2026 Usage - Did you Elect Abound

[jabberwocky]

Now that the Abound election deadline for 2026 use is behind us (Oct 31 for Presidential/Chairman) I’m curious to see how Tugger’s are planning on using their Vistana weeks (non-Marriott) and see how many are actually electing into Abound.

If you own multiple weeks and are using each differently (for example, electing and home resort usage) feel free to check the options that apply.

If you did elect, what was driving your decision?

 

[Eric B]

I managed to get a couple of weeks at the Ritz Carlton St Thomas using Abound points from Lagunamar. Keeping credit in both SOs and Abound gives me enough flexibility to get the occasional bargain like that.

 

[Henry M.]

2025 was the first year I elected Club Points. They were a great use of one of my weeks in Maui. I got 6,200 Club Points. I even ended up using some of those points for a week in a 1BR back at my home resort because it was much cheaper than using Staroptions. In the end, I didn't use the studio side of my lock off, and instead stayed 10 days at the Sheraton Steamboat in a 2BR and 6 days in a 1BR at KOR-N, plus I have reservations at the Marriott Marbella Beach Resort next year for an additional 10 days in a 2BR. Not a bad use of Club Points!

Part of the benefit was making reservations in Steamboat and Maui at less than 60 days of arrival with a 30% discount on the number of points needed.

I had a few Club Points left over that I banked, along with something like 500 Staropitons. I also decided to convert another KOR week next year to use just like I did this year. I found the 500 Club Points they were giving for attending a presentation very valuable for going to non-Vistana properties. For my use, they were much better than the money or Bonvoy point alternatives.

 

[sponger76]

It's a split of my various VOIs for me; some home resort usage and some elected into Abound so we can celebrate my daughter's birthday at the Ritz Carlton in Vail.

 

[Henry M.]

The Ritz Carlton in Vail looks like a very nice place. We walked near it this past May, while staying at the Westin Riverfront in Avon. I used 70 Club points for a last minute extra night at the Westin after our Staroption reservation. I intend to stay at the Ritz in one of our upcoming trips.

 

[EnglishmanAbroad]

No longer being an EnglishManAbroad has totally changed our vacationing perspective. This year we had what might be our last hurrah at our WKORVN with 2 weeks in January. We also used 2024 banked WNORVN Abound points along with 2025 Abound points from WLR to visit the Marriott Resort Paris in September (2x2BR) and in a couple of weeks will have 12 nights at the Marbella Beach Resort (7 in a 2BR and 5 in a 3BR - a bit of an overkill for just the 2 of us but the points were expiring and needed using up).

For 2026 we've elected our WKORVN into Abound (Thailand and Australia are in our sights) and kept our WLR with Vistana but will probably trade in II.

 

[vacation dreaming]

The Ritz Carlton in Vail looks like a very nice place. We walked near it this past May, while staying at the Westin Riverfront in Avon. I used 70 Club points for a last minute extra night at the Westin after our Staroption reservation. I intend to stay at the Ritz in one of our upcoming trips.

We enjoyed the RC Vail so much we booked two more stays for next year.

 

[buzglyd]

I'm just odd year usage so I'm already contemplating 2027 points. I've got 1000 Plus points from tours that expire mid 2027 so Electing my 81,000 points to Abound could make for some nice vacations.

 

[DanCali]

2025 was the first year I elected Club Points. They were a great use of one of my weeks in Maui. I got 6,200 Club Points.

I'm curious how many of the (currently) 14 votes for Abound election are not Hawaii... - WKV get a relatively decent allocation but, since in Vistana it's "ike for like" with maui, i would never elect it for Abound. But I'm also a MVC owner and have other weeks with quite low MF/AboundPoints that I typically use for Abound election. If I wasn't, I'd be more inclined to elect WKV.

 

[buzglyd]

I'm curious how many of the (currently) 14 votes for Abound election are not Hawaii... - WKV get a relatively decent allocation but, since in Vistana it's "ike for like" with maui, i would never elect it for Abound. But I'm also a MVC owner and have other weeks with quite low MF/AboundPoints that I typically use for Abound election. If I wasn't, I'd be more inclined to elect WKV.

I own SVV Orlando. I never stay there.

 

[travelhacker]

I'm curious how many of the (currently) 14 votes for Abound election are not Hawaii... - WKV get a relatively decent allocation but, since in Vistana it's "ike for like" with maui, i would never elect it for Abound. But I'm also a MVC owner and have other weeks with quite low MF/AboundPoints that I typically use for Abound election. If I wasn't, I'd be more inclined to elect WKV.

I elected WKV. However, I own 3 small 1 bedroom units. The maintenance fee per abound point is excellent $847.10 / 2150 is less than 40 cents a point.

I don't typically stay in studios, so I can do quite a bit better with the points in Abound (i.e. booked spring break at Streamside in Vail, Fall Break at Crystal Shores, etc).

I don't think I'd elect my WKV weeks if I owned 2 bedrooms. I still think I'd be able to do pretty well, but I think I'd probably trade into the Westin's in Hawaii using my Staroptions.

 

[Superchief]

Since my Oceana Palms Gold week has a terrible point value, I often reserve it for the last week of October so I still have time to convert to points if my desired time isn't available. For the second time in two years, Sunday check-in was the only thing available when I signed in at 9am at inventory release. Luckily, I was able to reserve Island View at Crystal Shores for slightly fewer points and I prefer that anyway. I don't understand what is happening to the Saturday check-in inventory since this isn't a prime season.

I Oceana Palms MF's increase by more than 3 %, I plan to get rid of my week. It isn't worth it.

 

[Eric B]

Mine were Lagunamar and SVV.

 

[CarpeDiem65]

I converted 101,000 Westin Flex into Abound for 3,505 Club Points. This got us 7 nights in a 2 bedroom at Marriott Marbella Beach Resort in Spain for Jun 2026. I deposited a WDW lock off (small unit) into II and then booked a week at The Royal Cancun for Nov 2026. Used our remaining weeks at WDW and WKV along with some banked Star Options for a big family trip to Westin Lagunamar in Apr 2026. We will also do a week at Lagunamar following the Royal Cancun Nov 2026. Avoiding US travel for now which requires some creative planning.

 

[regatta333]

I elect our small 1BD WKV, but not our two 2BD L/O units because of the poor conversion ratio.

 

[Red elephant]

I'm curious how many of the (currently) 14 votes for Abound election are not Hawaii... - WKV get a relatively decent allocation but, since in Vistana it's "ike for like" with maui, i would never elect it for Abound. But I'm also a MVC owner and have other weeks with quite low MF/AboundPoints that I typically use for Abound election. If I wasn't, I'd be more inclined to elect WKV.

I convert my Maui week to Abound points and exchange my SBR for Nanea.