Booking Sheraton Vistana resort via ebay

[Scrappygrrl]

Hi all - we are traveling with Friends to Disney for "jersey week". I saw a great rate for 2 bedroom on ebay - $599. She gave me her phone number to ask any questions and I am going to call her with some questions to make sure there are no hidden fees, like parking etc (any others I need to consider?). The seller has a 100% rating on Ebay, but not a ton of volume like some of the other rental companies that are listed there. Her price beats the next cheapest listing by $150.
How risky is this transaction vie paypal and Ebay? I have rented houses from owners directly on vrbo.com and paid with personal check (!) for values much higher than this, but for some reason my husband is worried about this - I guess because it is a timeshare vs an individual private property.
The listing states that the seller will generate a certificate with my name to use upon check-in once they receive my pay pal payment (similar to hwat is described on the other listings I have seen on Ebay).

So, thoughts? Any pitfalls or other protective measuers I can take that I am not thinking of? TIA for any help!

Andrea

 

[Detailor]

I can't think of any hidden fees at the Sheraton Vistana Resort - parking is free (near the building your villa is in).

A low number of "rental sales" by a timeshare owner isn't necessarily a bad sign. It may be a sign that the seller is a private owner at the resort rather than a timeshare re-seller who is looking for income from inventory that they're trying to sell.

I think that owners at SVR own a week within a 'season' (certain months or month ranges during the year). So they'd need to check with the resort on availability for the week that you want - you'll want to know that before you send any money. I'm pretty sure that villas in most sections of the resort are set up to sleep 8 guest but a few of the older sections, (Falls, Courts, Palms), sleep 6 guests. All phases have undergone recent updating (I think Courts, the last section to be updated, is being refurbished right now) so the villas will all be in really nice condition.

This is a nice resort and I suspect that you'd really like it.

Transactions like this are always require a leap of faith but there should be some comfort in using Pay Pal. If you don't get what you purchased there's a complaint process that can be used through Pay Pal that makes it, IMO, more secure than just sending a check.

Dick Taylor

 

[Scrappygrrl]

Thanks - we've been playing phone tag back and forth but from what I have gathered she does have the week I am looking for available and unit is her own timeshare, she is not a volume renter, so to speak. From her ratings on ebay it look like she rents this unit 1x year for the past few years and all commnets have been very positive. On the voicemail she said something about parking being 14/day, but then I realized she was talking about Disney parking becasuse it came right after she was explaining that the Sheraton shuittle is $9. I feel pretty comfortable now, especially using paypal. Going to go for it!

 

[Detailor]

It sounds like it's going to work out well.

Back before Sheraton bought the resort, a Vistana Resort stay was our first timeshare resort experience and that, eventually, led to our decision to purchase a timeshare week on the resale market. In the four or five years between those two events we rented timeshare vacations from owners without a hitch. We've been very happy with our timesharing vacation style.

Just be cautious when you check in at the resort. The reservation agent at the check-in desk will send you, just when you're at your weakest from traveling to Florida, to someone who will attempt to sign you up for a timeshare sales presentation. My suggestion is to respectfully decline the opportunity. They'll also call you in your villa with additional request(s) for you to come to a presentation - I'd suggest that you unplug the phones at the villa, it'll be more peaceful.

Have a great Jersey Week!

Dick Taylor

 

[horseshowmom]

Hi all - we are traveling with Friends to Disney for "jersey week". I saw a great rate for 2 bedroom on ebay - $599. She gave me her phone number to ask any questions and I am going to call her with some questions to make sure there are no hidden fees, like parking etc (any others I need to consider?). The seller has a 100% rating on Ebay, but not a ton of volume like some of the other rental companies that are listed there. Her price beats the next cheapest listing by $150.
How risky is this transaction vie paypal and Ebay? I have rented houses from owners directly on vrbo.com and paid with personal check (!) for values much higher than this, but for some reason my husband is worried about this - I guess because it is a timeshare vs an individual private property.
The listing states that the seller will generate a certificate with my name to use upon check-in once they receive my pay pal payment (similar to hwat is described on the other listings I have seen on Ebay).

So, thoughts? Any pitfalls or other protective measuers I can take that I am not thinking of? TIA for any help!

Andrea

I've used ebay and gotten some fantastic deals. My preference is that the seller be SquareTrade verified, and the seller must have an excellent feedback record (as a seller not just as a buyer - and it sounds like this seller does).

I would ask all my questions via ebay's system so you have a paper trail should there be any sort of a problem (which is unlikely). I also like to use my credit card through Paypal just in case I have any sort of a problem. I know that my cc will protect me, I don't have 100% confidence in Paypal.