Do you go to timeshare presentations?

[Aurora63]

There's nothing wrong with going, but I'll never do it again.

We did one in Orlando to get a discount on Universal tickets. They said it was a 60-90 minute presentation. Turned out to be more like 3 hours! Chit chat, video, tour of the property, and then to the table for a sale. I know it doesn't sound like much but everything was just dragged out. At the table, when the guy was done showing us the numbers, he actually said, "Will that be check or charge?" After we said no, they brought another person over (the big guns, I guess) to try to persuade us. We left with our tickets and ran.

I will never go again, it just wasted nearly half our day.

 

[4greatboys]

If you dont mind givig up your time I see nothig wrong with going. Im sure they realize the majoirty of the ppl that attend are their for the freebies and some can be worked over til they buy.
I dont care to waste my time or go through the aggrivation of it all. I dont like high pressure sales. It would just ruin my day, or atleast part of it. Plus my dh is very laid back so I would be the one fending off the wolves. No part of that sounds fun to me.

 

[DawnCt1]

Well, I am not working now so I signed up for the four o'clock slot, drove ten minutes from my home and in I went. The program started ten minutes late. I was introduced to a very nice woman and I told her up front that I am not a buyer, I am there for the free gift. She told me that everyone says that until they "hear about the program". I told her that may be true, but I am NOT a buyer. She asked me about other TS presentations I had been too and I listed them all and the gifts. She went through her speech, how much money I would save, etc. I gave her my well practiced rebuttal, which she didn't seem to get or chose not to. She left me with the Interval International catalog to go to the bathroom ( seen that before) and then returned to ask me if I liked what I saw. I told her I did and I pointed out the resale costs of certain properties. We then had to "see the film" which actually had the line "you are taking a journey of thought and imagination". I pointed out that it was almost a line from the Twilight Zone. We went to yet another room. She brought the manager over and then made a "VERY SPECIAL OFFER". I just shook my head, "sorry". I was then asked a question I had heard before. "If you got it for free, would you be interested?" I answered "no, because I wouldn't want to be obligated to annual fees and committment. That was the cue for the salesperson to end the presentation. I thanked her for her time and for her hard work I gave her three referrals. I picked people who have annoyed me recently. I could tell she was annoyed as she walked me to the front desk, gave me my "gift" and the Olive Garden gift card. Total time spent, 90 minutes. It was longer than I wanted to be there but it was very structured so there wouldn't have been an appropriate earlier time to leave.
Of all the presentations I have been on, this was the cheapest gift. The four airline tickets are contingent upon paying rack rates at particular hotels for a fixed number of days. It might work but I am not sure the value is necessarily there. It would depend upon the destination. For a short 3 or 4 day trip, it may be well worth it if its easy to book.

 

[bballmom56]

I was then asked a question I had heard before. "If you got it for free, would you be interested?" I answered "no, because I wouldn't want to be obligated to annual fees and committment. That was the cue for the salesperson to end the presentation. I thanked her for her time and for her hard work I gave her three referrals. I picked people who have annoyed me recently. I could tell she was annoyed as she walked me to the front desk, gave me my "gift" and the Olive Garden gift card.

Wow, that is exactly what happened to us! Except DH said "No, because you are not going to give it to us for free." Well, manager got really huffy and the original agent was really annoyed (particularly when we didn't give ANY referrals - didn't have anyone we disliked that much at the time!) And, boy, they were annoyed when they were arranging to get our cash.

Dawn, you seem to have it down very well! Maybe you can go with me next time (if there IS a next time, LOL!)

 

[DisneyAddict_M]

There's nothing wrong with going, but I'll never do it again.

We did one in Orlando to get a discount on Universal tickets. They said it was a 60-90 minute presentation. Turned out to be more like 3 hours! Chit chat, video, tour of the property, and then to the table for a sale. I know it doesn't sound like much but everything was just dragged out. At the table, when the guy was done showing us the numbers, he actually said, "Will that be check or charge?" After we said no, they brought another person over (the big guns, I guess) to try to persuade us. We left with our tickets and ran.

I will never go again, it just wasted nearly half our day.

I think you must have went to the same presentation my friend did. What you described is pretty much what she told me word for word.

 

[Laurajean1014]

I could never do something like that - it reminds me of "will work for food."

 

[DawnCt1]

One of the questions was "how much did I pay for lodging for our last vacation. Of course it was Disney World for 10 nights at SoG. She went on to tell me how I "overspent". I pointed out that a week at SoG would have been $728. If she subtracts the trading out fee of $129, the annual fee for the timeshare at $400, my "additional" costs was $200 which was about 1% of the cost of the time share. I pointed out that I could earn that 1% in my checking account and four times that in a money market account or CD and still have the $20,000 (the cost of the time share). She kept telling me that I could have gone to Disney for "free". I told her that the annual fee wasn't free, the trading fee wasn't free and interest that I would no longer earn on my savings wasn't free. Furthermore if I had to finance my purchase, the interest (16%, if you can believe that) wouldn't be free. She then went to "its tax deductable", to which I said, how that benefits you depends upon your tax bracket. For most people you would still be paying an effective interest rate in the double digits.

 

[DawnCt1]

I could never do something like that - it reminds me of "will work for food."

Except they only served coffee! Also, resisting the pitch and getting out in a reasonable amount of time is actually work.

 

[DawnCt1]

Dawn, you seem to have it down very well! Maybe you can go with me next time (if there IS a next time, LOL!)

Just say you are single so you can spare your DH. Why should two of you "suffer"? Also, I have found when there are two, they focus on the one who seems even slightly less resolute. DH had a hard time saying that he didn't like the Hanalei Bay Resort enough to return. Personally, we both liked it there but I would rather rent. They presented it as a five star resort. It was nice but it in no way met the criteria of a five star resort. Those are reserved for the Four Seasons, etc. When they said that I pointed out to them that they didn't have a moderately priced restaurant, no health club, etc and that was a draw back. I loved the Marriott Ocean Club too but I pointed out to them that a dishwasher and a microwave was NOT a kitchen.

 

[Beauty]

Nope, don't have that kind of time to waste when in Disney! Besides the only Timeshare we would ever even consider is Disney.

Do I think your wrong though, Nope not if you have the patience to deal with them.

 

[Nancy]

Never thought of saying i was single. That might work

 

[Pop Daddy]

I would rather stick needles in my eyes

 

[olena]

Once and never again.

 

[DawnCt1]

Nope, don't have that kind of time to waste when in Disney! Besides the only Timeshare we would ever even consider is Disney.

Do I think your wrong though, Nope not if you have the patience to deal with them.

That's the point. You want to avoid a time share presentation at any location that would would possibly consider. The goal is not to become a buyer.