fairfield does has other fix week programs but that is not what you are looking for.

Jya-Ning

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

Thanks!

[Laser1992 Member Find all posts View Profile Close Laser1992]

RCI Points

Hello! Have you looked at the RCI site to see what 104,000 RCI points are worth and what they will possibly trade for. You might want to analyze that a bit too before buying the points temporary.

Also can you guide me to wherre the link is or who it is that is selling the points for 3 years usage and maint?

Thanks!

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

Hope I don't get in trouble for this, but I found it on TUG2.net (Timeshare User Group) forum under a discussion about "Where to get the best bang for your buck" thread.

I am not very internet savvy to be able to psot the link. Sorry!

Gabenluke

[Jya-Ning Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close Jya-Ning]

I believe this forum is loose than tug. You can find their ad in this forum too.

Does not very familiar with the member or that deal, but sounds like they put a big pool and gathering a hugh RCI point contract. And make it a RTU 3 year membership deal. You can also look at the member and check his post.

Hello! Have you looked at the RCI site to see what 104,000 RCI points are worth and what they will possibly trade for.

Tug's point forum has a sticky about point grid.
Not a RCI point owner, so can not tell you if it means it will be the points needed to grabe the week inventory that travel 45 days or more. For week inventory, you can get it with 9,000 point at 45 days or less. You can go to RCI, and without login, go to their resort directory, and if you see a resort mark RCI point, it will have a point chart, then you can see what it requires. Generally, new resort needs more points. Not very familiar, but I believe that amount probably can afford at least 2 BR 2 week in avg. new resorts prime time.

Tug used to have point table for other RCI point usuage (like airline, ticket), you can do some search there. Or post the question there (tug) or in this forum here

Jya-Ning

ps.
Gabenluke
Forget to say welcome.

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

My biggest dilemma is what I said earlier in that I want to make sure I am able to get very nice resorts. Sometimes with RCI, I am not able to accomplish this. At least with FF, I can pretty much guarantee that I can trade within the family it sounds like.
Gabenluke

With FSP points, if you plan ahead, you should be able to get just about any Fairfield property that is not labeled as having "very limited number of accomodations" with the exception of Myrtle Beach in the summer.