Westgate sells fixed and floating weeks at its timeshare resorts. All weeks are sold at a home resort.
Fixed weeks occur during special events and holidays, such as New Year’s, Valentine’s Day, Easter, Fourth of July and Christmas. These are the most highly valued weeks, as demand is highest. Owners of floating weeks may book a reservation throughout any of the remaining 45 weeks not included as event weeks. There are two main seasons within this 45-week period. To stay at another Westgate resort other than the home resort, owners may swap their week through the Westgate developer exchange.
Resale owners do not have access to the developer exchange and instead may deposit their week through Interval International (II), the external exchange company. Resale restricts owners from discounts, an 11-month reservation window and making split-week reservations.
Fixed weeks entitle owners to a specific residence type on a set week at their home resort. Floating weeks provide owners with access to a residence type within a designated season at their home resort, subject to availability. The floating season encompasses a period of 45 weeks, which excludes the seven fixed event weeks. There are two main seasons within this floating period: All Season and Value Season. The weeks within each season differ by resort.
The use year can begin any month depending on when the timeshare was purchased. Owners may make a reservation at their home resort starting 11 months prior to arrival and up until the last minute. Floating owners have the option of booking a full-week or splitting their week into three- and four-night stays. If a week is split, any unused days will not be rolled over to the next year.
Owners of a lock-off unit must pay a $140 lock-off fee to split their timeshare into two separate units, which allows them the use of two weeks instead of one. An owner may stay in half of their residence for one week and the other half for another. Lock-off options vary by resort and residence type.
Westgate Vacation Villas allows owners to split a two-bedroom lock-off into a one-bedroom and a studio. Westgate Lakes Resort & Spa permits owners to split a three-bedroom lock-off into a two-bedroom and a studio. At Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort & Spa, owners may split their three-bedroom lock-off into a two-bedroom and a one-bedroom.
Owners may bank their week for use over the next two years. To bank a week, owners must deposit it 60 days prior to the start of their fixed week or floating season. Deposited weeks will be held for two years from the beginning of the original usage week. Westgate charges a $140 exchange fee for all deposits.
Owners may borrow a week from any future year, but only one week may be borrowed each use year.
Weeks can be transferred between Westgate members for no additional fee. However, if the owner who received the transferred week wants to deposit it with the developer exchange in order to stay at another resort, they must pay an exchange fee and a guest fee.
Fixed owners may also elect to “float” their week for use within the 45-week floating period. Floating a fixed week does not cost any additional fees, if done so 30 days in advance of the desired floating reservation.
Westgate handles all internal exchange through the Westgate developer exchange, which allows owners to book a reservation at any Westgate property other than their home resort.
External exchange is currently handled through Interval International (II). Westgate owners are given Interval Gold status with II and must pay an annual membership fee of $89. Previously, Westgate used RCI for exchanges, and some residences purchased during this period will still retain RCI membership. Weeks must be deposited with the exchange company at least 60 days before the end of the fixed week or floating season.
Float owners may rebook their reservation without a fee if they cancel at least 60 days before arrival. Cancellations made within 72-hours prior to arrival will incur a penalty equal to the price of booking the residence for one night plus tax. Fixed owners must cancel their reservation at least 10 days in advance of arrival or pay a $150 cancellation fee. Cancelled fixed weeks can be rebooked within a floating season for additional fees.
Westgate places several restrictions on timeshares purchased on the resale market. Resales are not guaranteed an 11-month reservation window and may instead be limited to a 60-day reservation window for certain stays. Westgate does not allow resale owners to divide lock-off units into two separate residences. Resale owners may not be able to split their weeks into three- and four-day stays or upgrade to another season or residence type. Resale owners do not have access to the developer exchange and must instead make all exchanges and deposits through II. Owners must purchase a separate membership with II and are not automatically given Interval Gold status, as they normally would under Westgate’s contract. Additionally, resale owners do not have access to the Westgate Cruise & Travel Collection, discounts and promotions.
* Vacatia has compiled details about each club from multiple sources of information, such as member guides and owner manuals. Please note that details regarding any club, such as use rights, reservation policies, exchange privileges, etc., are subject to change from time to time. Please contact clubs@vacatia.com if you have suggested edits.
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