Unused options

[jramat]

I failed to bank 81k StarOptions this year and am wondering what my alternatives are besides taking a trip or gifting them to someone. Thanks!

 

[DeniseM]

You may be able to use the for resort credit - call owner services.

 

[dioxide45]

You may be able to use the for resort credit - call owner services.

That would require a trip though to attach them to. I also don't think you can use resale StarOptions for resort credit.

 

[dioxide45]

Take a look at the attached to see what your options are.

Your options are limited, but depending on what you own and what you may have used this year already you may be able to deposit into II.

Do you own a Flex program?
Do you own a deeded week? If so, did you break your Home Resort usage?

 

[buzglyd]

I've got 400 restricted options remaining. We are going to Palm Desert next week. Do I need to call customer service or I think I can speak to the concierge about it? What does 400 options get me?

 

[dioxide45]

I've got 400 restricted options remaining. We are going to Palm Desert next week. Do I need to call customer service or I think I can speak to the concierge about it? What does 400 options get me?

400 Home or StarOptions has no utility or value. You need at least 9000 to use for Resort Credit. If they are Abound Club Points, you may be able to use the for resort credit.

 

[buzglyd]

400 Home or StarOptions has no utility or value. You need at least 9000 to use for Resort Credit. If they are Abound Club Points, you may be able to use the for resort credit.

Good to know. I’m pleased I was able to use all but 400 SO.

 

[dioxide45]

Good to know. I’m pleased I was able to use all but 400 SO.

Yeah, 400 is just throw away. We have a small number of restricted points that won't get used this year.

 

[jramat]

Take a look at the attached to see what your options are.

Your options are limited, but depending on what you own and what you may have used this year already you may be able to deposit into II.

Do you own a Flex program?
Do you own a deeded week? If so, did you break your Home Resort usage?

Thanks for the ideas! I own 2 two bedroom weeks at Vistana in Orlando. I had 1 week left that I forgot to bank. Therefore I've deposited that into Interval and I have 2 years to pick a destination. I haven't used Interval in all the years we've owned, I guess we'll figure something out. Any advice about it is certainly welcome.

 

[jabberwocky]

Thanks for the ideas! I own 2 two bedroom weeks at Vistana in Orlando. I had 1 week left that I forgot to bank. Therefore I've deposited that into Interval and I have 2 years to pick a destination. I haven't used Interval in all the years we've owned, I guess we'll figure something out. Any advice about it is certainly welcome.

I would get your requests in as soon as possible so you have as many opportunities to hit bulk deposits etc. Be flexible in where/when you’d like to go.

 

[jramat]

I just attended an update meeting at Kierland and was told of a recent policy change to banking star options. She said newly banked options expire after 1 year, no longer for 2 years!!!! It doesn't say that on my dashboard!

Anyone know any different?

 

[jramat]

You may be able to use the for resort credit - call owner services.

I just attended an update meeting at Kierland and was told of a recent policy change to banking star options. She said newly banked options expire after 1 year, no longer for 2 years!!!! It doesn't say that on my dashboard!

Anyone know any different?

 

[jabberwocky]

I just attended an update meeting at Kierland and was told of a recent policy change to banking star options. She said newly banked options expire after 1 year, no longer for 2 years!!!! It doesn't say that on my dashboard!

Anyone know any different?

When they rolled out Abound they did say that Vistana units would use existing VSN rules for 2023 and 2024 (I.e 2 years). In 2025 they were supposed to start aligning with the banking rules for Abound (varies by OBL so could be 1-2 years).

However, I recall seeing some reports here that people are still able to bank SO for 2 years and this is still stated on the website.

I used up all my 2025 SO, so I don’t have any experience banking from this year to know if there is a change.

 

[rickandcindy23]

If you bank your SO's for 2026 use year, you have two years to use them, but do you also lose Home Reservation priority? Curious about the rules. I have not had to do this so far. But I will this next year.

 

[dioxide45]

If you bank your SO's for 2026 use year, you have two years to use them, but do you also lose Home Reservation priority? Curious about the rules. I have not had to do this so far. But I will this next year.

Yes, banked StarOptions are StarOptions. So no Home Resort priority. They can be used to make a reservation at 8 months and can be combined with other StarOptions from the current use year at the same time.

 

[jabberwocky]

If you bank your SO's for 2026 use year, you have two years to use them, but do you also lose Home Reservation priority? Curious about the rules. I have not had to do this so far. But I will this next year.

Yes, when you bank your options you have to accept the terms which includes giving up home resort priority.

 

[daviator]

Yes, when you bank your options you have to accept the terms which includes giving up home resort priority.

But to put it another way, when you bank your 2025 points, you are extending their validity as StarOptions for up to two years. You aren't really "losing" your Home Resort Priority because the points you have banked only had Home Resort Priority for 2025, and 2025 is over, at least in terms of Home Resort Priority – NOBODY has home resort priority remaining in 2025 since it ends at 8 months before check-in. So you already forfeited that priority, for your 2025 points, at the end of April of this year.

It's really mistaken thinking to say that you lose your home resort priority when you bank, because that would only be true if you banked in the first four months of the year, and there's little reason for anyone to ever do that unless you were certain you wouldn't want to book anything in the current year.

 

[jabberwocky]

But to put it another way, when you bank your 2025 points, you are extending their validity as StarOptions for up to two years. You aren't really "losing" your Home Resort Priority because the points you have banked only had Home Resort Priority for 2025, and 2025 is over, at least in terms of Home Resort Priority – NOBODY has home resort priority remaining in 2025 since it ends at 8 months before check-in. So you already forfeited that priority, for your 2025 points, at the end of April of this year.

It's really mistaken thinking to say that you lose your home resort priority when you bank, because that would only be true if you banked in the first four months of the year, and there's little reason for anyone to ever do that unless you were certain you wouldn't want to book anything in the current year.

Fair enough for 2025 and I agree that it doesn’t make sense to bank until you are sure you won’t use in the current year. But I can now bank my 2026 SO for SDO. I would much rather be able to make a home resort reservation than book via SO. If I do bank that option is lost. As long as owners realize and are clear that you can’t reverse a banking transaction everyone should be happy.