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SDO Staroptions Chart

A

amsunshine

TUG Member
Joined
May 11, 2022
Messages
145
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Location
S. California
Resorts Owned
Park Regency
Sheraton Desert Oasis
Hello Vistana experts: I was reviewing the Staroptions Chart for Vistana and the SDO Staroptions are divided into "Gold", "Gold Plus" and "Platinum Plus". I assume these categories are only relevant to "mandatory resort" internal exchanges, yes? I was under the impression there were only two seasons at SDO, namely Gold Plus and Platinum Plus (and that Gold Plus units at SDO are weeks 1-52, while Platinum Plus are the high demand spring and winter holiday weeks. ) This chart was giving me pause. Forgive me if this is a silly question - it may be I am mixing apples and oranges.

This is the chart I was looking at for reference:
 
The only criteria that matter are the staroptions point value. The seasons are for ownership info, and if you were booking in your home season.
 
Ken555 said:
The only criteria that matter are the staroptions point value. The seasons are for ownership info, and if you were booking in your home season.
Click to expand...
Ok, so forgive me, again! If one owns a "voluntary" resale SDO, there are only two seasons for those units, correct (Gold Plus and Platinum Plus)? And the star options chart only references points for "mandatory" resort owners, yes? Because on the chart, there are three seasons: Gold, Gold Plus and Platinum Plus.
 
amsunshine said:
Ok, so forgive me, again! If one owns a "voluntary" resale SDO, there are only two seasons for those units, correct (Gold Plus and Platinum Plus)? And the star options chart only references points for "mandatory" resort owners, yes? Because on the chart, there are three seasons: Gold, Gold Plus and Platinum Plus.
Click to expand...

Voluntary owners don't have any StarOptions, so your reservation options are limited to the home resort season (Gold, etc) or depositing in an external exchange company such as Interval International. The home resort seasons as listed on the chart are, I believe, the most current version. So if you see three seasons as SDO, then there are three seasons BUT SDO in particular has 1-52 week owners, as well.


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A better way to think about the split is between enrolled and not enrolled resorts. Owners of weeks or HomeOptions at a voluntary resort do have StarOptions, or more precisely the ability to make reservations through the VSN using StarOptions. Owners at any of the formerly Vista na can otherwise make reservations as allowed by the terms and conditions of their particular ownership. At SDO, some ownership can make reservations in weeks 1-52.

The importance of this perspective is due to the fact that you could reauthorize a resale week at a voluntary resort and gain the ability to use StarOptions in the VSN. Whether it's worth doing is dependent on several factors and personal preferences.
 
Eric B said:
A better way to think about the split is between enrolled and not enrolled resorts. Owners of weeks or HomeOptions at a voluntary resort do have StarOptions, or more precisely the ability to make reservations through the VSN using StarOptions. Owners at any of the formerly Vista na can otherwise make reservations as allowed by the terms and conditions of their particular ownership. At SDO, some ownership can make reservations in weeks 1-52.

The importance of this perspective is due to the fact that you could reauthorize a resale week at a voluntary resort and gain the ability to use StarOptions in the VSN. Whether it's worth doing is dependent on several factors and personal preferences.
Click to expand...
Right. I understand the difference between voluntary and mandatory resorts. I guess I'm wondering is if there are resale weeks out there for SDO that are "Gold" (as opposed to "Gold Plus"). I was under the impression there were only two seasons for SDO weeks. But then I looked at this chart and it divides SDO seasons into three seasons, so it is throwing me off.
 
amsunshine said:
Right. I understand the difference between voluntary and mandatory resorts. I guess I'm wondering is if there are resale weeks out there for SDO that are "Gold" (as opposed to "Gold Plus"). I was under the impression there were only two seasons for SDO weeks. But then I looked at this chart and it divides SDO seasons into three seasons, so it is throwing me off.
Click to expand...
There are a few other oddities in the system like the Coral Vista phase at WSJ, which is sold in two seasons, high season and resort season. The resort season there is divided in two that match the platinum and gold plus season but you can book either with the same HomeOptions. Might be a similar set up at SDO, but it would take knowing how that resort actually works.
 
Resorts have two seasons in Vistana. A "Home Season" and a "VSN Season". These can be the same or different. "Resort Season" is the actual deeded season that is used for home resort reservations. VSN Season would align with the number of StarOptions allocated to the VOI. I don't even know if SDO actually calls their original seasons Gold, Gold Plus or Platinum. It might be Prime and High. Someone with an SDO ownership would need to confirm.
 
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amsunshine said:
Right. I understand the difference between voluntary and mandatory resorts. I guess I'm wondering is if there are resale weeks out there for SDO that are "Gold" (as opposed to "Gold Plus"). I was under the impression there were only two seasons for SDO weeks. But then I looked at this chart and it divides SDO seasons into three seasons, so it is throwing me off.
Click to expand...

Yes, there are. A resale SDO could be one of the following things:

Gold Plus, floats weeks 1-52. This is the most common, and what was originally sold.

When starwood took over they sold the undeclared inventory as three seasons, so you can also get the following.

True plat. This requires a certain unit number and also a week in plat season. These are the most valuable.

True gold. The same unit numbers as true plat but a week in gold season. These don't float 1-52, only within gold season.

True silver. Same unit numbers and a week in silver season, only floats within silver season.

The only units with any value are 1-52 and true plat. If you would regularly use a week in gold season just get a 1-52. It'll be cheap/free and gives extra flexibility.
 
bizaro86 said:
Yes, there are. A resale SDO could be one of the following things:

Gold Plus, floats weeks 1-52. This is the most common, and what was originally sold.

When starwood took over they sold the undeclared inventory as three seasons, so you can also get the following.

True plat. This requires a certain unit number and also a week in plat season. These are the most valuable.

True gold. The same unit numbers as true plat but a week in gold season. These don't float 1-52, only within gold season.

True silver. Same unit numbers and a week in silver season, only floats within silver season.

The only units with any value are 1-52 and true plat. If you would regularly use a week in gold season just get a 1-52. It'll be cheap/free and gives extra flexibility.
Click to expand...
Thank you!!! This is exactly the info I was looking for. I appreciate your detailed response!!
 
amsunshine said:
Thank you!!! This is exactly the info I was looking for. I appreciate your detailed response!!
Click to expand...

You're welcome. It's a bit confusing, as nobody ever talks about "true gold" or "true silver" weeks. But they do exist (an ebay seller tried to give me a true gold as 1-52 once many years ago). I suspect by this point most of them are in the sheraton trust, as I think they probably get turned back in at a pretty good clip (use value is low and resale is likely impossible).
 
dioxide45 said:
Resorts have two seasons in Vistana. A "Resort Season" and a "VSN Season". These can be the same or different. "Resort Season" is the actual deeded season that is used for home resort reservations. VSN Season would align with the number of StarOptions allocated to the VOI. I don't even know if SDO actually calls their original seasons Gold, Gold Plus or Platinum. It might be Prime and High. Someone with an SDO ownership would need to confirm.
Click to expand...
It might be better to characterize the different options as “home seasons” and “VSN seasons.” As I posted, one of the deeded seasons at WSJ CV is “Resort Season.” “Home season” lines up better with the usage in the VSN rules that includes a Home Resort Reservation Period” specifically to allow for those types of reservations without competition.
 
Eric B said:
It might be better to characterize the different options as “home seasons” and “VSN seasons.” As I posted, one of the deeded seasons at WSJ CV is “Resort Season.” “Home season” lines up better with the usage in the VSN rules that includes a Home Resort Reservation Period” specifically to allow for those types of reservations without competition.
Click to expand...
You're right, I was looking at the name of it on the Vistana site what I own section as I was replying, but looks like I type "Resort season" by mistake instead of "Home Season". I fixed my post. I am actually kinda curious if they refer to Home Season as "Gold Plus" for the 1-52 or do they have a different name for it.
1775479483818.png
 
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It's almost as if some of the earlier posts weren't read.


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