cheapest entry to RCI

[mdurette]

REALLY? So I could be a member of II because Cold Spring is dually affiliated, but not have to deposit to there? Access to the getaways would be what I'd be looking for.... Hmm....I learned something, too!

Just an FYI - if your focus will mainly be New England don't expect much from II. But, may be worth it for you try for a year

 

[bogey21]

We went for eBay Grandview 1BR triennial points unit as our minimalist RCI toe-hold.

Triennial Grandview is good choice. What I did (a long time ago) was call some ofthe Resorts that were reputed to be low cost (say low MF) ways to get into RCI Points and ask if they had anything not paying MFs they wanted a new Owner for and would transfer to me on the cheap. I ended up getting a Week at Peregrine at San Luis Pass (near Galveston) for something like $100 all in. I was also offered a Week at Rayburn County in Texas for next to nothing but didn't like what I was reading about them. I don't know if calling around would work today, but it might be worth a try...

George​

 

[breezez]

Not free or triennial but on Grandview Owners FB Page there is a guy with a 49K RCI Point 1 bedroom with 2019 MF’s paid. He’s giving it away for transfer fee only.

 

[NS Maritimer]

Hi Jan: You have some very valuable advice, something that I am looking for. We just purchased the deed for a timeshare at Vacation Village at Parkway. It was given to us by a long time friend who can no longer use it. We have a double lock out with 74000 points and it's Bi-annual. He paid the first year maintenance fee for us which was awesome. He has let us use this resort for the last 10 years, we just paid the transfer fee. Really enjoy this resort but would also like to venture to other resorts.
So I have a few questions for you, hope you don't mind. I have not registered into any exchange company yet but I am leaning towards RCI because the previous owner was in RCI as well and he still has points that he is willing to transfer to me free. My question is should I register as a Gold or Platinum member. I have heard that RCI will give you a deal if you upgrade to Platinum membership. is this true?.. Next question is How did you get the 2 free weeks with Vacation Village and just pay the transfer fees. Is this something that I should be asking them about? Thanks and any advice you could give me would be much appreciated

Because we were able to be very flexible in our travel even before my husband retired in February we were and are able to use the discounted point reservations that I find in the last 2-5 weeks before check in. I find great reservations for 4900, 6000 and 7500 points and we used 16 of those weeks this year alone. We stayed at Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort over Martin Luther King week, several times at Wyndham Bonnet Creek in a two bedroom unit, several times at Reunion in a 3 bedroom/3 bath unit, at the new Wyndham Austin resort right after it opened, at Caloosa Cove in Islamorada, FL, and Grandview Las Vegas for 17 nights.

I've booked a one bedroom/2bath savanna view unit at Disney's Animal Kingdom Kidani Village for 23,500 points which is still discounted but not as cheap as the other resorts I've booked. My husband was still working and wasn't wanting to use the vacation days to join our granddaughter and I but I insisted. We go to Orlando a lot as we live in Florida, have Disney Florida resident week day select annual passes. He'd stayed at Saratoga Springs before so wasn't understanding why I was making such a big deal out of him joining us at the Animal Kingdom resort. I had stayed there before in a savanna view unit and knew what to expect. He is the first one up and the first morning he was there he took his coffee out on the balcony to watch the animals right below. When our granddaughter woke up and joined him I don't know which one of them was more excited. That was in the Spring of 2017 and they both still talk about that stay.

In the past five years here are some of the other resorts I've booked for us or my sister and BIL with the discounted point reservations. Yes, I book stays for my sister and BIL because they can't find squat with their weeks account compared to what I find for them. Some of these resorts we've stayed at several times or had holiday weeks too. These are just the ones I remember off the top of my head and I'm sure I'm forgetting a few. Remember every single one of these resorts were booked with discounted point reservations.

Wyndham Star Island, Orlando
Vacation Village at Parkway, Orlando
Summer Bay, Orlando
Regal Palm Villas, Orlando
Anchorage, Key Largo
Ventura at Boca Raton
La Boca Casa, Boca Raton
Plantation Beach Club at Indian River, Stuart, FL (HGVC, Hilton Grand Vacation Club resort)
Sunisands, New Smyrna Beach
Charter Club on Marco Island (HGVC)
Vanderbilt Beach Club, Naples
Gulf Pointe Intervals, Naples
Caribe Beach Resort, Sanibel
Casa Ybel, Sanibel (HGVC)
Sanibel Beach Club
Lighthouse Resort, Sanibel
Plantation Beach Resort, Captiva (HGVC)
Plantation House, Captiva (HGVC)
Sarasota Sands, Sarasota
Wyndham Smoky Mountains, Tennessee
Wyndham Fairfield Bay, Arkansas
Ocean Palms at Port Royal, Hilton Head, SC
I know I've booked at least 2 or 3 other resorts on Hilton Head because my sister and BIL love HHI.
Ram's Horn Village, Estes, Colorado

When I figure in my maintenance fees, the RCI annual dues, the dues for RCI platinum to come up with what a stay costs us with the $239 exchange fee that makes out total cost for the 2018 stays:
$287.24 for the 4900 point stays
$298.08 for the 6000 point stays
$312.84 for the 7500 point stays
Our 17 night stay at Grandview Las Vegas this Spring total cost was $572.29 or $33.66 a night. Because we pay to get the platinum benefits at 14 days we got a free upgrade from a one bedroom unit to a two bedroom lock off. This one of the 5 free upgrades on the unit size we got just in 2018.

We just got back from spending a week at Silver Lake Resort in Orlando in a two bedroom unit. I booked it back in May during a sale and paid $213.49 for the week. As a platinum member we get a 10% discount on the sale week prices. We really liked the resort, our unit and the location. We will definitely go back if I find another sale week. Some RCI sales are better than others; in the price, the range of dates and the amount of inventory. As owners at Grandview, part of the Vacation Village family of resorts, we get two weeks a year that we just pay the exchange fee and can book within 45 days of check in. There is a huge number of resorts, not just the different Vacation Village resorts, that we can book with those Vacation Village extra weeks.

One of the resorts we own at also now trades in II and we got a free year's membership this year. I won't be spending our money to renew it. Every time I've looked I have yet to see any of their deals that were less than almost $500 for a week stay. And I wasn't impressed with what I saw either. But I wasn't depositing anything for trade, just looking at the sale or getaway weeks.
.

Because we were able to be very flexible in our travel even before my husband retired in February we were and are able to use the discounted point reservations that I find in the last 2-5 weeks before check in. I find great reservations for 4900, 6000 and 7500 points and we used 16 of those weeks this year alone. We stayed at Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort over Martin Luther King week, several times at Wyndham Bonnet Creek in a two bedroom unit, several times at Reunion in a 3 bedroom/3 bath unit, at the new Wyndham Austin resort right after it opened, at Caloosa Cove in Islamorada, FL, and Grandview Las Vegas for 17 nights.

I've booked a one bedroom/2bath savanna view unit at Disney's Animal Kingdom Kidani Village for 23,500 points which is still discounted but not as cheap as the other resorts I've booked. My husband was still working and wasn't wanting to use the vacation days to join our granddaughter and I but I insisted. We go to Orlando a lot as we live in Florida, have Disney Florida resident week day select annual passes. He'd stayed at Saratoga Springs before so wasn't understanding why I was making such a big deal out of him joining us at the Animal Kingdom resort. I had stayed there before in a savanna view unit and knew what to expect. He is the first one up and the first morning he was there he took his coffee out on the balcony to watch the animals right below. When our granddaughter woke up and joined him I don't know which one of them was more excited. That was in the Spring of 2017 and they both still talk about that stay.

In the past five years here are some of the other resorts I've booked for us or my sister and BIL with the discounted point reservations. Yes, I book stays for my sister and BIL because they can't find squat with their weeks account compared to what I find for them. Some of these resorts we've stayed at several times or had holiday weeks too. These are just the ones I remember off the top of my head and I'm sure I'm forgetting a few. Remember every single one of these resorts were booked with discounted point reservations.

Wyndham Star Island, Orlando
Vacation Village at Parkway, Orlando
Summer Bay, Orlando
Regal Palm Villas, Orlando
Anchorage, Key Largo
Ventura at Boca Raton
La Boca Casa, Boca Raton
Plantation Beach Club at Indian River, Stuart, FL (HGVC, Hilton Grand Vacation Club resort)
Sunisands, New Smyrna Beach
Charter Club on Marco Island (HGVC)
Vanderbilt Beach Club, Naples
Gulf Pointe Intervals, Naples
Caribe Beach Resort, Sanibel
Casa Ybel, Sanibel (HGVC)
Sanibel Beach Club
Lighthouse Resort, Sanibel
Plantation Beach Resort, Captiva (HGVC)
Plantation House, Captiva (HGVC)
Sarasota Sands, Sarasota
Wyndham Smoky Mountains, Tennessee
Wyndham Fairfield Bay, Arkansas
Ocean Palms at Port Royal, Hilton Head, SC
I know I've booked at least 2 or 3 other resorts on Hilton Head because my sister and BIL love HHI.
Ram's Horn Village, Estes, Colorado

When I figure in my maintenance fees, the RCI annual dues, the dues for RCI platinum to come up with what a stay costs us with the $239 exchange fee that makes out total cost for the 2018 stays:
$287.24 for the 4900 point stays
$298.08 for the 6000 point stays
$312.84 for the 7500 point stays
Our 17 night stay at Grandview Las Vegas this Spring total cost was $572.29 or $33.66 a night. Because we pay to get the platinum benefits at 14 days we got a free upgrade from a one bedroom unit to a two bedroom lock off. This one of the 5 free upgrades on the unit size we got just in 2018.

We just got back from spending a week at Silver Lake Resort in Orlando in a two bedroom unit. I booked it back in May during a sale and paid $213.49 for the week. As a platinum member we get a 10% discount on the sale week prices. We really liked the resort, our unit and the location. We will definitely go back if I find another sale week. Some RCI sales are better than others; in the price, the range of dates and the amount of inventory. As owners at Grandview, part of the Vacation Village family of resorts, we get two weeks a year that we just pay the exchange fee and can book within 45 days of check in. There is a huge number of resorts, not just the different Vacation Village resorts, that we can book with those Vacation Village extra weeks.

One of the resorts we own at also now trades in II and we got a free year's membership this year. I won't be spending our money to renew it. Every time I've looked I have yet to see any of their deals that were less than almost $500 for a week stay. And I wasn't impressed with what I saw either. But I wasn't depositing anything for trade, just looking at the sale or getaway weeks.
.

 

[Jan M.]

Thanks and any advice you could give me would be much appreciated

We find the platinum benefits to be worth having. You can pay for up to five years ahead for both the RCI points account membership dues and the platinum benefits. When you look farther down this post to the list of fees you can see that the more years you pay ahead the lower the cost becomes. Paying ahead also protects you from any prices increases in those fees for the years ahead you paid. I don't know what the gold benefits are and I'm not seeing anything on the RCI website about them. I don't believe RCI offers any trial membership deals for platinum or cheaper deals for membership dues for points owners. Other people have posted about offers they received but they are weeks owners. For anyone else reading this thread I want to add that weeks owners don't get all the platinum benefits shown below.

If you don't join RCI any points from 2017 or 2018 will be lost as will the advantage of having your week in RCI points. It will revert to a fixed week and you definitely don't want that to happen. RCI will be your exchange company. We've never been offered any other option. To the best of my knowledge the Vacation Village properties don't exchange in Interval International so this isn't something you need to worry about. If you are thinking of something like Trading Places that is something separate. All you need to know and learn about right now is RCI.

Your friend can transfer just the points to you or he can transfer the entire account which will save you some money. He can log into his account, go to the Help Library, forms and fees, and print out the MTA, membership transfer application. If you or he can't find the form, private message me with your email address and I will send it to you. This week we faxed the MTA form for a week we got, we put our credit card information for the payment on the form to expedite things, and the points were in our account two days later.

You can use this as a reference guide

Vacation Village- Extra Vacation Certificate
Vacation Village Resort members- Redeem your 2-45 day advance Extra Vacations(SM) Certificate you receive each year. For the cost of an exchange, you can enjoy a great weeklong stay at select resorts!

This is what you will see this when you log into your RCI account. You just click on it to see what resorts and dates are available. The prices can vary but seem to be the cheapest when RCI is having their best prices on sale weeks. For the sale weeks the prices, selection of resorts and how far in advance the dates range vary from sale to sale. I copied this from the website today to give you an idea of where you can go with the VV extra weeks. You aren't limited to just the Vacation Village family of something like 14 properties.

Region

• Africa & The Middle East [80]
• Asia [212]
• Australia & South Pacific [2]
• Canada [142]
• Caribbean & Bermuda [954]
• Central America [64]
• Europe [513]
• Mexico [3104]
• South America [264]
• USA [2362]

Platinum Benefits

10% Discount on Extra Vacations getaways and Last Call Vacations
Enjoy an additional 10% off all your Extra VacationsSM getaways and Last CallSM Vacations — even those already on sale.*

RCI Platinum Points Extension
Get more time to enjoy your Points! As an RCI Platinum member, who is also an RCI Points® member, you are eligible to extend your unused Points for Two Use Years, as compared to standard RCI members who can extend their Points for only One Use Year, when they pay the same applicable fee. While extended Points expire at the end of a Third Use Year for standard RCI members, RCI Platinum members will enjoy a Fourth Use Year with no additional fee.

Free Ongoing Search
Can’t find the vacation you’re looking for right now? We’ll keep a lookout for you 24/7 and you won’t be charged your exchange fee until we find a match!

Free On-Hold Vacations
Not quite ready to book? We’ll hold your 7-night RCI Weeks® vacation for you without a fee while you iron out those last minute details.

25% discount on Guest Certificates
Receive a 25% discount on the purchase of Guest Certificates which you can share with family or friends! An RCI® Guest Certificate lets them experience a vacation at an RCI affiliated resort booked through your RCI account.

Travel Concierge
Receive access to the comfort, care, and attention of personal assistance coordinators available 24/7 to respond to your phone calls. Available services include restaurant reservations, event ticketing, ground transportation coordination, golf tee-time reservations, and more! Click here to view all available services. Please contact RCI directly (at 1.866.545.7205) to assist you with Exchange-related inquiries. To take advantage of your Travel Concierge services, call 1.866.557.3238 (domestic) or 715.342.2414 (International collect).1

24/7 Emergency Travel Assistance
Relax knowing you have access to dedicated around-the-clock travel counselors, just a phone call away to help solve last minute travel problems or to help with emergencies, such as flight or hotel re-booking, roadside assistance - assist only, or emergency travel return services. Click here to view all available services. Please contact RCI directly (at 1.866.545.7205) to assist you with Exchange-related inquiries. To take advantage of your Emergency Travel benefits, call 1.866.557.3238 (domestic) or 715.342.2414 (International collect).1

City Attractions
Save 20% off things to do when you travel with a Go City Card multi-attraction pass. Passes include admission to top attractions, tours, museums, and more in 11 popular destinations for one low price. Pay nothing at the gate. More choices, more savings.

Complimentary Unit Upgrades & Changes
Here’s how it works: when you book your confirmed Exchange vacation, you’ll have the opportunity to receive Complimentary Unit Upgrades and Resort Changes. Just let us know you’re interested in a unit upgrade or resort change. Within two weeks of check-in, if one of the resorts you’ve specified, or a bigger unit at your confirmed resort becomes available, we’ll change your reservation and provide you with the details.

Savings Dollars
Earn Savings Dollars on select RCI transactions you already do (like paying exchange fees and renewing your RCI® subscribing membership).Then it’s up to you how you redeem them – hotel stays, home electronics, fashion, wine (where legally available to ship), jewelry, sporting goods, dining certificates and more.*

Priority Access
Get exclusive access to exchange vacations at select hotels and resorts before they’re made available to standard RCI® subscribing members for exchange.

Platinum Previews
RCI Platinum members have first dibs on Extra VacationsSM getaways sales! With RCI Platinum membership, see (and book) Extra Vacations getaways sales one day earlier than standard RCI members.

RCI® Points Partner Program
Make your Points go farther! RCI Platinum members, who are RCI Points members, can use more of their annual Points allocation when booking travel – 50% of your annual Points allotment, rather than 33% for standard RCI members.

Platinum Cruise Exchange
RCI Platinum members still receive an extra $25USD off per cabin towards the purchase of select cruises (and can enjoy this benefit on an unlimited number of cabins, so bring along the whole family!)

Priority Answer
RCI Platinum members who call 1.866.545.7205 get quicker access to our knowledgeable guides. Enjoy fast answers from the RCI Platinum experts who are waiting to help you with your vacation planning!

Free Points Transfers
Know an RCI Points member that could use additional Points? Lucky them! Now RCI Platinum members no longer pay a Points transfer fee, so transfer away!

RCI Platinum® Guided Vacations
Looking to explore exotic locales? Or do you want to visit a new location in the U.S.? Either way, we’ve got a vacation tour for you! Plus, RCI Platinum members receive an extra $25USD per couple towards the purchase of select tours, as compared to standard RCI members.


RCI® Points Fees United States effective December 1, 2018
The following information details the various fees that are associated with your membership benefits.

Usually on an annual basis, you will also pay a maintenance fee, which is used toward the operation and upkeep of the resort at which you own. This is not a fee which is collected by RCI - you pay your resort directly.

Annual RCI Points® Subscription Fees USD/Price Per
Year (USD)
1 YR $124
2 YRS $229/$114.50
3 YRS $321/$107
4 YRS $409/$102.25
5 YRS $499/$99.80
Annual RCI Points Platinum Fees Total Cost (USD)/ Price Per
Year (USD)
RCI Points Platinum® 1 Yr $89
RCI Points Platinum® 2 Yrs $155/$77.50
RCI Points Platinum® 3 Yrs $221/$73.67
RCI Points Platinum® 4 Yrs $279/$69.75
RCI Points Platinum® 5 Yrs $322/$64.40
Gold Membership Fees Total Cost (USD) Price Per
Year (USD)
1 YR $49
2 YRS $86 $43
3 YRS $123 $41
4 YRS $156 $39
5 YRS $180 $36
Exchange Vacations USD (Call Center/RCI.com)
Home Week Reservation (7 nights) No Charge
Home Resort Reservation (7 nights) $50
RCI Points Reservation 14 nights + $288
RCI Points Reservation: 7-13 nights $209
RCI Points Reservation 6 nights $199
RCI Points Reservation: 5 nights $179
RCI Points Reservation 4 nights $139
RCI Points Reservation: 3 nights $109
RCI Points Reservation 2 nights $79
RCI Points Reservation: 1 night $59
RCI Weeks Reservation (7 nights) $239
Last CallSM Vacations and RCI Cruise USD (H/S) USD (1BR) USD (2BR)
Cruise Exchange - 20,000 Points $149
Last Call - Call Center/RCI.com $269 $294 $319
RCI Points Partner Program USD (RCI.com) USD (call center)
Air (per ticket) $25 $52
Car (per car) $25 $52
Entertainment (per ticket/pass) $25 $39
Hotels (per room) $25 $52
Managing Your Points USD
Points Saving Fee $36
Points Extension -
Less than or Equal to 30,000 Points $95
Points Extension -
30,001 Points or more $135
Points Extension Fee - WVO
Flat rate $109
Points Rental Fee (Per Point) $0.03
Points for Deposit Fee $49
RCI Points Protection
Purchased 30 days or less from the date of vacation confirmation AND 15 days or more before check-in date USD
1-2 nights $44
3-4 nights $54
5+ nights $64
Purchased 31 days or more from the date of vacation confirmation OR 14 days or less from check-in date USD
1-2 nights $84
3-4 nights $94
5+ nights $104
Miscellaneous Fees
USD
Guest Certificates $89
Membership Transfer Application (MTA) $98
† Network Dues and/or an enrollment fee may be required in addition to the MTA processing fee.
Duplicate Points Directory (S&H) $6.95.