Can you borrow from future years?

[boisebruin]

I would like to go to Maui for two weeks and my question is can you borrow staroptions from 2018 to use in 2017? I know you can bank options for later use but wasn't sure if you can borrow from future years.

 

[DeniseM]

You can, but you have to pay the maintenance fee in advance, and you only get the Staroptions - not your deeded view.

So you would not be able to make the reservation until 8 mos. before check-in, and you will get a floating view.

 

[GregT]

Does anyone know if I borrow StarOptions from a future year (and pay the MFs), can I book my target reservation online or do I have to book this reservation over the phone? I would be trying to book exactly 8 months out (at 9pm PT, the night before).

Separately, this is a potential Spring Break trip to Lagunamar. I've heard that WLR is easy to book with StarOptions, does that apply to Spring Break as well or is it tough during Spring Break? This is a potential 2018 trip.

Please advise and thanks!

Best,

Greg

 

[DeniseM]

Does anyone know if I borrow StarOptions from a future year (and pay the MFs), can I book my target reservation online or do I have to book this reservation over the phone? I would be trying to book exactly 8 months out (at 9pm PT, the night before).

Separately, this is a potential Spring Break trip to Lagunamar. I've heard that WLR is easy to book with StarOptions, does that apply to Spring Break as well or is it tough during Spring Break? This is a potential 2018 trip.

Please advise and thanks!

Best,

Greg

If you borrow Staroptions - they are treated like any other Staroptions you have in your account. In other words, you can make a reservation at 8 mos. before check-in.

There are no types of reservations that "must" be booked over the phone. (Except for people who have some kind of messed up account.)

By spring break, do you mean "Easter Week"? Because the demand for a spring break week varies widely depending on what date it actually is.

***I just looked - there is still a ton of availability for Easter week 2017 so that is a good sign.

You will be able to start checking 2018 availability, one year before check-in.

 

[GregT]

If you borrow Staroptions - they are treated like any other Staroptions you have in your account. In other words, you can make a reservation at 8 mos. before check-in.

There are no types of reservations that "must" be booked over the phone. (Except for people who have some kind of messed up account.)

By spring break, do you mean "Easter Week"? Because the demand for a spring break week varies widely depending on what date it actually is.

***I just looked - there is still a ton of availability for Easter week 2017 so that is a good sign.

You will be able to start checking 2018 availability, one year before check-in.

Thank you! Yes it is Easter week and I will track it. Thx again!

 

[Helios]

If you borrow Staroptions - they are treated like any other Staroptions you have in your account. In other words, you can make a reservation at 8 mos. before check-in.

There are no types of reservations that "must" be booked over the phone. (Except for people who have some kind of messed up account.)

By spring break, do you mean "Easter Week"? Because the demand for a spring break week varies widely depending on what date it actually is.

***I just looked - there is still a ton of availability for Easter week 2017 so that is a good sign.

You will be able to start checking 2018 availability, one year before check-in.

Good to know. I was under the impression that reserving using borrowed points had to be done over the phone. I've never needed to do it but that's what I was told.

I assume you get the option to pick the points from a borrowed VOI just like you can pick a different VOI instead of the default system selection.

 

[okwiater]

Good to know. I was under the impression that reserving using borrowed points had to be done over the phone. I've never needed to do it but that's what I was told.

DeniseM misspoke -- she was probably referring to types of ownerships, rather than types of reservations.

You are correct that a reservation using borrowed StarOptions can only be booked over the phone.

 

[Helios]

DeniseM misspoke -- she was probably referring to types of ownerships, rather than types of reservations.

You are correct that a reservation using borrowed StarOptions can only be booked over the phone.

Thanks for clarifying.

 

[DeniseM]

okwiater - Thank you for your input. I thought that had changed, so I'm going to verify the procedure with VSE, and I will post what I learn.

 

[okwiater]

okwiater - Thank you for your input. I thought that had changed, so I'm going to verify the procedure with VSE, and I will post what I learn.

I have 0 StarOptions remaining for 2016 and about 400K for 2017. When I do a search and select an available villa, the system displays "Checking Eligibility" for a few seconds then the following error:

"You currently do not have enough StarOptions available to reserve this villa. You may be able to borrow StarOptions from your next Use Year. Please contact Owner Services with your Result ID, Z09876, for more details."

Frankly, even though I borrow SOs fairly frequently, I'm okay with this since it prevents borrowed SOs from being used at midnight to compete with other owners. Competing with banked StarOptions is bad enough.

 

[Helios]

I have 0 StarOptions remaining for 2016 and about 400K for 2017. When I do a search and select an available villa, the system displays "Checking Eligibility" for a few seconds then the following error:

"You currently do not have enough StarOptions available to reserve this villa. You may be able to borrow StarOptions from your next Use Year. Please contact Owner Services with your Result ID, Z09876, for more details."

Frankly, even though I borrow SOs fairly frequently, I'm okay with this since it prevents borrowed SOs from being used at midnight to compete with other owners. Competing with banked StarOptions is bad enough.

I don't borrow SOs (at leadt I've never done it) and like the rule. I usually don't bank or bank very little. If I could change anything in the program is banking. I would remove it. I think it is the worst feature that affects me. YMMV. The ability to bank has made making reservations too hard in some cases. Perhaps VSE should not allow the use of banked SOs at midnight.

 

[okwiater]

I don't borrow SOs (at leadt I've never done it) and like the rule. I usually don't bank or bank very little. If I could change anything in the program is banking. I would remove it. I think it is the worst feature that affects me. YMMV. The ability to bank has made making reservations too hard in some cases. Perhaps VSE should not allow the use of banked SOs at midnight.

I try not to think about how a particular rule affects me personally, but rather how it affects the entire system. That's why I'm in favor of borrowed StarOptions not being able to be used until at least 9AM. I also agree with you that banked StarOptions should probably not be able to be used until at least 9AM. It does seem more fair to prioritize reservations for people who are using StarOptions from the current use year.

 

[SMHarman]

I try not to think about how a particular rule affects me personally, but rather how it affects the entire system. That's why I'm in favor of borrowed StarOptions not being able to be used until at least 9AM. I also agree with you that banked StarOptions should probably not be able to be used until at least 9AM. It does seem more fair to prioritize reservations for people who are using StarOptions from the current use year.

But that assumes the system can figure out where banked and borrowed options are coming from.

 

[DeniseM]

My apologies folks - I verified with VSE and you do still have to make reservations using borrowed Staroptions over the phone.

 

[okwiater]

But that assumes the system can figure out where banked and borrowed options are coming from.

The system already does that. They appear as line items during the reservation process so that you can select which "bucket" of StarOptions to draw from.

 

[SMHarman]

The system already does that. They appear as line items during the reservation process so that you can select which "bucket" of StarOptions to draw from.

True, kinda but banked all go in one bucket. That was my thought.

 

[okwiater]

True, kinda but banked all go in one bucket. That was my thought.

Which ownership a banked SO comes from is irrelevant, because those use years have passed. All banked SOs are one and the same.

Only borrowed SOs need to be tracked according to ownership, since borrowing causes you to forfeit your home resort usage rights, and also requires that your estimated MFs be paid in advance.

 

[SMHarman]

I try not to think about how a particular rule affects me personally, but rather how it affects the entire system. That's why I'm in favor of borrowed StarOptions not being able to be used until at least 9AM. I also agree with you that banked StarOptions should probably not be able to be used until at least 9AM. It does seem more fair to prioritize reservations for people who are using StarOptions from the current use year.

The flip side of this thought though is that in the banked year you get a benefit as you were not competing against this person who banked.

So adding a restriction hurts them twice.

 

[Helios]

The flip side of this thought though is that in the banked year you get a benefit as you were not competing against this person who banked.

So adding a restriction hurts them twice.

Sure, but my theory is that partial VOI banking happens as late in the season as possible and I would bet banking is mostly done from VOI from the least desirable resorts (for the most part). For instance, I can't see a week 52 from WSJ pool villa or from 52 WKORV OF banked in full or partially (or any other high demand unit). Of course there are extreme situations, I am talking in generalities. But I bet it is usually left overs.

So, the way I see it, it is the worst evil in the system. This is perhaps my selfish opinion because I get a negligible benefit and get more competition that did not exist before.

I know some people bank their full units, and I guess that is fine because they want to go to a resort that takes more options than what they own in a year. So, that benefits them...it affects people who don't bank negatively when we don't click fast enough at 8 months. We are using my current year SOs and they are using their banked SOs. Shouldn't we have an edge?

 

[SMHarman]

Sure, but my theory is that partial VOI banking happens as late in the season as possible and I would bet banking is mostly done from VOI from the least desirable resorts (for the most part). For instance, I can't see a week 52 from WSJ pool villa or from 52 WKORV OF banked in full or partially (or any other high demand unit). Of course there are extreme situations, I am talking in generalities. But I bet it is usually left overs.

So, the way I see it, it is the worst evil in the system. This is perhaps my selfish opinion because I get a negligible benefit and get more competition that did not exist before.

I know some people bank their full units, and I guess that is fine because they want to go to a resort that takes more options than what they own in a year. So, that benefits them...it affects people who don't bank negatively when we don't click fast enough at 8 months. We are using my current year SOs and they are using their banked SOs. Shouldn't we have an edge?

First only the elite can bank late in the season. The proles have until mid year to bank. Is June 30 late in the season.

Second, banking likely has a similar impact on availabilty to depositing in interval.

My own banking use started on day one. I bought a used mandatory and it was sold with current year use, but my vacation plans for that year were set. So that was banked. In that year a full Plat plus WKV was banked. Subsequently it has been used for extending trips to 8-9 days WLR or making bookings at more expensive locations (WSJ)

In the mid run, IMHO, it all evens out.

 

[Helios]

First only the elite can bank late in the season. The proles have until mid year to bank. Is June 30 late in the season.

Second, banking likely has a similar impact on availabilty to depositing in interval.

My own banking use started on day one. I bought a used mandatory and it was sold with current year use, but my vacation plans for that year were set. So that was banked. In that year a full Plat plus WKV was banked. Subsequently it has been used for extending trips to 8-9 days WLR or making bookings at more expensive locations (WSJ)

In the mid run, IMHO, it all evens out.

OK June 30 is not late, since the 8 month mark passed 2 months before.

The banking you mentioned is probably a rare occurrence. I still think many people bank broken units in resorts tgat are not desirable. Perhaps some people find this useful. I personally don't care for a couple of nights somebody banked from their low season unit in Orlando. I can get those at 8 months with my current year SOs.

 

[canesfan]

Sure, but my theory is that partial VOI banking happens as late in the season as possible and I would bet banking is mostly done from VOI from the least desirable resorts (for the most part). For instance, I can't see a week 52 from WSJ pool villa or from 52 WKORV OF banked in full or partially (or any other high demand unit). Of course there are extreme situations, I am talking in generalities. But I bet it is usually left overs.



So, the way I see it, it is the worst evil in the system. This is perhaps my selfish opinion because I get a negligible benefit and get more competition that did not exist before.



I know some people bank their full units, and I guess that is fine because they want to go to a resort that takes more options than what they own in a year. So, that benefits them...it affects people who don't bank negatively when we don't click fast enough at 8 months. We are using my current year SOs and they are using their banked SOs. Shouldn't we have an edge?

Although I see the impact banking options have and it has changed the system, I'd be against putting restrictions on using them. I think the 9am restriction on borrowed SOs is fine. To me you are taking a loan out vs paid for something and putting it into reserves. The banked options already have an expiration date. You can't devalue them to the point where they are unusable and worthless. Then don't allow banking at all. Or borrowing for that matter.

In the past, I have banked options. It's not something that I willing plan to do but life happens. I own at top resorts and have banked full weeks. I didn't do it because I needed options. Once it was because I was trying to reserve my home resort of WSJ for week 51 or 52 and couldn't get it. I had kids in school and was restricted to school / sports schedules. I tried to rent out a different week and couldn't. Since I rolled the dice for a winter vacation I was left with no other option but to bank . Another year we took a big family vacation to Europe, kids travel sports, etc lead us to not being able to swing 4 weeks of TS vacations. I rented out what I could & banked others. Banking is a downgrade to me. I'm losing prime resort home booking while paying high maintenance fees. I would not be happy if you told me I had to get in line at 9am after paying those MFs. That's just my take on it.

 

[lawboy2001]

I thought I read somewhere that you can only use 'borrowed' points for reservations less than 90 days out? Has that rule been rescinded? If so, good to know!!

 

[okwiater]

I thought I read somewhere that you can only use 'borrowed' points for reservations less than 90 days out? Has that rule been rescinded? If so, good to know!!

If that was ever a policy, it hasn't been in effect for many years. There used to be a restriction on making StarOptions reservations for less than 7 days in length, but that was lifted a few years ago.