Can I search availability of MVC Properties prior to converting Vistana Options to Club Points?

[dms111]

In various Vistana presentations, I have been told that I can check the availability of MVC properties before deciding whether or not to convert Vistana Options to MVC Club Points. But when I try to search availability of MVC properties, I can't do it because I have no Club Points. Is there a way to search availability of MVC properties before deciding whether to convert Options to Club Points?

 

[vacationtime1]

Short answer: no.

It's a lousy IT setup -- inferior to what we had before the Marriott and Vistana systems merged.

 

[DanCali]

In various Vistana presentations, I have been told that I can check the availability of MVC properties before deciding whether or not to convert Vistana Options to MVC Club Points. But when I try to search availability of MVC properties, I can't do it because I have no Club Points. Is there a way to search availability of MVC properties before deciding whether to convert Options to Club Points?

Short answer: no.

It's a lousy IT setup -- inferior to what we had before the Marriott and Vistana systems merged.

You actually can...

You need to go to the "Club Points - Search and Book Reservations" from Dashboard. Then when you search from reservations you will see availability even if you do not have sufficient points to book.

For example, if I want a 1BR Oceanfront at Ocean Pointe in November for 6 nights, this is what I see (unit size and view configurable on right side). Al the "white" dates are available for that unit/view type.

If I click on a "white" (available) date (e.g., Nov 25), I then get a message that I don't have enough points:

 

[dms111]

Thanks for that info, but now I am convinced that converting to Club Points makes no sense for us. We own Vistana Aventuras points with Cancun and Cabo as our home resorts. They are offering us one Club Point for every 30 Vistana options we have for 2024 and 2025. A 1 BR Premium unit at Lagunamar in February or March requires 81,000 Star Options for a week. That would be about 2700 Club Points at the conversion rate we are being offered. Yet, when you search MVC for the same property and dates, it requires 3900 Club Points. The same is true for Cabo....it requires far more in Club Points than our Star Options would yield. This makes no sense.

 

[sponger76]

Thanks for that info, but now I am convinced that converting to Club Points makes no sense for us. We own Vistana Aventuras points with Cancun and Cabo as our home resorts. They are offering us one Club Point for every 30 Vistana options we have for 2024 and 2025. A 1 BR Premium unit at Lagunamar in February or March requires 81,000 Star Options for a week. That would be about 2700 Club Points at the conversion rate we are being offered. Yet, when you search MVC for the same property and dates, it requires 3900 Club Points. The same is true for Cabo....it requires far more in Club Points than our Star Options would yield. This makes no sense.

As some people here on TUG have reported, there are a few situations where it works out better converting to Abound for Vistana resorts. But for the most part, if you want to stay at a Vistana resort, book the stay through Vistana instead of Abound. However, if you want to stay at MVC resorts, then it may make more sense. Keep in mind that converting to Abound is not a forever thing; you can do it one year and not the next, the election is annual.

 

[dioxide45]

For example, if I want a 1BR Oceanfront at Ocean Pointe in November for 6 nights, this is what I see (unit size and view configurable on right side). Al the "white" dates are available for that unit/view type.

To clarify this a little more. The white dates are available for check-in given the number of nights you have setup in your search. In your screen shot, say you want to check-in for the 6 nights on the 15th. If you look at the gray as unavailable, you might not think you can as the 16th is in gray. However, the white and gray are "available for check-in" or "unavailable for check-in". Just wanting to point out that verbiage under the calendar because some may think gray simply means the night is not available at all. One can set the search to 1 night to better see all the dates that are available.

 

[teddyo333]

I am unable to search using this method. I continue to receive the error message "An error occurred during your search, please try again by refreshing your screen or contact us for assistance."

 

[DavidnRobin]

I am unable to search using this method. I continue to receive the error message "An error occurred during your search, please try again by refreshing your screen or contact us for assistance."

If you are a Vistana only member - you need to go through the MVC portal on the Vistana site.


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[dms111]

As some people here on TUG have reported, there are a few situations where it works out better converting to Abound for Vistana resorts. But for the most part, if you want to stay at a Vistana resort, book the stay through Vistana instead of Abound. However, if you want to stay at MVC resorts, then it may make more sense. Keep in mind that converting to Abound is not a forever thing; you can do it one year and not the next, the election is annual.

I get that, but I assume my Options are being similarly devalued even if I want to stay at an MVC resort...unless MVC charges a premium for Vistana properties. Do any of you know?

 

[teddyo333]

If you are a Vistana only member - you need to go through the MVC portal on the Vistana site.


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I go through the Vistana dashboard and am then redirected to the MVC site where I receive the error. I am an resale owner of MVC. I’ve had this issue from the very beginning and Marriott support has been no help. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

 

[CPNY]

I have not been impressed with availability for Marriott resorts I'd want to stay. I will most likely stick with Star Options and Interval.

 

[dms111]

I go through the Vistana dashboard and am then redirected to the MVC site where I receive the error. I am an resale owner of MVC. I’ve had this issue from the very beginning and Marriott support has been no help. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

From the Vistana website, click on "Search and Book Reservations" under the "Use Club Points" menu. Then you can search as DanCali demonstrated above. I sometimes get the error message too, but you may need to try at different times. For what it's worth, however, it doesn't seem to me that using Star Options to book MVC properties is a good deal, at least if you are only getting one Club Point for every 30 Star Options like I am.

 

[Sicnarf]

For what it's worth, however, it doesn't seem to me that using Star Options to book MVC properties is a good deal, at least if you are only getting one Club Point for every 30 Star Options like I am.

It really depends on your booking situation. My SFlex gets 34:1 and WDW 39:1only but I find Vistana stays requiring less SO's if converted to Abound. Converting is just another option that should be used if advantageous to your situation.

 

[sponger76]

I get that, but I assume my Options are being similarly devalued even if I want to stay at an MVC resort...unless MVC charges a premium for Vistana properties. Do any of you know?

Just like booking Vistana resorts, it all depends on the weeks you are booking. If you are trying to book the highest-cost weeks in a season, it's usually not a good deal. If you are booking the least-cost weeks in a season, it can be a great deal. But either way, if for some reason you want to try out a particular MVC resort, you're not going to be able to book it directly in VSN. Whether its electing in Abound or using II, you're going to have to exchange out, and both systems have times where it's a good deal in terms of VSN points and times where it's not. It's not a blanket "it's always a horrible deal" just like it's not a blanket "it's always a great deal."

 

[GerryWA]

Thanks for that info, but now I am convinced that converting to Club Points makes no sense for us. We own Vistana Aventuras points with Cancun and Cabo as our home resorts. They are offering us one Club Point for every 30 Vistana options we have for 2024 and 2025. A 1 BR Premium unit at Lagunamar in February or March requires 81,000 Star Options for a week. That would be about 2700 Club Points at the conversion rate we are being offered. Yet, when you search MVC for the same property and dates, it requires 3900 Club Points. The same is true for Cabo....it requires far more in Club Points than our Star Options would yield. This makes no sense.

Wise choice

 

[RoverJohn]

I am Chairman level in VISTANA and am very satisfied with what I have. But after an owner update this week , I am curious about what Abound would offer me. There was a lot of smoke about buying 1000 points to get a more complete view of Abound availability - both regular AND trust weeks (don’t know the difference) AND a special phone number to phone that is not available to regular Chairman level owners who do not have Trust points.

Can I view Abound weeks without transferring my VISTANA points into Abound. What are trust weeks. Is there a special phone number available to trust week owners and a more inclusive view of weeks. Questions but NO SALE - my status would not improve a bit. And should I post this on the Marriott board. That’s for your help

 

[DanCali]

It's worth it for the phone number. I call them, and they do all my vacation planning, airline reservations, dining reservations, and they are so plugged in we always get upgraded to first class and get seated at the Chef's table...

Seriously - they are probably happy to have a new crowd to try and sell this stuff to. They've been trying the same stuff with Marriott owners since 2010.

Enjoy the read!

2022: https://tugbbs.com/forums/threads/is-it-worth-it-to-buy-into-the-trust-points.338150/

2021: https://tugbbs.com/forums/threads/trust-dp-versus-exchange-legacy-points-in-the-destination-club.319886/

2017: https://tugbbs.com/forums/threads/enrolled-versus-trust-inventory-availability.259184/

2015: https://tugbbs.com/forums/threads/ko-olina-sales-presentation.225293/

2013: https://tugbbs.com/forums/threads/canyon-villas-presentation-points-question.201739/

Yes, you can view availability without depositing in Abound.

 

[RoverJohn]

I enjoyed the read and APPRECIATE the collected wisdom of TUG. BUT, if I happened to fall into the trap and then acquired this knowledge, would I have been able to rescind my purchase?

 

[DanCali]

I enjoyed the read and APPRECIATE the collected wisdom of TUG. BUT, if I happened to fall into the trap and then acquired this knowledge, would I have been able to rescind my purchase?

A points purchase can be rescinded just like any other timeshare purchase. I believe for Trust points it's a 10-day right of recission period.

 

[RoverJohn]

No purchase - just a temptation declined.

 

[TexasChic]

It's worth it for the phone number. I call them, and they do all my vacation planning, airline reservations, dining reservations, and they are so plugged in we always get upgraded to first class and get seated at the Chef's table...

Seriously - they are probably happy to have a new crowd to try and sell this stuff to. They've been trying the same stuff with Marriott owners since 2010.

Enjoy the read!

2022: https://tugbbs.com/forums/threads/is-it-worth-it-to-buy-into-the-trust-points.338150/

2021: https://tugbbs.com/forums/threads/trust-dp-versus-exchange-legacy-points-in-the-destination-club.319886/

2017: https://tugbbs.com/forums/threads/enrolled-versus-trust-inventory-availability.259184/

2015: https://tugbbs.com/forums/threads/ko-olina-sales-presentation.225293/

2013: https://tugbbs.com/forums/threads/canyon-villas-presentation-points-question.201739/

Yes, you can view availability without depositing in Abound.

thanks for the info. How do you view availability before transferring to abound? I haven’t been able to find the link. Tia

 

[celica7101]

thanks for the info. How do you view availability before transferring to abound? I haven’t been able to find the link. Tia

Log into your Vistana Account. Go to the Dashboard.

On the left hand side there are now new options...all of them are under the "use club points" umbrella.
Search for "search and book reservations." This will take you to the MVC portal.

Click through and find anything you'd like. It will show you what is available in the desired time frame. For example, right now I can see that there are 2BR units available at Ko Olina for June 1, 2024.

 

[Lakeshore]

Is there a way to see it if I only have a Marriott deeded week?

 

[sponger76]

Is there a way to see it if I only have a Marriott deeded week?

Is that week enrolled in Abound? If so, yes. Otherwise, probably not. Not sure if getting Abound points for attending a presentation would give you that access or if those require you to call when you don't have Abound eligibility via ownership.

 

[DavidnRobin]

Is that week enrolled in Abound? If so, yes. Otherwise, probably not. Not sure if getting Abound points for attending a presentation would give you that access or if those require you to call when you don't have Abound eligibility via ownership.

Aren’t all MVC ownerships in Abound already?
I assumed they were.
(Vistana-only Owner)


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