[WKV questions] Newbie Float vs. Specified Week Question

[DanTUG]

Great site. Really, really helpful information.

I'm trying to understand the difference between buying a PlatPlus float week vs. a specified week within a PlatPlus season at a mandatory resort. Can someone confirm/clarify the following statements and help with the questsions? Thanks very much.

• Receive the same number of annual SO: 148,100
• Purchasing a specified week (e.g., week #1) you are absolutely guaranteed to get that week at your home resort every year if you want it and you will be able to confirm the reservation 12 months in advance with no competition from other owners. Could you confirm it anytime within the home resort preference period (e.g., 8.5 months in advance) and still be guaranteed your week or do you have to claim it exactly 12 months and one day in advance otherwise other PlatPlus owners at that resort could claim it?
• Purchasing a fixed week does not bind you to using that week at your home resort, you could trade it for SO and look to use them 8 months in advance, however, this likely would rule getting a peak travel week
• If you buy a float week when does the reservation window open at your home resort? 12 months (because it is your home resort) or 8 months (because it is a float week) in advance?
• If 8 months in advance you're not getting a peak week.
• If 12 months in advance, you would still be "competing" with other home resort owners for peak weeks, right? Obviously you would have a better chance at getting a peak week than waiting 8 months prior but it would not be guaranteed, correct? How likely is it?
• If competing with other home resort owners is all inventory available or only villas not owned by fixed week owners? What percentage of villas are owned by fixed week owners during peak weeks?
• Maybe another way of asking . . . is it true that if you don't own a fixed peak week, you are not likely to get a peak week, even at your home resort?

Whew. Appreciate the help.

 

[DeniseM]

We need to know the names of the resorts, because some resorts have resort specific rules.

 

[DanTUG]

We need to know the names of the resorts, because some resorts have resort specific rules.

Thinking of WKV.

 

[DeniseM]

I'm trying to understand the difference between buying a PlatPlus float week vs. a specified week within a PlatPlus season at a mandatory resort.

I do not believe the WKV sold fixed weeks - all of the deeds have a week listed, but that is just for recording purposes - not the fixed week.

 

[DanTUG]

I do not believe the WKV sold fixed weeks - all of the deeds have a week listed, but that is just for recording purposes - not the fixed week.

Oh, OK so "week 51" at WKV means Platinum Plus, same as week #12.

 

[DeniseM]

Yes - that is just the week for deeding purposes - not a fixed week that you own.

Plat Plus = Weeks 1-21, 51-52.

 

[DanTUG]

Yes - that is just the week for deeding purposes - not a fixed week that you own.

Plat Plus = Weeks 1-21, 5-52.

5-52 typo? 50-52, right?

 

[DeniseM]

Yes - will correct

 

[DanTUG]

So all home resort owners "compete" 12 months and a day in advance to get a peak week on an equal footing, correct? So if all owners were wanted between Christmas and New Year, some would walk away disappointed. Of course, all do not . . . more expensive travel, etc. Any sense for how likely it is to get a peak week if you are on it in terms as trying to get it as soon as it is available?

 

[okwiater]

I have always gotten the week I wanted when I play by the rules and reserve the moment the booking window opens. However, there are certainly cases where website glitches, missing inventory, and other oddities have frustrated owners trying to book a popular week at their Home Resort.

 

[DeniseM]

What peak week?

 

[DeniseM]

Here is the Travel Demand Index for AZ - it will give you an idea of which weeks are easier/harder to get:

 

[PamMo]

Now I'm curious. Is there a separate designation across the board in VSN, for fixed units/weeks in resorts with floating weeks? At Harborside, my fixed week/fixed unit is designated as Ultra Premium. (My other HRA fixed week only is not.) It was my understanding that you could fix weeks/units in otherwise floating VOI's sold at WKORV, WKORN, and WPORV, if you were willing to pay extra. Does anyone own a fixed unit or week in Hawaii or other "floating" week resort, like a fixed spring training week in Kierland? Are fixed Christmas/NY weeks called Ultra Premium? Are WSJ-Hillside villas all designated Ultra Premium?

 

[DeniseM]

I have seen confirmations for true fixed weeks, and they look exactly like regular confirmations.

Fixed unit confirmations have the unit number on them.

Since only the owner of a true fixed week can reserve it, they don't appear on the Staroption charts as a separate designation.

 

[DanTUG]

Really helpful index and encouraging news on your personal experience. I was thinking about how difficult it would be to get an easily rentable week in a year that we couldn't travel or we didn't need the lock-off.

One other question, maybe I should start a new thread? When I attended a sales presentation, they gave us a copy of an II magazine (Interval World) that seemed slightly customized for Vistana owners (first several pages of advertising all Westin or Sheraton). The magazine had all kinds of "travel specials" e.g., Lake Tahoe for $259. Are these available to you because you become a member of II or is this a benefit of being an in-network Vistana Owner which I understand resale owners are not.

Thanks again.

 

[DeniseM]

II members get the magazine in the mail, and the same offers are available to everyone.

MLB Spring Training - March - is the best rental.

Please don't start a new thread.

 

[DanTUG]

II members get the magazine in the mail, and the same offers are available to everyone.

MLB Spring Training - March - is the best rental.

Please don't start a new thread.

I read in another thread that ROFR only at 3 Hawaii resorts and WMH. The post was about 5 years old. Any known major change in Vistana's approach on this? Again, asking specifically about WKV.

 

[DavidnRobin]

WKV does not have a ROFR
WKV is still a VSN Mandatory Resort
There may be fixed weeks at WKV if some paid a premium to have one, but no one here has ever reported a fixed week at WKV.

This is a very old thread.

 

[DeniseM]

The first post was posted today: DanTUG, Today at 1:40 AM

 

[PamMo]

I have seen confirmations for true fixed weeks, and they look exactly like regular confirmations.

Fixed unit confirmations have the unit number on them.

Since only the owner of a true fixed week can reserve it, they don't appear on the Staroption charts as a separate designation.

I was more curious for the sake of a resale buyer knowing exactly what he's looking at. Deeds have a unit number on them as an identifier, but ultra premium weeks should also be noted. People come to TUG often asking about usage, and trying to figure out Starwood/Vistana's terminology.

 

[dioxide45]

I read in another thread that ROFR only at 3 Hawaii resorts and WMH. The post was about 5 years old. Any known major change in Vistana's approach on this? Again, asking specifically about WKV.

ROFR is written in to the underlying condo declaration documents. Changing these things is not easy so no new ones would be added to the list unless they include the ROFR provision for new resorts they build.