Abound contest

[dioxide45]

Or maybe it is an attempt to say the site works all the time, and now they have the "proof" that thousands of owners logged in multiple times. Who knows but the IT department should focus on the big backlog of issues they have to fix.

The contest was actually mentioned way back in the summer in a memo to a resort GM.

 

[dioxide45]

By the way, the official rules say prizes will be reported on W2 or 1099.

So that 2-year Platinum Interval membership that they value at $278, may actually cost you ~$100

The grand prize 1-week resort certificate valued at $5000, would result in a pretty big tax bill. Make sure to use it on some expensive resort!

If you own multiple weeks, can you use the $5000 to pay for them, or is it just one week up to $5K? Perhaps I should read the rules. If one wins this and can only use it on one week, the value should only be the amount paid toward the MF.

 

[DanCali]

If you own multiple weeks, can you use the $5000 to pay for them, or is it just one week up to $5K? Perhaps I should read the rules. If one wins this and can only use it on one week, the value should only be the amount paid toward the MF.

For the MFs it specifically says "Up to $5,000" which leads me to believe that it would only be the actual amount paid towards MFs.

The fine print also mentions "for a single ownership interest" but that if you have multiple, it will be the highest MF of them. I guess some of those WKORV OF Dlx are nearing $4000 in dues, and the Ritz Club is way up there in MFs, but for most non-Hawaii owners it's a $1500-$2500 prize.

As for the resort certificate, it has some minor blackout dates (weeks 7, 51, 52 and 5 days before and after Easter Sunday). It's good for a 2BR, subject to availability, and one of the resorts "specified on the certificate". So, you have to win the prize to know what the prize is... One would hope, since this is an Abound promo, that it includes all 90+ resorts. It adds that the actual cash value will vary based on the resort selected and they will not pay the cash difference. Unclear what is reported for tax purposes.

 

[rubbernyc]

Anyone else having trouble with the contest? I cannot log on since yesterday. I keep getting an invalid email domain error.

 

[dioxide45]

Anyone else having trouble with the contest? I cannot log on since yesterday. I keep getting an invalid email domain error.

I wasn't able to login to the website earlier.

 

[buzglyd]

I wasn't able to login to the website earlier.

I logged in this morning and claimed my 18th entry.

 

[dioxide45]

I logged in this morning and claimed my 18th entry.

I was able to do the same first thing this morning, but later it wouldn't work.

Edit: Nevermind, I got this thread confused with the one in the Marriott forum. It was the MVC website where I couldn't login earlier today.

 

[timsi]

The contest was actually mentioned way back in the summer in a memo to a resort GM.

Why now though? A lot of things were announced back in the summer, including free Interval exchanges but either they have not happened or they do not work properly. Yet, they found time for this contest. If IT spent 5 minutes on this contest, it's 5 minutes too much.

 

[dioxide45]

Why now though? A lot of things were announced back in the summer, including free Interval exchanges but either they have not happened or they do not work properly. Yet, they found time for this contest. If IT spent 5 minutes on this contest, it's 5 minutes too much.

It probably took more than five minutes. They had to send the email and also link up the 3rd party sweepstakes vendor to their website. I also suspect II and MVC/Vistana IT is separate. So changes to the MVC/Vistana website would have no impact on if they can get the II exchange fee to $0.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Just won 2 entries. Now up to 19.

 

[timsi]

It probably took more than five minutes. They had to send the email and also link up the 3rd party sweepstakes vendor to their website. I also suspect II and MVC/Vistana IT is separate. So changes to the MVC/Vistana website would have no impact on if they can get the II exchange fee to $0.

I gave just an example. Of course the list is long on the Vistana/MVC. Glad to hear Interval IT is separate, this is probably why it is working.

 

[dsmrp]

I so far can only get 1 entry a day. I did the other view info things to get more entries, so now up to 16. Oh well, I never win anything substantial anyway...

 

[dsmrp]

Another pro tip, if there are other owners (spouse) and they have their own web profiles, they too can do the sweepstakes too. Dual ownerships, two owners means everything times four!

Good to know. I can log in and play for my husband as his proxy. (I make all the reservations and maintain TS accounts). He never plays these things anyway.

 

[luv_maui]

Can’t get my free entry today so far.

 

[Eric B]

Got an email saying I won 500 PlusPoints in the instant win portion today. The form for redemption seemed to work; now I just have to figure out how long their good for and how to use them.

 

[dioxide45]

Got an email saying I won 500 PlusPoints in the instant win portion today. The form for redemption seemed to work; now I just have to figure out how long their good for and how to use them.

Whoohoo. Congrats.

From the contest rules;

 

[Eric B]

Thanks—hadn’t gotten a chance to look it up. 24 months is fabulous!

 

[dioxide45]

Thanks—hadn’t gotten a chance to look it up. 24 months is fabulous!

It looks like they value the prize at $140. Pretty good if they end up sending a 1099 for it. I would think you can get a lot more value out of 500 points than just $140.

 

[Eric B]

It looks like they value the prize at $140. Pretty good if they end up sending a 1099 for it. I would think you can get a lot more value out of 500 points than just $140.

So do I. At $0.70 per point that’s more like $350 and I can get decent value with it.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

What can you book with 500 points if all of your weeks are used and you don't have any other Abound points?

 

[Moparman42]

ok, I'm a Vistana owner and new to Marriott. what are Pluspoints, how can one make use of 500 of them? thoughts?

 

[dioxide45]

ok, I'm a Vistana owner and new to Marriott. what are Pluspoints, how can one make use of 500 of them? thoughts?

PlusPoints are just free points that MVC gives out for some reason. The most common is points received for attending an Owner Update or when you purchase they usually give 2x the mount of points you are buying as PlusPoints.

 

[Eric B]

What can you book with 500 points if all of your weeks are used and you don't have any other Abound points?

I think it’d get me a day or two at the Marriott Pulse in DC at the Mayflower. Not many places it would get a whole week, but good for adding a day or two to a stay elsewhere. Probably the equivalent of ~15K SOs.

 

[CPNY]

I think it’d get me a day or two at the Marriott Pulse in DC at the Mayflower. Not many places it would get a whole week, but good for adding a day or two to a stay elsewhere. Probably the equivalent of ~15K SOs.

I wonder if the plus points will go to those with desirable ownerships they want converted. Nothing Marriott is random IMO

 

[DanCali]

ok, I'm a Vistana owner and new to Marriott. what are Pluspoints, how can one make use of 500 of them? thoughts?

They are just like any other points, but cannot be banked or transferred.

What can you book with 500 points if all of your weeks are used and you don't have any other Abound points?

The Plus Points are good for 2 years, so if your weeks are all used this year, there is always next year. You can also borrow from next year's points to complement the 500 points or rent points from others. As a reference point, many here would prefer 400 Plus Points vs. a $150-$200 gift card for attending a presentation.

However, there are locations where 500 points can get you pretty far in the offseason, especially Mon-Friday bookings. We occasionally do that for some FL locations during "hurricane season". If you live in CA (CalGal?) you can book 2/3 weeknights in Tahoe (Timber Lodge) in the summer in a 1BR/studio. You can book 5-6 nights in Vail at one of the Marriott Streamside properties in a 2BR during ~4 months of the year. You can book a full week in a 2BR at Hilton Head (Harbour Club or Heritage Club) or even 9 nights (Harbour Point) during a 5-week period in December and January. It really depends on where you live and if you are tied to school calendars, or have more flexibility.

Also, if you are Executive/Presidential/Chairman you get a 25%/30%/30% discount for 30/60/60-day-prior bookings which can stretch the 500 points further than mentioned above. I'm taking my daughter to visit some schools in Southern CA and booked 2 nights at Newport Coast Villas (2BR resort only) for 420 points after 30% discount. Obviously, it's subject to availability but we're looking at low season bookings here so the likelihood of getting a discount is higher.