Friends own Wyndham points, taking us to Disney

[mom0299]

OK, so we have friends who own Wyndham points and have asked us to got to Bonnet Creek this fall. We will have to sit through a 90 minute sales pitch. We have done these things before so I know full well that those 90 minutes will turn into more and I know it is high-pressure.
I'd like to hear from people who have done this, whether you bought or not. Before I go into that sales pitch I want to have all the facts. Is it worth it? My family absolutely loves Disney. We always stay on property, but Bonnet Creek looks very nice. We are planning a trip for 2013. My kids are getting older and will not be at home much longer. The oldest graduates in three years and the youngest in 5, so I'm not sure if it we should get a timeshare when the kids are almost gone. I know DH and I will still go to Disney on occasion, but will we go enough? I don't know.

I want to know EVERYTHING!

 

[MissDaisyofTexas]

Bonnet Creek is very nice. But you don't HAVE to sit through the time share presentation to stay there. We didn't. We got a few phone messages asking us to schedule, but we never did.

If you decide to buy, you can buy it much cheaper as a re-sale (if that's the right term?) It's usually cheaper than buying directly through the timeshare company. They sell timeshares on Ebay and other sites.

 

[carlbarry]

If your friends are staying on points, you do NOT have to go to a presentation.
If they and you are staying on some kind of Wyndham promotion, you might have to go to a presentation. I, as a Wyndham owner, was offered a deal last year to stay at the Wyndham Grand at Bonnet Creek at a discount, on the condition that I go to a presentation, and if I brought guests, they were obligated, too.
That being said, 2 tips:
1. If you don't have to go on the tour, but are offered enough incentive to go, it might be worth it. Just be sure to put your foot down at the time you were told it would take.
2. MOST important: do NOT buy from Wyndham. Before you go, look on ebay and see how Wyndham sells for pennies on the dollar as opposed to what Wyndham charges. When I went on the presentation, I told the sales weasel I had paid $100 on ebay for my 49,000 points. She then tried to sell me, to my continuing astonishment, 63,000 points for $11,000!

 

[mom0299]

Thank you for the responses. I'm not sure if our friends are using their points or going with a special deal by bringing us along. I'll find out. I had seen some of the different "sell your timeshare" sites that listed Wyndham points, so it's good to know that those are cheaper. I guess if we have to sit through 90 minutes I will set my clock and tell them when their time is up. If we decide we really like it, we can look into buying points from somewhere else.

 

[carlbarry]

Thank you for the responses. I'm not sure if our friends are using their points or going with a special deal by bringing us along. I'll find out. I had seen some of the different "sell your timeshare" sites that listed Wyndham points, so it's good to know that those are cheaper. I guess if we have to sit through 90 minutes I will set my clock and tell them when their time is up. If we decide we really like it, we can look into buying points from somewhere else.

The "sell your timeshare" sites want MUCH more than on ebay. For example: on May 1, a 168,000 point Bonnet Creek timeshare sold for $31, and on April 27 a 126,000 point contract sold for $10.50. Want a real BIIIIG amount of points, that Wyndham will gladly sell you for the cost of a new home? 500,000 points sold for $4,559 on May 7.
Yes, tell them when the 90 minutes or whatever they promised are up. But be aware that they do not start the clock when you enter, or when you are picking up snacks. It starts when the pitch starts. And also be aware--if you've never been to one of these--that once you pull the plug, your original sales weasel will hand off to a closer, who will then pass you to someone who will ask you how you were treated--and press you again. He will then pass you to someone who will want to sell you vacations that can be converted to a contract later on. So even if the original sales weasel lets you go at 90 minutes, you will have another half hour to go.

 

[swilshire]

We did the Bonnet Creek tour a few years ago. Our only complaint was that they did a group thing first and the speaker included a lot of suggestive comments. We had our two younger sons along and there were a few other children in the room. I thought it was very inappropriate. Other than that, it wasn't too bad.

We have timeshared for nearly 20 years with our four children. The older ones moved on, but now they are starting to come back with spouses for the trips. There will be some trips where we'll only need a 1br unit but others where we'll need 3br to fit everybody in.

After all those years with full kitchens, laundry facilities and extra space, we can't stand more than a single night in a hotel room. We don't enjoy eating out every meal and really like doors we can close if we all want to watch different television programs. I don't see us ever giving up the timeshares, especially when the cost is comparable to a decent hotel room.

Sheila