Swapping RCI week for Disney Villa

[emmatink]

Just wondering if anyone has had any success swapping an RCI week for a week at one of the Disney Villas? We do not have "points", it would be swapping a week for a week. We love staying on Disney property and it would save us lots of money if we could use our RCI timeshare to stay in one of the Disney villas this year.

[disneydaisy]

I just recently booked a 1bedroom at BWV for November. However, we are points members. I have seen a lot of available units for points members, especially during the summer months. I have not seen anything for weeks members. As a week's member you should be able to have an ongoing search for the Disney properties. I would go this route. In addition, to just checking on a daily basis. Although it wasn't a disney property, it has worked for me in the past when we were a week's member.

[jrfromfla]

I am not a member, but my father is, he is part of the weeks program, and I used a guest certificate back in November 2009 (OKW), and I have a trip planned for July of this year (SSR).

I had to book the exchange early, if I remember correctly, I booked in February for the November week and this moth for July. I scoped out the website for a week before I made the reservation, and my first choice (BCV) was gone.

I would call RCI themselves, they may have a better choice of weeks.

Hope this helps.

[emmatink]

We do have an ongoing search going right now but have not heard anything yet. We are not planning a trip until the beginning of December so we have put our request in early but nothing available so far. I actually can not see anything available for the whole year which is why I was asking if anyone has had any luck. I am wondering if I should just book off property while the places close by are still available.

[potzie]

Where do you own your timeshare? Also what is the Trading Power Units assigned to the week that you have deposited? That will help determine if you will get a hit. If your unit is within 100 miles of Orlando, then you are shut out through DVC and can not trade into DVC. Also if your TPU is 12 for instance you will never get a hit either. My week at Orange Lake is 29 but since it's within the lockout zone I can't exchange in even if a 2 Bedroom at DVC might only take 22 points.

[emmatink]

Timeshare is in Myrtle Beach, SC and trading power is 19. Do you think we will have any luck? Seems like you have a lot of knowledge about trading potzie. How do you like Orange Lake? There are units available there for our week to trade.

[garthbarth1]

We too are RCI members that have a weeks membership. We have never had any luck getting into any Disney property. I dont know what our trading power is...our home timeshare is in Cancun. We always pay on our own to stay at Disney even though we have weeks available to exchange.

[potzie]

Timeshare is in Myrtle Beach, SC and trading power is 19. Do you think we will have any luck? Seems like you have a lot of knowledge about trading potzie. How do you like Orange Lake? There are units available there for our week to trade.

We like it a lot. It is nice that we can be to Disney in a few minutes and that we have a lot of amenities right at the resort. Lazy River, multiple pools, small waterslides. I would love to stay at DVC once to see the difference. I miss the extra magic hours put outside that I'm not sure there is much for me.

[potzie]

We too are RCI members that have a weeks membership. We have never had any luck getting into any Disney property. I dont know what our trading power is...our home timeshare is in Cancun. We always pay on our own to stay at Disney even though we have weeks available to exchange.

If you go into your RCI site and look at "Manage Your Deposits". It will show you how many points your week is worth. If you look at the "Deposit Calculator" on the side it will allow you to roughly figure out what a week at a DVC is worth when you are looking as a comparison but that doesn't tell you if it's available, just how many points it would take if it was.

[WeLuvBuzz]

In March we are staying in a one bedroom at BWV that we traded into using our RCI week (not points)from our Hilton Head Timeshare. Weeks for December should be appearing soon as I was able to already book our week at Christmas at VWL where we own points. I believe it takes a pretty high trading power to get into DVC; 25 for most. You might want to consider combing weeks if necessary. Good luck!

[mdhiggin]

I had to book the exchange early, if I remember correctly, I booked in February for the November week and this moth for July. I scoped out the website for a week before I made the reservation, and my first choice (BCV) was gone.

That's nine months out. Even DVC members can't book at nine months out unless they own at that resort. We can book at 11 months at our home resort and 7 months at others. It seems like allowing a non-DVC member to book before 7 months wouldn't be fair. Just my two cents.

[emmatink]

I can't find out what the trading power is for the disney villas, does anyone know for sure? This is kind of why I am trying to figure out if I am just wasting my time. I am sure it probably depends on when you are going too. We are trying to go the first week in December. Thanks for all the replies

[potzie]

First week in December is one of the busiest DVC weeks of the year for owners. I would think the chances of anything coming up are slim at best.

[emmatink]

Wow I didn't think this would be a popular week. Any suggestions for another time to go when we can go to the Christmas party? Would the second week in December be a better time?

[SoundQ SVT]

I recently completed a trade into DVC using RCI weeks. The DVC villas are trading power 25 in RCI, as was already mentioned. I was looking for a 2 bedroom (Beach Club Villas ideally, but any on property would have worked) for Oct 2011 and started an ongoing search in October 2010 knowing that DVC owners could start booking 11 months out if they owned at the resort they wanted to deposit. I got the match I was looking for (1 week earlier than ideal, but good enough) and booked it.

My deposited week was a 30 trading power - a May 2010 2 bedroom at the Suites at Hershey in Hershey, PA (I actually deposited it for this trip just after learning DVC was coming to RCI). It is amazing that I could still get a decent second week off that single deposit with the 5 points I have left...

Very much looking forward to my first DVC stay.

[LynneM]

Wow I didn't think this would be a popular week. Any suggestions for another time to go when we can go to the Christmas party? Would the second week in December be a better time?

All of December is really tough...members like the comparatively low point costs and holiday events available during the first few weeks of Dec, and then you have Christmas week itself. I think it's harder to get DVC reservations in Dec than any other time of year. Members are camped out on the phone the minute their 11-month booking window opens.

I wouldn't give up hope, but just be aware that it's a really busy time, and have a backup plan in place.

[momofdisneyprincess]

Timeshare is in Myrtle Beach, SC and trading power is 19. Do you think we will have any luck? Seems like you have a lot of knowledge about trading potzie. How do you like Orange Lake? There are units available there for our week to trade.

Last year I was able to trade my Hawaii (trade value of 28) for a 2BR at BWV. Since then, availability has significantly dwindled. Right now the only DVC I see are trading power of 25, studios at OKW and Saratoga. A trading power of 19 will not get you into DVC. Also, the exclusion area is a 30 mile radius not a 100 mile radius. Meaning, if the trade you own is within 30 miles of DVC, you cannot trade. Good luck.

[nunners]

We are Hilton members and were able to get a 2BR at BCV for next Sept. through RCI. We see a lot of Disney on our RCI site, but have heard that Hilton has very good trading power with Disney. There seems to be more availability on the weeks side than points side, but have seen both. We check online quite often (weekly at least) when looking for a room. Good Luck!

[emmatink]

Thanks for all the advice. We are trading through the weeks side through RCI and we did have something come through for SSR but declined it. We have a deluxe room at BW reserved with a pin we received but are hoping for a villa to maybe save some money. I am a little bit spoiled with the deluxe resorts and know that I would not be happy at SSR. I love the convenience of the Epcot resorts. It may sound a little bit greedy but I am holding out, maybe something better will come along.