Confused about Star Island in Orlando

[jmallder]

Can someone please explain to me the convoluted web around Star Island in Orlando?

We purchased as a deeded, fixed week from Fairfield back in 1996. A few years later, we were pressured into converting to points, but never did. We still own the fixed week and exchange through I.I. very easy.

I noticed that the time share is listed as two different properties through I.I. and also through RCI, although we would not be eligible to trade through RCI.

Our original, deeded unit is in one of the high rise buildings. Coming back to Star Island a few times, we've been put into the older villas. Upon inquiry we were told the villas are managed by a different company than the high rises, and we are part of the company that manages the villas. Having returned several times, I actually like staying in the villas better than staying in the high rises; location within the resort and patio size are just a couple of reasons.

BUT ... I am confused by who owns what at Star Island, what do we own? Whom do we belong to? How can we have a deed for one building but belong to a company that manages a different building?
Obviously, I am afraid to ask these question any Star Island rep as I am afraid to get caught up in a sales pitch and still don't get any answers. Is there anyone here who can shed a little light on it for me?

 

[timeos2]

Not an expert at the exact situation at SI, but here's what seems to have occurred. The resort was built in phases, but not by Fairfield / Wyndham. They bought out the development rights and unsold inventory from the original developer plus, it appears, the management contract(s). Quite common for resorts - especially older ones - as consolidation has occurred in what started out as many independent & often individual resorts now fall under a larger corporate banner such as Wyndham.

The deeded property sold prior to the buy out cannot simply be changed to a different operation under Wyndham as the deeded rights are absolute - it is the very heart of your purchase/ownership. Only if you agree to become part of the Wyndham system (in this case through points) can your ownership be absorbed into the massive Wyndham system and operated under those parameters.

Since you choose not to convert (at a considerable cost - remember they could just offer it for free if they REALLY just wanted you to be in the system rather than using it as a cash generation process for sales) you continue to be under the original rules & regulations of your original purchase, but now under Wyndham management. Apparently the same Association - or more than one that agreed between themselves to act as one - has operational control over both the mid-rise buildings and the villa style buildings. Thus you as an owner get to be assigned to either one when you request your use time. (And by the way, I join you in saying the "older", villa style units are better - they reflect the "old Orlando" look & feel when it wasn't so cookie cutter, space maximized mid & high rise buildings but rather 1, 2 or 3 story villa types with courtyards, pools & amenities all around the property in a usually lush setting. Those are the style from the 80's - 90's and, if maintained and upgraded, are the homiest type where there is a more neighborhood feel rather than the near tenement / apartment look and feel of the nondescript mid & high rise buildings so common now.)

So my guess is that when you make your reservation for use you can request the villas or the mid-rise units as both are in the deeded weeks use system. Many mistakenly think that because the mid-rise buildings may be a few years newer than the villa type that they are "better". As you discovered that is not always the case, but that mistaken belief may make it easier to obtain a villa type on request than a mid-rise unit would be. Enjoy!

(Oh, check with RCI. The deeded week side of the operation may be dual affiliated and thus your week(s) could be used in either system. If the only affiliation with RCI is through Wyndham Points then your deeded week wouldn't be eligible for trade with RCI Weeks.)

 

[vacationhopeful]

Star Island was built by 2 brothers - it was one of the closest timeshares to WDW before ALL the development took place.

One of the brothers got a DIVORICE. He sold some of his holdings to Wyndham to pay off his wife and her lawyers, while the other brother retained a majority control. The Towers were under construction while the villas were the originally buildings. The resort is MANAGED by the original Star Island family - and Wyndham has it little LOBBY desk and its separate Sales building. No one wears Wyndham logo clothing except the SALES personnel.

When a Wyndham VIP checks in, no unit upgrades can be done ONSITE as the units are downloaded onto the resort computer. Wyndham guests are told to call the 1-800 Wyndham line.

As for your deed - you should look at it. If it was conveyed to YOU by the original owner being, Wyndham Vacation Resorts and is in a TOWER, that should be where you should be staying. If Wyndham has for inventory control of their towers, REASSIGNED your deeded week to Star Island to manage, that may explain your NEW villas assignments. It is an inventory management solution.

My question to YOUR MF invoice says what company?

 

[ronparise]

As John says, convoluted ownership and management is not unusual in the world of timeshares. I own at Avenue Plaza in New Orleans developed by one family, sold to one timeshare company and then that company was folded into Wyndham. There are event weeks, floating weeks, and leased weeks, There are weeks in the Club Wyndham Points system and weeks in Club Wyndham Access, and there are 63 units in Worldmark the Club. The place is also dual affliated with RCI and II and in RCI its listed three times...and did I mention You can use RCI points there too


So; Convoluted ownership and management is not unique to Star Island. Ive given you another example, Im sure that there are a lot more.

 

[jmallder]

My question to YOUR MF invoice says what company?

My ownership dues go to Star Island Resort & Club. My deed is with Vacation Break Resorts at Star Island, the seller was Fairfield Communities, Inc.. My fixed week is in building 18 which is a Wyndham property on paper. However, I do not have nor have I ever had any affiliation/ownership with Wyndham.

My unit exchanges as VBR with I.I.

 

[jmallder]

(Oh, check with RCI. The deeded week side of the operation may be dual affiliated and thus your week(s) could be used in either system. If the only affiliation with RCI is through Wyndham Points then your deeded week wouldn't be eligible for trade with RCI Weeks.)

Thanks for the detailed explanation. I does clear up the question about my ownership status (somewhat), but I still wonder whether my ownership has been devalued when I didn't agree to convert to points with (as you pointed out) additional, significant cost involved.

Unfortunately, the unit I own cannot be traded with RCI as RCI only lists the Wynham units at Star Island. I wish I could trade through RCI tho... :annoyed:

 

[simpsontruckdriver]

Another one is in the process of being "convoluted". The Westgate Planet Hollywood resort in Las Vegas was sold to another group, who basically gave it to Hilton (HGVC), who renamed it the Elara. It shows up on eBay as the Westgate Planet Hollywood, as that is what the title(s) show. But, being that it is now the HGVC Elara, it's tough to tell which timeshare system you'll be working with.

Also, many Orange Lake resorts were taken over by Summer Bay, or the other way around.

TS

 

[bogey21]

I think you are right not to stir things up. You say you like the villas; they put you in the villas; and you have no trouble exchanging with II. Silence is your friend.

George

 

[Bill4728]

My ownership dues go to Star Island Resort & Club. My deed is with Vacation Break Resorts at Star Island, the seller was Fairfield Communities, Inc.. My fixed week is in building 18 which is a Wyndham property on paper. However, I do not have nor have I ever had any affiliation/ownership with Wyndham.

My unit exchanges as VBR with I.I.

You do have a significant relationship with Wyndham because Fairfield is Wyndham. Therefore you should be able to join RCI and trade with them if you wanted. But since you said your trading with II has worked for you I'd just leave it as it is and not worry about Wyndham.

 

[jmallder]

You do have a significant relationship with Wyndham because Fairfield is Wyndham. Therefore you should be able to join RCI and trade with them if you wanted. But since you said your trading with II has worked for you I'd just leave it as it is and not worry about Wyndham.

I have considered joining RCI in the past because I have two other weeks that trade with both RCI and I.I. The reason I am still with I.I. is because of this Star Island week.

How would I find out about Wyndham without having to actually contact them? I just know that if I call them they will give me a sales talk. I need information, experiences from others that have similar experience.

 

[Bill4728]

Contact RCI directly.

Say you own at Star Island and are unsure if you can join RCI.

They should be able to help you.

Good Luck