HGVC Fixed Week Madness

[johnnyrocket237]

So I own a fixed week (Grand Islander, 3501, week 49) and have always been under the impression that when other fixed week owners cancel their reservations, you can switch your home week to a different week, depending on availability.

This post is about two topics:
1. Can owners of a fixed week book an alternate week of the same unit type and the same season as their home week, based on availability?
2. Can owners of a non-fixed week book a holiday week (of the same season and unit type) if it is available (canceled by the person who has the deed for the holiday week)?

I know you can do #2, because I've successfully booked New Years week, as a home week, using my generic Platinum season deed.
My thinking on #1 is that the deed is Resort, Season, Room Type, and the Room Number and week are used for the automatic reservation system--- but if you cancel your regular room number + fixed week reservation, you should be able to book, as a home week, any other unit of the same unit type and season. This is totally logical, but I just got off with CS and was unable to do exactly that. I was wondering if anyone has encountered this issue before or has any understanding of it.

Nerdy Details

I'll start with the 2022 Club Reference because it was much more user friendly and easy to read.

The 2022 Club Reference states: "Home Week reservations are consecutive night reservations at the Home Resort in the season and unit type owned, for the number of days owned, checking in on the resort’s standard or available check-in day (“Home Week”)". Very clear this refers to the season, not the single fixed week. It further states: "Members who own a designated fixed or Event Week shall automatically have their week reserved annually." This seems to indicate that the fixed week just gives you an automatic reservation---before anyone can even book your week as a home week---but the "home week" itself if much broader, extending to the season and the unit type.

The current Club Rules (Rev June 2024)---an ugly verbose monstrosity, unformatted legalese salad of a document---has replaced that very clear language of the 2022 edition with the following:

14. Home Week Priority Reservation Window - The period of time each calendar year, as determined by HGVC from time to time, during which a Club Member has the exclusive right to reserve the use of their Home Week through the Club without competing for such reservation with other Club Members other than those owning the same suite configuration type and Season at the same Home Resort. Club Members who own floating time or other flexible use ownership must still compete with the other owners of similar interests at the Home Resort to receive a Home Week reservation in accordance with the rules and regulations of that Resort's reservation system.

15. Home Week – A Club Member’s ownership interest(s) in an accommodation at their Home Resort. For purposes of participation in the Club’s reservation system, a Home Week consists of a consecutive day period in the accommodation type purchased at a Home Resort anytime during the calendar year during the Season in which the Club Member purchased checking in on the resort’s standard check-in day. Club may make all reservations for Club Members who own at Affiliated Resorts for so long as such resorts remain Affiliated Resorts.

19. Season – The time each calendar year during which the owner may use a Home Week as set forth on the purchase agreement and deed for owner’s use rights.

(emphasis added)

I guess there's the rub,... they added a definition of season referring to the grant deed,... and the grant deed for a fixed week deed is highly limited, stating only the fixed week and not what we traditionally regard as a season (e.g., week 49 is a week in platinum season).

The recurring right to reserve, use and occupy for an ANNUAL Unit Week, a Suite of a Type XVIII – 3BR PH PRM Suite Configuration, on a Fixed Unit/ Fixed Time basis every YEAR, during Fixed Time Period 49

Hmm,... but let's compare this with a platinum season deed I have, which only states:

on a Floating Unit/ Floating Time basis every YEAR,

without regard to platinum season,... so it seems this definition of season is somewhat wanting.

Even though the floating unit / floating week is as such, they still have an actual unit number and week on the grant deed! It's part of that code on every deed: 56-3307-13-7: 3307 represent s room number, 13 is the week (from which you infer platinum season), and 7 means it's 7 day grant (full week).

So the rule definition of "season" based on "as set forth on the purchase agreement and deed" is a bit wanting... But that's just the deed, my purchase agreement (Confirmation of Transfer from the Escrow company) states:

for a Fixed week 49 which can be converted to
46000 points, 3 Bedroom Penthouse Premium Unit, Platinum Season, Annual Use at
The Grand Islander by HGVC

Clearly they identify the fixed week 49 as Platinum season usage, and the unit type as a 3-bedroom penthouse premier.

Are we to admit defeat and say that, well the grant doesn't say platinum season, so fixed week cannot be booked as a home week for any other week? I think not, because:
1. floating week deeds also don't reference the "platinum season", this is inferred based on the week number.
2. even fixed week deeds belong to a season, as their point values and week fall directly into the definitions of platinum / gold.
3. it's just common sense... once someone abandons their fixed week, other fixed week owners of the same unit type and same season should be able to book into it. (Otherwise it's just sitting there--- fixed week owners can have their cake and eat it too, they can cancel their fixed week reservation, book something else, but meanwhile their fixed week is still reserved for them! Madness!)

Lastly, the updated new rules contains language that has been around since the 2022:

Members who own a designated fixed or event week shall automatically have their week reserved annually. In order to use a fixed or event week for other vacation options available, the Member may visit the website at club.hiltongrandvacations.com or contact HGVClub to cancel the automatic reservation. If ClubPoints are borrowed against a fixed or event week, the Home Week reservation rights appurtenant thereto are relinquished and no automatic reservation will be made.

Okay that last part about borrowing is irrelevant, because if you borrow next year's fixed week points to use this year, obviously you loose your fixed week. But like the 2022 version, the meaning of the fixed or event week is simply that the reservation is automatically made on your behalf, but you can cancel your reservation "for other vacation options available", which I don't know why that wouldn't include a different week---as home week---of your unit type in your season.

Similarly, this indicates that once a fixed week reservation is canceled, it should become available. It doesn't make sense to me that a regular platinum unit can book a canceled fixed week within platinum season, but a fixed week (platinum) unit cannot do the same, just because they started from a fixed week.

Limited Holiday Availability. Because certain high-demand Time Periods like Christmas, New Years, Thanksgiving, July 4th- US Independence Day, Golden Week, Sundance and Obon may be offered as fixed weeks or event weeks, with the owners of such Time Periods having an automatic reservation for those time periods, persons who do not own such fixed weeks or event weeks may only have an opportunity to reserve those Time Periods if the owners of those Time Periods cancel their reservation.

Okay,... this was quite the exposition, but I'm very curious about this and curious about this community's thoughts and/or experiences on this question.

 

[ljmiii]

Thank you very much for your post. Just yesterday in another forum there was considerable debate about (2) because HGVC considers Weeks 51 and 52 to be Event Weeks and NOT Platinum Weeks at most Hawaiian resorts (Ocean Tower and Bay Club being the two exceptions...despite Bay Club fixed weeks 51 and 52 having been sold).

And I'm sorry...but since I don't own a fixed week I can't give you any helpful advice.

 

[GT75]

1. Can owners of a fixed week book an alternate week of the same unit type and the same season as their home week, based on availability?

Not during HW booking window. You can during club season.

 

[johnnyrocket237]

Thank you very much for your post. Just yesterday in another forum there was considerable debate about (2) because HGVC considers Weeks 51 and 52 to be Event Weeks and NOT Platinum Weeks at most Hawaiian resorts (Ocean Tower and Bay Club being the two exceptions...despite Bay Club fixed weeks 51 and 52 having been sold).

And I'm sorry...but since I don't own a fixed week I can't give you any helpful advice.

where was that post?

 

[ljmiii]

where was that post?

FB. Unfortunately, the noise to signal ratio was quite high. Basically, OP started off asking, "...when can I book week 52 on my Hawaii resorts, it shows booking from 12/13-12/20 the latest..." Implying though not stating that they were trying to make a Home Week reservation using their Platinum deed. And OP received a lot of incorrect information...including some from the HGVC CSR with whom they spoke (who tried to convince OP that Home Week reservations worked off the check-out instead of check-in date).

Never did find out what resort. But I did share this handy dandy chart... ;-)

 

[h2oflyboy]

So I own a fixed week (Grand Islander, 3501, week 49) and have always been under the impression that when other fixed week owners cancel their reservations, you can switch your home week to a different week, depending on availability.

This post is about two topics:
1. Can owners of a fixed week book an alternate week of the same unit type and the same season as their home week, based on availability?
2. Can owners of a non-fixed week book a holiday week (of the same season and unit type) if it is available (canceled by the person who has the deed for the holiday week)?

I know you can do #2, because I've successfully booked New Years week, as a home week, using my generic Platinum season deed.
My thinking on #1 is that the deed is Resort, Season, Room Type, and the Room Number and week are used for the automatic reservation system--- but if you cancel your regular room number + fixed week reservation, you should be able to book, as a home week, any other unit of the same unit type and season. This is totally logical, but I just got off with CS and was unable to do exactly that. I was wondering if anyone has encountered this issue before or has any understanding of it.

Nerdy Details

I'll start with the 2022 Club Reference because it was much more user friendly and easy to read.

The 2022 Club Reference states: "Home Week reservations are consecutive night reservations at the Home Resort in the season and unit type owned, for the number of days owned, checking in on the resort’s standard or available check-in day (“Home Week”)". Very clear this refers to the season, not the single fixed week. It further states: "Members who own a designated fixed or Event Week shall automatically have their week reserved annually." This seems to indicate that the fixed week just gives you an automatic reservation---before anyone can even book your week as a home week---but the "home week" itself if much broader, extending to the season and the unit type.

The current Club Rules (Rev June 2024)---an ugly verbose monstrosity, unformatted legalese salad of a document---has replaced that very clear language of the 2022 edition with the following:



(emphasis added)

I guess there's the rub,... they added a definition of season referring to the grant deed,... and the grant deed for a fixed week deed is highly limited, stating only the fixed week and not what we traditionally regard as a season (e.g., week 49 is a week in platinum season).


Hmm,... but let's compare this with a platinum season deed I have, which only states:

without regard to platinum season,... so it seems this definition of season is somewhat wanting.

Even though the floating unit / floating week is as such, they still have an actual unit number and week on the grant deed! It's part of that code on every deed: 56-3307-13-7: 3307 represent s room number, 13 is the week (from which you infer platinum season), and 7 means it's 7 day grant (full week).

So the rule definition of "season" based on "as set forth on the purchase agreement and deed" is a bit wanting... But that's just the deed, my purchase agreement (Confirmation of Transfer from the Escrow company) states:

Clearly they identify the fixed week 49 as Platinum season usage, and the unit type as a 3-bedroom penthouse premier.

Are we to admit defeat and say that, well the grant doesn't say platinum season, so fixed week cannot be booked as a home week for any other week? I think not, because:
1. floating week deeds also don't reference the "platinum season", this is inferred based on the week number.
2. even fixed week deeds belong to a season, as their point values and week fall directly into the definitions of platinum / gold.
3. it's just common sense... once someone abandons their fixed week, other fixed week owners of the same unit type and same season should be able to book into it. (Otherwise it's just sitting there--- fixed week owners can have their cake and eat it too, they can cancel their fixed week reservation, book something else, but meanwhile their fixed week is still reserved for them! Madness!)

Lastly, the updated new rules contains language that has been around since the 2022:


Okay that last part about borrowing is irrelevant, because if you borrow next year's fixed week points to use this year, obviously you loose your fixed week. But like the 2022 version, the meaning of the fixed or event week is simply that the reservation is automatically made on your behalf, but you can cancel your reservation "for other vacation options available", which I don't know why that wouldn't include a different week---as home week---of your unit type in your season.

Similarly, this indicates that once a fixed week reservation is canceled, it should become available. It doesn't make sense to me that a regular platinum unit can book a canceled fixed week within platinum season, but a fixed week (platinum) unit cannot do the same, just because they started from a fixed week.


Okay,... this was quite the exposition, but I'm very curious about this and curious about this community's thoughts and/or experiences on this question.

I did own a fixed week in December at The Grand Islander in HHV. I NEVER used it, I bought it on the secondary market and used the points - for HGV trips or HH conversions (1 to 50). In my reservations this unit was booked. I was allowed to cancel it 2 years in advance - I just canceled it during this month for 2026. The points immediately fall back into your useable point for the year in question. As for using it on another week, that cannot be done. Use the week, or take the points and use them with the 10 month booking window.

I also think you bought my unit!

I first heard the term "event" week when The Quin started selling. As it sits on the Macy*s Parade route, this was advised to me as an "Event Week"

 

[johnnyrocket237]

I did own a fixed week in December at The Grand Islander in HHV. I NEVER used it, I bought it on the secondary market and used the points - for HGV trips or HH conversions (1 to 50). In my reservations this unit was booked. I was allowed to cancel it 2 years in advance - I just canceled it during this month for 2026. The points immediately fall back into your useable point for the year in question.

I also think you bought my unit!

Are your initials DBF? (If not, I didn't buy it from you, but cool if that's you!) I bought it in 2022 with 2023 first year usage. I've tried to rent that week out but unsuccessful two years in a row... (Though I stopped trying 31 days out so I could cancel.)

 

[Wahoo]

Not during HW booking window. You can during club season.

I think this may vary depending upon the resort. I own a fixed platinum ski week at Valdoro. I can cancel my fixed week and in its place make a different homeweek booking 12 months out. I did this last year, cancelling my fixed week January reservation (which gets automatically reserved every year) and immediately using those points to make a home week booking for a week in February.

 

[johnnyrocket237]

I think this may vary depending upon the resort. I own a fixed platinum ski week at Valdoro. I can cancel my fixed week and in its place make a different homeweek booking 12 months out. I did this last year, cancelling my fixed week January reservation (which gets automatically reserved every year) and immediately using those points to make a home week booking for a week in February.

Okay nice! So it is possible! I think it may be a function of CS rep… I tried booking an available fixed week last year using a generic platinum season: first call they couldn’t do it; second call it was no problem.

It definitely makes sense, the rule definition of “home week” is based on the season, not on the fixed week.

 

[fys]

So I own a fixed week (Grand Islander, 3501, week 49) and have always been under the impression that when other fixed week owners cancel their reservations, you can switch your home week to a different week, depending on availability.

This post is about two topics:
1. Can owners of a fixed week book an alternate week of the same unit type and the same season as their home week, based on availability?
2. Can owners of a non-fixed week book a holiday week (of the same season and unit type) if it is available (canceled by the person who has the deed for the holiday week)?

I know you can do #2, because I've successfully booked New Years week, as a home week, using my generic Platinum season deed.
My thinking on #1 is that the deed is Resort, Season, Room Type, and the Room Number and week are used for the automatic reservation system--- but if you cancel your regular room number + fixed week reservation, you should be able to book, as a home week, any other unit of the same unit type and season. This is totally logical, but I just got off with CS and was unable to do exactly that. I was wondering if anyone has encountered this issue before or has any understanding of it.

Nerdy Details

I'll start with the 2022 Club Reference because it was much more user friendly and easy to read.

The 2022 Club Reference states: "Home Week reservations are consecutive night reservations at the Home Resort in the season and unit type owned, for the number of days owned, checking in on the resort’s standard or available check-in day (“Home Week”)". Very clear this refers to the season, not the single fixed week. It further states: "Members who own a designated fixed or Event Week shall automatically have their week reserved annually." This seems to indicate that the fixed week just gives you an automatic reservation---before anyone can even book your week as a home week---but the "home week" itself if much broader, extending to the season and the unit type.

The current Club Rules (Rev June 2024)---an ugly verbose monstrosity, unformatted legalese salad of a document---has replaced that very clear language of the 2022 edition with the following:



(emphasis added)

I guess there's the rub,... they added a definition of season referring to the grant deed,... and the grant deed for a fixed week deed is highly limited, stating only the fixed week and not what we traditionally regard as a season (e.g., week 49 is a week in platinum season).


Hmm,... but let's compare this with a platinum season deed I have, which only states:

without regard to platinum season,... so it seems this definition of season is somewhat wanting.

Even though the floating unit / floating week is as such, they still have an actual unit number and week on the grant deed! It's part of that code on every deed: 56-3307-13-7: 3307 represent s room number, 13 is the week (from which you infer platinum season), and 7 means it's 7 day grant (full week).

So the rule definition of "season" based on "as set forth on the purchase agreement and deed" is a bit wanting... But that's just the deed, my purchase agreement (Confirmation of Transfer from the Escrow company) states:

Clearly they identify the fixed week 49 as Platinum season usage, and the unit type as a 3-bedroom penthouse premier.

Are we to admit defeat and say that, well the grant doesn't say platinum season, so fixed week cannot be booked as a home week for any other week? I think not, because:
1. floating week deeds also don't reference the "platinum season", this is inferred based on the week number.
2. even fixed week deeds belong to a season, as their point values and week fall directly into the definitions of platinum / gold.
3. it's just common sense... once someone abandons their fixed week, other fixed week owners of the same unit type and same season should be able to book into it. (Otherwise it's just sitting there--- fixed week owners can have their cake and eat it too, they can cancel their fixed week reservation, book something else, but meanwhile their fixed week is still reserved for them! Madness!)

Lastly, the updated new rules contains language that has been around since the 2022:


Okay that last part about borrowing is irrelevant, because if you borrow next year's fixed week points to use this year, obviously you loose your fixed week. But like the 2022 version, the meaning of the fixed or event week is simply that the reservation is automatically made on your behalf, but you can cancel your reservation "for other vacation options available", which I don't know why that wouldn't include a different week---as home week---of your unit type in your season.

Similarly, this indicates that once a fixed week reservation is canceled, it should become available. It doesn't make sense to me that a regular platinum unit can book a canceled fixed week within platinum season, but a fixed week (platinum) unit cannot do the same, just because they started from a fixed week.


Okay,... this was quite the exposition, but I'm very curious about this and curious about this community's thoughts and/or experiences on this question.

Answer is YES to both. Just booked a Dec 27, 2025 check-in this morning at GW.

 

[fys]

Are your initials DBF? (If not, I didn't buy it from you, but cool if that's you!) I bought it in 2022 with 2023 first year usage. I've tried to rent that week out but unsuccessful two years in a row... (Though I stopped trying 31 days out so I could cancel.)

Okay nice! So it is possible! I think it may be a function of CS rep… I tried booking an available fixed week last year using a generic platinum season: first call they couldn’t do it; second call it was no problem.

It definitely makes sense, the rule definition of “home week” is based on the season, not on the fixed week.

I think that is where you made your mistake. You don't cancel the week. You call CS and ask them the change it to the HW you want. Cancelling converts it to regular club points.

 

[johnnyrocket237]

I think that is where you made your mistake. You don't cancel the week. You call CS and ask them the change it to the HW you want. Cancelling converts it to regular club points.

So I did call and ask them to convert. He said it was “non changeable.” I then canceled the week and he said he couldn’t book any week 12 months out other than my home week. Cancelling does not convert it to regular club points; it converts it to an unbooked home week like any other non-fixed week. (He was able to rebook my original fixed week, but he said he couldn’t book the following week.)

 

[dioxide45]

So I did call and ask them to convert. He said it was “non changeable.” I then canceled the week and he said he couldn’t book any week 12 months out other than my home week. Cancelling does not convert it to regular club points; it converts it to an unbooked home week like any other non-fixed week. (He was able to rebook my original fixed week, but he said he couldn’t book the following week.)

That makes sense. But once cancelled you should be able to book something else 9 months out. Couldn't book the following week since it wasn't in the club booking window.

 

[johnnyrocket237]

That makes sense. But once cancelled you should be able to book something else 9 months out. Couldn't book the following week since it wasn't in the club booking window.

Well GI is 6 months out for using points; but I should be able to book any other open week as a home week 12 months out.. otherwise the penthouse units which are all fixed week (1-52) are a horrible deal. Grant it, it is possible that nobody cancels, but unlikely. They should allow the flexibility to book any similar unit with a cancelled week in your season as a home week if you chooose.

 

[dioxide45]

Well GI is 6 months out for using points; but I should be able to book any other open week as a home week 12 months out.. otherwise the penthouse units which are all fixed week (1-52) are a horrible deal. Grant it, it is possible that nobody cancels, but unlikely. They should allow the flexibility to book any similar unit with a cancelled week in your season as a home week if you chooose.

But you own a fixed week, don't you? That means you can reserve your fixed week, not just any open week. If it isn't a fixed week, then it would be a floating week. Float weeks can reserve any week in their season.

 

[Wahoo]

But you own a fixed week, don't you? That means you can reserve your fixed week, not just any open week. If it isn't a fixed week, then it would be a floating week. Float weeks can reserve any week in their season.

But, at least at some resorts, fixed weeks can float. As mentioned above, I sometimes cancel my fixed week reservation at Valdoro and use it to book a different week at my resort within the home week booking window. The resulting reservation is still considered a home week booking (no guest certificate fees, for instance).

 

[fys]

It should be noted that HGVC sold event weeks as Xmas week and NY week and not as week 51 and 52. In some years, Xmas week is week 52 and NY week is week 53.

 

[johnnyrocket237]

It should be noted that HGVC sold event weeks as Xmas week and NY week and not as week 51 and 52. In some years, Xmas week is week 52 and NY week is week 53.

I have used a regular platinum home week to book a new years week before. but you are correct that some years it is off.

 

[GT75]

I think this may vary depending upon the resort. I own a fixed platinum ski week at Valdoro. I can cancel my fixed week and in its place make a different homeweek booking 12 months out. I did this last year, cancelling my fixed week January reservation (which gets automatically reserved every year) and immediately using those points to make a home week booking for a week in February.

Interesting. I didn’t know that you can do that for Valdoro. Did you call HGVC CS to do this? I own a floating Valdoro ski week.

 

[Wahoo]

Interesting. I didn’t know that you can do that for Valdoro. Did you call HGVC CS to do this? I own a floating Valdoro ski week.

I did it online, simply cancelling my fixed week and then booking a different week at the same resort of the same unit type.

 

[johnnyrocket237]

I did it online, simply cancelling my fixed week and then booking a different week at the same resort of the same unit type.

Ahh… yeah for penthouse units we cannot book our home week online… it says to call CS to book (though they are auto booked)

 

[GT75]

But, at least at some resorts, fixed weeks can float. As mentioned above, I sometimes cancel my fixed week reservation at Valdoro and use it to book a different week at my resort within the home week booking window. The resulting reservation is still considered a home week booking (no guest certificate fees, for instance).

Just to be sure, can fixed week owners at other resorts do this? I am sure that if you have a specific week/unit then that won’t be allowed.

Thanks for the correction on my misunderstanding. I have given wrong advice specifically concerning this question for Valdoro fixed-week ski week ownership in the past.

 

[johnnyrocket237]

Just to be sure, can fixed week owners at other resorts do this? I am sure that if you have a specific week/unit then that won’t be allowed.

Thanks for the correction on my misunderstanding. I have given wrong advice specifically concerning this question for Valdoro fixed-week ski week ownership in the past.

Overall, I find this very surprising that you cannot "float" a fixed week unit if you want to change it [of course subject to availability: another fixed week owner would have to cancel theirs],... it seems like it would only make selling them all easier. why not let owners book any platinum season if the week is available?

 

[Wahoo]

Thanks for the correction on my misunderstanding. I have given wrong advice specifically concerning this question for Valdoro fixed-week ski week ownership in the past.

Yes, prior to purchasing my Valdoro week I read some of your posts on this forum and was under the impression that a fixed week could not "float" (other than waiting for the 10-month club booking window). The seller of my Valdoro week assured me during my purchase negotiations that even though it was a fixed week it could be used to reserve a different home week booking just like a float week could, but I was quite skeptical. After closing I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the seller was correct, and I can indeed use the fixed week just like a platinum float week if I desire. I don't know if the same is true at other resorts, but can confirm this is the case at Valdoro.

 

[Eric B]

At The Quin, I used my points from a Studio Penthouse fixed week that I had cancelled previously for 2025 to book the same unit for Thanksgiving week when it became available. Both are platinum and Thanksgiving is listed as an event week. I had to call in to do it and the CSR said she had to override some limitation in the system to do it but was able to without assistance. This was in the Home week period, of course.

Edited to add that Thanksgiving is not an event week at The Quin - just noticed that on the new rules booklet. Neither is NYE.