For those who have done timeshare tours

[Mjasp]

We will be staying at our timeshare in Vistana next week. We plan on enjoying the resort and only going to one park. Our friends who also own there will be joining us. They always take timeshare tours for the quirks and to see the other resorts for trading purposes. They want us to take a tour with them for the quirks, but we have no intention of buying.

For anyone who has done timeshare tours and not bought, what did you tell the salesperson and ultimately the manager to be able to end your tour.

We do have time, so taking vacation time away to tour another resort isn't an issue.

I feel funny doing this as we have no intention to buy. Have others done this just to tour the resorts and for the quirks?

Thanks for your responses.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

Just tell them that you aren't ready to purchase and stand your ground...... They don't expect everyone to purchase, so they are use to getting all sorts of excuses for people not buying.

 

[Msslaydbug]

We told them right up front in the beginning we had come for the tickets and that was the end of the story !! It didn't stop them from trying very hard but we stood our ground and told them NO !!! We were out of there within the 90 minutes promised. I think we did WestGate but I am not entirely sure. It was near our hotel which was the LaQuinta Inn Lakeside . They sure looked nice though !!

 

[Red-Snapper]

We did Vistana Villages. Were quite tempted to buy at the end but decided not to (we had originally just done it to see what it was like).

Once they finally got the message, after offering us all sorts of "this morning only " offers, all pretence of friendliness disappeared and we were virtually thrown out and had to ask for our payment (£100) before they would hand it over.

I guess we had wasted the sellers time and she sure made me feel like it !! It spoiled the rest of the morning for me as it stayed on my mind. If you have doubts I would suggest you dont do it.

 

[spiceycat]

tell them you know all about the resalers market and that you NEVER buy from a developer - too pricey ..... and they definitely are!!!

also mention tug - timeshare users group - most of the developers are very familiar with this internet site

www.tug2.net

but don't worry even if you buy. Florida has a 10 day period in which you can get out - and do if you ever buy from a developer.

I like to go to these things to see the places - the front desk does not always allow you to see the resorts without going through the sales pitch - silly - but they are the ones who make the rules - if to see a resort (that I might like to exchange to one day) - I do the sales pitch - then I am sorry that I wasted there time - but they also wasted my time - and my time is valuable.

red-snapper don't let the salespeople make you feel that way - one did me - until I got back and realized that they were making a fortune - on the resale market (it was Fairfield by the way) - it is low - like $0.02 to $0.03 per point - that I will always buy resales - but as I say to see the resort - you must do the sales pitch.

Now my problem is generally the saleperson wants to let me go - but I still want to see the place!!!! So on this visit I will make it plain - that I am here to see the resort - not interested in buying -I want to see the place - not buy and see if I have better results.

 

[robinb]

Here are my timeshare tour suggestions:

1. Always tell them up-front that you are there for the perks and not to buy.
2. Find out in advance how long the presentation will be. Tell the sales agent that you have alloted however long they said it would be (usually 90 minutes) and that is all the time they have. Insist that they agree on this!
3. Wear a watch. Check it often. Tell them when they have 30 minutes left so they can wrap up their presentation.
4. Practice saying "no" a lot!
5. Ask for your gift and/or the manager when the time is up.
6. Do not feel guilty! Do not feel like you have to be "nice" in the face of a persistant hard-sell!
7. Do not be swayed by the other people who are buying. They may be shills.
8. Never, ever sign up for a tour with Westgate. They are sharks.
   [/list=1]
   
   I have actually had pleasant timeshare presentations when I have followed these rules .

 

[CantGetEnuf]

I went to to timeshare presentation about 3 years ago just to get some Universal tickets and NEVER AGAIN! I felt like me and my family were being held hostage. We had to talk to about 4 different people before we were given our tickets. We continuously said NO!

The last person was so rude. He said to us "You only came for the tickets, didn't you" and shouted at us and practically through us out on our heads!

As I was leaving, I warned the other folks I saw that eagerly walking in what to expect.

IMHO, it's not worth it.

 

[leslieh]

Just got back today from the Vistana Resort, we were asked at the front desk to do the tour for $50.00 cash. So we were not impressed at all with this resort (We are DVC owners) We did the tour and had a great sales guy eddie, told him upfront just looking and see why we got such a crappy unit. All went well and no pressure took about 97 minutes. We didnt eat breakfast either.

 

[hawt1]

I would generally agree with what the others are saying:

1. Tell them that you are not going to buy and only came for the tickets.
2. Tell them that you agreed to 90 mintues and that you will be leaving after that amount of time.
3. Do not seem interested at all.
4. Tell them that you can buy on the resale market for much less than a new one costs.
5. Tell them that while their resort is nice, it is not really right for you. Not the quality that you are used to...Not much they can do about that.
6. Tell them that you know about tug www.tug2.net.
7. Tell them that you know Orlando is extremely overbuilt and that you can easily rent timeshares for less than the maintenance fee through numerous websites including www.skyauction.com which is RCI's public rental website.
8. Remind them of number 1 but remember that at some places, the salesperson could be reprimanded for not keeping you there close to the 90 minutes. Hopefully they will be a good sport about it and let you go early or stop trying to sell you and just chat for the balance of the time.
9. Go to ebay.com armed with a list of recent sales from the same resort you are going to. If they go below this, then maybe you are getting a good deal.
10. Reconsider if it is really worth your time and aggravation...

 

[Belle1962]

There's a long post on the budget board re handling timeshare tours and hints and tips. I bumped it up for you and here's the link:

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=65659&highlight=+timeshare

 

[RKC]

My touring tip,
Bring a small child along. Preferably one who either screams in a piercing manner, or likes to throw food. If you don't have one of these type children handy I'd be happy to rent you mine( for a nominal charge, of coarse ). This way about the time the sales person starts getting pushy, the child will be bored and be letting you know it. I've also found that a good pinch gets them started, too (just kidding). You'll be surprised at how fast you'll be escorted to the door !!!

 

[Robinrs]

I just tell them I'm a moderator on a Disney board and will come back and tell forty thousand some odd people who MAY buy how I was treated...... works every time!!

 

[Shooby doo]

Our first trip to WDW we were newly weds with a tight budget so to get a couple of passes we done Vistana & Orange County( I think).Initially things are great,it's all one on one,have your free breakfast,listen to a talk,then finally view the property-which to be honest could sell themselves,& then it happens....... pressure selling-your now best friend is first & then it's their line manager & then theirs &.....you're now looking at half the price of the first offer & they've got an answer for every excuse.In the end they made the mistake of completely ignoring my wife..not the best strategy in the world!!They weren't ready for an irate woman!They practically threw the passes at us & were made to feel that we had let everyone down & that our greeter would have to seel his wife & kids into slavery because he had failed !!
I do have to say that DVC was totally different(no freebies though) what put us off there was the fact you don't actually own anything & at the end of your lease (45 years when we visited) you've got to start again!

 

[dg39]

We were at disney once for 2 weeks. Just had a great time. From there we went to stay at the Marriott Orlando World Center. Even though that place is BEAUTIFUL, when you leave disney and go offsite your miserable. To us nothing compares to on site. Anyway, feeling sad and depressed upon leaving disney, on a very rainy morning we attended the Marriott Grand Vista timeshare presentation. It was interesting to us, but kind of expensive. After 2 hrs of listening and listening it was finally over and they gave us $50.00 off to be used at the resort, either off our hotel or food bill and they gave us a few choices for "gifts". We chose the 1 day/park pass. It was a voucher, so that night we went to dtd guest services and traded it for the actual pass. All in all, if you have extra time in orlando and don't mind spending around 2 hrs. and need passes and know how to say no thankyou(dh has no problem with that) you can get your passes that way. We didn't use the passes yet, we'll save them for another trip to disney.....

 

[Mjasp]

Well, we are back from Vistana, and our friends did the timeshare tour as usual. We didn't. DH didn't want to, as he put it, waste valuable vacation time. I really think next time it may be worth doing it to see the other resorts. I would really like to see Liki Tiki resort and Horizons by Marriott.

Well maybe next year and thanks for your replies.

Also have to say that my friends who do the tours regularly say, that it usually takes about 3 hours, if you are lucky it takes 2.

 

[WIcruizer]

Being in sales, I'm embarrassed by the stories above. Most people in sales see it as a profession, and get satisfaction from helping customers.

That's why I would have no problem dealing with these pushy timeshare types. First, I would never go through that crap for $50. However, we did it one year because we got 3 free nights if we agreed to a 90 minute presentation. At the end of it, I just said no...no...no. I didn't give a reason because the guy was incredibly rude. After the 3rd no, I said thank you and we got up and walked out.