Ever do a timeshare pres. for free tickets?

[mrsklamc]

Interesting- the first place Purseval mentioned (Orange Lake) she found fairly low pressure. That's the one we did that I found to be high pressure. I wonder if it's a difference in sales people, or if Purseval has had more experience with the higher pressure ones.

DH's favorite part was in the short film they show-basically implying that you could die any day now, and if you do, you will be a horrible person because you didn't take your family on more vacations.

 

[andrews_dad]

So we have a trip planned for this summer but money is tight and although we have the tickets budgeted for Disney my kids are begging to spend a day at Universal or Seaworld. Well, I just can't justify spending 300+ dollars for one day at one park when we will have passes for Disney for almost the whole time there. (we are a family of 5)
I know, I know, I could and might very well just tell my lovely spoiled children that they have to deal and that we're not going to Universal or SW this year, but I just thought maybe there might be a timeshare presentation worth doing....
Anyone know of any legit ones?
Thanks!!

Also, I wanted to metion that you have SW as an option for a day visit. SW is ALWAYS 2nd day free. So, it hardly seems practical to plan for one day there. You will only have to pay the $14 parking fee for the 2nd day. Your one day ticket must be validated at the CS booth near the front of the park, or at the baby station (where mothers can nurse). I recommend the baby area, as there is never a line there. You must use the 2nd day voucher within 1 week of the 1st day. With the thrill rides plus the various shows, SW can indeed be a 2 day park nowadays. Also, discounted SW tickets are eligible for the 2nd day free. Big companies and unions offer discounted tickets via programs like tickets-at-work. If you can't get those, the best deal is to use the ticket counter booth at SW and show your SouthWest Airline card (free online and you don't even have to fly with them).

 

[MouseloverJD]

I've done several timeshare tours and find them worth it if you know what to expect going in. It generally lasts longer than 90 mins. Expect an aggressive sell. Never admit that the price sounds reasonable (this one tripped me up a few times). Always ask for the earliest timeshare presentation, that way you will be out by at least 11:30 a.m. and your whole day is not wasted.

 

[Janet Hill]

I don't know how much the discount for a southwest card is, but if you purchase your tickets online adult tickets are at the kids price of $68.95, and these too qualify for the second day free.

 

[andrews_dad]

We do these all the time. It really helps with the trip budget. We usually go for the cash as we get Disney AP and have Plat passes for the Busch Parks. I really don't mind the high pressure sales, I'm very good at ignoring people.

These sales people are immune to every excuse you can send their way and if they are veteran salesfolks, they are prepared with an answer.

The one excuse they have no answer for.... within 10 minutes of the 90 minute limit, my husband's blood sugar spikes and he forgot his insulin. Oh darn we must return to our resort for the insulin.

One time my wife told them up front .. the baby eats every 2 hours. So, if you don't get us out of here in the promised 90 min you are going to have to have me "pumping" ... or if not pumping then "leaking." We were done early

 

[DreadpiratK]

Another strategy that we've done once is to simply say yes. Fill out the forms, get your goodies and leave, and then cancel. Check state laws first! We did this once in MA for a secret shop my wife did and it was less than an hour in and out. She just called back the next day and said she changed her mind, signed the right form and sent it in. No hassle, and no further problems from the time share company. I was shocked at how easy it was to get out of. We would never have had the guts to do it on our own but since it was what she was hired to do for the secret shop it was great! No pressure, no anxiety, just sure, sounds great where do I sign? We got some free hotel nights and a nice dinner out of it, plus the secret shopper pay. Most states give you at least 48 hours to cancel a contract like that with no penalty, but as I said, be sure of where you stand before you try this. We might do it again if we had the time and the perks were worth it.

 

[Purseval]

Interesting- the first place Purseval mentioned (Orange Lake) she found fairly low pressure. That's the one we did that I found to be high pressure. I wonder if it's a difference in sales people, or if Purseval has had more experience with the higher pressure ones.

I've done every type of timeshare you can think of over the years. For us it's a hobby. I can see how you might think it was high pressure compared to my viewpoint.

Another strategy that we've done once is to simply say yes. Fill out the forms, get your goodies and leave, and then cancel.

That is a very risky strategy and if you plan to follow it make sure you do EVERYTHING correctly, because any mistake and they will hold you to your contract. For us it's like a short term job -- they give you X in exchange for you putting up with Y. Putting up with Y isn't that big of a deal, we don't need to use a back door.

 

[swilshire]

I agree with Purseval. Don't take a chance. Too risky.

Just keep saying no.

Sheila

 

[pacrosby]

We've done these more than a few times and I'm going to agree with those who say it can be a good deal. But it's only a good deal IF you can handle it. Not everyone can. You've got to be a tough cookie to do these things and not feel 'battered' by the pressure or get hooked into an extra hour. They feel out personalities from the beginning and will often push push push. It's up to YOU to stop it.

Make sure you get the first appointment available in the morning. Or schedule your meeting after a particularly late night in the parks. Don't mislead them into thinking you MIGHT be interested. Don't allow them to pressure, be quick to call them on it. Be in control. Keep looking at your watch and reminding them how much time they have. Don't give them wishy washy excuses as to why it's not for you. If they keep talking............stop listening. When they try and pull out the big guns (the management) just tell him straight out you've made up your mind and stop listening (don't make eye contact, fiddle with you purse/phone, keep checking your watch). When you make it clear you cannnot be swayed they will back off because time is money to them.

Good luck!

 

[seashoreCM]

>>> BTW, almost any Disney ticket you get from a timeshare promotion (especially if you get a voucher) is NOT upgradeable;

Which means, you should not do the timeshare presentation for the purposes of getting Disney tickets when your vacation exceeds three theme park days. Otherwise your timeshare tickets will in retrospect cut as little as three dollars apiece off of your final ticket budget.

Yes I have done timeshare presentations before. One, way back when, netted me a 3 day hopper (which was my total ticket budget).

 

[britfish]

Also, I wanted to metion that you have SW as an option for a day visit. SW is ALWAYS 2nd day free. So, it hardly seems practical to plan for one day there. You will only have to pay the $14 parking fee for the 2nd day. Your one day ticket must be validated at the CS booth near the front of the park, or at the baby station (where mothers can nurse). I recommend the baby area, as there is never a line there. You must use the 2nd day voucher within 1 week of the 1st day. With the thrill rides plus the various shows, SW can indeed be a 2 day park nowadays. Also, discounted SW tickets are eligible for the 2nd day free. Big companies and unions offer discounted tickets via programs like tickets-at-work. If you can't get those, the best deal is to use the ticket counter booth at SW and show your SouthWest Airline card (free online and you don't even have to fly with them).

what is the discount with the southwest card?

 

[lizbaby007]

I did a timeshare thing one time. I was staying in florida for a convention and there was a little booth inside our hotel and the lady kept pestering me saying you will get something free for nothing. You dont have to buy anything yada yada.

I'm not sure if I would actually do it again. It was fun up until the sale point. The guy would not take no for an answer. I had already told him I wasn't buying that I was talked into coming and was just checking it out but he insisted in getting his manager because I didnt understand what I was passing up. Give me a break. After 2 hours and a free breakfast I was allowed to leave. They told me to pick my "gift" up on the way out. That was the one cool thing...they had run out of tickets so they just gave me $100 bill!

 

[VanessainWonderland]

I have dome the timeshare thing before. The sale part is really annoying and tedious. As long as you can find the strength to simply get up and say no CONSTANTLY, then it's worth it.

Personally, I wouldn't do it again.

 

[Ciao Mickey]

You have no intention of ever buying into one of these timeshare resorts and you know this before you go there. The sole purpose of going to the presentation is for free tickets or cash. So you waste the sales person's time and your time too.

Aren't you the least bit embarrassed by this?

Don't you think it's a tiny bit dishonest?

I'm surprised that people find this acceptable to do and yet will persecute a poster who asks if it's OK to not buy a ticket for her kid who turned 3 the day before the trip to try to save some money.

Only on the Dis Boards do people pick and choose what's an OK scam and what's not.

 

[seashoreCM]

You have no intention of ever buying into one of these timeshare resorts and you know this before you go there. The sole purpose of going to the presentation is for free tickets or cash. So you waste the sales person's time and your time too.

Aren't you the least bit embarrassed by this?

Don't you think it's a tiny bit dishonest?

I'm surprised that people find this acceptable to do and yet will persecute a poster who asks if it's OK to not buy a ticket for her kid who turned 3 the day before the trip to try to save some money.

Only on the Dis Boards do people pick and choose what's an OK scam and what's not.

No! This is nothing to be embarrassed about. This is not a scam to pick and choose from and say to yourself it is okay. This is perfectly honest and acceptable.

You keep your end of the deal by attending the presentation as stated in their brochure.

They keep their end of the deal by giving you a courteous tour and the gift (ticket or whatever) as stated in their brochure.

A far, far cry from sneaking an extra person into a resort room or sneaking an overage child into a park or sneaking a refillable mug from last time into the food court or sneaking yourself into another resort's pool. The brochures all say you may not do these things.

By the way I have offered, early during the tour, to go on a self guided tour so the salesman can do other things. Once they obliged and gave me the gift right away, two other times the salesman insisted on escorting me (different timeshares).

 

[Purseval]

You have no intention of ever buying into one of these timeshare resorts and you know this before you go there. The sole purpose of going to the presentation is for free tickets or cash. So you waste the sales person's time and your time too.

I brought this up to a salesperson once, hoping I could just take the gift and leave. He told me he hasn't sold a unit in his entire career to someone who came in with the intention of buying one. They expect everyone to have just the attitude you described but a certain percentage end up buying in spite of it. So no, I don't feel the least bit embarrassed.