Abound! The combined Marriott/Vistana integrated exchange program now has a name.

[Superchief]

Well, from this side of the house, let me just say that, "given the general sentiment of Vistana owners towards Marriott," enforced by what I'm reading on TUG from Vistana owners, I couldn't care less if Vistana is integrated into the DC/Abound. IMO it's absolutely ridiculous, and the height of entitlement, for Vistana owners to think that Marriott owes them any more from Abound than any Marriott owners have ever gotten from the DC. It's not Marriott that's fostering the "general sentiment" yet it's apparently expected that Marriott must give over and above what they've given Marriott owners to combat it? That's crap.

I agree with you. There are only a few Vistana resorts that I would ever be interested in staying, but I bet there are several MVC resorts of interest to current Vistana owners. All this merger will do for me is make it more difficult to get the MVC reservations I want due to a new group of people having access to them.

 

[Mroze]

Being a Marriott + Vistana owner, I have a Jekyll & Hyde perspective.

Vistana-Owner
At many presentations [including from insiders] the following is what i heard will transpire shortly.

• I can continue to use my VSN membership as-is [NO CHANGES], if I so choose.
• I can choose to partake in the DC-Program, if I so choose.
• I may have to pay an Enrollment-Fee [could be $1k-$2K or $0K] to participate [Enrolled-Contracts] in the DC-Program.
• I may have to purchase DC-Points [could be $30K] to have my "Resale" [NON-Enrolled-Contracts] ownerships participate in the DC-Program.

What I Interpret as a Vistana-Owner

• My life is unchanged if I choose to NOT participate in the DC-Program.
• Each year I can decide to participate in the DCP-System or NOT participate and exchange within VSN [or II] as I have done in the past.
• In a particular year, If I elect the DCP-System, I will receive an allotment of DCP-Points for my specific Week/Flex that I can use to exchange into another [Marriott/Vistana] resort.
  • If I dislike the DCP-Points allotment, I can choose to NOT participate in the DCP-System and exchange via VSN or via II.
• If I choose to participate in the DC-Program, I get direct access to 80+ resorts that I could not avail of before; other than hope to get lucky via INTERVAL.
• If I choose to participate, my 4*/5* gets me Bonvoy-Titanium benefits.
• If I choose to participate my 5* gets me Chairmans-Club level DCP-Benefits.
• If I choose to participate, I get improved II-Benefits [Exchange-Priority, Lower VSN->M Exchange-Fees].
• If I choose to participate, I get consolidated fees [possibly savings] over a-la-carte VSN fees.
• Do I think these additional benefits should be free [No-Enrollment/No-Purchase]? Yes. Because I am "entitled"?
  • If I dislike this, or don't see these as "benefits" I can choose to NOT Opt-In and continue to vacation as I have done for years past.
  • If I disagree, do I blame Marriott? How about me blaming Vistana for selling out?

Marriott-Owner

• If I have enrolled Weeks/DCP-Points, I can avail of access to VSN-Resorts via the DCP-System starting in Summer-2022 for travel beginning in Jan-2023.
• If VSN-Owners choose to participate [deposit their Contracts] with DCP, I could get access to their resorts. More options for me.
• If VSN-Owners choose to participate, they can get access to my resorts. More competition for me.

 

[kozykritter]

Thanks for that great detailed summary! From what I read along the way I believe they are going to be applying MVC recognition levels and the consolidated club fee across all Vistana owners regardless of their electing to participate in Abound. Vistana elite levels have already been mapped to Executive and above as you mentioned. That means they will likely come up with Vistana-only criteria to qualify for the Select level within the Vistana system since it doesn't have an equivalent level right now and perhaps some specific Vistana benefits that was distinguish it from Owner level.

If a Vistana owner elects points through Abound, they would have their same recognition level of benefits within the MVC system related to the use of those points. Different from MVC, Vistana elite levels don't have any priority booking features that allow them to jump the line ahead of any owner so there's no Vistana booking advantage to pass on to MVC owners in that regard unless they add some in this integration process which I think would cause the Vistana villagers to grab torches and pitchforks and come after the executives!

Also I've been told once the integration launches, a Vistana or enrolled MVC or dual owner will only pay one consolidated club fee annually starting in 2023 and the amount will be the same in both programs. That's good news for dual owners that currently pay club dues in both programs if they have the appropriate ownership. So one scenario is a Vistana owner pays the consolidated club dues for VSN and then subsequently enrolls in elects their ownership into Abound without being charged another club fee since the administration of the two programs is being merged. The same is true for MVC owners booking Vistana via Abound. We've had mention of this here starting with Denise's contact back at the soft launch plus I've heard it in sales presentations and others have heard this is how Abound will work.

I guess we'll find out in the near future how much of this is true but logically it all sounds right

 

[Wally3433]

What is the affect of this change on a Marriott Weeks Owner that just trades on Interval?

 

[kozykritter]

What is the affect of this change on a Marriott Weeks Owner that just trades on Interval?

I would say none.

 

[Aviator621]

What is the affect of this change on a Marriott Weeks Owner that just trades on Interval?

I would say none.

I have heard that the Sheraton/Westin resorts are now added to the Marriott to Marriott priority window in Interval which should help a bit.

 

[dioxide45]

I have heard that the Sheraton/Westin resorts are now added to the Marriott to Marriott priority window in Interval which should help a bit.

What we know about this is that there is an additional preference period where Marriott owners have preference to exchange into Vistana and Vistana owners have a preference exchanging into Marriott. This happens though after the Marriott to Marriott or Vistana to Vistana priority period had already happened. Not the difference with "priority" and "preference". I don't necessarily see this going away in order to protect the original promised ownership privileges to Marriott and Vistana owners that aren't enrolled in Abound. I think there will always be a Marriott to Marriott priority and a Vistana to Vistana priority followed by a short preference period and then deposits open up to everyone else.

 

[Mroze]

What we know about this is that there is an additional preference period where Marriott owners have preference to exchange into Vistana and Vistana owners have a preference exchanging into Marriott. This happens though after the Marriott to Marriott or Vistana to Vistana priority period had already happened. Not the difference with "priority" and "preference". I don't necessarily see this going away in order to protect the original promised ownership privileges to Marriott and Vistana owners that aren't enrolled in Abound. I think there will always be a Marriott to Marriott priority and a Vistana to Vistana priority followed by a short preference period and then deposits open up to everyone else.

Searching with Marriott & Vistana, this is what I see right now and assume it will continue in the future.

 

[Dean]

I hear the program has been pushed back to the end of July.

 

[dioxide45]

I hear the program has been pushed back to the end of July.

Given the website woes on both sides (Vistana and MVC), I can't say I am surprised. I wouldn't be surprised if it happens even later.

 

[Fasttr]

I hear the program has been pushed back to the end of July.

Which July?

 

[GaryDouglas]

A couple weeks ago I was told by a sales rep that to be announced in July, it would no longer be possible to bring a post 2010June20 non-Marriott purchased week in as enrolled. Besides being surprised, I didn't beleave it. Anyone else hear this sales rumor yet?

 

[bazzap]

A couple weeks ago I was told by a sales rep that to be announced in July, it would no longer be possible to bring a post May2010 non-Marriott purchased week in as enrolled. Besides being surprised, I didn't beleave it. Anyone else hear this sales rumor yet?

As this would just remove MVC’s option to sell “enrolment packages” and make more money from owners, it would be the most bizarre business decision for them to make?

 

[ljmiii]

A couple weeks ago I was told by a sales rep that to be announced in July, it would no longer be possible to bring a post May2010 non-Marriott purchased week in as enrolled. Besides being surprised, I didn't beleave it. Anyone else hear this sales rumor yet?

Lots of times. Which July did you have in mind?!?

 

[VacationForever]

A couple weeks ago I was told by a sales rep that to be announced in July, it would no longer be possible to bring a post May2010 non-Marriott purchased week in as enrolled. Besides being surprised, I didn't beleave it. Anyone else hear this sales rumor yet?

It is true and consistent that a Marriott week bought after June 20, 2010 from external sources cannot be enrolled without buying something directly from Marriott to enroll that week. You can also buy a hybrid bundle from Marriott, which comes with a week and points/outside of US week and the bundle is enrolled.

 

[Bill4728]

A couple weeks ago I was told by a sales rep that to be announced in July, it would no longer be possible to bring a post May2010 non-Marriott purchased week in as enrolled. Besides being surprised, I didn't believe it. Anyone else hear this sales rumor yet?

There are multiple times in the past where MVC has a short window of "amnesty" Every time they do this, they tell owners "this will be the last amnesty period ever". Clearly not true.

This spring, they allowed post 2010 weeks to be enrolled if you bought 2500 MVC points.

 

[Bill4728]

What is the affect of this change on a Marriott Weeks Owner that just trades on Interval?

MVC is going to take out of interval all enrolled weeks deposited into Interval and put them into the pool of weeks that you can reserve using DC points.

BUT owners of non enrolled weeks, using their private Interval accounts, should be able to deposit and trade their weeks in II. There just may not be as many MVC weeks available since MVC will not be putting as many weeks into Interval.

 

[bazzap]

MVC is going to take out of interval all enrolled weeks deposited into Interval and put them into the pool of weeks that you can reserve using DC points.

BUT owners of non enrolled weeks, using their private Interval accounts, should be able to deposit and trade their weeks in II. There just may not be as many MVC weeks available since MVC will not be putting as many weeks into Interval.

Unless I am misunderstanding you:
- owners with enrolled weeks choose to elect them for points each year (or not)
- if owners choose not to elect them, how can MVC stop them using their corporate Interval accounts to deposit and trade their weeks in II

 

[Bill4728]

Unless I am misunderstanding you:
- owners with enrolled weeks choose to elect them for points each year (or not)
- if owners choose not to elect them, how can MVC stop them using their corporate Interval accounts to deposit and trade their weeks in II

MVC must allow them to deposit them into II BUT DC owners will not see any MVC resorts with their II deposit even though there are MVC weeks in Interval (which can be seen with non MVC corporate interval accounts). These deposits will only see non MVC weeks.

This may be similar to the area blocks that Interval does: ie not allowing you to trade your Orlando MVC weeks for Disney Orlando weeks

 

[bazzap]

MVC must allow them to deposit them into II BUT DC owners will not see any MVC resorts with their II deposit even though there are MVC weeks in Interval (which can be seen with non MVC corporate interval accounts). These deposits will only see non MVC weeks.

This may be similar to the area blocks that Interval does: ie not allowing you to trade your Orlando MVC weeks for Disney Orlando weeks

OK, I do understand that DC Points deposits into Interval can only be used to book non MVC resorts.

 

[GaryDouglas]

It is true and consistent that a Marriott week bought after June 20, 2010 from external sources cannot be enrolled without buying something directly from Marriott to enroll that week. You can also buy a hybrid bundle from Marriott, which comes with a week and points/outside of US week and the bundle is enrolled.

He said that this upgrade option will no longer be available after the new rules come out.

 

[VacationForever]

MVC must allow them to deposit them into II BUT DC owners will not see any MVC resorts with their II deposit even though there are MVC weeks in Interval (which can be seen with non MVC corporate interval accounts). These deposits will only see non MVC weeks.

This may be similar to the area blocks that Interval does: ie not allowing you to trade your Orlando MVC weeks for Disney Orlando weeks

You had said this before in another thread and many of us have disputed it. DC owners can deposit their MVC weeks into the corporate II account and exchange back into Marriott properties. DC points cannot be exchanged into Marriott properties in II. I use my enrolled weeks to exchange back to MVC properties in II all day long...

 

[VacationForever]

He said that this upgrade option will no longer be available after the new rules come out.

Salesperson lips were moving...

 

[Mowogo]

Maybe I am one of the only Vistana owners looking forward to having more options for travel
destinations. I foresee myself depositing into Abound. I understand the frustration of Marriott owners that paid a fee! I would be upset too. I am not sure why some owners feel entitled to anything.

I think part of the hesitation with MVC on the part of Vistana owners on this forum is that the Flex programs have gotten a bit of a bad reputation as being too costly and not having enough “good” (ie Westin Riverfront ski weeks) inventory. I believe Flex was originally modeled off of the success of the DP program, so I think Vistana owners can be forgiven when they express fears about moving to a Flex type system. In many ways the same debates occurring now regarding availability, cherry-picking prime weeks etc are the same things we heard back when Flex was rolled out (most of which has proved to be misplaced fears). I trust once we see how things actually work there will be much less doubt.

Also, Marriott has been offering Destination Club only for a while and over the years picking up inventory through various methods to improve availability in addition to the development of quite a few Points only properties. Vistana was pretty much blocked from new development not too long after launching Flex and so has a much smaller pool of desirable developments and units Which really blocked the Flex products from becoming truly attractive systems To those that understood how the system worked.

 

[GaryDouglas]

Salesperson lips were moving...

It was perhaps at a moment of desperation because I was cancelling a purchase...