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RCI Upgrade Succcess?
- Thread starter famy27
- Start date
NEVER ~ I am a Priority member and have made many exchanges through RCI for the 2/3 years (or how ever long they have been offering this benefit) and always requested an upgrade. Never got one yet!!
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I was successful in January not only of the upgrade but also changing to another resort. It was about 5 days prior to check in at an Orlando resort.
MuranoJo
TUG Member
Curious how the move to a different resort works--is there a way to tell them beforehand that you'd really prefer 'xyz' resort if it's made available?
Thx.
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You can request up to 5 specific resorts in the same general area. At your booked resort they will upgrade you to a larger size if available. For the other 5 resorts they will auto-rebook you into the same size or larger than your current confirmed unit.
skimble
TUG Member
I'm very curious to know if there is any more evidence of success with the upgrade program. I can see the limits on RCI's ability to fulfill requests like this-- people requesting to be upgraded from a studio in the desert in August to a 1 bedroom on the beach in Carlsbad. I'm hoping to see evidence of realistic upgrades fulfilled.
I have put in a request for an upgrade to test the system-- I'm looking for fair upgrade, prime for prime, but the limiting factor is the availability in the prime locations I want. I know my chances are extremely slim.
Assuming RCI is fulfilling these (and I do recognize the evidence above), it's really difficult to get a feel for how often they are fulfilled and to what degree. And, it's even more difficult to weed through the limiting factors-- people with unreasonable requests v. people who just want a larger room.
I have put in a request for an upgrade to test the system-- I'm looking for fair upgrade, prime for prime, but the limiting factor is the availability in the prime locations I want. I know my chances are extremely slim.
Assuming RCI is fulfilling these (and I do recognize the evidence above), it's really difficult to get a feel for how often they are fulfilled and to what degree. And, it's even more difficult to weed through the limiting factors-- people with unreasonable requests v. people who just want a larger room.
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It matched overnight. It doesn't continuously look and prime deposits even last minute don't usually last very long online. You may be able to get a guide to manually do the upgrade during business hours but it may not last online long enough for you to call and get through and explain what you would like to have done. I think these upgrades are going to most likely be in the traditional places of high availability during mid to lower demand. The difference in tpu's if booked in the larger unit to begin with probably isn't going to be in the 2-6 range so for most just booking the larger unit if that is what you need would be the easiest thing to do.
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I just put in for one at HGVC Kings Land in May, I'll reply again if it pays off. I like the fact you arent charged unless it matches, unlike II where there is a cost for ePlus and you have to search yourself.
I dont think it will match anything since it was a bulk bank last year and I got a 1br, but it doesnt cost me anything to try.
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I dont think it will match anything since it was a bulk bank last year and I got a 1br, but it doesnt cost me anything to try.
Sent from my iPad Mini 4 using Tapatalk
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Once we were upgraded in Hawaii from the 1 st floor to 2nd floor. Not sure how much of an upgrade that really was. I never would have known unless I asked.
scotlass
TUG Member
Just got an upgrade in St. Maarten from Simpsons Bay Resort and Marina, studio, to Belair Beach Hotel, 2 bedroom! Happy camper!
I put in for an upgrade for a unit in the Orlando area. One came through this morning at the same resort I was originally booked into. I went from a one bedroom unit to a two bedroom unit. Actually from what I can tell it is the other side of a lock out that makes two one bedroom a two bedroom. I was actually hoping to be moved to a better resort. I don't need the two bedroom, there are only two of us. I was hoping for a resort with more amenities. There was no way to select just the other resort feature.
Catira
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Besides paying the upgrade fee if another unit becomes available do you all pay another exchange fee? Also, if you don't like what's offered to you as an upgrade can you decline and wait for another to become available ? Thanks
If your platinum RCI then the upgrade is free. I don't think you can decline, so picked the resorts you would go into when you added the resorts to the upgrade list. Your original resort is also listed with a larger size unit as being the choice. That is what I was upgraded to. A larger unit, what I really wanted was a different resort. The upgrade option is no longer available on my confirmed unit section of the RCI website.
tlguinn_2000
TUG Member
Got upgraded
I was upgraded from a 1-bedroom at Caribbean Beach Club in Ft Myers beach Florida to a 2-bedroom at Casa Ybel Resort on Sanibel Island Florida. I think that is a pretty good upgrade. I got the email April 9th and our reservation is for April 22.
NOTE: We were originally scheduled to arrive at Caribbean Beach Club on April 23. We were staying in Orlando until April 23 but now we will have to leave from there a day early since when we got upgraded. I had put in different dates than our original planned arrival day so I knew this was a possibility. So MAKE SURE you can go on the alternate dates that you select for an upgrade because they can change.
I was upgraded from a 1-bedroom at Caribbean Beach Club in Ft Myers beach Florida to a 2-bedroom at Casa Ybel Resort on Sanibel Island Florida. I think that is a pretty good upgrade. I got the email April 9th and our reservation is for April 22.
NOTE: We were originally scheduled to arrive at Caribbean Beach Club on April 23. We were staying in Orlando until April 23 but now we will have to leave from there a day early since when we got upgraded. I had put in different dates than our original planned arrival day so I knew this was a possibility. So MAKE SURE you can go on the alternate dates that you select for an upgrade because they can change.
Yeah, that's a great upgrade!
I haven't used this feature yet. Congratulations on the double upgrade.
I haven't used this feature yet. Congratulations on the double upgrade.
Gaozhen
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Love Belair Beach Hotel! A bit dated and simple, but super comfortable and the best beach access on the island! Great service too. We go with our in-laws every year we can.
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This was a great upgrade. It gives me hope.
I was going to cancel the upgraded membership but even if only one of my trades each year gets a good upgrade it will be worth the additional cost.
My first exchange as RCI Platinum and I noticed the upgrade feature for the original resort and up to 5 others.
I put in requests for 2 other resorts in the area - but don't have much hope of them matching.
For me I would have taken less than what they offer....
I have a 2 BR limited kitchen and would take a 1 BR with a full kitchen at the other resorts. Also, upgrade at my original trade could have been something with a full kitchen for me. Neither of these is an option to choose. Guess I will still have to keep an eye on open availability for this. Wonder if they would still give as complimentary if I found something and had to call in for it.
EDIT: I called RCI. No way of requesting a smaller unit at another resort AND even if I found one online, they would charge the 2nd exchange fee. Truly only for room size upgrades at same resort or same size or bigger at different resorts I guess.
I put in requests for 2 other resorts in the area - but don't have much hope of them matching.
For me I would have taken less than what they offer....
I have a 2 BR limited kitchen and would take a 1 BR with a full kitchen at the other resorts. Also, upgrade at my original trade could have been something with a full kitchen for me. Neither of these is an option to choose. Guess I will still have to keep an eye on open availability for this. Wonder if they would still give as complimentary if I found something and had to call in for it.
EDIT: I called RCI. No way of requesting a smaller unit at another resort AND even if I found one online, they would charge the 2nd exchange fee. Truly only for room size upgrades at same resort or same size or bigger at different resorts I guess.
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Got an upgrade to different resort
I'm thrilled, never thought this would happen. This was the first time I tried.
12 days out, received an upgrade to a 2 bedroom at Sanibel Beach Club, Sanibel Island from a 1 bedroom at Costa Del Sol at Lauderdale by the Sea.
I received confirmation at 4 pm , was on Rci about 15 minutes earlier, with no upgrade and no Sanibel Beach Club available for a trade.
I'm thrilled, never thought this would happen. This was the first time I tried.
12 days out, received an upgrade to a 2 bedroom at Sanibel Beach Club, Sanibel Island from a 1 bedroom at Costa Del Sol at Lauderdale by the Sea.
I received confirmation at 4 pm , was on Rci about 15 minutes earlier, with no upgrade and no Sanibel Beach Club available for a trade.
Last edited:
MuranoJo
TUG Member
I'm thrilled, never thought this would happen. This was the first time I tried.
12 days out, received an upgrade to a 2 bedroom at Sanibel Beach Club, Sanibel Island from a 1 bedroom at Costa Del Sol at Lauderdale by the Sea.
I received confirmation at 4 pm , was on Rci about 15 minutes earlier, with no upgrade and no Sanibel Beach Club available for a trade.
So are you saying your call to them helped to 'move things along?' Congrats for a great upgrade--just wondering if this is a strategy to use in future requests.
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No, I was online, no call.
It was stated in a previous post " It matched overnight. It doesn't continuously look and prime deposits even last minute don't usually last very long online."
My upgrade seems to be different then this statement. It happened during the day, and didn't show online a few minutes earlier.