Flex advice needed

[ptidman]

We just went through a marathon sales presentation and managed to avoid buying a "flex" package, barely. I'm looking for some reassurance that we made a good decision. There are some features of the flex program that are attractive to me and that don't seem to be covered in the flex FAQ here. Specifically, my understanding is that, with flex, Interval also works differently. Instead of trading in my entire week for an interval week, I would trade my Options for Interval points. I would use only the amount of points needed for the reservation. And I needn't book a whole week at a time.

This ability to book shorter stays fits much better with how we like to vacation. Staying stuck for an entire week at one location is not really our style. We'd rather see several locations in the course of a week, or say stay a night or two, and then go of on a backpacking trip for a few days, and then stay somewhere else at the end of the week. I'd like to take a trip in the next few years exploring my family roots in England and Ireland--again, staying at many different spots.

Although we didn't convert to Flex, we did agree to an explorer package, which locks in the current deal for a year and a half, has us coming back here for at some point for 5 days/ 4 nights + 40000 points, for $1675.

Someone whack me upside the head a few times if I need it, please. I'm sitting here on the balcony at Vistana Villages dazed and confused.

 

[okwiater]

Whack!

You can't book shorter stays through Interval using your Flex options -- you can only do that within the handful of Flex resorts (12-8 months prior to arrival) or the rest of the VSN properties (8 months or less prior to arrival). Flex does indeed work differently in II, though, in that you don't necessarily trade a week for a week. Instead, you trade a certain number of points for a week. But it's still a week! I own 2 Flex contracts and do not see any way in II to exchange for shorter stays.

Based on your explanation of how you like to travel, it sounds like timesharing may not be for you. The locations are limited, and frequently of questionable quality when you venture outside the big brands (e.g. Marriott, Vistana, Hyatt, etc.). You may want to stick with Airbnb or hotel chains which cater to stays of just a day or two at a time.

Also, it's likely your 5 day 4 night package for $1675 is not a good deal either. You can/should probably rescind that. But, it's not a lot of money in the grand scheme of things, so even if you keep it, at least you get another vacation and about $800 worth of points out of it.

 

[tschwa2]

I think you can book short stays through II, similar to the way you would do so with a full week, using the short stay tab. You have to have a gold or higher II membership. With points type ownerships you can book as many days through the short stay tab as you have points available. If you were using a week ownership you could get 2 stays with each up to 6 days. The main caveat is the subset that is available for short stays is really limited and mostly last minute. With points I doubt you woul even have enough points for 12 nights. You can search the short stay inventory even without a gold membership, you just can't book until you upgrade.

 

[ptidman]

Time sharing probably isn't ideal for me, but I already own, so I feel stuck with it. It's only every other year, so it is tolerable. I probably could learn a lot here about how to improve my experience.

The printed comparison I received today says this:

Old SVN Program

MUST use entire unit one way ONLY
ALL SPG points OR
FULL week deposit to interval

Interval takes the ENTIRE UNIT
(Give up 2 Bed for 1 Bed Exchange)
Once deposited cannot bring back.

NEW SHERATON FLEX
Interval Points based
1 option = 1 Interval Point
Use only the amount of points needed for reservation.
Take back unused points and transfer into SPG or StarOptions


I gave him my England trip as an example and he said I could do that. He also showed me a page in the Interval book that showed how many Interval points a single day stay would cost.

 

[tschwa2]

Just because a resort is in the book doesn't mean it is available when you want to go. Just because it is available as a full week doesn't mean it is available as a short stay. Since you have II, just click on short stay and see the kind of availability. If you had flex points it would be the same inventory, it would just tell you how many points are needed for the short stay or the full week exchange.

 

[DavidnRobin]

You made a good decision not going through with the Flex purchase.
Now, rescind the Exp Pkg if you can.
The benefit of the ExpPkg is if you buy from VSE - and you should not do this unless you are requaling a resale purchase (and even then... ?)

 

[VacationForever]

If your current timeshare was bought from the developer or a resale that has Staroptions, you can book per night through the internal booking system. Will you please elaborate what you own?

 

[okwiater]

I think you can book short stays through II, similar to the way you would do so with a full week, using the short stay tab. You have to have a gold or higher II membership.

Learn something new every day! But yes, the key is that you have to pay even more money each year to maintain a Gold or Platinum II membership. This is not something included with a Flex ownership. Also, ShortStay inventory appears to be very limited, and per the II FAQ the majority of inventory does not become available until within 30 days of check-in.

 

[ptidman]

If your current timeshare was bought from the developer or a resale that has Staroptions, you can book per night through the internal booking system. Will you please elaborate what you own?

I have an every other year floating at Cascades in Orlando, purchased directly from Starwood.

 

[VacationForever]

I have an every other year floating at Cascades in Orlando, purchased directly from Starwood.

In that case you can already book per night, using SOs, at Vistana (formerly known as Starwood) timeshare properties starting at 8 months before your intended stay.

II membership is free - already included in your membership fee to Vistana.

II's shortstays are pretty useless, the locations are extremely limited, and typically in overbuilt areas and shoulder seasons and 30 days out or so. You also need to "upgrade" the free membership in order to exchange into the short stays. I have platinum II membership for the past 10 years and never once have I seen anything in shortstays that even slightly interest me.

 

[lizap]

We own Hyatt which uses a point system for exchanges into II. Much prefer the deeded week approach that our Westin has. For example, I can exchange our studio in II and get a 2 bedroom, granted now with a small fee. Using points, I can only get whatever the points are worth, certainly not a 2 bedroom. I see this as a disadvantage of a points based system, such as Flex when using II.

 

[mauitraveler]

We own Hyatt which uses a point system for exchanges into II. Much prefer the deeded week approach that our Westin has. For example, I can exchange our studio in II and get a 2 bedroom, granted now with a small fee. Using points, I can only get whatever the points are worth, certainly not a 2 bedroom. I see this as a disadvantage of a points based system, such as Flex when using II.

Even though you receive an exchange into whatever the points are worth, are you able to add e-plus when your exchange is confirmed? We have points with Vacation International, and are allowed to add e-plus when we receive a confirmation. This allows us to upgrade if I find a larger unit, but of course I have to pay the upgrade fee. CJ

 

[Sea Six]

I have taken the Owner's Update at many of the resorts, but I find Vistana Resort and the Villages to have the most annoying salespeople in the whole system. Must have something to do with their HQ being nearby, like the sales people have just gone through basic training and assigned a Vistana job. That is the only place where I will not sign up for the update, regardless what they offer.

 

[lizap]

Even though you receive an exchange into whatever the points are worth, are you able to add e-plus when your exchange is confirmed? We have points with Vacation International, and are allowed to add e-plus when we receive a confirmation. This allows us to upgrade if I find a larger unit, but of course I have to pay the upgrade fee. CJ

Even though you receive an exchange into whatever the points are worth, are you able to add e-plus when your exchange is confirmed? We have points with Vacation International, and are allowed to add e-plus when we receive a confirmation. This allows us to upgrade if I find a larger unit, but of course I have to pay the upgrade fee. CJ

I don't know if this is possible with Hyatt points or not. If so, very good news. However, you would still have to add e-plus. In other words, you cannot directly deposit a studio and immediately get a match with a 1 or 2 bedroom, as a studio doesn't have enough points.

 

[vistana101]

This is interesting to me as well, as they always push the flexibility in Interval, but I was/am skeptical of the availability. I did not realize you still had to go through II Short Stay to make shorter reservations with Flex.

Based on these comments, I think you made a good decision...the "flex" program is not as flexible as they make it out to be.

Also, you can use those same II benefits with a resale flex unit. They are a bit hard to come by, but I'm sure they would be cheaper than buying direct.