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New "deal" from developer orlando svo

Bill4728

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There have been many posts over the years about what Starwood can do. They all say that starwood can at any time offer membership in SVN to an owners at any of the Starwood resorts.

So Starwood can retro membership of voluntary resorts and starwood can offer SVN membership to any owner. They just haven't choosen to do that in the past.
 

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I agree, even if SVN waves the $599 fee to join, since a 2 BR Fountains(I/II) Vistana Resort unit will only have 76,000 StarOptions, who would be willing to pay an annual $109 "Vistana Plus" fee just for the privilege of being able to give-up their fully updated 2 bedroom villa in Orlando for a studio in Maui?

actually they have 2 other options:
1) they can stay for 6 nights instead of seven
2) they can stay in a 1 bedroom and borrow a few thousand points from next year
 
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pointsjunkie

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it gives them the ability to be in II now. if all svn are in II, i presume svr will eventually get there also.

offering to people who have just paid the assessment to be part of the svn is really a very smart idea on starwood's part. they will feel they have value and the assessment was worth it. it is just good psychology.
 

nodge

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actually they have 2 other options:
1) they can stay for 6 nights instead of seven
2) they can stay in a 1 bedroom and borrow a few thousand points from next year

True, but booking less than a week and/or borrowing StarOptions from next year can only be done 90 days or less prior to a planned arrival date. Good luck getting high demand weeks AND cheap airfare within that window.

Also, on the one and only time that I tried to borrow StarOptions from next year (I needed about 4000 to make a 2 night stay possible), I was told by the SVN agent that I could only use borrowed StarOptions to book a weekly stay.

Now that's just one data point, and I bet if I had hung-up and called back, the next agent may have said something different, but since there was no availability for the resort I wanted anyway, I didn't try to pursue it.

-nodge
 
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trader14

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True, but booking less than a week and/or borrowing points from next year can only be done 90 days or less prior to a planned arrival date. Good luck getting high demand weeks AND cheap airfare within that window.

Also, on the one and only time that I tried to borrow StarOptions from next year (I needed about 4000 to make a 2 night stay possible), I was told by the SVN agent that I could only use borrowed StarOptions to book a weekly stay.

Now that's just one data point, and I bet if I had hung-up and called back, the next agent may have said something different, but since there was no availability for the resort I wanted anyway, I didn't try to pursue it.

-nodge

i was just putting all the other options out there, i am guessing the csr you spoke to was wrong because per tug it can be borrowed as long as adding to a 1 week or longer vacation. i spoke to csr's today re hawaii and it seems like there is short term availablility. I was thinking about spending 3-4 at maui and 3-4 elsewhere. I'm kind of a newbie to svn and was just put in their system today but so far i like what i see and hear from the csr's. i find them very friendly and willing to spend time. One person who i spoke with works mainly in elite(i am not) but gave me his direct ext to reach out to when needing reservations. I am hoping this will come in handy when banking a week to trade into dvc because of svn discretion as to what weeks to deposit
 

Sthack

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Is the option to join SVN only for original developer purchasers? Isn't that what they did at Desert Oasis? What happens on resale?

I got my letter today inviting me to join SVN. I bought my Fountains II 2 BR resale. So NO, this isn't just for original developer purchasers.
 

grgs

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I got my letter today inviting me to join SVN. I bought my Fountains II 2 BR resale. So NO, this isn't just for original developer purchasers.

Are you planning to join? What are the terms of the offer? Inquiring minds want to know! :)

Thanks,

Glorian
 

nodge

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I got my letter today inviting me to join SVN. I bought my Fountains II 2 BR resale. So NO, this isn't just for original developer purchasers.

Yea!! The back-door into SVN has swung open. Our next step is to see how widely the door will open. Specifically, were you invited to join "Vistana Plus" or the "Starwood Vacation Network?" I understand that the class of eligible "Vistana Plus" properties is limited.

If possible, please post (or retype verbatim) your letter so we can all look for clues.

NOTE TO NORAG (The original poster): Resale VR Fountains properties ARE being allowed into Vistana Plus / SVN. Until this becomes more widely known, VR Fountains resales can be had for a couple hundred bucks. RESCIND YOUR DEVELOPER PURCHASES!!

Congrats Sthack!

-nodge
 
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Sthack

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Are you planning to join? What are the terms of the offer? Inquiring minds want to know! :) Thanks, Glorian

Well I'm not sure yet. I'm not familar with how SVN works and really don't know which way is best for me. We have only stayed at our home resort once since we bought it back in 2000, so we use it mostly for exchanging. Any suggestions or recommendations are welcome!!!
 

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If possible, please post (or retype verbatim) your letter so we can all look for clues. -nodge

Dear Sheraton Vistana Fountains II Owner,

We have great news to share. As your Association Board of Directors, we want to ensure that you are provided with maximum flexibility and vacation options in utilizing your ownership benefits.
Over the past several weeks, the Board has been discussing the possibility of affiliating Vistana Fountains II Condominium with Starwood Vacation NetworkSM. We are pleased to inform you that we have completed this new affiliation, which gives you the opportunity to enjoy added benefits and flexibility beginning with the 2009 Use Year. Additionally, Starwood Vacation Network will allow you to take advantage of certain rewards and privileges that can be utilized year-round outside of your vacation.
Along with this new affiliation, your Board has also agreed to revise the Reciprocal Reservation System Agreement that gives you the ability to "float" your vacation time between the Fountains and Fountains II phases at Sheraton Vistana Resort and Vistana's Beach Club. The Floating Use Rules have also been modified in order to better serve Owner usage patterns and to bring consistency to the reservation windows for all Starwood Vacation Ownership resorts.
The revisions made to the Reciprocal Reservation System Agreement and the Floating Use Rules that are effective January 1, 2009 include the following:
• Adding Starwood Vacation Network as a non-exclusive affiliated exchange program.
• Changing the reservation window from 13 months to 12 months to bring consistency to the reservation windows system-wide. (Currently, less than one-half of one percent of Owners make a reservation transaction during this time.)
• The new 12-month window will include a one-month Home Resort priority period that grants Vistana Fountains II Unit Week Owners the exclusive right to make Home Resort reservations at their Home Resort 12 to 11 months in advance of their desired arrival date. A reservation request for a resort other than the Home Resort may be made beginning 11 months in advance of the desired arrival date.
For a brief overview of these changes, please refer to the chart included with this letter.
Although as members of your Association Board of Directors, we cannot endorse one company over another as the exchange company of choice, we are pleased to have negotiated this non-exclusive affiliation agreement in the interest of maximizing your ownership benefits.
The Starwood Vacation Exchange Company has advised us that an invitation to join Starwood Vacation Network will be mailed to all Vistana Fountains II Unit Week Owners within the next few weeks.
Should you decide not to join Starwood Vacation Network, the Reciprocal Reservation System will continue with the modifications described above.
Additionally, the Starwood Vacation Exchange Company will be contacting Owners who are members of the Vistana Plus program regarding the merger and upgrade of that program into Starwood Vacation Network. That information will also be sent within the next few weeks.
As your Board of Directors, we are very interested in your level of satisfaction. As always, we encourage you to contact us with any comments or questions.

Sincerely,

Vistana Fountains II Condominium Association, Inc.
Stephen Terrano, President
Michele Ford, Vice President
Larry Sommerfeld, Vice President
William Van Evera, Treasurer
Robert Cherwony, Secretary
 

calgarygary

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Reservation requests other than at the home resort beginning at the 11 month window??????
 

aeroflygirl

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Am I understanding this correctly? That your unit must be deeded prior to March 31, 2008 to get the deal? Is this only for Fountains and Fountains II owners? Is it also for Vistana Beach Club owners?

Is this supposedly going to be offered again later to the other sections of Vistana Resort (not Lakes, Cascades, Fountains and Fountains II) later when their refurbs are done?

Yes this is a new incentive apparently after April 1st all fountain owners can be upgraded into svn. The renovations have been completed and the decision by the board of directors to join svn was made on march 17th.. Anyone with a resale deeded prior to march 31st can get the deal. staroptions range from 67000 to 76000 pts.
They told us it rolled out only yesterday.
Nora
The star points are convertable at 44,000 pts per week 76,000 star option. It won't show up on the network until april 1st.
 

mishpat

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Fountains I

Is a similar letter going out to Fountains I, where the second payment on the assessment is due next month. I recently saw the model and it was nice. However, since the floorplan included a long hallway, there is far less usable space than the square footage would have you believe. Has anyone else seen it and have another opinion? Also ,the colors were on the dark subdued side. Could have been brighter and more cheerful but great to see flat screen tv,albeit not HDTV.
 

arlene22

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Sounds to me like that "11 month" reference refers making reservations at your own resort as opposed to the others of the three resorts: Fountains I, Fountains II and VBC.
 

calgarygary

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I read that the current 13 month home resort priority was being changed to a 12 month home and that non home resorts could be booked beginning at 11 month. Even if the 11 month window applies only to VR, I can only book VKW at the 8 month window like any other non home resort.
 

nodge

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Am I understanding this correctly? That your unit must be deeded prior to March 31, 2008 to get the deal?

I don't know how SVN or Fountains II management could limit SVN membership to resale owners of record on or before March 31, 2008, absent a formal amendment to the Fountains II's CC&R's (which would require a vote of current owners, who probably wouldn't vote for such a limitation as it would decrease the resale value of their villas).

Accordingly, it seems to me that if SVN membership is granted to some resale owners (with or without a membership fee), that membership would have to be granted to ALL past and even future resale owners.

See Post #5 of this thread documenting my 2006 conversation with someone from SVO's legal department. It appears that "story 2" (which a guy in SVO legal told me vs. "story 1" which was told to be by various SVO salesmen and reservations agents) is now the leading theory. If so, any resale of these older VR properties (well at least Fountains II for now) could be brought into SVN.

The March 31, 2008 cut-off date appears to just be a date for determining when the $599 SVN enrollment fee requirement will be waived.

Sound Right?

-nodge
 

grgs

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I don't know how SVN or Fountains II management could limit SVN membership to resale owners of record on or before March 31, 2008, absent a formal amendment to the Fountains II's CC&R's (which would require a vote of current owners, who probably wouldn't vote for such a limitation as it would decrease the resale value of their villas).

Accordingly, it seems to me that if SVN membership is granted to some resale owners (with or without a membership fee), that membership would have to be granted to ALL past and even future resale owners.

So, in effect, you're saying that all Fountains II units would now and in the future have to be let in SVN (with the $599 fee)? This seems contrary to Starwood's practice to date. Would allowing Fountains II into SVN necessarily change the CC&Rs? Wouldn't SVN membership just be an option on top of the CC&Rs? Owners aren't required to join SVN.

Glorian
 

nodge

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So, in effect, you're saying that all Fountains II units would now and in the future have to be let in SVN (with the $599 fee)? This seems contrary to Starwood's practice to date. Would allowing Fountains II into SVN necessarily change the CC&Rs? Wouldn't SVN membership just be an option on top of the CC&Rs? Owners aren't required to join SVN. Glorian

If part of the deal Fountains II struck with Starwood at the time Starwood acquired Fountains II included language that required Starwood to allow Fountains II owners to join SVN, then I don't know how SVN or Fountains II could limit or exclude future resale buyers from joining (if they wanted to).

In 2006, the guy in SVN legal told me that the early phases of VR expressly required this as part of the Starwood acquisition deal.

The letter from the Fountains II board says that IT (and not SVN) decided to join SVN. Accordingly, it would appear that:

1. The guy that talked to me in 2006 was right. The Fountains II board retained the right to join SVN as part of the original Starwood acquisition deal; and,

2. The Fountains II board has just finally gotten around to exercising its contractual right to join SVN (and SVN can't do a darned thing about it, even if it wanted to).

I suspect the language in that agreement doesn't give the Fountains II board any rights to exclude specific owners from joining SVN once the board elects to join it.

Of course, the SVN joining paperwork that each Fountains II owner ultimately signs could ADD this limitation (thereby making SVN membership impossible for subsequent purchasers of that particular villa). Until that happens; however, SVN doesn’t appear to have much say in the matter (other than assigning low StarOption values to each villa, which it did), and I don't know why any board member at Fountains II would agree to any owner limitations on joining SVN.

Am I over thinking this?

-nodge
 
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grgs

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If part of the deal Fountains II struck with Starwood at the time Starwood acquired Fountains II included language that required Starwood to allow Fountains II owners to join SVN, then I don't know how SVN or Fountains II could limit or exclude future resale buyers from joining (if they wanted to).

In 2006, the guy in SVN legal told me that the early phases of VR expressly required this as part of the Starwood acquisition deal.

Well, I guess that's the crux of the matter right there--if that language is included. Not sure how we could find that out. I wonder if a Fountains II owner could ask their board about this?

Glorian
 

DMSTWO

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:confused: So if Fountans II and some other sections are being given the opportunity to join SVN it raises some interesting questions:


What is the Staroptions basis for the various units? The only Vistana Resorts sections that have an established Staroptions schedule is the Lakes and Cascades sections.

Incidentally those sections are all 1-52 Floating. Will the Fountains have seasons or just float 1-52?

Also is conversion to Starpoints included, and if so at what rate?

Maybe someone that has received the email can ask these questions and post the answers here.
 

nodge

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:confused:
What is the Staroptions basis for the various units? The only Vistana Resorts sections that have an established Staroptions schedule is the Lakes and Cascades sections.

Incidentally those sections are all 1-52 Floating. Will the Fountains have seasons or just float 1-52?

Also is conversion to Starpoints included, and if so at what rate?

Maybe someone that has received the email can ask these questions and post the answers here.

See the original post and post #10 above, Fountains II week 1-52 floaters will be given 76,000 StarOptions and the ability to convert to 22,000 SPG (hotel) StarPoints. Not many StarOptions or StarPoints, but it could be just the ticket to top off a pre-existing SVN account (See post #50).

-nodge
 
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nodge

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I wonder if a Fountains II owner could ask their board about this?

How about it Sthack? Are you interested in taking one for the team and calling someone on the Fountains II board?

I see from another post that you are interested in selling your Fountains II and buying at SBP. In light of the Fountains II boards' letter, if I were you, I'd want to know if the SVN thing will extend to your buyer. If so, that would be the first thing I'd say in your sales listing.

If you do call, please let us know what the board member says.

Thanks!

-nodge
 

myip

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See the original post and post #10 above, Fountains II week 1-52 floaters will be given 76,000 StarOptions and the ability to convert to 22,000 SPG (hotel) StarPoints. Not many StarOptions or StarPoints, but it could be just the ticket to top off a pre-existing SVN account (See post #50).

-nodge
I thought it was 44000 starpoints conversion not 22000. If it is 22000, it is so little.
 

SDKath

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I thought it was 44000 starpoints conversion not 22000. If it is 22000, it is so little.

Depends. If you paid $9950, you got 76,000 SOs and 22,000 SPs. If you paid $12,500, you got 76,000 SOs and 44,000 SPs!

All weeks get the same SOs. Wierd since FL seems to be seasonal (look at Key West, etc).

Price now is $16,500 for 76,000 SOs and 44,000 SPs. Kath
 
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