Using StarOptions with a Fixed Week /Fixed Unit Mandatory WSJ

[TravelTime]

I have read through the Vistana FAQs on TUG and I still have some questions. I am wondering how it works when you own a fixed week / fixed unit in a mandatory resort specifically WSJ and want to change the week using StarOptions. At what point are you able to exchange the week and the unit for another week and unit type?

Here are my specific questions:

Let’s say you own a 2 bedroom fixed week 50...

- Can you exchange the week into the same unit type in your designated home resort at 12-8 months? For example, if you own a 2 bedroom week 50, can you exchange it for another 2 bedroom week at 12-8 months before week 50 in your home resort?

- Can you exchange for a smaller unit size if it is not a lock off before the 8 month mark? I am assuming the answer is no.

- At the 8 month point before week 50, can you then exchange for anything available using your StarOptions and bank the rest of your StarOptions if you want?

- Am I correct in assuming that the fixed week number you own is how Vistana would determine your 12 month and 8 month mark for reserving your week and for using StarOptions? Or do they use another method?

 

[VacationForever]

It depends on whether you own a Fixed / Fixed week or a Fixed Floating Week. If it is fixed and does not float, then you have to wait until 8 months to make a Star Options reservation for a smaller unit or a different week. There are Fixed Floating weeks in the Vistana system, where the week is fixed but also floats within the same season. In this case, if it is a dedicated 2BR, another 2BR can be booked within the 12-8 months period for the same season. If the week locks off, then then 2 separate bookings can be made during the 12-8 months period, again within the deeded season.

 

[TravelTime]

I am thinking of purchasing a fixed week in the WSJ hillside or poolside mandatory section to have the flexibility of having Star Options, although I know they may be hard to use with WSJ, even as an owner. I am wondering at what point the 12-8 month mark opens up for exchanging within my home resort as well as when the 8 month mark opens up to exchange into a different unit type and size per my questions above?

 

[VacationForever]

I THINK WSJ Fixed week is Fixed/Fixed, which means that you have to wait until 8 months to book a different WSJ unit, which is not an easy "exchange". You have to find out if it is Fixed/Fixed or Fixed/Float.

 

[DavidnRobin]

For WSJ-VGV Fixed: they can Float within season, and must confirm reservation by 10 months out.
Remember that checkin day is also fixed - not just the week (ours is Fri-Fri)
From 10 to 8 months out - you can move within your season (Plat+ to Plat+, Plat to Plat, Gold to Gold) for same villa type (based on availability) within VGV. This isn’t really a SO exchange other than they have same SO value.

Then at 8 months you can use your WSJ-VGV SOs to exchange within all of VSN - including all phases of WSJ
(based on availability) - just like all owners with SOs.


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[DavidnRobin]

duplicate

 

[dioxide45]

- Can you exchange the week into the same unit type in your designated home resort at 12-8 months? For example, if you own a 2 bedroom week 50, can you exchange it for another 2 bedroom week at 12-8 months before week 50 in your home resort?

This seems like a similar question to what you asked in this thread and got some good answers to.

 

[TravelTime]

—

 

[TravelTime]

It is similar but slightly different. Before I was asking more generally how hard it is to trade. Now I am asking more specifically about the rules for trading at the 12 month mark and the 8 month mark and when those time periods occur. I am assuming it is 12 months and 8 months as measured from the fixed week backwards. I did not mean to post a duplicate question as I was thinking it was different but related.

 

[DavidnRobin]

10+ months: reservation is automatically made, but needs to be confirmed by 10 months out

10-8 months: Owner exchange period (as above)

at 8 months out: VSN exchange using SOs

Note: as it pertains to MF/SO value - WSJ-VGV Plat+ is one of the best in VSN.

I would only consider Plat+ in terms of using SOs in VSN. We have 95.7K SOs for a 2Bd TH in Gold+ season at a MF of $2400. Same MFs for Plat+, but they get 176.7K SOs!

Make sure you do the $/SO when considering using SOs with VSN.

Remember that there are also Property Taxes, and that BS Environment Fee ($175/week).

While there have been reports of switching weeks within season - I would no way depend on this for a few reasons - availability, unknown villa (we love ours), travel arrangements...

I just snagged return plane tickets for next June - 1st class STT-IAD-SFO - 600pp!!!






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[okwiater]

What DnR said. I have switched my 3-bedroom Plat+ pool villa for another week on two or three occasions within the 8-10 month window, but in both cases there were less than a handful of alternate weeks available. Think of it less like floating within your season and more like finding two or three random deposits in II.

 

[TravelTime]

What DnR said. I have switched my 3-bedroom Plat+ pool villa for another week on two or three occasions within the 8-10 month window, but in both cases there were less than a handful of alternate weeks available. Think of it less like floating within your season and more like finding two or three random deposits in II.

That would work for me. I tend to like to travel in summer and shoulder seasons, as long as it is not directly in peak hurricane season.

 

[TravelTime]

Okay, just a couple more very specific questions to make sure I understand. If I buy week 50 for example with a fixed check in date that happens to fall on Dec 15 one year, then the 10-8 month window to change my week would fall between Feb 15 and April 15. Is this correct? Is so, then would I be able to try to book a new week starting on Feb 15 (10 month mark) for travel between Feb 15 and Dec 15?

In looking at my Vistana account, it always appears that the weeks at WSJ before the 8 month mark are mostly green so it would seem to me that most owners would be able to change weeks at the 10 month mark. Why do you think owners report it being hard to change their week if the calendar is usually green before the 8 month mark?

 

[SandyPGravel]

The calendar may be green, but what's available probably won't match what you need.(Plus you can't trust that calendar. I have looked at specific weeks in the villa finder that showed green and nothing came up as available.) All that green could be floating weeks in Sunset, Coral or Bay Vista sections in the wrong size unit. I too have booked an alternative week with my fixed/fixed unit, but it's not guaranteed. You should only buy a week that you are ok with using. When I was looking to buy there were two weeks available for around the same price. One was week 9 the other was week 14 or 15. The latter one fell during probable spring break/Easter and the air fares at that time were a lot higher.(Plus the island would likely be more populated) So I chose the week I would be ok with using every year if I had to.

 

[okwiater]

You can only exchange for the exact same villa type in the exact same season. So if you own a week 50 2-bedroom loft in the VGV/Hillside section, you will only be allowed to exchange between 8-10 months for another 2-bedroom loft (other 2-bedroom units with the same SO value will NOT be available) during weeks 16-20 or weeks 43-50. Also, the 8-10 month window is measured from the date of check-in for your NEW reservation, NOT from the date of check-in for your deeded ownership. The reason for this is that you are taking a fixed week which belongs to someone else, and it only becomes available for you to reserve if they haven't confirmed their reservation before 10 months from their arrival date. In practice, this means that you might want to check for availability 10 months prior to every Friday, Saturday, or Sunday for every week in your season that you'd potentially like to travel. And, you will need to cancel your own fixed reservation before you'll be allowed to book an alternate fixed reservation. Of course, if you don't find an alternate week you want and can't use your own fixed reservation, the great advantage to the VGV/Hillside section is that it's mandatory and you can use your StarOptions to book into another season or unit in WSJ, or at any other resort in the Vistana network.

 

[TravelTime]

You can only exchange for the exact same villa type in the exact same season. So if you own a week 50 2-bedroom loft in the VGV/Hillside section, you will only be allowed to exchange between 8-10 months for another 2-bedroom loft (other 2-bedroom units with the same SO value will NOT be available) during weeks 16-20 or weeks 43-50. Also, the 8-10 month window is measured from the date of check-in for your NEW reservation, NOT from the date of check-in for your deeded ownership. The reason for this is that you are taking a fixed week which belongs to someone else, and it only becomes available for you to reserve if they haven't confirmed their reservation before 10 months from their arrival date. In practice, this means that you might want to check for availability 10 months prior to every Friday, Saturday, or Sunday for every week in your season that you'd potentially like to travel. And, you will need to cancel your own fixed reservation before you'll be allowed to book an alternate fixed reservation. Of course, if you don't find an alternate week you want and can't use your own fixed reservation, the great advantage to the VGV/Hillside section is that it's mandatory and you can use your StarOptions to book into another season or unit in WSJ, or at any other resort in the Vistana network.

Actually, this is better isn’t it? This allows owners to look at more options for usage at various times of the year. If I want maximum flexibility with changing my week, would owning a week 50 be better than owning earlier in the Platinum season? I have seen a week 19 and a week 50 that are within my budget. The week 50 is a better deal but the week 19 is within reason too.

 

[okwiater]

Actually, this is better isn’t it? This allows owners to look at more options for usage at various times of the year. If I want maximum flexibility with changing my week, would owning a week 50 be better than owning earlier in the Platinum season? I have seen a week 19 and a week 50 that are within my budget. The week 50 is a better deal but the week 19 is within reason too.

I would purchase the week I'm more interested in using. The only advantage to owning later in your season is that you don't have to confirm your reservation until 10 months prior to arrival, so in theory you could scout out other weeks prior to confirming your fixed week.