4nt timeshare stay promo w/Wyndham? seems odd

[lauralong81]

If this is not the appropriate place to put this, let me know! Mods feel free to move it... a few questions I have. Hoping someone has some experience to help me out or offer advice.

So, My in-laws own three separate time-shares, one of them being Club Wyndham. Of course, they put us on their mailing list. One thing I don't understand is, they say one of the benefits of ownership is that your children have the privileges of using too... so why are they trying to sell it to us too if DH's parents already own?

That's not my biggest concern here... A bigger concern is this - we've been contacted a few times by Club Wyndham and have always turned them down. Well, most recently they contacted us about staying in Orlando for four nights for only $159. We decided to take them up on the offer, and are staying at Bonnet Creek in a 3 br. Well, I booked that last Thursday (june 30) and I still have not received email confirmation (they did charge the CC). He said they would call me back about booking additional nights (requested that when booking) and they never did. I finally get hold of someone today, they tell me I can book additional nights at $129 a night, but only two extra - WTH? I expressly asked the guy before and he said I could book up to 8 nights total. Not so much anymore? I ask again about my email confirmation, and they say they will try sending it again. I'm still waiting on that. I also got home today and had a letter from Club Wyndham saying we were booked for the Best Western Lake Buena Vista "or something similar for 2 adults and 2 kids" - - what the?!? It seems that everything is not cut and dry as I had hoped. Also when booking, I was also told I had 30 days to cancel - well the letter says I have 15 days to do it in writing (which is next Friday, 7 days away).

Am I just being a nervous Nellie with all the unknowns? Should I just trust that it will work out? Has anyone booked with Wyndham like this before? It just seems like there's a lot of inconsistencies and I know with Timeshares there can be a lot of bait-and-switch going on so I am very nervous about being caught up in something I don't want or will end up paying tons more for.

Thanks for any help and/or advice you can offer!!!!

 

[dioxide45]

If this is not the appropriate place to put this, let me know! Mods feel free to move it... a few questions I have. Hoping someone has some experience to help me out or offer advice.

So, My in-laws own three separate time-shares, one of them being Club Wyndham. Of course, they put us on their mailing list. One thing I don't understand is, they say one of the benefits of ownership is that your children have the privileges of using too... so why are they trying to sell it to us too if DH's parents already own?

Perhaps they don't anyway want to be giving the use of their weeks away to family and friends. Wyndham may also give them type of incentive for referrals. Don't buy from a developer, ever...

That's not my biggest concern here... A bigger concern is this - we've been contacted a few times by Club Wyndham and have always turned them down. Well, most recently they contacted us about staying in Orlando for four nights for only $159. We decided to take them up on the offer, and are staying at Bonnet Creek in a 3 br. Well, I booked that last Thursday (june 30) and I still have not received email confirmation (they did charge the CC). He said they would call me back about booking additional nights (requested that when booking) and they never did. I finally get hold of someone today, they tell me I can book additional nights at $129 a night, but only two extra - WTH? I expressly asked the guy before and he said I could book up to 8 nights total. Not so much anymore? I ask again about my email confirmation, and they say they will try sending it again. I'm still waiting on that. I also got home today and had a letter from Club Wyndham saying we were booked for the Best Western Lake Buena Vista "or something similar for 2 adults and 2 kids" - - what the?!? It seems that everything is not cut and dry as I had hoped. Also when booking, I was also told I had 30 days to cancel - well the letter says I have 15 days to do it in writing (which is next Friday, 7 days away).

These deals are not always cut and dry. They can put you up in "approve accommodations" that means it may not be at the resort where you are doing the tour. It seems like they are putting you up at the Best Western. This is pretty standard practice. You have 15 days to mail the letter, the cancellation is likely based on postmark date, so you have plenty of time. My recommendation is to do it if they are not going to get you what you asked for in the first place, a 3BR unit at Bonnet Creek.

The people signing you up for these deals get a commission for each person they sign up. So they will tell you just about anything to get you to buy a package.

Am I just being a nervous Nellie with all the unknowns? Should I just trust that it will work out? Has anyone booked with Wyndham like this before? It just seems like there's a lot of inconsistencies and I know with Timeshares there can be a lot of bait-and-switch going on so I am very nervous about being caught up in something I don't want or will end up paying tons more for.

Thanks for any help and/or advice you can offer!!!!

 

[KAA1972]

Run to Fedex and overnight cancellation letter. It's worth the FedEx fees. We had an awful experience with Wyndham similar to what you are experiencing. Then, if you want to stay at wyndham Bonnet, check out the Bonnet Creek thread. We were able to rent points through another owner-- 599.00 for a 2 berm for 7 nights - through referrals on the Wyndham bonnet creek thread. It was a great experience!!!!! Just don't do the tour-- not worth it. We were held captive for 4 hours.

Good luck!

 

[JimMIA]

There are four things you need to know about Wyndham:

1. You can buy Club Wyndham timeshare contracts on eBay for $1, sometimes with free closing, any day of the week. Last summer, we bought a 501,000 point Wyndham contract on eBay for a little less than $2,000 TOTAL including closing and all transfer fees.
   
   There are no differences worth worrying about buying resale, although the Wyndham timeshare salesman will give you a pack of lies about that.
2. Wyndham timeshare presentations are VERY high pressure. You'll get an initial salesman, then a closer, then another salesman in the guise of taking a survey about your presentation, and then another closer.
   
   Do NOT sign any papers. They'll give you some harmless looking paperwork, but it's actually an authorization to pull a credit report on you.
   
   Stay the alloted time, say no, stand up, and demand your gift or refund of room fees. If the salesman leaves you for a "few minutes" get up, demand to be gifted, and leave.
3. If a Wyndham timeshare salesman's lips are moving, they're lying. There are no exceptions to this rule.
4. Once you get into Wyndham, it is a VERY good timeshare system with many very nice resorts. But their sales people are on the bottom rung of the sleeze ladder.

 

[lauralong81]

Wow, thanks everyone!! I'm calling today and if I don't get straight answers - and EVERYTHING I want in writing - I'm making a trip to fed-ex to send off the cancellation letter.

It's so sad... how do people get away with lying so blatantly? It's sickening.

 

[lauralong81]

Well, I'm sure this will be Shocking.... I called back today and the woman on the phone told me they don't send out confirmations. I mean, ARE YOU SERIOUS? What the heck. Weird thing is, first she confirmed my email address and said she would resend? Then I said something else and she said "Oh, it won't have all your details..." Oh really? because when I first reserved he told me I would get every little detail via email. This is just too weird for me to be comfortable. Maybe I'm handling it wrong, or asking the wrong questions... but it's just too fishy for my tastes.

So I cancelled. She said I could cancel over the phone and I don't have to do it in writing... but I'm still giong to send something in writing. And I've also lodged a complaint with the better business bureau, for whatever that's worth (if anything).

I should change the title of this thread to "Warning: Watch out for Wyndham Promotions!" Hopefully there are some out there already....

 

[dioxide45]

Well, I'm sure this will be Shocking.... I called back today and the woman on the phone told me they don't send out confirmations. I mean, ARE YOU SERIOUS? What the heck. Weird thing is, first she confirmed my email address and said she would resend? Then I said something else and she said "Oh, it won't have all your details..." Oh really? because when I first reserved he told me I would get every little detail via email. This is just too weird for me to be comfortable. Maybe I'm handling it wrong, or asking the wrong questions... but it's just too fishy for my tastes.

So I cancelled. She said I could cancel over the phone and I don't have to do it in writing... but I'm still giong to send something in writing. And I've also lodged a complaint with the better business bureau, for whatever that's worth (if anything).

I should change the title of this thread to "Warning: Watch out for Wyndham Promotions!" Hopefully there are some out there already....

Definitly cancel by mail in the required time period. If it says to cancel by mail, send it via USPS mail. Don't us registered or signature required. You can use delivery confirmation with USPS. Don't use UPS or FedEx.

 

[DCTooTall]

If a Wyndham timeshare salesman's lips are moving, they're lying. There are no exceptions to this rule.

I'd beg to differ. I once asked a salesperson where the bathroom was and despite my initial instinct to believe they lied, I actually located the bathroom exactly where they said it was.

Beyond that..... I'd have to agree with everything you said.

 

[Brian Noble]

m calling today and if I don't get straight answers - and EVERYTHING I want in writing - I'm making a trip to fed-ex to send off the cancellation letter.

Save yourself the time and go straight to fed-exing the letter.

Wyndham almost never puts tour guests up in the actual timeshare units, but in a nearby (not entirely wonderful) hotel---all the better to contrast "the ownership lifestyle" with "the old way of vacationing."

Run, do not walk, to your local fed ex outlet. I would not wish a Wyndham presentation on my worst enemies. I love (LOVE) my Wyndham ownership---purchased resale---but they could not offer me enough to sit through a presentation.