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

[dsmrp]

Of course there's no way of knowing what will be required but if it's similar to the Marriott process, enrolling can be done online by clicking on the "Start Enrolling Now" button that's prominently featured. I don't know, can't remember, if it's an instant approval or if you have to wait for confirmation but it doesn't take anywhere near close to even a week. Once enrolled it's an instant transaction to elect DC Points for Weeks, easy as selecting any other usage option. During the early days at inception there were a lot of phone calls to/from Owner Services, mostly because they gave us so little information or direction, but enrollment (of eligible Weeks) didn't ever require a sales presentation.

But even without an enrollment fee there's still an ongoing annual Club Dues financial commitment, and Denise's contact said that the already-existing fees would be raised to equalize Vistana fees and Marriott fees. Wouldn't automatic enrollment mean automatic raised fees for the people who don't want to be enrolled in the Destination Club?

{ETA} Typical, @dioxide45 is quicker on the draw.

It'll be great if we can enroll online.
@SueDonJ, did Marriott send out the DC point values of your units or had it available on the website before you chose to enroll? Otherwise we don't know exactly what our weeks will be worth in DC pts during the soft launch, unless at a sales mtg.

The detail, yet to be announced, is if Marriott club fee will be charged as:
1. new club fee beginning in 2023
2. an additional fee to the paid 2022 Vistana club fee
3. the difference of vistana club fee from new Marriott club fee

#1 would be simplest and preferred IMO by Vistana owners.

 

[remowidget]

I think the only reason it might not be is that enrollment will also cause a potential increase in the annual club fee. What if I don't care about the "new benefits", should I have to pay the higher fee?

I wouldn't think there would be a choice. It's the new plan. I don't know the rules, it seems like the kind of thing a company could easily change. Have they changed the fees in the past?

If there is no choice, people will complain and move on. If there is a choice people will be complaining for years, maybe decades.

 

[SueDonJ]

It'll be great if we can enroll online.
@SueDonJ, did Marriott send out the DC point values of your units or had it available on the website before you chose to enroll? Otherwise we don't know exactly what our weeks will be worth in DC pts during the soft launch, unless at a sales mtg.

The detail, yet to be announced, is if Marriott club fee will be charged as:
1. new club fee beginning in 2023
2. an additional fee to the paid 2022 Vistana club fee
3. the difference of vistana club fee from new Marriott club fee

#1 would be simplest and preferred IMO by Vistana owners.

I'm trying to remember if it was info that's in the same place it is now or if there have been any (what would be minor) changes since then. Right now if you click on that "Start Enrolling Now" button in a Marriott account, then your eligible Weeks are listed immediately with their DC Points election values. Same thing when you select the annual usage of electing DC Points for enrolled Weeks in any given year, i.e. the DC Points election value is right there and you get an email confirmation of the election and the Points value.

In the Marriott system there's a one-time fee to enroll eligible Weeks and then a Club Dues annual fee (on a sliding scale based on DC status tiers) on top of the Weeks' annual MF's. From what I understand from DeniseM's question-and-answer contact, Vistana owners won't be charged a one-time enrollment fee but the annual club fees you pay already (on top of MF's) will be increased for enrolled Weeks/Flex ownerships bringing your annual DC-enrollment dues in line with those paid by Marriott people. I think that's what I understand anyway - your guess is as good as mine!

And again, if it's implemented similarly to how it works with Marriott Weeks and they're saying that you won't be able to start using the DC until the 2023 Use Year, then you shouldn't be charged the increased DC annual dues fees until sometime in December of January (when Marriott Club Dues are invoiced.)

 

[jabberwocky]

I'm trying to remember if it was info that's in the same place it is now or if there have been any (what would be minor) changes since then. Right now if you click on that "Start Enrolling Now" button in a Marriott account, then your eligible Weeks are listed immediately with their DC Points election values. Same thing when you select the annual usage of electing DC Points for enrolled Weeks in any given year, i.e. the DC Points election value is right there and you get an email confirmation of the election and the Points value.

In the Marriott system there's a one-time fee to enroll eligible Weeks and then a Club Dues annual fee (on a sliding scale based on DC status tiers) on top of the Weeks' annual MF's. From what I understand from DeniseM's question-and-answer contact, Vistana owners won't be charged a one-time enrollment fee but the annual club fees you pay already (on top of MF's) will be increased for enrolled Weeks/Flex ownerships bringing your annual DC-enrollment dues in line with those paid by Marriott people. I think that's what I understand anyway - your guess is as good as mine!

And again, if it's implemented similarly to how it works with Marriott Weeks and they're saying that you won't be able to start using the DC until the 2023 Use Year, then you shouldn't be charged the increased DC annual dues fees until sometime in December of January (when Marriott Club Dues are invoiced.)

Are Marriott club dues invoiced separately or are they included in the MF assessment like the VSN fee?

 

[SueDonJ]

I wouldn't think there would be a choice. It's the new plan. I don't know the rules, it seems like the kind of thing a company could easily change. Have they changed the fees in the past?

If there is no choice, people will complain and move on. If there is a choice people will be complaining for years, maybe decades.

I would be shocked if every enrollment-eligible Vistana interval (Weeks or Flex Points) is automatically enrolled and those owners automatically charged the higher VSN fee to cover the DC annual club dues. That isn't how it works at all in the Marriott system.

 

[SueDonJ]

Are Marriott club dues invoiced separately or are they included in the MF assessment like the VSN fee?

For enrolled Weeks the annual Club Dues fee is invoiced separately from the annual Weeks MF's but right around the same time of year. For purchased Trust Points the Club Dues fee is, I believe, invoiced on the same bill as the annual MF's. All of our fees are generally due sometimes during Dec-Feb with each resort having its own due date. (As I understand it with Vistana ownerships the fees must be paid in advance if you're booking ahead into the next use year, yes? That's not something that happens with Marriott, but they've recently allowed pre-payments for owners who might want to do that.)

 

[DanCali]

I suspect enrollment will be automatic. Why create a cluster of people enrolling and associated support, if it is going to be free.

I think the only reason it might not be is that enrollment will also cause a potential increase in the annual club fee. What if I don't care about the "new benefits", should I have to pay the higher fee?

It's not just potential fee increases. Any enrollment would absolutely require agreeing to some "Terms and Conditions" so I strongly suspect you will actively have to opt in.

Think 10 pages of legal stuff... This can be done online by checking boxes, but one would have to agree to it before enrolling.

I have a printed copy from a previously enrolled resale week - it is titled "MVC Exchange Company - Enrollment Agreement". It lists your name, the deeded week(s) you are enrolling, and the terms and conditions you are agreeing to.

 

[jabberwocky]

For enrolled Weeks the annual Club Dues fee is invoiced separately from the annual Weeks MF's but right around the same time of year. For purchased Trust Points the Club Dues fee is, I believe, invoiced on the same bill as the annual MF's. All of our fees are generally due sometimes during Dec-Feb with each resort having its own due date. (As I understand it with Vistana ownerships the fees must be paid in advance if you're booking ahead into the next use year, yes? That's not something that happens with Marriott, but they've recently allowed pre-payments for owners who might want to do that.)

Thanks for the clarification. In Vistana we only have to pay in advance if we want to deposit into II or borrow points from the following year. Home resort and SO reservations can be booked into the following year without prepaying.

MF are all usually due around January 1st except for Flex programs which are due usually in the fall (Sept-Oct).

 

[kozykritter]

For enrolled Weeks the annual Club Dues fee is invoiced separately from the annual Weeks MF's but right around the same time of year. For purchased Trust Points the Club Dues fee is, I believe, invoiced on the same bill as the annual MF's. All of our fees are generally due sometimes during Dec-Feb with each resort having its own due date. (As I understand it with Vistana ownerships the fees must be paid in advance if you're booking ahead into the next use year, yes? That's not something that happens with Marriott, but they've recently allowed pre-payments for owners who might want to do that.)

With Vistana, you can book your next year's usage (2023) before you pay the fees (Sept/Oct for Flex, January for weeks). The only time you have to pay your fees in advance is if you want to borrow next year's usage into the current year for a specific reservation and you have to call in to do it. If you cancel that reservation, your usage reverts back out to the future year but of course they don't refund your prepaid fees

 

[remowidget]

I would be shocked if every enrollment-eligible Vistana interval (Weeks or Flex Points) is automatically enrolled and those owners automatically charged the higher VSN fee to cover the DC annual club dues. That isn't how it works at all in the Marriott system.

Marriott weeks owners are different than Vistana weeks owners. Vistana week owners already have all the trading and banking baked in. So, the two clubs really aren't all that different. According to what I've seen, mine will be $40 more with fees eliminated. I wouldn't have been surprised if they raised it $40 and changed nothing.

 

[remowidget]

..

 

[kozykritter]

I would be shocked if every enrollment-eligible Vistana interval (Weeks or Flex Points) is automatically enrolled and those owners automatically charged the higher VSN fee to cover the DC annual club dues. That isn't how it works at all in the Marriott system.

The way the higher VSN fee is being presented by Denise's contact and through various posts, it is not tied to DC enrollment. Everyone whose account is currently eligible to use StarOptions will pay the increased VSN fee and in return receive all the fee waivers that have been shown in the documentation. This would exclude only unqualified resale Flex and voluntary properties as they are not StarOption/VSN eligible. Just like now, you will still pay the VSN fee even if you only use your home week or home options in a given use year and never make it to the StarOption phase at 8 months.

If this impression that's been made here holds true, then it certainly would allow them to auto enroll eligible qualified Vistana ownership into DC since it adds no commitment or additional fees. They've already mapped Vistana elite levels to MVC elite levels as part of the raising of the VSN fee, so that would eliminate some confusion once people were thrust into the MVC system.

 

[dsmrp]

...
And again, if it's implemented similarly to how it works with Marriott Weeks and they're saying that you won't be able to start using the DC until the 2023 Use Year, then you shouldn't be charged the increased DC annual dues fees until sometime in December of January (when Marriott Club Dues are invoiced.)

I think it's still unclear if enrolled Vistana owners will be able to elect DC points this year (by the usual Sept/October deadlines) for 2023 reservations or need to wait until 2023 to elect points for use in 2024. I'm thinking it will be the first scenario, because making Vistana owners wait longer to use DC will hurt their adoption of the program. Of course Marriott could also change the election deadlines, but doubt they'll do so, since they're so established.

 

[remowidget]

..

 

[Red elephant]

I think it's still unclear if enrolled Vistana owners will be able to elect DC points this year (by the usual Sept/October deadlines) for 2023 reservations or need to wait until 2023 to elect points for use in 2024. I'm thinking it will be the first scenario, because making Vistana owners wait longer to use DC will hurt their adoption of the program. Of course Marriott could also change the election deadlines, but doubt they'll do so, since they're so established.

I was told this week that electing to use DC points will be sometime this summer for 2023 reservations for all qualified Vistana owners except for Harborside and another location which I forget.

 

[TravelTime]

I am confused with the speculation. I have not heard that enrollment will be free except for developer purchased weeks. Is there now any factual evidence that resale owners can enroll for free?

 

[VacationForever]

I am confused with the speculation. I have not heard that enrollment will be free except for developer purchased weeks. Is there now any factual evidence that resale owners can enroll for free?

No one has said anything about enrollment being free for resale owners.

 

[CPNY]

The way the higher VSN fee is being presented by Denise's contact and through various posts, it is not tied to DC enrollment. Everyone whose account is currently eligible to use StarOptions will pay the increased VSN fee and in return receive all the fee waivers that have been shown in the documentation. This would exclude only unqualified resale Flex and voluntary properties as they are not StarOption/VSN eligible. Just like now, you will still pay the VSN fee even if you only use your home week or home options in a given use year and never make it to the StarOption phase at 8 months.

If this impression that's been made here holds true, then it certainly would allow them to auto enroll eligible qualified Vistana ownership into DC since it adds no commitment or additional fees. They've already mapped Vistana elite levels to MVC elite levels as part of the raising of the VSN fee, so that would eliminate some confusion once people were thrust into the MVC system.

Vistana has increased the VSN fee in the past. They also added a name change fee a few years ago, that used to be no charge on any reservation you held. So yes, Marriott can absolutely increase the VSN fee or structure and rename the VSN fee to mirror the Marriott Club fee. It’s quite simple really, I don’t think there will be any enrollment like there was back in 2010. Either you’re eligible or you’re not. Un-retro Mandatory resales are eligible for many things in the VSN but they are excluded from many as well. If a unit currently in the VSN is eligible to convert to bonvoy points, you will be able to elect to convert to DC points.

 

[CPNY]

I am confused with the speculation. I have not heard that enrollment will be free except for developer purchased weeks. Is there now any factual evidence that resale owners can enroll for free?

I think Vistana resale owners need to retro to be included. Same way they need to retro to convert to bonvoy or take advantage of other ways to use SO like for resort credits. ALL may pay the same club dues and have the Interval fees go away but to make a resale unit eligible for participation in the DC Exchange would require a direct purchase. This is my belief anyway.

 

[TravelTime]

No one has said anything about enrollment being free for resale owners.

The comments are getting confusing since many people do not indicate resale vs developer purchased in their comments. One person just said this:

“The way the higher VSN fee is being presented by Denise's contact and through various posts, it is not tied to DC enrollment. Everyone whose account is currently eligible to use StarOptions will pay the increased VSN fee and in return receive all the fee waivers that have been shown in the documentation. This would exclude only unqualified resale Flex and voluntary properties as they are not StarOption/VSN eligible.”

From everything I have heard so far, including at a presentation, MVC will allow developer purchased weeks and SOs to be automatically enrolled. What I have heard could be wrong of course. As of right now, I assume resale owners will either need to pay a fee or buy DPs to become part of the new program.

 

[TravelTime]

I think Vistana resale owners need to retro to be included. Same way they need to retro to convert to bonvoy or take advantage of other ways to use SO like for resort credits. ALL may pay the same club dues and have the Interval fees go away but to make a resale unit eligible for participation in the DC Exchange would require a direct purchase. This is my belief anyway.

I think you are right. I used to think they would allow mandatory SO week owners to just pay a fee but now I suspect they will want folks to buy some DPs to be part of the new program. That is what they require for Marriott resale owners so why would they require something different for Vistana resale owners?

 

[rickandcindy23]

I won't pay anything to enroll our Westin Ka'anapali units. We bought them to use them. Nothing is as good at Marriott as those two weeks.

 

[VacationForever]

The comments are getting confusing since many people do not indicate resale vs developer purchased in their comments. One person just said this:

“The way the higher VSN fee is being presented by Denise's contact and through various posts, it is not tied to DC enrollment. Everyone whose account is currently eligible to use StarOptions will pay the increased VSN fee and in return receive all the fee waivers that have been shown in the documentation. This would exclude only unqualified resale Flex and voluntary properties as they are not StarOption/VSN eligible.”

From everything I have heard so far, including at a presentation, MVC will allow developer purchased weeks and SOs to be automatically enrolled. What I have heard could be wrong of course. As of right now, I assume resale owners will either need to pay a fee or buy DPs to become part of the new program.

A resale Vistana owner with current VSN access will pay a higher club fee, because it will cover free II exchanges back to Vistana and Marriott weeks, no banking fee and no Bonvoy point election fee. It is not tied to DC enrollment.

 

[kozykritter]

The comments are getting confusing since many people do not indicate resale vs developer purchased in their comments. One person just said this:

“The way the higher VSN fee is being presented by Denise's contact and through various posts, it is not tied to DC enrollment. Everyone whose account is currently eligible to use StarOptions will pay the increased VSN fee and in return receive all the fee waivers that have been shown in the documentation. This would exclude only unqualified resale Flex and voluntary properties as they are not StarOption/VSN eligible.”

From everything I have heard so far, including at a presentation, MVC will allow developer purchased weeks and SOs to be automatically enrolled. What I have heard could be wrong of course. As of right now, I assume resale owners will either need to pay a fee or buy DPs to become part of the new program.

The part you quoted was about the VSN fee, not DC enrollment. If you read further down in the post you will see that I was saying that eligible qualified Vistana ownership could be automatically enrolled in DC by MVC and we've established here that qualified ownership is likely developer purchased or retro'd. Everything is speculation until proven by facts in the end, of course

 

[TravelTime]

The part you quoted was about the VSN fee, not DC enrollment. If you read further down in the post you will see that I was saying that eligible qualified Vistana ownership could be automatically enrolled in DC by MVC and we've established here that qualified ownership is likely developer purchased or retro'd. Everything is speculation until proven by facts in the end, of course

Okay I am getting confused by all these posts. LOL