WKORVN OF President's Day gone in 5 minutes

[paluamalia]

Called to reserve our OF for Feb. 16, had to cancel another reservation, in 5 minutes all were gone. We did manage to get our OV reserved for those dates!
That's the fastest I've ever seen them go..and I've been reserving that week for 3 years.

What are the best March dates to reserve as a rentals? any suggestions.

Thanks

 

[rickandcindy23]

I had a heckuva time getting anything at all for our trip this year for 3/24 check-in date. But I was doing exchanges.

Finally did piece together our 18 days with exchanges, but two of them are Wednesday check-ins, and one of them was after waiting well over a year to get. This was through TPMaui.

 

[PamMo]

I was getting antsy listening to that awful SVN "music" while on hold this morning! I waited 8 minutes (from exactly 9:00:02AM), and got the last available oceanfront at North. Tried for a second OF unit at WKORVN or an oceanview at South - but everything was totally booked.

Are owners actually USING these weeks, or are they all going to renters?

 

[paluamalia]

Gone at 9:05 am

When I asked at 9:05 she said they were all gone....OFs anyway.

 

[PamMo]

Weird...I had my computer clock up on the screen, and was put on hold at 9:00:02AM. At 9:08AM, I reached an agent who said just one (WKORVN 2BR/OF) was left . Maybe someone else changed their reservation between your call and mine? I wanted to reserve another OF at North or an OV at South, but zero availability after getting my first unit booked.

 

[paluamalia]

I'm going to try and reserve my OF for next Saturday check in...I am renting my units in 2013, or at least trying to!!

 

[j4sharks]

I tried to book the 1 BR side of our lock off at WKORV and could not get Sat or Sun check-in for President's week 2013. And I called at 9 am EST sharp!

 

[readyalready]

I think that next year Easter is toward the end of March, I'd try for the last week, and book the second week in the interim. It seems that sometimes there are so many people who book President's that some units don't get rented.

Our spring break was always the last week of March and I had lots of options to rent. We moved and break is now the second week of March, and I've had much fewer units to choose from. I'm kind of contradicting myself, it is hard to know if you'd have more luck with a more obscure week than the big holidays that everyone else tries to rent too.

 

[paluamalia]

Tried again today...no luck

Called at 9 sharp on Feb. 23 for next year....all OFs gone except for studios!!

I will try again for next Saturday.....never had this problem, so its a high quality problem, lots of people looking for Maui in Feb.!!

 

[PamMo]

I was shocked to open up my email this morning and see that they booked a 1BR for that week (I had put in my request last week when I booked Presidents Week 2013). They were supposed to reserve our 2BR OF. Luckily, I caught it right away and they were able to change the reservation, but there were no other units available. The agent said booking multiple units for President's week or the week after is next to impossible. I'm beginning to appreciate my fixed weeks more and more. We own two HRA 2BR/LO units next to each other for the same week - maybe I should give up on Maui and have all our big family vacations in the Bahamas!

 

[alotofgolf]

I'm confused (but that's nothing new)....I thought the view was guarenteed if you make reservations in the ownership window...what am I missing?

 

[DeniseM]

I'm confused (but that's nothing new)....I thought the view was guarenteed if you make reservations in the ownership window...what am I missing?

There are only a certain number of units in each category - if you call after they have all been reserved by other owners, there won't been any left to reserve. This typically only happens for holiday weeks.

 

[DavidnRobin]

I'm confused (but that's nothing new)....I thought the view was guarenteed if you make reservations in the ownership window...what am I missing?

True - but based on availability...

 

[Pmuppet]

Renting my be a better option

We stayed at the westin kauai and loved it. Loved it so much, i am trying to find a way to get back to westin hawaii annually.

Looking at the challenges it is to reserve a desireable room/date, it leads me to think that renting from someone who has already booked it might be a better alternative to buying a resale property at the westin.

 

[DavidnRobin]

Don't mix up the discussion between Maui (WKORV/N) and Kauai (WPORV)
If you must be at WKORV/N during super high season (eg. Prez Day week) and are looking for a desired limited view category (e.g. OF in WKORV has 24 OFD and 12 OFC villas) that may be wise - but then again you might want to look at those rental prices.

Also some weeks/units are fixed during these busy times - also event weeks - for owners that paid a premium of 10-30%+. So that will impact availability as well. It is mostly the OFs that you are going to see held by Ultra and Fixed Owners. ...IMO

If you are looking into Kauai (WPORV) - you may want to consider summer instead of winter unless you are okay with poorer weather almost assuredly* - and availability is much easier than WKORV/N relatively (since WPORV only has 1 view category)

* for example last week Mar3-10 during our stay the weather was crappy but bearable in Maui, but in north Kauai it was emergency conditions and made news country wide.

WPORV resale is much cheaper than WKORV/N resale across the board. SVO screwed WPORV Owners by not making WPORV Mandatory - and likely most Owners do not even know or are aware of the consequences
(have at it salty...)

 

[jarta]

David, ... There are no consequences until they sell. That may be long after you and I stop posting here. No timeshares (voluntary or mandatory; Marriott or Worldmark; Disney or DRI) sell for anything like they cost.

Perhaps the fault lies not with Starwood - but closer to home. I'm still happy with what I own. Salty

 

[DavidnRobin]

David, ... There are no consequences until they sell. That may be long after you and I stop posting here. No timeshares (voluntary or mandatory; Marriott or Worldmark; Disney or DRI) sell for anything like they cost.

Perhaps the fault lies not with Starwood - but closer to home. I'm still happy with what I own. Salty

I knew you would take the bait - the old sales ploy - no loss if never one never sells, but...
you failed to mention that one can buy resale WPORV for <90% of developer cost but resale WKORV sells for only for 50-70% less (depending) about a 20-40% saved from loss (not unsubstaintial) same is true for WKV and SVV (I imagine) WSJ and HRA -while the V reports are at <10% to zippo. That is pretty much attributed to the difference between a M and V resort across the board - and could be argued that bank SOs makes M resorts even more valuable on the resale market.

How's the value of WMH, WDW, and SVV-A doing?

So... I stand hate what I said in that SVO did no favors to WPORV Owners as they could have easily justified making it a M resort based on location and resort quality - similar to some others. Even SDO only has more value than because of the situation with II which could easily change (there's your opening...)

HA!
gruffy

 

[jarta]

David (gruffy? Are we now all dwarfs?) ... Taking the bait? No, just pointing out that if an owner does not sell and has no reason to sell, the initial downstroke has provided years and years of wonderful vacationing. Priceless? Maybe not. But everything in life is not measured by dollars. Why should timeshares be only measured that way? I don't measure it that way. I suspect many timeshare owners feel the same way.

Why must I worry about paper timeshare losses? I can afford what I bought. I'm not selling. Any paper loss will not cripple me or my heirs

I have nothing against buying a timeshare on the cheap. I have done that myself more than I have bought from the developer. If a person can get one where he/she wants to go in the season they want to go there (in other words at a voluntary resort), that's great.

If a person can buy a resale unit which gives better resale value (in other words a mandatory resort), go to it.

But, just because some Starwood resorts are voluntary and some are mandatory, does not mean that all must be mandatory. I knew what I was buying. Didn't you? I can't believe you were bamboozled when you bought.

Those who bought voluntary from Starwood were not promised that the next buyer would be able to use the StarOptionsc the same way. If anything'sc part of the presentation, it's that they won't. And, for every week I brought from Starwood I signed a document acknowledging that buying a timeshare is a bad business decision. As far as I know, so did everyone else. Won't take responsibility for those who refuse to read or overbuy. ... Salty

 

[LisaRex]

At the risk of bringing the conversation back to the OP, I tried making a Sat reservation the week with check-in on Saturday, 1/19/13, and there were no OF 2 bdrms available. I was able to get a Friday, 1/18/13 check-in.

So...it appears that owners are starting to get the message that they need to lock in dates, at least during true platinum season (winter and summer), as early as possible.

 

[Cathyb]

question

I'm going to try and reserve my OF for next Saturday check in...I am renting my units in 2013, or at least trying to!!

Where do you list your rentals for this property?

 

[DavidnRobin]

David (gruffy? Are we now all dwarfs?) ... Taking the bait? No, just pointing out that if an owner does not sell and has no reason to sell, the initial downstroke has provided years and years of wonderful vacationing. Priceless? Maybe not. But everything in life is not measured by dollars. Why should timeshares be only measured that way? I don't measure it that way. I suspect many timeshare owners feel the same way.

Why must I worry about paper timeshare losses? I can afford what I bought. I'm not selling. Any paper loss will not cripple me or my heirs

I have nothing against buying a timeshare on the cheap. I have done that myself more than I have bought from the developer. If a person can get one where he/she wants to go in the season they want to go there (in other words at a voluntary resort), that's great.

If a person can buy a resale unit which gives better resale value (in other words a mandatory resort), go to it.

But, just because some Starwood resorts are voluntary and some are mandatory, does not mean that all must be mandatory. I knew what I was buying. Didn't you? I can't believe you were bamboozled when you bought.

Those who bought voluntary from Starwood were not promised that the next buyer would be able to use the StarOptionsc the same way. If anything'sc part of the presentation, it's that they won't. And, for every week I brought from Starwood I signed a document acknowledging that buying a timeshare is a bad business decision. As far as I know, so did everyone else. Won't take responsibility for those who refuse to read or overbuy. ... Salty

Salty - this isn't about you - I thought you'd get the point, but alas I have failed... and again you are putting words in my mouth or twisting the meaning - I was talking about WPORV - taking into it's cost, MFs, and location.
btw - I own WPORV and WKORV

 

[serendip7]

How's it work for fixed week?

So back to the original topic.. what happened to the owners that had week 7 OV? Is there such a thing in WKORV(N) or is it all floating? I see lots of resale ads that say week X or floating.

Do the owners of a "OV - week 7 or floating" get to call earlier to make sure they get their rooms for President's Day or do they play phone tag with everyone else at 9:02am 12 months before the date?


Thanks,

Robert
(Newbie who's going to buy resale in the next week or so)

 

[paluamalia]

Phone tag

So back to the original topic.. what happened to the owners that had week 7 OV? Is there such a thing in WKORV(N) or is it all floating? I see lots of resale ads that say week X or floating.

Do the owners of a "OV - week 7 or floating" get to call earlier to make sure they get their rooms for President's Day or do they play phone tag with everyone else at 9:02am 12 months before the date?


Thanks,

Robert
(Newbie who's going to buy resale in the next week or so)

Phone tag on the date 12 months in advance

 

[jarta]

serendip, ... Perhaps reading this recent TUG Starwood thread about reservations at WKORV will help:

http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=166936

If you are considering a resale "floating week 7," please be aware that:

1. Floating at WKORV only means you can reserve at 12-8 months from arrival in your season - based upon availability. There is only one float season at WKORV and it is for the entire year, weeks 1-52. So, you compete with the owner of every other floating week at WKORV in your view category (see No. 2) when the float period is 1-52. Everyone who owns a floating week at the resort can call in to reserve a week 7 unit at promptly 9 am. The available OF and OV units go fast for week 7 and, generally, so do the same view category units for weeks when kids are out of school.

2. The view category (OF, OV or IV) matters at WKORV. For your home resort (12-8 month) reservation, you can only reserve an available week in a room with the view category listed on your deed.

3. There also may be "fixed" Ultra or Ultra Premium weeks sold off - all of which will have priority over a regular floating week - even though the call is made at exactly at 9 am at 12 months before arrival. Those non-floating units don't have to call to reserve at exactly 12 months from arrival. The units vanish from the pool of units available even before calling starts. IIRR, up to 50% of the units in a view category for each week can be sold as Ultra or Ultra Premium weeks. (Not usually worth it for anything other than OF units. But, Ultra and Ultra Premium weeks can complicate getting a room with a view [like on a high floor] you might expect you would get with a 9 am call. See Pages 2-3 of link provided.) Salty.

 

[serendip7]

So to recap...

If I look at these resale ads... I won't mention which ones (don't know the policy here about that).. and it says...

week(s)
7, floating

it means absolutely nothing.. it's the same as just floating. I still have to fight for week 7 with everyone else..

But if I see a...

week(s)
7

That's an ultra and I can get the room before it goes into the 12 month pool.

What happens to the ultra if I decide I want to go on week 25 instead? Does it work like a normal float in that case or is it week 7 or nothing?


Thanks for all the help, it's so much nicer to have all these details worked out before you drop the cash!


Robert