Vidanta’s new reservation system

[Jan S]

Does anyone have any information on Vidanta’s new reservation system? We agreed to have a “contract review” tomorrow and I was wondering if anyone had any advice before we go. We are not interested in shelling out any more money but were interested in the 10% discount and the new information. Thanks!

 

[karl2001]

My advice is to cancel even if you have to give up an appointment deposit. They have a reputation of selling you privileges you already have. You could spend more than the 10%. The new information may not be trustworthy. They sell ambassador certificates on eBay for $1 as well as owner rentals in any size unit you want to stay in.

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

Does anyone have any information on Vidanta’s new reservation system? We agreed to have a “contract review” tomorrow aI was wondering if anyone had any advice before we go. We are not interested in shelling out any more money but were interested in the 10% discount and the new information. Thanks!

We were there a couple of weeks ago . Heard this (new reservation system) among the various " new stuff " from the initial host / wrist band person and from conversations with 2 additional phone calls from “corporate office”persons wanting to book a member presentation for us .

This is what I “learned”

1) Cruise ship / line is to be for members only .

2) NV Celebrate Park - (water park section) will open in 14 months / (14 months - could be Mexican time- is what I was also told) . My interpretation of this is that in early to mid 2021 a water park section / perhaps similar to Jungala (that opened at RM in 2019) will open in Nuevo Vallarta . The additional sections of Celebrate Park will then open as per the "usual schedule ".

3) there are (technology) changes to the reservations system coming . The only clarity is from one of the regular emails - that mentioned adding a voice recognition system .
( my take - Vidanta continues to update their systems / whenever I called any resort extension ( restaurant - operator etc) the staff person addressed me by name . I believe their phone screen shows your name based on room . In the past this was done - but I believe it was from a "list" and required a glance / search on their part)
IMO - they are vague about detail right now ,as it is a "hook" to get you to go to a presentation. I was told my ARP/ 6 month advanced reservation window will remain the same .

4) the usual promo about Ambassador Certificates & that I could get them
(without changing our contract ) if we attended the presentation .

5) for existing owners visiting Nuevo - there are now, 3+ versions of a presentation (all get you the 10% etc.)
standard with breakfast or early lunch / 45 minute - no meal / tour of construction version .

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

....... They sell ambassador certificates on eBay for $1 as well as owner rentals in any size unit you want to stay in.

The Ambassador Certificates being sold on ebay are actually ones received & then being sold by Vidanta owners /members .

They sell them for $1 / in hopes someone will use them to book a vacation ;as the Vidanta owner receives a couple of hundred dollars per redemption / booked vacation .

I believe the Ambassador Certs. have limited ARP / (5 month or less) - so they are likely most usable for vacations from mid April to mid Dec .
There is also a (?$50) booking fee + usage fee that is based on brand & suite size . They are also have a 1 time booking per ( the name on cert ) "lifetime" limitation .
They do not require a resort fee payment( unlike exchanges)- because the revenue is directly paid to Vidanta .

 

[Jan S]

Update re: new reservation system.....

The only reason we wanted to attend a “contract review” was to get information on the supposedly new reservation rules. Turns out the only thing we found out was actually more of a clarification. The 10 year week has reservation priority and if by some highly unlikely situation where the resort cannot put you into the room you have a contract for, they are obligated (states in your contract) to pay you 10x your usage fee. Guess what? The salesman said, that has never happened and never will. However any weeks you have for 100 years are low on the totem pole and the resort has no obligation to give you the week nor the unit you’d like. 70% of inventory is saved for the registered weeks (10yr weeks) whereas only 30% is allocated for the 100 year weeks. That was interesting. No other changes and nothing scheduled for the future regarding reservations.

We aren’t at all interested in the cruise line so that was easy.

We did get a nice option to upgrade but the cost was prohibitive for us at this time. Maybe in another 5 years or so.

I will post regarding new changes in NV in another thread.

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

Update...The only reason we wanted to attend a “contract review” was to get information on the supposedly new reservation rules. Turns out the only thing we found out was actually more of a clarification. The 10 year week has reservation priority ........However any weeks you have for 100 years are low on the totem pole and the resort has no obligation to give you the week nor the unit you’d like. 70% of inventory is saved for the registered weeks (10yr weeks) whereas only 30% is allocated for the 100 year weeks. That was interesting........

Vida Sales at their best .
Part of this is true and part is “insinuation “ to get you to upgrade .

1) registered weeks are “the special ingredient “ in the Mexican Timeshare sausage .

2 ) registered weeks are important in a regulatory sense (somehow) . Vidanta is required to have actual weeks set aside apparently and it is based on having actual rooms . This has resulted in them moving to a model in which all post 10 year weeks are residence weeks or similar .

3) What the salesperson forgot to mention - Vidanta seems to still have plenty of developer weeks to put into exchange companies - in order to bring in new candidates for Vida Sales.

4) I would assume that IF VIDA sold enough contracts AND VIDANTA STOPPED BUILDING new projects , there would come a time when the math would create real world reservation issues for some folks whose contracts have passed the 10 year mark.

5) Vidanta is still building / therefore IMO - the math the salesperson presented is relevant but not immediately important , and probably not a good reason to upgrade into a new contract that contains registered weeks.

6) Personally - I am “ stuck “ with the old 25 year contract format . Our Mayan Palace contract has a registered week every year for 25 years ; and if we pay 5 x MF it then renews as a registered week for another 25 years . I think I will bring this TUG thread with me , when I finally decide to go to another presentation - show it to the salesperson & ask why would it make sense to change .LOL

 

[jssquared]

I am fairly well convinced that the difference in the "power" of registered weeks and residence (vacation fair, grand luxxe, estates) weeks is a bunch of malarkey. We have made reservations interchangeably with the weeks and not once has a sales person said, "I can get you a week with your registered week but not your residence week." There are simply way to many owners, many of whom have the ability to trade down to lower level units. It is virtually impossible to get high season reservations in the largest units if you are not calling the moment the weeks open.
As for the registration, I believe these registered weeks actually do need to be listed with the registrar of deeds in Nayarit (or Jalisco for the Estates). I am speculating, but think Vidanta is limited in the number of registered weeks they can sell per unit/development. While sales will constantly call this deeded or fractional ownership, it is not true in the US sense of actual ownership.

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

As for the registration, I believe these registered weeks actually do need to be listed with the registrar of deeds in Nayarit (or Jalisco for the Estates). I am speculating, but think Vidanta is limited in the number of registered weeks they can sell per unit/development. While sales will constantly call this deeded or fractional ownership, it is not true in the US sense of actual ownership.

We bought at Mayan Palace Puerto Vallarta -Marina location in 2006 . Our registered week is listed to Riviera Maya . My speculation is that (it and many others) were registered against the many Mayan Palace buildings in RM or even against the long unfinished buildings that have now become Jungle Luxxe / De-Luxxe . I agree that there is some form of limitation based on built units just as the FAA will not let an airline sell 300 seats against a 200 seat airplane - and then bump people off with no consequences .

Vidanta does excellent unit management just as good airlines know how to manage seat bookings .
I did once talk to a couple who were offered a "bump up" in February peak time to Grand Mayan NV due to room allocations . The couple stayed at the GM NV for a night or 2 and then requested placement back to the NV Sea Garden because they preferred the smaller resort footprint of their Sea Garden ownership. The request was honored once there was a unit available .

 

[jssquared]

T Dot - I think the big crush is within Grand Luxxe and particularly for the larger units. There are simply not enough. In low season you can get the reservations, but in high season is is very, very difficult. Not sure the solution. Seems Vidanta is trying a bit - some of the newer Estates contracts are location specific and owners cannot get reservations at other locations. This will make it more straightforward. With the ability to exchange into so many unit types across many resorts, not sure how they juggle that.

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

T Dot - I think the big crush is within Grand Luxxe and particularly for the larger units. There are simply not enough. In low season you can get reservations , but in high season .....

Try getting MP-PV Marina for February with the standard 6 month Mayan Palace ARP . This year I had the reservations line phone ringing at 7:59 am eastern time on Aug. 1 .A couple of years ago I called at 10 am and Friday to Friday for the week I wanted was gone. ( Ended up going to NV Sea Garden - which is also a good option for Vidanta quality service with a smaller resort footprint)

MP-PV -Marina has about 200 units max. and is very popular with a long time owner demographic that thinks Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta has grown too big .
Quite a few of them seem to own multiple weeks so Feb.reservations fill quickly with snow birds .

 

[jssquared]

In NV there are 36 four bedroom units, 47 three bedroom spa towers, 13 presidential three bedrooms, and 19 three bedroom lofts.
In RM there are only 4 four bedroom units.