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Westin St. John - chance of getting float week requested?

sachia007

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We have never purchased a timeshare so we have a few questions - thanks to all who may chose to assist us!

Also, if it makes sense to a moderator to move this to a different forum, please do, so that I receive as many responses as I can.

We are looking to purchase a villa in the Platinum Plus season in either Bay Vista or Upper Hillside. We know upper hillside you book a week and then use it or float it (or sell it etc.) and that Bay Vista is a float.

We are leaning more towards Bay Vista, but Hillside is still an option.

We would initially want a certain week - first choice is the last week in Feb. with a second choice being in late April (until our kids are out of high school - 4 more years). Then we would want to travel whenever we could in the Plat.+ season with the then college kids in tow, if it worked out that their college break during Plat.+ season.

My question - how easy is it to get the actual float week you want in BAY VISTA - given it's not Christmas week, New Years week, or President's Week? For 2013 the Feb. vaca. was 2/23-3/4 and for 2014 the Feb. vaca. was 2/22-3/3.

Also, we've been to STJ 3 times - all in the beginning of July. Westin was busy, but not crazy busy (and the beaches all over the island weren't busy at all). How big of a change will this be at Westin and the island beaches traveling there in February?

SO much thanks!!!
 

DavidnRobin

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WKORV OFD (Maui)
WPORV (Kauai)
WSJ-VGV (St. John)
WKV (Scottsdale)
It is a huge difference between those weeks and early-July. Plus, the seas for the north-side beaches are much rougher comparatively. Check out YouTube videos of St John beaches - and look at the date posted. That will give you a good idea.

I would not recommend buying WSJ to exchange out.
 

pharmgirl

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Seems OP does not want to tradeto other TS but to other weeks at St John
We would Also really like to buy at WSJ but would not want to be confined to only a particular week, from reading here seems 'floating' weeks are not easily changed even within a season, would only want Jan to late April
 

steve1000

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Westin: Mission Hills, Desert Willow, Riverfront Mtn Villas, Kierland, Flex
Marriott: Grande Ocean, Canyon Villas, Desert Springs
Hyatt: Beach House, Coconut Plantation, High Sierra Lodge,
Four Seasons: Aviara, Scottsdale.
Royal Haciendas
My limited experience as a platinum plus floating week Bay Vista owner is that if you are diligent and make your reservation at or shortly after the 12 month booking window opens you should be able to get your week with the exception of holiday weeks. A few prime spring break weeks may also be somewhat difficult. We love the platinum plus season and have found the beaches and water to be terrific and not overly crowded. We've found it to be a great time to visit. We have purposely avoided the holiday weeks.
 

sachia007

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Pharmgirl,

Yes, we would not want to trade outside WSJ, but different different weeks w/in Plat.+ season, once our kids are out of high school.

I guess my question is, how difficult is it for Bay Vista owners to get their 1st choice week?

Sounds like this forum is mostly Hillside owners, so I might not hear back from as many Plat.+ B.Vista owners as I might like.
 

DavidnRobin

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WSJ-VGV (St. John)
WKV (Scottsdale)
Cruise ships by months - each ship brings in 1000s of visitors to StT and StJ...
(gives good relative view of the crowds)

historical_ship_schedule_graphphp_zps656ab97a.png
 

DavidnRobin

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Sounds like this forum is mostly Hillside owners, so I might not hear back from as many Plat.+ B.Vista owners as I might like.

Only because there are more VGV Tuggers, but BV Tuggers are growing.
(Plus I post 10:1... ;))

also - while VGV can float (in theory) - they do not - treat them as fixed (incl check-in day)
 

tomandrobin

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Pharmgirl,

Yes, we would not want to trade outside WSJ, but different different weeks w/in Plat.+ season, once our kids are out of high school.

I guess my question is, how difficult is it for Bay Vista owners to get their 1st choice week?

Sounds like this forum is mostly Hillside owners, so I might not hear back from as many Plat.+ B.Vista owners as I might like.

Trading outside your season is extremely difficult.

Hillside units rarely, if ever can exchange at the 10 month window to a different week within their season.

BV owners float throughout their season and normally can get the week they want, as long as they call ASAP when the reservation window opens. Holidays are more difficult, since there is a higher concentration of "fixed" weeks at those times.
 

czar

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There were two reasons we bought BV as compared to Hillsode. First, so we could float and pick a different week each year. Second, our kids are young and being closer to the resort pool was important to us.
 

okwiater

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WSJ 3B Plat+ (VGV/BV)
WLR 2B Plat+ Oceanside
SMV 2B Plat+
Sheraton Flex (x2)
Second, our kids are young and being closer to the resort pool was important to us.
It doesn't get much closer to a pool than in a Hillside Pool Villa ;)
 

ekinggill

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You asked...

Just MHO:

  • You generally get better value hillside
  • The walk or golf cart ride down the hill is insignificant...just a couple minutes of your vacation day
  • The hillside pools are awesome...especially when you are grilling steaks on the poolside grills or when you are winding down at the end of the day
  • Be patient and wait until you find the week you actually want. The easiest, lowest stress way to go is to use your week every year
 

DavidnRobin

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WPORV (Kauai)
WSJ-VGV (St. John)
WKV (Scottsdale)
I can see the benefits of either VGV (Hillside) or BV - and a personal family choice. In our 2 weeks at WSJ we rarely get down to the main resort, but not because of the distance/time involved.

For BV - it is close to the main resort (pool, restaurants, beach), and the villas have more design style. The layouts (esp 2Bd lofts) may also be preferred. They can float as well. Also, lower MFs (for now) and lower property taxes.

For VGV - it is away from the main resort (crowds). You can park right outside your villa (and make the most of the car rental - if you rent one - this is a huge factor for us). The small pools, BBQs, and patio are just steps away. And, of course, the views. The VGV 3Bd have there own pool/patio/BBQ, and are secluded - and very roomy, but no view. VGVs are fixed (incl check-in day) which can have advantages (pre-reserved, same villa), or disadvantage (don't float).

Now, if we can stop the BV folks from using our pools at VGV (since they do not pay for them in their MFs). I hear that BV folks are taking the shuttles up to the VGV pools...
 
Last edited:

Crasherino

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We have never purchased a timeshare so we have a few questions - thanks to all who may chose to assist us!

Also, if it makes sense to a moderator to move this to a different forum, please do, so that I receive as many responses as I can.

We are looking to purchase a villa in the Platinum Plus season in either Bay Vista or Upper Hillside. We know upper hillside you book a week and then use it or float it (or sell it etc.) and that Bay Vista is a float.

We are leaning more towards Bay Vista, but Hillside is still an option.

We would initially want a certain week - first choice is the last week in Feb. with a second choice being in late April (until our kids are out of high school - 4 more years). Then we would want to travel whenever we could in the Plat.+ season with the then college kids in tow, if it worked out that their college break during Plat.+ season.

My question - how easy is it to get the actual float week you want in BAY VISTA - given it's not Christmas week, New Years week, or President's Week? For 2013 the Feb. vaca. was 2/23-3/4 and for 2014 the Feb. vaca. was 2/22-3/3.

Also, we've been to STJ 3 times - all in the beginning of July. Westin was busy, but not crazy busy (and the beaches all over the island weren't busy at all). How big of a change will this be at Westin and the island beaches traveling there in February?

SO much thanks!!!

I'm in a similar situation as you are in - or I was...we just bought a Platinum Plus 2 bdrm BV EOY.

As the parents of 2 young kids, we will be traveling during holiday weeks for the forseeable future. Before we completed our purchase, I asked the seller to re-book his week (he booked week 1 just to get it on file) for President's week for next year - 1) So we could use it during school break and 2) for me to see if it was going to be hard to book. While not dispositive of anything, if he could book Sat or Sun one year out, it stands to reason that I would have a decent shot of getting it in the future. Turns out, he was able to book Sat Pres week no problem.

So, as others have said here, if you are diligent in booking 12 months out and you are not looking for a holiday week, you shouldn't have a major problem. The floating week is nice too because as folks here pointed out to me when I was seeking advice....my kids won't be in school forever (it will just seem like it!).

As far as your next question of VG v. BV....it depends. We have been in both multiple times both with kids and without. The great thing about VG is the parking aspect. Ducking out to the store becomes second nature that you don't even realize how convenient it is. But, with BV, you adjust as well and make sure you have everything b/c getting to your car is a pain. But, especially with kids, its nice to have the main pool relatively close as our typical day involves going to a different beach in the morning and spending the mid-late afternoon by the pool.

The one question I don't know the answer to is the BBQ situation at the BVs. I remember seeing relatively crappy bbq's a while back but was told that they were going to be replaced. OTOH, the bbqs at the VG Pools are very nice and its a very pleasant experience to bring some steaks/chix/burgers to the grill, have a cocktail (or 3) and grill your food often times next to someone else doing the same thing.

Both have their advantages and personally, we jumped on the opportunity that arose, but if a VGV popped up that made sense, we probably would have jumped on that just as fast.
 
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