Best use for 2024 & 2025 new resale WKORV OV VOI

[5finny]

Vistana/Marriott emailed me a week or two ago that the transfer of my recent WKORV OV resale purchase finally was completed.
I have been trying to get it "merged" into my current Executive Vistana account since then.

Some data points based on what I have been told:
"Entity" Accounts can not currently be "merged" because of an IT issue which is being worked on--no ETA for resolution
My ownership is in a trust and that counts as an "Entity"
The accounts can be "Linked"
Their are two types of linkage. One allows you access to the account titlechanges does that. The other links usage owner services does that. I want to link the usage of the new VOI to the old account. Once usage is linked the new VOI will have Executive status (including banking deadline of Aug 31 ) and most if not all things -such as banking-can be done from the original account, but the new VOI will not show as owned in the original account.
The above info is believed accurate (but certainly not warranted) and has taken multiple calls and emails to obtain

My current status is that :
I can access the account. It shows as being in the Vistana program with full allotment of 2024 & 2025 staroptions. It is not yet linked to the original account and has no Status so 2024 staroptions can not be banked. It is connected to the corporate II account so it looks like all or part could be deposited in II. So far they do not know what the problem is in linking the usage and have said multiple times that it has been done and will show in 12-24 hours--but it never does.

My questions as to 2024 usage:
Should I try to get Vistana/Marriott to make an exception and let me late bank the 2024 staroptions?
If I can get that done I am afraid the banked SO's will disappear once the usages are linked
Should I lock off and deposit in II?
Should I continue to try to get the usage linked?

I have the same questions for the 2025 usage with but there I have the additional option of actually making a July homeoptions reservation for family use
My concern there is unit placement since this is an OV unit and some time has passed since the booking window opened
Thanks

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Unfortunately, I do not have answers but am becoming increasingly frustrated in getting my voluntary set up that I cannot call someone and get an answer. It has been almost 6 mos.

I also have a trust. AFAIK, in order to avoid guest cert fee in II your name as trustee and your spouse's name as trustee must be in ownership entity field in addition to the trust. Currently we are listed as Entity Representatives and we were rejected from II.

I have 2 mandatory deeds that were combined last year into one account. Works for SO points but havent tested in II. It took a lot to get this to work.

I am writing Vistana Transfers yet again to try to ID issues on the voluntary. I hate 20 questions.

This new Trust entity field from MVC is causing a lot of unintended issues.

 

[LeslieDet]

Once usage is linked the new VOI will have Executive status (including banking deadline of Aug 31 )

Are you confident that with purchased resale mandatory VOIs that they will be considered as executive level? I'm fairly certain they don't count towards your ownership level for the Abound program. As part of the VSN instead, will they be viewed on their own and not in conjunction with your main VSN account because the ownership is in your Trust and the rest of your VOIs are not? I don't know what is used to determine the resale banking dates for mandatory VOIs. I'm curious to learn. Good luck.

 

[GrayFal]

Are you confident that with purchased resale mandatory VOIs that they will be considered as executive level? I'm fairly certain they don't count towards your ownership level for the Abound program. As part of the VSN instead, will they be viewed on their own and not in conjunction with your main VSN account because the ownership is in your Trust and the rest of your VOIs are not? I don't know what is used to determine the resale banking dates for mandatory VOIs. I'm curious to learn. Good luck.

I agree with you.
Even thought it is a mandatory resort it can't be part of abound and will need its own VSN account and associated yearly fee. If you buy more mandatory VOI such as SVV Bella/Key West or Westin Ka'anapoli they can be added to the "new" VSN account but not your Abound associated account.

Another TUGer ran into this when his SVV Plat Bella did not close before the August 2023/22? Date and he had to open a separate VSN account for that one VOI.

 

[5finny]

All of my VOI's are in the same trust
My pre merger VOI's are what gave me the Executive Abound status

A previous post merger purchase of a Mandatory Vistana Villages also could not be merged into my original account
However once it's usage was linked to the original account it enjoyed Executive status and the staroptions could and were banked using the original account and the extended Executive deadline
Thereafter I made a staroptions reservation using a combination of the original accounts staroptions and the new VOI's staroptions--- again through the original account

That new VOI was added to the existing corporate II account
The newest WKORV that they have been trying (unsuccessfully) to link has already been added to the existing corporate II account
To the best of my knowledge no new VSN account was opened

The new VOI Vistana Villages is not Abound eligible and did not increase my Status
I do not expect the new WKORV VOI to be Abound eligible

In none of my most recent conversations (and they have been numerous) has anyone suggested a new account is or will be needed
My conversations have been more along the lines of -- we have identified IT problems with merging entity accounts and while we expect the merger issues will be resolved we have no ETA for the resolution.
Although the accounts can not currently be merged we can link the usage. Then depending on the person -We are not sure why it has not been done already or sometimes OK we got it now it will show up in 12-24 hours or sometimes after several consultations I will be disconnected--

A confusing fact is that there is evidently two types of linkages one allows you access to the account -titlechanges does this
What they are now trying to do is link usage-- owner services does this

Perhaps my one previous experience was a fortunate error that Marriott/Vistana made in my favor but I am hoping not and take the fact that my new WKORV account already shows in my corporate II account as a favorable sign

 

[rickandcindy23]

I have been battling to get my recent Sheraton purchases added to my Vistana account. I have two new log-ins for Vistana and have to log into three accounts to see my weeks. One single week in each of the other two accounts. They will not put my weeks together for one log-in.

 

[Red elephant]

I have been battling to get my recent Sheraton purchases added to my Vistana account. I have two new log-ins for Vistana and have to log into three accounts to see my weeks. One single week in each of the other two accounts. They will not put my weeks together for one log-in.

I don’t understand why they can do it for some and not others. There should be a standard procedure. I bought 2 resale Sheratons and they were both added to my Vistana account with one log in.

 

[5finny]

If I understand their vocabulary correctly this is the "Merger" issue and is a "titlechanges" issue
This is the relevant part of the first email I got from "title changes"
"Good day,

Thank you for your email. As of October 2022, Marriott and Vistana implemented a new process involving including of Entities as an Owner profile to Vistana ownership accounts. We are now doing a clean-up as they are brought to our attention to add the name of the Trust as the Primary owner on the ownership account. We have attempted to update your accounts to align with this process. However, due to technical difficulties with merging of Trust accounts we have encountered and issue and are currently working with our IT team to resolve. At this time we currently do not have an ETA

Please note, once we resolve the issue above, we are currently unable to merge Owner member IDs for any Owners listed under Entity ownership accounts. This usually results in having to maintain multiple logins to the online Ownership Dashboard. Our IT department is aware of this and they are diligently working to resolve it with a Master Program to work across all brands in the company. At this time we do not have an ETA for this new program and we do sincerely apologize for any inconvenience that it may cause regarding logging in online."


This is the next email re "Linking"

"Thank you for your email. There are two linking mechanisms. Our team assists with the linking mechanism that assists logging in. In Owner Services they can assist with the linking mechanism that assists with usage. Please reach out to Owner Services and advise that they reach out to Account Support to see if the Usage IDs can be linked."

They may help someone and while the info has yet to help me I a remain hopeful that several more calls may get me to where I want to be

 

[5finny]

Now I am just playing trying to understand my 2024 options.
So another data point.
If I start to deposit the studio side of my 2BR WKORV VOI into II from my Vistana/Marriott account I get the following :

"The Westin Ka'anapali Ocean Resort Villas
Contract #------ Week 04
Exchanging from 2024 Use Year

• Studio Premium Villa

Exchanging As

• a 1-Bedroom"

So it looks like it will treat my studio side as a 1 BR if I deposit from my Vistana/Marriott account but if I start to deposit using the corporate II account it shows that it will just remain a studio deposit
???

 

[CalGalTraveler]

I agree with you.
Even thought it is a mandatory resort it can't be part of abound and will need its own VSN account and associated yearly fee. If you buy more mandatory VOI such as SVV Bella/Key West or Westin Ka'anapoli they can be added to the "new" VSN account but not your Abound associated account.

Another TUGer ran into this when his SVV Plat Bella did not close before the August 2023/22? Date and he had to open a separate VSN account for that one VOI.

FYI...I have a pre 2022 cutoff Abound enrolled resale mandatory. Last year we added a resale mandatory to same account. It has VSN but not Abound so mixing after Aug 2022 deadline can be done.

From what I am being told by Vistana, our post Aug 2022 voluntary resale must be in a separate account.

Would "linking" as described above help?

 

[LeslieDet]

FYI...I have a pre 2022 cutoff Abound enrolled resale mandatory. Last year we added a resale mandatory to same account. It has VSN but not Abound so mixing after Aug 2022 deadline can be done.

From what I am being told by Vistana, our post Aug 2022 voluntary resale must be in a separate account.

Would "linking" as described above help?

That is how I understood the post August 2022 resales are handled. That extra distinction between mandatory vs voluntary on the resales keeps voluntaries in a separate account. Good luck with linking.

 

[5finny]

FYI...I have a pre 2022 cutoff Abound enrolled resale mandatory. Last year we added a resale mandatory to same account. It has VSN but not Abound so mixing after Aug 2022 deadline can be done.

From what I am being told by Vistana, our post Aug 2022 voluntary resale must be in a separate account.

Would "linking" as described above help?

Based upon what I "THINK" I know yes
Ask owner services to link the usage in both accounts
It worked for me once but I have yet to get it done a second time
Good Luck

 

[GrayFal]

Now I am just playing trying to understand my 2024 options.
So another data point.
If I start to deposit the studio side of my 2BR WKORV VOI into II from my Vistana/Marriott account I get the following :

"The Westin Ka'anapali Ocean Resort Villas
Contract #------ Week 04
Exchanging from 2024 Use Year

• Studio Premium Villa

Exchanging As

• a 1-Bedroom"

So it looks like it will treat my studio side as a 1 BR if I deposit from my Vistana/Marriott account but if I start to deposit using the corporate II account it shows that it will just remain a studio deposit
???

Glitch?
A lot of this is new territory.

 

[5finny]

Glitch?
A lot of this is new territory.

No Idea
Never really thought before about depositing it as the fees on Hawaii weeks seemed to high to make it worthwhile
It does make some since to me to treat an expensive studio as a 1 BR in order to get II deposits--but it makes no since to handle the studio in 2 different ways depending on how it is deposited

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Based upon what I "THINK" I know yes
Ask owner services to link the usage in both accounts
It worked for me once but I have yet to get it done a second time
Good Luck

What do I get linking a voluntary to a mandatory account - single sign on? Other benefits?

 

[Red elephant]

That is how I understood the post August 2022 resales are handled. That extra distinction between mandatory vs voluntary on the resales keeps voluntaries in a separate account. Good luck with linking.

As I mentioned above my voluntary resales post 2022 are in my one account with all my other accounts that are in VSN. When I sign on they are listed at the bottom of the page.

 

[Red elephant]

What do I get linking a voluntary to a mandatory account - single sign on? Other benefits?

Basically that’s it one account with one sign on. Everything on the same page.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Why would you deposit the week into II at all. I would not do that, if I were you. I would reserve a week and rent it or use it. There is no reason to deposit that week into II.

 

[LeslieDet]

As I mentioned above my voluntary resales post 2022 are in my one account with all my other accounts that are in VSN. When I sign on they are listed at the bottom of the page.

I do not have any Westin resales, only MVC ones, and those show up in my MVC owner account, along with all of my other MVC ownership. I feel for those who have Westin and Sheraton resales, and the complexities added because of the voluntary vs mandatory. From what others have said, it sounds like there is a complete lack of consistency.

 

[Red elephant]

I do not have any Westin resales, only MVC ones, and those show up in my MVC owner account, along with all of my other MVC ownership. I feel for those who have Westin and Sheraton resales, and the complexities added because of the voluntary vs mandatory. From what others have said, it sounds like there is a complete lack of consistency.

I wonder if this has anything to do with the forms sent over by the closing company. The inconsistency is very unfair and unprofessional.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Mandatory vs. voluntary or resale seems to not be the reason for not adding new contracts to one log-in, one account. One of the weeks I bought had its own login but I requested to have the week added to my account, and it did finally show up that way. I still have two that have their own logins. Those two couldn't even be put in one account.

So if I buy additional weeks, I would guess I will have additional logins.

 

[Red elephant]

Mandatory vs. voluntary or resale seems to not be the reason for not adding new contracts to one log-in, one account. One of the weeks I bought had its own login but I requested to have the week added to my account, and it did finally show up that way. I still have two that have their own logins. Those two couldn't even be put in one account.

So if I buy additional weeks, I would guess I will have additional logins.

That cannot be the reason something else is going on. Having all these logins and accounts doesn’t even make sense.

 

[rickandcindy23]

That cannot be the reason something else is going on. Having all these logins and accounts doesn’t even make sense.

I know! It's ridiculous.

I am probably going to deedback some weeks. The Sheraton Broadway didn't rent that well for 2024, and I cannot use a dozen weeks in my account to exchange through II.

 

[Red elephant]

I know! It's ridiculous.

I am probably going to deedback some weeks. The Sheraton Broadway didn't rent that well for 2024, and I cannot use a dozen weeks in my account to exchange through II.

So sorry you have to do that. Maybe spend some time there just enjoying your weeks if you can.

 

[5finny]

So called again yesterday.
Was again told linkage was done and that I would see it today

Today I do see it
New VOI is not listed as owned in the original account but I can bank the new staroptions from the new VOI from the original account using the Executive banking deadline
I can also make staroption reservations using the new VOI's staroptions using the original account
If I want to make a home resort use reservation I need to go to the new account which now shows Executive status

Took way to much time and it is not perfect but I can certainly live with it