# Four Seasons Aviara owner reservations



## Steve (Jun 29, 2012)

After having owned a gold week at Aviara for several years, I purchased a platinum week a while back.  This morning, I called to reserve the July 4th week for 2013.  Not only is that week not available, but I was told that it will be very difficult for me to reserve ANY July or August weeks for next year.  I can go on the wait list, but it is very long.

The platinum season at Aviara goes from mid-June to early October.  Unlike Marriott which allows 50% of the weeks to be booked by multi-week owners at 13 months out, Four Seasons allows 100% of the weeks to be booked this way.  Owners of single weeks in a season have to wait until 12 months out, and Four Seasons really doesn't care if any of the popular weeks are left.  

I can perhaps understand that 4th of July weeks will be very hard to get, but the idea of being shut out of the entire months of July and August...half of the platinum season...really doesn't sit well with me...especially when you consider the maintenance fees.

The only solution seems to be purchasing a 2nd platinum week.  Or sell the one I have. I'm not real thrilled.

Steve


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## tschwa2 (Jun 29, 2012)

A few questions about reservations.  I finally closed on an EOY gold unit.  Mike from owner services called to welcome me and answer and questions but he called at a bad time and I haven't had a chance to call back yet.  It took more than 6 months and at this point I am not sure I want it.  But for now it is mine. 

Do you need to prepay MF's to make a reservation?   Can you be on the waiting list for one week and confirmed for another week?

Thanks.


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## Steve (Jun 29, 2012)

tschwa2 said:


> A few questions about reservations.  I finally closed on an EOY gold unit.  Mike from owner services called to welcome me and answer and questions but he called at a bad time and I haven't had a chance to call back yet.  It took more than 6 months and at this point I am not sure I want it.  But for now it is mine.
> 
> Do you need to prepay MF's to make a reservation?   Can you be on the waiting list for one week and confirmed for another week?
> 
> Thanks.



Hi,

You do not have to prepay MFs in order to make a reservation.  The maintenance fees aren't due until December, and you can make a reservation at 12 months out as a single week owner.

You can have a confirmed reservation and also be on the waiting list for another reservation.  That's definitely the smart thing to do so that you don't completely lose out on getting a week that will work for you.

So, things could be worse.   

Hopefully, you will enjoy your Four Seasons ownership. I love the resorts.  I'm just not wild about a few of the things that they do.

Steve


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## ral (Jun 29, 2012)

Steve said:


> After having owned a gold week at Aviara for several years, I purchased a platinum week a while back.  This morning, I called to reserve the July 4th week for 2013.  Not only is that week not available, but I was told that it will be very difficult for me to reserve ANY July or August weeks for next year.  I can go on the wait list, but it is very long.
> 
> The platinum season at Aviara goes from mid-June to early October.  Unlike Marriott which allows 50% of the weeks to be booked by multi-week owners at 13 months out, Four Seasons allows 100% of the weeks to be booked this way.  Owners of single weeks in a season have to wait until 12 months out, and Four Seasons really doesn't care if any of the popular weeks are left.
> 
> ...



Sorry you had to learn about this situation after purchasing platinum. It has been like this beginning a few years after sales first started. I remember there being a thread years ago on TUG about this problem. I also own a single week platinum, but have not been able to book July or first two weeks in August for at least the past ten years. I'm not quite sure that early management at Four Seasons Residence Club were quite aware of the nuances of the booking advantage of multiple week owners. Being also a Marriott owner, I find it hard enough to book a week from the remaining 50% at the twelve month mark, but as you have said, Four Seasons didn't provide any type of opportunity for single week owners. If I were exceptionally concerned about going during July, I would definitely purchase a second platinum week, especially now, with the very low resale pricing. I would get written verification from Four Seasons that purchasing multiple same season weeks on the secondary market would still allow for early booking advantage before entering into any additional purchase.


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## alwysonvac (Jun 30, 2012)

ral said:


> Sorry you had to learn about this situation after purchasing platinum.



Yeah this is a known issue.

Here's what I learned years ago after bringing up the subject of reserving a holiday week at an informal owners meetings that took place during one of my stays at Aviara (see below). It was really a one-on-one meeting since no other FS members came to the session. At the time, the FSRC rep indicated that July & August weeks are the worst. She said the only way FS could change the rules would be via an owner vote however they had more multiweek owners than single week owners. I also learned during that session that FS has a set number of units each week through out the year (including peak summer and holiday weeks) for FS rentals to cover the FS Accomodation Credit option.



> From my 2010 post - http://tugbbs.com/forums/showpost.php?p=965264&postcount=8
> 
> _In addition, multiweek owners can making it almost impossible to book prime summer and holiday weeks.
> 
> Multi-week owners not only have a 13 month window to begin booking, they can book multiple consecutive or concurrent weeks starting at the 13 month window (this models the Marriott reservation process however I believe Marriott has a cap on the % that can be booked at the 13 month mark. FS doesn't). For example a ten week FSRC platinum owner can book all ten weeks at the start of the 13 month window as long as the weeks are consecutive weeks. So in mid May, a ten week Platinum owner can reserve ten consecutive weeks from mid Jun to the end of August all within one single call or they can book ten units for the week of the 4th of July all in a single call. Single week owners and small multi-week owners get shut out of prime weeks due to large multi-week owners reserving several concurrent and/or consecutive weeks._




*TIP:* You can also ask to be placed on the waitlist for any of the peak FS summer weeks.

Also, keep in mind that Aviara sold fixed weeks during Platinum season. Platinum Season runs week 24 - 40 however weeks 26 - 36 were also sold as fixed week.  If you really want a peak summer week, I would suggest renting from an owner or buying a fixed summer week. 

What's interesting is that I saw peak summer weeks in Interval International this year. Years ago, FSRC stated that they would never deposit peak platinum weeks into II due to high owner demand. I'm wondering if both owner demand and rental demand has lower when Hyatt took over the hotel. I was surprised to see peak platinum summer weeks in II.


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## LLW (Jun 30, 2012)

alwysonvac said:


> What's interesting is that I saw peak summer weeks in Interval International this year. Years ago, FSRC stated that they would never deposit peak platinum weeks into II due to high owner demand. I'm wondering if both owner demand and rental demand has lower when Hyatt took over the hotel. I was surprised to see peak platinum summer weeks in II.



How far in advance of check-in did you see them? (I assume they were inside FS preference and did not make it out of.)


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## alwysonvac (Jun 30, 2012)

LLW said:


> How far in advance of check-in did you see them? (I assume they were inside FS preference and did not make it out of.)



Sorry, I don't remember when I first started seeing them but back in March I posted a sighting of some weeks - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=166866

Yes, they were inside the FS preference. I don't know if they made it out.


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## yumdrey (Jul 1, 2012)

I also posted sightings of FSA months ago.
It was August through Dec. weeks and it had four seasons priority.
Some August weeks were 2BR units.
Thought it was weird because I have had so much hard time to reserve late July/early August weeks as a single platinum week owner.
BTW, don't lose hope for wait list.
I have gotten many premium weeks through wait list.
Just got x-mas week through wait list myself. Have waited about 6 months.

A little tip to use four seasons week:
reserve a second choice week instead, when your first choice is not available.
Then put your first choice week on wait list.
Also check Interval International often. Sometimes, your first choice week is not available in FS system, but can be available in Interval - just like August/September weeks.


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## scoccermom (Jun 22, 2013)

How hard is it to get July & August or week 26 for Aviara multiple week platinum season owners?  Same question posed for multi-week gold season owners...how hard is to get week 52 or spring break?

My sister owns at Marriott Newport Coast and dumped her plat multi weeks for a week 26 fixed...best thing she did cause the competition for prime weeks at NCV is crazy!


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## schwma (Jul 29, 2013)

I'm a newbie...both here and as a brand new TS owner.  I just purchased two Platinum weeks at FS Aviara, and I'm hoping that I won't have problems getting consecutive weeks in July or August.  I would be interested in hearing other FSA Platinum owners' reservation experiences.


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## scoccermom (Aug 6, 2013)

That's a good question and I also would like to hear from single gold week owners on their ability to get prime gold weeks such as thanksgiving, New Years, or Christmas.


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## alwysonvac (Aug 6, 2013)

scoccermom said:


> That's a good question and I also would like to hear from single gold week owners on their ability to get prime gold weeks such as thanksgiving, New Years, or Christmas.



As a single Gold week owner, I haven't tried booking Spring Break, Thanksgiving or XMAS in a while. In the past, it was difficult to book.



alwysonvac said:


> Here's that I posted in 2010 - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=128127&highlight=aviara
> 
> _As a single week gold season owner, I've been shut out of prime Gold Season weeks (whenever the kids are out of school). I've tried calling exactly when the reservation desk opened for Friday, Saturday & Sunday check-ins. Sometimes I was offered to be placed on the waitlist which was already long (there's a max but I don't remember what it was) and sometimes I got shut out of the waitlist. I got smart and started asking how many units were available for the upcoming check-in days the day before the 12 month mark and most (if not all)  of the time it was in the single digits. For now, I've given up trying for holiday weeks.
> 
> ...


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## scoccermom (Aug 6, 2013)

Wow...sucks.  Single week owners (gold or plat) seem to be at a big disadvantage in getting prime weeks.  I'll continue to rent as it is less of a hassle and I've alway manage to get deals on last minute rentals.


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## jarta (Aug 7, 2013)

scoccermom said:


> How hard is it to get July & August or week 26 for Aviara multiple week platinum season owners?  Same question posed for multi-week gold season owners...how hard is to get week 52 or spring break?
> 
> My sister owns at Marriott Newport Coast and dumped her plat multi weeks for a week 26 fixed...best thing she did cause the competition for prime weeks at NCV is crazy!



Same as NCV.  The competition for prime weeks in summer is pretty crazy.  Angelinos come down to relax and play.  Desert rats from Scottsdale and Palm Springs come to get out of the summer heat and stay for extended periods of time.  A not insubstantial portion of the July and August weeks are fixed weeks.  The resale prices of Platinum fixed weeks are above $20K per week.

The fact that it is crazy at FSA in Platinum season is a testament to the viability of the resort and how much people like staying there.  

Also, half of the coastal Gray May and all of June Gloom are in Platinum season.  So, it seems every Plat week owner wants to be there between the 4th of July and Labor Day.  

I own 2 float Gold weeks (a 1-br and a 2-br) and often use the resort for escapes from the cold in February and March.  However, this year my wife and I are taking 2 other couples to FSA.  Earliest I could get when I called this May for a 2-br and a large 1-br at the same time was 10/4-10/11.  I feel lucky that I could get the weeks and introduce our friends to FSA.  

Last year I picked up a large 1-br in Plat September (after Labor Day) by using the waiting list.  There is an upgrade charge to rent in Platinum season using a Gold week.  But, it can be done.  I have also dropped my smaller 1-br into II and traded back to a large 1-br at FSA.  It was easy to upgrade when I tried it - but not during Platinum season.  I don't know if my experience is typical, or not.   Salty


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## alwysonvac (Aug 8, 2013)

scoccermom said:


> Wow...sucks.  Single week owners (gold or plat) seem to be at a big disadvantage in getting prime weeks.  I'll continue to rent as it is less of a hassle and I've alway manage to get deals on last minute rentals.



If you can do last minute travel, another option is to get last minute Interval International flexchange (59 before check-in) deals. Some timeshare systems allow you to trade during this timeframe at a reduced rate. 

For example, WorldMark owners can book anything during the flexchange period for 4,000 credits (NOTE: normally a one bedroom exchange requires 9,000 credit, two bedroomm requires 10,000 and a three bedroom exchange requires 12,000 credits). It actually works out to less than $560 (worst case scenario*) for a week in a two bedroom at Four Seasons Aviara.

"*Worst*" case scenario: 
4,000 WM credits (@ a rate of .08 Fax Credit rate) = $320
Housekeeping Credit for a two bedroom = $84
Interval International Exchange Fee = $154 

Aviara flexchange threads on WorldMark:
http://www.wmowners.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=27938
http://www.wmowners.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=19802
http://www.wmowners.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=35849


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## Jayco29D (Jan 17, 2018)

tschwa2 said:


> A few questions about reservations.  I finally closed on an EOY gold unit.  Mike from owner services called to welcome me and answer and questions but he called at a bad time and I haven't had a chance to call back yet.  It took more than 6 months and at this point I am not sure I want it.  But for now it is mine.
> 
> Do you need to prepay MF's to make a reservation?   Can you be on the waiting list for one week and confirmed for another week?
> 
> Thanks.



Do you still own your EOY Gold at Four Seasons Aviara? If so, do you own one unit? How hard is it to get reservations during holiday weeks like Thanksgiving, President’s Day, Christmas, New Years and Spring Break and early June. I am thinking of an EOY 2 bedroom Gold but concerned about booking around my children’s school schedule. I was considering Platinum but I have heard it is impossible to book during the summer unless you own more than one unit.


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## alwysonvac (Jan 17, 2018)

When I was a single week Gold Season Owner, I was unable to reserve weeks when the majority of kids were out of school. Multiple week owners had an earlier booking window and would basically reserve all of the prime holiday weeks before the booking window for single week owners became available.

Here’s the FSRC Booking Windows

*13 months before the desired arrival date*, multiple week owners (owners who own two or more weeks in the same season and same Home Project) may request a concurrent or consecutive reservation in the full unit type owned. 
*12 Months before the desired arrival date*, owners may request their Home Project in the season they own for their full unit type for 7 nights, or may utilize the Double Usage or Split Week option. 
*10 months prior to arrival,* Club Members may utilize the Club Exchange option and request reservations in either their owned season at Aviara or Scottsdale, or a lower season. 
*6 months prior to arrival*, Club Members may utilize the Club Exchange option and request reservations in a season that is one seasons higher than their owned season.

Just in case you missed it.....Here’s what I posted in this 2012 thread.  

Multi-week owners not only have a 13 month window to begin booking, they can book multiple consecutive or concurrent weeks starting at the 13 month window (this models the Marriott reservation process however I believe Marriott has a cap on the % that can be booked at the 13 month mark. FS doesn't). For example a ten week FSRC platinum owner can book all ten weeks at the start of the 13 month window as long as the weeks are consecutive weeks. So in mid May, a ten week Platinum owner can reserve ten consecutive weeks from mid Jun to the end of August all within one single call or they can book ten units for the week of the 4th of July all in a single call. Single week owners and small multi-week owners get shut out of prime weeks due to large multi-week owners reserving several concurrent and/or consecutive weeks.

As a single week gold season owner, I've been shut out of prime Gold Season weeks (whenever the kids are out of school). I've tried calling exactly when the reservation desk opened for Friday, Saturday & Sunday check-ins. Sometimes I was offered to be placed on the waitlist which was already long (there's a max but I don't remember what it was) and sometimes I got shut out of the waitlist. I got smart and started asking how many units were available for the upcoming check-in days the day before the 12 month mark and most (if not all) of the time it was in the single digits. For now, I've given up trying for holiday weeks. 

_JMHO...I would suggest renting vs owning._

_Rental sites_
_http://www.redweek.com/resort/P726-four-seasons-residence-club-aviara_
_http://www.triwest-timeshare.com/resort/rent/92009FO_​


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