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WKORV resale purchase issue

bbison

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We've owned a fixed week 52 at WKORV for ~10 years. Bought resale with advice off TUG. We go every year and are very happy with it. We decided to buy another resale floating week there, either to extend our stay or do a second trip.

We agreed to a resale purchase in February and closed in April. Vistana didn't confirm the transfer to our account until last week. I thought it would be like our current week, with StarOptions and ability to trade. But there's none of that.

After a couple of phone calls and escalations, a Vistana supervisor said that we had purchased an "illegal resale." I had him repeat that 3 times. He said resales not between family members are not entitled to anything other than to reserve at their home resort 8 months out. No StarOptions, no VSN, no Abound.

Not that we were looking for more than that, but even looking for usage in my 8 month window, there's almost nothing showing for any weeks. Weeks I could book on my Marriott app for $. At least with StarOptions we could check WKORV-N as well. It's frustrating.

I haven't seen anything here on the boards about this change. Maybe I missed it. But if I'd known these were the new rules, I'd rather they had just ROFR our purchase at the outset.
 

geist1223

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Restrictions on use for resell timeshares are common.

[Not true in this situation - DeniseM]
 
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DeniseM

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There is no such thing as an illegal resale, and you were given the wrong info. You can make a home resort reservation, 12 mos. before check-in - but only EXACTLY what you own. You can also make a Staroption reservation, 8 mos. before check-in.

- You original ownership, week 52, is a fixed week that is automatically reserved for you, so perhaps you don't have a lot of reservation experience?
- Are you trying to make reservations online with the Villa Finder?
- Could you be trying to reserve the wrong view?
- Are you aware that inventory is released at midnight eastern/9 pacific, and it's often gone the next morning?
- Are you aware that you can only make a home resort reservation for Fri/Sat/Sun check-in?

Example: On July 31st, at midnight eastern/9 pacific, you can reserve Fri, Aug. 1, 2025 - try that.
 
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dioxide45

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I think the Marriott newbs in charge of title transfers don't know what the f**k they are doing. I saw someone post in one of the Facebook groups a screen shot from their account that showed VSN Member=No for a Sheraton Vistana Villages Bella week. Your week won't be eligible for Abound, but it is eligible for VSN/StarOptions. Look at your What I Own page, does it show VSN Member=No? If it does, keep on them, ask for your request to be transferred to the title transfers group. If it shows VSN=Yes, it could be an issue where they didn't merge your membership accounts.
 

dioxide45

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Restrictions on use for resell timeshares are common.

[Not true in this situation - DeniseM]
While true in general, this situation is unique to Vistana ownership. So if you don't own or know about Vistana you should opt out of trying to help in this case.
 

bbison

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This is my existing week
IMG_20240729_060141.jpg



This is my new week..
IMG_20240728_204346.jpg



To answer some of your questions: I'm aware of how to use the Villa Finder, am only using F/S/S arrival days and 7 day increments. Any reservation request past 8 months has an error message saying it's outside the request window.
 
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bbison

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There is no such thing as an illegal resale, and you were given the wrong info. You can make a home resort reservation, 12 mos. before check-in - but only EXACTLY what you own. You can also make a Staroption reservation, 8 mos. before check-in.

- You original ownership, week 52, is a fixed week that is automatically reserved for you, so perhaps you don't have a lot of reservation experience?
- Are you trying to make reservations online with the Villa Finder?
- Could you be trying to reserve the wrong view?
- Are you aware that inventory is released at midnight eastern/9 pacific, and it's often gone the next morning?
- Are you aware that you can only make a home resort reservation for Fri/Sat/Sun check-in?

Example: On July 31st, at midnight eastern/9 pacific, you can reserve Fri, Aug. 1, 2025 - try that.
I am hopeful that's the case and that this can be corrected. The Vistana rep said this was new, but I couldn't find it anywhere in their published rules.
 

dioxide45

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This is my existing week



This is my new week..



To answer some of your questions: I'm aware of how to use the Villa Finder, am only using F/S/S arrival days and 7 day increments. Any reservation request past 8 months has an error message saying it's outside the request window.
You might need to send an email to customer advocacy. customer.advocacy@mvwc.com
 
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CalGalTraveler

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VSN membership is baked into the CC&Rs. They cannot change it. Forget the CSRs who do not know.

Write an email to the title dept. VSN Member should say YES. Sometimes there is a week delay to go from NO to Yes.
 
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DanCali

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This is outrageous that you get these answers from a "supervisor". You should call again and ask to speak to someone knowledgeable in resolution services.

This is a "mandatory" resort, meaning it's enrolled in VSN (and you owe a VSN fee) whether you like it or not.

This is from the "Network Guide" from a mandatory resort.


1722226957399.png



I would suggest you also go on offense and tell then you were considering booking a 4th of July week for 2025 and because of their mistake it's now probably sold out. Ask them to fix it asap.
 
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Mroze

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After reading this thread I went and double checked our weeks.
All of our 6 x 2BR-WKV [Annual-Platinum+ resales] show VSN=YES.
 

Ken555

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This “supervisor” must have been trained by Marriott.
 

BingoBangoBongo

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This is my existing week
View attachment 96965


This is my new week..
View attachment 96964


To answer some of your questions: I'm aware of how to use the Villa Finder, am only using F/S/S arrival days and 7 day increments. Any reservation request past 8 months has an error message saying it's outside the request window.

Your Contract number in the 1st pic is readable.
 

rickandcindy23

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So sorry you are going through all of this. I think Marriott/ Vistana (formerly Vistana, according to the website) has so much turnover, even in the Title transfer department, that this type of mistake is very common. Rules did not change.

These are inexperienced people. With my recent call experience, I basically decided that Marriott hired a bunch of debbie downers last hiring cycle. So negative. Maybe they hired some of the former Marriott salespeople who couldn't cut it on the sales' floor.
 

DeniseM

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@bbison - Sorry for questioning your reservation experience, and I'm sorry Marriott is so dumb. Best of luck with this!
 

Ken555

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These are inexperienced people. With my recent call experience, I basically decided that Marriott hired a bunch of debbie downers last hiring cycle. So negative. Maybe they hired some of the former Marriott salespeople who couldn't cut it on the sales' floor.

I remember having the same impression years ago after calling both Starwood and Marriott regarding hotel reservations. Starwood customer service was friendly, upbeat and helpful. Marriott was like, why are you calling me?

FWIW, it’s not just us. I’m on several elite Marriott forums and the messages are 10:1 negative to positive about customer service experiences with Marriott re hotel reservations. Many Marriott Titanium and Ambassador members seem to now advocate switching to Hyatt or Hilton just to have more consistency, given the lack of oversight by Marriott on the individual hotel operators, increasing number of hotels not providing elite benefits, and more.

In general, Marriott customer service leaves a lot to be desired. Not sure there’s much we can do about it, but it’s definitely impacting my desire to buy another week. And I have mentioned this as one of the many reasons why I don’t attend timeshare meetings (of course, I won’t go anyway, but…).
 

rickandcindy23

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Arguing with everyone at Vistana about the rules on booking my deeded weeks is such a hassle that I started just calling at a year out to the day. This is specifically Sheraton Broadway Plantation.

I can book my deeded week up to two years out, as long as I pay my maintenance fees. Having clueless people hang up on me a few times after I ask for them to check with a supervisor, this was a couple of different calls over the same 24-hour period, that will keep you from asking for your usage rights.
 

bbison

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@bbison - Sorry for questioning your reservation experience, and I'm sorry Marriott is so dumb. Best of luck with this!
Oh, no apology necessary! I appreciate the extensive knowledge that you and other mods have shared over the years. It's made getting into this somewhat manageable.

I've tried to be realistic in my expectations, getting a Week 1 reservation before my 2026 usage would be a crazy fluke. I'm working the problem from every angle, thanks to all for the helpful suggestions.
 

CalGalTraveler

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Congrats! I am glad you got this set up correctly. Sad that we cannot call but at least they respond to email in a few days.

We had to make title corrections to get a resale mandatory deed into our account and the deed merged with our existing II account. A hassle to fix but finally everything in order. Glad we caught that upfront and am not dealing with it now while making reservations. It would also have clouded the transfer when we eventually sell (my DH's middle initial was incorrect even though we had it correct on our paperwork.)

(FWIW Currently at Day 97 from deed filing to processing another deed transfer. Still waiting. Grrr.) At least they responded with an ETA when I inquired.
 
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