Thread Dedicated to the Upcoming/Anticipated Integration of Vistana and Marriott Ownerships

[dioxide45]

My source tells me all Westin related options except the Bahama's and Avon, at least for now.

That is also what all of the marketing material that we have seen reported from sales presentations seem to indicate in the fine print.

 

[jabberwocky]

Judging by what’s been reported by others, everything with ILG EXCEPT for Hyatt/Welk properties should be available based on what’s deposited into the DC points pool.

I think it is just Vistana properties for now. ILG also includes the Aqua-Aston properties in addition to Hyatt/Welk and Vistana. I haven’t heard of those Aqua-Aston being included in the trust.

 

[dsmrp]

My source tells me all Westin related options except the Bahama's and Avon, at least for now.

By "Westin" do you mean only the Westin branded resorts or all Vistana, including Sheraton branded, except
Harborside and Westin Riverfront ?

 

[dioxide45]

By "Westin" do you mean only the Westin branded resorts or all Vistana, including Sheraton branded, except
Harborside and Westin Riverfront ?

Sheraton branded are included as well as the one non Sheraton branded Vistana Beach Club.

 

[VacationForever]

I think it is just Vistana properties for now. ILG also includes the Aqua-Aston properties in addition to Hyatt/Welk and Vistana. I haven’t heard of those Aqua-Aston being included in the trust.

As I recall, Aqua-Aston properties have been resold by MVW.

 

[wuv pooh]

My source tells me all Westin related options except the Bahama's and Avon, at least for now.

The map they showed me has all the Westins I am aware of. Vistana
was in orlando, but don't know if there are others. They said Atlantis has some issue right now. First occupancy is sometime in 2023 for all resorts. All owners are to be equal with no Marriott or Westin preference like in II.

 

[wuv pooh]

Here is the brochure showing the resorts and that Atlantis and one in Colorado are to be a year late.

 

[dioxide45]

As I recall, Aqua-Aston properties have been resold by MVW.

Not yet at least. Still owned by VAC.

 

[VacationForever]

Not yet at least. Still owned by VAC.

I must have gotten a stroke!

 

[DanCali]

Got some info at an MVC Owner update that MVC owners will be able to book Vistana resorts for 2023 reservations (Jan 1 or later checkin) starting July 1. Almost there…


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[dsmrp]

Got some info at an MVC Owner update that MVC owners will be able to book Vistana resorts for 2023 reservations (Jan 1 or later checkin) starting July 1. Almost there…

So if prior speculation is true, i.e. all Vistana unsold inventory + Flex will be put into DC or trust,
then only mandatory resale owners and direct VSN owners not opting for DC will be 'funding' inventory for VSN.
I don't think (tho' have no data) that Flex is the majority of VSN inventory.
I am hopeful VSN inventory won't be significantly affected, but would miss exchanging into SDO.
My apologies if this has all been hashed out earlier.

If Marriott keeps inventory within DC and doesn't do II mini bulk deposits, there will be little/no Marriott/Vistana units for Vistana voluntary resale owners to exchange into.
Bulk deposits are already few & far between.
Limiting II deposits is another method to push resale owners to pay their pound of flesh (er $$)
or deedback to Marriott. To paraphrase a Vistana salesman from years ago, "your unit was resale from the prior system, but you haven't bought from my (current) system".

 

[dougp26364]

So if prior speculation is true, i.e. all Vistana unsold inventory + Flex will be put into DC or trust,
then only mandatory resale owners and direct VSN owners not opting for DC will be 'funding' inventory for VSN.
I don't think (tho' have no data) that Flex is the majority of VSN inventory.
I am hopeful VSN inventory won't be significantly affected, but would miss exchanging into SDO.
My apologies if this has all been hashed out earlier.

If Marriott keeps inventory within DC and doesn't do II mini bulk deposits, there will be little/no Marriott/Vistana units for Vistana voluntary resale owners to exchange into.
Bulk deposits are already few & far between.
Limiting II deposits is another method to push resale owners to pay their pound of flesh (er $$)
or deedback to Marriott. To paraphrase a Vistana salesman from years ago, "your unit was resale from the prior system, but you haven't bought from my (current) system".

For the last 10 or so years Marriott, as well as other timeshare management companies, have been scheming to control their inventory as a way to force people who want to stay on their system to have to buy into that system. Furthermore they’ve always schemed ways to reduce the value of resale and/or force the resale buyer to buy at least some retail to “legitimize” those resale weeks.

I’ve been a member of II since our first purchase in 1998. There have been many changes since then, including availability of instant exchanges. I can still find great availability in resorts that aren’t part of larger systems, but finding the Marriott weeks I use to be able to find via instant exchange has become more difficult. There was a time when I was a three bedroom ocean front at Ocean Pointe with my studio Ocean Pointe deposit. I use to deposit the studio and trade back into Ocean Pointe for the master suite of the 3 bedroom OF unit. I haven’t seen that sort of instant exchange availability in years.

Many years ago I recall a salesman telling us that we wouldn’t be able to trade up in size at all and exchanging into a Marriott resort without being a Marriott owner would be impossible. Well, that hasn’t exactly come true, but there has been a shift and Marriott does have much tighter control of its inventory than it has in the past. Will they ever get to the point where you must have a least a little bit of retail to access anything Marriott? I doubt it. Will they tighten the screws? If you ask me, they already have. How will all this affect ILG owners, especially resale owners? Ask Marriott resale owners that have owned before/after the beginning of the DC and you’ll get a clearer picture.

Keep in mind I generally look for instant exchanges anymore, and even that has been few and far between. I believe deposit first or request first exchanges still bring the desired results. For our situation we’re limited to what weeks we can travel and I prefer to choose my resort and week rather than give II a range of dates and/or resorts. So my view is defiantly skewed towards the instant exchange inventory.

 

[VacationForever]

I didn't own Marriott timeshare until 2013. For me, I have had no issues in getting II exchanges, and we are very specific as to where and when we want to go.

 

[craigc]

My source tells me all Westin related options except the Bahama's and Avon, at least for now.

Of course......the two I am most interested in . Any idea why these two are not included at launch Dean?

 

[Dean]

Of course......the two I am most interested in . Any idea why these two are not included at launch Dean?

I think it's related to unique issues with the legal documents but there may be others more versed than I on the why. I got the sense it was felt they'd come along but it'd be a couple of years more, we'll see.

 

[kozykritter]

Of course......the two I am most interested in . Any idea why these two are not included at launch Dean?

Those two properties are delayed due to their unique ownership structures. Harborside at Atlantis is jointly owned with another company and Westin Riverfront is owned by a development company which built it and operates it on behalf of Vistana. That means there's going to have to be legal negotiations to change their agreement terms to allow the new program, which means they won't participate at the initial launch but Marriott is hopeful they will be available the following year, meaning 2024 bookings.

 

[heitmullerj02]

I have not switched to II with my fixed week Vistana because RCI converts it to points. I trade this for Sedona and SO. Cal Does anyone think I would get a better pick on trading with II or is it just another annual fee?

 

[heitmullerj02]

Should add that with RCI points, I can split my week which I do all the time. I believe there is an additional fee in II todo this.

 

[VacationForever]

Should add that with RCI points, I can split my week which I do all the time. I believe there is an additional fee in II todo this.

What do you own? Do you own a 2BR lockoff or a dedicated 2BR? If it is a dedicated 2BR, you cannot split into 2 weeks in II. II has much better properties. I was with RCI from 1996 to 2007 and then switched to II. Best decision ever. Almost all my trades are back into Westin and Marriott properties. I traded into a 2BR Four Seasons Aviara in April with a 1BR portion of SVR.

 

[dioxide45]

Is SVR the only Vistana resort that has some weeks in RCI Points? Will these be able to be enrolled in the new program? For some reason I would think these can't be enrolled and would continue to operate through RCI Points.

 

[VacationForever]

Is SVR the only Vistana resort that has some weeks in RCI Points? Will these be able to be enrolled in the new program? For some reason I would think these can't be enrolled and would continue to operate through RCI Points.

Desert Springs also trades in RCI. With SVR, I was in RCI Weeks for about 5 years and then moved to RCI Points for another 5 years, before cancelling it out and moved to II. Being in RCI points does not have anything to do with whether they can be enrolled or not.

 

[dioxide45]

Desert Springs also trades in RCI. With SVR, I was in RCI Weeks for about 5 years and then moved to RCI Points for another 5 years, before cancelling it out and moved to II. Being in RCI points does not have anything to do with whether they can be enrolled or not.

But there is a difference between trading in RCI and an RCI points week. RCI points means you automatically get RCI points (not TPU) every year (or every other year) for your week to use in RCI Points. With an RCI Points ownership, I think in order to use your week as a week at your home resort you have to call RCI to tell them you are using your week and don't want the RCI Points. A week that is enrolled in RCI Points may get messy when also enrolled in Abound.

 

[Bodie]

MVC has to service their debt. The purchase isn't a gift to us. We will pay in some form. For me, there is nothing of appeal except for what they added in the Caribbean and Mexico. Just more of the same.

 

[VacationForever]

But there is a difference between trading in RCI and an RCI points week. RCI points means you automatically get RCI points (not TPU) every year (or every other year) for your week to use in RCI Points. With an RCI Points ownership, I think in order to use your week as a week at your home resort you have to call RCI to tell them you are using your week and don't want the RCI Points. A week that is enrolled in RCI Points may get messy when also enrolled in Abound.

Yes, we are saying the same thing. I received 76K RCI points automatically, unless I told them that I wanted to use my week. While my SVR was developer purchase, I did not elect to enroll in SVN until 2012 or so, and by that time I was in II. Presumably, I would have to drop RCI when I enrolled in SVN. Sheraton/Starwood Vacation Club sent me mail every year since its inception of SVN in 1999 to join, initially for $99 and that would include II. I received final notice to join in 2012 for $599 and that I would no longer be offered again.

 

[DRH90277]

But there is a difference between trading in RCI and an RCI points week. RCI points means you automatically get RCI points (not TPU) every year (or every other year) for your week to use in RCI Points. With an RCI Points ownership, I think in order to use your week as a week at your home resort you have to call RCI to tell them you are using your week and don't want the RCI Points. A week that is enrolled in RCI Points may get messy when also enrolled in Abound.

Vistana - Is there a list of the specific properties that will be added for points and when? A salesperson at OceanWatch had a few pages of required points for various resorts at the end of June. I should have taken a photo of the booklet. It was no secret but merely not widely distributed at that point.