RCI - Worth Fees or Not?

I'm a relatively new owner at SB with Super Presidential week 14. Love the resort but wife wants to go somewhere else this year so we're considering signing up with RCI to trade. My week is only 4 months out and I've heard questionable things about the way RCI trades weeks, lack of availability, etc. Would love to hear others perspective on RCI, trading 2 bedrooms within a few months of reservation time, etc. I would be happy switching to Emerald Bay during same time or summer. Pains me to pay fees and bank my week with RCI when I can't see up front what's available to trade for. Any help is appreciated.

The only real way to trade for something comparable to Sunset beach on RCI is 2 years out. You will get absolutely nothing with just months out. I banked a Sunset Beach one bedroom and booked a SB two bedroom two years out. Most places do not compare with Sunset Beach. Hope this helps.

I'd say it's not really worth it. A lot of the nicer hotels (like Sunset Beach) have strict rules on trading for them. For example, we have another timeshare and like to trade to go to Sunset Beach. They now have a rule where you can only trade to Sunset Beach once every 4 years! It's especially difficult when you are looking for a larger unit. We own a 3 bedroom unit and are only allowed to trade up to a Maximum of a 1 bedroom at Sunset. A lot of the resorts seem to do similar things, so you have to be a bit careful.

In my opinion, it's better to try and buy someone else's week/sell yours through Redweek than to link up with RCI and have a crap shoot.

I own and banked two studio units that did not get used at PB Sunset Beach last year 2009 and just this week exchanged them for two Executive suites much bigger units for Dec. 2010 plus I had the choice of many other times during this year. I own 6 PB Sunset units and have no problem exchanging them with RCI for any other PB resorts anywhere. It cost about 175. per exchange after you pay the initial sign up fee.