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

[kozykritter]

I did reach out and the current start date is still 1 August but until it actually happens, we'll have to see. My guess is it'll come down to whether things actually work when they flip the switch on the computer change over.

Even if they can't flip the switch on on August 1st, it would be nice if they would release on that date all the details of what is going to happen, even if it is happening later than planned.

 

[dioxide45]

Even if they can't flip the switch on on August 1st, it would be nice if they would release on that date all the details of what is going to happen, even if it is happening later than planned.

Once they do that, the sales staff can no longer sell more timeshare under questionable tactics and nebulous information

 

[kozykritter]

Once they do that, the sales staff can no longer sell more timeshare under questionable tactics and nebulous information

True but then they could actually have a compelling case to sell to certain owners in an honest way. I know, dare to dream

 

[dsmrp]

I'm new to this forum, I came across it this weekend when doing some research after an owners update I attended. My husband and I purchased a week at Sheraton Vistana Villages directly from Sheraton back in 2005. My husband travels a lot for work, or at least did prior to Covid, and the points from our credit card accumulation along with our weekly timeshare always allowed plenty of vacations for our family with minimal out of pocket expenses. Over the last 15 years it's been very easy to bank our options and book at other resorts through Vistana, we have never had a problem with availability. This past week we were in Orlando at our home resort and I asked to attend a presentation about the new program, we both wanted to understand how it worked, when it would be launched, how our week would be integrated, etc....We were both very excited to have access to new resorts that previously weren't on the program (I understand I could have banked in the past with Interval and booked the Marriott resorts, but it was always just easiest to work within the Vistana network).

In a nutshell, this is what we were told during what turned out to be a 2.5 hour presentation. He said that the new program was expected to launch in August or September. We were told that since we owned a fixed week and never integrated to the Flex program, that we would not be able to join the Abound program. I asked if I could join for a fee and to have our week valued at some sort of conversion rate, the answer was no. He said we had two options, the first was to buy more flex options at $20k for 51,700 options or $30k for 81,000 options. This would put us into the Abound program as well as give us lifetime platinum status and the ability to book any resort in the program 12 months out. The second option was to do nothing and not be able to join Abound. He said once Abound went live, they were completely doing away with the Vistana site and our week would be integrated with Interval International and we would only be able to book our home resort 12 months out and non-home resorts 8 months out (which is what it is now). However, he said that 97% of owners had already committed and paid the extra $$ to be a part of the Abound network, therefore, that inventory would likely never go to Interval and we wouldn't have access to them. He said it would be harder for us to book outside our home resort if we were a part of Interval. I asked him about a quote from Lori Gustafson at the Marriott Worldwide Investor Day on June 16th where she said "if Sheraton owners wanted to avail themselves of the Abound opportunity that it was additive and there would be no incremental cost to an owner". His answer was that this was only the case for owners that had converted to the Flex program years back. To me an owner is an owner, especially if we bought direct and not on the resale market. He never even talked about how the new program would work, it was really just a sales pitch to buy more options.

As people who really enjoy the flexibility of the program and vacationing at various resorts throughout the network, we said we would buy the 51,700 options but had to come in the next day to fill out the paperwork and sign since we had time-sensitive plans. They allowed us to go with the plan of coming in the next morning. Our fear was we would be left for dead in Interval and vacationing in Orlando for the rest of our lives (no offense to Orlando). The entire day it nagged at me and I spend hours out of my vacation looking on various sites and doing research. It seems there aren't official guidelines listed anywhere and that everyone is getting different information. My gut told me not to do it and I canceled the meeting and told them we weren't purchasing. It also rubs me the wrong way that I have been a dues paying owner for 17 years and they are not going to let me into the "club" unless I pay another $20-30k. My husband and I are just going to sit tight and see what actually happens when the program officially rolls out.

Yes your salesperson was lying. I have a fixed week too, but at Vkistana resort SVR, that was retro-ed into the network. My salesperson at SMV briefly indicated my week would be eligible for Abound program, along with my direct week purchase, and told me the conversion pt amount. Orlando resorts get around 2500-2600 pts; not so much as others because Orlando is overbuilt and they are comparing to the Marriott Orlando resorts.
Still it is more than I thought we'd get. My fixed week is valued 150 pts less than my float week, even tho' it's a better season.

 

[Luvtoride]

I’m attending a sales presentation on Thursday 7/28 at the Marriott Aruba Surf Club. This is pretty close to the unofficial Aug 1 integration date mentioned in this thread. If there is anything you want me to try to find out, let me know.
We are Chairmans level and my purpose for going this time was to find out about the integration of the Sheraton and Westin resorts into the MVC program (or Abound if that’s what the new combined club will be called). I would like to be able to use my DC points to go to Cancun. We will see if they can answer that question for me.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[DanCali]

I'm new to this forum, I came across it this weekend when doing some research after an owners update I attended. My husband and I purchased a week at Sheraton Vistana Villages directly from Sheraton back in 2005. My husband travels a lot for work, or at least did prior to Covid, and the points from our credit card accumulation along with our weekly timeshare always allowed plenty of vacations for our family with minimal out of pocket expenses. Over the last 15 years it's been very easy to bank our options and book at other resorts through Vistana, we have never had a problem with availability. This past week we were in Orlando at our home resort and I asked to attend a presentation about the new program, we both wanted to understand how it worked, when it would be launched, how our week would be integrated, etc....We were both very excited to have access to new resorts that previously weren't on the program (I understand I could have banked in the past with Interval and booked the Marriott resorts, but it was always just easiest to work within the Vistana network).

In a nutshell, this is what we were told during what turned out to be a 2.5 hour presentation. He said that the new program was expected to launch in August or September. We were told that since we owned a fixed week and never integrated to the Flex program, that we would not be able to join the Abound program. I asked if I could join for a fee and to have our week valued at some sort of conversion rate, the answer was no. He said we had two options, the first was to buy more flex options at $20k for 51,700 options or $30k for 81,000 options. This would put us into the Abound program as well as give us lifetime platinum status and the ability to book any resort in the program 12 months out. The second option was to do nothing and not be able to join Abound. He said once Abound went live, they were completely doing away with the Vistana site and our week would be integrated with Interval International and we would only be able to book our home resort 12 months out and non-home resorts 8 months out (which is what it is now). However, he said that 97% of owners had already committed and paid the extra $$ to be a part of the Abound network, therefore, that inventory would likely never go to Interval and we wouldn't have access to them. He said it would be harder for us to book outside our home resort if we were a part of Interval. I asked him about a quote from Lori Gustafson at the Marriott Worldwide Investor Day on June 16th where she said "if Sheraton owners wanted to avail themselves of the Abound opportunity that it was additive and there would be no incremental cost to an owner". His answer was that this was only the case for owners that had converted to the Flex program years back. To me an owner is an owner, especially if we bought direct and not on the resale market. He never even talked about how the new program would work, it was really just a sales pitch to buy more options.

As people who really enjoy the flexibility of the program and vacationing at various resorts throughout the network, we said we would buy the 51,700 options but had to come in the next day to fill out the paperwork and sign since we had time-sensitive plans. They allowed us to go with the plan of coming in the next morning. Our fear was we would be left for dead in Interval and vacationing in Orlando for the rest of our lives (no offense to Orlando). The entire day it nagged at me and I spend hours out of my vacation looking on various sites and doing research. It seems there aren't official guidelines listed anywhere and that everyone is getting different information. My gut told me not to do it and I canceled the meeting and told them we weren't purchasing. It also rubs me the wrong way that I have been a dues paying owner for 17 years and they are not going to let me into the "club" unless I pay another $20-30k. My husband and I are just going to sit tight and see what actually happens when the program officially rolls out.

If there was a "Wall of Shame" on TUG reserved for the most reprehensible and dishonest salespeople, this guy would be #1. I too have been through 2.5 hours of button pushing mixed with lies that turn into a 2-day nagging feeling and a ruined vacation (That's when we found TUG and saved $60K...). I seriously wish you'd out him out by name and that he got fired by MVC. The unfortunate thing is that he's probably a top salesperson and they probably don't care how he does it.

You and your husband dodged a bullet and saved a lot of money you didn't have to spend to get what you want. I just feel so bad for others who fall for these lies. Besides getting people to buy products they don't need that are worth less than 10% what they paid, it reflects extremely poorly on the industry, on MVC, and also on the more honest salespeople who deal with that fallout.

Odds are extremely high you will be allowed into the new program since you have a developer purchase. In future presentations, they will try to get you to buy more points because an Orlando week probably won't get you too far in the new system. Just remember that VSN and Interval will still be around, and you can also rent points from others as you need them at a cost very similar to point maintenance fees.

 

[sharr7]

However, he said that 97% of owners had already committed and paid the extra $$ to be a part of the Abound network,

My favorite part is this made up statistic. Like in June they had to secure the doors to the sales center because there were so many owners clamoring to come through and throw money at this new program with zero official details or guarantees.

It is pretty reprehensible behavior and you can see how easy it is to get away with it. They make those promises that you'll be "in" with purchase, and when the program launches, lo and behold, you're "in!" Wow! With even a few more points to play around with for your low buy in of tens of thousands of dollars. The very few owners who then catch wind of "they just let me in without Flex" grumble a bit, even fewer try and reach out, and even fewer actually get a chance to directly question sales. And even if they get to that point they'll just gaslight you into thinking you misunderstood something. Or that nothing was set in stone and plans changed pre-launch.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

If I bought the minimum resale DP points for $6000 (?) all-in including junk fees, would that be considered a developer purchase that would qualify my unit because the junk fees were paid to requal?

 

[VacationForever]

If I bought the minimum resale DP points for $6000 (?) all-in including junk fees, would that be considered a developer purchase that would qualify my unit because the junk fees were paid to requal?

No. To requalify, you have to buy from MVC.

 

[Bodie]

Even if they can't flip the switch on on August 1st, it would be nice if they would release on that date all the details of what is going to happen, even if it is happening later than planned.

Maybe the MVC sales office in Utah has a better fix on things. I have found them to be a little more forthright.

 

[jabberwocky]

I’m attending a sales presentation on Thursday 7/28 at the Marriott Aruba Surf Club. This is pretty close to the unofficial Aug 1 integration date mentioned in this thread. If there is anything you want me to try to find out, let me know.
We are Chairmans level and my purpose for going this time was to find out about the integration of the Sheraton and Westin resorts into the MVC program (or Abound if that’s what the new combined club will be called). I would like to be able to use my DC points to go to Cancun. We will see if they can answer that question for me.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Since you are interested in Cancun, maybe ask how many points would be required for the Westin Lagunamar, March 25-April 2 next year. I'd be curious to see how things compare to the Vistana SO equivalent cost.

 

[kozykritter]

Since you are interested in Cancun, maybe ask how many points would be required for the Westin Lagunamar, March 25-April 2 next year. I'd be curious to see how things compare to the Vistana SO equivalent cost.

I can tell you that. They gave me a book of Westin point charts when I bought my 1K trust points last month. 2700 studio, 3900 1 Bed, 5900 2 Bed.

 

[jabberwocky]

I can tell you that. They gave me a book of Westin point charts when I bought my 1K trust points last month. 2700 studio, 3900 1 Bed, 5900 2 Bed.

I didn’t know they were giving that out. Do they have different values for Oceanside vs regular units at Lagunamar - or are they all the same value like they are in VSN?

 

[kozykritter]

Maybe the MVC sales office in Utah has a better fix on things. I have found them to be a little more forthright.

That is where I made my recent purchase so I'm connected to the sales director there and they have very few details of how it will work. He said no firm date yet for launch but he was told that they would be moving over Vistana inventory at the end of the month (July). This inventory is likely unsold, foreclosed, deedbacks, etc since nobody on the Vistana side will be enrolling and electing points for their ownership until it all launches.

 

[kozykritter]

I didn’t know they were giving that out. Do they have different values for Oceanside vs regular units at Lagunamar - or are they all the same value like they are in VSN?

No separate category. Yes they hand out a booklet that has point charts for all the Westin properties plus Harborside. I asked if there was one for Sheraton and they told me they don't have one but I heard from another purchaser that they received one.

 

[Red elephant]

I can tell you that. They gave me a book of Westin point charts when I bought my 1K trust points last month. 2700 studio, 3900 1 Bed, 5900 2 Bed.

Wow!! I used to go to Lagunamar with my SVV and stay in a premium 1 bedroom and with points that cannot happen.

 

[Red elephant]

No separate category. Yes they hand out a booklet that has point charts for all the Westin properties plus Harborside. I asked if there was one for Sheraton and they told me they don't have one but I heard from another purchaser that they received one.

Can you post the points for Harborside please? I thought they had not figured that out yet.

 

[kozykritter]

Can you post the points for Harborside please? I thought they had not figured that out yet.

They have the point sheets for both Harborside and Riverfront set along with a disclaimer that they won't be participating until 2024 at the earliest. I have scanned the entire booklet and will post shortly.

 

[Bodie]

If there was a "Wall of Shame" on TUG reserved for the most reprehensible and dishonest salespeople, this guy would be #1. I too have been through 2.5 hours of button pushing mixed with lies that turn into a 2-day nagging feeling and a ruined vacation (That's when we found TUG and saved $60K...). I seriously wish you'd out him out by name and that he got fired by MVC. The unfortunate thing is that he's probably a top salesperson and they probably don't care how he does it.

You and your husband dodged a bullet and saved a lot of money you didn't have to spend to get what you want. I just feel so bad for others who fall for these lies. Besides getting people to buy products they don't need that are worth less than 10% what they paid, it reflects extremely poorly on the industry, on MVC, and also on the more honest salespeople who deal with that fallout.

Odds are extremely high you will be allowed into the new program since you have a developer purchase. In future presentations, they will try to get you to buy more points because an Orlando week probably won't get you too far in the new system. Just remember that VSN and Interval will still be around, and you can also rent points from others as you need them at a cost very similar to point maintenance fees.

If there was a "Wall of Shame" on TUG reserved for the most reprehensible and dishonest salespeople, this guy would be #1. I too have been through 2.5 hours of button pushing mixed with lies that turn into a 2-day nagging feeling and a ruined vacation (That's when we found TUG and saved $60K...). I seriously wish you'd out him out by name and that he got fired by MVC. The unfortunate thing is that he's probably a top salesperson and they probably don't care how he does it.

You and your husband dodged a bullet and saved a lot of money you didn't have to spend to get what you want. I just feel so bad for others who fall for these lies. Besides getting people to buy products they don't need that are worth less than 10% what they paid, it reflects extremely poorly on the industry, on MVC, and also on the more honest salespeople who deal with that fallout.

Odds are extremely high you will be allowed into the new program since you have a developer purchase. In future presentations, they will try to get you to buy more points because an Orlando week probably won't get you too far in the new system. Just remember that VSN and Interval will still be around, and you can also rent points from others as you need them at a cost very similar to point maintenance fees.

 

[Bodie]

If there was a "Wall of Shame" on TUG reserved for the most reprehensible and dishonest salespeople, this guy would be #1. I too have been through 2.5 hours of button pushing mixed with lies that turn into a 2-day nagging feeling and a ruined vacation (That's when we found TUG and saved $60K...). I seriously wish you'd out him out by name and that he got fired by MVC. The unfortunate thing is that he's probably a top salesperson and they probably don't care how he does it.

You and your husband dodged a bullet and saved a lot of money you didn't have to spend to get what you want. I just feel so bad for others who fall for these lies. Besides getting people to buy products they don't need that are worth less than 10% what they paid, it reflects extremely poorly on the industry, on MVC, and also on the more honest salespeople who deal with that fallout.

Odds are extremely high you will be allowed into the new program since you have a developer purchase. In future presentations, they will try to get you to buy more points because an Orlando week probably won't get you too far in the new system. Just remember that VSN and Interval will still be around, and you can also rent points from others as you need them at a cost very similar to point maintenance fee

If there was a "Wall of Shame" on TUG reserved for the most reprehensible and dishonest salespeople, this guy would be #1. I too have been through 2.5 hours of button pushing mixed with lies that turn into a 2-day nagging feeling and a ruined vacation (That's when we found TUG and saved $60K...). I seriously wish you'd out him out by name and that he got fired by MVC. The unfortunate thing is that he's probably a top salesperson and they probably don't care how he does it.

You and your husband dodged a bullet and saved a lot of money you didn't have to spend to get what you want. I just feel so bad for others who fall for these lies. Besides getting people to buy products they don't need that are worth less than 10% what they paid, it reflects extremely poorly on the industry, on MVC, and also on the more honest salespeople who deal with that fallout.

Odds are extremely high you will be allowed into the new program since you have a developer purchase. In future presentations, they will try to get you to buy more points because an Orlando week probably won't get you too far in the new system. Just remember that VSN and Interval will still be around, and you can also rent points from others as you need them at a cost very similar to point maintenance fees.

"He's probably a top salesperson and they probably don't care how he does it."

Several years ago we went to a sales presentation at Frenchman's Cove to see if we wanted to add DC points. The salesperson missed a few lessons in charm school. We found him to be a curt, impatient bully. Needless to say we declined the "offer." We subsequently found out from the sales rep we had previously purchased points from that there had been a lot of complaints but because he was a top producer - in excess of $2,000,000 a year - MVC wasn't going to touch him.

 

[kozykritter]

As promised, here are the Westin and Harborside 2023 charts for using DP as of when I made my purchase on June 11th (likely still the same but who knows). I had to significantly compress the file to meet upload size limits so it turned a bit fuzzy but still legible. Happy to share it because there is no language in it prohibiting such and they are handing them out to buyers with no disclaimers about use.

The last page has all the disclaimers about point levels and the bit about Harborside and Riverfront not being included until at least 2024, including their owners not able to enroll/elect points for those ownerships until then.

 

[kyaustin]

Looks like something is indeed coming....

PARDON OUR DUST
Your Owner website will be offline starting 12:30 a.m. Eastern Time on August 1, 2022, for a scheduled system update. We expect the website to be unavailable for approximately 15 hours.
There continues to be many behind-the-scene improvements as we bring together multiple vacation options for you to explore and enjoy. This important update will enhance your vacation planning and online experience.
Thank you for your patience during
this extended outage.
For Weeks Owners, any inventory scheduled to be released on August 1st will be moved to 9:00 a.m. on August 2nd. later.

 

[kozykritter]

Looks like something is indeed coming....

PARDON OUR DUST
Your Owner website will be offline starting 12:30 a.m. Eastern Time on August 1, 2022, for a scheduled system update. We expect the website to be unavailable for approximately 15 hours.
There continues to be many behind-the-scene improvements as we bring together multiple vacation options for you to explore and enjoy. This important update will enhance your vacation planning and online experience.
Thank you for your patience during
this extended outage.
For Weeks Owners, any inventory scheduled to be released on August 1st will be moved to 9:00 a.m. on August 2nd. later.

Vistana's website has the same message except for the Weeks Owner inventory bit at the bottom. Things are happening!

 

[craigc]

The date is July 28th, until the 28th is in the past and then we have no other date. It will happen when it happens. As far as I am concerned, the later the better.

Just back from the Pulse in San Diego, that was the date that I was given also. 2 more days!

 

[DRH90277]

We were at OceanWatch at the end of June and the sales guy had the printed VCP point sheets for individual Vistana resorts. He expected the point sheets would be posted soon and properties could be reserved for 2023. Well, nothing yet. Does anyone have a feel for whether the properties being added upgrade the portfolio. I looked up the Myrtle Beach property and concluded this would certainly not be any competition for the steller OceanWatch.

Any insight??