• The TUGBBS forums are completely free and open to the public and exist as the absolute best place for owners to get help and advice about their timeshares for more than 30 years!

    Join Tens of Thousands of other Owners just like you here to get any and all Timeshare questions answered 24 hours a day!
  • TUG started 30 years ago in October 1993 as a group of regular Timeshare owners just like you!

    Read about our 30th anniversary: Happy 30th Birthday TUG!
  • TUG has a YouTube Channel to produce weekly short informative videos on popular Timeshare topics!

    Free memberships for every 50 subscribers!

    Visit TUG on Youtube!
  • TUG has now saved timeshare owners more than $21,000,000 dollars just by finding us in time to rescind a new Timeshare purchase! A truly incredible milestone!

    Read more here: TUG saves owners more than $21 Million dollars
  • Sign up to get the TUG Newsletter for free!

    60,000+ subscribing owners! A weekly recap of the best Timeshare resort reviews and the most popular topics discussed by owners!
  • Our official "end my sales presentation early" T-shirts are available again! Also come with the option for a free membership extension with purchase to offset the cost!

    All T-shirt options here!
  • A few of the most common links here on the forums for newbies and guests!

End of SVN Dec 31, no more upgrade credit for external ts

CPNY

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 18, 2019
Messages
7,508
Reaction score
4,393
Points
349
Resorts Owned
Harborside Resort at Atlantis
SVV - Key West/Bella
WKV
Regal Vista at Massanutten
The document being shown looks like it’s just a printed word document outlining the differences with vistana VSN deeded ownership at one resort with options being enrolled in the VSN and the new Flex program they have been selling for over a year or two. I think we can all agree cross booking may come in some sort of fashion. How it will look, not sure anyone can say definitively yet. All I do know it, I have some mandatory units for sale :)
 

jabberwocky

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2016
Messages
2,829
Reaction score
2,583
Points
348
Resorts Owned
SVR, SDO, WKORV-N, Westin Flex, HGVC (BLVD)
So Interval trades are the new currency? If so this will be a pretty big letdown.

@DagnyT was this perhaps the chart they showed you? If so this is nothing new. It already exists. All it means is that when you request an exchange you would need to deposit 110,000 FlexOptions to get a 2BR in high season. This does not sound like a conversion to DC points at all.

vistana-chart-with-interval_1_orig.png


I'm starting to think I need to see if I can weasel my way into an update when at WKV in a couple of weeks (II Getaway for work - spouse won't be with me though so I'll see how that goes - I might just have to pass myself off as fresh meat to the sales team).
 
Last edited:

jabberwocky

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2016
Messages
2,829
Reaction score
2,583
Points
348
Resorts Owned
SVR, SDO, WKORV-N, Westin Flex, HGVC (BLVD)
So with the Flex we took 220K options and will end up overpaying a bit for what nets us around 40K more a year in options. But it works for us because we really needed to work with our existing equity and the value for us is in our usage. Not really in the position to be shopping on the resale market right now. Side note: They did take back the SMV, even after saying they wouldn't.

Saving some $$ by not starting until 2021, so skip 4 months of payments into 2020 and the $4K maintenance for 2020. Rebating maintenance for SMV for 2019 on the 2021, bill, which will push that down below $3K for year one. And then kicked us comp 250K in Bonvoy points for 2020 travel in the meantime.

Interestingly enough--we did get the Westin Flex presentation in Nov. in Steamboat. The pitch was for Princeville only and even so, there was basically no discount (10% off $75K for 185K options). I probably would have preferred WFlex, but they have not much incentive to discount at this point.

I can understand your rationale in wanting to do this deal - and it could make sense for your situation.

Did you ask to purchase WFlex? I suspect they won't sell WFlex at SVV - only SFlex (which is why I had to go through the central phone sales to use our SVV Explorer package discount when we bought our WFlex). If you're in Florida SFlex might make more sense as WFlex properties are less accessible, but if you are really wanting WFlex then you might want to see if they can redo the deal.
 

dioxide45

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
May 20, 2006
Messages
47,378
Reaction score
18,940
Points
1,299
Location
NE Florida
Resorts Owned
Marriott Grande Vista
Marriott Harbour Lake
Sheraton Vistana Villages
Club Wyndham CWA
So Interval trades are the new currency? If so this will be a pretty big letdown.

Was this perhaps the chart they showed you? If so this is nothing new. It already exists. All it means is that when you request an exchange you would need to deposit 110,000 FlexOptions to get a 2BR in high season. This does not sound like a conversion to DC points at all.

View attachment 15802

I'm starting to think I need to see if I can weasel my way into an update when at WKV in a couple of weeks (II Getaway for work - spouse won't be with me though so I'll see how that goes - I might just have to pass myself off as fresh meat to the sales team).
Exactly, Interval points is just using your StarOptions to trade Flex through interval. Nothing to do with DC at all.
 

jabberwocky

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2016
Messages
2,829
Reaction score
2,583
Points
348
Resorts Owned
SVR, SDO, WKORV-N, Westin Flex, HGVC (BLVD)
Exactly, Interval points is just using your StarOptions to trade Flex through interval. Nothing to do with DC at all.

To me this just indicates that they aren't really that close to having this figured out. Nothing really new - just smoke and mirrors to drive current sales.
 

controller1

TUG Member
Joined
Aug 14, 2017
Messages
3,042
Reaction score
1,940
Points
298
Location
Tulsa
Resorts Owned
Westin KORVN OF
Westin Nanea OF
Westin FLEX
Basically, the story was this:

1. Back to the OP's point, the Vistana properties won't be used any longer to upgrade ownerships with no money down. So you would have to put new money going forward in some ways because, well, Marriott wants to get paid. Will be very curious to see if they stick to this.

I don't believe this has been available for years if ever. Yes, the property would be taken back usually at original cost as a credit towards an upgrade but it would certainly require new money. I'm not aware of a "no money down" option.
 

DannyTS

TUG Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2018
Messages
5,753
Reaction score
3,076
Points
348
Judging from the developer's prospective, it makes sense to only requalify weeks and not take back contracts. I bet a lot of people were buying free silver contracts on the resale market in order to get credits when buying from the developer. When those contracts are put in the Flex trusts they degrade the trusts and increase the MF per point
 
Last edited:

Ken555

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2005
Messages
14,524
Reaction score
5,638
Points
898
Location
Los Angeles
Resorts Owned
Westin Kierland
Sheraton Desert Oasis
This is all good info for discussion, but I really don’t see anything surprising. In fact, I think we all discussed this type of interim exchange system possibility (using II) when the merger was first discussed.

I’m still happy with SVN (err...VSN) and have no intention of making any changes. Also, I see even less of a reason to give Marriott *more* money when there are still many ways to vacation for less. (As an aside, I may have to bank most of my options for 2020 since I have so many other trips planned already I may not have any time to use them...there really are other vacation opportunities out there and I’m pleased I’ve diversified my travel types).


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 

CPNY

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 18, 2019
Messages
7,508
Reaction score
4,393
Points
349
Resorts Owned
Harborside Resort at Atlantis
SVV - Key West/Bella
WKV
Regal Vista at Massanutten
This is all good info for discussion, but I really don’t see anything surprising. In fact, I think we all discussed this type of interim exchange system possibility (using II) when the merger was first discussed.

I’m still happy with SVN (err...VSN) and have no intention of making any changes. Also, I see even less of a reason to give Marriott *more* money when there are still many ways to vacation for less. (As an aside, I may have to bank most of my options for 2020 since I have so many other trips planned already I may not have any time to use them...there really are other vacation opportunities out there and I’m pleased I’ve diversified my travel types).


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
I’m the same situation. Have so many options with three europe trips planned. Anyone want some mandatory SVV resorts? Lol
 

dioxide45

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
May 20, 2006
Messages
47,378
Reaction score
18,940
Points
1,299
Location
NE Florida
Resorts Owned
Marriott Grande Vista
Marriott Harbour Lake
Sheraton Vistana Villages
Club Wyndham CWA
This is all good info for discussion, but I really don’t see anything surprising. In fact, I think we all discussed this type of interim exchange system possibility (using II) when the merger was first discussed.

I’m still happy with SVN (err...VSN) and have no intention of making any changes. Also, I see even less of a reason to give Marriott *more* money when there are still many ways to vacation for less. (As an aside, I may have to bank most of my options for 2020 since I have so many other trips planned already I may not have any time to use them...there really are other vacation opportunities out there and I’m pleased I’ve diversified my travel types).


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Hey, we agree on something :) The deciding factor on timeshare isn't only about renting vs owning. There was a time when the MFs were a great value compared to many other vacation options. The common sale like was "you can cook in the unit and save money". That is still true, but when you compare timeshare to AI or cruising, the latter are becoming a better and better value IMO. We still don't do AI, but have a couple cruises lined up for the next couple of years. We are actually having trouble finding ways now to use our II deposits.
 

Ken555

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2005
Messages
14,524
Reaction score
5,638
Points
898
Location
Los Angeles
Resorts Owned
Westin Kierland
Sheraton Desert Oasis
Hey, we agree on something :) The deciding factor on timeshare isn't only about renting vs owning. There was a time when the MFs were a great value compared to many other vacation options. The common sale like was "you can cook in the unit and save money". That is still true, but when you compare timeshare to AI or cruising, the latter are becoming a better and better value IMO. We still don't do AI, but have a couple cruises lined up for the next couple of years. We are actually having trouble finding ways now to use our II deposits.

Yes, exactly. I have four (or maybe five) weeks banked, plus options. In 2020 I have four cruises booked totaling 57 nights, plus timeshares...


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 

blondietink

Guest
Joined
Jun 6, 2009
Messages
938
Reaction score
149
Points
203
Location
Western NYS
Resorts Owned
DVC Saratoga Springs; Sheraton Vistana Villages St. Augustine; Westin Adventuras
This is all good info for discussion, but I really don’t see anything surprising. In fact, I think we all discussed this type of interim exchange system possibility (using II) when the merger was first discussed.

I’m still happy with SVN (err...VSN) and have no intention of making any changes. Also, I see even less of a reason to give Marriott *more* money when there are still many ways to vacation for less. (As an aside, I may have to bank most of my options for 2020 since I have so many other trips planned already I may not have any time to use them...there really are other vacation opportunities out there and I’m pleased I’ve diversified my travel types).


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Exactly like us. We have diversified our vacations greatly but we still love to use our options at Lagunamar at least once every 12-18 months. Last year we went on a 12 days cruise. This next year we are going to Disney World in January, SDO in early April, Switzerland in September and Hawaii in October. We will hopefully fit another cruise in there somewhere. However, my vacations are kind of limited because there are 4 of us adults as 2 of my adult children are disabled and we need to always take them with us and that adds to the cost. We will most likely bank quite a few options into 2021. Hopefully by then Bonvoy will have it all figured out.
 

goaliedave

Guest
Joined
Jan 5, 2019
Messages
1,298
Reaction score
854
Points
123
Resorts Owned
Raintree, Diamond (bought by Hilton), Shell (bought by Wyndham), Sheraton (bought by Marriott), Palace Resorts, a few independants
yup buy sell, diversify, try different ts companies and locations. I'm 6 months Nov-April in southern USA ts, 6 different companies this year, couple new ts in AZ and Kauai I'm excited about.

I could never do the cramped cruise rooms after getting used to ts size... plus I still primarily golf and hike so maybe when my health fails things will change

Sent from my SM-J327W using Tapatalk
 
Top