Posts Tagged ‘RCI timeshare’

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RCI Timeshare Exchange Directory: Why You Should Study It

Saturday, September 4th, 2010

RCI Timeshare Directory

I have found that many timeshare owners I consult with look at their RCI timeshare exchange directory once a year-usually just before they are ready to place an exchange request. I recommend you really get familiar your directory long before that.

How Getting to Know Your RCI Timeshare Exchange Directory Helps You Get Better Timeshare Exchanges

Rather than picking it up the day you want to request your RCI timeshare exchange, you should go through it before hand and not only star the resorts you like, but also cross out the ones you do not want. There is a lot of information packed into the listings that will help in Planning Your Next Timeshare Exchange

For instance, if you want to exchange to a RCI resort on the beach, some of the timeshare resorts listed may be blocks from the beach rather than right on it. Crossing them off now will save you the time of filtering through them when you’re ready to do your timeshare exchange.

Below each RCI timeshare listing there is a series of color coded, round symbols that will quickly give you important information. There are currently 48 of these symbols in the RCI timeshare exchange directory that will give you an insight as to what amenities are in the unit itself, on site at the resort and nearby the resort.

For instance, with a quick glance you can tell whether your unit has a washer/dryer, dishwasher and air conditioning. You can also tell whether the RCI timeshare resort is on a lake, beach or ski slope, whether it is an all inclusive and if the all inclusive is mandatory or optional.

For some people the most important criteria in doing a RCI timeshare exchange may be whether there is on site child care and organized children’s activities. For others it may be whether there is a casino or bar on site. Because of how the RCI timeshare exchange directory is formatted you can tell all of this and more with a quick glance.

Another nice touch is the phone numbers and websites to the RCI timeshare resorts are listed in the directory allowing you to get even more in-depth information. Questions like: does the resort provide free day care, are there organized activities for kids, are basic spices like salt, pepper and garlic powder provided, are there barbecues on site and what are some of the best activities they recommend nearby are just a few of the questions to ask that will better help you in determining your resort choice.

Don’t Be Afraid to Mark Up Your RCI Timeshare Directory

The RCI timeshare exchange directory is very nice so you may be hesitant to mark it up with pen and highlighter; but not only will this help you enormously in Getting a Great Exchange but you will get a new one next year.

So grab a cup of coffee or a glass of wine and have some fun with it. With about 4,200 resorts in RCI timeshare exchange directory this will help you to Plan Your Next Exchange Each year many new RCI resorts are added so keep your old directory for reference.

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Jeff Pierce, The Timeshare Expert, has taught thousands of timeshare owners the secrets to getting the best exchanges with both RCI and Interval International for over 22 years.

His two books, The RCI Timeshare Exchange Bible, and The Interval International Timeshare Exchange Bible, are the only books of their kind in the timeshare industry and designed to help you master at the very complicated art of getting good exchanges.

I would love to have you share your opinions and personal insights on this blog.

For 10 FREE videos on getting better timeshare exchanges in RCI and II go to TheTimeshareExpert.com.

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Learn How To Get A Great RCI Timeshare Exchange

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RCI Timeshare: How To Increase Your Timeshare Exchange Power

Saturday, August 21st, 2010

How to Increase Your RCI Timeshare Exchange Power

How To Get The RCI Timeshare You Want

Here’s a big secret to increasing your timeshare exchange power to get the RCI timeshare resort you want – Bank Early!!

I know, you’ve heard this before and you’re thinking, “Big deal! What kind of advice is this?” In two words, extremely important!

I’ve found, that even though this is common knowledge, and RCI timeshare owners are constantly reminded of this, few people understand or use this simple strategy that really increases your timeshare exchange power. Here’s why.

Why Banking Your RCI Timeshare Early Increases Your Timeshare Exchange Power

Many timeshare owners believe they have to know which RCI timeshare they want to exchange to before banking their week. This is a big mistake that can really harm your timeshare exchange power and make it much more difficult to get the RCI timeshare you want.

You do not need to know which RCI timeshare you’re going to want for your next vacation in order to bank it. You just need to know if you want to use it in your home resort or not. If you answer no to that question then bank it as early as possible to increase your timeshare exchange power. You can decide later where to use it.

The reason banking your RCI timeshare early is so important is because of the pecking order of RCI timeshare exchange system. Simply put, if I bank my RCI timeshare week today, and you bank yours tomorrow, and every thing else between us is equal, I have priority over you just because I banked my week one measly day before you.

Insider Secret to Help You Get the RCI Timeshare You Want

The first quarter of the year is when RCI receives the largest amount of people banking their RCI timeshare week. This is because January is the most common month that HOA fees are due and it serves to remind the RCI timeshare owner they need to do something with their week. So here’s the secret.

Always bank next year’s week and put in your request this year to get ahead of the crowd to increase your RCI timeshare exchange power and to tap into the greatest amount of available inventory.

Here’s another little known fact….

Just How Far In Advance Should You Bank Your RCI Timeshare Week?

For every month over 7 months in advance you bank your RCI timeshare week your exchange power increases. For every month under 7 months your timeshare exchange power decreases. For example, if you bank a July 2009 week in May of 2008 you will have significantly more timeshare exchange power than if you bank that same July 2009 week in January 2009.

In addition, you’ll have a bigger window of opportunity to use it. You’ll have between May of 2008 and July of 2011 to decide where to use that week! Not only do you now have more than 3 years to make up your mind but you will also increase your timeshare exchange power enormously.

Remember, the more in advance you do things in the timeshare world, the more choice and power you have. So don’t wait, bank your RCI timeshare week today.

While banking your RCI timeshare early will increase your exchange power, there are many more things you can do to supercharge your timeshare exchange power! To learn more about that, check out my guidebook..

“The RCI Timeshare Exchange Bible”

It’s the only guidebook of its kind in the timeshare industry and is loaded with tips and secrets I’ve learned in the 22 years I’ve been in the industry. It comes with a 100% money back guarantee that you will get a far better RCI timeshare exchange than you are now.

To view this post on Ezine Articles click on RCI Timeshare now.

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RCI Last Call and Extra Vacations for Timeshare Owners

Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010

I found this very helpful video on You Tube explaining how to get Last Call and Extra Vacations in RCI.  I found it at a site called X Force Articles.

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Jeff Pierce, The Timeshare Expert, has taught thousands of timeshare owners the secrets to getting the best exchanges with both RCI and Interval International for over 22 years.

His two books, The Timeshare Exchange Bible – RCI Weeks Edition, and The Timeshare Exchange Bible – Interval International, are the only books of their kind in the timeshare industry and designed to help you  master at the very complicated art of getting good exchanges.

I would love to have you share your opinions and personal insights on this blog.

For 10 FREE videos on getting better timeshare exchanges in RCI and II go to TheTimeshareExpert.com.

Join me on:

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Exchanging Timeshares: Getting a 2 BD Unit with a 1 BD

Friday, May 7th, 2010

This is a question I get quite frequently from clients about exchanging timeshares and that question is “if I put in two 1 bedroom units in RCI or Interval International, can I take out one week in a two bedroom?

And the answer to that question is “no, but…” Neither timeshare exchange company will allow you to do it that way BUT it’s not unusual to put a 1 bedroom in and take out a 2 bedroom when exchanging timeshares.

Now that’s going to depend on a couple of things, the first of which is how powerful a timeshare exchange you have, and also, if you’ve done everything possible to maximize your timeshare exchange power.  That’s a whole other story.

Exchanging Timeshares is Like Fishing

The first thing you want to do exchanging timeshares is to be broad in your request.  You want to think about exchanging timeshares like fishing.  The broader you cast your net the more fish you’ll likely catch.

So instead of giving RCI or Interval International one to three resorts you’d like as a timeshare exchange to, broaden it out to 8, 10 or 15.  That will increase your possibility of getting a 2 bedroom for a 1 bedroom quite significantly.

Also, you’ll want to find out how many 2 bedrooms units are in each of the timeshare resorts you’re requesting.  A common mistake many people make when exchanging timeshares  is thinking that the majority of the resort’s floor plans are 2 bedrooms when in fact a particular resort may only contain 3 or fewer 2 bedrooms.  If this is the case then you should add another resort to you list.

When exchanging timeshares give an increase span of time

You’ll also want to increase the span of time with which you’ll accept a confirmation.  Instead of requesting just the second week in February, if you can, expand it to include any week in February through March or April.  Again, this will increase your possibilities of getting a 2 bedroom for a 1 bedroom exponentially.

The way not to get a 2 bedroom for a 1 bedroom timeshare exchange is to request only 1 or 2 resorts for only 1 or 2 weeks of the year.

In conclusion, broaden out the number of resorts you’re requesting, expand out your reservation window and learn how to maximize your exchange power and you’ll have a much easier time of getting 2 bedroom suites with your 1 bedroom deposit.  And as always, the farther in advance you do this the better.

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Jeff Pierce, The Timeshare Expert, has taught thousands of timeshare owners the secrets of exchanging timeshares into the best resorts in both the RCI Directory and Interval International for over 22 years.

His two books, The RCI Timeshare Exchange Bible, and The Interval International Timeshare Exchange Bible, are the only books of their kind in the timeshare industry and designed to help you  master at the very complicated art of exchanging timeshares.

I would love to have you share your opinions and personal insights on this blog.

For 10 FREE videos on exchanging timeshares in RCI and Interval International go to TheTimeshareExpert.com.

Join me on:

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Exchanging timeshares made easy

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Anatomy of a Timeshare Vacation: Part 2

Thursday, September 3rd, 2009

In the previous post I had checked out doing a RCI timeshare exchange to The Club at Glacier, an all inclusive timeshare at the gates of Glacier National Park.  I next checked what I could pull in Interval International.

My Hilton Head timeshare week pulled a 2 bedroom, Premier resort at the San Juan Mountain and Golf Resort for September 11-18.  To my pleasant surprise, the 2 bedroom was a stand alone home in “The Timbers” and not a condo.  Now we’re talking.

The Timbers at San Juan Mountain Golf Resort

The Timbers at San Juan Mountain Golf Resort

Here’s what their website says:

“The Timbers is a luxury vacation ownership community in Pagosa Springs.  Located near the Pagosa Springs Golf Course and Recreation Center, The Timbers features nearby lakes for fishing, private walking paths, and a large pond with a water feature.  The Timbers offers magnificent views of the San Juan Mountains. Some of the extras include:

  • Quality wood cabinetry
  • Dramatic vaulted ceilings
  • Natural gas fireplace in great room with stone and wood mantle
  • Gourmet kitchen with stainless appliances, granite countertops and tile floors
  • Cable TV and High Speed Internet Access
  • In-floor radiant heating
  • Double insulated, sound proof common walls
  • Luxurious bathrooms with granite counter tops, walk-in shower, garden tub, and double vanity

More in the next post.

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Jeff Pierce, The Timeshare Expert, has taught thousands of timeshare owners the secrets to getting the best exchanges with both RCI and Interval International for over 21 years.

His two books, The Timeshare Exchange Bible – RCI Weeks Edition, and The Timeshare Exchange Bible – Interval International, are the only books of their kind in the timeshare industry and designed to help you  master at the very complicated art of getting good exchanges.

I would love to have you share your opinions and personal insights on this blog.

For 10 FREE videos on getting better timeshare exchanges in RCI and II, go to TheTimeshareExpert.com.

Join me on:

Twitter: My Space

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7 Tips for Exchanging Your Timeshare to Hawaii

Monday, August 24th, 2009

View of Hanalei Bay

View of Hanalei Bay

It’s been a couple of years since I’ve been to Hawaii but I used to exchange there frequently.  In fact, for 7 consecutive years I used my timeshares there to get 2 weeks back to back – usually one week on Kauai and the other on Maui.  I even lived on Maui at one time.

I’m sure, to many of you, so many timeshare exchanges to the same place may seem like overkill.  But there is something special about the Hawaiian Islands that keeps me coming back.  I’ve traveled extensively – from the Great Wall of China, Europe, Guatemala, Tahiti, most of Mexico and South America and of course most of the good old U.S of A. but Hawaii is one of the few places I’ll continually return to.  Another is Jackson, Wyoming.

So here are 7 tips when doing a timeshare exchange to Hawaii with either RCI or Interval International.

1. Book early
It can’t be said too often.  Hawaii always has much more demand than there is supply so you need to put in your request at least 1 year in advance.

2. Give multiple resort choice
Many timeshare exchangers only give RCI or Interval International 3 or 4 choices when putting in a request.  If you own a very powerful exchanging timeshare, and are putting in your request at least a year in advance, that’s fine.  If not, then make sure you request 10 or more resorts.

3. Find out how many timeshare units are in each resort you request
Not all of the timeshares pictured in the RCI and II directories contain 100% timeshare units.  Especially the resorts listed in RCI.  Some resorts are mixed use containing whole ownership, hotel and timeshare units.  What is pictured in the exchange directories as a large resort may contain only 4 timeshare units.  If this is the case you’ll want to add additional resorts to your request.  The best way to find out how many timeshare units are in a resort is to call it directly since this important fact isn’t mentioned in either directory.

Hanalei Valley Overlook

Hanalei Valley Overlook

4. Don’t go in September
If you really want to be safe you shouldn’t exchange to Hawaii anytime during hurricane season.  But that takes out the months of May through October.  It’s the month of September, however, that you’ll most likely encounter a hurricane or tropical storm.  And a big tropical storm can ruin your vacation just as fast as a hurricane.

5. Don’t get too much sun the first day
Many first time visitors to Hawaii don’t understand how intense the sun really is in the lower latitudes.  The first time my friend and I went we already had great tans from being young and living in California.  Thinking we were safe we used very little sunscreen the first day.  That night we wandered into the local bar glowing red from our day in the sun.  The bartender took one look at us and said, “You boys are from California, aren’t you?”  We acknowledged the fact and asked how he knew.  He said that Californians always got sunburned because thought they already had a tan.

So always wear the most powerful sunscreen you can find and take it easy the first day.  Getting too much sun the first day can ruin the rest of your trip.

6. If it’s your first trip, don’t go to Oahu

Sorry Oahu.  It is a lovely island with many things to do but for your first trip try Kauai, Maui or the Big Island to get a better feel of what the islands, and the aloha spirit, are all about -especially if you go to Kauai.  Kauai is the easiest to exchange to followed by The Big Island and Maui.

7. Don’t believe what you hear about Kauai
It’s been said many times that there’s not enough to do on Kauai.  If shopping’s your thing then you’d be better off on Maui or Oahu.  But other than that there is plenty to keep you busy for a week.  It’s the oldest and prettiest of the islands and the least commercial.  Unlike Maui and Oahu, known for their long stretches of uninterrupted sand, Kauai has many smaller, palm ringed, crescent beaches tucked away all over the island.  For the most part, many of them are uncrowded and visited mainly by locals.

Lumanai Beach, Kauai

Lumanai Beach, Kauai

So pack your bags and enjoy a piece of paradise.

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Jeff Pierce, The Timeshare Expert, has taught thousands of timeshare owners the secrets to getting the best exchanges with both RCI and Interval International for over 21 years.

His two books, The Timeshare Exchange Bible – RCI Weeks Edition, and The Timeshare Exchange Bible – Interval International, are the only books of their kind in the timeshare industry and designed to help you  master at the very complicated art of getting good exchanges.

I would love to have you share your opinions and personal insights on this blog.

For 10 FREE videos on getting better timeshare exchanges in RCI and II, go to TheTimeshareExpert.com.

Join me on:

Twitter: My Space

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Posted in Timeshare Exchange Tips | 2 Comments »

How To Exchange A Timeshare: The 2 Most Misunderstood Words

Thursday, August 6th, 2009
Concepcion Bay

Concepcion Bay

There are 2 words that many timeshare owners fail to understand that keeps them from getting good exchanges with RCI and Interval International.

Many people interpret “not available” to mean that it will never be available.  So they hang up the phone thinking that the exchange process doesn’t work and the whole thing is a scam.

Their frustration stems from the fact that their salesperson made it sound like doing an exchange would be just as easy as reserving a hotel room. But it’s not! It’s much easier getting hotel rooms because there are so many of them and they are generally only 65% occupied. More importantly, hotels know their availability in advance unlike RCI and Interval International.

But doing a timeshare exchange isn’t the same as reserving a hotel. As timeshare owners we trade off the ease, availability and expense of reserving a hotel room to get larger more comfortable condos for our family. And when a timeshare exchange is done right, we get to stay in really nice resorts for a fraction of what we would normally have to pay.

But neither RCI nor Interval International know the availability of any timeshare resort in advance. They have to wait until the owners in the timeshare resorts deposit their weeks into their exchange pools before they can offer it us. If every timeshare owner deposited their weeks on or before Jan 1 of each year, then doing a timeshare exchange would be easier and more like making a reservation in a hotel.

But in the real world both exchange companies receive deposits throughout the entire year and not all at one time. That’s the reason that owners are told that their request is “not available” nearly every time they want to do a timeshare exchange. The important thing to understand is that just because you’re request isn’t available the day you ask doesn’t mean it won’t become available at a later date. You see “not available” in timeshare speak really means that there’s a waiting list of people who have already requested the EXACT same thing as you.

So whenever you hear “not available” you should immediately ask to be put on the waiting list.  RCI and Interval International call that doing a pending search or request.  Now, WHETHER your request becomes available will depend on WHERE you come in on that waiting list and is another very important aspect of doing a timeshare exchange.

So one of the keys to getting a good timeshare exchange is in understanding that there will ALWAYS be a waiting list for the best resorts and/or peak travel periods. Rather than being frustrated with it, accept it and learn how to work it to your benefit. Frankly, the more people that don’t understand what “not available” really means, the better your chances of getting what you want on exchange.

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Jeff Pierce, The Timeshare Expert, has taught thousands of timeshare owners the secrets to getting the best exchanges with both RCI and Interval International for over 21 years.

His two books, The Timeshare Exchange Bible – RCI Weeks Edition, and The Timeshare Exchange Bible – Interval International, are the only books of their kind in the timeshare industry and designed to help you  master at the very complicated art of getting good exchanges.

I would love to have you share your opinions and personal insights on this blog.

For 10 FREE videos on getting a better exchange in RCI and II, go to TheTimeshareExpert.com.

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How to Get 4th of July When Exchanging With RCI or Interval International

Wednesday, July 8th, 2009

The 4th of July is one of the most difficult weeks to get on exchange in either RCI or Interval International. Now that the 2009 holiday is over you should be putting in your exchange request today for 4th of July 2010. The longer you wait,  the less chances you have of getting it.

Many timeshare owners don’t get around to putting in their exchange requests until after they receive their annual HOA bill. And typically that bill arrives in January of each year. Only those owners that have very powerful trading timeshares will be able to get 4th of July 2010 if they wait until next year to put in their request.

You should never wait until you receive your HOA bill to pay it. If you really want to increase your exchange power you should always request next year’s vacation this year. And that means you’ll have to pre-pay next year’s HOAs now. Many timeshare owners are unaware that they can do this so they wait. And as a consequence, they have less likelihood of getting what they want on exchange.

Most timeshare companies will let you pre-pay you HOA’s by credit card over the phone. Or you may be able to send in a check. But doing it that way will probably delay you getting in your exchange request by several weeks while your payment is being processed. And the longer you delay putting in your request the less your chances of getting confirmed.

Another thing to consider when requesting 4th of July week is that you’ll only be giving RCI or Interval International 1 week to search for. This adds another degree of difficulty to and already difficult exchange request. To offset this you need to increase the amount of resorts you’re willing to take. A good strategy to use to do this is to request 4th of July week in several different resort areas instead of just one.

For instance, you could request 8 resorts in Vail, Colorado, 6 in Whistler, British Colombia, 10 on the California coast and 8 on the Oregon coast. By doing this you would increase your odds of getting confirmed enormously.

So get going for next year’s 4th of July holiday now.  I’ve found that the timeshare owners that typically exchange for holiday weeks are planners by nature.  And they are some of the savviest timeshare exchangers in the industry.  The best way to compete with them is to get in your request early and to give a lot of resort choices.

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Jeff Pierce, The Timeshare Expert, has taught thousands of timeshare owners the secrets to getting the best exchanges with both RCI and Interval International for over 21 years.

His two books, The Timeshare Exchange Bible – RCI Weeks Edition, and The Timeshare Exchange Bible – Interval International, are the only books of their kind in the timeshare industry and designed to help you  master at the very complicated art of getting good exchanges. 

I would love to have you share your opinions and personal insights on this blog. 

For 10 FREE videos on getting a better exchange in RCI and II, go to TheTimeshareExpert.com.  

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Disney Vacation Club Affiliates with RCI

Thursday, December 11th, 2008

It looks like the Disney Vacation Club has signed a multi-year contract with Group RCI, a timeshare exchange company. 

Effective, January 1, 2009, RCI will be the exclusive exchange provider for Disney Vacation Club timeshare members. Under the terms of the new agreement, timeshare owners at Disney Vacation Club will be able to use their Disney Vacation Club timeshare points to book timeshare at RCI resorts all over the world.

The Disney Vacation Club was originnaly affiliated with RCI but switched to Interval International in the late1990′s.  I wonder if some of the other major brand named hotel timeshares like Marriott, Hyatt and Westin may follow?

Exchanging Disney timeshares through RCI will enable Disney owners to book timeshare at non-Disney resorts. At the same time, it gives some members of RCI timeshare exchange the ability to exchange their timeshares for stays at the Disney Vacation Club.

I’ll be curious to see which RCI members will be able to do this.  Will it be RCI weeks members or points members?  Or will the Disney Timeshares be listed in the RCI’s exclusive Registry Collection? Regardless, only timeshare owners that know how to maximize their exchange power will ever get in.

A spokesperson for Disney timeshare says the decision to switch Disney’s exchange affiliation from Interval International to RCI exchange will provide Disney timeshare members with “‘a significantly broader range of resort experiences,’ including access to destinations across six continents and 25 countries.”

Disney believes they will be able to attract more people to buy timeshare at the Disney resorts, by being able to offer access to a wider array of timeshare exchange.

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RCI Timeshare Otra Vez, Santa Fe, New Mexico Part 2

Tuesday, December 2nd, 2008

The RCI timeshare Otra Vez is a great place to exchange to when visiting Santa Fe, New Mexico.  I dropped by and saw an actual working unit, not a model.  On a scale of 3-5 I’d give the timeshare units a solid 3.  They are very comfortable and well taken care of and are furnished in typical Santa Fe style.

The kitchens are well supplied and have wood burning fireplaces. There is Internet available free in each room as well.

The 2 greatest things about the Otra Vez are its location and the parking.  It’s located on a quiet street just 2 blocks from the historic Plaza with all of its shops, restaurants and art galleries.  Once you arrive at the Otra Vez you can park your car in their lot and easily explore most of the town on foot.  Parking in Santa Fe can be a nightmare so being able to park at the timeshare is a big plus.

This RCI timeshare is highly demanded and only has 18 units so put in your request early-especially for the summer months.  I’ll be staying there on exchange for the Fourth of July 2009 and will have more to report.  I started a search in June of 2008 and was confirmed in August 2008.

In the next post I’ll give you a little history of this interesting town.

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