How to Get Rid of a Vistana Timeshare – Is it a scam? Updated Sept. 2025
As part of the Marriott Vacation Club, Vistana is a popular timeshare brand that has attracted thousands of owners over the years. Like most timeshare operations, the primary selling point for Vistana was the impressive network of properties that owners could visit, including places in Hawaii, Florida, Arizona, California, Cancun, and more.
If you are a Vistana owner who has decided that what the timeshare offers isn’t worth the cost of ownership, we’d like to provide some information on how you may be able to leave. There are a lot of myths surrounding timeshare exits, and a lot of confusion, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Let’s get right to the heart of the matter and help you understand what your future can look like when you are free of timeshare obligations.
The Appeal of Vistana Timeshares
Unlike some timeshares, which restrict you to a single resort, the versatility of the Vistana program means you have access to many different types of places. No matter what you and your family are interested in for your next vacation, it’s likely that you’ll find something in the portfolio to suit your tastes. Of course, the availability of rooms in those various properties isn’t always what you would like it to be, so you may find that taking your trips is a little bit trickier than you imagined at first.
Many People Like You Have Already Left
There is sometimes a sense among unhappy timeshare owners that they might be doing something wrong. After all, you’ve been told that this is something you are supposed to enjoy, so why isn’t that the case? Why aren’t you having fun with the timeshare lifestyle, and why do you want to exit Vistana?
Don’t get caught up in this line of thinking. The reality of the situation is that many timeshare owners, including plenty within the Vistana brand, are wanting to leave or have already done so. We’ll get to the online reviews in a moment, as those will highlight some of the complaints people have with this experience.
For now, it’s important to understand that you aren’t alone, and you aren’t “doing it wrong”. If the timeshare life isn’t working out for you, no matter what your reasons may be, that’s good enough. Once you’ve decided that trying to cancel Vistana is what’s best for you and your family, you can stand firm in that decision as you work on making it a reality.
Checking the Reviews for Vistana
So, what about those reviews? Let’s start on the BBB website. There, Vistana has a 1.06 star rating, at the time of this writing. While the complaints that have been left on the site vary from person to person, many have to do with the difficulty they have had cancelling a timeshare they no longer want to own.
Of course, as is often the case with timeshares, there are also complaints regarding the sales tactics used to convince owners to make a purchase in the first place. Not only are these sales tactics employed upfront, but they continue to be used along the way, in an effort to convince owners to keep purchasing more and more from the company.
If you are already thinking about leaving your Vistana timeshare, reading these reviews is going to confirm that you aren’t the only one having problems with your experience. Other people are upset with various parts of dealing with this company or trying to utilize the timeshare they own. In some ways, it can feel good to know that you aren’t alone in this situation, and you might use that knowledge as a boost to focus on the exit process and finally take care of this once and for all.
A Few Options Exist to Leave a Timeshare
Do you know how to get out of a timeshare? That might seem like a strange question, but for many owners, they haven’t really thought about it before. It’s only when you realize that you don’t really like using your timeshare anymore, and you really don’t like paying for it, that you need to figure out how you can leave.
There isn’t going to be an obvious path out when you look over your contract. So, the first step we recommend is to contact the timeshare company directly, Marriott in this case, to ask for help. There is a chance, even if it’s not a good chance, that they will be able to offer you a way out. Sometimes, companies will take back timeshare contracts so they can sell them to a new owner, leaving you free and clear to move on.
If that doesn’t work out, you might want to try to sell the timeshare on the open market. Again here, the odds aren’t really in your favor, but it’s worth a shot. If you are able to find a buyer who will take the contract off of your hands, even for a single dollar, jump at the opportunity and move on with your life.
Is a Timeshare Exit Worth the Cost?
You might find yourself facing a dilemma as you try to get out of Vistana. On the one hand, you really want to get out of the contract, and love the idea of moving forward without this burden around your neck. Yet, at the same time, you really don’t want to spend any more money, and the thought of paying a timeshare exit company to help you get out of this deal is hard to swallow.
So, what do you do? Well, we can’t tell you exactly how to proceed, as there are many variables that make each individual situation unique. What we can say, however, is that it’s important to think about the big picture. Owning a timeshare is something that can impact your finances for a lifetime, so you don’t want to get too caught up in the here and now. Instead, you want to see the long-term perspective of what life will be like if you can stop spending money on timeshare fees sometime soon.
When seen in that light, spending money on an exit company might start making some sense. That doesn’t mean you should automatically go in that direction, but it does mean that considering it closely is worth your time and attention.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is often said that knowledge can set you free. Knowledge might not be all it takes to get out of your timeshare contract, but it certainly helps. With that in mind, we’d like to help you continue to learn more about timeshare exits by sharing a few FAQs below.
Q: When does my timeshare contract expire?
A: Most likely, it doesn’t. The vast majority of timeshare contracts are perpetual, meaning they just carry on and on with no end in sight. That’s why it’s important to be proactive about leaving your timeshare if you would like to be done with the ownership experience. Without action on your end, you’ll just keep being an owner, and the bills will just keep rolling in.
Q: Why don’t people who want to get rid of timeshares just sell them?
A: It is true that selling your timeshare is an option, but it’s hard to find a buyer. For the same reasons that you want to get out of the timeshare, other people are hesitant to jump in. You might as well look around for a buyer when you want to leave your Vistana timeshare, but don’t get your hopes up for a deal to come together quickly.
Q: What will happen to my credit if I leave my timeshare?
A: If you leave your timeshare properly, nothing will happen to your credit. By “properly”, we mean continuing to keep up with your maintenance fee payments and taking a legitimate path out of the contract. Anyone who tells you to do things that will risk your credit as you try to leave should be ignored.
A New Future is Within Reach
One of the biggest problems that timeshare owners face is feeling hopeless about their situation. It’s common for owners to feel like they have no way to get out, and they might as well just accept the situation and keep paying their dues. Don’t fall into that trap. There are options to get out, and the path toward that future could start with a call to 619-354-2362 today. We’d be happy to talk about this situation and help you chart a path forward!