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Harborside Update

Ownedby3

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We haven't been to an update in about 5 years so decided to go last week when we were at Harborside. We currently have 81,000 StarOptions (Lagunamar & Sheraton Broadway Plantation). They offered us the grandiose ones another 81,000 for some astronomical fee, we didn't even entertain the option since the MF's there are SO high. In the end they offered us this before we walked away:

Unit - Deluxe - $708 MF
Options Added - 37,000
For $6765
PLUS - 50,000 SPG Bonus Points

We have rented 5 times with our 81,000 options at Harborside (1 bedroom premium), our 2 kids are young enough to share the pull out couch and for us it works and seems to not make sense to add more options yet for a bigger unit. They claim it's not easy to rent at Harborside yet we never have a problem (we usually go in Nov, Dec, March - not peak)

Just wondering what the experts think, did we do good walking away?
 

DeniseM

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Yes - You can acquire Harborside on the resale market for cheap and free, because of the high maintenance fee. Now that Vistana has decided not to provide a rollaway or Atlantis admission for the 5th person in a 1 bdm. premium, I expect to see more of them on the market.

*I was recently told by someone with a party of 5, that the front desk at HRA told them that they will still allow 5 in the 1 bdm. premium, but will not provide a rollaway or Atlantis armband for them. We'll have to see if this is consistently enforce.

Here is a tip - if you have a small/younger child as your 5th person, you can order a crib, and put the mattress and bedding on the floor to accommodate them, even if they are too old for a crib.
 

komosatp

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*I was recently told by someone with a party of 5, that the front desk at HRA told them that they will still allow 5 in the 1 bdm. premium, but will not provide a rollaway or Atlantis armband for them.
The access deed between HRA and Atlantis has no allowance for this. Meaning the deed does not specify how many people per unit may access Atlantis’ grounds and amenities for the agreed upon access fee. If a person is an authorized Harborside guest, then they should have full access. Harboside owners pay for that access after all....

Has anybody found the document I posted in the other thread? Did people really sign a document that said only 4 could occupy a unit, but got the verbal assurance that 5 could? I can’t believe every single premium 1 bedroom buyer would do that....
 
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mariawolf

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I called today to put my upcoming reservation in my name since my husband passed away and with their constant reminders on web site about charge for names didn't want any issues. I was told it wasn't a problem/or charge but would always default to his name. She then volunteered that effective in January 2018 that only 4 would be permitted in each side of the lockoff==I said yes I knew and that owners are really upset over this. She acknowledged she knew.
I haven't gone back to look but I bought back in 2001 and did the lockoff since at that point we were told actually 10--then it went to 9 and now 8. I have to say that since my grandchildren are younger and I don't have to get a wristband for the limited time I go on th rapids----I will pack an aero bed since I always fly SW direct from BWI and two bags are included. Two can play this game--and it is BS about the walls etc. as the excuse. And since kids don't like sharing the sleep sofa we have frequently put sofa cushions on floor and got extra sheets to use as "make shift" single bed.
I am surprised with Baha Mar opening we didn't see some positive changes not negatives like changing occupancy.
Still also irritates me to have to pay for the outrageous internet--OK done venting--leave on 12/24 for a week and then back 1/6/1bed8--I hate winter..............
 

Ownedby3

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I know it's not January 1st yet but I saw many rollaway beds in the courtyards after people checked out. Maybe when you arrive it will still work out? So annoying it's a fight though and they came up with this new rule.
 

komosatp

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I haven't gone back to look but I bought back in 2001 and did the lockoff since at that point we were told actually 10--then it went to 9 and now 8.
Please take a look and see if you can find this document:
index.php

This is among the 50+ pages of the original purchase documents. It has a maximum occupancy per unit. Vistana has violated our purchase agreement before (see name change fee fiasco), so they might be doing so again.

And this is a Vistana issue, not an HRA or Atlantis one. Vistana is making this occupancy change across its portfolio of properties. HRA is unique in that it HRA dues also include a payment to another entity (Atlantis) for the use of that entity's grounds and amenities. Per the Access deed, Atlantis has no means of unilaterally changing how many guests may occupy a unit at HRA. And Atlantis is legally obligated to provide access to any and all authorized guests at HRA. someone correct me if I'm wrong, but this change does not cause direct financial harm at Vistana's other resorts, but it does so at HRA by denying authorized guests access to something to which they are entitled.

I'd be fighting this battle myself if I had standing to do so, but I don't. I own the smaller 1 bedroom which has always only allowed for 4 guests.
 

DeniseM

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On Vistana's webpage, it still says that rollaways are available. If they are going to make a change, it should be announced far in advance, and they should officially notify all owners.

Vistana obviously does not realize that reservations are already in place for almost all of 2018, and this last minute change will disrupt owner's plans for all of 2018. If they want to make this change, they should announce it now - for 2019, not after the fact!

I am not impressed with Vistana's management at all. They continue to make unprofessional, poorly researched policy changes.
 

tschwa2

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On Vistana's webpage, it still says that rollaways are available. If they are going to make a change, it should be announced far in advance, and they should officially notify all owners.

Vistana obviously does not realize that reservations are already in place for almost all of 2018, and this last minute change will disrupt owner's plans for all of 2018. If they want to make this change, they should announce it now - for 2019, not after the fact!

I am not impressed with Vistana's management at all. They continue to make unprofessional, poorly researched policy changes.

If you go under Resort policies for Harborside and then down to Cribs, Highchairs and additional bedding the information has been there since the day someone announced it here on Tug in late October or early November.

Owners and possibly those that already had reservations for 2018 were also send an email mid to late November.

Someone reported on the owner facebook page that they were told if they already requested the rollaway before November of this year, it would be honored in 2018. I had a reservation but hadn't finalized plans and had not put in the request. I am still not convinced that Harborside will honor those requests though and would certainly encourage anyone who had to get something in writing about honoring the rollaway and additional person.
 

komosatp

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If you go under Resort policies for Harborside and then down to Cribs, Highchairs and additional bedding the information has been there since the day someone announced it here on Tug in late October or early November.

Owners and possibly those that already had reservations for 2018 were also send an email mid to late November.

Someone reported on the owner facebook page that they were told if they already requested the rollaway before November of this year, it would be honored in 2018. I had a reservation but hadn't finalized plans and had not put in the request. I am still not convinced that Harborside will honor those requests though and would certainly encourage anyone who had to get something in writing about honoring the rollaway and additional person.
I said this in the other thread, but I'll say it here again: I urge people to fight one battle at a time. The capacity limit and the removal of rollaways are separate issues.

The occupancy limit is not debatable. Either people bought a unit with a documented capacity limit of 5 or they didn't.

The issue of rollaways is at least theoretically debatable. The wall damage reasoning for eliminating rollaways sounds contrived, but the BOD and managers are authorized to make changes like that. I get that it'll stink to have to haul aerobeds, but that's a reasonable solution to the problem.
 

tschwa2

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I said this in the other thread, but I'll say it here again: I urge people to fight one battle at a time. The capacity limit and the removal of rollaways are separate issues.

The occupancy limit is not debatable. Either people bought a unit with a documented capacity limit of 5 or they didn't.

The issue of rollaways is at least theoretically debatable. The wall damage reasoning for eliminating rollaways sounds contrived, but the BOD and managers are authorized to make changes like that. I get that it'll stink to have to haul aerobeds, but that's a reasonable solution to the problem.

Or they could install a single murphy bed or pull out chair bed in the premium 1 bedroom units.
I bought resale so I have no documentation about capacity.
 
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