A year using RCI Extra Vacations

[onthego]

Just for fun I checked what it would take to spend a year using RCI extra vacations full time. Started in North Carolina, then up to New England for leaf peeping, then back south for the winter in Florida. In the spring headed north to the Carolina beaches then west through Tenn, Missouri, the mountains, Northwest ending up a year from now in California. Cost $24,795 plus a few 1 night motel stays. gas, food, etc. Free utilities, house cleaning, and resort activities. Not bad.

Details below.

Fairfield Harbour/Windjammer Villas II (#4208)New Bern NC 285602 Bedrooms6 (6 )Full Sun 02-Oct-2011 Sun 09-Oct-2011 USD 485.99
Wyndham Resort at Fairfield Harbour (#0123)New Bern NC. 285601 Bedroom4 (4) Mini Sat 08-Oct-2011 Sat 15-Oct-2011 USD 422.99
Wyndham Kingsgate (#2481 Williamsburg, VA 23185 1 Bedroom 4 (2) Mini Fri 14-Oct-2011 Fri 21-Oct-2011 USD 332.99
Smugglers' Notch Resort (#0300) Smugglers' Notch, VT 05464 1 Bedroom 6 (4) Full Sun 23-Oct-2011 Sun 30-Oct-2011 USD 341.99
Vacation Village in the Berkshires (#6057) Hancock, MA 01237 1 Bedroom 4 (4) Full Sun 30-Oct-2011 Sun 06-Nov-2011 USD 341.99
Wyndham Ocean Ridge II (#6466 Edisto Island, SC 29438 1 Bedroom 4 (4) Full Sun 06-Nov-2011 Sun 13-Nov-2011 USD 305.99
Wyndham Ocean Boulevard (#6777North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582 2 Bedrooms8 (6) Full Sun 13-Nov-2011 Sun 20-Nov-2011 USD 305.99
Sheraton Broadway Plantation (#4322)Myrtle Beach, SC 29577 1 Bedroom 4 (4) Mini Sun 20-Nov-2011 Sun 27-Nov-2011 USD 575.99
Carolina Grande (#8693) Myrtle Beach, SC 29577 1 Bedroom 4 (2) Full Sun 27-Nov-2011 Sun 04-Dec-2011 USD 278.99
Coral Sands Resort (#6736 Hilton Head Island, SC 29938 3 Bedrooms10 (8) Full Sun 04-Dec-2011 Sun 11-Dec-2011 USD 404.99
Waterside by Spinnaker (#5366) Hilton Head Island, SC 29938 3 Bedrooms8 (8) Full Sat 10-Dec-2011 Sat 17-Dec-2011 USD 404.99
Wyndham Panama City Beach (#A659Panama City, FL 32413 1 Bedroom 4 (4) Full Fri 16-Dec-2011 Fri 23-Dec-2011 USD 386.99
Vacation Village at Parkway (#4940) Kissimmee, FL 34747 1 Bedroom 4 (4) Partial Sat 24-Dec-2011 Sat 31-Dec-2011 USD 647.99
Wyndham Cypress Palms (#3995) Kissimmee, FL 34746 1 Bedroom 4 (4) Full Sun 01-Jan-2012 Sun 08-Jan-2012 USD 791.99
Wyndham Bonnet Creek Resort (#6369)Lake Buena Vista, FL 328302 Bedrooms8 (6) Full Sat 07-Jan-2012 Sat 14-Jan-2012 USD 440.99
Westgate Vacation Villas (#0899 Kissimmee, FL 34747 2 Bedrooms10 (6) Full Sat 14-Jan-2012 Sat 21-Jan-2012 USD 305.99
Westgate Vacation Villas (#0899 Kissimmee, FL 34747 1 Bedroom 4 (4) Full Sat 21-Jan-2012 Sat 28-Jan-2012 USD 269.99
Westgate Vacation Villas (#0899 Kissimmee, FL 34747 2 Bedrooms6 (6) Full Sat 28-Jan-2012 Sat 04-Feb-2012 USD 305.99
Wyndham Cypress Palms (#3995) Kissimmee, FL 34746 1 Bedroom 4 (4) Full Sat 04-Feb-2012 Sat 11-Feb-2012 USD 485.99
Wyndham Cypress Palms (#3995) Kissimmee, FL 34746 1 Bedroom 4 (4) Full Sat 11-Feb-2012 Sat 18-Feb-2012 USD 485.99
Wyndham Cypress Palms (#3995) Kissimmee, FL 34746 1 Bedroom 4 (4) Full Sat 18-Feb-2012 Sat 25-Feb-2012 USD 566.99
Wyndham Cypress Palms (#3995) Kissimmee, FL 34746 1 Bedroom 4 (4) Full Sat 25-Feb-2012 Sat 03-Mar-2012 USD 521.99
Westgate Vacation Villas (#0899 Kissimmee, FL 34747 1 Bedroom4 (4) Full Sat 03-Mar-2012 Sat 10-Mar-2012 USD 494.99
Westgate Vacation Villas (#0899 Kissimmee, FL 34747 1 Bedroom4 (4) Full Sat 10-Mar-2012 Sat 17-Mar-2012 USD 494.99
Westgate Vacation Villas (#0899 Kissimmee, FL 34747 2 Bedrooms6 (6) Full Sat 17-Mar-2012 Sat 24-Mar-2012 USD 566.99
Westgate Vacation Villas (#0899 Kissimmee, FL 34747 1 Bedroom4 (4) Full Sat 24-Mar-2012 Sat 31-Mar-2012 USD 494.99
Mizner Place (#7559) Weston, FL 33326 1 Bedroom4 (4) Full Sat 31-Mar-2012 Sat 07-Apr-2012 USD 386.99
Mizner Place (#7559) Weston, FL 33326 1 Bedroom4 (4) Full Sat 07-Apr-2012 Sat 14-Apr-2012 USD 386.99
Mizner Place (#7559) Weston, FL 33326 1 Bedroom4 (4) Full Sat 14-Apr-2012 Sat 21-Apr-2012 USD 332.99
Mizner Place (#7559) Weston, FL 33326 1 Bedroom4 (4) Full Sat 21-Apr-2012 Sat 28-Apr-2012 USD 332.99
Vacation Village at Parkway (#4940) Kissimmee, FL 34747 1 Bedroom 4 (4) Full Sat 28-Apr-2012 Sat 05-May-2012 USD 359.99
Wyndham Vacation Resorts Lake Marion (#A863)Santee, SC 291423 Bedrooms10 (8) Full Sat 05-May-2012 Sat 12-May-2012 USD 467.99
Wyndham Vacation Resorts Lake Marion (#A863)Santee, SC 291423 Bedrooms10 (8) Full Sat 12-May-2012 Sat 19-May-2012 USD 467.99
Wyndham Smoky Mountains (#5993 Sevierville, TN 37862 1 Bedroom4 (4) Full Sat 19-May-2012 Sat 26-May-2012 USD 359.99
Wyndham Nashville (#3688Nashville, TN 37214 1 Bedroom4 (2) Full Sat 26-May-2012 Sat 02-Jun-2012 USD 449.99
Lakewood Resort (#5127) Osage Beach, MO 65065 1 Bedroom4 (4) Full Sat 02-Jun-2012 Sat 09-Jun-2012 USD 359.99
The Suites at Fall Creek (#3037) Branson, MO 65616 1 Bedroom4 (4) Full Sat 09-Jun-2012 Sat 16-Jun-2012 USD 449.99
Westgate Branson Lakes (#4065) Hollister, MO 65672 1 Bedroom4 (4) Full Sat 16-Jun-2012 Sat 23-Jun-2012 USD 503.99
Westgate Branson Lakes (#4065) Hollister, MO 65672 1 Bedroom4 (4) Full Sat 23-Jun-2012 Sat 30-Jun-2012 USD 503.99
Westgate Branson Lakes (#4065) Hollister, MO 65672 2 Bedrooms8 (8) Full Sat 30-Jun-2012 Sat 07-Jul-2012 USD 557.99
The Mountainside at SilverCreek (#1325) Granby, CO 80446 1 Bedroom 5 (4) Full Sat 07-Jul-2012 Sat 14-Jul-2012 USD 620.99
The Mountainside at SilverCreek (#1325) Granby, CO 80446 1 Bedroom 5 (4) Full Sat 14-Jul-2012 Sat 21-Jul-2012 USD 620.99
The Mountainside at SilverCreek (#1325) Granby, CO 80446 1 Bedroom 5 (4) Full Sat 21-Jul-2012 Sat 28-Jul-2012 USD 620.99
The Mountainside at SilverCreek (#1325) Granby, CO 80446 1 Bedroom 5 (4) Full Sat 28-Jul-2012 Sat 04-Aug-2012 USD 620.99
Stoneridge Resort (#0249) Blanchard, ID 83804 1 Bedroom 4 (4) Full Fri 03-Aug-2012 Fri 10-Aug-2012 USD 494.99
Stoneridge Resort (#0249) Blanchard, ID 83804 1 Bedroom 4 (4) Full Fri 10-Aug-2012 Fri 17-Aug-2012 USD 494.99
Stoneridge Resort (#0249) Blanchard, ID 83804 1 Bedroom 4 (4) Full Fri 17-Aug-2012 Fri 24-Aug-2012 USD 494.99
Windjammer Condominiums (#0970)Ocean Shores, WA 98569 1 Bedroom 4 (4) Full Sun 26-Aug-2012 Sun 02-Sep-2012 USD 467.99
Eagle Crest (#2024) Redmond, OR 97756 2 Bedrooms6 (6) Full Sat 01-Sep-2012 Sat 08-Sep-2012 USD 647.99
Olympic Village Inn (#0916 Olympic Valley, CA 96146 1 Bedroom 4 (2) Partial Sun 09-Sep-2012 Sun 16-Sep-2012 USD 638.99
Olympic Village Inn (#0916 Olympic Valley, CA 96146 1 Bedroom 4 (2) Partial Sun 16-Sep-2012 Sun 23-Sep-2012 USD 620.99
The Lodge at Lake Tahoe (#1101)South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150 1 Bedroom 4 (2) Full Fri 21-Sep-2012 Fri 28-Sep-2012 USD 530.99
The Lodge at Lake Tahoe (#1101)South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150 1 Bedroom 4 (4) Full Fri 28-Sep-2012 Fri 05-Oct-2012 USD 530.99


Checkout our travel blog.
http://onthego-timesharetravels.blogspot.com/

 

[ronparise]

Ive played the same game but instead of using Extra Vacation. Ive looked at using Last Call and the discounted rci points vacations

I think you could do it for under $300 a week or about $15000 a year and never have to leave Florida ...

 

[lprstn]

That's a great deal of savings.

What are other options?

 

[ronandjoan]

Consider maximinizing your weeks with bonus weeks from the smaller companies -- e.g. DAE offerrs unlimited bonus weeks and often at $99 a week, that will beat RCI any time

I know, I know, inventory is limited, but Mexico?

 

[alexadeparis]

I think you have planned a great list, but as stated, if you are willing to take a risk with waiting for last call and not booking out so far, it might be a little cheaper. But, that still beats a mortgage payment even at $24k for the whole year and you don't have to clean! This type of list gives me hope that this realistically can be done without being too expensive.

 

[yowzator]

Your link is broken, but this one should work:
http://onthego-timesharetravels.blogspot.com/

I've thought about doing something like this, but not for an entire year. That would be fun!

As others have said, it could be done even cheaper by mixing Last Call vacations at $244 - $294 per week in with Extra Vacations. Or using other exchanges like DAE with their $99 bonus weeks. If you were somehow able to work it out using only Last Call vacations, it could be done for as little as $13,000 for 52 weeks. Using a mix of bonus/last call/extra weeks, something in the range of $15K to $20K for a year should be doable.

Realistically, I couldn't do this for a full year anytime soon. I have an 8-year-old daughter in school which makes it impossible. But, I'm really tempted to try this over the summer for a month or two. I was already thinking about possibly renting an RV for a month or two, but this might actually work out to be more cost effective, and certainly more luxurious.

Either way, it would have to be a "working vacation", as I can't get away from my business for too long. I do have the luxury of being able to work from anywhere that has power and internet access, so I'm very tempted...

 

[MichaelColey]

When I first started with RCI, I was really excited about Last Call and Extra Vacations. Then I stayed in a few that are regularly available there and figured out that I can get much better accomodations through exchanges. If you can get a low enough TPU cost ($10 is doable if you search around), your cost to exchange into a 10 TPU unit is $279 ($179 exchange fee plus $100 in maintenance fees). For 52 weeks, that's $14,508. That's totally doable, but it would mostly be in fairly average (but better than Last Call) timeshares. Bumping up to an average of 20 TPU would make it $379 or $19,708 per year. You could get quite a few premium timeshares into the mix and keep your average below 20 TPU.

 

[onthego]

Yawzotor - Thanks for pointing out my broken travel blog url. I've fixed it.

 

[yowzator]

When I first started with RCI, I was really excited about Last Call and Extra Vacations. Then I stayed in a few that are regularly available there and figured out that I can get much better accomodations through exchanges. If you can get a low enough TPU cost ($10 is doable if you search around), your cost to exchange into a 10 TPU unit is $279 ($179 exchange fee plus $100 in maintenance fees). For 52 weeks, that's $14,508. That's totally doable, but it would mostly be in fairly average (but better than Last Call) timeshares. Bumping up to an average of 20 TPU would make it $379 or $19,708 per year. You could get quite a few premium timeshares into the mix and keep your average below 20 TPU.

Michael -- doesn't doing this really matter on how much value your timeshares are worth and what your maintenance fees are? It might be more cost effective for some people to use Last Call or Extra weeks instead of exchanges.

I'm really new to this, and I'd like to completely understand what you are suggesting. I'm assuming you mean you do this:

* Deposit your timeshare week. Let's assume it is worth 40 TPU and you pay $400 per year in maintenance fees.
* You book four exchanges, each costing 10 TPU, $179 exchange fee, and $100 of your maintenance fee.
* Now you can travel for 4 weeks to "better" resorts than Last Call and Extra. Your total cost is $400 in maintenance fees plus $716 (4*179) in exchange fees, or $1116.
* If you own 13 timeshares all worth the same as described above, then you could travel this way for 52 weeks for a grand total of $14,508.

You say this is totally doable, but how many people out there really have 13 timeshares to do this with? I can't imagine having a $5,200 timeshare maintenance fee due each year, but I'm sure it makes sense to others.

I'm sure I have a crappy timeshare -- I certainly didn't know what I was doing when I bought it. But I'd like to make the most of it since I'm stuck with it.

For my timeshare, I'm not getting anywhere near the kind of deal described above. I just made a deposit yesterday for a floating week and I don't know yet how much TPU I'll get. Based on the deposit calculator, it will probably be between 11 and 14 TPU per studio. I have a lock-off unit that I split into 2 studios, so my total deposit will net me around 22 - 28 TPU. I pay $810 per year for that.

Assuming the worst, and that I only get 11 TPU per studio, this would mean my costs for a week exchange into 10 TPU units would be $179 plus $405 maintenance fees. Or $1168 for 2 weeks which equates to $30,368 per year, and I'd have to own 26 timeshares like this.

It would actually be a little less since I'd have 1 TPU left over per deposit. I could combine them together for $99 more and use it to get 2 or 3 more weeks.

Have I accurately described what you are suggesting? Or am I missing something important?

Thanks!
Tauren

 

[MichaelColey]

With that high of a TPU cost, you're probably just as good off with Extra Vacations or Last Call (or renting). Just about any exchange you make is going to be expensive.

A couple other options for cheap year-round timesharing (albeit with high upfront costs):

Wyndham Platinum VIP would let you book Wyndhams 60 days out for half the points. That would make some places as cheap as about 60k Wyndham points (with a MF of about $5/1K points), so about $300/week.

Disney Vacation Club Studios take as little as about 70 DVC points (about $5/point), so that's about $350/week.

Also, some smaller exchange companies give 1-3 exchanges for each deposit, so if you split lockouts and deposit in those, you could get 2-6 exchanges for each unit you own.

You could also just rent. I'm sure if you watch eBay or the TUG last minute rental forum, you could find something cheap just about any week. Figure $50-$100/night, so $18,250 - $36,500 per year.

 

[chriskre]

DAE also discounts their weeks to $79 to $99 per week last minute which is nice if you're flexible. I've gotten a few 2 bedroom Westgate weeks for Orlando from DAE for $79 in years past.

 

[jennstall]

I would probably take my chances and do this with Last Call and then mix it in with Extra Vacations when they go on sale -- like now with the $199 sale. I think you could spend practically the whole year on Last Call in Florida except for the month of February (I usually wind up in Myrtle Beach because of this) so if you could pick up a few weeks in advance on one of the sales that would save quite a bit.

 

[Steve NH]

Also - if you know far enough in advance you can check out last calls 1 year in advance.
I find that a resort that has a number of last calls in a particular month - always has them available for that month. - Those you can pretty much count on well in advance. (same with bonus weeks requiring only an exchange fee)

The only downside -
sure you may be able to timeshare for a whole year for less than a mortgage payment...
but you still gotta pay the mortgage.

 

[C30NY]

I have to ask...how long did to F around to do all that?!

 

[ronparise]

The only downside -
sure you may be able to timeshare for a whole year for less than a mortgage payment...
but you still gotta pay the mortgage.

The plan is to pay off the mortgage, or give up the house and mortgage altogether..... no house = no mortgage

 

[jennstall]

Also - if you know far enough in advance you can check out last calls 1 year in advance.
I find that a resort that has a number of last calls in a particular month - always has them available for that month. - Those you can pretty much count on well in advance. (same with bonus weeks requiring only an exchange fee)

The only downside -
sure you may be able to timeshare for a whole year for less than a mortgage payment...
but you still gotta pay the mortgage.

Yes, I totally agree about the availability. It seems fairly reliable year to year.


Oddly enough, I own three timeshares and I don't own a house (and never have) so no mortgage. Although I don't know that I would consider timesharing rather than just never owning a place, but as a renter who moves around a lot, I think the timeshare alternative is pretty appealing.

 

[chriskre]

Yes, I totally agree about the availability. It seems fairly reliable year to year.

With RCI, nothing is reliable anymore so I wouldn't count on anything being the same every year.

 

[HenryT]

This all sounds appealing but as you all know you really have to look at all the costs associated with this plan. You save on mortgage/rent and utilities but you are adding the cost of gas, extra car maintenance costs, insurance to protect your vacations, storage costs for your furniture and stuff if you aren't selling/giving away everything you own, etc. So, what is the total cost of doing this is the question.

Also, if you are changing timeshares every week it gets to be a major hassle to pack and unpack every week.

As much as I love timesharving, I don't think a whole year of timesharing would appeal to me; even in retirement (maybe the first year of retirement)

 

[glypnirsgirl]

RonandJoan are on their fourth year of full-time timsharing. I love reading their travel blog. I suggest anyone interested in doing this start at the beginning of their blog to see what their set-up was.

To avoid packing every week, they try to stay at least 2 weeks in each location, at a few of their favorite places, they stay even longer.

Ian and I used to consider full-time RVing for our retirement; full time timesharing seems like a whole lot more fun because of the extra room and change of scenery.


elaine

 

[OldGuy]

Old-but-not-dead thread. Old-but-not-dead concept.

For the last several years I have done nothing through RCI except get EVs and LCs for other people. Two of the couples have the 5-Year Guest Pass now. One even got multiple units for his high school group.

This is the best use we have ever made of RCI, with the lowest 1-bedroom rental rates now at $239. Thousands of units available where you would expect them to be and nothing affordable where you would expect that to be.

Lots of skepticism the first time for each of those I help, but lots of satisfaction when they find out it's for real.

 

[Bxian]

In addition to Ron and John, our friends Mike and Edie have done something like the OP suggested-they mixed it up with weeks procured on travel auction sites as well as inexpensive hotel stays and timeshare preview weeks. They have gone into a fair amount of detail as to how they accomplished their traveling lifestyle (including cost breakdowns): https://www.fulltimetimeshare.com/
Also, many timeshare addicts are also points and miles addicts-so you could reduce travel costs using points and miles as well.

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

There is a thread from a couple of years ago where a TUGGER from Winnipeg
did the snowbird ,Jan - early April version of this type of adventure .

By memory : I think only 3 or 4 nights in a hotel when TS check-in/out dates did not
quite match ; and the net was 12 weeks for under $ 3000 total .
(?? perhaps -$2300)

Wyndham Nashville may have been a stopover on the way to sunshine & NO snow .

The resorts were listed and many were coastal beach locations . Orlando & inland was the
safety net due to the many properties located there .

Amazing what inspiration a cold long winter gives -

********

< anyone able to find it & link it will get an extra free hour of sunshine / next October >

 

[OldGuy]

I think you could do it for under $300 a week or about $15000 a year and never have to leave Florida ...

never have to leave lehigh
- - - - - -
Back in the day, Ray and Darlene Harper did 26 weeks a year.
- - - - - -
I noticed a comment that suggests that EVs and LCs are to "lesser" resorts, but I can assure you that the ones I get for my friends are the good resorts, the same ones people want to exchange into.

As far as availability, I was looking for something in Branson for someone a couple days ago, and there were thousands of EVs and LCs in my window, more than 1500 at just one resort.

On the other hand, there were just 10 in Estes Park, none of them discounted, and just high dollar stuff on Sanibel. But, even on Sanibel, I got a friend a unit at Caribe in January a few years back.

Like I said earlier, it is what you would expect it to be, if you knew enough to know what to expect it to be.

 

[OldGuy]

Example available now:

1 Bedroom Partial4/4 Max Occupancy/Privacy
Fri 12-Apr-2019 toFri 19-Apr-2019
SAVE NOW 40% OFF

USD 29.99Average Nightly RateUSD 209.99 / 7 Nights

 

[ronandjoan]

In addition to Ron and John, our friends Mike and Edie have done something like the OP suggested-they mixed it up with weeks procured on travel auction sites as well as inexpensive hotel stays and timeshare preview weeks. They have gone into a fair amount of detail as to how they accomplished their traveling lifestyle (including cost breakdowns): https://www.fulltimetimeshare.com/

Ron and Joan here! Yes, still traveling but only 6-7 months a year now... on our way to LA right now to 5 weeks of timeshares ( yes, 2 weeks st Laguna Beach!) while we visit our college grandchildren music majors’ concerts. Just stopped at Mike and Edie’s house for a wonderful visit.
We are exchanging mainly with a Platinum interchange and DAE now, and staying in Airbnb’s rather than hotels on the way down to LA and also on our Midwest trip ( August-Oct) ...like in Springfield IL where our son lives ( and no timeshare there) on our way to Telemark....

We’re slowing down but still enjoy the timeshare life