Non-DVC Resorts

[leec5331@comcas]

I'm sorry if this question has been answered in other threads. Please send me a link if it has been. Thanks.

I'm considering purchasing DVC points. I will be going down to WDW at least every other year with my brother and his family. My partner and I travel all over and I'd love to be able to exchange some points to use at other timeshare resorts (He HATES Disney and crowds). For those of you who have exchanged your points to use at non-Disney resorts, have you enjoyed them? What about the # of points required? Is it comparable to the points requirements at DVC resorts.

Thanks for your help!
Lee

[TestSherpa]

Any time you use your points for non DVC-resorts, or even the cruise, it is not the best value per point use of your points. Having said that, the resorts are great from what I've heard. if you're not going to use them at WDW or another D property, it's still great to be able to use them at another location, like Keystone, CO.

[NC_WDW_Daddy]

I have read good reviews on the DVC at Hilton Head, but those points are generally less than the on-site DVC resorts. A good option for some seems to be buying at an off-site DVC resort, then using those less expensive points at a WDW DVC resort. Of course, you cna not make reservations as early as your home resort.

[doconeill]

I'm not sure, but by "non-DVC resorts" are you referring to resorts outside of Disney completely, like other timeshare locations? You CAN use points at most moderate and above non-DVC Disney resorts (i.,e. Polynesian, etc. - as long as there is not a DVC part of the resort), but they are VERY expensive point-wise. You can generally get at least twice as long a vacation at a DVC resort.

In general, it is believed that buying DVC points with the intention of at least frequently "trading out" of DVC through one of the timeshare exchange systems is not a good use of your points. I have not done it myself, but in general I have heard that it can be tough to get reservations and dates at other locations.

However, it IS an option. DVC recently switched from Interval International to RCI for its exchange system. The points costs for a week in 2009 for a 1 bedroom vill at an RCI location ranges from 124 to 160 points, and for a 2BR is 207-270.

I believe the location options through RCI do NOT consist of the entire RCI catalog either...