[Vistana] Buying for [StarOptions] only

[dokken88]

Looking at unit in the Bella phase..67k SOs. Seller says if I want to use SOs this year and bank any leftovers would have to be done deal by July 1st.(not going to happen).
Semi overwhelmed. I also have option of waiting until sale is done and trying to use all SOs this year. Everyplace I would want to go has 44k SOs value.
The seller is giving option to pay MFs this year for use of 67k SOs. Seems to me if I go that route will loose extra SOs?
Thanks!

 

[DeniseM]

It costs $99 to bank the Staroptions. If it were me, I wouldn't bother to bank 23 Staroptions, which is a tiny amount. Can you just start your ownership in 2019 instead? That would be my choice.

 

[dioxide45]

I agree with Denise. I would pass on this year's use. If use year was free, then I would just take it, but having to pay the 2018 fees in order to get the use that you can't fully use, I simply wouldn't bother. However, I would still be willing to bank 23,000 StarOptions if it ever happened that I was left with that many in a use year.

 

[dokken88]

It costs $99 to bank the Staroptions. If it were me, I wouldn't bother to bank 23 Staroptions, which is a tiny amount. Can you just start your ownership in 2019 instead? That would be my choice.

If I buy a unit this year dont you have to bank SOs by July 1st? Actually 23k SOs added to my 67K for next year would get me 2 weeks at my desired property.
The seller made it sound like I had until July 1st to bank. If I am correct any banked SOs do not " travel with the sale of the unit"?
Thanks as always!

 

[dioxide45]

If I buy a unit this year dont you have to bank SOs by July 1st? Actually 23k SOs added to my 67K for next year would get me 2 weeks at my desired property.
The seller made it sound like I had until July 1st to bank. If I am correct any banked SOs do not " travel with the sale of the unit"?
Thanks as always!

Correct, you must bank before July 1st. You are also correct that banked SOs do not transfer with the sale of the unit.

IMO, 23,000 SOs is worthwhile to bank. That can several nights to even a week somewhere.

 

[dokken88]

Correct, you must bank before July 1st. You are also correct that banked SOs do not transfer with the sale of the unit.

IMO, 23,000 SOs is worthwhile to bank. That can several nights to even a week somewhere.

Thanks for reply. Looks as if no way I will be able to close in time to bank. I have another question- Are you able to use SOs for lets say 10 nights. Say its a 44k property and I have 67k SOs. Can I book a week and then a few extra days?

 

[dioxide45]

Thanks for reply. Looks as if no way I will be able to close in time to bank. I have another question- Are you able to use SOs for lets say 10 nights. Say its a 44k property and I have 67k SOs. Can I book a week and then a few extra days?

Yes you can book an SO reservation for any length of stay starting at 8 months from checkin. If you are using the home resort week, you could book that at 12 months and then add additional days at 8 months. There is no guaranty you will be able to stay in the same unit for the duration of your stay. You can also wait until 8 months and book the entire stay as one reservation and have that guaranty. Of course, if it is a popular resort or dates, there is no guaranty that it will still all be available at 8 months.

 

[dokken88]

Luckily I travel in the lowest of the low seasons! All of my reservations will be at 8 month mark. So if I understand correctly I can book a full week and if I have leftover SOs can tag on extra days? Im guessing they assign a value of SOs for additional days?

 

[dioxide45]

Luckily I travel in the lowest of the low seasons! All of my reservations will be at 8 month mark. So if I understand correctly I can book a full week and if I have leftover SOs can tag on extra days? Im guessing they assign a value of SOs for additional days?

You won't need to book a full week and then tag additional days on. Just book the 8, 9, 10, etc night reservation from the get go. SO reservations are nightly, you can look on the SO chart to see the cost per night of a resort for the weeks you would travel. They show a weekly amount too, more just so you know the total cost for 7 nights, but you aren't required to make a 7 night reservation at all.

 

[dokken88]

Perfect! To think after all my research..STILL LEARNING!

 

[Maui_ed]

Perfect! To think after all my research..STILL LEARNING!

Great attitude to have.

 

[DeniseM]

Just to clarify: Vistana will not allow you to add days to a current reservation. You would end up with a 7 night reservation + a separate reservation for additional nights - likely to be in a different unit. So as stated above, the safest way to book an extended stay is to book all of the nights on one reservation at 8 mos.

 

[farsighted99]

Just to clarify: Vistana will not allow you to add days to a current reservation. You would end up with a 7 night reservation + a separate reservation for additional nights - likely to be in a different unit. So as stated above, the safest way to book an extended stay is to book all of the nights on one reservation at 8 mos.

What if you just booked extra nights with Westin directly, say? Let's say you take the 7 nights you have points for, then pay for the extra nights? I was at Nanea a couple of weeks ago (for 7 nights), and was thinking about staying 4 more nights, but ended up at the Fairmont Kea Lani instead (has 2 free nights there)... but what's the big deal about changing units? I would imagine they'd try and keep you in the same place when you got to the property....

 

[DeniseM]

There is no guarantee that you will be in the same unit and you can’t find out until check-in. Also, it’s very expensive to rent from the resort.

Big deal about changing units:

-With a timeshare stay you often have more to move - like groceries.

-You will be out of your timeshare from 10 am to 4 pm when you can check-in for the next unit.


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[controller1]

There is no guarantee that you will be in the same unit and you can’t find out until check-in. Also, it’s very expensive to rent from the resort.

Big deal about changing units:

-With a timeshare stay you often have more to move - like groceries.

-You will be out of your timeshare from 10 am to 4 pm when you can check-in for the next unit.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

We've had back-to-back reservations several times.

• Three of the times, we stayed in the same villa and that was confirmed the evening before checkout.
• Twice we had to change villas at WKORV-North but went directly from one villa to another villa.
• Once we changed villas going from WKORV-North to WKORV and also went directly from one villa to another.
• This past March we changed from Nanea to WKORV-North and it was a terrible move. I don't even want to think about it. We were in a villa but without any luggage or groceries for about three hours.

I imagine being 4*- or 5*-Elite helped in these situations.