I just transferred to flex...what did I just do?

[zerodegre]

Op. Let group know what you decide to do

 

[okwiater]

I doubt that the Flex trust will have enough ski weeks (let alone holiday ski weeks) for the number of Flex packages they are selling and I suspect that anyone who buys Flex with the expectation of consistently reserving ski weeks will be sorely disappointed.

That hasn’t been my experience with Flex. Availability has been fine. The main disappointment for me is that they don’t add some of the more unconventional units to the trust at all, for e.g. 3 bedroom units at SBP.

 

[FC3]

I suppose we are going to keep our floptions. It is a steep buy in, this i agree with. And I have yet to see them offer less than developer sell price for equity but there is that List....I've seen it over and over. The list of properties they are "not buying back" and most of the network is highlighted but I'm sure if it made the sale they would make anything work. But what makes this work for us us is we are from TN so Sheraton flex makes more sense since we drive most years. We do frequent Florida but the kids are getting older now and ski trips can now be an option. I normally get vacation in December with the kids break so i am curious to see how "Flexible" my options can be... But overall we have been very happy with our ownership, we fully understood what we were buying so many years ago, and i know the Sales Dept has a reputation like used car salesmen but I have yet to see a flat lie. So i suppose only time will truly tell.

 

[byeloe]

It doesn't seem like you are getting much for your $$$ and now higher mf. Have you tried using your SO to get into where you want at the 8 month mark? If you must have a ski week then possibly a resale where you want to use would be a better option. Or give away what you have and pickup some mandatory SVV. Just my opinion which I am sure you are tired of hearing. As long as you are happy, that is all that matters

 

[VacationForever]

It doesn't seem like you are getting much for your $$$ and now higher mf. Have you tried using your SO to get into where you want at the 8 month mark? If you must have a ski week then possibly a resale where you want to use would be a better option. Or give away what you have and pickup some mandatory SVV. Just my opinion which I am sure you are tired of hearing. As long as you are happy, that is all that matters

OP's old timeshare already had SOs because it was developer bought.

 

[Sicnarf]

As I've posted in another thread, there's a lot of speculations as to availability of flex units during prime periods but I have yet to see a single complaint to date. So having access to 2 beach and 3 ski properties at 12 months out is definitely an attractive benefit to me. And since I only converted units with high MFs (Coral Vista and gold Vistana Villages weeks), my MF actually decreased for my 405,000 flex points. I also deferred usage to 2020 to fund the purchase with the reduction of MF for this year and next year. And I took advantage of the discounted SPG promotions to save on 1st class airfare and luxurious hotel rooms in Europe.

 

[dsmrp]

I suppose we are going to keep our floptions. It is a steep buy in, this i agree with. And I have yet to see them offer less than developer sell price for equity but there is that List....I've seen it over and over. The list of properties they are "not buying back" and most of the network is highlighted but I'm sure if it made the sale they would make anything work. But what makes this work for us us is we are from TN so Sheraton flex makes more sense since we drive most years. We do frequent Florida but the kids are getting older now and ski trips can now be an option. I normally get vacation in December with the kids break so i am curious to see how "Flexible" my options can be... But overall we have been very happy with our ownership, we fully understood what we were buying so many years ago, and i know the Sales Dept has a reputation like used car salesmen but I have yet to see a flat lie. So i suppose only time will truly tell.

I'm like you, bought voluntary Sheraton Vistana from developer, retroed another unit, and so have 162K options, just barely enough for 3*. But I'm going to wait to see what Marriott might offer in a few years, after the sale goes thru. I'm sure there will be something that Marriott will want Vistana owners to buy in to, to make Marriott money. So far I've been able to get the places I want to go to at 8 months with star options. But I go shoulder seasons and my kids are grown, so I don't need to work around school schedule as you do.

Like the others, I recommend you rescind.

 

[byeloe]

OP's old timeshare already had SOs because it was developer bought.

right so the SVV would at least allow the SO to transfer should OP need to sell in the future. Just seemed like a lot of $ for little benefits IMHO

 

[FC3]

It doesn't seem like you are getting much for your $$$ and now higher mf. Have you tried using your SO to get into where you want at the 8 month mark? If you must have a ski week then possibly a resale where you want to use would be a better option. Or give away what you have and pickup some mandatory SVV. Just my opinion which I am sure you are tired of hearing. As long as you are happy, that is all that matters

Yes i did look at the FL beach resort in June from 8 months out with little to no availability. Resell would be an option but it still comes with more mf and who knows if Mariott will buy out resellers? Like i mentioned I kinda wanted to position myself for bargaining with Mariott.....i could be no better off and they may buy any and everything but I just want a more secure spot at the table. Who knows they may stop the whole flex idea? But the Sales guy was so cool he got us one of the "last" HD fire7 they had...lol. Much better than mimosas on the balcony if you ask me!

 

[VacationForever]

Yes i did look at the FL beach resort in June from 8 months out with little to no availability. Resell would be an option but it still comes with more mf and who knows if Mariott will buy out resellers? Like i mentioned I kinda wanted to position myself for bargaining with Mariott.....i could be no better off and they may buy any and everything but I just want a more secure spot at the table. Who knows they may stop the whole flex idea? But the Sales guy was so cool he got us one of the "last" HD fire7 they had...lol. Much better than mimosas on the balcony if you ask me!

The fact that you already own a developer bought timeshare puts you in a great position and I doubt that you improve your position by much in paying again to move to Flex. I tend to look at the Wyndham, Worldmark and Shell model, which I highly suspect that MVCI will take on. The 3 systems remain separate and only developer-purchased points can book across into the other 2 systems at a shorter window.

 

[Panina]

Yes i did look at the FL beach resort in June from 8 months out with little to no availability. Resell would be an option but it still comes with more mf and who knows if Mariott will buy out resellers? Like i mentioned I kinda wanted to position myself for bargaining with Mariott.....i could be no better off and they may buy any and everything but I just want a more secure spot at the table. Who knows they may stop the whole flex idea? But the Sales guy was so cool he got us one of the "last" HD fire7 they had...lol. Much better than mimosas on the balcony if you ask me!

By your responses I think you have convinced yourself and decided that your upgrade was worth spending the money you did. I respectfully think it is a mistake but wish you years of enjoyment. Many of us have made mistakes and regardless have enjoyed them.

At this point, there is no basis to think that you put yourself in a better more secure spot at the table. I actually feel you did the opposite. I think a future salesperson you will negotiate with will look at your history and would think you were an easier mark to make more money on thus not offering the best deal.

 

[dsmrp]

FC3, IMO, I think Marriott will buy out or bargain with resales at resorts/seasons that are in higher demand: Hawaii (all year), Colorado (ski seasons), Caribbean (winter), Mexico (winter). The different Flex programs are version flavors of the Destinations club. It's still TBD on what Marriott will do with the Flexes.

You have star options now, I don't see much bang for the buck on trading in what you have now, for what you 'hope' Marriott will do in the future. Remember the money you pay to Vistana now, is just that, money to Vistana (shareholders), not money to Marriott. (I heard a similar sentiment from a Starwood salesman, on the original Vistana units which were grandfathered in to SVN.)

Marriott may do a little grandfathering for developer purchases, but they're gonna want to sell the next generation reservation scheme to Vistana owners too.

Rescind if you still can!

 

[FC3]

By your responses I think you have convinced yourself and decided that your upgrade was worth spending the money you did. I respectfully think it is a mistake but wish you years of enjoyment. Many of us have made mistakes and regardless have enjoyed them.

At this point, there is no basis to think that you put yourself in a better more secure spot at the table. I actually feel you did the opposite. I think a future salesperson you will negotiate with will look at your history and would think you were an easier mark to make more money on thus not offering the best deal.

I think the biggest thing is we have wanted to try the flex for some time. So I'm trying to somehow justify our investment choices (good or bad) to buy what I want even if i didn't need it. It's an attractive contract option to my wife and I with the drawback of the price. Small perks big price I suppose but something to play with four the next couple years until Mariott comes out with a pitch. The sales team can mark you all they want they really only have one sales pitch in my experience different tiers but only one pitch. The biggest factor seems to be how much you've invested to use as equity.

 

[VacationForever]

I think the biggest thing is we have wanted to try the flex for some time. So I'm trying to somehow justify our investment choices (good or bad) to buy what I want even if i didn't need it. It's an attractive contract option to my wife and I with the drawback of the price. Small perks big price I suppose but something to play with four the next couple years until Mariott comes out with a pitch. The sales team can mark you all they want they really only have one sales pitch in my experience different tiers but only one pitch. The biggest factor seems to be how much you've invested to use as equity.

Why don't you just hang onto what you had without making this purchase and save the money so that if and when Marriott comes up with a program, you can apply the money that you have saved by rescinding now and use that money towards whatever new program that you may want to participate in, if it makes sense to you then. If not, you still have the money saved in your pocket.

There is a high chance you may need to pay and buy again to book across other programs, even if you buy Flex points now.

 

[SteveS1]

If you want to try FO then you can acquire them for free. Recently there was a seller in the TUG marketplace selling 81K Sheraton flex for $1 including 2018 use and closing costs. If you find a deal like that you can keep your 162 SO, and add 81K FO to book the ski (premium one br during ski seaspn) and beach properties (almost any size unit) at 12 months and use the $14K you’ll save after you rescind to pay the maintenance on the 81K FO (approx $1200/yr) for the next 12.5 years. Then factor in the extra MF you’ll avoid by recinding and it covers over 16 years.