SDO Owner's Update

[dr.debs]

I have just returned from SDO for spring break and did go to the Owner's Update to hear about the new renovations planned for next year to all the units. Sadly, once I got there, the rep was tight lipped about details and refused to show me the models even though the concierge implied they would be shown. Ok, now for the hard sell $20K spent needed to roll my EOY 2BR Lockoff into the SPG program until the manager showed up and said basically buy a large 1 BR EOY for $8900, or small 1 BR for $7900 and he would roll it in, and give me 50,000 SPG points. Then he said my current 2 BR unit is only worth 44,000 points as it is a resale and even though the deed says platinum week it is graded as gold. I said no thanks. $100 gift card for my 70 minutes. So far we enjoy going to SDO everyother year, and the lockoff unit has been a good trader. They did say the Lockoff would remain a small 1 bedroom. We had a blast this trip. Great weather. See my resort review posted today. Now on to the Marriot BBS to report my recent January scottsdale trade for a Kona july week. Hurrah!

 

[clsmit]

Were they offering you SDO? Thanks for the update!

 

[dr.debs]

Yes SDO- I had asked about retro'ing my EOY 2br lockoff, so I would have a yearly week, as I am considering selling my EOY at MCV. Those were the prices they quoted me. I almost went for the small one bedroom but my 2 BR EOY was only worth 81000staroptions, or 44,000 starpoints so it didn't seem reasonable to convert to a "gold" unit when now I can reserve platinum weeks at my home resort. One caveat...I have not tried trading with the unit deposited to II under the new system...I will see how that goes.

 

[grgs]

Yes SDO- I had asked about retro'ing my EOY 2br lockoff, so I would have a yearly week, as I am considering selling my EOY at MCV. Those were the prices they quoted me. I almost went for the small one bedroom but my 2 BR EOY was only worth 81000staroptions, or 44,000 starpoints so it didn't seem reasonable to convert to a "gold" unit when now I can reserve platinum weeks at my home resort.

To confirm: they offered to retro your EOY 2 bedroom LO with the purchase of a small 1 bedroom EOY for $7900? That's well below the $20K minimum that has been threshhold for some time now.

If you had retro'ed your unit, you should still have been able to reserve platinum weeks at SDO. You likely own a 1-52 float which is considered a Gold unit.

Glorian

 

[dr.debs]

To confirm: they offered to retro your EOY 2 bedroom LO with the purchase of a small 1 bedroom EOY for $7900? That's well below the $20K minimum that has been threshhold for some time now.

If you had retro'ed your unit, you should still have been able to reserve platinum weeks at SDO. You likely own a 1-52 float which is considered a Gold unit.

Glorian

Hi Glorian- Yes that is what they quoted me. I didn't find it suprising, as they quoted I believe $6800 for the same deal two years ago. This time, however, they were offering the starpoints bonus.

 

[patty5ia]

We attended the owner update when we were at SDO last week. The offer was 80% of the original cost of the unit which I had purchased resale for almost nothing, toward to purchase of another unit. So I could buy a 2 bedroom platinum unit for $15,000, worth 148,000 star options. We passed on the offer because we like to stay at SDO. Our resale purchase was a good deal.

Yes, they enticed us with the idea that we would find out about the remodeling. But they don't pay to give owner updates, they just pay us for listening to their pitch.

 

[spencersmama]

To confirm: they offered to retro your EOY 2 bedroom LO with the purchase of a small 1 bedroom EOY for $7900? That's well below the $20K minimum that has been threshhold for some time now.


Glorian

Does the manager only have the authority to retro an SDO at the lower threshold level? This may be a valuable way for interested TUGGERS to become 5* less expensively.

 

[lorenmd]

I think i would have taken that offer

 

[VacationForever]

We attended the owner update when we were at SDO last week. The offer was 80% of the original cost of the unit which I had purchased resale for almost nothing, toward to purchase of another unit. So I could buy a 2 bedroom platinum unit for $15,000, worth 148,000 star options. We passed on the offer because we like to stay at SDO. Our resale purchase was a good deal.

This is a very good deal and a great way to get to 4* and 5* elite. I just priced it out and it's as good as buying a resale Platinum SDO and retro it for a EOY somewhere for $20K. It is one of the cheapest ways to get there but then many of us would not want to be holding mainly SDOs in our basket. I think having this in the mix is a great deal for those pursuing 4/5* elite level.

 

[PamMo]

I'm a bit confused about what exactly the manager offered patty5ai? Was that price to buy a new unit AND retro your resale unit - or was this "deal" for you to trade in your resale and give them cash to buy a new unit with StarOptions/Points?

If you can retro a unit at those prices, it would be very, very tempting. If you're just paying to "trade up" your resale, I'd pass on the offer, too.


Deb, you say you own a deeded platinum week. Is it one of the weeks listed in the Starwood forum stickies for true platinum weeks at SDO?

 

[VacationForever]

I'm a bit confused about what exactly the manager offered patty5ai? Was that price to buy a new unit AND retro your resale unit - or was this "deal" for you to trade in your resale and give them cash to buy a new unit with StarOptions/Points?

If you can retro a unit at those prices, it would be very, very tempting. If you're just paying to "trade up" your resale, I'd pass on the offer, too.

Her offer is for an upgrade but it is a great deal for those who want to get 4/5 star elite.

Here's the math:
Note: I am not taking into account SO/SP incentives.

Upgrade path: SDO 1-52 (gold plus) = $1K. Upgrade to platinum EY = $15K. Total outlay is $16K to get 148100 SO and be part of SVN.

Retro path: SDO platinum = $3K (can be had for less ), Retro with another platinum Starwood TS, EY ~$32K-$36K or EOY for $20K. Assuming EY costs $32K (WMH), total outlay $35K. Obtaining 2 X 148100 SO at cost of $35K. Averaging that out, it costs $17.5K to get 148100 SO.

SDO upgrade path is cheaper.

 

[Ken555]

SDO upgrade path is cheaper.

In addition, to complete your example don't forget that the MF for SDO is currently much less than WMH.

 

[VacationForever]

In addition, to complete your example don't forget that the MF for SDO is currently much less than WMH.

YEP. 15K to upgrade to SDO Platinum sounds too good to be true. While I was at WMH and enquired about upgrading my SDO 1-52 to platinum the sales person was only interested in selling me WDW and essentially told me there was no inventory anywhere else, WKV, SDO etc. Looks like you need to go to the SDO salesperson on site in order to get the upgrade pricing.

 

[jarta]

YEP. 15K to upgrade to SDO Platinum sounds too good to be true. While I was at WMH and enquired about upgrading my SDO 1-52 to platinum the sales person was only interested in selling me WDW and essentially told me there was no inventory anywhere else, WKV, SDO etc. Looks like you need to go to the SDO salesperson on site in order to get the upgrade pricing.

Different resorts have different inventory for sale. There is an inventory list. Salespersons can only sell what they have access to.

At one time, about 2 years ago, the only place a foreclosed WKV week could be purchased was at SDO.

In my opinion, at each resort, the director of sales (not the salespersons or "closers") is the only person who can call around to other resorts to ask for a trade to obtain a week not on his/her list. Orlando must approve any trades of inventory. Salty

 

[gtm2011]

I just got off the phone with an SDO sales agent that is onsite and I was told that the 1 BD EOY's for $6900 or $7900 would not include a retro or an upgrade. It was a direct sales price and I think it was only a gold or gold plus week, needless to say I was interested if it wasn't platinum or didn't include a retro. He did offer me an upgrade from my large 1 BD EY Plat resale SDO to a 2 BD EY Plat SDO for something like $19,600. I wasn't interested in that either, but I thought I would report what I found. The sale price on the 2 BD EY Plat SDO was something like $33,900 and they were offering me roughly $14,300 (80% of the $17,900 which was the original sales prices of my resale week) for my week in credit toward the purchase.