Access to Abound is up!

[TravelTime]

Wouldn’t every single person ask for top floor when securing OF at WKORVN? How do they decide who to call first to give first dibs?

This is always a heated discussion and no one knows for sure. Being an owner at the resort seems to have the highest priority. I was just saying that Vistana does not appear to use time stamp all the time. An example…I exchanged into WKOVR in 2018 or 2019 using SOs as a non-owner and we were assigned the top floor OF. Technically we should not have gotten that room if time stamp were used. I have no idea how they assigned us there. There are other threads about how Marriott appears to make room assignments.

If I were Marriott, I would make better room assignments part of the Chairman’s Club benefits since there is nothing special Chairman’s Club members get except 6 months extra of banking. Making better room assignments a benefit - without guaranteeing it of course - is a free way to recognize and motivate people to get to Chairman’s Club level. They do this on the hotel side for Titanium so why not do something like this on the timeshare side. This is just my opinion so I hope people do not get upset with me for mentioning it.

 

[byeloe]

@alwysonvac
thanks for the tips. For some reason, when I click on "View balance" nothing happens

 

[alwysonvac]

@alwysonvac
thanks for the tips. For some reason, when I click on "View balance" nothing happens

Sorry, I just tried it and it’s working for me.
Make sure you don’t have a pop-up blocker.

 

[jeffm211]

I elected my VSN VOI for Abound points.

Got it. So electing on a speculative basis, hoping what you want to book is available. Not sure I want to go that route. Thank you.

 

[byeloe]

Sorry, I just tried it and it’s working for me.
Make sure you don’t have a pop-up blocker.

Mine is not
My account is pretty messed up.

It shows this on the election screen, which includes an EOY Lagunamar Gold(it's voluntary)
If I select use year, the error is corrected on the next screen

Then my benefit level is showing

which includes my EOY Gold plus and an Annual Platinum Plus Lagunamar (also voluntary)

and they did not charge me the new club dues, just $170 for one of my Kierland units and nothing for the other Kierland.

I am not going to bother to get anything fixed until I have a need to use the Abound exchange, since I may never elect my Kierlands

 

[Troyrissa]

Got it. So electing on a speculative basis, hoping what you want to book is available. Not sure I want to go that route. Thank you.

No, you can search without electing club points. I have done a number of searches today. On your vistana dashboard there is a section called ‘use club points’. Within that section there is a make a reservation link. That takes you directly to Marriotts reservation system where you can search different resorts and dates. It will show a calendar for each month with available days for check in. You can use the filter feature to see if a certain unit size/view is available.

 

[alwysonvac]

Mine is not
My account is pretty messed up.

Yikes!

Thanks for sharing. I own all qualified weeks.
I guess they didn’t account for owners with a combination of both (qualified and non-qualified weeks).

 

[DanCali]

If I were Marriott, I would make better room assignments part of the Chairman’s Club benefits since there is nothing special Chairman’s Club members get except 6 months extra of banking. Making better room assignments a benefit - without guaranteeing it of course - is a free way to recognize and motivate people to get to Chairman’s Club level. They do this on the hotel side for Titanium so why not do something like this on the timeshare side. This is just my opinion so I hope people do not get upset with me for mentioning it.

No-one will get upset, but it's obviously self-serving wishful thinking on your part

Besides, all these benefit levels get diluted over time. It used to take 50 nights to get to Bonvoy Platinum, then you can get a shortcut with 15 bonus nights from a credit card, and now you can just "buy" Bonvoy Platinum for $650/year by paying an annual fee on the Brilliant card. Recently, I went to a concierge lounge at a JW Marriott and I barely could find 2 seats for breakfast... And yesterday I called the "Elite line" at Vistana and was on hold for about 1 hour.

 

[TravelTime]

No-one will get upset, but it's obviously self-serving wishful thinking on your part

Besides, all these benefit levels get diluted over time. It used to take 50 nights to get to Bonvoy Platinum, then you can get a shortcut with 15 bonus nights from a credit card, and now you can just "buy" Bonvoy Platinum for $650/year by paying an annual fee on the Brilliant card. Recently, I went to a concierge lounge at a JW Marriott and I barely could find 2 seats for breakfast... And yesterday I called the "Elite line" at Vistana and was on hold for about 1 hour.

It is self serving but it is also true that Chairman’s Level does not have any benefits over some lower levels except some extra banking time.

I have heard for years that Marriott will be enhancing Chairman’s Club level and it still has not happened. I was happy at Presidential level but lucked out with getting the upgrade due to Vistana week.

I just barely made it to Chairman’s with a little over 15K annualized points. I am happy with this and it more than meets our vacation needs.

 

[sponger76]

Got it. So electing on a speculative basis, hoping what you want to book is available. Not sure I want to go that route. Thank you.

Not too speculative. I do know from looking at the MVC boards that if you book early enough, generally you can get something at most resorts. To give myself even more cushion, I actually elected my 2024 VOI instead of 2023, because I could borrow that for 2023 usage if I found something I wanted (which I did). If I didn't find anything decent left for 2023 I'd already be set to book right at the 12 month mark for 2024.

And besides, paying MFs for anything other than a fixed week in VSN is speculative, hoping that exactly what you want is going to be available, whether it's the specific week you want at a home resort when you own a floating week within a whole season or just points, both HomeOptions or StarOptions.

 

[dioxide45]

If one is a Vistana only owner and buys Abound Trust points, do they then get an MVC Owner Number and can then setup a MVC account? Would that simplify the process in any way for a Vistana owner? Effectively once you elect you could just use the MVC owner account to transact all reservations?

 

[DavidnRobin]

Not too speculative. I do know from looking at the MVC boards that if you book early enough, generally you can get something at most resorts. To give myself even more cushion, I actually elected my 2024 VOI instead of 2023, because I could borrow that for 2023 usage if I found something I wanted (which I did). If I didn't find anything decent left for 2023 I'd already be set to book right at the 12 month mark for 2024.

And besides, paying MFs for anything other than a fixed week in VSN is speculative, hoping that exactly what you want is going to be available, whether it's the specific week you want at a home resort when you own a floating week within a whole season or just points, both HomeOptions or StarOptions.

How does one elect 2024 usage? I don’t see it. All my 2023 usage has been booked.


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[jeffm211]

Not too speculative. I do know from looking at the MVC boards that if you book early enough, generally you can get something at most resorts. To give myself even more cushion, I actually elected my 2024 VOI instead of 2023, because I could borrow that for 2023 usage if I found something I wanted (which I did). If I didn't find anything decent left for 2023 I'd already be set to book right at the 12 month mark for 2024.

And besides, paying MFs for anything other than a fixed week in VSN is speculative, hoping that exactly what you want is going to be available, whether it's the specific week you want at a home resort when you own a floating week within a whole season or just points, both HomeOptions or StarOptions.

Good points. The difference w/ VSN tho is I have a multi-year res history to draw upon so perception is it is less speculative. No history w/ MVC to draw upon. My 2023 travel is all booked except for one res I need to make at 8 months for next December. Will look to 2024 & consider electing for that travel. Thank you.

 

[ocdb8r]

If one is a Vistana only owner and buys Abound Trust points, do they then get an MVC Owner Number and can then setup a MVC account? Would that simplify the process in any way for a Vistana owner? Effectively once you elect you could just use the MVC owner account to transact all reservations?

Yes - but I'm not sure it simplifies the process much. You can log directly into MVC, but about all that saves you is clicking the book with club points button on he Vistana site (which basically shifts you into the MVC site).

 

[jeffm211]

Vistana site appears to be down. Anybody else seeing that?

 

[DanCali]

How does one elect 2024 usage? I don’t see it. All my 2023 usage has been booked.


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Can't post a screenshot since the website crashed...

But I believe you go to the Dashboard and then select Elect Club Points. Should show you each week with your options for 2023 and 2024.

 

[jeffm211]

Vistana site appears to be down. Anybody else seeing that?

Appears to be back up. Phew!

 

[DanCali]

Appears to be back up. Phew!

Indeed it is.

How does one elect 2024 usage? I don’t see it. All my 2023 usage has been booked.


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@DavidnRobin - here you go (although the page it goes to seems to crash often, at least for me). You can even elect for 2025!

 

[VacationForever]

You guys/gals are too fast for me and I am having difficulty in catching up with all the posts. Is it true that for those of us who own both enrolled Vistana and MVC weeks/points, we will continue to have 2 Corporate II accounts? Thanks.

 

[DavidnRobin]

Can't post a screenshot since the website crashed...

But I believe you go to the Dashboard and then select Elect Club Points. Should show you each week with your options for 2023 and 2024.

Thanks. I see it now - was not available a couple of days ago. It just said I had no electable CPs.

If I elect 2024 CPs can I use in 2023?
Sorry if stupid question…


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[VacationForever]

Thanks. I see it now - was not available a couple of days ago. It just said I had no electable CPs.

If I elect 2024 CPs can I use in 2023?
Sorry if stupid question…


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Yes. In the CP system, you can borrow from the elected points online, without needing to call.

 

[DanCali]

Yes. In the CP system, you can borrow from the elected points online, without needing to call.

And you also don’t need to prepay MFs.


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[CPNY]

Sorry you are affected by this as well.

I'm in the same boat. It's frustrating.

It happened to me yesterday a few times. I’m still getting the “outside of booking window” for certain resorts. Bummer, all of the inventory for what i wanted is now gone.

 

[CPNY]

This is always a heated discussion and no one knows for sure. Being an owner at the resort seems to have the highest priority. I was just saying that Vistana does not appear to use time stamp all the time. An example…I exchanged into WKOVR in 2018 or 2019 using SOs as a non-owner and we were assigned the top floor OF. Technically we should not have gotten that room if time stamp were used. I have no idea how they assigned us there. There are other threads about how Marriott appears to make room assignments.

If I were Marriott, I would make better room assignments part of the Chairman’s Club benefits since there is nothing special Chairman’s Club members get except 6 months extra of banking. Making better room assignments a benefit - without guaranteeing it of course - is a free way to recognize and motivate people to get to Chairman’s Club level. They do this on the hotel side for Titanium so why not do something like this on the timeshare side. This is just my opinion so I hope people do not get upset with me for mentioning it.

Good points. That would be a cool perk for chairman or even presidential (when available). I will say, I never get any decent rooms with titanium on the hotel side, unless I travel out of the states. Then they treat you like a valued member. I suspect they don’t see as many elites as often as a US Marriott would.

 

[CPNY]

You guys/gals are too fast for me and I am having difficulty in catching up with all the posts. Is it true that for those of us who own both enrolled Vistana and MVC weeks/points, we will continue to have 2 Corporate II accounts? It will be interesting to see. I currently have one VOI that’s not enrolled in about (post 8/9) that is assigned to my one corp interval account.

It will be interesting to see but I assume that the II accounts would not be merged. I’m waiting to see how they handle enrolled in Abound VOI’s combined with VOI’s not enrolled in Abound that share the same II Corp account. Since next year the enrolled Abound VOI’s will come with free II exchanges into Abound resorts.

Interval’s website hasn’t changed in decades and it’s time for an overhaul. I have 5 units in the same resort in the same season. I cannot tell which unit belongs to which contract. It makes it impossible to do an exchange using a unit from the following year. I never know which MF to pay early.

I also want to see how they handle club dues. Will I be paying an Abound Club dues in addition to a VSN Dues for the post 8/9 resale?