CLOSED: Thread Dedicated to the Upcoming/Anticipated Integration of Vistana & Marriott Ownerships (Marriott Link + Vistana Discussion)

[dioxide45]

I did not realize that (learn something new every day). So when a deed is retro'd does in stay in the deeded week pool? My thought process is that they wanted to make options for deeded week owners more difficult. This would push them to purchase Flex eventually since they are unable to book what the want if their pool is smaller. Just speculation on my part.

A retroed week is still a week and doesn't move to the Flex pool. Years ago, Vistana took true trade ins. Taking back your deeded week and adding it to the Flex trust all while selling back a certain number of Flex HomeOptions. They stopped doing that about 3-5 years ago. I don't remember exactly when. Now they just retro the week. The week is still a deeded week that can be used to book at 8 months in VSN with StarOptions. Home resort booking remains at 12-8 months.

 

[cubigbird]

They are still taking deeds back via trade if is advantageous for them. At our last presentation they offered to trade in my WDW platinum plus deed as down money for more WSJ homeoptions. We declined it as we didn’t want to give up our deed and already have enough WSJ. I wouldn’t say they have completely stopped doing trade ins. If you have a deeded week they really want for Flex, they will selectively offer.

 

[tamu_bu]

That’s the easiest thing to do. It could be why the vistana site is so bad lately. They are building the ability to convert and book via the vistana page

Definitely this would be the case if they are a moronic company that doesn't develop on a parallel development server!

 

[CPNY]

Definitely this would be the case if they are a moronic company that doesn't develop on a parallel development server!

You do realize we are talking about Marriott right?

 

[dioxide45]

I am waiting on pins and needles for the email today! I bet they know all about the changes at the sales office

 

[VacationForever]

I believe the reschedule of announcement dates has to do with the IT system to support the changes is not ready to go. Marriott IT is at work, or not, again.

 

[Eric B]

Any word on when they'll be announcing the rescheduling of the announcement yet?

 

[KACTravels]

We had our update on Monday and the rep said 3/24 for the (acknowledged 3rd rescheduled) soft launch. I just emailed her and asked if it actually happened and asked her to email me the official details.

 

[William Seward]

Hello KACTravels,

If you get a response after your reach out could you post that data on this form. I personally question if I will get an email, I've never gotten one in the past. I'm thinking, I will have to check the website to figure out the update.

The only think I have ever been told from different sources is the reservation system will be combined. Maybe that mean you will log into your respective system that will be identical across MVC and VSN.

Bill Seward

 

[dioxide45]

Hello KACTravels,

If you get a response after your reach out could you post that data on this form. I personally question if I will get an email, I've never gotten one in the past. I'm thinking, I will have to check the website to figure out the update.

The only think I have ever been told from different sources is the reservation system will be combined. Maybe that mean you will log into your respective system that will be identical across MVC and VSN.

Bill Seward

When Marriott rolled out their Destinations Club points program in 2010, they sent an email to owners. Things may be different this time or it may require one to attend an owner update for "more information'.

 

[HankW]

Hello KACTravels,

If you get a response after your reach out could you post that data on this form. I personally question if I will get an email, I've never gotten one in the past. I'm thinking, I will have to check the website to figure out the update.

The only think I have ever been told from different sources is the reservation system will be combined. Maybe that mean you will log into your respective system that will be identical across MVC and VSN.

Bill Seward

FWIW, on my three WLR reservations for this year, at around midnight today, I got new reservations with the Marriott logo. Interestingly enough, I did not get the same "update" for my SVV this year.

 

[Eric B]

FWIW, on my three WLR reservations for this year, at around midnight today, I got new reservations with the Marriott logo. Interestingly enough, I did not get the same "update" for my SVV this year.

Same thing happened for me. It had been reported earlier for other resorts in this thread:

IMPORTANT: Marriott is re-issuing Vistana reservations

Some owners are recieving emails stating that their Vistana reservations are being reissued under new/additional numbers. Some owners have lost reservations. It would be a good idea for all Vistana owners to go to their online accounts immediately and save a screen shot of their current...

tugbbs.com

 

[KACTravels]

Just received this text back from the rep I had the meeting with on Monday on if the "soft launch" has actually happened. Her reply:

"Yes it has officially happened. I am excited to share the new info. As it comes in I will share. (Conversion for) Kierland Plat 148,100 it's 36.57 so election value is 4050. Yes it's confirmed it's just an election at no cost. There is no buy in on the Marriott side. It's automatically enrolled. So each year you choose if you elect or not. If you don't elect then it will work exactly as it does now in the Vistana network." "Yes the owners will get the info. Yes Flex is higher than weeks in their system. We don't have Kaanapali yet"

I'm very surprised that Kierland Platinum is valued less than Sheraton Flex!
FROM my previous post:
Conversion rates have been set for the following

1. Nanea 23:1
2. Westin Flex 28:1
3. Adventures 30:1
4. Sheraton Flex 32:1
5. Deeded Weeks TBD - she mentioned anywhere from 28:1 - 50:1 (We own WKORN OF and nobody would quote a conversion because they have not been told)

 

[CPNY]

Just received this text back from the rep I had the meeting with on Monday on if the "soft launch" has actually happened. Her reply:

"Yes it has officially happened. I am excited to share the new info. As it comes in I will share. (Conversion for) Kierland Plat 148,100 it's 36.57 so election value is 4050. Yes it's confirmed it's just an election at no cost. There is no buy in on the Marriott side. It's automatically enrolled. So each year you choose if you elect or not. If you don't elect then it will work exactly as it does now in the Vistana network." "Yes the owners will get the info. Yes Flex is higher than weeks in their system. We don't have Kaanapali yet"

I'm very surprised that Kierland Platinum is valued less than Sheraton Flex!
FROM my previous post:
Conversion rates have been set for the following

1. Nanea 23:1
2. Westin Flex 28:1
3. Adventures 30:1
4. Sheraton Flex 32:1
5. Deeded Weeks TBD - she mentioned anywhere from 28:1 - 50:1 (We own WKORN OF and nobody would quote a conversion because they have not been told)

So everything is taking place in the DC. The only way for Marriott owners to book Vistana properties is if vistana owners elect to convert or can Marriott fund the DC with inventory that has historically been in the VSN?

 

[KACTravels]

So everything is taking place in the DC. The only way for Marriott owners to book Vistana properties is if vistana owners elect to convert or can Marriott fund the DC with inventory that has historically been in the VSN?

I am unsure, as a text from sales is not official. I'm still waiting and anxious for any "official notification" in writing from Vistana/Marriott

 

[CPNY]

I am unsure, as a text from sales is not official. I'm still waiting and anxious for any "official notification" in writing from Vistana/Marriott

It’s interesting that she put it in writing.

 

[dioxide45]

It’s interesting that she put it in writing.

Not sure the conversion rates are in writing. That looks to be based on prior conversation?

 

[travelhacker]

Well....this thread is about to get a whole lot more interesting.

 

[dioxide45]

(Conversion for) Kierland Plat 148,100 it's 36.57 so election value is 4050.

I think there is confusion with this. Sales reps will try to convert from StaOptions to Marriott points to make it easy for people to understand, but in reality it is a valuation of the underlying deeded week. So a 2BR Plat+ at WKV is worth 4,050 points. This falls in line with a deeded high season week at Canyon Villas which are 4,175 DC points.

 

[CPNY]

Just received this text back from the rep I had the meeting with on Monday on if the "soft launch" has actually happened. Her reply:

"Yes it has officially happened. I am excited to share the new info. As it comes in I will share. (Conversion for) Kierland Plat 148,100 it's 36.57 so election value is 4050. Yes it's confirmed it's just an election at no cost. There is no buy in on the Marriott side. It's automatically enrolled. So each year you choose if you elect or not. If you don't elect then it will work exactly as it does now in the Vistana network." "Yes the owners will get the info. Yes Flex is higher than weeks in their system. We don't have Kaanapali yet"

I'm very surprised that Kierland Platinum is valued less than Sheraton Flex!
FROM my previous post:
Conversion rates have been set for the following

1. Nanea 23:1
2. Westin Flex 28:1
3. Adventures 30:1
4. Sheraton Flex 32:1
5. Deeded Weeks TBD - she mentioned anywhere from 28:1 - 50:1 (We own WKORN OF and nobody would quote a conversion because they have not been told)

Did she confirm these conversion rates?

 

[vacation dreaming]

Flex owns weeks, VSN doesn’t actually own any weeks until 8 months out when the owner has passively given up their rights to it. I would think at 13 or 12 months out Marriott owners could reserve what has been converted plus anything the Marriott trust has purchased. The separate question is what happens at 8 months and my guess is that those weeks would stay in VSN.

 

[dioxide45]

Well....this thread is about to get a whole lot more interesting.

Perhaps a little, but we need to see weeks based valuations for it to get much more interesting.

I wonder what a"soft launch" really is. If there is no buy in and no need to enroll, do you just call Owner Services to make a reservation? Is there a reservation fee for booking between systems? So much more to figure out.

 

[vacation dreaming]

I think there is confusion with this. Sales reps will try to convert from StaOptions to Marriott points to make it easy for people to understand, but in reality it is a valuation of the underlying deeded week. So a 2BR Plat+ at WKV is worth 4,050 points. This falls in line with a deeded high season week at Canyon Villas which are 4,175 DC points.

I had the same thought. It is within reason based on Marriott property in the area, but Vistana converted those units into as many points as Maui so there will be some unhappy owners.

 

[dioxide45]

I had the same thought. It is within reason based on Marriott property in the area, but Vistana converted those units into as many points as Maui so there will be some unhappy owners.

True, but a WKV owner can still *theoretically* use StarOptions to book in Hawaii. The big wildcard is, if they value Hawaii very high (which they will), will those Hawaii owners all take DC points and end up staving VSN of Hawaii inventory. Only time will tell. I long predicted that weeks would be based on the value of similar units at Marriott resorts in the area.

 

[travelhacker]

True, but a WKV owner can still *theoretically* use StarOptions to book in Hawaii. The big wildcard is, if they value Hawaii very high (which they will), will those Hawaii owners all take DC points and end up staving VSN of Hawaii inventory. Only time will tell. I long predicted that weeks would be based on the value of similar units at Marriott resorts in the area.

Yep. I own small 1 bedrooms at WKV and they are not really equivalent to the studios at Canyon Villas. It'll be interesting to see how it all shakes out.

I think resale weeks will be restricted from converting to DC.

While it would be nice to have a bit of a backdoor into DC, I'm not holding my breath.

I bought into WKV because of the VSN, but I did know that the VSN could be very different. Because they are deeded weeks and Kierland is very desirable during peak season, I wasn't worried about either using or renting.